Discussions

A little coffee shop tucked in at 9 5th Street North recently opened up and I couldn't wait to check it out. I happen to know the owners personally, so it was fun to ask them a few questions to get to know them and their little piece of Great Falls better. Me:Tell me a little bit about your family and your Great Falls history?  How long have you and your family lived here? Luna: Iwas born and raised in Great Falls. So were my parents. In fact, the Johnson building on Central Ave was built by my great grandfather, Peter Johnson, and it was originally a hotel. But, I digress. The point is, both sides of my family have been in Great Falls for quite a while. I moved away for college, and I met my husband, Samir, in graduate school in Scotland. Somehow I convinced him to move home to Montana with me. We attended law school at U of M together and after 2 years clerking, we moved to Great Falls in August 2017 to start our law firm and raise our boys. Me: What is something you love about Great Falls? Luna: I love that Great Falls still retains the “frontier spirit”. If you work hard in this town, it’s possible to build a good life for yourself and your family. The cost of living is reasonable, the schools and parks are great, and the community is eager to support new businesses. Me: Why did you want to start Luna Coffee bar? I know you have a lot going on, and I've also managed coffee shops in the past and know that they aren't always easy . . .what prompted you to jump into the restaurant business? Luna: The idea for Luna Coffee Bar occurred to us as we were reminiscing about a trip to Italy when we were able to get a hot panini, a fresh-squeezed orange juice, and an excellent espresso at a reasonable price and quickly. We often have only a few minutes for lunch, and we wished we could get in Great Falls what we could get on any street corner in Florence. Since nothing of that description existed in Great Falls, we knew we’d have to build it ourselves. When the space right below our law firm opened up, we took that as a fortuitous sign and decided now was the time. But of course, opening a coffee shop in the midst of a pandemic has created a unique set of challenges. We figured if we could survive Covid as a new business, we might be on to something. Me: I noticed that you have some gorgeous artwork in your shop. Can you tell me a little bit about those pieces?  That artist? The artist is the incredibly talented Alissa Blevins, who works as the legal assistant in our office. We’ve always admired her art, and when we had a bunch of bare walls to decorate in the coffee bar, asking her to paint some pieces for us seemed like the obvious choice. We get a lot of positive feedback about the artwork, and we’re looking forward to displaying more of Alissa’s work in the future. What is your favorite part about the coffee shop so far? My favorite part about the coffee shop is walking in there and seeing three or four people in line (socially distanced, of course!) ordering an espresso and a panini, and knowing that 2 months ago that experience wasn’t possible in Great Falls! But fresh squeezed orange juice in under 30 seconds is pretty great too...

Since moving back to Great Falls September 2019, We have been trying to get to all the new restaurants in town. I have been wanting to share a little bit about them as we try them out, so I'm jumping in and starting now! Our little city has such amazing little foodie gems, and we are getting more all the time. You definitely need to schedule some time in to check our food scene! Covid, quarantines, and life in general have not afforded us as frequent date nights as we would like, so we finally made it to MT Pints a couple of weeks ago. Tucked in at 215 3rd Ave NW, where The Front & Big Mouth BBQ have set up home in the past, MT Pints is setting up to be the place where you go for "Burgers & Beer done right". And, they have a solid beginning just in their drink selections. The unofficial tasting room for Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co, they also are the host of other Montana microbrews, Montana distilleries, they have created some tasty mixed drinks, and have a solid wine selection. But, I'm getting ahead of myself! Right when you walk in the door, you are greeted by a warm atmosphere, the cheerful greetings of staff from wherever they might be in the room, and the bright & lively activity behind both the bar and the food counters. With hand-chalked menu boards for drinks, and light bouncing off of brightly colored bottles, you feel welcomed before you even sit down. Our server was friendly, informative, and patient - especially because I can take forever to make up my mind about my orders! He even worked it out with the kitchen to squeeze 2 onion rings in with my serving of fries, just so I could have a little 'fix'! : ) Finally we start digging into the food! The reason we had decided to finally try MT Pints was because we had heard they served good burgers. I always like menus that nod to their location, but I like it even better when the food that comes out tastes great! So, my Grizzly burger made me very happy. Fresh Jalapenos topped off pepperjack cheese, garlic aioli, house hot sauce and a juicy patty. Beef sourced locally from Cascade Meats sat on a bun baked fresh at Great Harvest was tagged up with fresh delicious ingredients that didn't overdress the burger! And, Dan can't wait to go back and have the Bighorn again! Maybe that's because it comes with bacon jam, but really. . . . I think we probably all could use a little more bacon jam in our lives, am I right? After talking to owner, Renae Weisenburger, we also learned that their heart for all things Montana & Great Falls goes deeper than just their burgers. Their new bar stools were crafted by the Good Wood Guys and are just the beginning of some of their ideas to incorporate and include local artisans in their business. Full bellies and full hearts, our visit to MT Pints was anything but EMPTY - yes, it is a play on the name - "It's punny." Said Renae. Yes, it is - and we'll be back for more.

The dinner table is a place where we connect, refuel, nourish, laugh, cry, dream, discover each other's hearts, teach, encourage, pray, try new things, grow, and love. It fills our hearts and bellies to gather around the table and invite others in. With our buys schedules and lives, it can be challenging to get everyone together for meal time, and when you do, it can be difficult to get everyone talking. So, here are 10 easy questions or topics to help start conversation the next time you are able to gather around your dinner table. - If you were an animal what would you be? - What are you looking forward to this month? year? - If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do? - If you could have any superpower what would it be? - If you could only keep one item you own, what would it be? - Say something nice about the person across from you. - What is your favorite family tradition? Why? - If you won $1000, what would you do with it? - Name one win from the last week. Name one fail from the last week. - Where would you fly if you had wings?