“Okay Google, coffee shops with wifi open late near me”
Have you ever tried searching for the perfect “third place” (explained here: What is a "third place"?) to hang out with friends/catch up with family/get some individual heads-down work done just to open a million tabs, speed-read a dozen Yelp reviews/Instagram posts/local news articles with names like “top 10 coffee shops this year” to exit realizing hours had passed and you still aren’t satisfied with the information you found? Or maybe, because of the unfulfilling rabbit hole trauma you’ve experienced in the past, you’re one of those people who immediately delegate the task of choosing and say “I’m not picky” because having constraints is just too much of a headache (plus, why risk being the scapegoat for people’s disappointment?).
With the multitude of third place options out there, it’s getting harder to know what you’re getting yourself–and your party–into when you suggest a location. Will they have wifi? A changing station in the bathroom? Is it animal friendly? The list can go on!
That’s why I started CATHZINE.
As a person who enjoys third places, is quite picky about them, and is frequently asked for recommendations, I began to document my experiences to more easily share with others. CATHZINE began on Instagram (@cathzine) and now has migrated to Substack to better house the information I want to provide: a searchable, curated list of third place experiences, with a side of other musings, opinions, and fun things.
What are you getting when you subscribe?
My content is free (!!), and subscribing only means you’ll be immediately informed when I publish something new {when you have subscribed but can’t find the newsletter, check your spam folder or Promotions tab. Please mark this address as ‘not spam’ or ‘not Promotions’ so it can happily arrive to your inbox without detours 🙂}.
The contents can be summarized with the following menu:
MAINS
reviews of places I go // including, but not limited to: restaurants, coffee shops, your house for dinner! (joking), etc. Most of the time, I am visiting these places anonymously and paying full price (I’m getting the same food and treatment as everyone else). If this isn’t the case, I’ll let you know! Regardless, you can trust that all opinions are my own and that my reviews will always be 100% honest. Donations are welcome if you would like to help subsidize my research and the places I visit 🙂
STARTERS + SIDES
travel guides // I’m obsessed with finding the best places wherever I go and only hope to be the launching pad for your future travel itinerary!
interviews // with entrepreneurs, or really anyone who is remotely interesting & will talk to me 😝 I love getting to know the personality & brains behind a third place
DESSERTS + NIBBLES
recipes // from my kitchen to yours; expect these to be essential meal moments I’ve been enjoying at home
musings // sharing whatever’s been on my heart or occupying my brain space; including, but not limited to: Bible verses, songs, articles, etc.!
Who’s behind the ZINE?
Hi! I’m Catherine. I like to eat good food, see the world, take photos, and spend time with my community and family. I graduated from (the) Ohio State with a degree in engineering, am a business analyst by trade, and somehow have developed very opinionated proletarian taste buds (who revolt if not every mealtime & mouthful is a pleasurable experience that inspires a joyful celebration of the world that God has created).
