Monday, June 25, 2007

Brew fest

Yesterday we went to the apple orchard again to swim and spend the day brewing beer. The smell of warm barley and hops filled the air while we ate cookies and went swimming. Why was I so convinced that I would never want to live in California? It must be the lack of good coffee shops.

On Day One of thesis writing I walked into what could potentially be the coolest coffee shop in town: an old railroad building with open rafters and stone exterior walls. The room was full of coffee smells and sounds and coffee people. I dropped off my backpack at a table near a window and looked down to make sure there was an outlet. There was a laminated sign covering my outlet that read DO NOT PLUG IN. If you plug in you will be asked to leave. I thought to myself for a second, then proceeded scan every outlet in the room: all covered up. I was offended.

Realizing in an instant that this would NOT be my coffee shop for the summer, I walked to the counter, ordered a coffee and asked What's up with the outlets? In the most friendly and curious voice I could find. The barista gave me an unfriendly and lengthy explanation. People will stay too long, we don't want cords hanging everywhere, it is a liability issue, it uses our electricity... thinking, this must be one messed up city, maybe it is city code?!?!... I asked are all the coffee shops in Santa Rosa like that?

Yup. You might be able to plug in at Borders or something.

Two cups of coffee and a dead computer later I left and went on a mission to find other coffee shops. So, this morning I spent hours outside on a patio to myself with internet access and great organic shade grown coffee listening to a fountain, knowing that I could walk in and plug my computer in at any moment. Yup whatever. Cool railroad coffee shop isn't so cool anymore. They might be getting a letter soon as to what coffee shops are supposed to be like: like the ones in Portland.

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