Sunday, June 10, 2007

Thing I miss about Minneapolis-#7

Mom and Pop coffee shops.

There really aren't too many of them left in Los Angeles. If you want coffee around here the you have to go to Starbucks, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and Peet's. (Henceforth referred to the BIG Three) I like Coffee Bean, don't get me wrong, but they are missing the whole coffee shop experience that I am used to in Minneapolis. Most of the places here don't even have a place to sit down and god forbid have a bathroom.

In the coffee shops in Minneapolis, you could pack up your laptop, ipod and/or a good book and just sit and read. They are great places to hang out, people watch and be alone amongst the people. In Los Angeles, coffee shops are filled with stressed out multitaskers. It is hard to concentrate, when there is this loud guy, trying to make a deal for all to hear and women who are not paying attention to their kids.

"Mommy, Mommy, watch me twirl."
"Be quiet now, Dakotah, Mommy is trying to have a conversation with Lilian."

This constant loudness really doesn't make coffee shops all that inviting, especially for writing. Also, I feel like the baristas at the BIG three, just really want you to get out of there as fast as you possibly can. If you are there longer than an hour they look at you like you are a zoo animal.

There is a collection of shops on Beverly and Faifax-ish, a place called Stir Crazy next to where I get my hair done. But honestly it is pretty much the BIG Three that have taken over.

I miss sitting coffee shops so much.

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