Every working day for the last four years I've spent around three hours in a coffee shop close to work. I've been working there of course...OK, I wasn't always working, but I was always in the middle of my working day so let's just roll with working, yes?
It was a comfortable place, sort of funky and eclectic, and much more interesting than my actual office so I felt much happier being there. More energised.
I'm always treated like family and the food is great, the coffee really great and I found myself to be far more centred when there. I'd sit and people watch in between working on my laptop, take and make phone calls and have the occasional conversation with some of the other regulars from time to time. It was just a nice place to be.
I found a great deal of value there, I mean internally. I felt comfortable, welcomed and I guess that made me content; it also made me more productive both there and at those times I was in my actual office. I knew I could escape so I feel I was more efficient at the office to get to the café sooner knowing I'd feel so much more comfortable. It was grand.
That all changed recently though.
When I ended my employment with the company I no longer had an excuse to go the café daily, it's not close to home, and whilst I've been there a few times in the last couple of weeks it feels different. I'm still welcomed with a happy, g'day G-dog, by the owner, still banter and have a laugh and the food and coffee is the same but...Not being there every day makes me feel a little disconnected from it and I suppose the good feelings I gained there. It makes me feel a little sad as it's been such a big part of my days for so long.
I miss more than the place. It's not just about the food or coffee no matter how good they are, it's more the overall feeling of comfort, the loss of those comfortable moments I found there; the feeling of belonging and the enjoyment found in those hours.
I often say I'm not very social but in reality that's not altogether true. I'm just selective with the people I decide to be social with.
I can find enjoyment and satisfaction being alone, all introverts can, but spending time with people I value is one of the most enjoyable things and those nutbags in that café, the owner, her girlfriend and cousin, were great value. I'll miss not seeing them each day.
I've done a lot of business in cafe's and coffee shops over the years and I've been in so many I've lost count. I know a good one when I'm in it and it's got nothing to do with the look of the place; It's all about the way one is treated, the atmosphere, feel of the place, the food and the coffee or tea of course. If those elements come together than I'll come back and if not...Not even the best coffee will bring me back.
I'll keep returning to this café despite it being out of my way and not very close to home. The girls will be just as friendly and the food and coffee just as good. But I can't go every day, it's just not possible.
There's a few places around my home that are decent and I go there now and then but they're not my favourite café and unfortunately for them my favourite café is what I measure all the others against. I'll keep trying though I guess, after all, one can never really have enough coffee right? The café-experimentation will be glorious.
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All images are mine, taken at 33 Chapel, Norwood, South Australia.
Ha, we relocated 3 years ago from the north of the country to southern tip of the country and we have still not found an ideal place. One farm here is passable as they serve coffee, but I only go there because there are many birds for my camera.
Scarce to find a place where one has that feeling of belonging.
Yeah, Zac the service at places here is often so bad I simply don't go back. The food so average that it borders on bad. Having 33 Chapel was amazing as it was consistent, friendly and had a nice vibe. I go once or twice a week now as my time permits but I miss that daily routine.
Seems it's the same over there? Quality and mood suffers due to cost cutting. So very in a nutshell.
As someone living much under the minimum wage in Hungary, sometimes I would be happy even for that, because sometimes I have to choose between paying rent/bills and buying food. This is what happens when the local minimum wage is approximately $550 USD, but you have to live (survive) on approximately $470 USD. Nowadays that is my total income. I live with multiple disabilities, and I receive a low, pension-like income (approximately $250 USD per month), and I work in a four hours per day part time job, but my total income still does not reach the local minimum wage. And government asks "would you raise the minimum wage?" (and other questions) in propaganda, while they steal billions of public money, and they even changed in the law what counts as public money. Something what was public money before is no longer public money. The government steal the money of the people. Shame on the Hungarian government.
Back to food. I give you some !PIZZA.
@galenkp! I sent you a slice of $PIZZA on behalf of @xplosive.
Learn more about $PIZZA Token at hive.pizza (2/10)
We'll, I sent you some hive for participating in the #weekend-engagement last week so maybe that'll help just a little, even if just from a positivity perspective.
I see it. Thank you for the 4 Hive. It certainly helps. I will use it to power up. Because of the high transaction fees on Coinbase, and because of the high exchange fees at my bank, it would not worth it to cash it out. I would lose most of it.
Oh yeah, the 19 months of Covid lockdowns here has created a mindshift to recover as much losses as possible by jacking all of the prices. Hundreds of small businesses closed down and we are in a real fix.
Marian likes French toast and she had a standup argument with a restaurant manager about their servings. Two thin slices of bread with syrup on and a small piece of banana.
We cannot afford the other stuff on the menus, so we dumped it and left.
Yep, that's the problem now, price gouging. Ultimately it is a downward spiral as patronage drops, then prices rise to mitigate the loss and patronage drops further. I have a long list of places I'll no longer go. Ever.
So sad that they are chasing their customers away. The bread and butter of any restaurant is their loyal patrons, but even those are leaving in droves. Cheaper to make breakfast at home.
So, I don't blame you for feeling aggrieved, as the food indusrty has become a desperate industry.
I have made the decision to eat at home so many times over the last twelve months rather than risk poor quality service and food by going out. It's going to be the death toll for many establishments.
Bur then again, there is always an exception. We found a little place owned by an ex-airfield manager that serves great food at the old prices. Problem is that the place is starting to get crowded.
I think that the best time is now to start a coffee house with low prices and quality food.
I see in your profile that you are from South Africa. Is it safe nowadays? How do you feel about it? Do you feel safe? I heard that some people are attacking car drivers, even in the daylight. Have someone ever attacked you in South Africa?
I give you some !LUV and !PIZZA.
<><
@papilloncharity, you've been given LUV from @xplosive.
Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (1/3)
@papilloncharity! I sent you a slice of $PIZZA on behalf of @xplosive.
Learn more about $PIZZA Token at hive.pizza (1/10)
Yes, I have been robbed at gunpoint a few times and one just has to be careful every day.
The news is true as things are bad here, but we just carry on with life and do our best to help others.
!PIZZA and !BEER
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I can totally relate to you. As humans we are creatures of habits. When we get used to certain things it's difficult to suddenly stop. As I'm introvert myself and someone who is also very protective of her inner circle, It's hard sometimes to find a place where I feel welcome and comfortable, and that's exactly what you have in that space so yes it's a little sad that you can't go that often anymore. It makes me remember the places I was frequent before the pandemic where I used to go with friends and even though the food was great it was the experience itself what drove me there again and again.
We're similar in nature I see. I feel so comfortable at this cafe, it feels like home. I still go there, just not daily. They still treat me like family. 😬
Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate it. ✅
Breakfast looks delicious
It always was at my favourite cafe and in truth still is, I just don't go there every day now. I miss doing that.
This is a good example of what kind of posts will be in the contest. Not much time and not enough coffee.
Hey there, yes this is why I did the post. I guess to show that it doesn't just have to be about coffee. You know;
Here is my coffee. I like coffee because coffee is good and I like water because water makes coffee. And I like cups because coffee goes in cups. Did I say I like coffee? I think I did.
One. An be a little more interesting than that. 😉
I don't know really know the source of this quote but there are so many funny pictures about this concept of I need coffee.
https://www.lovethispic.com/image/118841/without-water-you-can't-make-coffee....
!LUV
Lol...Oh yeah, water is the coffee-lovers most favourite thing, besides the coffee itself (which I guess one could eat without water if one needed to.) 😁
<><
@galenkp, you've been given LUV from @mineopoly.
Check the LUV in your H-E wallet. (1/10)
Everything looks so delicious :) Definitely wanna try it ... Thanks for this interesting post
Everything at the cafe is home made, except the croissants which are made by a French bakery only a couple kilometres away. They care about their food and coffee and love what they do and it shows. It's a great little spot!
That is amazing! I am sure that croissants are also very tasty! It is obvious they think about every detail :)
Yes, they out a lot of attention into quality, presentation and the overall atmosphere. A great spot.
Great photos with all my favourite foods.
I do miss a nice bowl of soup.
I can definitely relate to the different vibe you feel visiting, now that you're no longer working.
It's the staff that makes all the difference.
Thanks for sharing your story ;-)
You're welcome Milly, it was an easy post to write although would have been better if I wrote it at my favourite cafe! 😬
I bet it would! At least it's there so you can go back whenever you want to;)
The food looked awesome. Great presentation and perfect portions.
My girlfriend and I often wish we could time travel and spend all our days in our fav coffee shop, but it closed down many moons ago.
With service and quality standards dropping so rapidly it's rare to find somewhere that both are still high. I'm not a snob or anything, I just like eye contact when talking to someone, a warm greeting instead of annoyance from the staff for my rudeness in turning up at a place of business and food that is edible. Not too much to ask right?
Yeah, I can never understand the mindset of staff who act as if you've interrupted them!?
Personable service is everything!
I did not even know that you can eat a soup at a cofee shop.
I knew about desserts, but not soups. Maybe that place is unique.
A good coffee shop is priceless. That food looks amazing, I hope you did more with it than just photograph it :)
I think I might have a story for your upcoming contest. Will just need to spend a few hours working at a good coffee shop I know.
Oh yeah, I had every single thing on the menu over the years and even got them to add a cheese burger onto their menu. See? Persistence pays off. 😊
There's a few days left to run inn the #coffeecontest so have a go at it if you find the time.
You got them to add a menu item? Damn, you really were a regular!
Lol...Yeah, I kept asking (whinging) about a cheese burger...They added one. Took me three months of effort (whinging) though. 😆
yum!
Great food and great coffee. No doubt.
We do not usually like change and finding a cafe with atmosphere plus good food is a bonus. The good news is you can still visit this cafe once in awhile.
Yeah, I go about twice a week but really miss the daily ritual of it I guess.
These days it's difficult to find a place that has atmosphere, quality and is welcoming. I find get why a business would take a different approach but they do. I suppose in the hope of cost cutting but ultimately it affects patronage.
Thanks for your comment. ☺️
That food looks deeeeeelicious! And the coffee. Exactly. Perfect! It was interesting (and amusing) reading your post because, in my much younger days I worked the very early breakfast shift at an upmarket Cafe (and Patissiere). We hadt had many, many businessmen and women spending hours there, working. They said the same that you do. Of course I had my regulars - or perhaps I was their regular waitress. But I knew what they wanted, when they wanted and other than that they were left alone to work. I liked the interaction far more than walk in strangers. I hope that you find that perfect coffee, even if it isn't in the environment where you felt safe and appreciated.
It's cool that you say you loved that interaction with your regulars because as a regular I love it return. It's that by-play that makes the experience better, the feeling of being welcomed as part of the family. Sure, coffee and food is important, but equally so it that relationship.
☺️
Every now and then is better than not at all. And if you feel like conversing the added gap will give you more to tell each other when you do go ;D
It's great to know that this is also what you experience in a cafe! 🙌 When I am at a cafe to work, I am more productive than when I'm at home (before pandemic). Now that I am working from home I still try to go to cafes because somehow it makes me more relaxed and in tune with the world. I find myself more focused as well. I was deeply troubled when cafes closed at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 huhu but I was glad I made it through, with instant coffee to boost my daily mood.
Great read!
Have a lovely week ahead, coffee cheers~!
I guess it's something to do with the atmosphere, the way it sort of lends it self to productivity. I can't really explain it I guess. Thanks for your comment though, greatly appreciated.
have a good day and enjoy your coffee!
Copy that. ✅