12 January 2010

the best kinds of cafes



i've got cafes on my mind. these photos are from a sweet birthday lunch with my parents at the volunteer park cafe and this morning i am going to meet a friend at the essential baking company. i have a soft spot in my heart for a really nice cafe/bakery. my dad is a baker (you must have known one of my parents was) and i grew up watching in awe of decorators perfectly wrapping icing around a cake or of a huge hobart mixer whipping together sticky dough.

there are certain types of cafes or bakeries that are just the best places to be. they aren't just coffee shops and they definitely wouldn't qualify as a restaurant, nor are they simply a bakery. there are specific elements that all pull together to make a nice "cafe."coffee, light lunch fare, a place to meet friends, a place to sit alone and read or think, sweet treats and pastries, larger baked goods like pies and cakes--all the good stuff!

i think i'd like to do a little series on cafe's in seattle. i don't quite know what it will be, but my collection of cafe photos are building, so why not compile them into something coherent? today will be post number one in the series, and it will be entitled "the best kinds of cafes," where i profess my love for the perfect mixture of everything good.

take care!

15 comments:

  1. I would love to hear your take on the best cafes in Seattle! I am also a huge fan of great cafes. If you have never been to Besalu in Ballard be sure to check it out. There are usually long lines but it is definitely worth the wait.

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  2. If you ever find yourself in Bellingham, go to the Bagelry. It's a cool place!

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  3. i wish we had such cafes here. i can spend hours in cafes!

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  4. oh, boy. i am eager for more as i share your enthusiasm for such a place.

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  5. Cafés are my second home, I have six regular cafés that I visit, and photograph. I am always on the look out for new cafés. This sounds like an excellent idea, and look forward to seeing what you record.

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  6. Oh yes please do! I love hunting down good restaurants. You being in the Seattle area only helps my cause. Corina Bakery in Tacoma is amazing, also because right across the street is Infinite Soups. So you get your soup and then head across to the bakery to sit down and eat warm bread and coffee. Great atmosphere right next to Wright's Park. Heaven.

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  7. Perfect timing. I'll be staying near Volunteer Park in February. Looking forward to seeing more Seattle cafe posts.

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  8. I love these pics! Lokoing forward to the series!

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  9. sounds like a great and mouthwatering idea. looking forward to the series.

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  10. I wish you could come back in Montreal and stop by the cafe i work at :)
    Love, E.

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  11. I love the idea, because I love these places too!

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  12. When I lived in San Francisco, I was always looking for good cafes and could never find them. Now, in Seattle, there's a great cafe every other block. I'm convinced it's the weather, but it makes me happy.

    You know, in SF they did a book on local cafes. Perhaps you should consider something like that. It sold well, every cafe profiled had copies for sale by the counter. See here.

    (forgive the Amazon link, I couldn't find a direct publisher listing)

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thanks for your comment! i appreciate hearing from you.