Uphill. Both ways. In the snow.
I try hard to cultivate within myself the flexibility of attitude towards current trends and social changes and the like that is stereotypically lacking from the more geriatrically inclined minds out there. And yet, living as I do in the city in which I grew up, after a long hiatus between adolescence and true “adultiness” mind you, I find myself bemoaning the changes which I feel directly inhibit my preferred lifestyle. Now, don't get me wrong, this town has really turned itself around from the state it was in while I was a juvenile (delinquent) here in the early '90s. The reversal of the decay of the magnificent Downtown and the neighborhoods I grew up in are astounding, and I would never want those things to revert to the state they had been, even if it meant I could actually comfortable afford to live in those now hyper-cool neighborhoods. Further, I'm really not at all bothered by the mass influx of be-sunglass'ed-hipsters which now roam the once-violent streets (circa-80s-Beirut-violent), with impunity, astride their fancy fluevogs and Vespas.
No, with none of that do I take issue.
What I'm speaking of, obviously, is the ever growing dearth of coffee houses with hours of operation exceeding 10pm in the evening! Now, if you are counted among those who know me well, you'll realize that this is a direct impingement upon my Way of Life(tm)! So, cue the gruff old-fogey voice for me as I say “What is wrong with the coffee house operators in this day and age?!” Now, for a little background, it used to be that back in the Grand Olde days before Starbucks co-opted the concept of the coffee house, that there was no shortage of espresso-slinging establishments in my local haunts, most of which closed no earlier than 1am! In those great times, you could be under the legal drinking age and still had a comfortable variety of really cool places that you could stay out late at. One of the firsts for me was a marvelous establishment called The E Bar (or The Espresso Bar). This was the establishment that introduced me to cappuccino and mocha, long before these things were generally known by the public at large. Combined with the fact that it wasn't a place that you could easily find unless you already knew where it was, hidden away in a dead-end alley in Old Town, and the open mike events, local artwork on the walls, and general mix of interesting clientele that were the hallmark of such joints; you have a place that felt like home to a teenager in art-school!
When did they start disappearing? I can't say for sure when the turning point was. But, many of these places (such as The E Bar or Grounds Zero) quietly disappeared while I was still away in the Misty Northlands. Others (such as Buster's and Kaldi) simply pruned their hours to an ever greater degree, ultimately leaving little, if any, time between when I would be able to escape from my mid-week, work-related obligations and the close of their doors. Sigh. And, furthermore, this continues. One of the newer spots in the local vicinity (Sẅork) is within spitting distance of the local college (not to mention being located in one of the Up-And-Coming Neighborhoods(tm) with a far greater than average volume per-cubic-foot of coffee-guzzling emo/hipster/rockers, and yet they too have rolled back closing-time to 10pm from 11pm on most days. What the hell goeth on here? I mean, is there some lack of patronage by the collegiate masses or the über-kewl in the more wee hours? From what I've observed therein at closing time, the answer would, in fact, be no.
I have no answer to this, nor can I conceive of any satisfying explanations. Feel free to suggest them as my restless mind seeks closure.
There is at least some glimmer of hope, for the establishment from which I write this message/lamentation (the dully named “Seattle's Best”) has hours that run to 11pm! (Gasp!) During the week, no less. And, free wi-fi (suck on that, Starbuck's!). Plus, it's conveniently located by the train line that I commute to work by. So, we'll see how long this lasts, but so far it's a delight. The future seems somehow brighter already...
No, with none of that do I take issue.
What I'm speaking of, obviously, is the ever growing dearth of coffee houses with hours of operation exceeding 10pm in the evening! Now, if you are counted among those who know me well, you'll realize that this is a direct impingement upon my Way of Life(tm)! So, cue the gruff old-fogey voice for me as I say “What is wrong with the coffee house operators in this day and age?!” Now, for a little background, it used to be that back in the Grand Olde days before Starbucks co-opted the concept of the coffee house, that there was no shortage of espresso-slinging establishments in my local haunts, most of which closed no earlier than 1am! In those great times, you could be under the legal drinking age and still had a comfortable variety of really cool places that you could stay out late at. One of the firsts for me was a marvelous establishment called The E Bar (or The Espresso Bar). This was the establishment that introduced me to cappuccino and mocha, long before these things were generally known by the public at large. Combined with the fact that it wasn't a place that you could easily find unless you already knew where it was, hidden away in a dead-end alley in Old Town, and the open mike events, local artwork on the walls, and general mix of interesting clientele that were the hallmark of such joints; you have a place that felt like home to a teenager in art-school!
When did they start disappearing? I can't say for sure when the turning point was. But, many of these places (such as The E Bar or Grounds Zero) quietly disappeared while I was still away in the Misty Northlands. Others (such as Buster's and Kaldi) simply pruned their hours to an ever greater degree, ultimately leaving little, if any, time between when I would be able to escape from my mid-week, work-related obligations and the close of their doors. Sigh. And, furthermore, this continues. One of the newer spots in the local vicinity (Sẅork) is within spitting distance of the local college (not to mention being located in one of the Up-And-Coming Neighborhoods(tm) with a far greater than average volume per-cubic-foot of coffee-guzzling emo/hipster/rockers, and yet they too have rolled back closing-time to 10pm from 11pm on most days. What the hell goeth on here? I mean, is there some lack of patronage by the collegiate masses or the über-kewl in the more wee hours? From what I've observed therein at closing time, the answer would, in fact, be no.
I have no answer to this, nor can I conceive of any satisfying explanations. Feel free to suggest them as my restless mind seeks closure.
There is at least some glimmer of hope, for the establishment from which I write this message/lamentation (the dully named “Seattle's Best”) has hours that run to 11pm! (Gasp!) During the week, no less. And, free wi-fi (suck on that, Starbuck's!). Plus, it's conveniently located by the train line that I commute to work by. So, we'll see how long this lasts, but so far it's a delight. The future seems somehow brighter already...