Adventures in coffee and conversation
As I slipped in between the rain drops, this morning, in downtown Portland, I came across the warm glow of Java Man Coffee. I entered with my blue, sporty brief case and dripping, Olin College of Engineering, anorak. The greyish fellow in the front of the store asked for my order.
I said "an iced Americano please."
He repeated "Iced Americano?"
I said "yup"
He said "Are you sure, it is cold outside!"
Having been outside, I knew it was cold (45 degrees Far.) but I like iced coffee. Heck, I ordered iced drinks when it was 10 below 0 in Boston. I chalk it up to my November birth in Winnepeg, Canada. I said that I was sure I wanted an iced Americano.
Without missing a beat, the server said "Let me go in back to get it for you". He walked to a room behind the counter and closed the door. 1 minute later he handed me an iced Americano. I sat down at one of the few tables and scanned the room. Russian chocolate cascaded the right side of the counter. Above this, a lighted menu spelled out lunch items with names I could not pronounce. Luckily each item had associated pictures and a description. The server pointed me along to the interview place and I left a happy customer. Definitely a place to go back and visit.
After the interview, I awaited the Max (the Portland subway) to take home. I ran across a woman with 2 boys also awaiting the next train to the zoo. We chatted a bit and boarded the train. She said that she came from Sweet Home. I asked her where this was and she said Oregon.
I did not know such a town existed. Apparently it is an outdoor lovers paradise and bedroom community. There is water skiing, fishing and swimming. Fish range from salmon to rainbow trout to the "garbage variety". My eyebrows arched quizzically when the boys mentioned garbage variety - but apparently it is synomous with the mutts in the dog world. The fish are edible.
I asked if it snowed in Sweet Home. The answer is not really - it rains a lot there and snows in the mountain. Also some folks don't give it the credit it deserves on the map. Well, I will give it credit and speak to the masses about Sweet Home. May there be more towns like it in the world!
I said "an iced Americano please."
He repeated "Iced Americano?"
I said "yup"
He said "Are you sure, it is cold outside!"
Having been outside, I knew it was cold (45 degrees Far.) but I like iced coffee. Heck, I ordered iced drinks when it was 10 below 0 in Boston. I chalk it up to my November birth in Winnepeg, Canada. I said that I was sure I wanted an iced Americano.
Without missing a beat, the server said "Let me go in back to get it for you". He walked to a room behind the counter and closed the door. 1 minute later he handed me an iced Americano. I sat down at one of the few tables and scanned the room. Russian chocolate cascaded the right side of the counter. Above this, a lighted menu spelled out lunch items with names I could not pronounce. Luckily each item had associated pictures and a description. The server pointed me along to the interview place and I left a happy customer. Definitely a place to go back and visit.
After the interview, I awaited the Max (the Portland subway) to take home. I ran across a woman with 2 boys also awaiting the next train to the zoo. We chatted a bit and boarded the train. She said that she came from Sweet Home. I asked her where this was and she said Oregon.
I did not know such a town existed. Apparently it is an outdoor lovers paradise and bedroom community. There is water skiing, fishing and swimming. Fish range from salmon to rainbow trout to the "garbage variety". My eyebrows arched quizzically when the boys mentioned garbage variety - but apparently it is synomous with the mutts in the dog world. The fish are edible.
I asked if it snowed in Sweet Home. The answer is not really - it rains a lot there and snows in the mountain. Also some folks don't give it the credit it deserves on the map. Well, I will give it credit and speak to the masses about Sweet Home. May there be more towns like it in the world!
posted by Michelle Phelan Knight at 2:57 PM
2 Comments:
Good post.
yay Olin College
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