A coffee shop can be a “home” away from home.  For the price of a cup of coffee one can just be, hangout, find solitude with others, for reading, for ones thoughts, or for observing human nature expressed in behavior and the dress of patrons.  Coffee Shops are essential public spaces.

My customary spot for reading and writing is here at Starbucks, at a double table.  I have a hot cup of good quality coffee at hand, and agreeable music is playing in the background.  I know the baristas behind the counter by name.

While in Louisville for a weekend I was fortunate to have Safai Coffee Shop just a few steps from our BNB.  Safai is a independent coffee shop.  The decor and atmosphere reflect the funky weirdness of Louisville.  The shop is on Bardstown Road.  One could argue that Bardstown Road is the social center for the working class young man and women of the town.

A good way to gain a sense of the culture of a coffee shop is to be present early, soon after opening, as patrons just start to come in.  At this shop I noticed a female staff member dedicating at least thirty minutes to water a large variety of well maintained plants decorating the interior space and the outside patio.  Louisville is a Southern city so the summer growing season extends a month longer than here in Chicago.  Nature is a celebrated dimension of the Safai theme.

The mural painted on the patio wall features three animals imaginatively depicted enjoying drinks seated at a Safai table.  The place is pet friendly with a walk-up window so that patrons walking a dog may place an order and receive their coffee without having to bring the animal inside.

So, for two mornings I found a suitable spot at Safai to explore words to make real my experience in Louisville.  What more could I ask?