I like the idea of a cafe, especially in summer when you can sit on a terrace and slowly sip coffee. This cafe is not far from me and it is quite nice in summer, with bushes and flowers to buffer the hum of traffic. After a day of sitting at the computer, working and listening to the drilling, hammering and other noises emanating from my kitchen (under renovation) I realized I needed to escape the dust and mess of my house. I walked to the cafe and had a light supper.
Some things make me feel old - I am sure I was the oldest there. Most of the patrons were twenty-somethings, using the cafe as a workplace with their laptops and a place to socialize. The music, fortunately not too loud, was of their vintage - not mine. But I pulled out my book, lingered over my meal and enjoyed the refuge from my dusty home.
Sometimes I take photographs because I am caught by the visual; sometimes photographs are about the story. I met a friend for brunch in a cafe in Toronto. The building it is in was built in the early 20th century as a factory for Model T Fords. We ate in what was once the showroom. Take away the tables, the counter, the people and picture the shiny new cars parked near the pillars. Perhaps a few people should remain in this image, marvelling over the vehicles, anxious to try one, yet reticent at the same time. Times were changing. In 2009, it is hard to imagine life without cars. We take them for granted as part of our lives and the landscape. But if these pillars could talk they would have other stories to tell.
Read more about the story of this building on this photograph.
On a cold, grey day it's nice to imagine being in an outdoor cafe, slowly sipping an espresso or Greek coffee. This little set sits on the mantle, beckoning one to dream of warmer climates and a slow pace. Whether on these woven chairs on a Greek sidewalk, or on rattan chairs in a Paris bistro, this is about lingering. No quick - pick up your coffee in a paper cup - this table is for a ceramic cup, and perhaps, a newspaper, or just for sitting and watching the world go by.
