Ladies and gentlemen (or the one person who reads this blog), I have taken up residence in a coffee shop this fine evening. I've had a perfectly pleasant day (well, since my shower anyway), but I feel the urge to start this entry by telling you about the coffee shop first.
Why? Because there is mild-to-moderate doucheyness afoot, mere feet away from me. I've been tucked away in my little corner for almost three hours now, in an attempt to finish some overdue freelance articles. There is a guy sitting in the next seat who has been here even longer than I have. He has removed his shoes and from time to time, he has been resting his stockinged feet on the coffee table in the middle of the nook we are sharing. Really, dude? I can understand the part where you hang around the coffee shop all day, half-assedly doing work/studying/book-clubbing/whatever the frick you are doing, because, hey, otherwise, I'd be the pot calling the kettle black. What I don't get is the part where you decide to make yourself at home, for the price of one cup of coffee, to such an extent as to rest your moist tootsies on the same table where people put their food. This is a public place, not your living room, mkay? Put those things away.
Reading over that last paragraph, I realize it sounds a tad hostile. I don't mean it to be. My little rant was written in a good-natured, laughing sort of way. Sock Guy, if you are reading this, please imagine me to be teasing you the way an older sibling would. "Dude, get your feet off the table. We're in a coffee shop."
Anyway, let me round out my reviews for the day, prior to finding myself in close quarters with a stranger's feet.
My first stop (after the couch and the shower) was Dunn Brothers. This is my favorite coffee chain. Starbucks and Caribou cannot compare to the delicious beverages, food, and good service I've always encountered here. It's no more expensive than either, but somehow manages to be infinitely tastier. I had my usual mocha and a cranberry-walnut scone. The Morning Glory muffin here is also excellent. There is free Wi-Fi, which is faster than what I have at home.
After my stop at Dunn Brothers, I went to the main Duluth library, downtown, between the Radisson Hotel and the Depot. It took a few short minutes to sign up for a card. The library itself was very tranquil, and everyone seemed so polite and willing to help. I was surprised and warmed by the librarian who tried to help me find a particular memoir. She looked not only on the shelf where the book was supposed to be, but on the surrounding shelves and through a cart loaded with books. She was genuinely remorseful about the shelves' unwillingness to present the book. Before I left, she took my information and promised to call me when they found it. I was struck by her thoroughness and dedication.
So go check out both the library and Dunn Brothers, if you haven't already--or haven't recently.
