The tao of tea at the Unicorn Cafe
For me one of the small pleasures of being on vacation in another city is going out quite early, say at 6 a.m., and having a cup of tea in a coffee house. Evanston is a particularly good place to do this, because there are more coffee houses per block than anywhere I've ever been, both local (Kaffeine, Argo Tea House, and my favorite, Unicorn Cafe) and chains (Starbucks, Peet's Coffee & Tea). They all offer something different in the way of tea service (various tea bags and loose teas, teapots, mugs, French press etc.)
I might take a book, newspaper or computer; but if I'm in full vacation mode, I just sit and drink my tea and stare into space. The appeal is the unusualness of it. ...
At home there is no such thing as sitting with a cup of tea in the morning, unless it's at the computer.
But here I can just sit, and do the sudoku in the paper if I'm feeling ambitious, or just watch what kind of people come in first thing on a Sunday morning. Doing nothing is pleasurable but also a little anxiety-making at first, as though I should be doing something.
(Photo of the Unicorn Cafe by Gailor Large)
Comments
"Doing nothing is pleasurable but also a little anxiety-making at first, as though I should be doing something."
I also have had that feeling since I retired, but I continue to fight it, as you should when you're on vacation.
Posted by: Retired in Elkridge | October 5, 2008 6:31 PM
RIE, you're right on point. When I first retired I felt that I MUST be doing SOMEthing between 8:30 and 5:00. I'm in my fourth month of retirement, and if I feel like doin' something, I do it; if not, not. Luxurious, ain't it?
Posted by: Dottie | October 7, 2008 12:44 AM