Today I was sipping a latte with Tyson at Coffee Bar in the Mission, feeling rebellious with my ThinkPad. Macs and fixed-gear bikes are de rigueur in this neighborhood and, as usual, I'm behind the times. But mandatory hipster factor aside, I was entranced by Coffee Bar's high ceilings, ample counter and table space and sleek silvery design. The good coffee and divine treats from Patisserie Philippe didn't hurt either.
I'm not sure what it's a commentary on, but I've done more participant observation in cafes than in China. I feel at home, even among strangers. I recognize the characters and my place among them. At any given cafe in these parts, there's the artist or writer with leather-bound Moleskine notebook, contemplating beauty and the foam art gracing her cappuccino. There's the hyper-connected techie moving seamlessly between texting, emailing, chatting and talking via iPhone and MacBook. There's the barista in black, patiently or not-so-patiently taking an order for a decaf double shot soy no-whip mocha. There's the procrastinating student, flipping through piles of books between clicking on her gmail window.
Then, there's the regular. I am too much of a wanderer to be the regular, but I look on enviously when I hear a customer greeted by name and, "The usual?" I crave the fine balance of making a connection over coffee while still being able to work without serious social distraction. I'm not alone. There is a move toward "the new localism" to recreate a sense of face-to-face community. My guess is that San Francisco scores pretty high, with its coffee shop culture and farmers markets and well-defined neighborhoods. In Noe Valley, we have Bernie, whose tag line is "a local girl's coffee shop."
According to the rumor page of the Noe Valley Voice, Bernie is as local as it gets:
So who's Bernie? She's "local girl" Bernadette Melvin, the new owner and chief percolator.
"People keep asking me; 'Is this going to a Peet's? Is this going to be corporate?'" Melvin laughs. "And I tell them this is going to be as local as you can get. I grew up in Noe Valley. My mom lives here, my uncle lives here, and my cousins all go to St. Philip's. I even went to James Lick!"
James Lick is the middle school right across the street from me. But here I am still traveling from cafe to cafe, yet to make my way into Noe's new localist coterie. Next year I'll be off again, to another state or another country. Is it nonetheless worth seeking regular status?
I think yes.
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2 comments:
It seems like the move away from localism was driven by diluted quality because of urban sprawl. In an age where I can get a Zagat restaurant review on my car's navigation system, I drive because I am looking for the best. I think you're fortunate to live in an area with excellent products but for the people living in the 'burbs, the usual consists of a big mac and fries.
If anything, I think a move back to localism would be driven by increased quality. In a bad economy, I think smart and passionate people that have already cashed out at a big corporations might consider the small business alternative. With more artisan shops and less chains, I think we'll see more loyalty.
I live over in NOPA, and there is Central Coffee at Central and Hayes which has a similar feel. Lots of fixie riders stop by on their way down Hayes from the Freewheel bike shop, and the staff knows many people by name. I even got to semi-regular status - the morning barista knows what I'm going to order almost every time. People watching is certainly an interesting pastime - and I will check out the Coffee Bar some time. Maybe see you there!
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