Jason ~

Took me a gahd-awful long time to get here, because the woman on the phone told me "Olive and Belmont," instead of "EAST Olive and Belmont," which actually DOES make a difference... With some shame, I had to dig out the map I bought for the expedition to Jaymi's house. Sitting on the corner of Olive and Belmont, glaring at my map, two guys asked if I was lost. I told them I was looking for B&O Espresso, and they advised me to give up the search and go to Starbucks, because they'd never heard of B&O. I bet those guys didn't vote for Nader, either. Oh well.

Anyway, here I am, and I don't know if I've ever had a better sandwich, or a better americano in my entire life. Some sort of blackened chicken on foccacia bread. And a cup of espresso-water as dense as a black diamond. I have died and gone to coffeehouse heaven. It's no wonder this was Taze's favorite Seattle coffeehouse.

My favorite Edward Hopper painting, Automat, is hanging near the door. Well, a print of it is. It's the one of the girl in green sitting in the window of a café. That painting always reminded me of Sharkey's: of me sitting in the window of Sharkey's, staring listlessly at the tabletop and writing the occasional ten-page letter to Ian... I think B&O could easily become MY favorite Seattlite coffeehouse, simply by virtue of that picture on the wall. To say nothing, of course, of the freaking chicken. Heaven, I say.

[A few minutes later]

Whoa. Two sips of that americano and I can't even think rationally anymore. Jesus. I wonder how the hell they DO that! Signing off and heading up to Broadway, Seattle's gay/lesbian/freak district, to check stuff out... I'll let you know if I find anything else neat...

~Carolyn*