We have lots of really good restaurants in and around our neighborhood, but ever since Sacred Cup closed, there hasn't been a coffee shop in miles.
Pato's, the reliable-but-never-that-great Mexican restaurant up the street, burned down a few years ago, and while they made a few stabs at reopening, they were always losing backers and kept having to change categories and start over again.
Every time I drove by it was something new. Open. Closed. Now Open! Closed for Remodeling. Open Soon! Open on Fri. and Sat. Closed for Remodeling. And so on. You can see how hard they tried by their permanent sign: Full bar, Mexican Food, Cheesesteaks and Wings. That's an ambitious but ultimately tragic combination.
Anyway, I guess they finally gave up:
Quackenbush's! Decent coffee and a place to sit and read will soon be a two-minute walk from my house! I wish they'd hurry.
Now we just need a Vietnamese restaurant within walking distance, but I'm not holding my breath.
In other news:
It's cold, clear, and dry, and the stars are stunning tonight.
Also, we're trying to learn to double-dutch jump rope on our breaks at work, and I'm so close I can taste it. I can jump in now, but I can't get my feet going quite yet. One woman totally nailed it tonight, and the rest of us are hoping for a breakthough soon. If anyone has any tips on basic double dutch technique, I'd be grateful.
Meanwhile, check out the Snazzy Steppers for some amazing double-dutch action. (The link has audio and a several-second intro you should just put up with. They're frigging great.)