THE SUN IS SHINING and the melting snow is finding its way into my garage. But there is nothing to be done about it right now. We are on our way to Ginkgo to drink coffee, write stuff on our laptops and talk about things. The coffee shop’s back door is propped open (40 degrees is not winter in Minnesota). A young woman is guarding it leaning on the remains of a rear garden structure smoking a cigarette. In the post apcalypse, Ginkgo has become smoke free. Inside we choose one of the less wobbly tables near one of the three electrical outlets.
An extended family enjoying a sunny Saturday morning at their local coffee shop.
At the moment the room is modestly crowded with subdued coffee drinkers. I am facing the door and the table there right by the window is occupied all the time we are there. Now an extended family has somehow squeezed around the tiny table. A silent man sitting at a table mounted on the makeshift tiny stage has his elbow in my way as I take their photograph. They are replaced by a couple communicating in sign language. The fellow goes to the counter and orders coffee drinks while the gal sits at the table and sends a text message on her Blackberry. There is an ebb and flow of customers and now, just after noon, one of the staff wearing a post apocalypse hand-knit dress thingie is at the table facing me, eating one of the giant sandwiches they keep in the glass cooler.
ERUDITE SCRAWLINGS. I head for the restroom. I remember when it was pretty new with clean white floor. Now the dirt is so thoroughly ground into the little linoleum sqauares that one might think that is as the designer intended. Except that those squares over in the out of the way spots are still white. The grafitti on the inside of the wooden door is mostly erudite and tilting largely against right wing madness that, the writers believe, has taken hold of our country, our state and, here in St. Paul, our city (at least at the Mayoral level).
Two guys come in loaded down with gear similar to ours and ask whether Ginkgo has internet access. No, they are told and they are directed to a nearby shop that does. “Sorry,” one guy says and the two head back the way they came in, past the cigarette sentry in the back.
I’m trying to figure out how to end this post right now. But then I realize … this is a blog. I don’t have to “end” it.
I was born and raised in the Twin Cities, and your blog entry brought back memories. I never tried Ginkgo. Are there more than one? Where is it (are they)?
I was a regular at Dunn Bros. on Grand and Snelling. I heard they have free internet access now. I tried Black Dog in downtown St. Paul — which I liked — before abandoning the awful weather. I’m in San Diego now.
Moose’s in the warehouse district of Minneapolis was good, too.
Brian … Ginkgo is straight north of Dunn’s in the Midway across the street from Hamline University. Kathy also has a smaller cafe in St. Anthony called Ginkgo. Black Dog is cool, located kitty corner from the Farmer’s Market.
As for the coffee, Ginkgo’s has really improved. They have a manager there now who likes it strong. Still, Dunn’s and Coffee News Cafe three blocks west of Dunn’s are about the best.
Dunn’s has Internet access at their downtown cafe and other locations but not at Grand and Snelling, as yet. I think they worry the Macalester students would jam the place and never leave. Dadders in the Midway at Hamline and Thomas would have been the place to which those fellows were referred. I’ve talked with Kathy about trying to figure out a way to create and tie her in to a community wireless network. She’s interested so long as it doesn’t cost her anything.
A much longer response than, maybe, you wanted.