The Pirates' Life For Me

  I recently went to Dutch country. Pella, Iowa is apparently famous for it's tulips, dutch letters and bologna. I liked the quaint feel the little town square had. There were at least five bakeries within a few blocks of each other. And large windmills, don't forget the windmills. My parents wanted to spend the day with me so we walked around the square, sampling beef jerky and smelling the fresh bread. Also, there was coffee involved. I mean, obviously.
  We started out with lunch at Smokey Row Coffeehouse: cheeseburger chowder in a bread bowl and a bottle of root beer to go with that, thank you. I liked Smokey Row because the inside matched the name. It was a little dark inside and it felt like something you would find inside a ski resort... I mean, something I would imagine you would find in a ski resort... I wouldn't actually know since I've never been skiing.
  Anyway, it was relaxed, and to me, one of the top priorities of a coffee shop should be to make the customers feel relaxed. You should be able to stay for hours studying or having a sweet conversation with friends or just sitting and staring at you coffee in peace.
  Coffee relaxes me. I want everyone to be able to experience it's
warming, soothing power.
  The rest of the day was spent sampling, wandering, discovering all the wonders of the tulip town(which actually didn't have that many tulips due to recent snow). By the end of the day I came away with chocolate-covered espresso beans, wafflestroople, a mug, a t-shirt and some lovely film photos.
  My favorite part about towns like this are the small businesses, the bakeries, boutiques, bookstores, coffee houses, antique shops ect... They all hold special and unique atmospheres. Every once in a while you find a place that you just sort of fit into, almost like it's alive and understands who you are. And that little shop or eatery or bookstore becomes a part of you or you a part of it, I'm never really sure.
  I've recently been around a little girl who has a wild imagination. Upon meeting her she told me she was a scientist, detective, and princess. I informed her that I was a pirate.
But in some silly, poetic way, I think I actually am. I scour the country in search of metaphorical gems, gems that sparkle and speak and breathe and make good coffee.
So anchors away, my friends!