"Bean"-There-Done-That: Bronxville

Today I found myself in my rain jacket and boots sloshing around Bronxville, NY in search of bakery and coffee shop for my weekly coffee date with myself! Something about the rain makes me crave  warm treats and drinks, even when it is still 78 degrees outside!!! I found my treat at Topps Bakery. After much deliberation I settled on their crumb bun and was not disappointed. I found myself chatting with a fellow photography lover and blogger named Tiffany who works there and has a photography blog at simplysnapshots.wordpress.com, check it out, she is a sweetheart and budding photographer with an artistic eye.

 A few doors down I found the Slave to the Grind coffee shop. Unassuming from the exterior and truly beautiful on the interior. This is not your polished-up, spick-and-span spot. Cluttered, old, cramped, and chaotic behind the counter, it is a true "hole-in-the-wall" delight!!! It has character, history, and age which gives it its rough beauty. I loved the chairs with the cappuccino cup cut from the metal back (you can see them in the pictures below).

The clientele was quite diverse. Young, old, preppy, punk, grungy, and businessy all mixed together. A gentleman was completing the last bit of color on a very impressive comic drawing he was working on. Two ladies with amazing British accents sat across from each other chatting intently about the latest sale on handbags at Bloomingdale's. The staff was less than warm and fuzzy with no eye contact and little more than, "that will be $4", but hey we're in New York! As for the coffee it is not for the faint of heart. In the words of my mother, "It is strong enough to put hair on your chest." I tend to like my espresso strong so I managed fine but just consider yourself warned if you like a more mild cup-o-joe. After some studying I headed back to the car and though I am still lamenting over the end of summer I could not resist jumping in a puddle with my rubber boots! It was a good day!