Better Than Sliced Bread

12/12/17 Princi bakery's bread slicer and a case filled with croissants.

Starbucks has been in the news lately with its recent opening of a new Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, which is apparently many times larger than the one in Seattle. In addition, the Seattle Roastery recently added the Italian bakery Princi to its store, and from everything I’d heard, the pastries were worth a trip up the hill. So despite the many times I’ve sketched there, I decided it was time to make another visit.

With the addition of the bakery, more seating was also added, including a large community table and some stand-up tables, just like in Europe (where people don’t like to take their coffee “to go,” but they also don’t always take the time to sit). When I first came in, a large group was meeting at the community table, but they left just as I was thinking about starting a sketch from a stand-up table. I zipped in and grabbed a seat at the large table as soon as it opened. Luckily for me, the view I wanted was straight ahead: a bright red bread slicer behind rows and rows of croissants.

Yes, the Nutella-filled croissant I had was worth the trip up the hill. Worth the premium price I paid for it? I scarfed it down so fast that I didn’t have time to ponder the price. 

And here’s one more thing I purchased there without much thought: A lovely wooden pencil box with a sliding top, filled with matte black pencils (stamped with silly coffee sayings). Alas, I’m a sucker for more than over-priced pastries.