A Third Place

5/11/25 Chocolati, Greenwood neighborhood (For the record, this brownie drenched in hot fudge sauce was so huge that I could eat only a quarter of it at a time!)

For most of my adult life, I have longed for a “third place.” Traditionally, the third place is a pub or bar where people stop after work for a pint with familiar faces before heading home. Rather than an evening pint, an afternoon coffee has always been more my vibe. When I was single, I enjoyed taking my journal out to cafes on lazy Sunday afternoons before the next work week began. As a strong introvert, I wasn’t necessarily seeking conversation or community, but I liked the feeling of recording private thoughts in a public space. And people watching was always fun.

Throughout my working life, I continued taking occasional breaks from work and home chores by seeking out coffee shops, but I never really found a place that had exactly what I was looking for. Maybe I’m too picky: The shop couldn’t be too small nor too large. The music couldn’t be too weird or too loud. Ideally, it should be within a 15-minute drive and with easy parking. The ambiance had to be comfortable in just the right, difficult-to-articulate way. And it goes without saying that the coffee and snacks had to be good. Is that so much to ask?

5/17/25 Revolutions Coffee, Green Lake neighborhood

When I started sketching, the requirements became even stiffer. I still needed all of the above, plus the tables had to be set at angles that made it easy to sketch other patrons. And good lighting, preferably from big windows. Back in the day (spoken with that familiar tone of everything-was-better-in-the-past old fogeyness, emphasized with a deep sigh of resignation), people read hard copy books and wrote in paper journals, so cafes with good lighting invited such patrons. Now, most patrons use screens, so lighting isn’t important or even welcome.

And speaking of those people on screens, some are using those potential third places as their actual work places – occupying tables for hours, conducting meetings or job interviews, and writing their PowerPoints, all for the price of a latte. Zoka Coffee, one of my favorite indoor spots when I first began sketching, became impossible in later years because seating became so competitive. (Not to mention that their pastries went downhill. Pfft – that put an end to that.)

5/26/25 Macrina Bakery, Maple Leaf neighborhood

Most recently, I had high hopes that Macrina Bakery would become my third place. When it first opened, it seemed to check all my boxes with the added benefit of being within (too-easy) walking distance. Fairly quickly, though, it became too popular. I’ve stopped in many times lately when I couldn’t find a single seat available.

As you know, I visit many coffee shops in my own ‘hood and outside of it, hoping one will feel just right and become my third place. I’m still searching.