Thursday rewards

Something that makes me happy is having my own little lunch spot.

For years, I've driven by this place called the Maple Street Bistro on my way to work. Each week their reader-board advertises overly sweet food drinks, like Gingerbread Coffee Cake lattes and S'more mochas. So over the top. About a year ago, though, I ran out of my morning coffee and stopped at their drive-thru in desperation, determined to live cheap with a cup of drip. Instead, I gave in to their agave cinnamon latte. Though no dessert was implied in the name, in the end it reminded me of a cinnamon graham cracker. Delicious. Before long, it was my weekly reward for driving to work on a Thursday morning (the most difficult morning of the week to get up). Then I started noticing their weekly lunch specials. Their fresh sheet menu uses whatever goods have come in their CSA boxes that week. And their regular offerings are homemade and homey, like old-fashioned boiled bagels, Boston squash soup and French toast panini (I have yet to try one, but I intend to). I now have regular lunch date there with my fresh copy of The Inlander every Thursday afternoon.

Remnants

Its ambiance is admittedly strange - out one window I can gaze out at a Conoco station. Another window gives me a lovely view of northbound traffic and the O'Reilly Auto Parts store.  On a nice day, I sometimes sit out on their patio and deal with the loud motorcycles and semi trucks barreling past. But sitting inside on an overcast day with the paper, cup of tea, hearty soup (or salad) and B.L.T. is something I look forward to. Sometimes I get an itty-bitty chocolate chunk cookie for 25 cents, too.