Grilled cheese & tomato soup, anyone?

I just love this about a place:

"It's a grilled cheese and tomato soup kind of day" -- noted in a 'daily special' email from Old Town Coffee

Actually, there’s a lot I love about downtown Traverse City’s newest coffee shop, not the least of which is the friendliness that awaits each and every time you walk into the place. It’s no doubt because of chef Mark Fowler, the brains behind Old Town Coffee’s yummy (and healthy) food who also is there welcoming customers and making them feel right at home.

I discovered Old Town Coffee, at 517 Union Street in one of my most favorite Traverse City neighborhoods, earlier this winter. Opened since summer, the coffee shop/eatery has attracted a following, including parents like me who drive their kids to one of the several nearby elementary schools and then stop in for their morning caffeine fix.

My first morning there, I felt like I’d been coming for years - that’s how easy-going and kind Mark is. As he made my latte, we kept up a conversation – me peppering him with questions about the business, when it opened, how it’s been doing, what music is this playing? and he kindly indulging my curiosity, demonstrating a definite passion for his work as he talked about having had his own restaurant in Cadillac for four years before connecting with Old Town Coffee owner Sterling Hill.

I ask him about the comfortable atmosphere he provides, about the customer service that isn’t so easy to come by these days, even in a down economy when you’d think more places would do whatever they could to keep customers coming back for more. Why is being different important to him and Old Town Coffee?

“My philosophy in any restaurant I've ever worked in is that you are not walking into my dining room -- you are walking into my living room,” Mark tells me. “When I ask, ‘How are you today?’ I truly want to know. That's how I would treat someone if they were in my living room.”

I ask Mark about the music playing. It reminds me of Norah Jones, but it’s a little livelier, folksier, a sound I can’t quite define but just know makes me feel good.

“Potato Moon!” he enthuses, and then, after placing my steaming latte before me, reaches under the counter and produces a CD he’s recently burned of the Michigan group’s music. “Here, you will love this.”

And I do love it. I’ve got my husband hooked, too. Potato Moon, check it out.

I told Mark I was going to mention Old Town Coffee on my blog. I asked him what he’d want people to know about the business.

“The one thing I am most proud of here at Old Town Coffee, is our products,” he says. “We try to buy all local and fresh products, starting with Bay Bread Co. Breads, Higher Grounds Coffee, Brownwood Farms, Mustard's, Light of Day Teas. I also prep all vegetables and soups on a daily basis, guaranteeing only the freshest products.”

As for that “grilled cheese and tomato soup” mention, here’s how it's made at Old Town Coffee:

Melted Sharp Cheddar and Aged Swiss Cheese, Baby Spinach,Tomatoes, Red Onions and Scallion Cream Cheese Grilled on Country Italian Bread

Want to learn more? Call Old Town Coffee at (231) 933-4200 or visit www.myoldtowncoffee.com . Ask about getting on their email list, which will alert you of daily specials and other news.

Life is good

Sometimes the stars align and you find yourself having a pretty perfect day. The best part? When you haven't even planned it that way.

After hanging indoors as a family for nearly two days -- entertaining relatives, assembling an absolutely ginormous Lego set and train set, watching old 80s movies like Back to the Future (and the sequels, after our kids got hooked on Marty McFly and his cool time machine) - cabin fever struck. Big time. The plan was to head for nearby hills and go sledding. But then my mother-in-law, at our house Christmas night, mentioned she'd love to have the kids come over the next day. And wah-lah! Not only were we scratching the itch to get out of the house, we could do so sans kids - and all the while they'd have fun building snow forts with their cousins.

Dropping the kids off mid-morning, we thought about going to the movies. I can't wait to see the new Kate Winslet/Leonardo DiCaprio flick Revolutionary Road. But in the spirit of frugality (a New Year's resolution I'm going to try to embrace), I suggested snowshoeing. The fact that we have about 17 feet of snow surrounding us helped the decision. And I am so, so glad we went. This is why the afternoon was just perfect: Not-too-cold weather; winding, quiet trails right in our own neighborhood; fluffy, deep snow ideal for a not-too-arduous-but-satisfying workout; steaming hot vanilla coffee in front of the fire after we returned.

The day is only getting better, too. As I type this, sitting next to our cozy fireplace, I can smell chicken chili cooking in the crock pot. In another hour, the house will be full of kids -- 7 total, including two toddlers -- but as chaotic as I'm sure it'll be, I'm also certain I'll be savoring the scene. Sharing a delicious meal with good friends, a great way to cap an already simply wonderful day.

First grade, oh how I miss thee

I spent this morning in my son's classroom, and while I've always liked Andrew's teacher and know how much he adores her, I can now fully understand her appeal. Surrounded by 23 kids -- 5- and 6-year-olds super excited about winter break and Santa and presents, imagine the scene -- she's comforting, soft-spoken, firm yet loving...all the things a first-grade teacher should be, of course. But there's something about this teacher, something more. I tell you, when you come across a teacher like Stephanie - oh, how I wanted to be in my pjs, too, and twirl a candy cane in my cup of hot chocolate before padding down to the auditorium to watch The Polar Express on a screen that's as big as any movie theatre. I sat there transfixed during her storytelling of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, a calm enveloping me like the coziest of blankets. I didn't even care that my knees were scrunched up to practically my chest because I was seated on one of the kids' tiny chairs. For those few moments, I just sat and listened. I didn't talk to the other moms, didn't try to catch my son's eye. I just took it in, enjoying this small, innocent moment of a great teacher reading to her sweet class. Cliche as it sounds, I had this moment. And oh, I needed this moment. To not think about the scattered morning trying to get two kids and a large thermos of hot chocolate out the door on time (while stopping to dry the tears of the 3-year-old who wanted to "go with the kids" but needed to stay with daddy); or the ever-tightening budget and how it means Christmas is going to be a whole lot different than years' past; or how marriage and parenting and relationships and just life is so incredibly, heartbreakingly sad and hard so much more often that you ever thought possible. ... It was in this precious, fleeting moment that I did stop and got that perspective that has been eluding me lately. It's going to be okay. It IS okay. I choose to let go of the things I cannot control and simply enjoy, this moment and all the others to come.

Clothes: I heart you.

I really, really like clothes. This was not always the case. But in recent years, I've discovered the thrill of finding well-made, perfect-for-me pieces that just make me...feel happy. But here's the thing: these items need to be reasonably priced. I'm a second-hand gal, and I love, love, love finding a named-brand pair of jeans, a super-cute top or a classic coat at my favorite second-hand boutique here in northern Michigan. I've even found amazing things at Goodwill. So you can guess how excited I was to find this web site: www.modcloth.com Not to mention, there's a very cool story behind how this site got started.

Definitely check out this site if you're:
a.) into vintage, unique clothing, accessories, cool little finds
b.) want to save $ - there's great deals all the time, plus get on their mailing list and you'll receive cleverly-designed emails alerting you to sales
c.) you have a sister who is a fashion student in Chicago and has a very cool and eclectic taste and you want to find something very fun for her for Christmas

Ok, that last point is for me. But maybe you have someone like this in your life. If so, go directly here. Really, it's fantastic.

A Fitting Start

One of my most favorite things in the world is finding a good piece of writing. A book, a magazine article, even something as small as a quote. It has to be something that makes me think. The words may trigger an instant emotion or feeling, or maybe they sit with me for awhile and over time the meaning settles within, giving me even more to ponder as my mind wraps itself around what I've read.

I try to collect these things, keep track of these words and especially the authors. Likely my most loved author is Anne Lamott, whose writing so speaks to me. It doesn't matter what she's sharing - which, actually, is the beauty of her work. It's so varied, so personal, so honest. She's written so much that I adore -- her Operating Instructions is an absolute need if you're a new parent or about-to-be-new parent -- and her writing on faith is incredible (I thank my Aunt Thalia, a deacon in the Episcopal Church, for introducing me to her so many years ago).

Today I came across this piece Anne wrote for Salon.com. Can't believe I hadn't read it before...but that's the cool thing, too - I'm always blissfully surprised to stumble across something she's written and I've yet to read. Read it here. Enjoy!