Last year I visited a childhood friend who moved to California, and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. Of all the stories I could exaggerate, and all the beverages I sipped, I’ll narrow it down just to coffee one morning at Mishka’s Cafe.
Most every morning, Jenaé would brew locally-roasted Peet’s coffee. She and her boyfriend preferred the French Roast. I was lucky enough to tuck a bag snugly into my suitcase, before realizing that our local grocery stores also sell this brand. It might not be as fresh here, but it would satiate my craving.
The last full day I was in town, Jenaé dropped me off at Crêpeville in Davis while she went to work at the university. After savoring my brown sugar and lemon crêpe (it was as scrumptious as it sounds), I took a stroll around campus, using Google Maps as my tour guide. I stumbled upon quaint gift shops, book shops with tables set up outside for easy browsing, small restaurants or delis, art supply stores, and finally…Mishka’s Cafe.
My friend told me I had to stop at this corner café before flying back to Louisiana. I was psyched to see all the outdoor seating under the trees. Their logo is a sly-looking fox, which gave it the appearance of an elusive fox’s den. What a hidden gem!
Outside, there was someone playing piano loudly, very experimental. When I walked inside, the tables were more filled with people than out on the sidewalk. The coffee shop was larger on the inside than it first appeared. Because Davis is a college town and summer school was in session, it seemed like almost everyone had their noses tucked in the pages of scholarly books or staring solemnly at laptop screens.
As I ordered my almond milk latte, I studied the pastry case filled with decorated desserts and super chunky chocolate chip cookies. Their buttery, chocolaty smell juxtaposed with coffee made my mouth water! Art crafted by local artists hung on the walls for purchasing, and there were giant windows that lined both walls to look out over the street corner. Their dining room was dimly-lit and quickly took my heart. All coffee shops are different, but I have a soft spot for dark and cozy ones. They feel warm; as if I’m at home, but not.
While I waited for my coffee, I looked around, feeling a little apprehensive about sitting around a concentrated number of strangers, so I decided to scope out a seat outside. I was lucky to find a table with two chairs just to the left of the door and took refuge there, away from most people. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy California’s cool summer breezes? The weather was fair and beautiful for my entire vacation. Before cracking open my paperback copy of Anne of Green Gables, I looked around, seeing sun rays blink through fragrant eucalyptus leaves above me; at the quaint street lined with cute little shops like a Hallmark movie Main Street. That homey feeling came back, and I didn’t want to leave.
I realized, listening more intently then, that the pianist was making up his own entertaining genre of music as he went along. He yelled something about living and being treated differently, perhaps something political, but no one around him seemed to blink an eye or argue with he and his trademark Mohawk. In fact, I got nervous because I thought he was arguing with someone else, before I realized he was playing the piano while sharing his opinions…albeit loudly. Eventually he tired himself out and walked around to all of us sitting nearby to give us a card with his YouTube channel written in bright colors.
He thanked us for listening, and explained that his grandmother told him handmade notes were most special. When he came by my small table, though, he handed me my own card and said, “You get my favorite one.” Truly, it was the most decorated and colorful one of the bunch. With his keyboard tucked under his arm, he strolled happily down 2nd Street. Upon further research, he was probably headed to Sacramento for some more public shows. Mishka’s Cafe is such an iconic place that even a celebrity in-the-making would play there right before the streets of Sacramento!
The older couple sitting at the table next to me, whom I had divulged to be professors from their earlier conversations, turned to giggle sympathetically between our homemade business cards. The woman commented that she could see why my card was his favorite, and turned her’s to me in comparison. The pianist’s stage name was The Keyboard Kid, and his channel is called “The Keyboard Kid Live in Action!” I wonder if his performances are still going strong.
I wish I remembered more about the coffee at Mishka’s Cafe, but I know it was tasty and perfect for sitting in the shade with a breeze. However, my favorite memories were the ones that came from simply sitting down to read and letting those random happenings pop up around me. There is so much bustling around in our day-to-day lives that sometimes it is hard to stop and appreciate the small, yet special, moments life presents to us.
