More from Destination: Bakery

Near the destination bakery. Recognize the street, here with summer leaves?
Photo by F.S. Sanford

I learned something interesting today: some of the people in line at Levain stand at the top of the stairs and look in but don't enter. Perhaps they just want to smell the chocolate chip cookies. Perhaps they are searching for a missing baker who landed in a vat of dough. Or perhaps they are checking to see if a friend still works there, or whether there might be a job opening.

Allan and Cody, the wonder dog, used to hang out on the bench in front of the destination bakery. They've moved over to their own door stoop, but I think the bench would be more comfortable. On the other hand, maybe Cody prefers his short guy's view of the shoes lined up in front of the bakery.

The bakery is still crowded tonight, on the first night of Passover, but the wet streets are hushed, getting empty. Will something remarkable happen tonight?

Destination Bakery

When I started this blog over a year ago, I was sure it would make me want to sit down and write every day. (I wasn't sure everyone would want to read my stuff, but that's another story.) As it turns out, I began posting with enthusiasm and then fell off: typical of my experience with diets, Yoga classes, studying a new language, and turning off the TV at a reasonable hour after watching far too many reality shows.

So here I am, thinking that if I'm going to spend hours watching Lawrence of Arabia for however many hours I can keep my eyes open, I'd better get back to blogging. Not that one is a reward for the other, but the TV is so close to the computer and it is time to get going again. There is so much going on in my tiny universe.

Who knew bread could be a destination? Levain Bakery, with its excellent bread and killer cookies, has become a hang-out for the chic set. Today, the little shop had customers lined up the steps and outside. At first, I thought something was wrong -- most of the time, people in my neighborhood congregate around car crashes and fire engines. But this was surely a peaceful (and delicious) sign of spring.

The fruit man is back now that the weather is nice. Sometimes fruit girl runs the stand; it's very popular with the pre-school set and their nannies. The trucks pull up early to stock everything that kids like: plums, strawberries, bananas. For the adults: avocados, asparagus, beans, squash. It always reminds me how economical fruits and vegetables are -- I barely eke out 2 servings a day. All the colors are arranged in neat rows, plastic bags stacked at the edge of the cart, an umbrella ready for sun or rain.

Just think: I could get a roll at Levain, a banana and an apple at the fruit man, grab a cup of hot coffee, and have a great breakfast. I could eat outdoors if I could get a seat in front of the destination bakery. I could watch the world go by!

So why am I still inside?