Day 11

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea

It’s a rainy day in Chicago. I may not love rainy days logistically, but I love them aesthetically.

When I moved to the city, my mom was actually concerned that I wouldn’t like living here as much in the rain and bad weather because I practically had not experienced the city outside of sunny 50-70 degrees days since our luck was so good every time we had come to visit over the years. She shoudln’t have worried. Seeing Chicago on foggy, gloomy days only made me fall more in love. I found that in the summer, it only makes the colors of the city- the green of the trees and the the bright flowers- more brilliant, and in the winter, it makes the various shades of the buildings more noticeable- slate-colored glass, red brick, and tan stones.

Today was a perfect day to try a new coffee shop and I’m pleased. My current theory is that if a coffee shop can make a good mocha, it’s probably decent. A lot of times, that will be my test when I try a new shop. If they pass, they’re good in my book. It's also a good sign that despite the small square footage and limited seating here, there are quite a few people lingering to work on their laptop, read, or chat with friends. It seems that I may not be the only one who loves a slow-paced, rainy afternoon.