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| (photo from BlogTo) |
It looks very unassuming from the outside but inside it's pure welcoming warmth. I think this is probably one of the best vibes I have ever experienced in a cafe. The staff were very friendly and obviously enjoy their work as one of the ladies was singing along to The Jackson Five and other Motown hits..
This is a neighbourhood which is in transition as they say, sitting near the corner of Queen and Parliament and in the ever evolving Corktown. Customers (who are greeted enthusiastically like long lost friends) run the gamut from newly resident hipsters with babies to those whose cup of joe is an opportunity for contact with human kindness and sadly quite possibly the best part of their day.. All are welcome. No attitude here. I could have sat here all day enjoying one of the oversized chairs to lounge in...enjoying my delicious cookie. Redline Espresso is located at 364 Queen Street East.
Today I ventured east along Bloor on a field trip to...Field Trip which is located at 3 Westmoreland Avenue just west of Ossington. It was a nice walk today from Bathurst subway station.
Again from BlogTo this photo
I sat oustide on this very spacious patio..which is quieter than the usual cafe patios because it is located off of Bloor on a side street. There was a very comfortable plastic molded armchair...which I should have taken a picture of!Okay...the cafe...I was served by a Matthew Modine look a like (you kids can Google that or better yet watch the great "Married to the Mob" featuring not only Mr. Modine but Alec Baldwin, a hilarious Michelle Pfeiffer channeling Long Island housewife and Merces Ruehl) The iced latte with soy was great - they used Propeller beans and I also got a vegan Chocolate Cherry Muffin..which I have yet to consume...can't wait. They do all their own baking and prepare sandwiches or order as well as having some delicious ones pre-made.
They are also licensed and have an extensive indie beer list including Beau's Brewing on tap. Matthew 2 kindly pointed out when marvelling at the stamps I have collected on my passport, I should check out The Only on the Danforth as well - they are a cafe/bar/juice bar and have entertainment in the evenings. Currently Field Trip is only open until 8...hmmm you COULD have some afternoon jazz on the patio on a weekend though....
Again, it would be so nice to have this place in my 'hood. I would love it if someone would open a place with a patio further away from traffic i.e. in a house or something off a side street. I do realize however that real estate prices are a little steeper downtown.
Since I was in the neighbourhood I picked up a peanut butter and dark chocolate cookie and a raspberry donut from Bloomers as well as two slices of pizza from Apiecalypse Now...hey all this reviewing and exploring is hungry work! I got the Reunion Tour and Pepperphony. To balance things out I picked up some great deals (as always) at the Bloor Fruit Market (at Manning) on berries, green beans and King Oyster Mushrooms.
I still have a few more places to go..and now I am extra intrigued about The Only....
Today I made further use of my Indie Coffee Passport and checked out a hidden gem on Golden Avenue - just off Dundas West near Howard Park Avenue at 35 Golden. It's a fun building housing some interesting offices - it sure would be fun to work there. I had a cappuccino here in the "common area" which features a long table, a couch and two comfy armchairs. There is a Soma roastery/factory in this complex which I believe used to manufacture uniforms in another life. It's located at the end of the street just before the railway tracks.
This kind of gives you a rough idea of the space but its much bigger and warmer - there's even a patio and of course they make great coffee (roast their own) and treat their staff well! I had a delicious latte here and enjoyed a breeze from the open door and the conversation between the baristas but not the garbage truck that was making its' rounds. Ha.
