Came back from a biking trip to BC (the other one, the BC del Norte) in which I almost broke my nose, again. Almost.
On the way back south we stopped at a place near Mt. Vernon (in WA, PNW, not “the one” in Virginia). Oddly it is not too far from Arlington (WA, PNW, not Virginia). The place has the irresistible name of Calico Cafe. Its full name is even more irresistible: Calico Cupboard Old Town Cafe & Bakery.
Someone had told me that colleagues and acquaintances go there for a romantic time. I dunno: an interesting place with truly delicious pastry verging on being evil. But a romantic bakery? Only if you believe that the way to anyone’s heart is through their artery via their stomach. At the cafe, I could not resist mentioning in passing that as far as romance is concerned it is equivalent to the Sheep and Goat Market back home on the (Persian) Gulf. I said it in Arabic (سوق الغنم), which I then had to translate to incredulous listeners. Someone snorted: “Romance in a Sheep and Goat Market?“; I snorted back: “Romance at the Calico Cupboard Old Town Cafe & Bakery?” I have to admit: the latter sounds much more likely, and it is. After all: the almond croissant and the bread pudding are absolutely satanic. The latter beats Um Ali.
Besides, the Calico characters don’t look to have come straight out of the Central Casting choice for Indiana Jones. Maybe some other film series.
Cheers
mhg