A few years back, I read a wonderful mini novel because the title caught my eye - “El Amor Huele A Cafe”. ***”Love smells like coffee”***. I spent most of my 20s working around coffee shops so the idea of love stories and coffee perfectly blended into my day to day life. Looking back at this now, there’s something about the atmosphere of a simple coffee place that makes everything seem magical. So in order for me to welcome you into my favourite coffee shop, existing vividly in my mind, I’ll have to start by setting the scene.

Somewhere in Paris, 1950, summer time, early evening. The rain has just stopped so there’s a certain freshness in the air. Sun is about to set so the sky is painted with the most captivating, serene colours. You’re walking slowly, trying to take it all in as much as you can. Suddenly, you’re enchanted by the sounds of French chansons whispering romances in your ears. You look up and you spot a cute, little coffee shop whose windows shine brightly compared to the darkness that’s slowly setting in. You walk in. 


![PARIS CAFE.jpeg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/boryanamtl/23wgRrhaHHyV634wLBux4g7zZWK32HNX3mpc8AoNpbsMyjQpbD3DHkjB2cZyJQZi4wRK1.jpeg)
Photo Source: [Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/56083957849283975/)

The aroma of smoky, roasted coffee beans hits you almost instantly. You look around and notice there’s roses on each table. Everybody is in their own little world. There’s a couple sitting right next to one of the bright windows that caught your eye. They’re chatting flirtatiously, sometimes even forgetting to take a sip of their lattes. Right across from them, you notice an older gentleman enjoying a cup of hot, black coffee while dotting something in a little notebook, the colour of which matches his roast perfectly. On the other side of the place, you see an old, kinda dusty but very charming blue couch. There’s a couple of young girls, probably college students, laughing quietly over something that happened earlier in the day. Their hot chocolates add some kind of sweetness to the otherwise thick air.

You look over to the counter - the barista is busy preparing what seems to be two cafe au laits for the gentlemen waiting in line. You walk up to them. Soon, you’re met with the most contagious smile as your eyes meet those of the barista - a pair of dark brown eyes, quite similar to the coffee he’s making for you. You pick up your order and sit at a tiny, corner table - the perfect place for you to indulge in your coffee while also observing everything around you. You hear Edith Piaf’s “La vie en rose” as your lips touch the hot cup. You breathe in the aroma - smoky, chocolate-like, and take your first sip. Sweet with a dash of bitter. “Delicious” - you think to yourself as you open the novel you found on the table. End scene.

![9123877_by-roman-fedosenko-www-photoblog-by.jpeg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/boryanamtl/23yJJHApmTv8DXWdCmUvrArfj31zfmzWTseEhCrNSdHzqHN8n3rYEmKo9WYg8xu12dGz4.jpeg)
Photo source: [ArtMajeur](https://www.artmajeur.com/en/romanfedosenko/artworks/9123877/spring-view-from-a-cafe-window-in-paris)

This is one of the many scenarios that run through my mind on the daily. My ideal coffee shop is not a specific location or establishment. It doesn’t have a great espresso machine or a list of drinks we can barely pronounce.
My ideal coffee shop is more like a feeling - it’s a place where everyone feels like they’re home; where people enjoy stolen moments, by themselves or alongside their loved ones; where one can enter and instantly feel better. It’s where you go to reconnect with your inner self; it’s where you bring your date because you know deep down inside, there’s a piece of you in that very same coffee house. 
A coffee shop is not just a place where you go to have coffee. It’s a place where you go to escape reality, even just for a while.

***

I would like to nominate two amazing humans, whose posts shine almost as bright as they do - @dontcare89 and @snedeva 💕