So I was mulling this over the other night at the Book Co-op, while drinking one of Mr. Lidster’s mulled wine creations. I know, the irony screamed louder then the cloves!
What place do I frequent that I am usually happy when I am there?
Of course, Monks is a DaCola staple, but the peeps working there lately are turning into real snots.
The Hat is usually hit or miss, unless you run into Joe Sneve, which is usually full of some Jack Daniels wisdom.
Of course there is always Sunday Vikings football at The Orion and something my friend Marvelous refers to as ‘just pizza’ (it’s a compliment).
But to be honest with you, my happy place is the Book Co-op.
Doesn’t matter what time I pop into the place, I always meet someone new that either just moved here or are traveling, run into old friends or have a very funny yet uncomfortable conversation with folks.
No judgement!
And I think that is what makes the place so incredible. A school teacher and immigrant from Wales decided to open this place and after the teacher flew the coop, literally, Mr. Sion Lidster took it over.
I would have never guessed there was a lot of Bohemians in Wales, but Mr. Lidster takes on the roll very well.
Besides weird snacks from the hidden kitchen, they serve all kinds of beverages from tea & coffee, to Delta 8, to beer and wine.
While the poetry readings, concerts and freak shows are really worth the visit (and they sell awesome used books, stickers and merchandise) it is really the parade of regulars and non-regulars that make the place!
It is common place to have multiple convos about international peace, sex, gender rights, sex, global warming, sex, gun rights, sex, etc, etc, any given night you walk in there, and it is embraced!
I also love the owner Sion (pronounced SHON). You know how people say straight men can have a man crush, Sion would be mine. He loves to drink, he loves to write poetry, he loves great literature, music* and art and he ain’t bad looking.
I tell people often if you ever want to walk out of your element while in DTSF – this is your place. I always walk in with a smile, and leave with a bigger one!
*His 80’s new wave playlist is identical to my CD collection of the same era!
Do they still have that late 60s era IBM Select typewriter stashed on one of the bookshelves in their meeting room? Because I would love to have that for my stagnation/nostalgic collection…. 😉
( and Woodstock adds: “‘man crush’?”…. “As long as Dua is around what straight guy has time for a ‘man crush’?”… “Oh, and they say that even the gay guys like her, too”…… (…. “Wow, talk about some conversion therapy…. my goodness”…. ) ……:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_qn252esh4
I would like to nominate Popeyes. I went there recently. The first time since covid and it only took them 10 to 15 minutes to take my order, and then another 15 minutes to give me my food…. Perhaps, they could all use some spinach there… #SlowFoodRestaurantConcept
That’s “Selectric”. It’s paramount that we be the utmost accurate with our stagnation. Don’t try to rewrite history as you try to relive it. Although, going back into time and then messing up the future would even be worse. Because what would happen if someone did that, and then messed up , or prevented, a later trend towards nostalgia or stagnation?……. But as far as the stagnation, well, frankly, I blame it all on ‘American Graffiti’ and ‘Happy Days’…. and then the soundtrack to ‘The Big Chill’, which was then further reenforced later with the advent of YouTube….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUwAZdQFBg