The café in the corner

It seems that I am often blogging about cafés these days. This post is about a café, but it is about the angles of the café itself, the kind of room it was in, that I want to blog about. I have those weird ideas for posts sometimes, I muse on architecture and the use of space in a building or whatever.

Anyway, we went in an indie café today, my wife and I. I thought it would be different from the usual Costa, Starbucks, Caffè Nero, Coffee Republic or whatever. Chains are nice, but predictable, especially for someone who does not drink coffee like myself. The indie café is in the corner of two streets. It is very small, there is not much room or sitting place, but there are not that many customers. I think it makes most of its money from take away orders. The walls are white/grey/beige/cream, anyway some kind of nondescript bland colour, there are large windows covered with condensation, windows that makes the place as light and open as our usual drinking places are shadowy. There is something bare about the café, but it has a simplicity not devoid of charm. It also has interesting products for a non-coffee drinkers. I had some Curiosity Cola from Fentimans, which I have never heard of before. It reminded me of the obscure soft drinks I was drinking at my grandmother's place, things I would not find anywhere else.

Part of its charm comes from its geographical/architectural situation. There is something about little corner shops, little corner restaurants, little corner pubs, bars, takeaways, cafés that makes them stand out. It is a natural attraction point in any town or neighbourhood. If I had to open a business, I would try to rent a room in a corner. There is also the unusual angles. I love unusual angles in a building or a room. Since the streets meeting don't make a straight angle, the café has some kind of messy attitude (I can't find the right word, "attitude" is as good as I can get).