Hemingway had his bars. I need my cafe. There’s something perfect about the combo of really good coffee and the occasional goodies, background music you have no control over(so therefore cannot fuss over), and the snippets of conversation that slide through your consciousness that makes for the perfect writing space.
Add the inability to do household chores and the difficulty people have in reaching you, and the situation is almost perfect.
My favorite cafe of late is my local Cafe Brea, hidden across from the Penhorn mall in Dartmouth. I love it here. The staff and owner are friendly, supportive, and unobtrusive. The coffee- to die for. We won’t mention the treats.
Really, though, any friendly cafe will do. They have to tolerate you hanging about, so be good with tips, get to know the people, make sure to match buying with seat occupancy, and be ready to clear out if more paying bodies are trying to find seats. Then settle in, and write. I prefer to write in cafe with pen and notebook, and save a page for overheard conversations.
Of course, I haven’t tried writing in a bar….hmmm.