The Search (continued): The Book Cellar

Remember my venture to help Michelle find "her spot" in the city? We are looking for the perfect coffee shop to suit her tastes, and to be a safe haven in the city. We already have been to a couple of coffee shops (including Floriole), and we added another one to our list over the weekend. 

Again, the breakdown of highs and lows begins...

Highs (there were lots!):
- BOOKS! This is a bookstore and a coffee shop. I mean, how could it get more perfect? Dream come true. Books are also encouraging when you feel weighed down by homework and you need to escape to another world for a moment in between studies.
- The neighborhood - The Book Cellar is located in Lincoln Square, which is a charming neighborhood of the city. It's actually called "Lincoln Square" because it is one of the only cobblestone squares in the city (possibly the only one??), and it resembles a European small town square. It's charming and reminds me of home. The neighborhood is also safe - yay!
- The seats by the window - Not only do you get to look at books, but there are big windows looking right out to the square, where a festive Christmas tree stands tall in this season.
- The people - Everyone in this coffee shop was so nice! Not only that, but this neighborhood is known for its small local businesses and families love coming into this one too. Kids came in and out and I loved seeing their wonder over books. It reminded me of the joy of reading and stories, making homework much more enjoyable.
- It's off of the brown line - The brown line is our favorite. So that's just a perk.
- Good prices - Their prices weren't too bad...and they even had a gluten-free cookie!

Yes....that is my banana peel on the armrest of the chair...snacks are important, right??

I mean, any place with a cardboard cutout of C-3PO is going to be great, right? 

Lows:
- Not stellar coffee - Their coffee was fine, but not unique or spectacular. This was not a high priority for Michelle in the coffee-shop search though, and she was pleased with what she got!
- Distance - It takes about 35-40 minutes to get there by train. We have CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) passes, so we don't have to pay any extra for the trip, but it is a bit of a commitment, especially when you want to try to get home before it gets dark in the winter.
- Gets busy - this place is hoppin'! It has great vibrancy to it, but could potentially be hard to find a seat on a busy day.
- The tables - we loved the seats by the windows, but the tables are cold (they're not wooden, unfortunately!), and not extremely comfortable. They're not ugly, but maybe not as cozy as we'd like.

Conclusion?

Michelle LOVED this coffee shop. In her own words, "I think this might be my place."

Yippee! I'm sure we will try somewhere else too eventually, but I was thrilled that this had so many things that she wanted in a coffee shop. She wanted it to be cozy, safe, not too expensive, and unique. The books are an added perk, but even that aspect totally fits Michelle's personality.

Perhaps we stumbled upon just the right place for her!