My daughter’s apartment is close by and we think about how many breakfasts we’re likely to have here once she moves in. Mom, want to come by for a coffee and waffle/scone/grits with eggs?
Later, we come back to her apartment to measure spaces. We look out at the bar across the street. The patrons see us and wave. We go down for a “welcome to the neighborhood beer” and I am surprised to see that the bartender is someone I once worked with, back in my L’Etoile days of moonlighting at the restaurant.
A patron tells me how much he loves coming here – to this friendly bar in the middle of laid back Willie Street – such an integral part of easy going Madison in the welcoming Midwest. (He himself is from the Netherlands). I nod. I’ve heard it all before. And I happen to agree.
We eat dinner at Graze, the less expensive end of the L’Etoile kitchen. Tory, the chef of both comes out to say hello. I think – perhaps he has hit it right. Perhaps he has anticipated this need of ours to release our inclination to be social in a place that serves good (but not budget breaking) food.
Such a noble goal, no?
