Tucson, AZ

I’m doing homework outside today, at Café Passé on Fourth Avenue. Parking was easy, just down the street, with no meters, and finding a table next to an outlet was fine, too. I appreciate Sabine’s Café Passé (what used to be Itl, located at 415 N. 4th Ave.) because the servers are extra friendly, internet is available indoors and out, and the bagels come with tomatoes and basil on the side. None of that packaged cream cheese you have to rip open and spread on yourself, either. Although it’s a pretty small place, it isn’t too crowded in the morning, and the corridor-shaped back patio is ideal for working on a laptop.

Buganvilias hover over a picnic table and a few round tables, and sunlight spots the area, making it hardly ever too hot. When I’m on Fourth, it’s my favorite place to get coffee or tea and a snack, check my email, and smoke a cigarette (the back area is designated a “smoking patio”–hard to come by these days). Right now I like the artwork up, and it’s for sale.

When asked if she could put up a flier for her gym, a customer was told politely by our barrista that “no business postings are allowed.” Yet postings are all over the Café. It’s nice to see that kind of discrimination, and to be surrounded by local art, nice music, nice people, and even some pretty little potted plants on your break from an otherwise hectic day.

Update: BTW, my Veteran’s Day study “break” lasted almost six hours, all spent sitting in the exact same spot. It was dark when I left (as the café was closing around 6:00 p.m.).

MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/itlcoffeeshop