Department of coffee and social affairs
It’s amazing how narrow a space you can set up shop if you put your mind to it. Perched on the side of a skyscraper, this coffee shop almost seems like an afterthought. It is so narrow, there is no way to get through to the take out area except through the kitchen. Which really isn’t advisable unless your suit and shirt need a bit of dry cleaning. It would be a hot and steamy experience. Not to mention potentially exciting.
In any case, if you happen to come through from the other door to the sit down area (like me, I’m practical like that) you can avoid all that unpleasantness. Instead, there is a small row of tables where you can sit down. It is an especially nice place to sit, on such stylish chairs. I want some for my living room.
This place reminded me of my recent experience travelling to far away lands. Each time I get on to a plane, it seems that I am constantly surprised at how many people you can cram on to an airplane. When preparing for a long haul flight (London to Sydney) all the little small annoyances of air freight (that’s how I feel I am treated at times) become A Big Problem. Especially when a larger than average person happens to end up sitting next to me. When such bad things happen to me, I would often be tempted to whine and scream that it is not what I paid for when someone overlaps into my seat. I’ve paid very much for my area and if you want to encroach, you will have to pay the toll. Discreet and then not so discreet elbowing then follows.
Yet as I am reminded time and time again, things can get worse. Apart from invasion of my private space, I then had the great combination of a the kid seated in front of me who consistently screamed for over five hours. Non-stop. I could see the initially pallid nature of my fellow passengers beginning to switch to something more vehement as time went by. If parents abdicate responsibility, sometimes there will be consequences. It would also help if I had a bit more space…
Latte. I note that it seems to be becoming a trend for lattes to be served in glass tumblers. Mild without a burnt taste, I enjoyed it very much. Sadly, there was no latte art on top as I usually take somewhat perverse glee in destroying intricately drawn milk art work. As that is as far as my physically violent actions are nowadays. When such stress releasing measures are unavailable, I have to content myself with rabid words in other cases.
Turning back to the coffee, I did wish that more drinks could be like this. Perhaps they might serve coffee like this in business class. However, I would never know as I lack monetary means and will to upgrade. Instead, I was left stewing in my seat at the racket coming from in front of me. As tempting as it was to impose discipline, my iron will imposed order on the rage in my head. It’s great when you keep the entire plane from sleeping for hours on end. Kids can’t help it sometimes. Yet when the parents studiously ignore such demanding behaviour, my irritation begins to grow into something closer to seething rage. Yet, if you are on the ground and in the City of London when you begin to see red, perhaps a coffee from the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs might make things better. Or at least calm things down.
A quiet eating 7.5/10.
A coffee was GBP3.
Department of coffee and social affairs
8 & 9, 201 Bishopsgate,
London EC2M 3UG