Vancouver, WA

I always have a lot of projects to do and usually I need a little extra motivation to get started. Motivation=roasty mug of coffee. If the project is portable I’m on the hunt for the next inspiring coffee shop where I can get lost amid the clamor and anonymity and finally start to focus. Certain criteria make cafes good work environments: enough customers and activity for me to feel forgotten, the staff can’t be shouting conversations across the counter at each other, and WiFi is especially helpful.

Mon Ami Café blends each of these characteristics into an eclectic space in uptown Vancouver. Responsible are two enterprising young ladies with a vision to provide Vancouverites a funky place to gather for something tasty. Crepes and coffee are their specialty with savory and sweet options making it a great place for breakfast or lunch. For those who love a rich, fresh cuppa the coffee is purchased from Stumptown Coffee Roasters where beans are award-winningly roasted just across the Columbia River in Portland, OR. The café serves other locally produced libations including micro-brew beer and local wines and bestows a happy hour on Main Street during live music events over the weekend.

I arrived to find the place full of people reading the paper, families enjoying lunch, college students burried in text books and the token patron staring virtuously into their computer screen. I joined the ranks with a very well executed cappuccino and a crepe and kind of wish I had brought a person along rather than my computer to share the experience. Perhaps I need to amend my criteria with “not so cozy that I wish I was catching up with old friends”.