Last week, the swimmers took to the knitting like, uh, fish to water. Hahaha. Really, they did pretty well. And then some more people expressed interest in joining us. There was no question of whether we’d have another meeting this week. One of our members is allergic to cats, so we decided to choose another place besides my cat-infested living room. Coffee shops tend to be good places for knitting groups to meet, and a new-ish local spot came to my mind. Here’s today’s group at a big table right in the middle of the well-lit, open room.
Pretty much everyone managed a solid understanding of the cast on, knit and purl business, so our next meeting will involve starting some mittens. I feel so lucky to be teaching this enthusiastic group, and to be paying back a little bit of the support I’ve gotten in the swim club over the last few months. I know I’ve learned a lot in the pool – one of my friends was telling me how awesome I looked doing the butterfly on Tuesday, and I was all “Yeah, thanks!” And then one of the real athlete people turned and asked “With or without fins?” and I was all casually “Without.” Yay!
But back to the coffee shop/bakery business. Let me just say right now that I am in no way being reimbursed for what I’m about to say. I’m excited about this restaurant opening nearby, and would like to put a good word out for it because I want it to thrive. I’m a huge sucker for a really good pastry, especially with a really good cup of coffee. I’m also pretty darn picky about what I mean by really good, and this stuff qualifies for sure!
They do have yummy cookies, plus pastries of the flaky, buttery croissant and brioche varieties. mmm…. And lemon tarts and chocolate cakes for the slightly more special occasions….
A nice selection of artisan breads and rolls for those who prefer savory to sweet…
Just look at this beautiful loaf of bread! I wants!
The first time I went in this place was a few weeks ago on a weekday afternoon when I was out running errands while the girls were in school. I picked up a flaky thingie called Kouign Amann, which is apparently a traditionally french treat, and is a little crunchy on the outside, tender-chewy in the middle and just the right sort of sweet. I ordered a small coffee with it, and was surprised that I got to pick out a coffee from a little menu, then watch the barista grind beans just for me and brew a tiny little cupful of coffee just for me. It was nice.
They do soup and sandwiches, too. I haven’t quite gotten around to trying those yet.
Let’s have one last look at the chocolate cakes…mmm…
The staff was really nice today when I walked in and asked if we could take over their big table for a couple hours. Today I had a shortbread cookie with chocolate chips, and a fizzy water that they bottle themselves. It was good, although the cookie was rich enough that I managed not to eat the whole thing – I’m still trying to keep my sugar portions under control!
Alright, I hope I’ve tempted a few of you locals to go support my new favorite cafe/bakery – Rustica. It’s sandwiched between Punch and Barnes and Noble in that strip mall over sort of by where Lake Street splits from Highway 7 when you’re headed west. It’s just north of the strip mall where Chipotle and Whole foods are across from Lake Calhoun.
Catching up on the last of the Valentine’s Day celebration, I made chocolate-covered strawberries for the girls (okay, for me too!)
These are so easy – wash the strawberries, dry them well, melt chocolate chips in the microwave, dip the berries and lay on wax paper to cool in the fridge.
Trust me, they were good. The girls were very excited to surprise Daddy with cards we’d picked out a week before.
Simple and sweet. My own knitting continues here on the couch in front of the Olympics. I had a false start on the sweater and ripped back everything I showed in my Olympic picture the other night – I’ll have an update on the revised version in a day or two.