Saturday, July 12, 2008

Pannikin (Del Mar)

(Louie living the good life.)

I like coffee shops that write their menus on chalkboards.

I’ve previously been to the Pannikin in Encinitas, but had only passed by this one in the Flower Hill mall (which has the enviable location of being next to an independent book store).

What we primarily came for, atmosphere, was just what I was looking for. A quiet place where people say hi but otherwise leave you alone. Extra points for non-corporate décor. And the outdoor patio is covered, so I’ll never worry I’ll burn or Louie will overheat.

The mint tea is fabulous.

Just inside the shop sat a women’s knitting group. At one point, a knitter stood up and modeled a blue two-toned sweater vest, needles still hanging off various seams. I was impressed.

Overheard at Pannikin: whether, or whether not, would-be first-time buyers should pull the trigger on a home in Escondido. The young husband had a background in ornithology, and as he and his wife and his in-laws watched the little patio birds, he said birds that eat too much bread develop clubfoot. He used to tag birds somewhere in Ashland, and had noticed a rise in the condition. The best guess is that it comes from hand feeding in public places, and scrounging in parking lots. So Americans aren't the only ones who get by on empty carbohydrate calories.

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