sanctuary

For the past week or so, a big mass of clouds has parked over Seattle and given us a healthy dose of holiday rain showers.  Now that I have a car, I've gotten a bit lazy about walking in the rain, so on the eve of Christmas Eve, I made the foolish decision to drive to the U District shopping center rather than brave the elements and walk to downtown Seattle. This, from a girl who used to walk halfway across NYC on a daily basis! Ah, the times they are a-changin'.

I was naively unprepared for the hordes of holiday traffic - is there anything more frustrating than endlessly circling in the parking lot? After making it through the traffic and half-flooded roads, I was hoping to spend the rest of the afternoon with my Kindle and a cup of coffee. After a few more wrong turns and failed attempts to find street parking (the story of my life as a relatively new driver), I was ready to give up on that too, when a sign for "A Muddy Cup" in front of a little yellow house appeared like a haven in a storm.

After coaxing my car into a parking space, I hurried over while dodging the raindrops. The second I walked in, I knew that this was exactly the right place for me at that moment. It was quiet and warm, with a couple of comfy looking armchairs and reading lamps scattered about. I was half afraid to disturb the almost palpable silence with the click of my camera, but my fellow patrons seemed engrossed in their own work. With a cup of cappuccino, I curled up in a chair, reveling in my temporary escape from the rain. It's all about the small victories :)

A Muddy Cup
266 NE 45th St.
Wallingford/U District