Favorite Things: Amelia Cafe

If you find yourself in Durham looking for a cool cafe kind of place for lunch, drinks or dessert (and don't mind splurging on "cool cafe prices" - think Panera, or a little bit higher for some items), check out Amelia Cafe (in Brightleaf Square).

I had a meeting in Durham this morning, and another one this afternoon, with about four hours in between...thus, a cafe with wifi was in order. Luckily, I managed to escape the chaos and confusion that I usually experience when trying to find my way around Durham, and found myself at Amelia. It's one of those places where you imagine everything must be tasty - it sure looks like it! Their lunch menu isn't on the website but it's usual cafe fare plus some French crepe dishes...and their desserts look a-mazing. If I'm here long enough, my resolve just might weaken...

I wasn't originally thrilled with having to kill half a day mobile-officing it, but honestly, I've been sitting outside for the past few hours with gorgeous weather, free wifi, charming view (I'm sure there are differing opinions about Brightleaf, but you can't say it's not cute), and my laptop plugged into a lampost (yes)....and it's been the best working afternoon I've spent in a while!

One week!

Sorry for the lack of blogging [Nicole and Michelle]. My home computer is still refusing to connect to the internet. I'm going to start a new ad campaign and see if I can get royalties out of it: "I'm a PC...but I wish I was a Mac!"

So, about this time next week I will be rolling into Moncks Corner, South Carolina, home of Mepkin Abbey. I'll be spending about four days of retreat among this community of Trappist monks (along with, possibly: random parishioners, tourists to their acclaimed gardens and maybe fellow retreatants...I'll be taking up one of their 9 guest rooms).

I have very little idea of what to expect, but I'm actually very fine with that. My plans are very limited (kind of on purpose), and thus far all I've thought about is this:

• Bring: my journal (of course), Robert Benson's Living Prayer and In Constant Prayer, and possibly Mere Discipleship and something by Thomas Merton (whose monastary founded this one)
  
• Buy: an iPod adapter for Lucy's auxiliary input (Lucy being the new Element...when did I grow up enough to have a real car??)
• Oops: Probably should have scheduled to have that initial new-used car maintence done this week. Oh well.
• Don't: use technology any more than absolutely necessary next week. Phone calls for emergencies only (I think I'm just going to turn it completely off, except for maybe a few minutes at night to check messages). Ipod for car trip only...maybe :) Will still bring headphones, perhaps...
  
• Spend: a lot of time outside (hopefully it will not rain as much as has been predicted), and not much money in the gift shop. (Yes, there is a gift shop at the monastery...monks have to support themselves somehow!)
  

I've gotten more or less the same response from every one I've talked to about this: "that is so cool! I don't know anyone else who's ever done that!" So that makes me a little curious, and I have a question to put to you, if you're reading this: if you were in my shoes, what do you imagine you'd be thinking/doing in the week leading up to such a journey?

Of course, most of you are probably reading this on Facebook, and so I probably won't see your response until Easter when Lent is over. :P You can always reply directly on my blog, you know ;)

And, come to think of it, feel free to say a prayer for me this and next week!...for safe traveling and good health...that I will somehow adjust quickly to being quiet (in many senses) so as to make the most of my time there, sans distractions...that my heart and mind will be in an open and ready state for whatever God may have for me...

I can hardly believe it's already, suddenly, this close. I'm excited :)