Lynn attends Quaker meeting, where everyone sits quietly. It is not always pure silence since if someone feels moved and inspired, they might stand and speak for a bit. There are customs in place to try to keep statements on a high level, worthy of being spoken to people intent on being close to God. Afterwards, there is some time for socializing. Then, those who are interested gather at a coffee shop.
It is a popular place where groups of bicycle riders, walkers, college students and others may gather on Sunday for lunch. Sometimes there is a big sports tournaments of one kind or another and the coffee shop gets really crowded. They have a sign that says "Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks" but the coffee area and the sandwich shop are run like a Starbucks. You just wait in line while the people ahead of you order a large (not "tall") decaf latte or a specialized smoothie.
On some Sundays, it is very crowded and we can see that it will take a long time to get coffee. Theirs is very good but there are limits. The sandwich side takes even longer for each order and that line and the time to get the order can too long. That's when we head over to Father Fat's, our only tapas restaurant. As far as I know, "tapas" is a Spanish idea. You get much smaller servings that in other places but they are cheaper. More importantly, they can be gourmet dishes and being small, you can try more foods. It is not inexpensive and they serve all sorts of drinks so going there is going to cost more than coffee and a wrap. This morning was a Father Fat's time and it was fun.
We had a small trout with a layer of crab, a dish of oven-roasted vegetables, a selection of mini scones and muffins, and I had a "White Russian Discussion", their version of a White Russian mixed drink and a small bowl of mushroom bisque. The man who runs the place also has two other restaurants in town and all three are too noisy for our taste. The price tag accumulates as various mini orders appeal but it is a fun and different sort of experience.
