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Re:Cafe culture in Victoria, B.C. - 2007/07/16 20:53If it's not too late to weigh in on the kid issue...
When I was planning my coffee shop out here in Sooke one of the primary considerations was to find a site with space for kids. I had spent many days at Cafe du soleil in Vancouver and appreciated their considerations of the under 1metre crowd. I lucked out with my site as it has a front courtyard for adults and back garden for families. It's been working well for the past 10 days anyway!
Truth is, mums and dads love good coffee and they love their kids and to find places where to indulge both passions could be something close to bliss.
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colin
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Re:Cafe culture in Victoria, B.C. - 2007/07/16 21:44I tend to agree Stick.
I did a couple of meals in Vancouver on the weekend - Feenies and The Rain City Grill.
Both places had couples with kids - albeit all very well behaved kids... Feenies even had a few tables with toddlers. And it worked. No reason why it shouldn't.
I think the thrust of my argument was against a cafe that is visually confusing; it is a garden store? Is it a daycare? Is it a cafe.
It appeared at first glance to be a bit of all three.
"Stick in the Mud" in Sooke is an example of what you get when you think it all out.
This is called Balance.Colin is the Senior editor and creator of the CoffeeCrew.Com Website
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colin
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Re:Cafe culture in Victoria, B.C. - 2007/07/17 09:05A sidebar - In years and years of observations I have also noticed that nothing sets off more alarm bells for people that talking about "kids" or "pets".
It must be a natural preservation thing or something. Not quite so sure about the pet thing.
It is the ultimate hot button issue in society.
My wife and I have eschewed children for a variety of reasons - one of them is the impact on the environment that every single human creates. We are already on a deeply troubled planet on a perilous course towards who knows what - what we do not need are all the big families I am starting to see again. On a recent trip to Vancouver, I could not get over the number of 3 children (and above) families. For me, it's staggering.
On a somewhat trivial level, my wife and I do pay for our choice by all the criticism we receive from some of our reproducing peers: "You two are so selfish!", "You guys hate children, don't you?!"
Utter rubbish, but we are used to it.
Anyway -- back to the coffee! (And do not get me started on people and their blessed pets!) Colin is the Senior editor and creator of the CoffeeCrew.Com Website
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colin
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Re:Cafe culture in Victoria, B.C. - 2007/07/29 16:57My current favorite cafe is (hands down) Discovery Coffee - it is, most definitely kid friendly.
What I have a problem with (and this is totally beyond the control of the owner) are the lug-nuts that arrive with 3 or 4 pre-school or just-school-age kids in tow and they have free reign of the cafe.
I was there waiting for my buddy Adam last Saturday when bulldog-shaped man arrives with mom and 4 kids. Who has 4 children under the age of 6 these days? Anyhow, the parents found a place to camp while the 4 kids turned the insides of Discovery Coffee into a playground - 2 of the kids played outside on the sidewalk (outside of the view of the parents) and 2 spent their time running around the interior using various tables and chairs (including mine) as a tag point. At various times one of the kids would plunk itself down in the chair I was saving for Adam and mug at me for a few moments before getting bored and flitting off.
No one, including me, is going to ask Bulldog man to reign in his kids because you know how these situations end: Bull-dog man yells or blusters at the customer who does not appear to enjoy his kids as much as daddy does and customer ends up coming across as kid-unfriendly much like Sam probably is thinking as he reads this. Colin is the Senior editor and creator of the CoffeeCrew.Com Website
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arfenarf
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Re:Cafe culture in Victoria, B.C. - 2007/08/01 09:28colin wrote: My current favorite cafe is (hands down) Discovery Coffee - it is, most definitely kid friendly.
My 11-y-o is Discovery's latest fan. I went in last weekend for my 1/2 pound of the week and ordered a latte for me and a hot chocolate for him.
Most shops think "hot chocolate" means steamed chocolate milk - which is pretty good.
These guys, though, made up a chocolate-cinnamon-y concoction that DS is convinced is the very best of his entire life. Then, they solemnly showed him how to make hot-chocolate-latte art while they were pouring it into the cup.
He doesn't care for coffee, but he lurves Discovery. And I lurve them too, for taking a scrawny kid seriously.
(Oh, and they roast divine coffeebeans and don't snark at me when I buy some to take home and turn into swill) Arfenarf is a Victoria resident and coffee lover!
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No-one needs a great cafe more than Esquimalt. In a community adjacent to a Naval base that is more noted for its quaint post-war houses and small seaside town feel - Beans & Greens Cafe is a welcoming sight for those tired of the corporate Tim Horton's and Boston Pizza offerings along the Esquimalt Road.
Near the corner of Esquimalt and Admirals Street, Beans & Greens is an interesting mix of kid-friendly, green thumb and gourmet coffee (by Discovery Coffee Roasters).
They even brew their shots with a Synesso - simply the best machine there is.
Beans & Greens caters to the community. Not just kid friendly, but family friendly too. With its location near a ship-yard and military base, Beans & Greens is a popular meeting place for spouses of loved-ones serving regionally or overseas in Canada's proud Navy.
Beans & Greens is located at 522 Admirals Road Esquimalt-Victoria, BC Give them a call for their hours: (250) 380-6336Colin is the Senior editor and creator of the CoffeeCrew.Com Website
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