I was staying one street away from the famous "Painted Ladies" in Alamo Square Park or "Postcard Row" as others call the highly photographed Victorian/Edwardian colored houses. If you ever watched the intro to the show "Full House" then you have seen the Painted Ladies. With winter still happening here in Edmonton, I was in my glory of green grass, blossoming trees, chirping birds and warm weather.
There has been a lot of change in the Alamo Square and NOPA (North of the Pan Handle) neighborhoods, particularly Divisadero St, which divides the 2 neighborhoods. Restaurants like
Little Star Pizza (my brother in law's family loved the pizza) and the upscale
Nopa set up shop many years ago but are welcoming a second influx of new hip eateries, shops and markets which has been drawing more attention from people to not only visit but also live in the areas.
Isn't there something so charming about a neighborhood coffee/bakery shop, complete with sweet spot-eyed dog leashed outside (isn't he adorable!)?. The idea of waking up and walking down for your morning espresso before work, grabbing a rustic loaf for breakfast or enjoying baked goods and coffee with friends, sounds so lovely. I had read about the
The Mill, a joint venture between
Josey Baker Bread and
Fourbarrel Coffee, on 736 Divisadero street, which is a stone's throw from Alamo Park Square.
Josey started as a hobby baker but it soon became more when he started running a "Community Supported Bread" (much like a CSA), where people subscribed online and he would drop off breads at various destinations for pickup. He worked out deals with restaurants to use their commercial or wood-fired ovens to produce enough loaves but he quickly grew and as a result came together with Fourbarrel coffee to open The Mill.
I read that a must is the Toast! (complete with exclamation mark). I grabbed the country bread Toast! with butter, cinnamon sugar, and a sprinkle of sea salt along with an Americano and sat down in the high-ceiling modern room, complete with a long communal table. I sipped coffee, listened to the hum of the open kitchen and watched people rifle in and out, ordering a coffee along with a loaf or other baked goods in hand. I didn't particular care for the sea salt on my thickly cut toast but then, to each his own I say.
