STL Shop Local 365+: Foundation Grounds Coffee House

Friday, March 9, 2012

Foundation Grounds Coffee House

www.foundationgrounds.com

Denise is a brilliant director who inspires students to become brilliant actors. She has already started thinking about a summer production. It is cool to be with Denise when she is making plans; her ideas seem to come forth like jonquils in spring. We wanted to meet to put some solid foundational ground under these theoretical ideas. Where to go? I know! Maplewood's Foundation Grounds Coffee Shop seemed in keeping with our goal.

Denise ordered a cup of hot cocoa and I had a cup of hot chai.

We sat in chairs of varying pattern and color

which seem to whisper,"It is OK to be different. Be pleased with who you are."

...As Mr. Rogers taught us: everyone is special in their own way.

Foundation Grounds offers a variety of breakfast and lunch choices but we chose a light snack from their bakery items.

It isn't as if Denise's theatrical creativity needs help, but the artistry surrounding us couldn't hurt.

The next time you need a place to dream and scheme about exciting plans

or if you just yearn for a good cup of coffee, for goodness' sake don't go to those overused national chains. Discover uniqueness by going to the local coffee shop close to home,

or make the short drive to Maplewood and enjoy one of our favorite places.

No comments:

Post a Comment

A New Year, A New Look

It has been a year... a year of shopping, learning, meeting, and discovering; a year of new people, places, and routines; a year of sheer delight that I could never have anticipated when the adventure began March 1st, 2011. I've found it IS possible to shop economically and conveniently at smaller locally owned shops. What started as curiosity has concluded with deeper understanding and a commitment to a way of life. The independence of self-owned businesses seems to foster happier more creative people,which makes a better world for all of us. So let's continue, I can't think of a single reason to go back to the box stores, boring chains and internet.

About Jo

Hi, my name is Jo-Ellen McDonald. I like small stores, I truly do, though for years I've rarely shopped in them. I don't know why, really. I guess I was thinking it is more convenient and less expensive to shop in the big mega stores, and that someone else supported those little stores I liked so much.

Or was I thinking at all? Probably I was just doing what everyone else does.

This year I'm living differently. For 365 days I'm going to shop for goods and services only at local, independently owned businesses. I just want to try it. Will it be outrageously expensive? Or demand so much time as to be impossible to maintain? I don't know. But I want to try, because a lot of those little stores that I liked so much are gone, and I think that is pretty sad.

Some days there will simply be a quick journal entry, other days will feature a particular small business.

So come along with me and let's see what there is to learn this year. About the joys and struggles of small business owners. About whether or not there is a local place to buy computer ink cartridges or a broom. About how maybe we have saved a little in time and money but have lost too much in humanity and community.

STL Shop Local 365+