i'd be safe and warm, if i was in l.a.

:: i had to delete all the photos off this post because it effed up the html of the whole blog for some stupid effing reason ::

It took me about 4 months, but I've finally found my favo(u)rite spot in London: the Candid Arts Cafe, located just around the corner from the Angel tube stop in Islington. For all its literary history and England's reputation as the definition of 'cosy,' London has a serious dearth of cosy cafes, of independent, local spots to head to in the afternoon and cuddle up with a book. It wins on pubs, but loses on cafes.

A diamond in the rough, Candid Cafe is the sweetest one I've found: located on the 3rd floor of an old buildling with dusty windowpanes allowing as much light as London clouds will allow, four massive velvet couches to sink into with a book, candles lit everywhere at 5pm, and fairy lights set all a-twinkle around 6, I couldn't have conceived of a better place to go snuggle with a book and a soy latte. It's magical in the afternoons or the evenings, when a lovely bottle of red can be had for ten quid, and the soups are delicious.

Last time I was there they played Pink Floyd, this time it was the Mamas & the Papas:

all the leaves are brown
and the sky is grey
i'd be safe and warm
if i was in l.a.
california dreamin'

and then, i came home to an email from my dear sweet l.a.-located juliet, who made me go all warm and fuzzy with love with "you are my favorite friend ever and always. <3" that's us up there, the night i graduated from college.

anyway it all made me realize that califorrrrrrrrnia (i'm comin' home) (joni mitchell) is where i have to make my way to in autumn. i like it here, am almost even loving it, but i belong in sf next year and goddammit, so it will be. so, sweet jew-liet cap-yew-let, you & i will be in the same state as each other come autumn if i have anything to do with it.