Table for One (or Two)

Part II - Half productivity, half lentil-induced bliss.

Giving the café experiment another go.

This time, with a little more hope in my heart - mostly thanks to Julia, a good friend, fellow Substack-er, and the sole reason I:

1. Exist on this platform

2. Still have hope for romantic relationships in the year of 2025

So when she suggested we spend the afternoon working from a coffee shop, I said yes. For the writing, for the food, and - let’s be honest - for the gossip about the three new subscribers I got this week (hi, if you're reading this, thank you).

We picked Alice House. Cozy lighting, big tables, and - crucially - other people also pretending their flat whites are making them more productive.
And I’ll say it: this time, I felt comfortable.
Not because I was doing anything different, but because I stopped resisting the experience.

Of course, there’s always a caveat.

I left my house at 12:16. Sky was grey. The forecast said rain would start at 13:00. The café was 20 minutes away by bike. You see where this is going.

Yes, I got caught. Arrived soggy, sweaty, and completely at peace with the chaos that is my decision-making process.

But once we settled in, it was honestly great. We worked. Julia helped me finally make my profile look like someone who knows what they’re doing (which means, you should absolutely go check it out). And we ate.

And here comes the twist:
I didn’t get coffee.
Didn’t even struggle to order.

Instead, I went for a hibiscus lemonade. Which sounds delightful - until you remember this is the UK, and lemonade here is fizzy. Sparkling. Bubbly. Which is not lemonade. It’s Sprite in disguise.
Still, I’ll give it credit. It was better than expected.

But the real star?
The yellow lentil dip. Creamy. Tangy. With capers - which makes everything that much better. The kind of thing you eat slowly just to prolong the experience. 10/10. No notes.

So yes - trial run #2 of not working from home was a success. I’d say a solid 30% improvement.

No recipe today.
But if you ever see yellow lentil dip on a menu, just trust me.