Where's Your Home Away from Home?

When our Internet service suddenly vanished today without warning, we picked up our laptop and headed down the block to our "second office," a favorite neighborhood coffee shop. For many people who live in cities, places like these are our standbys, our homes away from home...

Personally, we're grateful to have a neighborhood full of places like these where we can go when we need to get out of the house for a coffee break or some back-up Wi-Fi. Besides the coffee shop, we rely daily on the local dog park and the corner grocery store, all of which are (in their own way) an extension of the concept of "home."

What about you? Do you have a home outside your home?

Comments (10)

While I was studying for the bar exam, my home away from home was a bakery around the corner called Sweet Cakes. I love that place - their baker is so friendly, and I think it's her dad that is the clerk most of the time. He's great, too. They assured me I wouldn't fail the bar because the bakery had great karma... truth. I passed.

posted by frannyglass on October 20th 2009 at 2:49pm
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starbucks..... even if it's only a drive thru, their coffee is comforting like a warm fuzzy sweater.....

posted by modern on long island on October 20th 2009 at 2:55pm
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the library...any library

posted by mdevans on October 20th 2009 at 3:35pm
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Lestat's coffee shop in San Diego.

posted by spookiefish on October 20th 2009 at 3:44pm
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Is the a photo of your neighborhood coffee shop? If so, what coffee shop is that?

posted by akay on October 20th 2009 at 4:00pm
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There's a favorite river town near me that I go to often on weekends...great shops, galleries and coffee shops. You can walk over the bridge to another sweet town. Lovely 1800's or earlier homes that I pine for. I never get sick of going there.

posted by junklover on October 20th 2009 at 7:08pm
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the beach...mmmmm...

posted by mjr on October 20th 2009 at 8:19pm
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Libraries, especially if they have lots of wood and very old books. Normally if a library has 'stacks' they are very good.

I also love the beach but unfortunately my favorite beach is 7 hours away

posted by Albino_Mag on October 20th 2009 at 9:51pm
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I have been at the coffee shop in this picture. It is situated in Copenhagen. Very cozy place with good brunch and food. You can lend any of the pocket books on the shelves while you sip your coffee and do your laundry in the adjoined laudrette! (hence the name of the café: Laundromat).

posted by PurplePlum on October 21st 2009 at 1:23pm
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Initially, I'd say anywhere in Maine.

But, since I can't go to Maine daily, I would say that my favorite place is Porter Square books in Cambridge, Mass. It's such an inviting space for me.:) And they are always so helpful....I love to sit by the window and read the paper or people watch.

posted by juju73 on October 25th 2009 at 6:21pm
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