Tanner, Marissa, and I hit the road, drove to Alamosa, and spent the day out of town. It feels good to get away every once in a while.
I liked Alamosa more and more as we wandered the city. It is a quaint little town with historic buildings, an old downtown district, and a lot of character. It gives off an inner city vibe, but we are nowhere near a large city – I like it. It’s fascinating that there are so many homeless people here…not the case in Gunnison. I feel a draw to this little place, a need to help, a vision for a community that is rich and vibrant – or once was anyway.
We started our day at Marissa’s house. Her mom had prepared us lunch – huge shout out for the hospitality and for the handmade coffee mug! After being welcomed into this beautiful home, sharing lunch and meaningful conversation, we decided to check out the local scene. With Marissa as our tour guide, me in full-on tourist mode and Tanner as our trusty sidekick, we hit the streets of downtown with no plan in mind.
We stopped at The Roast, a local coffee shop that shares space with the San Luis Brewing Company. Unfortunately they were just closing so we couldn’t stay…another visit and another blog post will be in store because I absolutely have to go back here. It’s so cute!
Instead we jumped across the street and perused the little bookstore. I finally have friends who are readers! We all talked books, shared some of our favorites, and then walked down to Milagros Coffee House, where we now sit so I could write this post.
I was curious what Milagros meant, but being in a city rich with Latino culture, I knew it was a Spanish word. I googled it and found this. I love that it is a religious folk charm, and that it translates to miracle or surprise. It fits the vibe that the shop gives off.
It’s quiet here. There are quite a few people but none of them talk. They’re all working on things individually. There are two girls sitting by themselves at tables along the window. One man sits alone by the front door. A young man on the couch has headphones in and appears to be watching a movie on his laptop. Behind him are the only two people in the cafe sitting at the same table. They both have plates in front of them, but I can’t tell what they’re eating.
The three of us sit in the back corner at the most wobbly table I think I’ve ever sat at – Thanks T and M for resting your elbows on the table so I can type this. A Mumford and Sons song is playing on the radio and I am at ease. The atmosphere surrounding this shop is lighthearted and peaceful. Their WiFi password is loveothers. If that doesn’t paint you a picture of the vibe that this place gives off, look at the pictures below. It’s very spiritual and uplifting and positive. The shop is owned and operated by a local nonprofit that helps feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and give back to the community.
Taylor Swift’s Trouble is now playing and Tanner and Marissa ignore me as I sing along. They’re both on their phones, as I type this. Shame on me for dragging them here just so I can write a blog post, right? Nahhhhhh!
I look at the empty table next to us and I find out that Milagros hosts a trivia night on Wednesdays. I am becoming a big fan of trivia. Bar trivia is something I look forward to every Tuesday in Gunnison, but coffee shop trivia is definitely something I can get on board with – I will keep this in mind for my future shop.
The two across the shop from us that were eating get up and leave and they struggle with the door as they walk out. It’s a push, y’all…doors are hard sometimes.
Cooler Than Me by Mike Posner plays and I laugh as Tanner and Marissa argue about something next to me. The two of them are so competitive and this song is defining our relationship right now. As the only noncompetitive one in the group I am often the mediator of conflicts and games. It’s all in good fun, though!
One of the ladies by the window gets up and leaves. I never seem to pick a time to write when the coffee shop is busy. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not.
Marissa is now telling Tanner how girls in coffee shops are better than girls in the gym. She points out the girl sitting by the window. She’s an athlete and a bookworm. She sits at the coffee shop alone and does her work meaning that she is dedicated and focused. I am beginning to realize how much Marissa picks up on cues that people give her. Being the daughter of counselors, she’s really good at reading people. Tanner laughs at this and goes back to his phone.
The barista draws the blinds as the late afternoon sun shines in on us. He wipes the empty tables around us as Marry Me by Train plays on the radio. The late afternoon settles in around us and I feel very comfortable here in this moment, with this company. I’m thankful that I have these great friends, and the ability to escape campus and work for a day. I am excited to continue exploring Colorado and the local coffee shops here. Alamosa, I’ll be back!
Way Down We Go by Kaleo is now playing on the radio. This is one of my favorite songs. Yessss! Tanner and Marissa are playing Would You Rather next to me and I am laughing at some of their scenarios..aka…”would you rather eat crab legs every day for the rest of your life or wake up and take a shot of tequila every day for the rest of your life”. I think we’ve been here for too long…they’re starting to get restless.
I wrap up this post as Move Your Body by Sia plays. It is fitting that this song is my exit song because everyone knows how much I adore Sia!
This is episode six of The Flannelogues.
-JD
The Flannelogues 