Stop in almost any small town, here in the midwest, and a passerby can almost always find his or her way to the cozy atmosphere of the neighborhood baker shop, which usually sits quietly on the corner of the block. In the summertime, the inviting fragrances of the baked goods, fresh out of the oven, permeate the early morning air, inviting the early risers who are out walking , to stop in for a tasty treat.
I have lived in small towns much of my life and always enjoyed the familiarity of knowing the personable atmosphere of the local stores and friendly people. The grocery store, for instance, where everybody knows you by name or face, and you are greeted with a friendly he
I also did not realize that there are no WalMart Stores in the heart of the city. I guess I thought they were everywhere, but that is okay, because we have an abundance of shopping malls. Just be prepared to spend a good part of the day walking the malls as you are overwhelmed by the many stores offering multiple choices, making decisions difficult , if looking for that one perfect gift or item. Take a friend and plan on a fun day of browsing, with nothing special in mind, and treat yourselves to lunch at one of the many food booths, in the Food Court. They even have a nice Japanese food booth at Maplewood Mall ,which we hope to sample for lunch one day soon.
What I realized long ago, while driving through Minnesota and Wisconsin, is that in all of those friendly little towns , there is always a baker shop, laden with all sorts of wonderful pastries and breads, to tickle the palate. During the early morning hours, one can usually find a group of friends, gathered around one of the small tables, sharing coffee, treats and conversation. It is an atmosphere that draws neighbors together to catch up on daily news and everyday lives. It binds small town people together and adds variety, which is the spice of life, to ordinary days. Though I have never spent much time in baker shops, other than to purchase pastries or bread, I always savored the warm atmosphere that seemed to be present there. It always brought me memories of home and the cozy feeling one finds when we come home to the smells, in the air, of bread baking, or pies, fresh out of the oven. Warm and fuzzy thoughts arise that make us feel good. Long live baker shops because they are the fabric of a small towns life.
Stop in almost any small town, here in the midwest, and a passerby can almost always find his or her way to the cozy atmosphere of the neighborhood baker shop, which usually sits quietly on the corner of the block. In the summertime, the inviting fragrances of the baked goods, fresh out of the oven, permeate the early morning air, inviting the early risers who are out walking , to stop in for a tasty treat.
I have lived in small towns much of my life and always enjoyed the familiarity of knowing the personable atmosphere of the local stores and friendly people. The grocery store, for instance, where everybody knows you by name or face, and you are greeted with a friendly hello. We know where to find each item because the aisles are smaller and usually remain unchanged. Cub and Rainbow are great places to shop for savings, but when all a person needs is Rye Krisp crackers or Cinnamon Raisin toast, in the brown bag or the red box, it is almost impossible to find them there. You have to search the aisles, stand in long pay out lines and wear your walking shoes for the jaunt.
I also did not realize that there are no WalMart Stores in the heart of the city. I guess I thought they were everywhere, but that is okay, because we have an abundance of shopping malls. Just be prepared to spend a good part of the day walking the malls as you are overwhelmed by the many stores offering multiple choices, making decisions difficult, if looking for that one perfect gift or item. Take a friend and plan on a fun day of browsing, with nothing special in mind, and treat yourselves to lunch at one of the many food booths, in the Food Court. They even have a nice Japanese food booth at Maplewood Mall, which we hope to sample for lunch one day soon.
What I realized long ago, while driving through Minnesota and Wisconsin, is that in all of those friendly little towns , there is always a baker shop, laden with all sorts of wonderful pastries and breads, to tickle the palate. During the early morning hours, one can usually find a group of friends, gathered around one of the small tables, sharing coffee, treats and conversation. It is an atmosphere that draws neighbors together to catch up on daily news and everyday lives. It binds small town people together and adds variety, which is the spice of life, to ordinary days. Though I have never spent much time in baker shops, other than to purchase pastries or bread, I always savored the warm atmosphere that seemed to be present there. It always brought me memories of home and the cozy feeling one finds when we come home to the smells, in the air, of bread baking, or pies, fresh out of the oven. Warm and fuzzy thoughts arise that make us feel good. Long live baker shops because they are the fabric of a small towns life.
