Tips to find a 'cool place'

I mean 'my cool' type of a place. Sometimes you are just lucky and the place comes to you by some kind of a magic.

But in many American towns, it's difficult to find these places that have not yet been swallowed away from the downtown into the outskirts that you can only reach by car. Often, downtowns are almost dead and you will find most of the activity along one or two highways that get you in and out of the town.

Anyhow, to find a cool place to spend a little time around lunch and checking emails, one easy way is to google it by the name of the town + 'wifi' or 'coffee'; which I did yesterday morning.

Emporium Coffeehouse & café: I check the reviews and aside from the many praises, I read this "I guess they think this is France or something (you know little portions)". Sure, I've got to test it. And sometimes, the magic finds you again.

Ron and Sara own the place. He is finishing tiling the patio with Mike his son as I get there; yet he welcomes me as a French traveler, offers me coffee, introduces me to the Chef, the waitresses and his place. In the evening, they have a special event with a little band; as I decide to come, he invites me to join his family table.



Sure we had a very nice diner with Ron, Sara, her father, their daughters Alex and Jess, Mike and Emily his fiancée. And the table carried on growing as more friends came around... not to forget Louise the most affectionate artist I met so far ;-)

This morning, they invited me for breakfast at their home. We shared a good time chatting about food, websites, 'art de vivre'... until the beginning of the afternoon when it was time for me to take off towards Wyoming: "When (not 'if') you come to France, I will take you to good places I enjoy, like L'étoile du Berger or Monjul"



(Where are you Alex? Not on the picture... working at Emporium...)

More info:
* Emporium Coffeehouse and Café, 1818 1st Ave Scottsbluff, NE 69361 / T.(308)632 6222
* And by the way, the portions are normal. It's not about the quantity but the taste and enjoying a good time with friends. But that's just the opinion of a biker that currently burns more than 4,000 calories a day.