Day 21: On the corner of sunshine and yumminess.

it was a beautiful early autumn day and i could feel the pull of downtown. i had nothing at all planned. no idea where i’d get my coffee from, but it needed to be downtown. i don’t know why. so, i parked my car and started walking the streets. i just felt good. you know, one of those days when you feel really alive. the sun was warm and shining. the sky was bright blue. the moon still hung in the sky, fading away as the bright day took over. and the leaves were just beginning to get that hint of color on the tips on some trees. everything just felt good. and i walked.

before i knew it, i was right in the middle of downtown. pack square, to be exact. very close to where i was on day 12. i thought to myself that this felt right, and i remembered that there was another little coffee shop on pack square, so i decided to give it a visit.

bomba is right on the main corner of pack square, just under the vance monument, and in the middle of everything. like, for real.  it’s not really big, but it’s noticeable, with it’s bright red door and complete glass walls. it’s nestled among quite a few other restaurants and cafes, most of them fairly fancy & nice, i think. at least the ones on the biltmore avenue side. but, on the patton avenue side, headed down the street, there are more restaurants, but seemingly a little more regular folk. i could be wrong with my preconceived ideas… i haven’t actually eaten at many of the restaurants or cafes. it’s a highly tourist-filled corner.

as i stood across the street, i felt that bomba was inviting me in to order a cup of coffee, and that it would be a perfect day to sit out in their little seating area and watch the world go by. so, i crossed the street.

bomba sells coffee, sandwiches, pastries & other goodies, and beer & wine too. it’s got a little bar and some seats by the window, but the outdoor area looks the best to me.  it’s meant to be a place to come and grab a little drink or a snack, not to sit and linger. however, the owner has other restaurants in the area, including salsa’s – a great mexican/caribbean restaurant just next to the coffee shop.

i went in and ordered a little mocha. without even asking, i got it in a paper (recyclable, of course!) cup. the barista who made my coffee noticed my camera and asked me if i was a photographer. i’ve been asked that quite a bunch from people, i think i’m gonna start saying that i am – or at least that i am a writer, taking my own photos. something like that. i mean, i’m no tourist. anyway, we started talking some about cameras and i gave him a few tips. he was a sweet, young guy.

i took my little mocha and headed outside. i had a new book with me, thinking i could sit back and read, but i couldn’t seem to settle down. there were just too many people to watch. and too much traffic. and i mean that in a good, entertaining kind of way. i do believe that i accomplished what one should accomplish while hanging out at bomb… good coffee, on the go.

before long, i gave up sitting there all by myself, watching people. i felt like i should be on my way… like this wasn’t the place the hunker down for the entire morning. so, since the weather was lovely and perfect, i tucked my book away, grabbed my to go cup, and headed off for a little wander through some of the parks downtown. just, nice & lazy.

if you’re on the go, or just want to have a little break, then this cute coffee shop on the corner of biltmore and patton is just what you need. grab some java. drink a beer or a glass of wine. snack on a tiny bite of food. sit in the sun, or lean on the bar inside if it’s raining, if you need a little break. you’ll find just the respite you need to help you get moving again. and while you’re there, keep your eyes peeled, because i promise you’ll see lots of the fun, funky, weird, amazing people who make asheville the eclectic city that it is. entertainment and good coffee. perfect.

namaste. /liz

bomba . 1 pack square . asheville, nc . 28801 . http://bombanc.com