From what I've gathered, the Last Drop is a hipster joint...coffee's mediocre at best...severe lack in tea selection...tasty treats for the vegan-ly inclined. The actual space has been described as anything from "worn-in" to "gross" and the baristas are without a doubt, God's gift to the java drinking world in their own eyes.
When the opportunity finally presented itself for my own inaugural Last Drop experience, I had high hopes for a preconceived coffee shop...forgive me if this sounds oddly familiar.
ahem.
My Last Drop is built on the corner of a fairly busy intersection characterized by its local bums, bros, and hipsters...an eclectic, yet fairly interesting crowd. It is flanked by the neighborhood's favorite asian thrift store and a bro bar where only the few, the strong and the brave have ever survived to tell the rest of teh sane world what really goes on in there. There's a cluster or bicycles stacked haphazardly in front and the door is propped open, beckoning passerbys with the aroma of not-so-fresh coffee, vegan cupcakes and the best icecream in town. Upon entering, you are greeted by a loveable, yet silly ginger boy and another girl, who oddly shares my first name (I've met very few that do) though she spells it with an "e". The walls and tables are plastered with a hodge podge of local art and flyers of shows long past. A photo hung lovingly on the back wall pays homage to a local legend (See Mr.Butch*). The sea of laptops makes it evident that the free wi-fi was going to good use. On occasion, a middle aged man walks in, skateboard in hand, mumbling racial slurs and voicing anti-Jewish sentiments (see Skateboarding Ninja*)...only to have the redhead at the counter kindly kick him out for what seems like the fifteenth time that day. And today, seventies soul is on, though if you were there last night, you more than likely caught the tail end of some gutterpunk mix. And though the coffee is nothing to write home about, this wonderful establishment serves absolutely, positively delicious seven herb tea.
....
By now, the "fictional" Last Drop may or may not seem a little too real to be hypothetical and oddly familiar to anyone who's every lived in the Boston/Allston area. haha I'm not going to lie, I miss Herrell's...and a little part of me was hoping to find a Herrell's doppleganger here in Philly.
So what is the REAL Last Drop like? First and foremost, this place is spotless compared to Herrell's. It's actually nice! All of this complaining about how dirty the place is, let's be serious people. I thought Herrell's was nice. Maybe I'm easily impressed? Low standards? Or maybe I just don't care. I found a spot by the open window on the Pine Street side, where I could people watch and enjoy the weather while doing work. Unfortunately, there is no Mr.Butch. No crazy, homeless people. No "Van Goda" action figure. No ice cream. Free wi-fi still applies as does hipster clientele. The baristas seem hip. The decor's hip in that "dive-bar" sheik sort of way that probably finds its roots in either williamsburg or portland. Even teh typeface used in the logotype was hip and thus more than likely designed by a hip baristas...hip designer friend (*see Rosewood/Romantiques). Regardless, the decaf soy latte was alright and the barista that served me was friendly enough...besides looking immensely peeved when bothered by questions such as, "May I have a soy latte, decaf?" and "Where is the bathroom?" Could be worse. He could've withheld both coffee and information all together? Ain't no thing. As long as the dude does his job, it's cool with me. I'm not all smiles and rainbows when I'm working either. And though the Last Drop did not live up to my dreams as the next Herrell's Renaissance Cafe, it's alright. Allston is a rare breed..one not easily replicated.
SO. Philly is still wonderful. She's become familiar. I've grown since my move here. I've been collecting the nuances of newly acquired moments. Time. Place. First looks and last looks. Everything and anything that seems worth keeping. The initial joys and excitement of a new city are finding balance with heartaches and growing pains. Loneliness is balanced by newfound friendships. Though with trust comes a certain level of vulnerability...it's a risk worth taking. People stay, people stray. Not one held accountable to the other. It's a strange enterprise but I suppose in a world this large, with so many people, this kind of behaviour is human nature, and we're all guilty of it.
Well, on a totally unrelated note, here's a video of some graphic work I recently completed for a start up company.
Much peace to you all.
*Mr. Butch: Allston legend. see this write up.
**Skateboarding Ninja: Crazy homeless man. Hates Jewish people. Rides skateboard around Allston.
***Last Drop's secondary typeface is none other than Rosewood Standard and Rosewood Fill, a typeface created by Carol Twombly in 1993. For those not familiar with it..Rosewood is the new Helvetica..used by Coffee giant Starbucks as well as..well most anything. Came into popularity when printmaking/letterpress printing became "cool" again as Rosewood does have the appearance of vintage letterpress woodtype. Rosewood standard is gaudy, though not as gaudy as Last Drop's logotype...Romantiques..a typeface that should only be found in the circus.
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