DATELINE: GRENDEL'S COFFEE SHOP, 8th AVE. & HAWTHORNE

I've felt out of place here ever since I landed last night. Maybe that's the entire point of traveling, getting outside of yourself and all that jazz. But it's still a bit unnerving to go from a town that has a few hundred thousand hispanic folk to go to one that has a few hundred. (My guide book tells me that there's a good-sized Mexican population here, but I have yet to see it.)

This shop reminds me of so many that I used to frequent avoid back in college. (Not liking coffee has a small part to do with that...) Nirvana's Nevermind playing over the speakers, old furniture, interesting paintings of birds adorning the exposed brick wall. Very authentic. If I stayed in this place any longer, I could see myself growing some sort of facial hair and reading some piece of classic literature (maybe even that copy of War and Peace I picked up at B&N for $5...)

If you'll excuse me, I'm off to explore.