Thursday, April 16, 2009

Girl in a red hat in Café Regular

Thank you, Heather, for once again steering me in the right direction, and Happy Birthday! I hope you spent it in as romantic surroundings as Café Regular in Park Slope, Brooklyn.


On a drizzling Saturday afternoon we entered this tiny place
and found ourselves the only customers. The waitress was reading a book at one of the four or five tables but immediately rose to her feet and ducked under the counter through a hole in it. The flap could not be raised as a show case of pastries was on top of it. The waitress said nothing, just waited for us to order and then quickly produced our coffee and tea.

People soon came in and either perched on the narrow bench or ordered something to take with them. I particularly loved the window because it was misted up. You could not see the cars and
the not-quite-6th-Street-houses outside. We sat and dreamed.

7 comments:

  1. I love the fogged window and the red accents on the wall, the cafe sign, outside the window, and even on the box in the background, as well as her hat. What a cozy place to spend a rainy April day.

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  2. Those were exactly the things D said he liked when he saw the picture. Besides the foggy window he was pleased with the red umbrella passing in the street outside. Funny how things come together. As we drove in we wondered if the steady rain would make picture taking impossible on that day.

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  3. Although the coffee was very good indeed we were not there quite all day.

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  4. Ah, it is you! What threw me was the title. Yes, I too like the variety of red and orange accents about. The way the empty illuminated seat of the chair in the foreground, oval signage, and overhead spotlight echo one another is another nice touch. The curved reflections of the light on the bar stool and previously mentioned chair frame, combined with the curves of the profile of your back and those of the awning animates the shot as well. The mood is strikingly reminiscent of Vermeer.

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  5. oh dear John -- it isn't me, although Dmtiri did ask me to sit on the stool when he first noticed the window. I was enjoying a nice cup of tea and refused to budge, so I was relieved when this nicer looking, better dressed young woman came through the door. I said, "ask her" and he did. She had to remove her iPod earbuds to hear Dmitri's request and she kept them off while he took the photo.

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  6. You must admit there is a strong resemblance. Nicer looking and better dressed? I don't think so.

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  7. Thank you for the birthday greetings, Dmitri! I'm so glad we can share our little Brooklyn discoveries. This is just beautiful...looks as though it could've been taken anywhere in Europe. Has a timeless quality. Also makes me want to go back there again soon!

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