Cafe Grumpy • New York, NY

Date: 11-09-12
Location: New York, NY.
Photography by: Luis Valdizon
Words by: Luis Valdizon

It was a icy afternoon in Manhattan and my first time visiting SoHo. David, Bill and I were travelling to Cafe Grumpy to meet their long-time friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth runs a superb site The Coffee Experiment that coincidentally I've been following from my hometown of Vancouver. She's one of the most elegant and and incredibly talented people I have the privilege of David introducing me to. Our meeting at Cafe Grumpy was her idea and though I knew very little about the cafe, I couldn't help to be excited. Elizabeth is constantly visiting some of the most prestigious coffee establishments across the globe. David, Elizabeth and and I ordered a cappuccino, a batch of espresso beans from El Salvador if my memory serves me correct. Bill had a drip coffee, black. We sat down taking in the ambience of Grumpy's private outdoor patio. The cold didn't seem to bother any of us, as we sipped our coffee while we enjoyed our conversation and company. Elizabeth debuted her engagement ring to us, we all offered our sincere congratulations to her. Friends, celebration and excellent coffee, I couldn't have asked for more from a New York afternoon.

Seattle, WA • The Pancake Chef

Date: 07-07-13
Location: Seattle, WA.
Photographs & Words by: Luis Valdizon

If you're looking for any cities "small town" feel in America, a roadside diner is your best bet to soak in the local culture. While on tour, we must have eaten breakfast dozens of time. Not that any of us complain, we're not a picky bunch and the idea of breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner was always a good one to us.

The Pankcake Chef is a quintessential representation of American diners: greasy, if you want it to be, food, decent coffee,and incredible hospitality and service. Our charming waiter helped each of us navigate our orders menu with ease, and recommend their fresh squeezed orange juice, which we all ordered. The food arrived in a timely fashion and was enjoyed by all of us.

Personally, I love the diner experience because of the people. Destination's like The Pancake Chef are akin to time capsules. You get a sense of where America was. The pace is slow, the food is comforting, and the people watching the regulars and locals is always a fun pass time.