Exploring is something that is embedded deep within my heart.
It was a wild feeling as a child, it was caged and locked away as a teenager, and now as an adult I am consistently feeling the tug to just go.
Do you ever feel like that? Like you just want to get in your car and drive and see all the places along the way?
That is how I ended up in Exeter and inside darling little Laney & Lu Cafe.
The minute I walked in it felt like a warm hug.
I stared up at the large beautiful menu and was tempted to say, oh hello, one of everything please; but first impressions and all of that. 😉
I ended up getting a veggie/hummus wrap and the most decadent turmeric late i have ever had!
As I sat at the small window seating by myself chomping away this lady sat down waiting on her food to be finished.
I struck up a conversation and while I don’t remember everything we talked about I do know that it was really refreshing.
I love talking to strangers and yet I don’t step out and do it often enough.
I’m not sure if it’s because the older I get the less trusting I get (I hate that!), or if it simply because our society is just doing this huge shift away from communicating with strangers. She was kind, compassionate, and had a really sweet laugh. She was informative about the food I selected and said this was one of her favorite cafes and she comes by to grab something after her yoga class. We may have talked about life details and what not, but for a girl starved for social interaction it was perfect. I do remember that she asked what I was taking all of the pictures for – and for the first time in my life I said, a little timidly, I’m a lifestyle blogger and photographer and I am out exploring today. It was just one of those moments – one of those steps of faith moments where I realized my life has really gone through a shift and things are different. And here I am – in the north east sitting in this small little cafe talking to a stranger about healthy food and pictures and blogging.
What a beautiful moment.
I hope to have more of them; to continue to explore and talk to strangers.
To hear stories and laughter and forge connections, even if only for a few minutes.
The world needs more of those moments, wouldn’t you agree?
The lighting in that cafe is just dreamy. The Northerner in my tends to just assume someone is busy and trying to get on with their day…moving to the south has slowly chipped that tendency away but not completely!
It was totally dreamy!
I am SO NOT USED to the Northern way of life – busy busy and just not too much time for chitter chatter.
The south consists of 5 minute conversations with the stranger cashier at the grocery store 😉 hahah I’m trying to make my mark up here with random conversations. hahah
So I had been wondering about the delicious looking drink in your new blog re-design header, and now I know! Also, coincidental timing because I JUST made golden milk for the first time last night to use as a coffee creamer. (Golden milk: almond milk with turmeric, ground ginger, vanilla extract, maple syrup and coconut oil.) It is insanely delicious and I almost just drank the whole cup right then but it was just as good in my coffee this morning.
I’m glad you had such a lovely little trip and met such a pleasant stranger; I am sure they were pleased to have met you too. 🙂
The drink is SOOOOOO GOOD.
Seriously – it is just delicious.
ALSO golden milk – wholly cow I NEED to make that it sounds beyond delicious!
Did you put a recipe on your blog?!?!
No I have foolishly not posted a recipe yet, but here is the friend’s blog I stole it from: https://lifeaslaurenblog.com/2017/03/22/make-this-now-recipes/
(4th recipe down.) Let me know what you think!
ooooo! Thank you for sharing! <3
What a great little cafe! I wish this had been there when I was a roaming the streets of Exeter as a student way back when! I can’t wait to go back for a reunion and will check out this little gem! Thanks for sharing
Julie, it really was a cute little cafe!!
Ahhhh this would be such a great town to go to college to!