Capital Caff: On Banana Lattes and Little Breaks
Don't talk to me until I've read Capital Caff: Your guide to the latest in coffee happenings around Beijing.
It takes living in a metropolis to, um, know what living in a metropolis is like.
No, but really. Before moving to Beijing, I imagined living in a big city meant that you were headed somewhere exciting every day. Cue in real life. An office job with set schedules, boring adulthood chores and responsibilities… you get the gist. Sure, there are fun events and a weekly modicum of bar-hopping, but there’s also a lot of routine.
Spring has sprung, though, and my habits have changed some to accommodate the budding season. On days when I walk out of the office early, I actually prefer to walk home rather than braving peak hour on the subway. It’s all somewhat tuned to this motto that I’ve seen paraded on social media recently. “Romanticize your life!”
Romanticizing your life involves soaking in your daily routine. You acknowledge those little (big!) moments and things that make up your life, and somewhere in the process you feel more content and ultimately happier. Lately I’ve warmed up to this concept, and I find it comes into play during my walks back home.
You see, I take detours and actually raise my gaze from the phone screen to look at the city around me. Quirky characters catch my attention for a fleeting moment, the sun interacts with buildings and corners, and unexpected places beckon me in. The weekend may have big plans for me to dine at trendy places and hit whatever snazzy bar, but weekdays are my golden ticket to the everyday pockets of Beijing.
That’s exactly what a visit to Alleymouth Coffee is, just midway between Dongdaqiao and Hujialou. Nestled in Chaowai Soho, this café is pouring a brew that has been making the rounds in Dianping — the banana latte (香蕉拿铁, xiāngjiāo nátiě, RMB 25). In fact, their menu sports other novelty items. Persimmon latte, anyone?
Make no mistake, this place is small. However, if you secure a seat, nobody’s going to rush you out and the place is otherwise completely apt to read or be on your laptop. In fact, I wrote this article while chilling there.
The waiter recommended I get my latte hot, to enhance its banana-ness, and who am I to stray from barista wisdom? He devoted himself to a menu photoshoot and I was left to enjoy the easy listening tunes, the décor in subdued colours featuring plenty of cups, Funko Pops, books and coffee paraphernalia on the shelves, and a steaming cup of banana latte on my table.
I’m actually not a huge fan of bananas; I don’t hate on them by any means, but I don’t love them either. This is why I was happy to see that, as often happens with these whimsical drinks, it’s more of a subtle twist than a plunge into the artificial. Sometimes I smell something and it’s as though the scent somehow spread to my taste buds, you know?
Such was the case with this banana latte. Pleasant. Nothing crazy, for sure. Kind of like a mid-week break. You sit for a bit, take a breath and check yourself some. Maybe there’s something you still need to take care of before Friday comes around. Maybe you’re on track and ready to start thinking of your weekend. Do what you must with some coffee and then head home for the night. A new day is just around the corner.
READ: Capital Caff: Endless Creative Brews at Wakanda Cafe
Images: Ana Padilla Fornieles
