Breakfast in the Garden

I received the most important piece of advice for long distance relationships (LDRs) towards the end of my college years as I was faced with the prospect of continuing my relationship with Mister E over the span of several thousand miles and three too many time zones:

Always know when you will see the person again.

And in the past four years, I have come to learn just how important this statement really is. A person’s faith, confidence, and hope for a relationship all precariously rely on the knowledge that a goodbye is not forever. That they won’t have to hold their breath forever out of fear for the emotions and tears that might come out if they allow themselves to exhale.

And as I’m less than a week away from starting my journey towards Connecticut and my new life that awaits there, I couldn’t be more thankful that I will never have to worry about when I will see Mister E again.

In April, Mister E came out to visit me in Seattle for the very last time. It was a very relaxing and laid-back weekend where we spent most of our time reflecting on the past few years of long distance dating and the changes that lay ahead of both of us.

To celebrate our last LDR date ever on the last day of his trip, I took Mister E out for breakfast to Alexa’s Garden Cafe. I had purchased a Groupon for it a few months back and was dying to go. It figures that I would discover what may be my most favorite place in Seattle right as I’m preparing to move away.

The cafe is tucked inside the middle of a garden nursery which is hidden in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Without any signs giving any indication to the outside world that this cafe exists at all, I believe that it is the true definition of a hidden gem.

We ventured out on a chilly, wet morning and were both impressed with what we found. The cafe is surrounded by it’s own little paradise of greenery, plants, and beautiful flowers in every color. Residing in an actual greenhouse, there was beautiful natural light pouring in from every direction – even on an overcast day. And with heaters all around, the temperature was just pleasant enough to not feel chilly nor stuffy.

The menu was simple, but everything seemed fresh and delicious sounding. After several minutes of debate, I finally settled on the Veggie Benny - poached eggs served on top of an English muffin with tomato, avocado, and hollandaise sauce (which I ordered on the side) – while Mister E was a bit more adventurous and ordered the Smoked Salmon Scramble.

While the food was delicious, there’s no denying that the atmosphere stole the spotlight of the dining experience. And to add further to the greenhouse ambiance, there is a huge Koi fish pond at the entrance of the cafe.

For anyone in the Seattle area, I highly recommend that you put Alexa’s on your list of places to try. I was a bit apprehensive about bringing Mister E to a place with the word garden in its name since garden tends to equal frilly lace and tea sandwiches. But I should have known to count on Seattle to turn a garden into a cool eatery with a funky edge. Mister E enjoyed the place just as much as me, if not more.

I hope that Connecticut has cute, little hidden gems like Alexa’s!

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