Dora Coffee and New Paths

 Friend outside Dora Coffee

I fully embrace the idea of the unforeseen. Long ago I realized I cannot expect my plans and timelines to be set in stone. And I’ve actually found this acceptance of my lack of control liberating. I can research and debate the pros and cons of a job or a place to live, but I never really know until I try.

A friend of mine used to work as a corporate lawyer at one of the largest firms in Manhattan. Working tirelessly until the wee hours of the morn, hearing ghost email-pings in the middle of the night, forgetting what’s a weekend, he started to question what kind of lifestyle he was actually gaining in his paycheck. As luck would have it, the coffee shop below his apartment in the lower east side put up a For Sale sign right when his misgivings turned form a murmur to a rumble. And now, Jamie, lawyer turned coffee guru, finds himself wanting to help other questioning wanderers, and engaging with a community of aspiring young bakers.

Customers enjoying some final rays of sun

That’s where I saunter in. This week I sold Jamie a batch of my homemade oreos and who knows, if it’s successful maybe I’ll find myself on a totally new path. If not, it was a fun sidestep and I gained a new wonderful cafe to spend time contemplating.

For those in New York City and for future visitors, check out Dora on the lower east side. A beautiful space that’s warm and inviting, Jamie will serve you up one of the best cappuccinos you’ll find in the city.