Ebenezers

One of the reasons I’m here in DC at the minute is to check out a coffee house called Ebenezers. Ebenezers is a coffehouse owned and operated by National Community Church here in DC, and sits in prime location just round the corner from Union Station. NCC view Ebz as a way to build relationships with the community around them, and it enables them to funnel any profits back into community outreach programs. At my church (GWV) we have been talking about the possibility of doing something similar. We want to be able to run a top class coffeehouse that would become a home-from-home, a hub for local creativity, and a way of giving back to the community.

So, I’m here spending several hours a day hanging out at Ebz, talking to lots of staff, watching how it all works, learning as much as I can. Doesn’t hurt that the coffee’s great to boot…!

(Day 52) Ebenezers

Old Town Alexandria

I spent yesterday afternoon exploring Old Town Alexandria… in the snow! I headed over to meet Rose (whom I’m staying with) for lunch at Brueggers Bagels (amazing… why do we not do more bagels in the UK?) followed by a stroll down by the waterfront.

Takeoff Over The Pier

I walked past a coffee place called Misha’s on my way to meet Rose, only to be informed later that it’s one of the best coffee places in Alexandria, so naturally I had to check it out. Great coffee…

Misha's Coffee

This is quite probably the best cupcake I have ever had in my whole entire life… thank you Misha’s!

Old Town Alexandria is one of the more historic, old areas here – it has buildings dating back to the 1700’s. Not old by European standards but really cool for the US. It was cool to go walking in the snow, nice to see the US in different weather. Also went to this really cool place called the Torpedo Factory… more on that later.

(Day 51) King Street Snow

JPG

JPG Hardcopy

I love participating in the JPG community, and viewing this mag in its online PDF version, but there is something so satisfying about holding a hardcopy of it in my hands. First ever copy of JPG I have owned. I’d like more please.

JPG Mag

Girl Meets God

“I cried, I think, because I was coming to understand in a new way just how much was required of me, how much God was going to strip away all my everything, like silver polish taking the tarnish off old forks. I cried because I know more and more how Chekov was right, how we are all running around desperate to make connections with one another, but mostly we are all just estranged. Because I know more and more that this glass here is so very dark, that this really is a long loneliness, that it is both lonely and long.

Sometimes I feel God has taken a paring knife to me. I know the way an apple feels.”

[Short extract from Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner.]