My friend Adam and I figured we would try to tackle it completely unsupported, meaning we would have to carry all of our food, cooking and camping gear, in between 35-40 hours. This presented some unique logistical challenges that would require quite a bit of planning and research into some new equipment.

There are some great trip reports and comprehensive hiking guides online, so I’m going to focus below more on the logistics of running the trail unsupported, for those who might consider doing the same.

The Planning

The first thing we started to nerd out on was our packs. We needed something large enough but still form-fitting enough to allow us to run comfortably, so ideally in the 15-20 litre range. We both decided on the Salomon Agile 17 litre, a stretch-fit pack designed for running with one main compartment, mesh side pockets along with pockets on the waist harness, and Salomon’s usual ‘4D pole holder’ for our running poles – yes, running poles. We then added the Salomon Custom Front Pocket which is designed to clip on to the packs to add an additional 5L capacity, perfect for food and other small items that we’d need throughout the day.

I use poles whenever I go trekking, especially when carrying a pack, but I had never run with poles which it turns out take some getting used to. The Black Diamond Z poles seemed to be the way go at just 275 grams. They weren’t cheap, but I know I’ll get plenty of use from them in the future as I start to race in Europe.

15 lbs. and about 22 litres. Pictured is also a waist belt that I left at home.

Running throughout the night would mean missing a lot of the sights on the trail at night, which sort of defeats the purpose of travelling to run in such a beautiful location. On the other hand, stopping even for a few hours sleep would require a lot of extra gear which would take extra energy and slow us down, requiring more food, and so on. We’d make do with a Penguin overbag and a shared lightweight Siltarp 2 Tarp which could use our running poles for support, along with NeoAir Xlite sleeping pads. Including the ground sheet from my tent, guy lines and pegs, this all weighed in at 1,950 grams and would take about 5 litres of space.

InReach SE tracking along the way.

I’d be running in Salomon EXO Short and Shirt with arm warmers and a visor, along with a waterproof shell just in case. For spare clothing at night, I packed a highly compressible down jacket, merino wool tights, gloves and a beanie.

I needed a new headlamp for my upcoming 100 miler, so I splurged on a Petzl Nao with the belt kit and a spare battery. Add to this a Snow Peaks stove and small fuel canister, GSI cup/pot, a spork, first aid kit, knife, matches, a Power Pond 1C to recharge my Suunto Ambit 2 while on the run, a GoPro, and my Delorme inReach SE, and I was just under my target of 15 pounds. This included about 6,000 calories worth of Clif Bars, Shot Bloks, and Energy Gels for on the run, dehydrated food for dinner and breakfast, along with a few other snacks like dehydrated fruit and some nuts.

Water would be extra, but thanks to my Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter and some water tablets, we’d only have to carry up to a 1litre at a time.

Getting There

We’d be heading counter-clockwise from Longmire which seems to be the most popular option and is about a two hour drive from Seattle. Longmire is a village with all of the amenities you’d need, including a lodge with a restaurant and hotel. We decided to rough it at the nearby Cougar Rock Campground.

We arrived a little after dark on Friday evening, setup our tents, and prepared our gear for in the morning. We booked the camping until Monday so we could avoid having to pack up in the morning and so we could just collapse on Sunday night. The goal was to be on the trail for day break to make the most of the daylight.

Day 1

We were on the move by about 6:30 am, by the time we finally got sorted in the morning, so the headlamps were put away after about 15 minutes. After just an hour we saw a bear in the distance, followed by some very brave dear on the trail a few minutes later. So far so good!

The first leg clockwise from Longmire to Devil’s Dream was beautiful and, after crossing the long suspension bridge over Tahoma Creek, it only got better from there. Emerald Creek Ridge was an amazing section of trail. St. Andrews lake was a particular nice spot to stop to filter some water. The packs were feeling great, the weather was perfect, and we were feeling strong.

On the climb up to Mowich lake, we finally ran into a group of runners we’d been expecting who were heading in the opposite direction. They were aiming to run it in a little less time than us but with support from friends who’d be waiting for them at a few spots along the way with hot meals and a few other luxuries. We were a little jealous of their lightweight packs!

It was quite surreal rolling in to Mowich past the hordes of picknicking tourists and day hikers. We took in the sunset over Mowich Lake and headed off to see if we couldn’t make it to the Carbon Glacier before dark. No such luck and, as we passed it in the pitch black and felt a cool breeze, we knew there was something pretty cool out there that we couldn’t see.

Our make-shift campsite.

After a few hours in the dark, we arrived at Mystic Lake around 11pm and setup camp. 76 km (47 miles) and 4,200 metres (13,800 feet) of climbing down after 17 hours on foot. Dehydrated Mac N’ Cheese never tasted so good!

Day 2

We woke up after about 4 hours sleep and again were on the trails by 6:30am by the time we broke camp. We figured we’d stop en route so we could make breakfast in comfort once it warmed up. The camp had been almost completely full when we arrived, so we were happy to have been leaving before everyone else woke up – in and out without almost anyone even seeing us!

The sunrise was pretty incredible as we passed Winthrop Glacier, the second largest glacier on Mount Rainier. We were feeling surprisingly good, given that we’d already run almost 50 miles in the last 24 hours.

From Granite Creek, the trail climbed in a series of long switchbacks before opening up in meadows and revealing some impressive panoramic views. The Northern Loop Trail passes through here on its way to the high plateau of Grand Park, visible in the distance – something for another day.

We ran into a couple of hikers who offered to take our photo. Up to this point, we’d be seeing small groups of hikers who were all out for at least a few days on the trail, but no day hikers yet, so there was definitely a sense of camaraderie amongst us. But as we ran through the large open meadows down to Sunrise, we began passing quite a few tourists who were pretty clearly just out for the day.

Sunrise looked like a nice campground but I could see it getting pretty crowded. This turned out to be nothing compared to White River Auto Camp which was a few miles downhill – taking a few minutes to bask in the luxuries of running water and flush-toilets was nice though.

As the hiking guide points out, “Summerland is a gateway to the highest section of the Wonderland Trail where it crosses Panhandle Gap at 6,750 feet. This is also one of the most visually impressive sections of the trail, offering expansive views of both Mount Rainier and much of southern Washington.” Unfortunately, it also turned out to be the most crowded.

As trail climbs, the highland meadows thin into glacial moraines and views that get better with each step. Once we passed through Panhandle Gap the crowds began to thin out and we had the trail almost all to ourselves again until we ran into our group of runner friends passing in the other direction for the second time. We had begun to worry, but they were looking good and were just a little behind schedule (they’d go on to finish in 35 hours). We gave them the good news that they were about to see what had to be the most epic part of the entire trail.

Bottoming out at 5,120 feet, Indian Bar campground was pretty nice for the few minutes we were there, where two creeks merge into a waterfall under the bridge near a small cabin. We had a bit of a climb ahead of us and things were starting to feel hard. It was hot, we were tired, and about the only thing keeping us going was the caffeine pills and Clif Shots. As we dropped another 1,500 feet to Nickel Creek, our legs and knees began to complain and we were about ready to be done.

The section of trail between Nickel Creek to Stevens Canyon was pleasant, but not nearly as spectacular as anything we’d seen so far, and the trails were quite crowded. We just focussed on moving forward, trying to ignore how surreal it felt to be running through parking lots and past tourists and a wedding photo shoot at Box Canyon, after what felt like a lifetime on the trails. We just had one last, big climb up to Reflection Lake before we could consider this thing in the bag.

By the time it got dark for now the second time since starting this journey, all we could think about was trying to get done before all of the restaurants were closed and about the large tub of french fries we were going to order. We just had to put our head down and climb, one foot in front of the other.

In no time we arrived at Reflection Lake which looks beautiful during the daylight from what I’ve seen in photos online. For us it was just a dark abyss, but it would signify that we were home free.

The last 5 or 6 miles down past Paradise River Camp to Longmire were our fastest splits yet. We arrived back at Longmire around 9:45 pm, 39 hours after leaving, with about 32 hours moving time – hungry, tired, and glad to be done.

The Recovery

The restaurant at the lodge had just closed for the night, but the waiter offered us a couple of leftover salads and a basket of bread which we promptly devoured, before cleaning ourselves off in their bathroom sink (they had hot water!). We managed to heat some food back at the campsite and to make it through about half a beer each before passing out.

The next day set the stage for pretty much what the rest of the week would look like – eating anything in sight and in large quantities. The entire week, I couldn’t seem to eat or sleep enough. The sleeping part I get, but I was a little surprised to see just how calorie deprived I was. This is a good lesson for my first 100 miler coming up in November which will be fully supported, with aid stations fully stocked with hot food. The packs worked out great though, and it’s nice to know that my Salomon Sense Pros will be so comfortable even after so many miles.

I had a bit of tennis elbow from using the poles for so long as well. Next time, I’ll have to incorporate these sooner into my training if I’m planning on using them for such a long period of time.

I’m looking forward to making the Wonderland Trail a regular thing, running it over 3 days fully supported, and also maybe hiking it in sections and taking more time to soak it all in. It has definitely inspired me to do more long, unsupported adventure runs in the future!

Stay tuned for the video from our run on my YouTube Channel, and be sure to check out more photos on my Instagram feed.

Trail Running in Nepal on the Annapurna Circuit [VIDEO]

The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal truly is a trail runner’s dream, with untold miles of trails that wind through valleys, along ridges, and over mountains.

While trekking the AC this winter over 2 weeks, I managed to get out for a run every couple of days to explore the trails above the main trekking route a little further. That is, up until about 4,000 metres when running became a little difficult.

destination: caffé vita, lower east side, new york mileage: 5 miles musical inspiration: some random pump it up mix

the only thing between my new nikes and caffé vita was the ultimate tourist trap: the brooklyn bridge. and who better to defeat that iron and steel beast on a windy, thirty degree morning with than the bridge runner herself, miss sal morrone. i wouldn't say bridges are my strength (unless we are starting at the middle of the bridge and going down) but they are without a doubt empowering. hello runners high! another bridge bites the dust. (clap, clap).

squeezed into a 120(ish) square foot space on ludlow (a street more known for their whiskey shots than espresso shots) you will find THE caffé vita.

on my first adventure to this coffee shack a few months past, i went a little out of my comfort zone and opted for the kyoto (an eighteen hour slow drip that packs a powerful punch). for a gal that can barely handle a double espresso without getting the shakes, i clearly had no idea what this liquid gold was capable of. i'm only slightly exaggerating when i say you could see my heart beat through my shirt when i stumbled out. this time around, i was a bit wiser. while scoping out the menu, the barista made it known he was eager to get our order and get on with his tasks (in the friendliest way possible mind you). after cautioning sal about the kyoto, we opted to play it safe with PacNors (yes, this is yet another name for the cortado//gibraltar).

while the coffee master was busy executing the order, i eyed the pastries. "ceci cela?" check. i'm not sure if i should be proud or not to know that i can now tell which bakery the pastries are coming from. either way, no harm done with a little pat on the ol' back. after clearly being indecisive, i could feel sal glaring at me with the "let's not be ridiculous, we both know damn well what you are going to order," look. sometimes i surprise myself, but nah, not today. pain au chocolat it is. trés bon, ceci cela. 

as for the PacNors? utter perfection. the corners of my mouth delightfully turned up and were pinned into dimples for the time being. yes, a perfect cup of coffee can tickle me pink. (i know i'm not the only one with a coffee vice). caffe del sol is their signature espresso blend. although rich and complex, it remains soft and smooth with a sweet caramel finish. sigh.

it's tough to describe this pocket sized roastaria. if it wasn't for the enormous neon punchinello sign glaring at you as your turn off rivington, i'd say it would be quick to miss. dark, but not too dark. busy, but not too busy. intimate, but not too intimate. fitted with just enough room for counter space (equipped with a la Marzocco GS2 espresso machine) and a slender drink rail, it's not particularly conducive for sipping on premisses, which i kind of loved. oh, they did, however, thankfully manage to make room for their small century old probot and gothot roaster near the back. priorities first people. 

a few interesting tidbits...

pioneers of the farm direct movement, this independent, locally owned eight years young company was born in seattle. they are constantly traveling the globe in pursuit of exceptional coffees that meet high standards of environmental and social sustainability.

it's not very often that you stumble upon a company that insists each and every coffee they purchase have a fully traceable path from farm to roaster. that's not just love. that, my fellow coffee admirers, is passion.

these in-house roasters take pride in what they do. using vintage probat and gothot roasters allows them full manual control over the process and the ability to monitor and adjust every stage of flavor development. sadly, each time i've wandered in it just so happens to be on a non- roasting day.

i am smitten. Vita, if i may, you have easily stolen my coffee loving heart and i hands down deem you unrivaled. (at least in manhattan; brooklyn, we should agree, is on a whole different playing field).

bowing out, 

destination: ap cafe, bushwick, brooklyn

mileage: 5 miles

musical inspiration: fall mix

much to my luck, on my first destination run to bushwick, i've stumbled upon a diamond in the rough. 

a co-worker of mine, who is quite the coffee snob (really, aren't all us baristas?), has mentioned this place to me a handful of times over the past couple of months. his girlfriend lives close by and apparently it's all the rage (yeah, i know, an outdated term, but it's fitting). 

after losing my sense of direction a few times (blaming it on all the construction going on), zig-zagging from what  felt like one end of brooklyn to the next (thank god for google maps), i stumbled upon ap cafe. an open, airy, divinely minimalist espresso bar that has generously opened its floor to ceiling glass doors not too long ago to the lucky coffee-addicts and freelance crowd of bushwick. owners and designers, brothers Netic Rebel & Ryan Grant, along with friends Wes Mapes and Hugo McCloud, "wanted to take on something completely different and challenging" and went on to renovate their workspace by hand in just over six months; apparently all of them have scars to prove it. 

a large, open, concrete place that you wouldn't think twice about considering comforting on a thirty degree november morning, was a prefect escape from the brisk brooklyn air. thankfully, they aren't shy about blasting the heat in order to keep their customers warm and cozy. i could spend hours there. modern white chairs are lined up against hand crafted wood tables. a few grey stone benches pop against the radiant white walls. and the only things adding a subtle hint of color are a few succulents here and some wispy grass there. it's noticeable that customers were easily mesmerized by the indoor waterfall; watching water streaming effortlessly, silently, into a floor of smooth stones. it brings an ironic zen vibe into a place most will go to perk up. 

to my surprise, (or maybe not, i'm in bushwick i keep forgetting) customers are still ordering ice cold coffee through their chattering teeth. the baristas on the clock were warm, calming, and lovingly chill. if you walked in tense from the brisk air, you will soon be loosened up and later depart with a "have a warm day" farewell.  

then you add la colombe coffee to the mix, and i'm home. although the coffee menu offers up your classic espresso concoctions (with a couple odd ball, more exotic drinks), the infamous cortado was MIA. not too worry, because the macchiato, served up in a glass, was just the right amount in all aspects. i've raved about la colombe's signature espresso blend (nizza) before, but i must say, it's hard to find a cafe outside nizza's home base that gives the bean the love it deserves. ap really nailed this one, at least today's barista did. a slight touch of milk always seems to enhance the blends' fragrant, caramel and nutty notes. 

psst! added bonus: they have almond milk! 

as far as pastries are concerned, they carry your typical espresso bar baked goods (shout out to choice bakery). oh, and dough donuts. unfortunately (or not) the first time around i always have to go for the ritual: pain au chocolat. every bite of choice's over sized croissant was perfect and flakey. 

apparently they have a frequent visitors card. i'll be back for that.

...and maybe a dough donut. 

peace + love bushwick, 

destination: konditori, cobble hill, brooklyn

mileage: 4 miles

musical inspiration: lumineers 

it's no secret by now that i have a weakness for a charming cafe, but a charming cafe on the weekend can have me loitering around for a bit longer than usual. most individuals that aren't tagging along with their children get annoyed with the quick pattering of footsteps and the minnie mouse voices, but honestly, i adore it. like today, there was nothing more darling than this little blonde hair three year old bundled up sipping a big girl hot cocoa and picking at a shared bagel all while hosting a squeaky conversation with her dad; just the two of them. makes my heart melt. 

at first sight konditori is bright, but still warm and comforting. the open area sits quite a few, but either way everyone seems to be content with pushing over to make room for more. there are six raw wooden tables surrounding the entrance area and a bar at each of the front windows with leggy metal chairs that look as though that same three year old might have assisted in painting. but i dig the brush stroke look. as you move toward the back past the coffee bar and beyond the juice bar there sits a foosball table which, to be honest, is looking a little dusty. 

"unforgettable" is playing & grandpa sweaters are surrounding me. aw, yes, here we go. 'tis the season; my favorite season. autumn typically has a life span of about three, maybe four weeks (that might be pushing it). then, before halloween has it's chance to spook us and the post thanksgiving sandwiches are assembled, we find ourselves firing up the christmas records and humming jingles on our way to work. (i'll let you in on a little secret, i'm that barista who doesn't get sick of Christmas music [ever], but promises to not be an ear soar until at least the day after thanksgiving). 

new guy on the menu (at least to this new gal): maple sap drinks - description came with a bit of a "uh, chick, you just answered your own question" look. whatever smiley, just trying to make conversation here, and you know what they say when you ASSume. just so i don't leave you hanging, it's basically any drink with maple syrup added. don't worry, you didn't scare me off, i'm now even more determined to make you smile. 

well, i'm back on my cortado kick (acting as if i ever really fell off that band wagon). konditori works with a brooklyn roaster to formulate an exclusive process for roasting their beans. they should really stop being so exclusive and let us all in on their secret because it's pretty damn good, at least their espresso is. (shhh...their sweedish roast drip is a bit watered down). not only are they good at keeping a straight face, the coffee slingers are fantastic at creating cortados. i'm not as desperate for coffee art work as i am for flavor, so when i didn't receive a heart decal i wasn't too upset about it. the rich, smooth almost chocolate-like espresso married well with the creaminess of the milk. and with that, i was more than satisfied. 

so, not only is this joint a sweedish coffee house built for gatherings or where one goes for coffee breaks: 

KONDITORI (noun) \Khan- da- tor- ree\:

1: Traditional Swedish gathering place to enjoy friends over great coffee, fine baked goods and confections. 2: Where one goes for a coffee break 

...it's also a juice bar! i know what you're thinking: "two of my favorite things in one spot?" yup. haven't lied to you yet, i'm not going to start now. 

färsk (sweedish for fresh, incase you haven't been brushing up lately), is the name of the juice area. i've been here twice and each time there is a new, engaging,spunky mixologist manning the juice counter. the baristas could use a little bit of whatever they are juicing up; it seems like what they are grinding over in their neck of the woods could be to blame for their slight pretentiousness. ironically though i get it, i've been there. maybe more baristas should join me on destination run, it's quite the eye opener.

oh, and the pastries? heavenly. (none of which are over $3  by the way). more gluten free options than i've yet to lay eyes on in a single establishment, and they don't look dried out either. i opted for the cheddar and chive biscuit (no, it was not gluten free). they also have about 20 glass jars housing an assortment of novelty cookies and a small selection of hand rolled kettle boiled bagels lining the back wall of the coffee bar. amongst all the typical pastries are the sweedish: cardamon bread (coffee bread with almond filling) and homemade coco balls. 

update: we got a giggle out of the barista! woohoo! (oh man, i'm really glad I'm doing the blogging and it's not the other way around).

konditori, we welcome you to cobble hill. i know it is your mission to aspire to combine the hominess of sweedish coffee culture with the edginess of brooklyn, and from these coffee infused brown eyes i'd say you're doing a fine job at it. 

with love + jitters, 

Elliot (one of my favorite people in the world who moved to China): I'm training for the Shanghai Half Marathon in December.

Me: Wait. I want to do it!

Elliot: Let's book tickets.

The next day:

Me: Booked a nonstop flight to Shanghai.

destination: patisserie florentine, englewood, new jersey

mileage: 3.4 miles, Flat Rock Brook "Run in the Wild," 5k Trail Run

musical inspiration: michelle, moby & sarah, thievery corporation

a year ago today, michelle and i completed our first ever 5k, only a couple of months after we started running altogether. after moving upstate a few months  back i have been missing my dear friend michelle and our memorable runs. so when i found out that the same race was being held again this year i was 100% in.

i had been sick for 2 full weeks before the run and i must admit it was one of the hardest races i have done. my legs felt like jelly and the hills were dreadful however having michelle by my side (or in my front) was so sincerely comforting and motivating that i probably could have ran 10 miles more.

we laughed from morning till night and had the chance to rehydrate or dehydrate with a lovely coffee and pastry in the town of englewood, nj. company trumped the coffee however the delicate european ambiance was flawless. the almond croissant was just how i like it, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. the pastry chef was assembling fruit tartlets in plain view and i have to say that she sure looked like she knew what she was doing. 

all in all, it was such an amazing day. being reminded of how lucky you are to have a beautiful, loyal and heartwarming friend was worth the tough climb through the woods. where michelle runs, i will follow.

so long for now!

-sarah sue

up until recently, sarah and i have been running together, consistently motivating one another to wake up at the crack of dawn to get each others feet on the floor and heart rates rising. after packing up and venturing upstate for the summer we don't get the chance to run together much anymore, so what better way to reunite than our one year race anniversary? together we conquered the woodsy path for the second year in a row, dodging it's natural hurdles (rocks, roots, and defeated trees). races like this are exhilarating; there's nothing like running wild through the calmness of the woods. add your bestie to the mix and you've got yourself a running party!

unlike the previous year, this year we were in search of a destination to share with you all. englewood only has a few coffee houses to pick from, prime retail seemed to have been snatched up by the green mermaid. luckily we stumbled upon a charming little place with a french flair, parisian music, and a bit of hebrew dialect accenting the background noise. 

behind the rows (i'm not even kidding, there were rows) of baked goods sat a stunning, silver, piston operated Astoria espresso machine - not something you typically see in cafes, especially outside the city. while the barista created our coffees, we gladly snatched up our croissants and parked it by the window. 

our macchiatos were served in petit glass flutes, accompanied of course by a house-made macaroon. as far as the coffee is concerned, i regret to say i'm not even sure on the type they use, maybe because it wasn't one in particular i'd travel back for. it had a slight citrus note to it - we decided on hint of lemon peel at the finish. though the espresso wasn't our preferred type, the croissants (the most important part of a patisserie, mind you) were definitely worth another trip. not until leaving did we realize they actually have a full breakfast menu, but next time we'll be sure to take full advantage. 

as we sit basking at the sunlit table awaiting our macchiatos and enjoying our well deserved pastries, i am reminded again why we started this whole thing; simply to have 'an excuse' to get in a bit of exercise, laugh, chat, listen, motivate and, most importantly, to inspire each other to be the best possible versions of ourselves we can be and that's exactly how it went. 

sarah sue  -  a constant reminder that soul friends exist.

destination: tip of the tongue, baked and brewed - prospect park, brooklyn

mileage: 6 miles

musical inspiration: bahamas

perfectly situated next to the prospect park q/b/s lines - these guys have a  genius spot for a cafe as the morning commuters hustle towards the metro and runners saunter back from the prospect park 5k loop to refuel. 

i'm going to go ahead and say i consider myself a regular there now; mostly stopping by to grab a coffee after my morning run but i've also had a couple meetings there because not only is the coffee exceptional, the atmosphere is ideal. a rustic look done right with the 'bar' area and walls made out of a paint chipped wall trim (or what looks to be wall trimming, correct me if i'm wrong), surrounded by a couple gorgeous high top wooden tables and swivel bar stools. each table is garnished with delicate flowers in miniature vases.

forty weight is their roaster of choice here and Tip of The Tongue and it's the first time i've ever tasted it - to say i'm obsessed would only be a slight exaggeration. their espresso roast at TOTT has a citrusy bite (which i'm normally not a fan of) but then it follows up with a sweet chocolatey finish. simply perfection. i've indulged in a macchiato, gibralter (iced and hot), iced tea, iced coffee (cold brew style. done and done.) as well as their lemonade. i've yet to be disappointed. 

not a coffee drinker? first off, thank you for being a non-coffee devoted destination running reader! thankfully though for your type they also offer coffee alternatives: fresh brewed iced tea and a daily lemonade - trust me, i've had both and they're worth the trip. iced tea is far from being over brewed and bitter and the lemonade is a perfect combination of sweet and sour. 

along with a slew of pastries, cakes and cookies they offer up a few breakfast items to the morning crowd and some daily specials to the lunch crew. recently they've had a baked blueberry french toast that looked absolutely divine. they always offer up an assortment of individual quiche or some scrambled eggs paired with fruit and a house-baked croissant. the lunch menu typically offers up a few daily sandwich options or you can be adventerous and opt for the cheese plate paired with a ginger tomato chutney! last weeks salad options were a watermelon and blue cheese salad or a 'crazy caprese' assembled with green zebra tomatoes, purple basil and a balsamic, black raspberry vinaigrette - both looked as beautiful as they sound. 

typically i'm there in the mornings and of course that's when the attached bakery is cooking up homemade pastries - imagine saying no to a homemade croissant fresh out of the oven. yeah, not happening. the aroma in this intimate 30ish person cafe engulfs each and every stomach that wanders through the door. the scones literally melt in your mouth, in particular the ginger scone that has little bits of candied ginger through out. 

genius idea: a to-go window. i've seen this a couple of times in brooklyn now and i think it's ideal for the rushed morning customer. though i'm not quite sure how it works at this cafe -  who gets served first? the customer daring to face the pastries or the not so rebellious one idling outside not wishing to fall victim to the array of baked goods on the other side of the window?

to top it off, the owner is a real people person and the staff is super friendly (and apparently neighborhood locals)- keeping their cool even as pushy customers feel they're entitled to talk down to the one in charge of creating their drink - tsk tsk. 

well done Tip of The Tongue. we definitely needed a gem like you to call home on this side of the park. welcome to the neighborhood! 

xx.