It was pouring rain, but that meant clouds, and that meant soft diffused light into the courtyard. It was so serene. There were others, but it felt like finding a secret. But first, lunch. We check our wet coats and umbrella, and after a brief wait and wandering about on the first floor, we are led into the light.
The Isabella Gardner Museum's Cafe G doesn't have a website, it's own Facebook page, and even its highly-praised yet sparse Yelp reviews can only tell us so much, except for some base dishes, their menu changes seasonally, and have daily specials like the Warm Asparagus Salad w/ Morel Mushrooms. The cafe sits gorgeous but unpretentious, bustling and serving it's patrons who are in abundance. There is no need to advertise. Perhaps best not to overwhelm the airy glass structure of the new wing it is housed in.
Cafe G's current featured ingredient is the Nasturtium flower, one you'll see bloomed in abundance during the warmer months, hanging over the balconies of the courtyard. Pictured is the Strawberry Creme de Pot with meringue, cookie "soil" and the petals of the aforementioned floral.
Though most of the seats are for looking not sitting, there are cozy leather chairs scattered along some of the dark corridors, with blank sheets of paper and golf pencils. Are they encouraging us to sketch/write about our experiences, inviting us for a moment of intent observations and see what we would otherwise miss? I sat for a moment and gave it a shot.
I would love to go back on another day like this - cold, dark, quiet, intimate. Walking close, shoulder-to-shoulder, hushed whispers.
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