I found the ultimate, all time best hipster hang out!!! It's called Pablo's Cafe, and you can walk to it from Mother of God Catholic Church. If you get there by 11:15, you have just enough time to enjoy an oatmeal cookie and a glass of milk, and still be able to receive Eucharist at the 12:10 Mass. Well, that's what I did at least. I'll break it down for you...guys wearing winter hats indoors, short well managed beards, blank stares, dark thick rimmed glasses, chess, two dudes playing chess, a guy rolling his own cigarette right next to me outside the window, extremely androgynous individual in fedora on a bicycle and people reading books - but looking around to make sure other people can see that they are reading books. I heard talk about bands and art shows and awkward, awkward, awkward hello's...because it's hard to be genuine when you're trying so hard to be cool, but not look like you're trying to be cool, but still trying to be really cool, or interesting, or knowledgeable, and most importantly original. It was glorious! I can't wait to go to observe. Next time I'll be sure to NOT be wearing dress pants and jcrew necklace...whoops. I'll pull out all of my scarves for this one, and by that I mean wear every single scarf I own at one time.
At Mass today, before the Eucharistic Prayer, Father read a prayer that we could be like St. Jerome and follow his example. Father stopped and looked up at us to say, "Be like St. Jerome? But he was so difficult and really wasn't easy to be around. He drove everyone away and was antagonistic. Whoever wrote this prayer doesn't know who St. Jerome is." We were all cracking up in the pews. I was thrilled to find someone who lives in the real world. It's so refreshing when someone can be reverent and fun and they aren't worried about "acting" pious.
