There is a restaurant nearby that we used to frequent pretty regularly, even before we moved to the neighbourhood. In fact, we’d been going there for more than eleven years (with a bit of a hiatus in the middle, when we were out of the country). It was a small and cozy little place, with warm lighting and orange-upholstered booths that could comfortably seat a group of four (or up to six, if we all squish in).
The staff were friendly, and always greeted us with a smile. They used to tease the kiddo, and occasionally he would get a complimentary ice cream, much to his delight.
They had a pizza station at the back, which was the kiddo’s favourite spot; he enjoyed watching the uncle make pizzas, and afterwards he would pretend, using his hankie and imaginary toppings, to make his own. Their food was good and never disappointed. I rarely strayed from my usual choices (the black pepper beef udon, ginger beef kuey teow, or Indonesian fried rice), but on those times when I felt like trying other items on the menu, they were usually just as tasty. When my sweet tooth called out for attention, I would have their hot banana pancakes, which were more crepes than pancakes, but sinfully delicious either way.
We were there for dinner back in January 2019 2020. The booths were all occupied so we sat at a table at the back, near the cashier. As we were having dinner, I spotted what looked like a rack, or a piece of furniture, which had twine zigzagging across it, held taut by upholstery tacks. I was doing the #30DayChallenge then, and used that as inspiration for my pattern the next day. I named the pattern simply, “Strings”.
The restaurant is still there, but it’s been recently revamped. They’ve refurbished the place, changed the menu, and changed their name. The orange booths have been replaced, and they’ve done up the place in sophisticated shades of grey (if memory serves me right). We’ve been there once since they reopened, and they’ve changed their staff, too. Despite the menu change, their food is still delicious. We’ll probably eat there again some day, but it won’t be the same. It no longer has that neighbourhood cafe ambience that made it so cozy. And it no longer has hot banana pancakes.
But I guess I still have this pattern :-)
And I’ve decided to make it available to you as this month’s freebie.
That dinner last year was perhaps the last time we were there before Covid turned our lives upside down, and before the refurbishment. Although the pattern itself looks nothing like the place or even the rack that inspired it, it will always remind me of orange booths, a pizza station, and hot banana pancakes.
I hope you like this month’s freebie. It may not remind you of a beloved haunt, but I hope it brightens up your day in some other way.
Enjoy! :-)
*As always, these are for personal use only.
Strings
iPad: Pro 11” // Pro 12.9” // Others
Laptop: MacBook Pro 13” // MacBook Pro 13” with calendar // MacBook Pro 15” // MacBook Pro 15” with calendar
Desktop: iMac 27” // iMac 27” with calendar