Coffee with a mission and a little book about sex.

Yesterday afternoon I stepped into a coffee shop in the heart of liberal Austin with a book about sex. It was carefully tucked away in my bag when I ordered my drink from the pleasant, waif-ish barista whose appearance embodied the free style of South Austin, but I was a little hesitant as I left it on the table in plain sight when I hopped up to grab my drink.

Don't get me wrong; I'm sure that most people who see a book on this topic might, at the most, smirk a little, if they even respond that much. It is Austin, after all. But I'm still a small-town girl from the Midwest, and it is still my urge to explain these things away at the very slightest indication of a raised eyebrow.

(via www.covenanteyes.com)

I didn't have to do so yesterday, so I will now: The book is called "Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity," and is written by an agnostic-turned Orthodox Jew-turned Christian named Lauren Winner. Incredibly well-read and well-educated, and with not a small amount of life experience behind her, Ms. Winner wrote the book to challenge the Christian approach to topics of sexuality (particularly for single persons), and to suggest a better way.

I bought the book recently, thinking I didn't already own it and hadn't read it, but 62 pages in, I'm absolutely certain I have a copy tucked away in one of the many boxes of books at my parents' house in Michigan. Oh well.

In any case, the book is a difficult read. Not because the language is too advanced or the topics complex, but simply because it challenges the assumptions we have about the nature of society and the relative importance of individuals. Ms. Winner theorizes that, because our individual life decisions shape who we are as people, and because who we are as people shapes our community, then the decisions we make are the business of the community. Certainly, this book was written specifically to address the topic of sex, but with a simple change of vocabulary, it could be about any number of major life topics: marriage, career, finances, use of time, etc. Additionally, though Ms. Winner speaks specifically to the Christian community that we, as followers of that particular faith, have voluntarily joined, I would think that her premises may apply to the greater society, though I doubt I would have few joining me in that thought.

Okay, explanation and related tangent aside, let's talk about Dominican Joe, where I was reading this controversial text.

(via www.dominicanjoe.com)

I'd driven by the plaza at the corner of South Congress (SoCo) and Riverside many times, but never stopped in. So when I dropped my car off for an oil change just a block up the road, I took the opportunity. The door of of the shop is emblazoned with the store's motto, "Drink coffee. Change the world," and I was surprised to find it busy. I ordered my drink (a honey cream latte) and a little treat (the "odd couple" cupcake) and sat down at the only available table left inside the shop.

When my drink was ready, they called me by name (not by drink), and, as I picked up the big black mug, I smiled to see a classic leaf design crafted in the foam.

I am not a coffee connoisseur, and so I won't attempt to rate the quality of the espresso shots buried under that foam. I do know it wasn't a bad shot (and yes, I have had many), and the drink had a light, sweet flavor that somewhat reminded me of Christmas, but mostly just tasted like happy warmth.

The shop is laid out organically, with mostly tables and chairs filling the space. There are benches with more tables that wrap around in front of the sunken coffee bar area, and a couple of cozier seating areas with couches and padded chairs. The decor is simple, with well-aged fixtures and furniture (I'm not sure what anyone would do if they walked into a coffee shop where everything looked brand new), and a dark red accent wall across from the neutrally-toned bar. Large photos of children flanked one wall, and works by local artists filled the other.

The crowd was a mix you'd expect to find at a shop so close to downtown: artists, businesspersons, students, writers, and friends. Overhead, a mix of classic pop and independent musicians played through the sound system, loud enough to fill the silences, but quiet enough to fade into the background.

As I was leaving, I discovered the premise behind the Dominican Joe claim to "change the world." A little of the Dominican Joe story is posted on the walls, and their website tells a little more:

We're not, however, just another Austin coffee house - we're a locally owned business that exists to make a difference in the world. Through our partnership with Makarios, an Austin-based non-profit organization committed to educational and economic development in the Dominican Republic, your purchases make a tangible difference to people in that country.

Very cool, Dominican Joe. 

Check out the website here.

P.S. I couldn't sleep last night, so I watched Speak. I know, I know, I gave in. The movie was actually very good, though not the best thing to fall asleep too. And I'm still not watching Twilight.