reflections & talking drum bookstore

Reflections is an eclectic little coffee & tea house located just off of the busy corner of NE Killingsworth & NE MLK Blvd, and situated in the far corner of a small business complex.  In the hour or so that I was taking my lunch, the place never emptied out.  Businessmen mixed with locals, taking advantage of the ample seating and free WiFi & PC’s. 

The man working the counter was friendly, flashing me a large, welcoming smile as I asked him which tea he preferred; without hesitation he pointed out the organic rose hips, and filled a glass.  I chose a piece of pound cake from the small selection of snacks wrapped up on the counter and picked a small table in the corner.  The tea was great: it had quite a unique flavor, sweet yet strong, that lasted long after I finished; I was very happy with the recommendation!  The cake was fresh, moist, and very clearly homemade, I would suspect by one of the ladies working behind the counter.  Along with the drinks, there is a large selection of books to paruse while sipping, most of which are African-American literature, as the Talking Drum bookstore within the coffee shop is a great source for it.

in the hour or so that I stayed, several people came and went, and this was one of the friendliest neighborhood shops I’ve been in.  Everyone that came in got a jovial welcome from the man who helped me, and he knew the majority of people personally.  Many people simply came in to say hello or pick up a quick snack or cup of java.  All in all, this is a good spot to check out if you’ve got a few minutes.