Coming back to Palio after three years – two weeks after revisiting Coffee Time – persuaded us we had to increase the number of shops in our top tier favorites list. Both are sublime places to hang out.

One of Palio’s two rooms is rectangular with the feel of a formal library due to its heavy wooden chairs and tables, stained glass table lamps, and books. There are actually more books, and magazines/newspapers, on a raised section of the angulated room one uses to enter the shop, and order from the front counter. This entry room feels less formal, possibly because of the room’s angles, raised area, and the soft couch with reading table that was covered  with today’s newspaper.

We were in the more formal rectangular room with its hard chairs, but this didn’t stop us from having a long, spirited discussion on climate change. We – all believers that the earth is on a dangerous precipice – are challenged by an inability persuade the populace that radical changes are needed in our economic system, and personal life styles, in order to stave off global catastrophes.   We talked a lot about possible strategies, but A served as a devil’s advocate more than once in pointing out each’s flaws.

(By the way, the derivation of the Palio name comes from the historic bareback horse races that take place annually in Sienna, Italy’s central plaza.)  http://www.palio-in-ladds.com 1996 SE Ladd