Worth a Groggy Morning Train Ride

[Tyler] I have to admit I was not thrilled with the idea of getting up early in the morning to go hunting for pastry shops in neighborhoods we weren't familiar with. Karin, the nice concierge, helped a lot, by giving us specific directions. But, by the time we found Bittersweet, I was pretty grumpy and ready for breakfast.

The coffee and danish from Bittersweet, and walk to Vanille Patisserie helped a lot. And, then, walking into the store, I finally understood why Rob was so intent on making it to this place. The pastries were so beautiful, and the staff were really great. (Make sure you visit the Web site and look at the pictures.)

The woman who helped us with our order reminded me a lot of Kristen, who used to work at The Kumquat. The whole atmosphere was one of bringing joy, which of course reminded me of our store. She even gave us specific directions for walking back to the train line, and suggested an alternate walking route because it would take us through a prettier neighborhood and not be any longer.

By the time we left Vanille Patisserie, I felt like I was on a sugar rush, and I hadn't even eaten any of the pastries yet. Now that's bringing joy to customers!