I love a good WiFi password. 16 Grams has a good one. You can see it on their turquoise business cards next to the register. It reads: enjoy this moment. Enjoy seeing the bikes whizzing by through the street-side windows. Enjoy the turquoise tiles on the ground. Enjoy the pistachio croissants on their menu. And of course, enjoy the art all around the cafe.
At 16 Grams there are three paintings on the first floor. One of a prairie with pink clouds, green pastures, and horses rounded up. Another is of a street corner on a spring day, bright, vibrant, and promising. The third is of a woman getting into a bathtub, surrounding walls lit with golden light. Is it the morning? Is it the afternoon? Is it the evening? Doesn’t matter whether it’s a morning plunge, afternoon dip, or an evening soak. What matters is that she's enjoying this moment.
On the second floor of this charming townhouse disguised as a cafe, is of course more art of more moments to be enjoyed. Paintings of sunsets, sunrises, and all of the not-so-sunny days in between. Each a tiny universe, contained and complete. On the other shelf are vinyl records like Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, Andrea Bocelli’s Sacred Arias, plus Miles Davis’ Porgy and Bess. As a fan of Miles Davis, I take a deeper look into Porgy and Bess to find a track that fits the mood here — Summertime. What a jam and what a history behind it.
The song was originally composed by George Gershwin in 1934. The famous opening lyrics, “Summertime and the livin' is easy” were written by DuBose Heyward, author of the novel Porgy. The song has this timeless, lullaby quality which explains why it’s been covered thousands of times by jazz musicians including Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, as well as Miles Davis alongside Gil Evans’ orchestra. The lyrics are one of a kind no matter who sings them, but Summertime with Miles Davis playing the trumpet the way he does — nobody else can do that. All you can really do is enjoy such moments when they come.
I love trying to notice all the details that fit together in a place, especially a cafe adorned with townhouse charm. The bikes, the tiles, the pistachio croissants. The prairie, the street corner, the bath tub bathing in gold light. The sunsets, the sunrises, the not-so-sunny days in between. The tiny universes contained, complete, and connected. And of course, the turquoise business cards with the WiFi password. I love a good Wifi password. 16 Grams has a good one. It reads: enjoy this moment. Enjoy this moment and the livin' is easy.
