Belgian Hot Chocolate and Honeydew Green Tea - Theobroma Chocolate, Chadstone Shopping Centre

Nestled among the cobblestone streets of ancient Old St. Augustine, you’ll find a back alley that catches your attention because it does not follow the structured grid of the more modern streets.

On the corner of that alley sits a building, hundreds of years old. Its coquina construction is three levels high and each floor displays two giant floor-to-ceiling skinny windows. On the first floor, the second window was, at one time, converted into the doorway to this magnificent structure.

The inside glows with polished wood floors and a winding stair case. The building itself smells of sea salt from the Atlantic Ocean, just a stone’s throw away.

The building, once someone’s home, now stands vacant. Waiting for a tenant whom its ghostly inhabitants approve.

If I had the disposable income (because surely ownership would be for pleasure and I’d never get the money back), I’d purchase this heavenly building, ghosts and all, and open a coffee house of sorts.

I’d furnish the outside porch with a cushioned porch swing, chairs and a sturdy table.

The first floor would occupy a long counter running the length of the building. On stage left, I’d operate a coffee/espresso bar. On stage right, I’d display the delicacies I baked the night prior...my experimental recipe creations and tried-and-true delectable favorites.

My kitchen would be behind the counter, so I could operate my store while at the same time bake to my heart’s content.

Comfy, mismatched chairs would take up the rest of the space and the walls would hold posters of local bands, advertisements, and travel treasures that make great conversations.

The walls of second floor would hold floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and contain hundreds of books on a leave-and-borrow honor system. Soft music would linger...maybe a corner for a local band to play music and a local author to tell ghost stories. Thick, brightly colored silk drapes would hang on the windows and the room would be fairly dark, except for the reading lamps by the overstuffed chairs.

In the corner would be one of the building’s original fireplaces. I’d restore it to its former glory and light dozens of sparkling candles in its charred belly.

The third floor would be a work in progress. But I’m thinking I’d eventually win the liquor license battle and make this floor a wine bar. I’d have Thorton, Vilano Beach’s own wood-workman, carve a beautiful bar out of a single piece of wood. We’d serve delightful wines and carefully selected cheeses during weekday happy hour and late on the weekends.

I would paint, shutter, and add balconies to the outside structure, giving the building a Venetian look while also maintaining the Spanish style by allowing the bougainvillea to take over.

Once I finished my magical masterpiece, I’d have a local St. Augustine artist hand paint me a sign that simply states:

Cocaine

Because, I’d need SOMETHING lucrative to sell in order to keep a place like this going!