The Corner Table

Over the last few years I have had a longing to be a local. The guy who walks through the doors on Saturday morning and the chef has your breakfast burrito with glorious little seasoned potatoes, and the pineapple that drips freshness waiting at the table. Where it always happens that all your friends (who happen to be locals) are sitting, coffee mugs in hand, waiting for you to join.

It's the kind of place you show up unannounced, and they are always expecting you.

There is a deep nostalgia to these places. We connect with them. For me it started with Saved by the bell: The Max. Everything happened there. Laughter, secrets, love, frustration, dance parties, all of life seemed to center around this weirdly bland diner. It soon become apparent, even to an eight year old, that it wasn't the fries, the odd tuxedo clad manager, or the Top Forty parties that Casey Kasem was throwing that made the Max...the Max.

Living in Kansas City I have finally found my place. It is just a few blocks from my house. They serve some of the finest brews in town, and they have this porch. The porch is covered by the sprawling arms of a huge maple tree, and is illuminated by the soft glow of lights woven in and around the branches.

The porch is a gathering place. It is the place that we sit and breath in the aromas of Coffee stouts (Broadway coffee, and McCoy's came together to change my life tonight), and breath out our understanding of why life is weird, hard, annoying, awesome, exciting, painful, and so damn boring some times.

Actually that last one if from my and Dave's gchat conversations at work...

The realization from The Max, and from McCoy's porch is that being a local isn't about the place, it is, will, and has always been the people. The porch can be transported and transformed. It can move cities, change jobs, and if you are willing it can change your life.

This place (our virtual porch) is an overflow of some of the conversations, dreams, and adventures from our place. It's local to you. And to me.

Welcome to the stories from our Porch.

In the Beginning...

We have arrived, ready to make our presence felt as part of the online community. Oh man, just typing that out feels a little bit odd. An online community? Give me a break. But here we are, nonetheless.

Really, this has been a long process for us. We (Ben and Dave) have been talking about starting a blog for the past two years. Last week we decided to kick it into gear and get this thing going. After three different deadlines ("Let's have a name for it by Tuesday. Ok, by Friday. Better make it Monday.") and a countless amount of possible names (still mourning "Pillow Talk"), allow us to introduce you to...

"The Pub House Porch"

We think there's a great story behind the name of our blog, but I'll let Ben fill you in on that one. At this point, you're probably asking yourself, "what should I expect?". Good question. And, really, we don't have a good answer. We're asking ourselves the exact same question. Probably, we'll just write about what we're experiencing and thinking.

Here is a short list of things you'll probably read about:

We like to think, and talk, and explore, and write. In some way, this is an effort to invite you into what we're thinking about, talking about, and exploring.

We live in Kansas City, and we love it. Expect entries about this city. Its people, its places, its history, its food, its good, its bad, and, yes, its sports.

Of course, like any good blog, you'll get your fair share of "I'm sitting here at _______ Coffee Shop, thinking about _______." Isn't that the point of a blog? To relay the happenings at the local cafe? Expect multiple entries from and about coffee shops.

...And then there's you, the reader. We want to make our "online community" a community. The intention here is not just to keep us thinking and writing, but to invite our readers into this little thing we have started. That means guest bloggers, comments, conversations, and suggestions. So, if you have something you'd like to write about or hear our thoughts on, send us an email: thepubhouseporch@gmail.com.

Cheers!