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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2005)
4 JllSt OUt • auflusl 19.20Q5 IWf^out is, in my opinion, the best in town. The owners are two fantastic lesbians who are out and proud, the main rixim is not dark at all but very To the E ditor : bright, and the larger room downstairs is full of cozy couches and chairs and has WiFi and air ’m writing you in response to the article in your Aug. 5 issue titled “True Brew,” where conditioning. As for the coffee, they use Stump you claim to have “spilled the beans on Port town (the best), and I have never had a bad land’s queer-owned java joints.” 1 feel that the drink there. review of Touchstone Coffee House was really The snacks for purchase include full and half misleading and that Touchstone was not given sandwiches, or you can have a bagel sandwich. nearly as much credit as it deserves. It is not just veggie fare. First and foremost, 1 really resent your per 1 have been to many of the other coffee sonal reference remarking that the decor of places, and I disagree with most of those ratings, Touchstone is “overwhelming...cozy hut clut too. 1 think to actually give a review on a place tered.” Touchstone actually just t<x>k down a you need to go there, be there and feel the vibe. majority of the artwork (which I’m assuming is 1 really do not feel this will make a difference what you meant hy “clutter”) on the walls, and on anyone’s business, but I think you missed the a lot of regulars like myself miss the old “clutter.” boat on this article. Your reference implies that coziness is good but that clutter is bad. Who is not to say that the K elly O’S haughnessy clutter is what makes the place cozy? ! Portland Then you go on to claim that the artwork, which has a new age influence, is distracting. What is the artwork distracting people from? The everyday stresses of life? Well, g<x>d! That’s To the E ditor : the point! When you step into Touchstone, it’s like stepping into a sanctuary, and you get to A fter reading the article “True Brew,” it was 1 ; obvious the reporter did not spend any “rest you spirit” there. amount of time in Touchstone Coffee House. If 1 think what really intrigues me is how you chose to bring out the negative aspects of she had, she would have realized that not only Touchstone while bringing out the positive fea does Touchstone have a resource rix)m, but it has free WiFi access. Touchstone even offers a tures of other coffee shops. You dwell on the fact computer for customers to use. that Touchstone has limited hxxJ options, when in actuality it has more options than most. The article points out that Touchstone is cluttered. Again, if she noticed, almost every Every other coffee shop in your article only had the usual “pastry fare,” as does Touchstone, but thing in the store is made by a l<x:al artist show ing her talented art and trying to make a buck. on top of that, it offers sandwiches and bento. If Did she at all interview anyone entering the the other shops offer a full menu of steak and door? Doesn’t appear so, or you would have lobster, then I am mistaken. 1 am a proud regular of Touchstone and have heard how great the coffee is and how great the been since high schtxd. It’s such a special place atmosphere is. I’m shocked! What criteria were used for this that I chose to “come out” to my parents there, survey? Did you ask the same questions to all? stopped by for pictures in the garden before my senior prom and met my future wife in the Haven isn’t the only one in town with cute baristas. Many of the coffeehouses in town have Touchstone library. I continue to go to Touch g<x)d-kx)king baristas...but, hey, that isn’t what stone on a weekly basis, even if it’s just to sit down and breathe for a while. Touchstone is a makes a gtxxJ cup of coffee. special place and has been such a huge part of What 1 like about Touchstone is that it lets the gay and lesbian community for years. I feel you “rest your spirit.” It may not be the place for it deserves much more props in the line of vibe all, but someone like me, who has been coming here for six years, calls this place an extension of and quality coffee. home. My hope is that the readers of Just Out not If Touchstone didn’t have such a gixxl vibe and its coffee wasn’t the best in town, then why take the article hx> seriously or they might miss a do so many of us drive all the way across town great place to relax and enjoy a great cup of joe. to pay the extra money, when there’s a Star bucks on every comer (or, better yet, other K athy E lkins “queer-friendly java joints”)? It’s because Touch Portland stone exceeds all expectations and then some for the best cup of joe in town, with a mini sanc tuary experience to go with it! I feel like your review of Touchstone was To the E ditor : misleading, derogatory and merely a political am so disappointed in my fellow GLBTs’ lack of Capitol Building presence over Senate Bill jab using only your personal opinions as a base 1000 and later House Bill 3508, particularly reference. Perhaps getting the “vibe” of the GBLT community would be more sufficient as a after the big Basic Rights Oregon rally July 1. reference, rather than using your article as a way Did you totally give up after Speaker Minnis to promote your favorites. sabotaged SB 1000 on July 2? Were you waiting for BRO to instmct you to be at the Capitol? Is A nnie W ilson it possible that if we had flixxJpd the House Portland gallery during a session that some of the repre sentatives would have risen to acknowledge our presence? Perhaps they might have then been inspired to rise up for an HB 3508 remonstrance (declare their wish for an up or down vote). To the E ditor : All you had to do was call the Capitol or uy rue Brew”? I just read you article on look/ask for the Web link for session schedules 1 queer coffeehouses, and I have to say I and show up, preferably with the “blue shirt." disagree. Especially in the last few weeks there were gen What makes a coffeehouse have a “queer erally only two to five folks at any part of a day, quotient”? Rainbow flags? Equality stickers? most of them being committed Salemites. 1 think it has more to do with the attitude of A couple of people drove up from Eugene the people there. ’ occasionally. I go to Blend coffeehouse on Bumside, and it I spent the last four session days alone on the Touchstone fan fires back I open monday - friday 11 am - 6pm Saturday * Sunday I lam - 5pm adr :: 2230 ne alberta ph :: 503.460.0760 ws :: www.pedxshoes.com^^ Touchstone a home away from home Where were you? I Blend fan thinks shop was misrepresented
