All Hell For A Basement

Medicine Hat (or The Hat) has a beautiful downtown, filled with unique restaurants, shops and parks. In addition to pottery and glass, bricks were produced locally, which makes for some amazing turn of the century architecture. Rudyard Kipling visited in 1907. Upon learning about the huge natural gas deposits in the area, uttered his famous quote "This part of the country seems to have all Hell for a basement, and the only trap door appears to be in Medicine Hat." The city's original planners filled the Hat with parks and greenspaces. In more recent eras, the entire city has been connected through and elaborate trail system. 

There are people who are part of your life that time does not affect. My oldest friend is one of those people. Marcella and I met when I was 12. Our lives were so intertwined as teenagers, that she was with me on most of our first adventures. We were in 4-H, youth group and high school together. Our parents became friends and we married best friends. We were in each other's weddings and we shared maternity clothes. When we were teenagers, more that once, we shopped separately, yet bought the exact same clothes. Completely randomly, we would wear the same outfit to school on the same day. We could never convince people that we didn't do it on purpose. (usually white jeans and a purple top!) 

The downtown is lined by old fashions gas lights

I moved away, right after graduating from high school. Since I was 17, I had only been back in Medicine Hat for short bursts. Summers and two years in my 20s. When you have a job and kids, life in incredibly busy. You spend more time with your co-workers than your family. Your only social life is the other parents from your kids' activities. Visits home, after having children, are all about family (and naptimes). Get togethers with your own childhood friends dwindle away.

It was over 30 degrees, the last week in September!
We did not sit outside, even though there is a lovely patio area.

I actually can't remember the last time Marcella and I had a proper visit, with just the two of us. So we met for a long over due lunch. It lasted for 5 hours. But with friends like that, it's like no time had passed, you can just pick up right where you left off. Marcella knew I liked to visit unique, locally owned businesses, so she picked the Station Coffee Company.

The view from our table.

The Station Coffee Company is a cozy little café right in the heart of downtown Medicine Hat. The kind of place that sells locally roasted coffee and everything on the menu is homemade. As it happens, the owner, Jeremy, is someone I graduated with. Our grad party was even at his house. We didn't know each other at all, it was a grad class of 500.

Broccoli Quiche and Homemade Potato Soup

The Station has industrial elements throughout, which is a style I love. Local artwork is also displayed. The countertop was created out of the gym floor of Seven Persons school, which was Marcella's elementary-junior high. There was an entire pastry case of decadent desserts to choose from, including many gluten free options. I was so pleased with her choice of café and would love to go back again!

Banana bread and lemon loaf

Leif and Saga thoroughly enjoyed their visit