Cool Coffee at the Sentient Bean
Savannah’s coolest cafe has long been the Sentient Bean. That is, if you measure a cafe’s coolness by its hipster quotient. For us fashion-challenged, self-conscious non-hipsters, the Sentient Bean might be Savannah’s most stressful cafe. Still cool, though.
The Sentient Bean is cool like, you enter and all the art students are at their tables, all facial piercings and flannel jackets, sipping coffee out of mugs they brought themselves, and you look down at yourself, in normal jeans and an Old Navy T-shirt, and you feel inadequate. It’s that kind of cool.
It’s cool like, the girl in front of you ordered a yerba matte, and then chatted with the barista about an old western movie that the Sentient Bean will be showing later that evening. A movie you’ve never even heard of. When it’s your turn to order, you’re all flustered and thinking that maybe you shouldn’t be shopping at Old Navy anymore, that you’re 33 for Christ’s sake, and you end up ordering a “medium coffee”, and your face gets even more red when you say that. Like it’s embarrassing. Then: “Cold out today, huh?” Good one! You make fabulous small talk!
You sit down with your medium coffee and watch the kid with dreadlocks read Proust. Two cute alternative girls are going through photographs, giggling. A red-headed guy who’s both immensely overweight and more fashionable than you’ve ever been, is sketching something. You fish out your iPhone to check your emails (0 new emails) and then play solitaire, just to be doing something. You impostor. You don’t belong here. Chug down your medium coffee and skedaddle.
The next time you go, you’ll be better. Cooler. More… sentient of your style and demeanor. You’ll show them.
The Sentient Bean – Website
Hey Mike, don’t worry. You’re plenty sentient.
Oh no but oh yeah 🙂 I enjoy all of your and Juergen’s blogs and photos but this one was top notch. Nothing like being able to fully convey feeling and emotion through words. I was nervous for you! Hope your medium coffee was great. I haven’t been here yet but I’m so glad to have the inside scoop so I can be prepared. Don’t spend too much time on what to wear for your next visit (I know I might)!
right on…you hit the nail on the head with this one!
Lol. It’s true but you just have to “not care.” I go in with my double stroller sometimes (meaning my 2 children are with me) & my travel mug with French Vanilla creamer. I do take it “to go” though & we hit the playground in Forsyth Park, haha.
Hahahahaha! This is most accurate description of “The Bean” I’ve ever read!
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Yeahhhh….The Bean always had a similar effect on me and I never could bring myself to go in there much (and I lived practically next door for awhile!) Plus, having sampled some of their food (which is generally [always?] vegan, wheat free, raw, etc.), I always wondered if anyone else actually liked it or if they were all just playing along. 😉 Still, it just wouldn’t be Savannah without The Bean.