Good things come to those who wait

We are lucky in Downey. We have our own Porto's Bakery! The good news is that their food and coffee are so yummy; the bad news is that you have to be patient, because there is almost always a wait.

"It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." 
~ Dave Barry

Humans of Downey (Montreal) - Simon #1

I have always lived in Quebec. I believe that having grown up in Quebec all my life has made me more open-minded, more progressive. We are interested in the other people that live here. I live among many kinds of people. There are both English and French here, but also, many immigrants. We must open ourselves to know who they are. We also have an interest in Europe and what they are doing.

"My country has changed since I was a child. Back then, it was white French-speaking people. Now in my neighborhood it is 50/50. Before, Montreal was the mixed community but now, it is my neighborhood also. I think it is more interesting now. I have curiosity about these new people. They are very warm.

~ Simon

PS Simon is the owner and chief baker at La Femme et Le Boulanger in Otterburn Park, Quebec, Canada, a suburb of Montreal. My wife and I were visiting friends in Quebec and stopped in for fresh baked pastries. They were great. Stop in and visit with Simon if you happen to be in the Montreal area.

Study in lines

One of the essentials of photography is the study of lines. Lines tend to draw our attention to themselves and then draw our attention to other aspects in the photo. Done well, the lines should draw your eye to the subject in the picture. See if you can tell what I was thinking was the subject in this picture. *



By the way, this tree is just outside Porto's Bakery. I love how the lights play off the leaves.

* The answer is: the traffic on Firestone Blvd.

Thanksgiving choices

Porto's Bakery is doing its part in giving Downey lots of choices for our Thanksgiving menus. Whether you choose turkey and giblet potato balls or one of the Thanksgiving-themed cakes, they've got you covered.

Porto's...not just for breakfast

I know, one more post on Porto's. But, who can resist? Do you realize that if you go for a late breakfast, by the time you get through the line and get your coffee and juice and sit and chat for a while, it could be lunch time!

"Never eat more than you can lift." 
~ Miss Piggy

A great way to start the day

Freshly baked bread and pastries are my downfall. So, of course, Porto's calls to me. This Saturday morning I met a couple of friends for coffee and goodies. Porto's did not disappoint. I tried a new coconut pastry that was amazing.



"Sometimes I write drink coffee on my to-do list just so I feel like I accomplished something."

Mouth-watering part 2

Back to the farmer's market... Earlier this week, I showed you the fresh fruits and veggies. These are the items you buy and take home to enjoy the rest of the week. But the really mouth-watering section of the market is at the other end, where the aroma of freshly cooked meats and pastries make the market a great place to wander for a late breakfast or an early lunch.

The booth that tempted me this week was Tropicana, one of Downey's Cuban bakeries. These cream cheese muffins, above, were my late breakfast. Other options include a creperie, Salvadoran pupusas, and a variety of hummus dips and crackers.

There are tables where you can sit and enjoy your meal. Or you can just use the newspaper vending machine as a table top, as this couple did.

Father's Day

Nearly every restaurant in Downey had long lines of people waiting for brunch on this Father's Day morning. Porto's Bakery was no exception.

The sidewalk tables were all filled, and the lines for individual and whole pastries were long. (And maybe a little faux oil paint will help cover up the blurs caused by the low level of lighting.)

But as busy as they were, the employees could look forward to an earlier-than-usual closing so that they too could spend some time with their dads.

Corner bakery

Close enough to smell the brioche, I was excited to find a little French bakery that was so near. I want to be reminded of Paris in these little ways more often.

Porto's "sidewalk cafe"

As you can see, everyone is welcome at Porto's Bakery outdoor dining. This cutie joined the table next to us last week when we were enjoying a beautiful summer evening dinner outside. It felt a bit like the sidewalk cafes you see all over Europe where everybody brings their dogs. It's a nice feel to have in our little town.

Sidewalk cafe

Eight months after Porto's opened last year (see this post), I figured the crowds had finally died down enough that I could get a table on a Saturday night. This dessert was my reward.

Enough said.

Parking old and new

From the top of Downey's newest downtown parking structure, next to Porto's Bakery, you can watch a Porto's employee walk upstairs to take a break, or you can see the reflections of the parked cars and of Downey's oldest downtown parking structure in the background.

My, how downtown Downey is growing!

Let them eat cake!

I'm back at Tropicana and I can't decide. The cakes are so amazing... almost too pretty to eat. I curse my New Year resolution to eat healthy. Who can resist these beauties? I think I'm with Marie (Antoinette) on this one. I say we should all eat cake!

May I take your order?

Tropicana Bakery and Cuban Cafe has been in Downey since 1999.

It is charming and lively — always busy. The service is prompt and gracious. I love the new "uniforms" with the hats! The hardest part of stopping by is deciding what to have. The desserts always get me... which one do I choose this time?



I may have to stop by again later this week.

Good morning Downey!

The best photographers get up before dawn to climb to the mountain top and wait in the cold for the light of day to appear with the magical mist so they can get the perfect picture. I, on the other hand, went to Porto's at 7 this morning (almost the crack of dawn). And, once again, the line was to the door. It took us an hour of waiting in line to order our breakfast, but that just gave us more time to read the menu and figure out what we wanted to eat.



No, I did not one eat the beauties above, I had an egg and chorizo breakfast sandwich (on Cuban bread, of course)...but I did take a tiramisu to go!

It has been exciting to see Porto's open up and be so successful! Porto's, along with Tropicana, gives us two great options for a Cuban food fix!

Porto's is here!

Porto's Bakery is finally here and it looks like the whole town knows it. We've been waiting for months for this and the line was unending.

Anticipation

Rows and rows of ... empty trays. Late into the night, workers are putting the finishing touches on Porto's Bakery and Cafe in Downey, hoping they'll be ready to open early next week. I can't wait to see these trays filled with those yummy pastries!

Reflecting on Porto's Bakery

Porto's Bakery is being built next door to a building with very reflective, gold-tinted windows. The reflection is so strong and crisp that it's hard to believe that I'm on the outside of this building, looking at the construction behind me. (That's me, on the far left of the top picture.)

As part of the City Daily Photo community, we're participating in this month's City Daily Photo monthly theme day of reflections. To view pictures from other CDP bloggers around the world, Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Progress at Porto's Bakery

The last time I walked past the Porto's Bakery construction site (see my January 11th post), the foundation was barely there. Now the building has two stories, with walls and stairs and windows. These lights at the end of the work day reminded me of the Motel 6 ad, "We'll leave the lights on for you."

It's the lights that pull me in

In the morning on my way to work I don't even notice the Tropicana Bakery and Cuban Cafe on Paramount Blvd. But on the way home, as twilight sets in and the lights come on, everything is different. With its bright lights and cheery green kitchen area, the bakery looks so inviting I just want to go straight in and get dinner!