In August, I got an email telling me about a promotion from Panera Bread – join the Unlimited Sip Club for two months free! Though I love coffee and drink it every morning, I hesitated because I had never tried Panera’s coffee, and never really went there even though there was a branch across the street from my apartment. I figured I had nothing to lose on a free membership, so I decided to sign up!

Two months later, I’ve shelled out $100 for a year long membership (via a promo, I’m still cheap after all).

The rest of this article isn’t going to be about how Panera Bread saved my life or gave my days meaning or anything like that – I’m not sponsored! – but I have noticed a bunch of little, unexpected improvements that my Panera Bread habit has helped me discover.

I love my little morning walks! I have become a creature of habit, and having a “starting the day ritual” to replace my morning commute, especially after the start of pandemic isolation and fully working from home. It’s been nice to have an excuse to get outside for some fresh air and sunlight, even for the few minutes it takes to walk across the street and back.

I love taking my little morning walks with my daughter! I can tell when she starts to feel cooped up and bored at home, so I’m happy to give her some time out in the fresh air and sun as well.

I love the unexpected community! On a few of our visits, a sweet older man has greeted us near the entrance, smiling and waving at my daughter, and holding the door open for us. The people working at the register have started to recognize me. Is this what it’s like to have a place where everyone knows your name? (Caveat: nobody there knows my name. They’re learning our faces though!)

The biggest unexpected community are the hoards of older people who I see gathering at the Panera every day! This has been the biggest unexpected perk for me – knowing that they have people that they can meet with on a regular basis in person, and can sit with at the cafe for hours at a time, nursing one small coffee as they chat.

Every time I visit, I hope that I can have a big group of other people to meet with at the Panera (or whatever coffee shop it is) every morning and chat. Since having a child, I’ve thought a lot about what I want my life to look like when I grow older – will I have lots of friends? will I be independent? will I still be active? I don’t know – but little moments like this give me hope!

• I’ve written before about my own efforts to curb Instagram’s addictive features (I Took The Instagram App Off My Phone, And It’s Great), so of course I was going to watch this video! Of course!
  • Quick update: I still don’t have the Instagram app on my phone, and only download it when I’m on vacation or doing something interesting – it works!
• I had a big long rant typed out but deleted it in favor of the following summary: put your phone away when we’re hanging out, please 😦
  • I will say that, in my experience, people have strangely gotten way better at being present and not mindlessly scrolling in the middle of social activities and I have no idea why but I am not complaining!
• Also, this entire Amazon rant hits so hard.
  • I told a friend that I was excited to go on a trip to the Philippines so that I could buy baby books in Tagalog for my then-unborn daughter, and they responded (almost verbatim), “Why wouldn’t you just buy them on Amazon? I’m sure they have some there, Amazon has everything, it’s great!”
    1. Wait, did you think that I had never heard of Amazon before?
    2. Little side quests like these bring me joy, especially on a trip. Why would I find a way around joy???