Treehugger Dan's

 This evening, I walked across Margit Hid (Margit Bridge), with my buddy Debra, in my black shit-kickers, into Pest, to hang out at Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Cafe.  Dan's sells used  books printed in English, sells his own brand of fair-trade coffee, and hosts music and art shows at his shops.

   I have been to Dan's tiny store on Csengery Ut and instantly felt at home among the piles and piles of tomes, all reeking of that heady, old book smell.  That scent, mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee spiked with notes of black and herbal tea, is one of my favorites...so comforting, so absolutely right. I recently went there with Debra to check  out a small but impressive showing of colorful photos from the Middle East and came away with three old National Geographics and a new (to me) novel that I will start after I finish my current read.  One always needs a back up.

  I did not know until recently that Dan had another shop on Lazar Ut, this one much bigger, big enough to house a bar and a smallish music venue.

  Debra and I have an earnest desire to find a home, our tribe so to speak. We found it at Treehugger's Lazar location, humbly tucked into the narrow cobblestone street, amongst the expats (British, German, American, Middle Eastern, etc.) and the Hungarians who love them.  
 I had read a tiny bit about the band featured this evening, a group of three incredibly talented young men, wielding nothing but three guitars and a small gift box used for percussion, who call themselves Random Chocolates. God, I love lo-fi creativity. They performed a delightful mixture of  original and cover tunes in an intimate and vibrant setting....acoustic versions of Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins and their own gorgeous compositions.
  Deb whispered to me, a few minutes into the first set, "I think we've found our home."
  Yes, indeed.