A Profile of a Café-Café Rót
Posted by Rúna Vala - 30/09/09 at 09:09:00 am
Taken from the Café Rót Myspace profile.
When I walk into Café Rót the sweet sound of swing jazz glides through my eardrum.
The place is husky and homey, a few people sitting and chatting and a few couples on the dance floor, Swinging away. It is Sunday night and dark and wet outside. I walk to the bar and greet my friend, Michael, and ask him if I can interview him about the place. He tells me that Ester knows a lot more about the place than he does. After she finishes up some kitchen chores she sits down with me to answer my questions.
RV: “What is your name and how long have you been working here?”
E: “My name is Ester Rós and I have been working here for the past one and a half year, the past year as a full time job.”
RV: “I see. How did the idea for this place come up?”
E: “Well, there was a shortage of quiet places in the down town, a café that is open long but does not serve alcohol. A charity called 180° founded this café as a non profit. The goal of it is not to make profit but keep the prices as low as possible. Homeless people can come and have soup and coffee and if you don’t have enough money for a cup you’ll get one anyway. People can bring their social activities here for free. We have dance nights, bands play here, we have art exhibitions, poem nights etc. There’s also a prayer- or quiet room in the basement. It’s not based on Christianity, but is for anyone who needs a quiet moment. Some guys also come here to meditate. It’s also a drug-free place for teenagers to hang out at nights and do their stuff”.
RV:“What’s special about the place”
E:“Warm, homy and friendly atmosphere”
RV: “What is the best thing that you offer to eat and drink?”
E: “Our quiche is awesome, but we also have great homemade cakes. We have African latte and chai latte along with all the regular coffee drinks and soft drinks. And then of course we have real chocolate… but fake cream” she adds and laughs.
RV:“What type of people come here?”
E:“All types, from weird high school kids to old people and everything in between”
RV:“What type of music do you play?”
E:“It pretty much depends on who’s working, but we try to play stuff that everyone can listen to, sometimes instrumental, but never too hard core. On Sunday nights we have a group of Lindy Hoppers and then we play swing Jazz and on Sundays there’s a group of tango dancers, then we play Tango music”.
RV:“Well, that’s it for my questions. Thank you very much for your time.”
E:“Glad I could help.”
I sit and edit my interview at the corner of this cosy little place at the heart of down town Reykjavík, the music gliding pleasantly through my ears, occasionally glaring out at the wet fall weather.
Café Rót is located at #17 Hafnarstræti, beside Rammagerðin, the biggest souvenir shop in Reykjavík.
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