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December 2, 2017


coffeeneuring 2017: ride #6
posted by soe 1:52 pm

Coffeeneuring Ride #6: Mt. Pleasant Library (3160 16th St., N.W.) and Pear Plum Cafe (3064 Mt Pleasant St., N.W.)

Aurelius Battaglia Painting

Sunday, Nov. 5; 2.4 miles

Chai, pear-plum and cherry pies

Mt. Pleasant Library

We took Bikeshare up to the Mt. Pleasant Library on a rainy afternoon because the Michelle Obama photo exhibit (showing pictures from Amanda Lucidon’s Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer) there was going to close later that week.

Photos from Chasing Light

The building opened in 1925, part of the Carnegie series of libraries. The third oldest branch still in use in the D.C. system (after Takoma Park and Southeast) and designed by Edward Tilton, who specialized in libraries (including Southeast’s branch), but whose most famous buildings (with William Boring) comprise the Ellis Island U.S. Immigration Station.

It went through an extensive renovation and expansion in 2008–12, and the new library is much lighter than the one I recall.

Mt. Pleasant Library

The main entrance is a fake-out. You have to go around back to get in.

Mt. Pleasant Library

Mt. Pleasant Library

The main floor is a cheerful space, with lots of historic details:

Mt. Pleasant Library Fireplace

Mt. Pleasant Library

Downstairs, you’ll find the YA and adult sections, which I’d visited before. I had never been to the children’s room at the top of the building, though, and we were in for a pleasant surprise. It turns out that the artist and D.C. native Aurelius Battaglia, known for his work with Disney (Dumbo, Pinocchio, and Fantasia) and Little Golden Books, was commissioned by the WPA to paint murals for the library’s young users.

Aurelius Battaglia Alcove at Mt. Pleasant Library

This is just one of two alcoves that he filled with entertaining animals out and about.

They also have a number of his other works, including paintings and book covers, which makes for a very homey, friendly children’s room.

Aurelius Battaglia Little Golden Book Covers

We then stopped in at Pear Plum, which has taken over where Flying Fish used to be. It was damp out, so the chai was appreciated. I only ordered one slice of the house pie (pear plum), but they felt bad about the size or appearance of the slice, so they gave me a slice of cherry, too, both of which I shared with Rudi. So tasty!

Pear Plum Cafe

My only complaint is that there isn’t a ton of seating for the space, particularly when there are a lot of single people (some with computers) taking up the small tables. There’s a bar at the back of the cafe, so I can see this space is likely to get a lot of evening traffic, and it’s clear from their posted hours, they expect to get it. They’re also open for breakfast and reviews of their porridge and their avocado toast are positive.

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