COZY CAFÉ & CHILDHOOD FRIENDSHIP

So much has already been said and written about childhood friendship that it may seem impossible to add anything new. But that is only an illusion. Childhood friendship is far more interesting, deeper, and more sincere than it may appear.

Of course, friendship changes with age, but why think about that now, when there is a precious moment in front of us that deserves to be valued? The beauty of childhood friendship lies in the fact that, unlike the adult world—where friendship often becomes shaped by criticism and conditions—it appears as one whole, indivisible, shared picture of something meaningful happening in a single moment chosen by the heart. Children are not afraid to make friends.

When I watch the girls talking and playing, I feel as if I can hear their emotions. The connection between these two friends is so simple and so genuine.

My daughter’s fifth birthday had arrived—only the fifth in what I hope will be a long and happy life. She had been eagerly waiting for this day, often remembering Kristina’s birthday in February, and dreaming of celebrating her own with her friend in a small cozy café not far from kindergarten.

On her birthday, she joyfully went to kindergarten knowing that afterward she would celebrate exactly as she had imagined. At that age, it is difficult for children to understand why a party with friends might need to be moved to another day, such as the weekend. To them, that can feel confusing.

But workdays and adult schedules often reshape plans. Thankfully, near the kindergarten there is a wonderful place where both adults and children can gather after the day is done. It is a café called Mellman’s Coffee, where a giant giraffe decorates the wall.

Allow me to introduce Сhristina—a sweet, kind, cheerful, and wonderfully lively girl. She is the kind of true friend with whom one could laugh and play for days and nights without end. Sometimes in kindergarten the two girls may test the teacher’s patience, but even then the older sister never scolds only one of them—the blame is always divided equally.

I often watch them together at kindergarten, on the playground, and during gatherings. They share thoughts freely, teach each other little things, joke, laugh at jokes only they understand, and burst into contagious laughter.

As the Irish proverb says, “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.” As we grow older, we begin defining friendship through criteria and qualities—someone who supports you, protects you, stands in your way so you do not fall. But in childhood, when we are only four or five years old, friendship has no rules. It is like a golden thread connecting hearts.

Will children remember this one day?

Our café is simply wonderful. Across the wall stretches the kind-eyed giraffe with long eyelashes, while the baristas are always warm, cheerful, and smiling. Usually the place is full of people, but this time it felt as though it had been created just for us. Hardly anyone came in, and those who did stayed only briefly. People smiled when they saw us—and left smiling too.

The girls were so absorbed in their play that it seemed they hardly noticed whether their parents were nearby. It was their own private world of joy and happiness, and it was a pleasure to capture those sincere moments in photographs so they could remain in memory.

You know, the vintage scales standing in the corner give the café a special charm. I do not know whether they are still used for weighing anything, but I would not be surprised if they were—they look almost indestructible. They naturally draw the eye.

And those monkey portraits remain a mystery to me. I still cannot quite determine whom they portray, though I suspect one of them may be Uncle R from JUNGLE LABZ—or rather from SUPREME KONG ARTIST, Hossein Diba. His style is something unique.

As for the gorillas on the left and right, I have no idea who they represent. Yet they look wonderfully serious, as if guarding the order of the room. And naturally, in a café with a giraffe, even the most hidden corner contains another giraffe (smiles).

Thank you to the artists for such creative spirit.

The cafe has books, which makes it even more cozy. It seems to me that wherever there are books, there must be a place for a magical mood. Harry Potter fans, I think this will be especially familiar. Livraria Lello, yes, yes! ;) Perhaps that's why I still love libraries, and not because there are a lot of books at home, although not a fan of Potter by any means, but nonetheless. One wants to look for books everywhere, because a good book is a delicious treasure. The division of directions was also interesting - classics to the right, contemporaries - to the left. I was surprised by the trilogy with the catchy and unexpected name "Chicken broth" and the small modest neighbor Pelevin. Are you also interested in something new?
 

Now this strange series of books under the broth does not get out of my head, so I will definitely go there to drink my vegan coffee with one of the broth volumes. The right, strict black classical side pleasantly pleased with familiar names and recalled wonderful works re-read many times.

In one cozy café, I noticed a small glass display case filled with model cars, and I simply could not resist photographing them. The next day, a friend told me that these stunning little works of art had been created by the café’s owner himself—and that this was only a small part of his much larger collection.
 

I would truly love to see more of these remarkable creations—and I am certainly not the only one. Gennady, all the visitors of your café are asking for a new installation, though we understand that fitting another display case into the space may be difficult. The jeweler-like precision, patience, and talent behind this craftsmanship inspire genuine admiration. So much more could be said about our café, and even more about the children’s emotions and the warm atmosphere that filled our gathering. But I would rather keep much of it in my memories and photographs, without revealing too much. One thing I can say for certain—it was deeply sincere, lighthearted, and wonderfully joyful.
 

Here I leave the moments of that evening, along with the lingering sweetness of a child’s special day, when gifts from a friend were unwrapped just before bedtime.

May there be a little more of such moments each time.