Panera Heaven

*If I dug into the recesses of my imagination, and attempted to concoct the perfect place to hang out, it would come close to the Panera Bread on 44th St. in Grand Rapids. No doubt the powers-that-be at Panera had some of the same thoughts, as they attempted to build a restaurant that would be adored and sought out by the masses. It is at this Panera that I write today.

*Let's start with the architecture: how many restaurants have a 'loft?' Accessible by stairs or elevator from the back of the store, that I'm sure many folks don't even know is here, this aerie is not unlike the tree forts I haunted as a child. It comes complete with fireplace, lots of plug-ins, restrooms, and heat that rises from below. Plenty of tables and a few pillow loungers to stretch out in. Soft jazz wafts in the background, along with the heady scent of fresh baked bread.

*Then there's the food: if you crave fresh bread in all its forms, Panera is for you. "Panera," by the way, is Spanish for 'Bread Box.' Appropriate for bread that is both soft and chewy, organic and grain-ful, unlike anything you'll find at Meijer. To use it for a bread bowl is almost too much, as the bread oversahadows the already excellent soups. The only lack is the pastries, which sit out all day for display purposes, and are always dried out and over priced. Bread. Soups. Sandwiches. Toffee Cookies. These are the reasons to hang here for a few bucks.

*Coffee: Get your own from the air pots out front, with a choice of light and dark, decaf and hazelnut. Always fresh and excellent. They even have little signs that tell you when it was brewed. Can't get that at Denny's.

*Wi-Fi is free and fast. With a full belly, and constant refills on coffee and pop (did I mention the restrooms up here?), you are free to surf, write, work, shop, chat, listen, research, and read. The virtual world is your oyster. Pop in your ear buds and you can leave this world for a while on violins or screaming guitars. And nobody bothers you.

*I don't know what would improve Panera. If you added burgers to the mix, it would be a violation of the organic healthy tree-hugging menu, akin to pouring gravy on a house salad. The chairs might have more padding, because after 4 or 5 hours you get a little sore. But to tell you the truth, its pretty darn perfect. 'Nuff said.