To Major Tom

This past Monday Magpie and I were able to get together for the first time in awhile. Our schedule didn’t allow for a leisurely day of picture taking so we opted for a short shopping trip and lunch. We wanted to eat someplace different and decided on a little coffee place Ground Control – which turned out to be much more than “a little coffee place”.

Ground Control is a rarity in the West Valley, an eclectic little café that features a menu which includes breakfast, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. It boasts over 400 different wines and crams full a monthly calendar of events including wine tastings, comedy night and live music on the weekends. I’m pretty sure I can get my sports bar loving husband to try the beer tastings and the single malt scotch flights.


Magpie selected the Tahitian Chicken Salad ( with mango, grapes, & pepitas on a bed of greens with marinated strawberries, drizzled with a citrus infused balsamic glaze). I chose the more pedestrian but equally delicious Tuna Salad Pretzel Roll. For dessert we shared the Seven Layer Cookie (pictured above). Magpie assures me that her Aunt sent her the recipe for this cookie many years ago. Yum. I can’t wait until she brings it to the next football party. :-)

We’re definitely going back. Magpie is determined to find a coffee that she likes to taste and not merely smell. I want to try the new Fall menu which should be out in the next couple of weeks -and we want to support this locally owned and operated jewel.