My favorite writing haunt in Topanga Canyon: Café Mimosa
- Diana Mathur
- Jan 21, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 8
Time for an update to my 2019 post.
It's still my favorite joint for bumping into locals—surfers, artists, writers, philosophers, revolutionaries, fire fighters, musicians, wizards, filmmakers, evangelists, bicyclists and other wandering souls—where a bit of magic might rub off on me.
More than ever, Café Mimosa remains a gathering place for a cross-section of Topanga Canyon—a small but lively reflection of the town itself.
A few years ago, I ambitiously set out to sample a different herbal tea on every visit until I'd tried them all.
That noble experiment didn't last long before I returned to my usual black decaf, served lava-hot. Creature of habit!
Since my 2019 post, I've gone vegan, and Café Mimosa has become even more of a regular stop, thanks to its soups, muffins, chia-seed parfait, and delicious plant-based offerings.
The cast of characters is rich.
Same old, same olds year after year. xoxo
And so many others not pictured.
One of the biggest changes, besides riding out the pandemic, has been watching proprietess Claire Denis pass the reins to her daughter Pauline, who handles a line out the door with impressive speed and aplomb.
Crepe night is always a mad hit.
Clare and Pauline continue to champion local authors and artisans, providing shelf space for books and handmade work from the community.
Mike always has a good book recco.
James sees the Café as our Medusa's Raft.
Thank you, Clare and Pauline, for holding the space. And thanks to the regulars for filling it.
Post of January 2019: A small cup of angel cards sits on the pastry vitrine at Café Mimosa, where patrons may divine a message while Claire Denis steams their latte. “I always like to pick three,” Claire explains, shaking the cup. “It’s like a little story.” Born in Normandy, Claire entered the restaurant trade as an actress in Paris. Following her heart, she started her family in Los Angeles and, fourteen years ago,
obeyed her gut instinct to buy the Mimosa. A vestige of notorious artists and intellectuals, displaced by imminent domain and gentrification, are at home here, recognizing the Café as nothing less than a portal between worlds, a space held by Claire’s tolerance, kindness and generosity. Her open doors are also the venue for many first exhibits, readings, concerts, local handcrafts, and charitable events. “It’s inspiring to see women doing big things, and be outspoken. It’s not me. I can do small acts of love in everyday life, be open and present, and trust whatever the Universe is giving. I would tell women to wake up and pay attention to who you have around you.” One by one, Claire lays the providential cards on the table. Faith. Delight. Openness. https://www.facebook.com/Cafe-Mimosa-115757195133791/
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