Cafés

There aren't that many different types of cafés back in Toronto.  Cafés are usually places where you can go sit down and get caffeinated drinks, to put simply.  An internet café might be a variety that is vastly different.

Just this weekend, I saw a Wii Café.  "Really?!", said I.  I went up to the establishment to check it out.  I didn't really go in, but I saw drawings of Mario and Sonic at the door and I was able to see, through the blinds covering a large window, a couple playing the Nintendo Wii sitting on a couch.  This was just one of many different types of themed cafés I've seen here.

I list here a list of different types of "cafés"(pronounced "kah-peh") you can find in Korea.  Most of them involve doing different activities as you enjoy a variety of drinks.

Boardgame Café:  You pay by the hour to play boardgames while having drinks.  Servers need to be versed in all board games in order to explain the rules.

Costume Café:  You try on different types of costumes or make-up and you pay per costume you try on.

Daum/Naver Café:  Daum and Naver are internet portal sites like Yahoo and they offer community sites which people call "Cafés".  Think Yahoo Groups or Google Groups.

Fortune Telling Café:  Very common and popular among young ladies.  These places have in-house fortune tellers going from table-to-table telling peoples' fortunes.

Free Café:  You pay for drinks and they offer side perks for "free" (or "service").  Usually, the things they offer for free are fortune telling, cake, polaroid photo, nail care... 

Princess Café:  The decor basically has a shitload of curtains, flowers, laces and frills... and there are vanities where you can sit down to freshen up.  Ashamed to say that I've been to one on a blind date.

Doll Café:  You play with dolls.  Barbie-type dolls everywhere.  There are also cafés with plush dolls like teddy bears... teddy bears everywhere.  Again... ashamed to admit that I've been to one of these as well.

I'm sure there are more interesting places, but I haven't discovered them yet.  And I'm not sure if there are cafés like the "coffee shops" in Amsterdam.  I've heard there are a lot more "interesting" cafés in Japan.  Maybe I'll go check them out when I visit the country, but I am still quite fascinated with those that exist here.

This gave me an idea for a new café theme:  Play with a baby while enjoying a cup of coffee... rent out babies by the hour.