The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

YAKOB: Finding that diamond in the rough may be easier than you think

A diamond in the rough will never shine unless it escapes the rough.

Imagine if Aladdin hadn’t won the race against that lava tsunami in the Cave of Wonders.

Moreover, diamonds get mistaken as part of the rough too often in the first place. They get thrown out, underappreciated, unnoticed. Sometimes there’s just too much rough to go around. But, alas.

It took me over three years here at Marquette, but I finally found one.

In the March 31, 2005 edition of the Tribune, Amy Guckeen’s article was titled, “New café is a gem.”

Gem? Are you kidding? After all of this talk about diamonds?

Well, sorry to tell you this six years later, Amy, but you blew it.

George Benson’s “On Broadway” is playing right now, and I’m the only customer here at Ruby G’s Espresso Bar & Café on 2043 W. Wells St.

I’m on the quasi-second level, sitting alone in the way back. My mistake – there’s another patron up front near the door.

The feeling I get when I’m inside this place is like nothing I’ve experienced in Milwaukee over the past four years. It’s adorned with welcome. I really don’t know what to point out about it. There’s comfy seating near the fireplace, a chalk-written menu, some random Albert Einstein photos and at least one Monet painting I recognize.

There’s even a small conference room at Ruby G’s. And don’t forget the shrine to women’s rugby – when the place opened, the women’s rugby coach co-owned it — (Thanks for the info, Amy. I’m sorry I called you out. I’ve been crabby recently).

The song on now is “Down on the Corner” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. And now there’s an older guy checking his Yahoo email on one of the four public computers hooked up in the back. I’m twerkin’ with the free Wi-Fi myself.

It’s a place that begs you for a good time, productivity and good ideas.

I just know it as the place where I thought of giving a friend a bottle of Wite-Out the day after she did something totally stupid, saying, “This is for your blackout last night.” I don’t know if that’s funny or not, but at least it could be a hit or miss.

Another idea I had here, which is a definite hit, is the invention of windshield wipers that synchronize with the beat of a car’s stereo bass — patent pending of course, so Mr. Xzibit can’t steal it.

What I’m trying to say with all of this, is that this is a serious kickback location. I wish I had a group of friends as excited as I am to hang out here. We would turn it into our own Central Perk from “Friends,” MacLaren’s Pub from “How I Met Your Mother” or, best yet, the Honker Burger from “Doug.”

I don’t just come here to hang out, since they serve food and beverages too, of course. My go-to item is the smoothie, which I crushed before I even Googled “Monet” to make sure I knew my stuff when it came to impressionist paintings.

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

The food hasn’t come close to disappointing me, either. Craig the owner says the big favorite with students (who were lucky enough to discover Ruby G’s before me) is the all-you-can-eat blueberry pancake breakfast on Saturdays, which comes with a free cone of frozen yogurt.

I don’t consider this as advertising, since I probably would have asked for a free sandwich or something. But I’ve got too much credibility to uphold. Besides, I feel cool enough already that Craig knows me on a first name basis.

So now that I’ve uncovered Ruby G’s, I hope I have enough time to turn it into someplace special to me.

We all need to escape sometimes – and when that happens, a hideout spot can turn into your own safe haven to relax and reflect. For the time being, I will be making Ruby G’s mine.

As I walk out, Hall & Oates: “You Make My Dreams Come True.”

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