Normally I’m skeptical of gimmicks that stores use to draw you inside.

“World’s best cup of coffee!” (Really…?) “Portland’s number one cafe!” (By whose standards?) “Free samples!” (I like freebies, but why should I pay for your product when you’re giving it away?)

However, when you see something like this, follow the big pointing finger and do what it commands: Go inside!

If you’re a log home lover like me, you need to experience a morning at Sisters Coffee Company.

When I think cozy, one of the first things that comes to mind is a roaring fireplace on a snowy evening – the red-orange sparks jumping from the charred edges of pine logs. Okay, maybe this reveals that I’m a hopeless romantic, but fires – whether it be a beach bonfire or a outdoor fire pit, have always made me feel relaxed and at peace.

So it’s no wonder that when I wandered into Sisters Coffee Company that the fireplace instantly caught my attention. Along with thick log beams and rustic metal chandeliers, I stood still in the doorway and wondered if I was still in Portland, or if I had been transported to Mt. Hood.

And if I have the choice to write an article at a cold, Formica table, or in a leather chair next to a fireplace … well, you know which one I’d choose.

In most coffee shops, we expect to see a line of people waiting to get their 12-ounce coffee to go as they rush out to door for their laundry list of things to get done.

That’s where Sisters is different.

On my first visit to this rustic coffee shop, my eyes were immediately drawn to the long communal table in the center. A group of guys, one with dirty-blonde dreads, another with one ear bud in, the other hanging down the front of his shirt, were shooting the breeze as their fingers sped away on their laptop keyboards. I don’t know if they knew each other, if they were regulars at Sisters, or if they were just openly friendly people.

All I know is that they were a group of dudes bonding over a good cup of coffee.

In my mind, this is a very good sign of a cozy place. If there are strangers (particularly men) who feel comfortable enough to connect around a communal table, then this place must be doing something right – something that makes them want to stop and take the time out of their day to know the people sitting next to them at a coffee shop.

Another cozy feature that Sisters offers is their upstairs area, complete with leather chairs where you can lose yourself in your cup of French roast and a good book.

Didn’t expect to have time to read? Sisters has bookcases full of novels you can borrow. A quick glance of their shelves put a smile on my face. A copy of Max’s Christmas (one of my favorite childhood Christmas books) right next to a book called God is at Work. I’ve never heard of it before, but I was encouraged simply by reading the title. (I credit Sisters for providing this reminder that God is at work all the time!)

Situated on the edge of the Pearl District (NW 13th and Marshall), Sisters is an escape from the city rush. We pine for vacations and retreats as a means of breaking away from our hectic schedules. This coffee shop provides you with that momentary refuge.

It’s okay to curl up on one of their chairs for a few hours.

It’s okay to sit and stare at the fireplace until your body gets warm enough to brave the icy winter wind.

It’s okay to talk here with friends, or strangers, because chances are, the person sitting next to you wants to do exactly the same.

** Check back tomorrow to see where I finish my cozy quest PDX! **

Missed where I got cozy on Day 1 or Day 2? Check em’ out!