A Café Built on Kindness and Community
- Chris Fifty
- Jan 14
- 2 min read
Today, as chaotic as it was, I actually had a good laugh when I thought back on it. If you don’t know me well, you probably don’t know about my cognitive deficits. A little from MS, a little from age, and a whole lot from attention deficit disorder. So when I tell you I can’t remember what I had for dinner, I’m not joking—this is real life behind the scenes of small café ownership.
One waitress was out with the flu, another had her car booted in Miami overnight, and there I was doing what everyone tells me never to do: work the floor… as a waitress.
In my own whimsical café in Palm Beach County.
I laughed afterward thinking about how one poor woman asked me for ice six times. SIX. I swear I wasn’t ignoring her—I was just juggling a unique dining experience in South Florida with zero staff and maximum chaos.
I did save face by pre-warning customers that I wouldn’t be as efficient as my staff. And of course, you know me—Miss 60% Italian—feeding anyone who looks even remotely hungry.
Today it happened to be homemade ricotta cookies made by another Italian cook named Gina, who is clearly determined to raise the bar and makes some of the best cheesecake and quiche in Florida. Comfort food made with love, house-made desserts, and baked goods from scratch daily—she’s absolutely given me a run for my money.
Lately, the challenges of running a restaurant short-staffed have been compounded by stress over my mom’s health and getting kicked off the health insurance marketplace because apparently my husband makes “too much money.”
The irony? If they deducted what normal insurance actually costs, we’d probably qualify. The system is deeply flawed—putting it lightly
The world is a different place, so my goal is to try to make it better-at least in my realm.
My Café is Built on Kindness and Community
And thus, the invention of Alice’s Teapot Café.
A cozy café with heart and soul. A safe haven from the outside world. A magical café escape built on kindness, compassion, and community.
Not just my son’s legacy—but a café that feels like home. A place where food brings people together, where compassion leads the menu, and where a kindness-driven café experience matters more than perfection.
Energy, Connection, and Why This Place Exists
I believe deeply in energy. What you put out comes back to you. That’s not an inkling—it’s a fact.
And lately, so many beautiful people haven’t just entered my café… they’ve entered my world and my heart. That’s the power of a community-centered café. That’s why this place exists.
And with that, I’ll end it here—on a great note. 💛.
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