What have they recently launched or activated that people should know about?
From the very beginning, we wanted Begonia to be, above all, a space for our community where coffee would serve as a pretext for people to gather, talk, and share. With that goal of fostering connection, we created Cineterraza.
This screening series comes from our love of cinema, but above all from a memory my mom has of the first time she experienced a film projection: people gathered in Mr. Cheque’s lot, the laurel tree roots served as seats, and on that occasion they watched The Important Man by Ismael Rodríguez, projected onto the wall of the town’s first school. I remember she talked about how recreational activities have the power to bring a community together.
In that spirit of sharing, Cineterraza has become our way of gathering friends and families. We firmly believe cinema is a source of creativity with the power to make us feel. That’s why each season we release a program lineup that sometimes we curate ourselves and other times is built by our own community.
Who have you recently connected with that is influencing or engaging with what you do?
Books have been the most personal way to connect with others. Reading has been present from the beginning with our small book collection, which over time expanded and became Esquinero. A project centered on sharing. Our collection is open for all visitors to browse and explore.
Through reading we connected with the club Perdidas entre libros, for whom we have great affection and with whom we’ve shared experiences. They’ve been an inspiration to us; watching them flourish has motivated us to keep exploring the possibilities and places texts can take us.
Share an anecdote about something that happened recently that was significant to you.
There are celebrations where chaos is inevitable, like February 14. Service begins with birds singing in nearby trees and light growing warmer. The murmur of people turns into laughter, conversations, surprises, gifts, and flowers on tables.
Full house.
In the kitchen, the atmosphere is dense: a mountain of dishes, blenders crushing ice, printers marking the rhythm, endless tickets one after another. You hear the ring of each order: one ring for the bar and two for the terrace… The staircase never rests, footsteps going up and down while the steam from the espresso machine sharpens the pace. The laughter and jokes from each teammate keep us from losing our minds in those endless hours.
Begonia can be like that. Inside, we become one—there’s a transformation within the chaos and rhythm. It’s meaningful to realize how many hands it takes to make this possible, and it’s deeply motivating to experience the full process: seeing the effort behind every drink and dish that reaches the table.
What are they preparing or developing for the coming months?
Esquinero has been a source of inspiration for creating amigxs, a project still in development that was born during our third anniversary as workshops, and for our fourth anniversary took on a more elaborate form of gathering and creating alongside those around us, mainly our friends, who’ve shown us that there’s always time for the curiosity to learn new things. They’ve also shown us that the discipline, craft, or activity we choose to dedicate ourselves to isn’t a limitation but an opportunity to explore through others.
We’re currently beginning to plan this year’s workshops, which will once again be part of our anniversary. We aim to gather new amigxs who want to show, teach, and share knowledge with our community.
What project, brand, or spaces do you recommend we check out, and why?
Starting a business during the pandemic was—and still is—an adventure. The coffee learning curve has been unique; when we began, we didn’t have the confidence to turn to spaces open to sharing these processes. Meeting Tostaduria 5 and Gattófelt like a hug, because the doubts we had—or might have—have always been addressed. They’re always willing to listen and teach. We admire the dedication they put into what they do.
And as a bonus, we have a love for Asian food, so we recommend Mia Arroz and Yuku Bar. We really love both—they’re special, and the food is delicious.
Si tuvieran que describir el momento actual del proyecto con una imagen, frase o una sensación. ¿Cuál sería?
A poem:
The sun lights up the city
where I live, the neighborhood,
the street, the building, and the window.
It fills with light the air I breathe,
my face, my eyes. I am happy
with this sun that warms my bones
and makes me think I’ll pay my debts
and that I’ll return home tonight
wanting to talk and to say:
I am more or less myself,
and I am, I insist, happy in this time
when another and I do things
together to live them each on our own.
We are together.
—Damián Ríos
Answers by Sharon Ambrosio Pérez, co-founder of Begonia Café
