By Gail Radley
We all love vacation, and what could be better than a nice long one? Still, there comes a point when we start missing home: We want to sleep in our
own beds, eat home-cooked meals, hear a friend call our names. Sometimes it’s wearying to be a stranger in a strange town.
When you start feeling homesick before your return flight is scheduled, Moony’s New Day Coffee House just might be the remedy. It’s a little bit of funkiness, a slice of down home, and a whole bunch of friendly.
Nestled in a cluster of shops on Volusia Ave., Orange City’s main drag, Moony’s regular hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday. My pal Cindy and I found them open one Friday night for a special event, a fundraiser for a social service agency. It’s the sort of thing the managers say they’d like to do more of, so it never hurts to give Moony’s a call and ask what’s up.
The first thing we noticed was that Moony’s had overflow seating not only on the porch, but also onto the parking lot. It’s a good thing: Moony’s is TINY! No sooner had we swung open the door and stepped inside than we were greeted warmly by the owners — Moony and Connie — and introduced all around. It was as if we had walked into a cousin’s living room to meet long lost family members.
Miguel invited us to take the last two empty seats at his high, round table. Before we knew it, we’d been tended to by Moony, Connie, and also Becca, whose primary duties seemed to be food prep behind the counter. Since I was practically rubbing elbows with the ladies at the next table, I struck up a conversation with them as we waited while Cindy chatted with Miguel. Boy, did we feel at home!
Although they had a special dinner menu for the event, Moony’s is generally a breakfast and lunch place. Several coffee drinks are offered, a changing selection of sandwiches and bakery goods, salads, peach tea, and smoothies, among other goodies. Cindy and I both jumped at the Taste of the Tropics Smoothie, a cool concoction of pineapple, mango, banana and coconut milk.
The décor is, um, eclectic. Art pieces (for sale) sidle up beside signs like “Fanny Rest Stop; Eat Here Get Gas.” The wall trimmings alone could keep you entertained; if not, there’s free Wi-Fi.
Singer and guitarist Tea Hendricks provided the real entertainment for the evening, though, with early 60’s rock and roll. At one point she left her corner to sing cheek to cheek with Miguel, making him one happy man. Miguel wasn’t the only one who was happy. The whole crowd seemed to have a good time. And why shouldn’t they? Moony’s is as friendly and welcoming as your pals back home.
Moony’s New Day Coffee House: 226 Volusia Ave., S. Orange City, FL. 386-456-0200.