Here is a concept that really should become as normal for coffee shops as it is for bars: Happy Hour. A few places here and there have implemented variations on the idea, but they are so few that I always get extremely excited when I walk into a store for espresso and discover that I’ve arrived in time for a special. Fresh brewed coffee and a homemade cookie for $2? Yes, please! Since it is still so uncommon, one of the likely ways to track down such a deal is to look for a bakery that sells espresso. Example: Nollie’s Cafe in South Lake Union. Open 6-6 on weekdays, Nollie’s is a cafe first and is secondarily a bakery which serves espresso. I say this to clarify that you might not get the best coffee of your week there… but that beverage will be excellently accompanied by whatever snack you select to go with it. Because Nollie’s is intent on bringing fresh, local food to its patrons, it serves Tony’s Coffee (roasted in North Lake Union), and features a happy hour every day from 3 pm until close, in order to get rid of all the day’s cookies and make room for fresh baked ones in the morning.Beware walking into Nollie’s, it’s full of cheery, chatty staff who will insist on brightening up your day and sharing tips about other cool stuff from around the neighborhood with you. They are more than eager to send you away happier than you arrived, and will go to great lengths to make sure that you’ve got exactly what you want. Downstairs seating is limited and wifi seems to border on sluggish, but the upstairs seating area (shared with Taco Del Mar) offers excellent lighting and study space for either solo or group study parties. My personal recommendation for visiting Nollie’s, however, doesn’t involve studying. It involves the next Thursday evening with pleasant weather. In case you are not yet aware, South Lake Union has a summer farmers’ market, running now through September, open on Thursday evenings. By comparison to Seattle’s seven major farmers’ markets, the Cascade Farmers’ Market (as SLU’s is known) is small and quiet. But for those living or working in the predominantly concrete vicinity, the sight of vendors selling fresh vegetables and floral arrangements is delightfully refreshing.Grab a cup of coffee and a cookie at Nollie’s happy hour, walk down the block for lovely produce, and meander back to your home (or transportation) via the community pea patch and gazebo. It provides a whole new look at the South Lake Union area of Seattle.