INNER RICHMOND: The Internet Archive is a nonprofit digital library archiving the Internet—past and present—since its inception, on giant servers. They put on free lunch Fridays at noon (for invited guests only, you need to email them a few days in advance and request an invitation) and offer a tour of their building and its history. The place used to be a Christian Science church before Bitcoin millionaire Brewster Kahle bought it, saying it resembled the Archive’s logo. Numbers on the wall that formerly indicated which hymn would be sung on Sundays now spell out the digits of Pi and codes related to Internet operation (i.e. 404 Page Not Found) and small clay statues of Archive employees stand where the choir would have been. Toy Boat, an ice cream parlor with a cute 1950s colorful children’s play ambiance, offers sundaes, sugar cones and banana splits within walking distance of the Archive. The place just received a grant from the city to be able to stay open after Covid as a “legacy business,” operating in the area for over 50 years. Blue Danube, a non-pretentious coffee shop also serving sandwiches, avocado toast, beer and wine, is conveniently located across the street from upscale and quirky but often-crowded restaurant Burma Superstar. You can enjoy a drink and appetizer at Blue Danube while waiting for a table. The place is decorated with books and writing journals where visitors can leave thoughts and writing prompts for each other.
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