• i love a sexy cup

These are my three most often used photographic tools – a Mac, espresso, and a camera. In that order. I find that I use the camera less and less, and as I use the Mac more and more, I find that I need to invoke the magical power of good coffee more often. It’s the Photographic Trinity, really. 

I do love that warm caress

But when I say good coffee, I’m very serious. I wouldn’t call myself a connoisseur, but I will say that I’m a coffee snob. Back in '99, when I selfishly installed an espresso machine in my NY studio to power up my team, I triggered a never ending search for the next best thing. I unwittingly began a near spiritual walk toward coffee heaven. A $300 cappuccino maker started a cycle of head shakes and returns, until a $2500 Jura super automatic arrived. You may snicker, but the price of Starbucks sludge still was enough to justify this thing. Purists, btw, will pooh-pooh a super-automatic machine, and they may be right, but for a business, nothing beats a fresh ground espresso or latte in 60 seconds. Now get back to work, people! 

Here in the States, there's a grab-and-go mentality that ignores an important facet of the coffee, the part of the coffee ritual that shouldn’t be ignored. It should be enjoyed in a ceramic cup, and savored for a few precious moments. Coffee is one of the things that makes our lives beautiful because of the sense of community it brings to us. And for that, it should be appreciated while sipping. Sit down, relax, and let the coffee caress you. It’s a precious moment, really. Don’t waste it on a f\_/cking paper cup with a plastic lid.