COFFEE

For endurance athletes coffee is a food group. For college students, broker-dealers in the financial industry and sailors on the mid-watch: an energy source. But...for the gourmand, coffee is mystical beverage that offers a multitude of flavors and a medium that affords us the opportunity for introspection, creativity and social interaction. Life decisions, dreams concocted, romance and the art of "people watching" are all easily accomplished over a cup of this nectar.

It's time again for me to place an order for my coffee beans of choice. There are two excellent purveyors of quality beans that I favor. Intelligentsia Coffee, base in Chicago and Gimme! Coffee in New York City. Both offer a full line of perfectly roasted beans of global origins. Organic, Free Trade, single origin, blends: both companies have it all. Visit their websites and you'll understand the commonality of Intelligentsia and Gimme! Coffee is Passion. Both source, purchase and roast their own beans to the perfect point for maximum flavor extraction. It's a breath of fresh air to find companies that honor quality over convoluted business models that are interested only in accounting principles.

If ever in the NYC area, visit Gimme! Coffee in LOLITA (North of Little Italy) on Mott St. between Spring and Prince streets or out in Williamsburg between Powers and Grand. If you are a purist, it's a must visit. Perfect espresso and drip coffee. But don't go if you are a fan of "grande" mocha frappuccino half caf decaf soy foam blah blah blah. There are no seats, no WIFI...just outstanding pure coffee. Espresso, Caffe Americano's, Caffe Macchiato's etc. After a morning caffe at Gimme! your day will no doubt be off to a stupendous start. I miss New York at times like this.

Time to grind some beans and open a book.