Coffee Connections

One of the greatest ways to explore a new city is to visit a local coffee shop.  A new one called Fellini Coffee just opened around the corner from my daughter in New York on 8th near 23rd and I passed it enroute to her apartment last night.   Having picqued my interest I made this my first stop before exploring the city today.  It is a rainy day and I thus decided to sit inside,   Fellini Coffee  is the type of venue one would picture visiting while in Europe.  It has cute round tables and a vibrant decor of old movie posters and French artwork.  Like the coffee houses I dreamt of and mentioned in an early chapter in my book, this is one that inspires writing.  To keep one flowing Fellini turns into a local bar scene at night.   Fellini does not serve drip coffee and is more a place to sip a cappuccino and enjoy the surroundings or watch the passersby.  I had a great conversation with my server who I learned is also a writer and have ma...

I love coffee.  I am always excited to have my next cup and often plan my day around it. People ask me how much I drink and if I worry about the potential health risks associated with caffeine.  I thought I would share some insight into these questions.   If you read my book you will know that coffee has competed to be the major love of my life since my teenage years. It is more than a beverage to me, it is in my blood.  I have discovered both physical and intrinsic benefits throughout our relationship. Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, and the health benefits have often been controversial. More recently there have been many articles sharing research on this subject. I will first discuss the health benefits which are many.  Caffeine is a stimulant that can help increase mental alertness and physical performance.  The caffeine in coffee has antioxidant  properties and can help fight free radicals in the body thereby reducing th...

  As 2023 draws to a close, the prospect of a New Year offers us opportunity to start afresh. We all have so much to offer and learn from each other. Coffee connections is an amazing way to embark on this journey while adding a flavorful twist to your year ahead. Recently going through personal changes in my life, 2023 was a year of closure of one chapter while laying the foundation for the next ones. I march forward on my own path seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth. To move ahead in life it is important to reflect on the past and use what you learn as tools for a future life. Look at each experience as a building block to greater wisdom. Although I can appear outwardly extroverted there is a side of me that enjoys solitude. I am happy exercising, reading or walking by myself. Cooking what I enjoy is also rewarding. I have started experimenting with a new repertoire of menus. Even when eating alone, I find good home cooking both healthy and often...

It’s almost the celebration of Thanksgiving and we all have a lot to be thankful for. I find myself reflecting on the past year, a chapter of my life filled with gratitude, warmth, and the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Amid life's unpredictable journey, the incredible power of developing new friendships and coffee connections has added great depth to my soul. Since moving to the Cape, I have made it a goal to learn about the various coffee venues. I have continued my quest to meet new friends along the way making each cup part of my adventure. For some coffee is a caffeine fix but for me it has become an opportunity to connect, share stories, and create lasting memories with those met along the way. As I shared in my book , connecting over coffee has been a way for me to embrace each new relationship. Whether it’s a simple conversation or a purposeful meeting, coffee is a way to build a rapport over shared experiences. These moments, punctuated by the clinking of mugs ...

I love coffee.  Some would say I am obsessed.  In my book Coffee Connections: Finding Common Ground Through My Daily Brew.   I explain that coffee is much more than a drink to me.  Each cup is an opportunity to make new connections and learn more about the world around me.   Since relocating to Cape Cod, a few years ago I have been working hard to establish myself as a local coffee afficionado. In this blog I will be sharing coffee places I discover as part of this journey. One recent coffee shop under my radar screen is Coffee Obsession, nestled in the heart of Falmouth and Woods Hole.  I gave Coffee O an honorable mention in my book.  It is a quaint and inviting local coffee venue that captures the essence of community and has become a haven for coffee lovers on Cape Cod. I learned that I wasn't the only one with a coffee obsession on my visit this morning.  On an early Saturday morning the line was out the door.  From the moment you e...

Today I learned a new lesson on the danger of misinformation. I became aware of a propaganda campaign against one of my favorite coffee venues-Starbucks and want to share the danger of this misinformation.  Many of my coffee connected contacts sent me information about Starbucks being “pro-Hamas”.  This is a claim that has been shared across social media platforms and presented by “X”.   I have been a loyal customer of Starbucks since the company’s early days and found this accusation hard to believe.   As such I decided to do a bit of research and found that Starbucks has openly rebuffed this claim.  “ We unequivocally condemn these acts of terrorism, hate and violence, and disagree with the statements and views expressed by Workers United and its members,” Starbucks said in a post. “Workers United's words and actions belong to them, and them alone,” the company added . Before following such misleading information please take the following precautions...