It’s always nice taking a stroll off campus, especially for some coffee. Along with GRFs Sara and Magdala, a group of about 6 of us head off to Ithaca’s well-known Gimme! Coffee, and although the weather was a bit bleak, we warmed up quickly once we arrived. It was my first time trying a cortado, which was a bit too strong for my liking, but at least now I know what to get when I need an extra boost of energy.

Even more delightful than the warm coffee was the conversations we had. It started off with Magdala and Sara sharing a few stories (that had to include something related to coffee) and somehow made its way to Harry Potter and other fictional works and ended with the topic artificial intelligence. Although I have not read the Harry Potter series, it was interesting to hear the discussion and the fervor some people expressed for different interpretations of the book. Hearing them talk so passionately about the book kind of made me want to read the series! Regardless of my lack of familiarity with the fictional works discussed, it was great seeing new faces and hearing different opinions. When you’re so consumed with school work/life, it’s easy to forget how meaningful simple things like getting coffee and having a good conversation can be.

Last week, I, along with a few other rose scholars, went to Gimme Coffee and just… talked. This Rose event was different from most Rose events that I’ve attended in that there wasn’t a planned discussion. We had an organic conversation over a cup of coffee. To my surprise, I enjoyed it very much. During our discussion, we covered a variety of topics, ranging from coffee stories to Harry Potter. I really liked the style of this Rose event because I got to connect with my fellow Rose Scholars directly. I learned new things about my fellow scholars, and was exposed to different points of view on different concepts. A majority of our Rose Events, although informative and interesting, do not really allow for direct interaction with other scholars. As a Rose scholar next near I will personally try to attend more events like this one, because I liked the natural conversation and interation with other Scholars.

I arrived at Gimme! Coffee earlier than the rest of the group that Saturday. I had just gone to the Ithaca Friends of the Library Book Sale [A success; I bought all of the Haruki Murakami books on the shelves], and I sat alone in the coffee shop for a good 15-20 minutes waiting for everyone to arrive by bus.

The moments before they arrived:

1. I sat by the window and read my book, a rare and peaceful instant; time was calm, faded.
2. Well, now that I remember: I walked in and I saw someone who went to my high school working at the counter. This was not too surprising; I went to high school 45 minutes away from here.
3. The little girl next to me asked the man on the other side of me how he was doing, to which he replied, “Alright.” They had a nice conversation which I half listened to. [I tried not to eavesdrop but it was quite hard not to seeing as I was sitting right in between them.]

When everyone finally walked into the coffee shop, we all sat at a long table and wrote down our coffee orders. I ordered a small latte, perfect for a rainy day. We made small talk, but I hate small talk, so I mainly listened to everyone else’s stories and blurbs about themselves.

The “Leftist” Espresso was on the top of the list. I already liked this place.

The day had been dreary, but the company made up for it. We took a bus from Libe Slope down to the Commons, then proceeded to walk 20 minutes out to Gimme Coffee! This was my first time getting coffee from them, and as a self-pronounced coffee connoisseur, I was quite excited. Since April/May had rolled around, and the mountainous weight of the end of the academic year at Cornell had been pressing upon my shoulders, my coffee intake has skyrocketed. This event was perfectly timed for me.

When we got there, ordered our coffee, and settled in, we all went around in a circle and shared our favorite stories about coffee. I shared mine: when I was out of school and working full time on the comprehensive plan for the City of Laredo, I was tasked with bringing life to our downtown, which was becoming emptier and emptier by the day. We wanted something to appeal to the young college crowd, but not a bar, and a place where people could go to hang out, a place for arts and live music: a coffeeshop! So, for the better part of the year, we worked on getting a coffee shop to open up on our targeted Iturbide street.

The conversation evolved from personal stories to conversations about Artificial Intelligence to the classic Harry Potter vs. Lord of the Rings discussion (Team Tolkien). It was such a great conversation it continued from the coffee shop through the entire walk back and through the bus ride back. This event wasn’t rigorously planned, but it certainly was one of the most fulfilling and memorable.

The event last week was a pleasant and brief getaway from doing end-of-the-semester work. The rainy walk over from the bus stop was appropriate for our afternoon coffee. Our group had some nice conversations during our stay at the Gimme! Coffee, but I didn’t participate too much by saying anything, so I’ll write about my small americano.

I understand the appeal of espresso, but I can’t really enjoy one without reminding myself that this is what real connoisseurs do. I think this is where the americano comes in, as it appeals (not only) to people like me (wannabe connoisseurs). I took the top off my coffee, as it came in a disposable cup; I enjoy looking at the small layer of foam from a just-prepared americano. Also, I think the small slit on the plastic top takes away from the experience of enjoying a coffee.

From my initial taste, a nutty flavor stood out most, blanketing my mouth with a creamy texture. Beyond that, I don’t know what else to take away from my drink, other than that I really enjoyed it.

At the “Ithaca is for Coffee Lovers” event, the GRF’s asked us each to share an interesting or funny coffee anecdote for our lives. I didn’t end up sharing one, as the conversation got side tracked by a very involved discussion of Harry Potter, so I thought, in fairness to those who did open up, I would share my one coffee anecdote:

I’m not a coffee person. My mother didn’t allow me to drink it growing up. She always said it would stunt my growth (with an average height of five foot even, the Heon women do not have many inches to spare).

I started going to coffee shops only when I started interviewing for colleges, so my experience of Starbucks is tied up with a lot of trauma. I’m going to take a minute here for an unrelated rant about college interviews. Namely, that they are pointless and accomplish nothing. I should mention here that I was waitlisted or rejected by every college that granted me an in-person interview. I probably only made it to Cornell because their interview was by phone, though I somehow managed to direct the conversation to how, specifically, I would build the space elevator (ummm….carbon fiber?? Maybe?)

This particular interview was for Yale. I arrived at our local Starbucks 10 minutes early, as I believed etiquette required, thinking my interviewer would be there too. I looked around for someone of the appropriate age who looked “Yaley”. I finally approached a woman I believed to be my interviewer. After some mumbled introductions, which led me to believe that I had found who I was looking for, we exchanged pleasantries. I thought the interview was going pretty well, until she pulled out and iPad and said something to the effect of “So, about the wedding blog…” At which point it became very apparent that this was not a Yale interview, and I had somehow convinced the woman sitting across from me (apparently also named Elizabeth) that I was the photographer for her wedding blog.

Long story short, I spent my real Yale interview hiding in a corner booth from wedding blog lady, who hopefully did find her photographer.