Handbill Handout

So they switched my coffee cart guy again. One morning he was there, the next it was a completely different guy of indeterminate Arab-Eastern European-Hispanic origin (I’m really bad at pegging people’s ethnicity unless its really obvious, for example I initially thought Andrew “Dice” (don’t forget the quotes) Clay was Italian until I found out he was Jewish, though I suppose he could be Italian and Jewish because he’s from New York and growing up I thought everyone who wasn’t me was Italian or Jewish but that’s just the top of the South Shore of Staten Island in the 1970’s after all close parenthesis or this won’t work in Excel). So it’s a different coffee guy for the last few days, one who doesn’t know large milk two sugars and a lightly buttered everything bagel before the words come out of my mouth. For some reason the cart itself still has above average coffee for a cart so I will continue to patronize the same location if not the same man. However Friday is a two cup day as yo...

My mind has been congested by work this week. Not that work is particularly intellectually stimulating. No, quite the opposite really. However it does exact a toll on my ability to string words together in a way that I find interesting or entertaining. Notice, dear reader, I didn’t say “you” because in all likelihood “you” are a figment of my imagination. No, you’re not there but I’m going to keep doing this because it defrosts the synapses frozen into place in the intellectual Arctic that is my profession. However, I don’t have anything to write about. Sure, I could note that today’s coffee cup was clearly European in origin. It was a 0.4 liter cup for “Campus Suite Coffeeshop Deli & Lounge”. Sounds English so far but then we have the slogan: “Dein Korper dankt” which Google translates as “Your body thanks”. The bottom says Kaffeespezlallat aus Arabica-und Robustabohne which even I could figure probably means that this place only uses Arabica and Robust beans. OK. Righ...

Cup #1 from a coffee cart: a forest (pine) green cup with cartoonish art-deco-y bottles, cups, salt shakers and other food implements sketched on it in white. There is a white oval about a half-inch from the top of the cup that is blank. The bottom rim offers no information - there's no way of finding out where this cup came from! What a drag. Cup #2 from the Flavors branch that just opened in our building. No point in describing it because it's a cup made for the chain itself and has the website printed right on it so you can see for yourself: www.flavorstogo.com . If you happen to be named Coach Ray and are reading this, please do not go to that website, I do not want you to be upset on a fine springtime Friday. When I started examining cups I didn't think it would be this darned interesting. Maybe I'll start bringing a camera to work to photograph the samples. Maybe I should start up an entirely separate blog dedicated to the subject. Nah, what the hell w...

I am on a downtown-bound R train in rush hour when a black gentleman boards at 42nd street. He is carrying a plastic cup of beer. It's exactly the sort of plastic cup of beer you buy at ballgames, probably a 16 ouncer. I have no earthly idea where he got such a thing anywhere near the 42nd street subway station nor how he was walking around with it without being hassled by the cops but I have learned not to ask questions or dwell on such matters. Just go with the flow. This is New York, after all, and maybe it's a good sign. I've always thought the open container enforcement in this town was ridiculous. If you're not creating a disturbance or endangering others who cares what's in that container in your hand? Hell, a hot cup of coffee or tea is more immediately dangerous to you and those around you but that's perfectly legal. Anyway this guy gets on the train and sits down. He puts the beer between his feet on the floor. And he begins to opine. "Yeah, fuck ...

Today’s coffee cup was a generic one, but oh the information it contained! First off down the seam we have “SBUS 1942 PREMIUM CUP Caution: Very HOT!” Written out just like that. Then there’s a notice that says “Printed with soy ink.” I guess that’s a selling point? The bottom of the cup is a bonanza of information. “16 oz Distributed by Ko Chi Sales Soy bean ink Water based coating Designed by ARTIPUS Mfg by SB group www.sbus1942.com ”. Of course I had to go to the website. You already clicked it, didn’t you? It is a bonanza. Non Pollution! Best Quality! Low Cost! Short Delivery! You thought you couldn’t learn anything from a silly old beverage container. Oh, you were so wrong friends. So, so wrong. I am enjoying the exploration of coffee cups so much I officially decree that it will be a regular feature of this blog. Perhaps I will inspect other items as well – napkins, plastic forks, and of course the obvious follow up to ...