Coffee Shop Observations

Part One

It is 3:10 on a Monday afternoon. Students, with weary eyes and lackadaisical trudges, recover from their first weekend back at the party capital of colleges. In and out, in and out, people pass me by as I enter the Bookie's Starbucks cafe.

By the time I reach it, the line becomes a long chain of customers, a blinking transformation that only reflects the general demand for coffee. At the head of the line stands a woman dressed with sophistication who knew the names of the employees who worked there. They converse for a little bit and without ever ordering, the man behind the counter hands her coffee as if she was a usual customer. Next up is the inexperienced customer: a man with Dr. Dre beats clearly just looking for extra energy. As he takes his time deciding, the guy directly in front of me takes his chances with the girl in front of him and the barista sneaks acid looks at the line in waiting. Meanwhile, an elderly man sits comfortably in a cushioned chair reading a newspaper and a couple take their places in the corner. The girl grasps her cup of coffee with two hands as the boyfriend splays one arm across her shoulders, and the other arm directing a bagel to his mouth with an eagerness only children on Halloween can match.

In the end, I realized coffee accommodates people who are on the go as well as for people who want to relax alone or with others, allowing people to have time for coffee any time of the day.

Part Two

Sources that interest me:

Bruch, Hilde. Eating Disorders: Obesity, Anorexia Nervosa, and the Person Within

Bynum, Carolyn Walker. Holy Feast and Holy Fast: The Religious Significance of Food to Medieval Women

Belasco, Warren. Appetite for Change

Coe and Coe. The True History of Chocolate

Conner, Mark and Christopher Armitage. The Social Psychology of Food

Counihan, Carole. The Anthropology of Food and Body: Gender, Meaning, and Power

De, Gavine. The Social Aspects of Obesity

Frank, Karen A. Food and Architecture

I think what I am most interested in based on these sources is the social aspect of food and how our attitudes affect what we eat. I am also interested in how food can be used to communicate a message. Food is so inextricably entwined in our daily lives that it is amazing how much power it bears to serve as a catalyst for movements and the sculpting of our social lives.