The 0630 Coffee
He was my cream, and I was his coffee - And when you poured us together, it was something. ~Josephine Baker
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"Sure, why not? I am falling asleep anyways. Better do it with my stomach full!!"
I always prided myself of not eating out too much in Pittsburgh. My friends were amazed last semester when I asked them where 'Lulu's', the famous Chinese restaurant one could almost smell from the INI, was? On one of the rare occasions when I said yes to eating out immediately, my eyes were half shut. Sometime last month, grad school had kept me up for another night and it was 6:30 in the morning when some of the insomniacs at INI asked if I was interested in having breakfast. I surely was hungry. As Zain explained how the croisan was the best thing at Kiva Han, the nearest breakfast place open that early, we were greeted by a huge contagious smile of the young, slim, white girl present at the counter (yeah, I did notice her tight body almost half asleep at the most unearthly hour). And thus I was introduced to the latest craze in my life- breakfast with hot coffee at 0630 hours.
I was only too happy to order a chocolate croisan and coffee. The croisan was delicious but the coffee was exactly what I needed. It was relaxing to take a break from work, sip warm coffee and watch the sun pop out from behind the old buildings of Carnegie Mellon. Somehow the combined effect of the aroma, the strong and fresh taste and the warmth had managed to open my mind to yet another beautiful day in Pittsburgh this winter.
A couple of breakfast trips later in the week confirmed the fact that I was falling in love with having breakfast that early. Since the past two weeks, I have been procastrinating and pushing myself to be up all night at INI-all for the morning coffee and croisan.
Last Friday night, after a great dinner-movie-booze-more booze-and a lot more booze schedule, I was chatting with a female friend from CMU. Sometime around 5 am both of us decided to watch a movie together at my office in INI. I had never walked from home to INI in cold. But 2 days back I did- in snow, at 5 am- keeping in mind that the morning breakfast is not too far off. After watching the movie, we hung out for more than 2 hours at Kiva-chatting, laughing, getting serious, joking, sharing, enjoying the morning sun- all over the huge mug of coffee. I counted 5 CMU shuttles pass by- a testimony of the quantum of time spent over breakfast.
Today Megan- 23, a Pitt student- greeted Kumar and myself at the counter an hour back. I was getting impatient after 6am and ran out as soon as I watched the clock strike 0630. Couple of bagels and a huge coffee have made me highly energetic to smash off the telecom report due later this evening. I am falling in love- with the place, early morning chat, the lost concept of breakfast, watching the sun come up, the fresh looking face at the counter and most importantly, the brilliant coffee.
Did I hear someone say that I can't wake up in the mornings?
*******************************************************
"Sure, why not? I am falling asleep anyways. Better do it with my stomach full!!"
I always prided myself of not eating out too much in Pittsburgh. My friends were amazed last semester when I asked them where 'Lulu's', the famous Chinese restaurant one could almost smell from the INI, was? On one of the rare occasions when I said yes to eating out immediately, my eyes were half shut. Sometime last month, grad school had kept me up for another night and it was 6:30 in the morning when some of the insomniacs at INI asked if I was interested in having breakfast. I surely was hungry. As Zain explained how the croisan was the best thing at Kiva Han, the nearest breakfast place open that early, we were greeted by a huge contagious smile of the young, slim, white girl present at the counter (yeah, I did notice her tight body almost half asleep at the most unearthly hour). And thus I was introduced to the latest craze in my life- breakfast with hot coffee at 0630 hours.
I was only too happy to order a chocolate croisan and coffee. The croisan was delicious but the coffee was exactly what I needed. It was relaxing to take a break from work, sip warm coffee and watch the sun pop out from behind the old buildings of Carnegie Mellon. Somehow the combined effect of the aroma, the strong and fresh taste and the warmth had managed to open my mind to yet another beautiful day in Pittsburgh this winter.
A couple of breakfast trips later in the week confirmed the fact that I was falling in love with having breakfast that early. Since the past two weeks, I have been procastrinating and pushing myself to be up all night at INI-all for the morning coffee and croisan.
Last Friday night, after a great dinner-movie-booze-more booze-and a lot more booze schedule, I was chatting with a female friend from CMU. Sometime around 5 am both of us decided to watch a movie together at my office in INI. I had never walked from home to INI in cold. But 2 days back I did- in snow, at 5 am- keeping in mind that the morning breakfast is not too far off. After watching the movie, we hung out for more than 2 hours at Kiva-chatting, laughing, getting serious, joking, sharing, enjoying the morning sun- all over the huge mug of coffee. I counted 5 CMU shuttles pass by- a testimony of the quantum of time spent over breakfast.
Today Megan- 23, a Pitt student- greeted Kumar and myself at the counter an hour back. I was getting impatient after 6am and ran out as soon as I watched the clock strike 0630. Couple of bagels and a huge coffee have made me highly energetic to smash off the telecom report due later this evening. I am falling in love- with the place, early morning chat, the lost concept of breakfast, watching the sun come up, the fresh looking face at the counter and most importantly, the brilliant coffee.
Did I hear someone say that I can't wake up in the mornings?
posted by Ujjwal at 12/11/2006 07:32:00 AM
10 Comments:
"dinner-movie-booze-more booze-and a lot more booze schedule.."
Remember the Weekender add when we were kids- "I'm getting there...?"
Ha ha, you're getting there!
And breakfast? I Can't remember the last time I ate anything before 1200. Lucky you.
@Tanmay: No dude. No clue about which Weekender ad you are trying to point here and unfortunately, Google has not been of much help either.
Breakfast at 0630 is a very new concept for me too. Infact, the only time I used to have food that early was in school. Atleast I had all the time in the world to sleep for an hour in MSB 20. Long gone are those days now..
"dinner-movie-booze-more booze-and a lot more booze"
Remember the WEEKENDER ad from when we were MUCH younger? The guy says "I'm getting there... yeah... I'm getting there!"
YOU are getting there too my friend!
And breakfast at 0630? I can't remember the last time I ate anything before 1200. Lucky you, morning sun and pretty waitress and great coffee and all of that...
Hmmm... anyway. My point was about with reference to ze alcohol... :)
I think I'm going to wake up early tomorrow and fix a meal. Just.
@Tanmay: Ha ha, I bet you wont!! :)
But its good to be reminded of such small things in life which remind you of the greater chunk of your life lost in the stack of work, booze, chasing money and what not..
When was the last time my mom made breakfast for me? Sigh...
Yes I love breakfast in early mornings. I know what that feels.
@idea senator: I totally agree with what you say. It has opened me into thinking and getting up in the early mornings. But the big question is whether CMU would allow me to do so :)
all I know about early morning is going for work!! no time for breakfast, or may be there is, only i am a bit lazy, but man you are nuts!! but a little bit of craziness has never hurt life :) so go on :D
For a guy that doesn't eat out much... you sure do eat out a lot.
true, may god "shave" the queen.
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