Note – I wrote this last Sunday, but it went under certain revisions so it’s going up on 6/26.
I really wanted to like this coffee place, I did. It’s relatively close to where I live, the interior aesthetic is minimalist, plant-filled, and wonderful, and how could one not love the stamped-on paper coffee containers? However, when the coffee product is advertised in the window of the store, one must expect it to be excellent, and the substance of what Printer’s Row Coffee Co. offered did not live up to its top-rate design elements.
When assessing the aroma of the regular drip I received (pour-overs are not served due to the pandemic), I immediately noticed that the cream overpowered the coffee scent, despite the minimal amount that actually was in there. In consuming that 12 oz. cuppa, I realized that the one beverage sin worse than weak tea is weak coffee. There are a few qualifying factors which pare down my dislike here. The cup I consumed could be an anomaly – a misfire, a poorly brewed cup on a bad day. Or I may have ordered the wrong drink; Printer’s Row may be famous for espresso-based beverages. My thoughts remain the same, however. I would even go as far as to say that I’d rather stay at home (or better yet, hit up Intelligensia or Colectivo) rather than roll the dice on a potentially underwhelming brew.
Good conversation and good times prevailed, despite the less-than-serviceable coffee, as one can see from my jovial expression (I tend to get less serious when having my photograph taken). In my negativity I don’t want to neglect the excellent morning I had with my dad on Father’s Day – there’s something inherently magical about biking to a coffee shop and sitting on some curb or planter. A fine tradition that I will try to keep throughout the summer. Alongside my nonexistent summer plans I have created a reading schedule which I’ll attempt to complete most-to-all of: fiction (novels), nonfiction full-length, and short stories/essays. The bulk of my reading happens around 4PM, where I have my official “tea time,” but I also enjoy reading when it gets dark out right before I fall asleep. Expect me to talk a fair bit about what reading material I’m in the thick of. Right now I’m almost done with Martin Amis’s Night Train.
Another event I look forward to today is the weekly NYTimes Spelling Bee contest I participate in alongside my mom (we’re a team), and my grandad. Even though it’s two against one, the score has been fairly close for a while now. Other plans include journalling if possible with my Traveler’s Notebook (photos of that may eventually make a debut), preparing the orzo pasta salad for the barbecue we’re having tonight (recipe from The Thrill of The Grill), and planning out what I’m cooking for tomorrow night’s dinner, as I cook on Monday nights. I’m currently listening to “New Slang” by The Shins, as well as Phoebe Bridgers’ new album, Punisher.
The Caffeinated Contrarian 