I don't drink my coffee in the morning. I "take" my coffee. As precocious as that sounds, it is a very important distinction to me. My coffee is a ritual, a moment, a signifier of time that is all mine. To drink coffee is to expediate the functional physical reaction to caffeine. To "take" coffee is to enjoy a moment in time. My favorite morning coffee location is 71 Irving, tucked below street level on one of NYC's best blocks. You can find me on the benches out front, observing the neighborhood go by--commuters on their way to work, mom's pushing strollers, kids on their way to school. 71 has that unique quality that makes you feel like it's yours, and yours only. Everyone in there probably speaks of "their" coffeeshop when telling friends of 71. When sitting out front, these warm thoughts tend to sink into me along with the warmth of my doppio macchiato. And then I look up the block and see the rows of buildings, and realize that thousands of people must feel this way. what a special place that can make so many people feel like they are the only ones!