Leisure Is Grown On Shrubs…

…in the form of a berry. Which, when ripe, is picked by hand and processed, resulting in a green bean that is shipped, roasted, and brewed for your enjoyment.

We’ve previously discussed the insidious evil of coffee pods. On the other end of the spectrum is the modern coffee house. Not the ubiquitous green mermaid kind, but rather the independently-owned house of craft extraction.

I visited one such place yesterday – appropriately named Hey Happy – a few blocks from where I live. Small, minimalist, meticulous, and slow. Slow, as in each coffee is made from scratch. They specialize in the pour-over method. Both the freshly ground coffee and the water are measured on a digital scale throughout a laborious pouring ritual. It takes a couple of minutes, during which time the server actually converses with you…about that specific coffee, the roaster, or the comparative merits of different brewing methods.

Then you sit down to enjoy your beverage. If you’re with someone, you can solve the world’s problems, conspire to create new ones, or plot your escape…all time-honoured traditions in coffee houses. If you’re solo, you might settle into a seat with good sight lines to observe the ebb and flow of life.

The point is that you take time to stop and enjoy a craft product, instead of just grabbing a paper cup of commercial-grade, crappy-tasting stimulant that you’ll drain while scurrying back to your cubicle.

Coffee is leisure, but only if you choose to see it that way.

After you’ve enjoyed your next cup of leisure, help fund the forthcoming Escapology book. Pre-order a copy today.