Despite this crushingly late start here’s my first foray: a coffee-themed Valentine’s card (doubling as a bit of rah-rah for Cycleway Coffee).

(iPhone Valentine’s Wallpaper (shown above) or save this larger printable card version.)

You’re better than a dozen
half-caf mocha chai macchiatos,
light on the cream, extra whip, to-go!

Yes, the copy intentionally references “LA Story“. I believe the movie’s restaurant table dialog something like:

I’ll have a de-caf coffee.
- De-caf espresso.
- Cappuccino.
Do you have de-caf coffee ice cream?
- I’ll have a de-caf double half caf.
I’ll have a twist of lemon.
- Me, too.
- Me, too.
- Me, too.

As I’m more and more in the minority by drinking black coffee (Americano, “cup of Joe”, “go-go juice”, etc) it’s revealing my imagination’s failure when I confess bewilderment at folks who want an iced anything first thing in the morning. Midday? Well, ok perhaps, but to knock back a chocolate croissant with a double-mocha coffee-shake – with whip, no less — well, ya might as well have a Cocoa Puffs encrusted Nutella ‘n caramel apple. Wait, that sounds good. In fact, now that you mention it the Fairfax Farmers’ Market candy shop does a dandy caramel Granny Smith rolled in mini-Reeses Pieces that I can highly recommended. Just not for breakfast.

Perhaps I’m just mildly irked that I need to wait so long for a simple pour of drip coffee as the five folks ahead on line give minute details about how they want their freedom coffee prepared and packaged. 

Anyway, this card’s genesis is a kid who’d bussed our lunch table at Breadbar earlier; he could have been a Chinese acrobat. And I’d wondered at the time how he could balance all those plates and coffee cups. And could a rabbit do it just as well. Thus this sketch.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Photo I’d taken at Grand Performance appearance by Henan Province Shaolin Monks & Acrobats. More monk pics.