CAFE SESSION WITH STEVE: NOVEMBER 2023

Welcome back to our caffeinated rendezvous! With Thanksgiving leftovers now devoured and the humorously coined "Black out Friday" in the rearview mirror (cheers to all those post-turkey drinks!), we've officially crossed into the holiday season. Now the tunes of the festive season have started their annual conquest of our eardrums, and though Christmas music isn't exactly my jam, I'll raise a cup to those who revel in it.

That said, let’s make sure we divert our attention from the commercial frenzy that seems to dominate this season more often than not, and embrace the warmth of camaraderie and care for one-another, over a steaming cup of coffee instead. In this spirit, this Café Session, will delve into the stories behind the word "Cheers" and reminisce about the most heartwarming acts of kindness I’ve personally witnessed at a coffee shop.

So, dust off your cherished coffee mug, wrap yourself in the cozy ambiance of your favorite spot, and prepare to delve once again into the delightful world of coffee and related subjects, here in our November Café Session. Thanksgiving may have passed, but our love affair with coffee remains steaming hot!

WHERE DOES THE TERM “CHEERS” COME FROM?

…Where everybody knows your name...sorry I couldn't resist.

Okay, so where does the phrase "Cheers" originate from? It's a captivating journey through history, from ancient seafaring legends to its contemporary significance of goodwill and companionship. The evolution of this term mirrors our social rituals, yet its core essence of toasting for health remains intact.

Legend has it that in the days of yore, seafaring pirates clinked their brimming glasses together as a precaution against potential poisoning. Their boisterous gesture, causing drinks to spill into one another's, symbolized a pact: "If one is poisoned, all shall be." Fortunately, we've transcended these perilous customs (at least, we hope so!). Today, "Cheers" embodies a sentiment of well-being when sharing a toast among friends, signifying the start of an evening's revelry or festivity.

The word "Cheers" finds its roots in the French word "chiere," initially meaning face or head, evolving over time to convey "gladness" by the 18th century. Intriguingly, the act of clinking glasses holds multifaceted historical significance. It was not only a safeguard against poisoning but also a method to ward off malevolent spirits in Medieval Times. Spilling the beverage onto the ground was a symbolic act, offering a libation to repel these spirits.

Moreover, across civilizations, raising glasses in celebration was an offering to the gods for good health. Greeks and Romans frequently made libations to Bacchus, the god of wine, as a toast for well-being. The intertwining of ancient mythology with our customs is indeed fascinating. Even the concept of debauchery traces its roots back to Bacchus, the Greek god of wine—a nod to the rich tapestry of our history embedded in our everyday practices. Cheers to that!

Nowadays, when you gather at a bar with friends, it's customary to wait until everyone is served before raising your glasses and "cheers-ing" to the journey you're about to embark on that evening. Speaking of which, upon my first night in Denver, a visit to the bar Stoney's downtown led to an amusing moment. As we ordered a quick shot and a beer, I raised my glass to join my friends in a toast, only to notice a curious tradition. While I tossed back my drink after the cheers, everyone else tapped their glasses on the bar before drinking. The bartender and my buds all looked at me like "what are you doing? Are you not cheersing the whole bar?" Misunderstanding their gesture, I jokingly went around to each table, offering individual toasts. However, I eventually learned that the tap on the bar post-cheers signified a tribute to absent friends or a toast to everyone present—a modern evolution of the original "Cheers" tradition. Hence, I now find myself tapping my glass against the table after every toast, a gesture that bridges the gap between those here and those not.

WHAT’S THE MOST HEARTWARMING ACT OF KINDNESS YOU’VE EVER WITNESSED IN A COFFEE SHOP?

Coffee and gratitude seem to share an unbreakable bond. Mornings often kick off with that one person making a coffee run for the entire office—though at Enterprise Coworking, there's the luxury of an on-site coffee shop. Nevertheless, witnessing individuals buying a cup of coffee for someone else as a simple act of kindness never fails to leave a lasting impression. It's astonishing how a mere $3 cup of coffee can brighten someone's entire day!

With the holiday season swiftly approaching, I recall a heartwarming "pay it forward" incident that occurred at a previous coffee shop where I worked. It might have been the day before Christmas, or perhaps even on Christmas Day itself—surprisingly, many families enjoy leaving their homes to visit their local coffee shops during the holiday season. On that day, one of our first customers asked if they could purchase a coffee for the next person in line. It was still dark outside, and we had no clue when the subsequent customer would arrive. Soon enough, another customer rolled in, utterly taken aback that their coffee was already paid for. This sparked a chain reaction: they, in turn, decided to pay it forward by purchasing their coffee and leaving it for the next customer. Remarkably, this cycle continued throughout the entire day!

This beautiful gesture led us to establish a program where customers could buy a coffee for a friend and leave it noted on a communal board. It began with simple messages like "vanilla latte for Scott" and gradually transformed into heartfelt notes like "for someone having a bad day." Witnessing the evolution of this humble idea—from one person's desire to do a good deed to hundreds of individuals taking it upon themselves to uplift a stranger's spirits on a rough day—was incredibly touching.

Of course, this experience also provided an opportunity to connect with a notable figure—the legendary Peyton Manning himself! I left a complimentary coffee sleeve at the shop for years in the hopes that he might visit. While he didn't, I did have the pleasure of serving Benny Fowler, who made significant plays in Super Bowl LV with a crucial two-point conversion and scored a touchdown against the Patriots in the AFC Championship.

If you have a topic or question you’d like me to tackle next month, don’t hesitate to ask! Submit a question or problem in the comments below!