Coffee, one of the world’s oldest beverages, has been long considered an “adult” brew for generations. Unlike wine, beer, and other sprits that’s been around just as long as coffee (perhaps even predating this drink) that is considered as an intoxicant where local rules and laws forbid the consumption by those under a certain age, coffee could be consumed by most people regardless of how old they may be. Sure, coffee has been considered a stimulant with the amount of caffeine found in each cup. However, even decaffeinated coffee, that is only 97% free of such chemical, can be safely consumed by anyone but was never given to kids. It was considered unproper to have kids drink a cup of coffee no matter how much caffeine was contained! For those kind of little people, the choice of drink was usually soda pop, or perhaps a sweetened drink that was created with granulated flavored sugar mixed with water. This kind of soda sans bubbles was referred to as Kool Aid (regardless of its actual brand name), or if one went to summer camp, it was called “bug juice”! (A generic term rather than a brand!) But outside of sweetened beverages, kids didn’t drink coffee until they grew up! Why was this the case? According to the “adults” (or “grown ups”) that ruled the household, it just wasn’t the thing to do! “Because I/we said so!” would be the generic answer given!
But that was back in the so-called “good old days” long before kids (and even adults) became wired to the max! Now, kids as young as ten years old can be found at anyone of those franchised coffee joints–the ones that look hip, trendy, and is a place where one can hover over a laptop to write that screenplay nobody want to buy–taking a guzzle on a cup of joe, either as is or loaded with flavoring, whipped topping, and all decked out far than a glass of bug juice could ever muster up!
According to a report found in Pediatrics, the official publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, it stated that those aged 17 and 18 are consuming nearly double the amount of coffee than ten years before. And those younger teens (and a number of “tweener” aged kids), are also consuming more of this same beverage than to their elder peers.
The concern over this kind of consumption has to do with the caffeine intake that coffee provides. Although cola beverages has a lot of caffeine, as well as other types of soda pop such as Mountain Dew (or as it’s now called Mtn Dew) and those energy drinks (too many brands to list here, although Red Bull is the leader of the pack), those drinks were always consumed by the younger set. But coffee?
As a young’in, yours truly always experienced my dear ol’ mom having her morning cup of Eight o’Clock Coffee brand coffee (sold only at the A&P), each morning from a white cup with gold trim. Once in a while, she would have the gals over that consisted of her sisters (my aunts) and/or others that my mom knew and I just knew of. They would be seated around the kitchen table, each one with a cup of coffee brewed from a Proctor-Silex percolator, where their cups (all mismatched as my mom never liked to toss out dish sets that, though incomplete, still had a few good pieces left) were loaded with milk (not cream) and sugar (by the spoonful that that from cubes), with a hefty plate of assorted “irregular” cookies obtained from the Maurice Lenell cookie factory outlet shop, sitting in the middle of the table. While the gals would chat away, yours truly would always hang around to get a handout of some of those cookies. (My favorites were the pinwheels and the ones with the red candied glop sitting on the middle of an otherwise bland tasting cookie!) One day, while i was standing at the base of the table awaiting to get my share of goodies, I pointed toward my mom’s cop of coffee (white with gold trim) and asked if I could have a cup of this mysterious beverage pored from the silver colored percolator. One of the gals, a lady who always wore cat’s eye glasses and was only known to me as “Mrs. Thornson” looked down at me and said “That’s something for grown ups only!” I really didn’t care much to have a cup of that hot beverage anyway, but just as long as I got my share of cookies, I was happy at that!
In today times, if mom would be with the “goils” for a cup of morning coffee and conversation, it would be at a Seattle based franchised coffee joint. Each one of these mom-types would have a cup of coffee beverage prepared by a barista rather than served through a percolator, and dish the dirt. Cookies may be also consumed or perhaps something else that’s more healthy, while each gal would have their smart phones at bay as if to expect a phone call coning in, a text message to arrive, or to perhaps wait if the smart phone sitting along side the table would get up to perform a little dance! As for the kid(s) nearby? They would have their own cup of this drink that was once reserved for grown ups. Then again, the kids themselves would not only have a cup of java, but their smart phones would also be ready, willing, and able to provide something or another!
So as it’s been stated, coffee ain’t for big people anymore! And when these same types get older younger, they too will pass off this tradition of downing a load of java to their kids–assuming that they will have access to kids–their own or otherwise! After all, one is never too young the appreciate the joys of sipping on a cup of Cafe-Latte-Half-Moca-Haf-Caf-Daf-Ack, available to order on any smart phone! (Just download the app, ‘natch!)
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NEWS AND REVIEWS
The Stella Adler Lab Theatre opens their 2014 season with John Guare’s SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, a tale about a well-to-do Manhattan couple who befriends a young black man claiming that he is the offspring of one of the most respected actors ever to appear both on the stage and on the screen.
Flan and Ouisa Kittenridge (Tim McNeil and Bonnie McNeil) are a pair of Manhattanites living in a swanky apartment on the east side of the island. Flan is an art dealer specializing in high end pieces that sell for seven figures. While at their flat entertaining Geoffrey (Greg Lewis), a South African businessman on an investment of a Cezanne painting a hard knock is heard at their door, only to encounter a young back man Paul (Charles Ohaeri) who appears to have been a robbery victim. He has a stab wound and states that his briefcase was stolen containing a thesis manuscript. The couple takes him in, and in spite of his injury and dilemma, Paul claims that he knows the Kittenridge’s young adult children attending Harvard. He goes on to say that he is the son of actor Sidney Poitier from his second marriage. Paul gives this couple, through his knowledge of their three kids as well as through his charm, the confidence to keep him in for the night as he further announces that he will be meeting his father, arriving at his hotel suite the next morning. However, what Paul says isn’t necessarily true as he is actually a drifting con man. He isn’t menacing and doesn’t appear to be shady in any way. He is rather intelligent, knows how to cook–even offering to make a dinner for the pair as well as their client, and goes on to say that his “father” is directing a movie version of the musical Cats, offering this couple to appear in this future film in small parts! How did Paul know about the Kittenridges, and what is his intentions to make his motives? He hasn’t stolen anything from Flan and Ouisa with the exception for their personal trust, but what will he do next?
This play, first presented in 1990, was based upon an actual episode where a young black man was befriending upper crust couples in Manhattan where his contacts came for an address book he obtained from a college student who attend school with a number of offspring to some of the midtown elite. In this specific production, the three main leads (Bonnie McNeil and Tim McNeil, along with Charles Ohaeri) carry the play rather well. The latter of the trio (Ohaeri) holds a resemblance to a younger Sidney Poitier, even performing a very short monologue that mimics the for noted actor when he was at his 1960’s era peak. Milton Justice directs this work that boasts a rather large cast for this one act play that also features as listed in their alphabetical order, Jon Boatwright, Maria Bosque, Cesar Di Beiio, Linus Ekman, David A Jorgensen, Greg Lewis, Chris Petrovski, Jesse Pimentel, Montana Rossch, Michael Swinehart, Eden Tiri, and Marcus Weise.
The title of this piece comes from the notion that everyone living within their domestic landscape can be associated through anyone through connections with six people, although one has to know who to connect with in order to be fully in contact. That might have been the case in the latter years of the 20th century. In today’s high wired life, the connection runs closer nowadays, dwindling down to as little as four people. (Social media plays a big role here!) Nevertheless, The Stella Adler Lab Theatre company, consisting of current and past students of the Stella Adler Academy, a prime acting school located in the heart of Hollywood, is the place to showcase the talents of emerging thespians working where professional acting opportunities really count. And judging from what is seen within this production, the performances do show off.
SIX DEGREES FROM SEPARATION, presented by the Stella Adler Lab Theatre, performs on the main stage of the Stella Adler Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd. (at Highland Avenue) Hollywood, until April 13th. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 PM, and Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM. For ticket reservations, call (323) 455-3111, or by visiting http://LabTheatre.bpt.me.
For additional information, visit http://www.StellaAdler-LA.com
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TIFFI’S FRIENDS SAY…
(As posted on her Facebook “wall”)
Fire pit and rumchata….who wants to join us?
-Ashley
Off to visit Terry Payton today. I’m always so excited to spend the day with him, playing games, eating junque food from the vending machines, and yakking our faces off. It’s like a mini-vacation from real life!
-Jeanette
Michael, Jeff, and I got the big willow by the pond trimmed today. We must have taken down 1/3 of that tree… and it still looks huge. When we moved here in 2000, it was little more than a scrub.
-Pegg
Scott officially gets Husband of the Year in my book. While I was at a banquet last night, he folded six loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, and straightened the house. Love him!!!
-Christy
Drew trying some beer
-Lisa
As of March 17th, Tiffi has 2,012 Facebook “friends” and counting!
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