A Year in Coffee
Madhumitha Pradeepkumar I IXD ‘24
How it started.
From what I know, everyone has a thing. A thing for something trivial. Mine just happens to be taking pictures of coffee cups.
Be it a fancy ceramic mug or a simple disposable take-away cup, I have a compulsive need to click a picture. Over time, it’s become a quirky little part of my personality!
A Fun New Year’s Resolution
This year, supposedly the one where I’m meant to have a quarter-life crisis, I steered clear of serious resolutions and decided to make a fun one. And that is to take more pictures of coffee.
But there’s more - I decided to go through the photos at the end of each month and pick a favorite. I’ve been adding them to a poster I’m making, which will eventually become my "Year-through-Coffee" project.
It’s been everything coffee for me lately. I even tried painting coffee cups this year.
JANUARY
Le Cafe, Pondicherry
January
6th January, 2024
In a café by the beach.
Palm trees rustling against a blue sky.
The sun was out, yet the rains were pouring.
Waves crash against the shore.
Clanking of coffee cups in a busy café.
People moving about, talking loudly, chairs being dragged roughly in the granite floor.
I share the table with the people I love dearly.
But my mind is full - Where do I belong? What is home? What is the meaning of life? Did I sleep enough last night? Am I loved?
As I stare into my cup, I notice the foam blending with the coffee, swirling into a beautiful pattern. Everything around me goes silent.
Just for a second.
Le Cafe, Pondicherry
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
FEBRUARY
City Coffee Bar, Upper West Side
February
18th February, 2024
A
busy morning in the
Upper West Side.
A hectic week.
One task after the other. I couldn’t sleep the night before. My mind was racing with everything I had to do.
I am late to meet a friend. I rushed out of the house, half walking, half running, feeling the weight of time pressing down on me.
I see people hurrying past with their morning coffees. People rushing to work. Parents dropping kids off at school.
I pause. I do not want to rush anymore. I refuse to join the buzz of the city. My friend would wait. And it is okay to have such days.
City Coffee Bar, New York
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
MARCH
Eataly, Somewhere Mid-Town
March
13th March, 2024
A day of walking and window-shopping.
It was an unusually cold day.
I was catching up with a friend after a long time.
A long day of walking and hiking. Tying our luck at a golf simulator. Wandering about aimlessly. Window shopping.
We grew tired and hungry. Many questions about life, friendships and relationships surface within me.
As I took a sip of my lovely cappuccino, I eyed my friend’s steaming hot chocolate.
Did I make the right choice today?
On the next cold day, I’ll remember to choose wisely.
Caffè Lavazza, Eataly, New York
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
APRIL
Birch, Upper West Side
April
12th April, 2024
Roommate banter.
Some days are good.
Some days are just okay.
There are neutral days.
And then there are days when we ignore each other.
It was an exceptionally good day.
We stroll through the familiar buzz of our neighborhood.
We crack jokes, we discuss life, we share insecurities, we voice the thoughts a dog we spot. It’s always very random.
We decide to try out a new coffee place, but somehow we end up at our usual spot, sipping our usual mochas.
The comfort that comes with a familiar spot, the usual drink, and a friend who understands is unmatched.
Birch, New York
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
MAY Devoción, Dumbo
4th May, 2024
An unexpected chilly day.
It was colder than I expected. I didn’t have a jacket.
A busy flea market.
Tons and tons of stuff, so many choices. Yet I am struggling to make a decision. Going back and forth, questioning my choices.
How do I decide if something, or someone, is good? I had sent a picture of the cafe asking if he’s visited it. I send an other one of the flea market.
Is he the right person?
My phone buzzes with a response. But I put it aside and took my first sip of my well-deserved mocha. In that moment, I realize I already have my answer.
Devoción, New York
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
June
21st June, 2024
Siblings catching up.
Hot and sunny day.
A drive by the beach.
Leather seats.
Film Camera.
The kindest younger brother. Vanilla ice-cream affogato.
A game of chess.
In a pretty cafe in Auroville. Cozy Corners.
An empty bookshop.
People watching.
Sun blares down as we drive back home. Life is good.
Marc’s Cafe, Pondicherry
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
JULY
The Beach by Madras Square, Chennai
July
14th July, 2024
A drive by the beach.
Slow Mornings.
City Traffic.
Art Fair.
A long car drive. Cafe hopping.
Good Pictures.
Feeling annoyed. Is my friend snapping at me? Are we still friends? Things seemed off.
It did not matter.
I had an exciting secret within me. Is this love? I wonder what to text him.
Do I send him pictures from the day?
Life is weirdly good.
The Beach by Madras Square, Chennai
https://g.co/kgs/EG2cCis
AUGUST Home
August
2nd August, 2024
Endless talking with my best friend.
We talked. We talked for hours. We stayed up and talked, We talked while making art. We kept talking.
We live in different countries and we meet once a year.
Yet we text everyday. We discuss how life is weird sometimes. We share more secrets. We dissect our love life. We finally decide to take a break. To make coffee.
Only to talk about how good coffee is for the soul. We talked for hours after.
SEPTEMBER
My apartment, Upper West Side
September
14th September, 2024
Adulting.
Assignments. Chores.
Job hunting.
Trying to figure what life is about.
Meal-prepping.
Mediocre runs in the park.
Endless strolls around the block.
Cluelessness.
More cluelessness.
Catching up with friends.
Having fun amidst the chaos.
More assignments.
More chores.
Is this adulting all about?
So far.
It was a decision made on a whim, looking back at it right now, I so glad I did it.
Each picture has its own story, capturing little memories in the best way possible. It's a reminder that the smallest things often mean the most. I realize that life can be messy, but it's important to pause and enjoy a good cup of coffee every now and then.
I’ve got three more months to go, and honestly, I have no idea what’s coming. It’s probably going to be a mix of both good and bad. But I know I’ll look back on this and smile. I can’t wait to discover new coffee spots and click more beautiful pictures.
JANUARY
How my poster looks so far. I am excited to drink more coffee and to click more pictures.
Le Cafe, Pondicherry
March Eataly, Somewhere Mid-Town
APRIL Birch, Upper West Side
MAY Devocion, Dumbo
JUNE Marc’s Cafe, Pondicherry
JULY The Beach by Madras Square, Chennai
AUGUST Home
SEPTEMBER
My apartment, Upper West Side
The End.
Storytelling and Information Design I Fall ‘24