Thumbs up, Health Department!

Please don't think that I'm not acutely aware of how boring I've been lately, because even I've been dying for a change of scenery here at Larry's.

Well, if you really want to know what's up in coffee this week, I can tell you that as far as this little barista is concerned, not too much! Instead, I've got my nose in a book.

This one, if you want to get specific about it:



That's right, ladies and germs, The City Of New York proudly presents the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Food Protection Training Manual: 68 pages of the freshest and finest information for your service industry needs. I'm getting certified to keep you and your cappuccini safe!

If I were to be completely honest with you, I'd tell you I actually enjoy stuff like this: I was totally that kid who was excited to read the driver's ed manual, and who insists on reading every word of every instruction book for every piece of baffling electronic equipment I've ever bought.

So go ahead, ask me about meat and milk storage safety. I'm happy to go on about it at nauseating length and with boundless enthusiasm, just like I do everything else.

In other, if not more exciting then at least a little less monotonous news, I will say that we had the pleasure of serving Dame Helen Mirren in the shop today, and that aside from being as poised and elegant as you would imagine, she is also as guilty of stuffing empty sugar packets into the sticky bottom of her spent latte mug as the rest of youse guys.



An absolutely lovely woman, nonetheless.