Remember the side splitting Saturday Night Live skit from the early 90’s where Mike Myers (playing character Linda Richman) and a slew of celebrity guests gathered each week for Coffee Talk? In their over accentuated New York accents, they chatted about “dawters,” “dawgs,” and of course…coffee. Barbara Streisand was often described as “buttah” and frequently the “verklempt” Richman would toss the audience a silly topic and instruct them to “talk amongst yourselves.” “Grape-Nuts – it contains neither grapes, nor nuts. Discuss.” “Milli Vanilli is neither a Milli or a Vanilli. Discuss.” These weekly segments made us howl with laughter, expanded our vocabulary (I’m still frequently “verklempt”) and left us thirsty for both next week’s installment as well as a steaming cup of java.

As I ordered my mid-day caffeine fix from the new Coffee Bar at The Hub this week (a splash of milk and one sugar please) I considered what a social drink coffee is. We schedule coffee dates and coffee breaks, we meet colleagues for breakfast at the coffee shop and serve our dinner guests dessert alongside a frothy cappuccino.  On Nantucket, the “social scene” on a warm summer day is any seat on Main Street. The opportunity to grab a coffee and meet a friend (or a perfect stranger) on the bench outside The Hub for some idle chatter and people watching is a welcome interruption to my work day.

With The Hub centrally located in downtown Nantucket, as well as being a local landmark, it has always been a social hub (literally) for young and old alike. When my kids were young it was their favorite spot to purchase comic books and candy bars. It has always been my “go to” place for a newspaper or gift card. What a treat it was this spring to learn they would now be serving up healthy smoothies and a variety of piping hot coffee and teas alongside their traditional Hub merchandise.

There is no shortage of places on Nantucket to get your coffee fix. Meet friends at a corner table at The Bean on Centre Street or on a picnic table outside The Green on West Creek Road. Stop by Fog Island Café, Fast Forward or Island Coffee for your daily dose of liquid comfort. Whatever your pleasure, meet some friends at your favorite island locale, order up your steaming cup of Joe, and engage in some good old fashioned coffee talk.

Espresso yourself.

Shellie Dunlap