Being Italian I am very aware of the power of coffee.
In the very morning whenever I feel still tired and sleepy the thought of that magic cup freshly brewed (by my beautiful espresso machine) makes everything bearable and even pleasant, after a couple of sips.
Staff Coffee Time organizers take a selfie. From left: Laura Berman, Liliana Cardile & Breidi Truscott Roberts
When I arrive at work, another cup allows me to adjust to the I-House high pace and make it through my lunch break. One more coffee after lunch and then a long pause until the next morning to (hopefully) get a good sleep. Coffee wakes you up, keeps you focused, comforts you in a stressful situation.
Also, and most important, coffee brings people together.
It happened again today at I-House when we inaugurated a new community corner that we all hope could become a healthy, pleasant habit. We now have our staff coffee time and we started treating ourselves with some nice bagels with cheese and salmon spreads, petite muffins, fresh fruit, orange juice and of course fresh, strong coffee.
The smell of it immediately built a welcoming atmosphere in the Gamble lounge where a beautiful spread was set up.
People came in during the whole hour and conversation flew in all different directions among staff. Kids, family, holidays, clothes, recipes, works concerns were among the topics we shared. A sip of coffee and a little chat before going back to work and every worry felt just a little bit lighter because we laughed about it with one of our colleagues.
I-House: Where UC Berkeley Meets the World 
Great post Liliana – thanks for sharing! Have a great weekend.
I will join Liliana in a salute to the power of coffee! I worked my way through college at UCSB in a cafe called Espresso Roma. There, I learned how to make a killer cappuccino with a heart outlined in the frothed milk on top, studied endlessly for my finals and met and worked with people who are my best friends to this day. I loved standing behind the counter watching people get together to talk over a steaming latte or mocha. Sometimes there would be lines out the door and around the corner and I would come home with coffee stains on my clothes and grinds embedded under my fingernails. I love coffee- the way it tastes and smells and the lovely lift it gives me, but especially the way it brings people together. I’m sorry I missed the staff coffee hour, but I will be sure to attend the next one! Cheers!