in search of the greek cup

You will find this a little nutty. After living here in NYC for nearly a year, I have yet to get a deli cup of coffee that is served in the Greek Cup! So now, (the nutty part) I am specifically seeking out delis that use the Greek Cup to get my coffee. I spotted one such place on my way into Manhattan the other day. (You have to come above ground in Queens to transfer from the G to the 7, and I spied a group of 4 guys standing out front of a place, all sipping out of The Cup.)

So on my way back to Brooklyn a few hours later, I ordered myself a small coffee (75 cents) at the same place. And wouldn't you know it, they ran out of the real thing, and I got this knock-off. I like it, but I don't. It has the Greek keys. It has a lovely picture of the Parthenon with a very nice framing element. But no escutcheon on the other side. Just an uninspired square. Yuck. That is what makes the other so beautiful. The way it plays with the negative space. The columns are not lyrical on this one either. Too boxy. And the typeface is not in the "Greek font." I want the real one. Did you know there are two different versions of the real one? One has the columns, the other, urns. Interesting.

I am going to the fabric district now, and I will stealthily seek out The Cup. Time for my afternoon coffee anyway. If I find more knock-offs in my coffee travels, I will surely photograph them for you here. I get so deeply interested in the weirdest things...