No blender. No fluff. Just iced, frothy coffee in under 5 minutes. Back in lockdown, the world went through phases. Sourdough. Banana bread. Tiger King. And, somewhere in between the balcony workouts and banana hoarding, there was… the frappé. You remember it: the frothy, shaken, vigorously-whisked instant coffee drink that took over TikTok, Instagram and probably your group chats. Except unlike the whipped trends that fizzled out, this one stuck. At least in my house.

They don’t speak but they hold stories. In shelves, in drawers, in old photos and faded scents. These quiet memories remember us, even when we forget ourselves.

In Days of Cafés and a Laptop, I reflect on artist Jack Vettriano and the quiet inspiration found in coffee shops, creativity and solo café moments. A tribute to the art that moves us—and the cafés that spark the muses.