Glassware

or, a Monday Musing for April 7, 2025

If you have not read Milk and Cookies’ post about “Low Energy Habits”, you really should. It is a reminder, at least for me, to be kind to myself and treat myself gently and with love. This is not about indulging or “I deserve this” or anything like that. It is simply about doing some small, simple things to help soften you day to day. Defining “self care” for yourself is a great place to start. It doesn't have to be a daily skin routine or sticking to a strict diet or exercise program. As she says, “small, almost invisible things that make life feel softer” is the goal.

She gives thirteen examples, most of which spoke to me directly, and I could probably write long posts about each of them. But I’ll choose one for today.

Glassware.

In her fourth point - “drinking out of a wine glass for no reason” - Ayushi says “there’s something about drinking anything out of a wine glass—water, juice, iced coffee—that makes life feel just a little more cinematic. like I'm the main character of a quiet, beautiful moment.” I couldn't agree more, and I will take it a step further.

I have a fairly extensive glassware collection. Some might say I have a problem, but they would be wrong. There is no problem here. I love the way specialty glassware feels. The way a drink is presented, the experience it imparts to the beverage. From branded pint glasses at a pub, to a perfect cocktail in the proper glass, there is an elevation to the experience of the drink that only the glass can bring. Imagine a perfectly made Old Fashioned served in a red solo cup! A glass of Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape in a styrofoam coffee cup like they keep in police stations in crime procedurals. A Westvleteren 12 offered up in a shaker pint!

Now, some might say “well the drink tastes just as good”, but they would be wrong. The right glassware not only enhances the visual presentation but directs the aroma to the nose in a way that opens up more of the sensory experience. There is a claim that somewhere between 75 and 95 % of what we ascribe to taste actually comes from the sense of smell, but that is anecdotal at best, and there is no real empirical evidence to support this. But suffice it to say that without your sense of smell, you lose a lot of the taste experience.

But I digress.

Ayushi’s point was not about using proper glassware; it was about enjoying something nice simply for its sake. Even when I am simply drinking water or sparkling soda or iced tea, I prefer to use one of my nice glasses simply because they bring me joy to look at, touch, and use. From stemware to rocks glasses to goblets, they are simply fun to have and use whenever you can. And I do.

There is a belief among some folks that you save the “good stuff” for special occasions. The Good China. The Good Silverware. The Nice Glasses. There is a whole tradition - thankfully a dying one - of giving new couples massive sets of plates and dishes and flatware as a wedding gift, as though newlyweds are hosting these big formal dinner parties where their guests care (let alone notice) about what they are eating with or on.

So if you are looking for a reason to break out “the good stuff” today, here you go: because you are worth it and it feels good. Got a Josephine No 3 from Josephinenhütte still in the box tucked away that you were given by a relative that buys wine futures but secretly drinks Two Buck Chuck? Open that bad boy up and put your LaCroix Sunshine in it with some ice cubes. Then when you are done, hand wash it gently, and store it in a cabinet where you can see it every day and use it any time you are feeling like you need a soft moment of joy.

Because we all need it.