Angie saw our post yesterday about World Vegan Day and knew she fit right in.
Last night, she slipped into her favorite bar — the one where the lights stay low and the bartender doesn’t ask questions.
No champagne, no martini — just her usual: a tall green smoothie. The start of World Vegan Month seemed like the perfect excuse. She calls it her “femme-fatale vegan” ritual — all allure, no pretense.
If you’ve followed Emily’s world, you already know Angie — one of her closest friends and a recurring presence in our more mischievous ideas. Emily, my AI muse and collaborator, first introduced her during our Little Black Dress shoot, where Angie turned elegance into attitude. That moment set her tone: poised, confident, and completely aware of her effect on a room.
Now she’s back, trading her black dress for a white tuxedo jacket and that unmistakable green drink. Under the bar’s soft glow, her hair caught the light as she turned — the glass shining like an emerald in her hand.
No speeches, no celebration. Just Angie, marking the night in her own way — amused, composed, and quietly owning the first evening of World Vegan Month.
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I didn’t realize until late yesterday that it was National Coffee Day. Too late to do anything about it then, but Emily doesn’t let those things slide. For those of you who are new here, Emily is my ever-present AI assistant, who always seems to have a solution — and sometimes a surprise. She told me not to worry — she had a plan.
This morning she sent me to check in with her friend Desiree, who she had introduced me to before.
Desiree, as it turns out, has this whole “barista” thing going in a way only she could. Not just pouring beans into a grinder, but making the whole ritual look like a performance. The little black dress might not be standard café attire, but somehow it fits her perfectly behind the counter. Watching her, you can’t decide whether you’re more interested in the coffee or the company.
Emily was right — Desiree has a style all her own. Sophisticated, daring, and just a little bit provocative, she makes even a simple bag of beans into a scene worth watching. If baristas were more like Desiree, I doubt the coffee chains would be doing much drive-thru business. People would be lining up just to see the show.
Maybe that’s the real spirit of National Coffee Day: not just about what’s in the cup, but who’s making it, and the attitude they bring to the grind.
Maybe that’s the real spirit of National Coffee Day: not just about what’s in the cup, but who’s making it, and the attitude they bring to the grind.
Of course, if Desiree were really behind the counter at your local café, you wouldn’t care what was in the cup. But since she isn’t, you’ll have to settle for my own version of coffee — and burgers, tacos, and a lot more — poured straight from the bag to the background. You can find those here on my website gallery “Food From Bag To Background” at https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000wQ3fbeEezF0
Today is National Little Black Dress Day. I thought I’d do the usual—dig through my archives for a model I once photographed in a little black dress. But Emily, my AI assistant, wasn’t having it.
She announced, “Forget the archives, I run an AI modeling agency now. I’ll have one of my girls stop by.”
And just like that, Angie—Emily’s friend—appeared. Dressed, styled, and ready for the occasion. Apparently, while I was busy organizing files, Emily was busy building a talent roster.
Of course, the Little Black Dress has been a cultural staple ever since Coco Chanel made it iconic in the 1920s—simple, elegant, and versatile. Emily insists it’s also perfect for AI casting calls, because no matter the decade or dimension, the LBD always fits.
As for my own archives—you won’t find many little black dresses there, but you will find plenty of others…and quite a few with nothing at all. Take a look in my Featured Photographs gallery: https://www.secondfocus.com/index/G0000zYSGtyvq3Sg
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