I feel the need to defend myself—and others—who find themselves craving coffee late at night, particularly a nice cappuccino. Are we butchering an Italian delicacy? Maybe. If you didn't know, cappuccinos are not supposed to be enjoyed after 11 am, since Italians believe drinking milk after a meal will disrupt the bodies ability to properly digest food. But, this is America, and since when have Americans been worried about proper digestion?

If you ask me, hot milk dusted with cinnamon sounds super appealing and comforting at all hours of the day.        

Now you may be asking, where is the best place to go at midnight  to drink a cup of cinnamon goodness? Well, head over to La Lanterna on Macdougal Street! The cafe is a charmingly nostalgic place and emits a tranquil, cozy vibe.

Honestly, it is the perfect setting to sit down and relax while drinking a soothing cappuccino. Plus, you can find people wandering in here at all hours of the night, so you can at least know that others are guilty of indulging their midnight cravings- they also have awesome cannoli and tiramisu.

That being said, the cappuccino is still the main act. When it arrives at the table, the cinnamon is already dripping through the foam, breaking up the pristine frothiness of the milk. It looks perfect and elegant, but I have no shame in manically swirling the foam, dousing more cinnamon on top, and digging in.

Is there a proper way to drink a cappuccino?  Probably, and I'm ruining that too.

I believe late night coffee is a great way to gather your thoughts and an even better way to spend your alone time. Cappuccinos are like a warm hug to your heart, and let's face it, who doesn't want that on a cold, boring night?