A West Orange man takes his morning coffee very seriously. 

Michael Kay is a financial planner who roasts his own coffee beans, carefully measuring each potion.

“There’s a smell. There’s a taste. There’s a feel. There’s a process,” Kay says. “There’s something that says, ‘I’ve done something really nice for myself. I’m enjoying something that’s quality.’”

Kay says that he sees a good cup of coffee as part of a well-lived life.

“As a financial life planner, the idea is to build a life that you want to live,” he says.

Saturday, Sept. 29 is International Coffee Day. Many coffee shops around the country will be offering deals to celebrate the day. Kay suggests trying a local, independent roaster.