espresso

Sabrina Carpenter doesn’t care what “Tommy from Arkansas” thinks about her artistic choices.

In an interview with “CBS Mornings” on Friday, the “Espresso” singer talked about her reaction to the controversy behind the cover of her seventh album, “Man’s Best Friend,” which displays Carpenter on her knees at the feet of a male figure pulling her hair.

Gayle King read aloud a comment in which a fan said that Carpenter “can’t have it both ways. If it’s satire of how men treat us, it can’t also be a straightforward image of a woman being submissive just because it’s sexy.”

“Y’all need to get out more,” Carpenter told King. “I think I was actually shocked because I think between me and my friends and my family and the people that I always share my music and my art with first, it just wasn’t even a conversation.”

Last year, Carpenter released the album “Short n’ Sweet,” an LP that became one of the vibe setters for last summer.

During the 67th Grammys ceremony, the record took home two awards — pop vocal album and pop solo performance for “Espresso.”

Her follow-up effort was released on Thursday; the original artwork dropped months before, on June 11. By June 25, and amid the backlash, the artist posted an alternative cover on her Instagram that was “approved by God.” In it, the former Disney Channel co-star of “Girl Meets World” — she also sang the theme song — is simply standing by a man.

During the interview, the “Please Please Please” singer discussed her intentions behind the original cover art that divided fans.

“My interpretation is being in on the control, being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control,” Carpenter said. “I think as a young woman, you’re just as aware of when you’re in control as to when you’re not.”

She added: “[‘Man’s Best Friend’ is] about the humanity of allowing yourself to make those mistakes, knowing when you’re putting yourself in a situation that will probably end up poorly, but it’s going to teach you something.”

But what do her parents think?

“My parents actually saw the photo, and they loved it.”

In my Prius, a notification pops up in the form of a coffee cup topped with steam squiggles and accompanied by a message inquiring, “Would you like to take a break?”

This safety feature is designed to alert drivers to potential drowsiness, but it always makes me smile, because when I’m traveling, coffee shops are often my intended destination. Yes, I would like to take a break.

On a recent drive to Santa Barbara wine country, the roads winding north led me through the charming towns of the Santa Ynez Valley, each with a coffee destination, from historic taverns, bakeries and cozy community hubs to modern temples of espresso.

With four locations across Santa Barbara and Goleta, Dune Coffee has been roasting rare single-origin and signature blends of coffee beans since 2009. In March, barista Kay Cheon became the 2025 U.S. Barista Champion. During the competition, he explored how the theme of building blocks in coffee — from bean variety and roast to brewing techniques and ingredients — can combine to create something exceptional, even adding colorful Lego props for visuals. This fall, Cheon will compete at the World Barista Championship in Milan, Italy.

“A big part of our community has come along for the barista championship journey, and that’s really special to see,” says Cheon.

Heading deeper into the Santa Ynez Valley, specialty coffee bars have opened in converted Airstream trailers and Old West saloons. Stop into the airy and bright Little King in Buellton and you are likely to sip a cortado next to a lauded local chef like Brad Mathews of Bar Le Côte in Los Olivos.

“The love for coffee is real in the Santa Ynez Valley,” says Ryan Pelton, a barista at Queen Cup, a shop with locations in Santa Ynez and Los Alamos. “It’s like Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ on repeat.”

On your next road trip to Santa Barbara wine country or elsewhere along the Central Coast, follow this trail to some of the best scenic views, tasty baked goods and delicious cups of coffee.