Coffee in the Big Apple

I never liked this apple much. It always seemed too big to touch.

John Mayer

I had been to New York three times in my life. First in 1994 with the family where we went the Statue of Liberty and Times Square. I begged for street side hotdogs everyday and found it hard to sleep because of all the sirens and noise. Then again for a quick three-days getaway with my sister and Dad in 2011. Having at that stage considered myself a midwesterner, I found the east coast to be rough and borderline mean. Maybe they have to be that way, but I missed the “Minnesota nice” in the few days I was there. The third time was in 2016 – this was part of my reunion tour in the states and I was trying to meet as many friends as possible. A dear friend was a fantastic host and he was on a mission to get me to feel the way he did about his city. It didn’t work. Lovely sights but I just didn’t feel it. Again, it was tough and I guess I’m just not tough.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.

Alicia Keys

Multiple movies and TV shows have made me believe that I’m wrong. New York city is THE city. People flock here with dreams in their eyes. It’s big, filled with so many people and their crazy, busy lives. And so this time, when I found out I was going to have the chance to live in the city for a month, I was going to try to be like one of those starry-eyed folk and was determined to love it. I mean in the movies, the magic happens in New York. And I was going to have 30 days of magic. 

What I found was that people are people no matter where they are. Fragile, hopeful, beautiful. We are all searching and learning and are frustrated and want to sometimes kick life back in the nether regions. If you were to sit in cafes and observe people (*ahem* creep alert) you would potentially observe the following: 

• Two friends catching up after eons. Maybe they like each other but neither wants to say it. They talk (complain) about a common friend and talk about their hopes and dreams and how they wished they did more, or they did less, or both. They have chemistry. I hope they end up together.
• A frustrated young college student meeting her Physics tutor for the first time. I hope they become best friends. She wants to break her pencil in half. He tells her she can do it. Because he can. What he doesn’t get, she snaps back, is that it makes sense to him because he is some physics genius. She isn’t. 
• A couple storms in. They clearly are in the middle of something heated but only stop to order their iced coffees. He is being very matter-of-fact, while she tries to make it such that nobody knows that they are arguing. Damn tears… they just always give a person away, don’t they? 

Sounds familiar? Landscapes change but all of the “does she like me?” and “I will fail out of college, thanks physics!” and the “why doesn’t he care enough?” – it stays. Glasses don’t become half full because you are in the Big Apple. If anything, you notice all the different types of glasses, the tall ones, short ones, so full they are over-flowing ones and the completely empty ones. And I guess that’s what makes it beautiful and this chase, with all the glasses makes it the city that never sleeps. When a city holds in it’s arms these many dreams, it doesn’t need to sleep to dream, you see?

I want to be a part of it, New York, New York.

Frank Sinatra

I did a lot of my sitting and observing at coffee shops. Just a book or notebook for company and my headphones for when the noise got too much. Should you want to sit and observe people and be all introspect-y, I would recommend the following coffee shops: 

• Blue Bottle Coffee: There are several of these around the city and I’m sure a lot of you have heard about it. The coffee was worth the fuss. I frequented the one on 101 University Pl.
• Bluestone Lane: Again, there are a bunch of these around the city but the 1085 5th Ave location is in an old church and down the street from the MET – so perfect for either before or after a visit. Also, their overnight oats are delicious.
• City of Saints Coffee: This space is lovely and seemed like a “quick catch-up” space early in the morning. Also, when I went, with my first coffee purchase, I got a $5 coupon to use on my next visit. Yay for a free ice coffee in the summer. 79 E 10th St (they also have a branch in NJ and Brooklyn).
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: No WiFi so you are going to have to talk to people or read a book to kill time (which I kinda loved). A must try: The Oat Milk Black and Tan: Half Oat Milk Draft Latte, half cold brew. 400 Lafayette St.
• Lena Coffee: Coffee shop by day, wine bar by night! At 1B W 8th St, this spot does coffee really well and has a array of wine. A small menu is available if you are in the mood of a nibble along with some baked goods in the morning.  
• Variety Coffee Roasters: This place was kitty corner from where I was staying for the month and was a dear, dear friend on weekend morning. Fantastic company and lovely airy space to sit and people watch! 261 7th Ave.
• Seven Grams Caffe: Also located kitty corner from where I was at – 275 7th Ave, I would recommend you go for the coffee and stay for the treats. Their cookies (vegan options galore!) and flourless cakes were lovely.
• Outro NYC: 816 Broadway. Great coffee and you will want to sit on the gorgeous yellow couch.
• The Coffee Project: I would recommend a turkey and cheese croissant with your morning coffee. You know, just to get you in the right mood. Also, keep an eye out, there is a table or two in this tiny space, where you cannot sit on if you plan to use your laptop or tablet. Again, talk to each other! 239 E 5th St.

All in all, I left the city in “like” which was a huge step from hate followed by indifference. Maybe another trip and I will be in love with New York city? Only time will tell 🙂

p.s. Never an iced-coffee person, I had to make the move folks! The good news is I loved it. The reason for this move is that New York gets so VERY hot in summer. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.

Have you been to the Big Apple? Do you love it or hate it?