For all this city’s charming Jewish hoboes and cheap fruit stands, New York’s coffee shop culture doesn’t hold a candle to Austin’s. The coffee is a lot better here, sure, and sometimes they give you a piece of chocolate with your coffee which is a really nice touch. But most places are truly oppressive. Finding free Wi-Fi is one thing — after that it’s a struggle for survival. I stumbled into one franchise today that put metal covers over all their power outlets so one could not conceivably ferment in the shop for more than his or her computer’s battery life. I thought this was America!! The land of the home and the decaying people in coffee shops.
To circumvent the cruel regime of anti-laptop coffee shop purveyors on the Upper West Side, I’ve started reading, partly for pleasure and partly as an act of subversion. I was really into Dave Cullen’s comprehensive account of Columbine before I left it at Hannah’s last week; since then I’ve made way through a few Jhumpa Lahiris and Kathryn Harrison’s “The Kiss.” If you like incest, I highly recommend the latter. Really good.
13 responses so far ↓
frankie // June 16, 2009 at 3:40 am
i really miss your strength and moral fortitude, leah.
hannahbw // June 16, 2009 at 4:41 am
swap you the columbine book and some dollaz for the kiss and the messenger bag
jess williamson // June 17, 2009 at 4:43 pm
clearly you need to come to williamsburg! coffee shops everywhere
alex daboub // June 18, 2009 at 6:14 am
don’t do it! it’s a trap.
John Woods // June 18, 2009 at 9:22 pm
That’s interesting. I’d never spent much time in NYC coffee shops. I wonder if there’s a correlation as a place gets more densely populated. Blacksburg coffee shops, for example, are completely totally awesome, and I find that Austin coffee shops can’t compare.
Simian Gibbons // June 19, 2009 at 4:35 am
This is all very true. I had amazing yogurt in Williamsburg the other day. No wifi
skyler silvertrust // June 22, 2009 at 3:30 pm
i think u spelled ‘hobos’ wrong.
skyler silvertrust // June 22, 2009 at 3:32 pm
maybe u are right though. i didn’t major in spelling after all!!!
Leigh // June 22, 2009 at 5:20 pm
omg this is so true. i voiced this thought aloud and JOEY KOLKER of all people told me i was wrong. that asshole.
leahfinnegan // June 23, 2009 at 8:22 pm
joey doesn’t know his ass from his armpit!
alex daboub // June 23, 2009 at 8:24 pm
more comments!
noelkristiwells // June 24, 2009 at 4:33 am
coooooooommmmeeent.
society cafe in harlem.
has gay celeb meetings. and tons of outlets.
leahfinnegan // June 24, 2009 at 2:41 pm
omg