I’m on fire.
No not literally. I’ve just been on a roll with this blog lately. Not only have I visited at least 1 Starbucks every day in October, but this will be my second for the day. Half of the reason for this increase in blogging is due to my awareness of the year’s impending demise. The other half is simply an increase in dedication to the cause. As the year slips away and the amount of undiscovered Starbucks grows smaller and smaller, I’m feeling this heightened curiosity toward each untouched Starbucks. After visiting over 150 locations in New York, have I still not discovered the very best one? Or the very worst one? And maybe there’s a small neighborhood I’ve yet to traipse through that will draw me in the way so many of the others have. And it’s this curiosity that’s making it easier and easier to convince myself to make time to blog each day.
Specifically, this Starbucks on 96th & Lexington intrigued me because of its close proximity with the Starbucks I wrote about earlier today. Both are on the border of Harlem and the Upper East Side. However, the Starbucks on 96th & Madison is on the south side (Upper East Side), while this one is on the north side (Harlem). Specifically this one belongs to the neighborhood known as Spanish Harlem — or SpaHa. So I wanted to know if there was a detectible distinction between these two close Starbucks in two very different neighborhoods.
The short answer: a little.
The Madison Starbucks was small, crowded, and filled with a crowd of tourists and keep-to-yourself patrons. This Starbucks is large, still crowded, and filled with a much more social crowd. A father sits talking with his son. Three teenagers sit at the communal table and angst all over each other. And a couple just walked out after sharing what I’m assuming was a latte — I’m guessing Pumpkin Spice.
Other features of this Starbucks include plenty of seating, jazz music and an authentic exposed-brick wall. It’s crowded even late at night, and the crowd doesn’t seem to be waning at all. Also, the locals have clearly pegged this Starbucks as a convenient bathroom stop to and from the 6-train.
So in conclusion, although this Starbucks is just on the other side of 96th street, it does indeed have more Harlem characteristics than the Madison location of the Upper East Side.
The Good:
The Location… Directly on top of the 6-train and on the border of Harlem and the Upper East Side.
The Seating… One large communal table, two old-school wooden benches against one wall, and three separate wall-bars with stools attached.
The Hours… Open until 11pm every night (including Sundays). That’s rare for a Starbucks even in the city that never sleeps.
The Bad:
The Crowd… I was expecting to be mostly alone after 7pm on a Sunday afternoon, but the crowd at this Starbucks is going strong.
The Restroom… Just the one.
Barista Friendliness:
Drink of Choice:
Grande Iced Passion Tea… If I had another coffee today the caffeine would surely kill me.
Overall Starbucks Rating:
Clearly this is the Starbucks to hang out at on a Sunday evening.
Starbucks and the City 
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