NYC Starbucks: 81st & Broadway

11 Apr

81standbroadway

Before going into details on the Starbucks on 81st & Broadway, it’s worth mentioning that my last post, 47th & 8th, was my 50th Starbucks visited for the blog. Meaning, I’m nearly a quarter of the way done! And yes, in case you were wondering, I now think in shades of forest green and sweat coffee when I perspire.

Speaking of sweating — I ventured up to the Upper West Side this afternoon to attend a 90-minute hot yoga class. So if I don’t post for the rest of the week, it’s because  I melted. But before I get in touch with my inner yogi, I figured a trip to Starbucks would but me in the right zen-mentality.

Unfortunately this Starbucks is both crowded and dirty. I literally just watched as the girl studying next to me had to unstick her binder from the debris covered table. Gross! Now, I’m aware this is New York, and often times it’s the repugnant smells that let us know we’re still breathing, but I still like my Starbucks to be somewhat well kept.

Other than the cleanliness issue, the Starbucks shapes up fine. It’s in a good area that features a lot of shopping and dining options, and the baristas were really friendly. It can also seat a good amount of people with small tables, a long group table, and window seating as well.

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NYC Starbucks: 47th & 8th

9 Apr

47thand8th

I woke up this morning to a forecast of 80 degree temperature sweeping into Manhattan. It’s now 81 degrees outside, so I’ll keep this entry short and sweet.

The Starbucks on 47th & 8th is one I usually avoid because it’s always brimming with patrons and generates quite the line during rush hours. I know this because it’s only a block away from my apartment. I swear I didn’t chose my apartment based on this, but I can step out of my building and walk only 1 block in three different directions and find a Starbucks — it’s just the nature of this neighborhood.

Today this location is the emptiest I’ve seen it. And I’m guessing it’s because of this unusually beautiful weather we’re having. I came in and grabbed a seat right away. The lines are still long but people are taking their drinks into the streets, the parks, and any other place they can enjoy this heat spell before tomorrow’s forecast of rain.

And that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

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NYC Starbucks: Grand & Broadway

7 Apr

GrandandBroadway

I’m back in SoHo. I came for a new pair of sunglasses and ended up with a new shirt and an iced coffee.

By my count there are at least three Starbucks in this small neighborhood. Which makes sense, since this is a shop-til-you-drop kinda neighborhood and caffeine is essential to bargain shopping. I have a love hate relationship with SoHo. I love the boutiques and the flagship stores, but tend to hate the prices and slow paced tourists that clog the street. In Orlando I used to find myself frustrated by the Sunday drivers. Well, in New York we have Sunday strollers — just as aggravating and sometimes more difficult to get around.

This Starbucks on Grand & Broadway is in the thick of SoHo traffic, and it definitely shows the moment you walk in. Just like you must wait in long lines at the fitting room or the check out counter at the Top Shop across the street, you are forced to do the same here.  When I entered both the barista and bathroom line wear 10-15 people deep. Soon after I jumped in line for my iced coffee, the barista bar backed up to the entrance.

Luckily, this Starbucks isn’t a total loss. There’s some cute photography and artwork on the walls, as well as a good amount of seating lining the wall opposite the bathroom. Although it was crowded as can be, most people were waiting in one of the two enormous lines so some empty chairs were scattered about the place.

As with SoHo itself, I’d only advise coming to this Starbucks on a weekday morning or afternoon.

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NYC Starbucks: 42nd & Madison

6 Apr

42ndandmadison

Let me preface this post by saying that this Starbucks is actually between Madison and Park on 42nd Street; however, for clarity’s sake I named it after the cross-street I felt it was closer to.

This Midtown Starbucks’ absence of a bathroom finally inspired me to research New York City’s codes and laws concerning public restrooms and food service establishments. And — of course — the New York Times was there to provide me with my answer. Check out this 2012 article about NYC’s shifting policy on restroom rules in restaurants. Or if you’re lazy (it’s okay, I understand) just read below:

Restaurants with under 20 seats: NO RESTROOM REQUIRED

Restaurants with seating between 20 and 30: ONE UNISEX RESTROOM REQUIRED

Restaurants with 30 or more seats: TWO GENDER SPECIFIC RESTROOMS REQUIRED

And there you have it. It all makes sense now. Since most Starbucks probably are capable of seating between 20-30 patrons, the one-unisex restroom makes perfect sense. Whereas a Starbucks of the same size in Florida would most definitely have two gender specific restrooms — and that’s because of the differing city codes. Space is of great value here in NYC, so why waste space on one or two bathrooms when you don’t need to.

This Starbucks has only 7 seats, so despite the fact that they are in a highly trafficked and see many patrons, they are well below the city code for a restroom requirement. Keep that in mind the next time you walk into a Starbucks, small deli, or cafe. Do a quick seat count before complaining that they need to have a restroom. Maybe they do — maybe they don’t.

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NYC Starbucks: 29th & Park

4 Apr

29thandLex

I’ve stumbled upon another behemoth Starbucks in New York City.

The location on 29th & Park is in a small Manhattan neighborhood known as Rose Hill. Not exactly why this neighborhood is named Rose “Hill” since the geography doesn’t seem to differ from any of the surrounding neighborhoods, but I’m not gonna sweat it. This area is referred to as Little India (or Curry Way), because there is a stretch of Indian restaurants and markets just a block away down Lexington Ave. I highly recommend grabbing some naan and  chicken tikka masala in this neighborhood.

Another thing this neighborhood has going for it is this awesome Starbucks. Looking like it was newly renovated, it offers plenty of space to read, write, or chat. It has plenty of lighting, a stylish decor, and a Halal truck right outside if you’re looking for some of New York’s fine cuisine. Transportation isn’t the best in this area, but the local 6-train is relatively nearby. A consistent crowd lurks inside, but this Starbucks is designed to house a good amount of us caffeine addicts.

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NYC Starbucks: 21st & 5th

3 Apr

21stand5th

I walked into the Starbucks on 21st and 5th today, and half expected a hostess to show me to my table. Then I had to remind myself that this is simply another Starbucks.

It was the decor that tricked me. A small area is set up in the front (almost resembling a waiting area), and beyond that a larger seating area is revealed under the light of a chandelier. This combined with the light music and framed photographer made me second-guess my place and time. If Starbucks were to open up an high end tea house, it would resemble this location.

Now there’s an idea. A sit down Starbucks. Imagine walking in — or even calling ahead! — to get a seat at the Starbucks Lounge. They’d serve coffee table-side and have made-to-order breakfast sandwiches, food platters, and pastries. It would definitely take Starbucks to the next level and separate them from the McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts of the world. Of course if they were to ever do anything like this, they’d need one in New York and one in Seattle as the flagship store.

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NYC Starbucks: 60th & 3rd

1 Apr

60thand3rd

I hate to start the month off with anything less than the best, but today’s Upper East Side Starbucks was anything but impressive.

This is the second location in a week that I have been unable to connect to WiFi. I thought it was an April Fool’s joke or something. Now I will admit that I have had previous encounters with this location and been able to access WiFi just fine. They were obviously having an issue today. Maybe that’s why it was pretty vacant when usually it contains quite the crowd.

Still… in today’s age having a Starbucks without WiFi (even for a moment) is like living on the 10th floor without an elevator. You don’t need it, but you really really want it.

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Reflection: March

1 Apr

march - Copy

A quarter of the year has come and gone and I still find myself wanting to write 2012 whenever I mark the date. I’ve been in NYC for 8 months now, and I have only 9 months left of my bizarre journey through the Starbucks of Manhattan. But I’ve encountered a problem… The Starbucks seem to be multiplying. First one of my colleagues joyfully informed me of the opening of one near her apartment on 28th and Lex. Then I spot one myself sprouting up on top the F-Train stop on 63rd and Lex. Who can say how many new ones will pop up before the year’s end. Clearly my original calculation of 201 needs to be adjusted.

But where do I stand so far… In the month of March I visited 16 locations in 11 different neighborhoods. Although I did better this month than I did in February, I still find myself falling short of my goal. 1/4 of the year is already over, and I’ve visited a total of 44 unique Starbucks locations. But at this rate, I’ll only get to 176 by the year’s end. Here’s hoping that the warming weather will make me a more devoted wanderer of the streets of Manhattan.

My favorite Starbucks of March has to be the TriBeCa location on Leonard and West Broadway. Not only did it open my eyes to a new neighborhood in the city, but it was the only Starbucks this month to receive 5-Cups. My least favorite, not surprisingly, was a Midtown location. The Starbucks on 43rd and 6th was too cramped and lacked the accommodations to receive anything more than 1-Cup.

So there we have it. 44 down… who know exactly how many to go.

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NYC Starbucks: Waverly & 6th

30 Mar

waverlyand6th

Tonight I’m back in Greenwich Village. The Starbucks I’m sitting at is directly atop the West 4th Street subway terminal, and it is the Starbucks I met my boyfriend at on our first date.

I used to always tell people that I was going to meet the love of my life at Starbucks. It just seemed proper since I spent so much time at Starbucks anyway. I could easily see myself sitting at the crowded cafe, working on a paper or pleasure reading, when a nice young gentleman would ask if the seat next to me is taken. “It’s yours!” I’d say a little too fast. We’d spend the next five minutes stealing glances at each other, and the following two hours getting acquainted and discovering how much we have in common. And the rest would be history.

I’m sure many love stories start at Starbucks. Whether it be a chance meeting, a planned coffee-date, or even a little barista-on-barista romance. Especially here in New York City. You never know. The guy or gal you accidentally spill your latte on may be the one that meets you at the alter. Personally, I’d prefer a beach wedding though.

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NYC Starbucks: 19th & 8th

28 Mar

19thand8th

This Chelsea Starbucks on 19th and 8th is great for a hit and run. Which works out because I’m having one of those NYC Days where I have 25 obligations crammed into 24 hours.

So let me give you the skinny…

It’s in Chelsea. It’s an L-Shaped layout directly on the corner. It plays seductive elevator music. It’s in Chelsea. It’s smaller than most. It has a long raised table lining one side and a slightly elevated seating area in the base of the L. It’s in Chelsea. The barista’s a super friendly and chatty with both each other and the patrons. It has great lighting. It’s crowded but not overcrowded. Did I mention it’s in Chelsea?

Well — that’s it for now folks! Gotta run (it’s a New York thing)!

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