My first week in the city was spent apartment hunting with a ferocity that can only be described as turbulent.
While on the hunt, I was speaking to a potential roommate who gave me the urban-layout of the typical NYC gay boy. He said that the West Village belonged to the “Older Gays”, the “Hipster Gays” lived in East Village or Williamsburg, the “Rich Gays” were all over Chelsea, and the “Young Gays” lived in Hell’s Kitchen. How fascinating, I thought.
So after 3 short months of apartment hopping, I conceded to the stereotype and moved to Hell’s Kitchen. No longer the neighborhood of a West Side Story, HK is now brimming with restaurants, gay bars, and you guessed it — Starbucks. I walk out of my apartment building and need only walk one block in any direction to get my daily caffeine fix.
The Starbucks on 47th and 9th is not my “go-to” Starbucks, but it will do in a pinch. Although it’s small size seems to work against it, the environment is very quiet and most patrons adorn laptops or books. The woman in front of me in line even commented today: “It’s like a library in here.” And she called it.
A crowded library… Only offering up 20 seats — give or take — getting one seat can be a challenge. Getting a seat with a friend would be sheer luck. But aesthetically, it’s a nice looking seating area, with a long-cushioned bench and high bar seating. Today, I was fortunate enough to get a seat and was even able to spend some time with a good book: More Tales of the City, by Armistead Maupin.
So come check it out but be prepared to get your coffee to-go if you can’t find a seat.
Starbucks and the City 