Tag Archives: Google

NYC Starbucks: Front & Wall

12 Oct

Front and Wall Starbucks

It’s finally here. I’m officially typing this blog using Google Wifi at the new Starbucks on Front & Wall Street. At first I thought this Starbucks was having WiFi issues, then I kept searching for available networks until ‘Google Starbucks’ showed up. I connected with ease and began testing the bandwidth to see how it compared to the old AT&T WiFi. So far, I’m impressed.

According to one of the baristas, this Starbucks has only been open for about a month. It still has that new store glow. And I have a feeling this Starbucks is just reopening after suffereing damage from Hurricane Sandy. I can literally see the water of the East River from outside this Starbucks door, and I can easily imagine the flood waters putting this location out of service for quite some time.

But maybe some downtime did this Starbucks well. Now it’s back, and I’m assuming it’s never looked better. The lighting and decor is crisp. There’s silver and grey accents all around, and when combined with the metal tables and wooden floorboards it creates an interesting and modern aesthetic. It has plenty of seating and still provides enough room to keep the place from feeling cramped.

This new Starbucks certainly isn’t helping me finish this blog by the year’s end, but it is a beautiful addition to the NYC Starbucks family.

Continue reading →

Advertisement

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

NYC Starbucks: 16th & 8th

11 Mar

16thand8th

It is another beautiful day out in New York City. So I decided to pay a visit to the neighborhood that has become my favorite area to go shopping, have lunch, or just simply walk around. You guessed it — welcome back to Chelsea.

The Starbucks on 16th Street and 8th Avenue was designed with NASCAR fans in mind. It functions like a racetrack, and is the perfect pit stop on your way to and fro. You walk in and steer to the left wear you order at the barista bar. Progress forward and pick up your drink at the end of the row. Need to use the restroom? Merge right. If not, then make a U-turn and face the creamer station. From there your back where you started and a few steps from the door.

The good thing about Starbucks such as these is that they are perfect for grabbing a quick cup on the go. The downside is that they don’t make the best sitting locations. Yes — there are stools lining walls here, but they’re condensed and highly populated. Since this one is directly on top of a subway terminal, it is clear who Starbucks was catering to when they opened this location.

Continue reading →

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

NYC Starbucks: 15th & 9th

10 Jan

15thand9th

Chelsea, oh Chelsea.

I look at Chelsea and I see it as a neighborhood of perfectionists. Art studios, dance studios, designer boutiques, corporate offices, beautiful architecture, distinctive restaurants, and upscale lounges — all filled with perfect looking people. Yes, this is New York and looks are always deceiving, but if you were willing to judge a book by its cover — Chelsea gives you a beautiful cover to look at.

This particular Starbucks on 15th St and 9th Ave sits directly across from the Chelsea Market. Once a Nabisco factory, now a concourse of foods, drinks, retail shops, and art studios, the market attracts quite the crowd. The Starbucks is also nestled into Google’s NYC outpost. And in case you haven’t heard, Google just made news for providing free WiFi to the Chelsea neighborhood. Yay for fiber-optics!

But despite Google’s generosity, I sit using Starbucks WiFi staring out onto 9th Ave watching the beautiful Chelsea-ians walk by. It’s hard to say if this Starbucks is truly representative of Chelsea, because the market scene seems to dominate the room — people coming and going. In fact, if I had to make flash-judgement, I’d say this is a Starbucks of Lines.

You walk in and are immediately confronted with the bathroom line — which a friend and I actually stood in and chatted for 3-5 minutes until we realized where it led. Then you sneak around the corner to the drink line. A high bar lines the window, and there is a line of tables on the far wall. After lining up to order, patrons seem to line up to wait for a seat. Oh the lines, lines, lines!

Okay — once you manage to work your way through the lines and manage to find a seat, you may want to put on a sweater, because it seems to run a bit cold in here. In my experience, this can actually be said about most Starbucks I go to. Several times when doing work at Starbucks, I’ve found myself rubbing my hands together for warmth. Am I alone in this one?

Continue reading →

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

%d bloggers like this: