Tag Archives: Manhattan

NYC Starbucks: 60th & Broadway

22 Jan

60thandbroadway

The Starbucks at Columbus Circle and I have a little bit of history. In fact, you could say it was the early inspiration for this blog.

After graduating from the University of Central Florida in early December of 2011, I decided to reward myself by spending a 5-day streak in NYC with two of my best friends. At some point we ended up at Columbus Circle shortly after midnight lost and searching for a bar that seemed to be evading us. So, we dived into the Starbucks on 60th and Broadway to escape the cold, refuel, and recalculate. Already a regular Starbucks devotee, I had developed a set expectation of what I would find in each location, and the NYC Starbucks locations were dispelling it left and right. At this particular location, after waiting an excruciating amount of time for two lattes, my friend and I started talking about how the NYC Starbucks compared to the locations in Florida.

Just over a year later, I sit here in the same city that I can now call my home — at the same Starbucks that set things in motion.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Columbus Circle area, just know this — it’s busy and beautiful. At the south-west corner of Central Park, the circle has become an iconic landmark — fully equipped with picturesque statuary and shops to keep you busy. It is also a large transportation hub for both buses and subway lines.

So how does all this reflect on the Starbucks on the corner of the circle? — Not well, unfortunately.

Unlike the Starbucks on 34th and 5th that was well equipped to handle the masses, this Starbucks seems to buckle under the pressure. As I walked in this evening, I was greeted by a sea of people waiting around — either waiting to order, waiting to sit, waiting on their drinks, or waiting for the bathroom. Everyone seemed to be placed in a public purgatory — neither coming nor going. The baristas did not seem to move with any sense of urgency brought on by the waiting crowds, and the drinks seemed to be simply tossed onto the bar for the masses to figure out — causing unnecessary confusion. The man directly behind me in line actually commented outloud: “This Starbucks is the worst one.”

Well — I can’t say it’s the worst. After all, I still have 189 to go! But it’s definitely not one you’ll get in-and-out of quickly nor is it suitable for an easy sit-down. Maybe it’s the Starbucks sent to teach New Yorkers patience?

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NYC Starbucks: 52nd & 7th

21 Jan

52ndand7th

Back in Midtown, a friend and I ducked into the Starbucks on the corner of 52nd and 7th to avoid the bone chilling wind that we had inappropriately dressed for. This area of 7th Ave brings both the theatre crowd and the business crowd at once. This particular Starbucks is weaseled into the AXA Equitable Center, and like most office building cafes, this one had very little to brag about.

After ordering a set of hot coffees to warm our rattled bones, we sat in the small seating area only to be unpleasantly surprised by two things: there is no bathroom at this location, and each time the door is pushed open by someone depraved of caffeine a torrential gust of cool wind blows through the tiny seating area. And these effects only amplify one another, since tourists and New Yorkers alike are constantly running into this Starbucks (and all Starbucks) for the sole purpose of using the restroom only to be turned away a second later, causing another brief 30 degree drop in the temperature. At one point, my hat and gloves were literally blown away due to this horrible cross-breeze effect.

However, the breeze was not what bothered me most about this location. It was the fact that it was designed with an upstairs seating lounge connected by a spiral staircase — only for it to be blocked off and used for storage (I presume). So whatever redemptive qualities that may have been lurking up there were lost.

Moral of this story:

If you work in this office building, Congrats!, you can grab yourself a Starbucks coffee at ease, but this isn’t the type of location I would recommend seeking out.

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NYC Starbucks: 34th & 5th

17 Jan

34thand5th

Everybody has heard of the Empire State Building — but how many of you are familiar with the Starbucks at the base?

Yes, Starbucks has even infiltrated one of the most grand and iconic structures located in Midtown Manhattan.

Midtown certainly wins the award for most congested neighborhood in the city. Blending tourism with the white-collar workday, the Midtown foot traffic is enough to turn even the most tranquil person into a maniac. My daily trek through Midtown often reminds me of my old days of driving on I-4 in Florida: zigzagging and weaving through the slower traffic to get where I need to go.

This particular stretch of 34th Street houses some of the biggest retail flagships, from Aldo to Zara, and just a block away from Herald Square and Penn Station. But luckily, this Starbucks comes fully prepared to tackle the enormous crowds that the tourist sites of midtown bring. A split-level cafe, this location offers plenty of room for those just passing through or those looking for a seat. A passerby can get in and get out, while someone looking to take a seat need only to walk down to the lower-level. There exists the largest seating area I’ve seen at any Starbucks to date.

It is also noteworthy that this is the first location that has a revolving door to help control the masses of in-comers and out-goers. Also, two gender-specific bathrooms and an army of baristas help quell the lines that would otherwise force themselves out the door and into the street.

So — if you can cut through the masses of people outside — this is a promising Starbucks to utilize.

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NYC Starbucks: 13th & 1st

15 Jan

13thand1st

Leave it to the East Village to put an unconventional spin on something as conventional as Starbucks.

The East Village is known throughout Manhattan for it’s artistic and avant-garde edge. Individualists and creative types flock to the East Village to live the bohemian lifestyle. In fact, I can practically feel the neighborhood’s disapproval as I write these categorizations into existence. The East Villagers — and by proxy the village itself — defies categorization. So don’t even try. Kay?

However — in all seriousness — the eclectic culture of the East Village is one of my favorite things about Manhattan. Even those that don’t want to fit in, in fact,  do have a  place they fit in.

So how does Starbucks — the typical corporate coffee house — blend in such an individualistic neighborhood?

As I walked in to the location on 13th and 1st, one of the first things I noticed was the lack of chairs. Instead, lining the window of their long wall is this tall-bench/short table contraption that the patrons were sitting on, legs crossed beneath them. In fact, that’s exactly what I am doing right now. And besides my paranoia that I may drop my laptop or kick over my coffee it ain’t half bad. But for those of you that like to stick to the straight and narrow — not very East Village of you, BTW — there are a couple of chairs lining the barista-bar and the the tiny window in the front.

Best served as a quick pit stop for your morning coffee, but it’ll work as a place to sit — Indian-style that is — as long as okay with your feet falling asleep.

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NYC Starbucks: 47th & 9th

13 Jan

47thand9th

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.

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NYC Starbucks: John & Water

11 Jan

johnandwater

What can I say, the street name just called out to me.

I decided my next Starbucks would be in the Financial District — home of the 9-to-5. Although this wasn’t my first trip to the Financial District – or FiDi as some have taken to calling it — it was my first opportunity to walk around and really take it in. The biggest distinction is the narrow streets and sidewalks, which are much smaller than anywhere else in the city. Not to mention the office buildings are some of the tallest in the city, making the slender streets seem even more confining. And although I wasn’t there during the early morning rush, I could just imagine the scanty streets cramped with suits & ties trying to get to and fro.

This Starbucks is not in the heart of FiDi, but actually closer to the South Street Seaport, where some travel in and out of the city by means of ferry. When I first walked in I was under the impression that this must be one of Starbucks’s smaller locations – equipped only to get you your coffee then get you on your way. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a stairwell leading to an entirely new level equipped with plenty of seating.

There was just one problem… I couldn’t connect to the internet. When I asked one of the baristas, he explained that they don’t have the AT&T WiFi and that this is common for most locations in the area. He also told me that this location just recently reopened after being flooded with 4-ft of water from Hurricane Sandy. I’ve yet to visit any other locations in the area to test for this lack-of-WiFi, but either way the good folks at Starbucks should probably update their App and remove “Wireless Hotspot” from the list of amenities.

Overall, the decor was nice — especially the high wall with a dozen or so different clocks on it — so come with friends, office buddies, or a good book because a laptop won’t serve you much good.

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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?

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NYC Starbucks: 125th & Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd

9 Jan

125thand7th

Here I sit in Harlem.

As I approached the Starbucks on 125th and 7th–Martin Luther King Jr blvd and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd– the first thing that caught my eye was the famous Apollo Theater just steps away. “How cool!” I exclaimed aloud to no one in particular.

When I first declared that I was moving to the big city and was possibly seeking a place in Harlem, because of its comparatively inexpensive ad listings, I got a lot of people saying “Be careful,” and “Are you sure?” Dismissing these as knee-jerk ignorant reactions, I knew I had to see Harlem for myself.

Most don’t need to be told that Harlem is known to be the most culturally African American neighborhood in Manhattan. From the Harlem Renaissance of the 20s and 30s to today, this remains the absolute truth. Unfortunately Harlem is also known for high poverty and crime levels. Although the general consensus seems to be that Harlem is a much cleaner and safer neighborhood than before, the stigma it earned has obviously stuck. Spanning across the island of Manhattan, Harlem is divided into West, Central, and East Harlem, each with their own cultural identities and differences (or so I’m told). 125th and 7th is Central Harlem, or just plain Harlem.

So did this little white boy enjoy his trip to the Harlem Starbucks? Yes, immensely.

Once I entered, I was greeted by Nate the Barista, offering free samples of coffee. I introduced myself to Nate and explained my “quixotic mission” to him. He filled me in on Starbucks’s Coffee Master program, where they take eager baristas such as Nate and train them to demonstrate a mastery of coffee (from brewing to tasting). He also explained that this location was most definitely the best in the city. Well let’s see.

From appearance alone, I’d describe this as a bare-bones Starbucks. It has the essentials (coffee, stools, small tables…) but that’s it. However, what it lacks in furnishings it makes up for in character. The local residents wave to each other as they come in, and many patrons are engaged in lively conversation over coffee. The genuine friendliness of the baristas and the communal nature of those around me, gave me a slight case of the warm-tinglies.

All in all, if you bring your laptop you may not find an outlet, but bring your friend and you’ll find a sense of community.

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NYC Starbucks: 69th & 1st

6 Jan

69thand1st

If the Starbucks of NYC truly do reflect their respective neighborhoods, then this Starbucks wants you to know that the Upper East Side is clean, calm, and collected. It is without a doubt one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city, and with that comes a certain reservedness that the rest of NYC seems to lack. So don’t go acting a fool in the Upper East Side.

In my (limited BUT growing) experience, the further East you go from Central Park the less prudish the area becomes. The park exudes abundance, so way over here on 1st Avenue you can still grab a cup of coffee without your pearls.

Speaking of coffee…

This is the type Starbucks you bring a book to. Leave that friend or significant other at home; you’ve earned some time to yourself.

The lounge is partitioned away from the coffee-bar and is equipped with bar seating, a long study table, and a cushioned bench and tables for two. Although the space is not that big, it never seems to fill up. Those who occupy the seats are reading the New York Times, glued to laptops (like yours truly), or cracking open a textbook. A library-esque quietness resides here which, suffocating to some, can also provide the perfect work environment to others. The brewing of coffee and the light clitter-clatter of dishes provide the perfect amount of aroma and background noise for reading that trashy magazine or writing the greatest thesis the world has ever seen.

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NYC Starbucks: Spring & Crosby

4 Jan

SpringandCrosby

Oh no, it’s SoHo!

For those less familiar with the neighborhoods of Manhattan, SoHo is the neighborhood of expensive boutiques, expensive lofts, and expensive retailers in general. A good friend once referred to NYC as “a black hole of expenses,” and if that is true, SoHo is the deep-dark center. The name SoHo is actually an acronym, meaning SOuth of HOuston street. And now that you know that, PLEASE do not let any self-respecting Manhattanite hear you pronounce Houston wrong. They’ll either read you to filth, or turn up their nose. It’s Houston like “house-ten”. We’re a long way from Texas, ya’ll.

Anyway, onto the Starbucks on the corner of Spring and Crosby.

I must admit, that when I selected this to be the 3rd location I would visit, I expected to find a small corner-cafe, a large crowd of constantly shuffling tourists loaded up with shopping bags, and exhausted looking baristas. And this Starbucks has totally proved me wrong. Not only is this one of the biggest locations I’ve yet to see in the city, it is also the most inviting.

Yes, it gets hit with a hefty crowd of tourists and shoppers alike, but this location brews them up and spits them out, leaving plenty of room for singles or groups to come enjoy a cup of coffee in one of the most picturesque parts of the city. The location itself begs you to look around and gaze. Besides the usual Starbucks advertisements, art hangs on the walls from artist Peter Tunney (captured above), as well as black-and-white images of the coffee-roasting process. Comfy chairs and cushioned benches are everywhere to be seen, and a long-wooden table to seat ~14 stands in the back.

And did I mention power outlets are everywhere? Not just on the walls, but on the floor as well. So go on, charge that phone! Bring that laptop! This Starbucks has got a seat for you.

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