Tag Archives: West Village

NYC Starbucks: Spring & Varick

23 Jun

Spring and Varick Starbucks

Today summer is in full bloom here in NYC, and it’s the first day that I’ve felt the dreaded subway station sweats. So I figured: why fight it? I’m heading out to the Christopher Street Piers to soak in some sun. But on my way — of course — I just had to stop and get an iced coffee in the area.

The Starbucks on Spring & Varick is located in a small neighborhood called Hudson Square. Apparently in the past it was known as the Printing District and it still contains a lot of media, communications, and advertising offices. Now they just don’t print as much as email. Hudson Square is west of SoHo, north of TriBeCa and south of the West Village. It’s basically the Southwest Village, only 7th avenue disappears into Varick street and the nice restaurants turn into tall business buildings.

Although I’ve been to the Starbucks on Spring and Varick at least twice before, I noticed something for the first time today: there are only three chairs!

This Starbucks is cute. Really cute. It’s on the street corner with large plate glass windows that let in lots of sun. All the tables and the bar are that nice beach wood style, and there’s plenty of open power outlets on the walls. But still… there’s only three chairs.

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NYC Starbucks: Charlton & Hudson

14 May

Starbucks on Charlton and Houston

Today I felt like trekking on down to the West Village. One of my favorite neighborhoods and former residence — briefly, but still.

I walked from Washington Square Park and cut southwest through the trendy portion and touristy areas. Where I ended up was the Starbucks on Hudson Street near Charlton. This portion of the Village is sometimes referred to as the Far West Village, and is a small business enclave within the neighborhood. If I couldn’t tell that by the well-sized business buildings, strategically placed lunch stops,  and rushed footsteps hurrying the opposite direction from where I headed, it was made apparent by this location’s business hours.

It’s closes at 8pm each weeknight and is not open at all on Saturdays and Sundays. I was shocked at first. I mean, this location is large and beautiful. But who would be here to enjoy it on the weekends? Practically no body is here to enjoy it right now. Just like the Starbucks in the Financial District, there’s nobody that wants to stick around after working a full day’s work. If they need a pick-me-up after work, they’ll run in, but staying open past 8pm would be a poor business decision.

So here I thought I’d discovered my new weekend get-away to come and work on my computer in a large, vacant Starbucks, when all I really found was a tease. Still, its size, outlet availability, and the fact that it has two restrooms makes this a better location then most.

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NYC Starbucks: Houston & West Broadway

11 May

Starbucks on Houston and West Broadway

The past two days we have had the temperature reach the 70s here in the city. Summer is coming.

I arrived here in NYC last August as the summer of 2012 was nearing its end. But I still got to experience enough NYC heat to know how to prepare myself this year. Oh yes — I had my fair share of  sweltering subway rides and fritzy AC units. Before moving here from Florida, a friend who had lived in Manhattan tried to warn me.

“The city can get sooo hot, that when you come in from the street you can still feel the city on your skin.”

“Nah, it can’t be that bad.” I had naively stated. “I’m from Florida!”

I remember his words every time I feel this city seep into my flesh. In the winter you get the harsh cold, and in summer you get the damp, dirty heat. Either way, New Yorkers cannot help but wear the city where ever they go.

Well, obviously that heat is not upon us yet. But I was driven to this SoHo Starbucks on this soggy Saturday afternoon because I need to armor myself with shorts, tank tops, and flip flops to combat the impending summer temperatures. This Starbucks is in a great location on the northwest border of SoHo. It still gets a good crowd, but it’s not overwhelmed like the location on Grand & Broadway. Also it’s directly below Washington Square Park, and the distance between is filled with some pretty decent bars and restaurants that mostly cater to the NYU crowd.

It is — of course — Frappuccino Happy Hour, and although this place has a good amount of lines, grabbing a seat wasn’t impossible. With two separate seating areas and even a little bench area in the hall, this location is ready to serve both those grabbing and going and those looking to stay awhile.

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NYC Starbucks: Greenwich & 8th

12 Apr

Greenwichand8th

Today I decided to try out Starbucks’ Clover machine on an iced coffee. In case you haven’t heard of the Clover, it’s this coffee pressing contraption that is only available at select Starbucks locations. Like a traditional coffee press, it uses heat and pressure to extract the rich flavor from roasted coffee grounds. You can request to get most coffee based drinks with the Clover, and it really enhances the taste of the bean.

My iced coffee was made with the Starbucks Kenya roast, and I have to say it beats the hell out of a regular iced coffee from Starbucks. I usually drink my grande iced coffee with 2 Splenda,but only needed one for this guy. If you haven’t tried the Clover, I highly recommend it. You can use your Starbucks app to figure out which stores offer it and which don’t.

The Starbucks on Greenwich & 8th Avenue is just as impressive as the Clover. As far as design is concerned, it’s one of the best in the city. The exterior is nothing but glass panels that round out the street corner instead of creating a sharp angle. The interior has a dark wood theme throughout and large concrete columns with wooden shelves and seating arrangements built into them. Although it’s not the biggest location, and outlet availability could be better, this Starbucks makes up for it with style alone.

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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: 10th & Hudson

1 Mar

10thandhudson

Welcome to the West Village — where avenues and streets are of no relevance and the stride of the average New Yorker slows down approximately 2 miles per hour.

When I first moved to NYC all of the different “Villages” confused me. West Village — East Village — Greenwich Village — what the hell is the difference?! Now I think I’ve finally straightened it out. Greenwich Village and East Village are two separate neighborhoods — splitting off in the center of Manhattan. The West Village is a smaller neighborhood that encompasses all of Greenwich village west of 7th avenue. And I hope you’re paying attention — there will be a quiz at the end of the year.

I have a sweet spot for this particular West Village Starbucks. One reason for this is because it is the closest location to the Christopher Street Piers — which I frequented over the summer. But mainly because on my first week in NYC I sat down at this location, starred out into the streets of my new home, and wrote postcards to some of my dear friends and family back home. I know: how stereotypical!

The point is that this Starbucks was the perfect location for doing that. Tucked away in the Village, this Starbucks gets much less of a crowd than most. Which is good because it is a small location, and it really couldn’t handle much more. But it has all the necessities and added West Village charm. My favorite feature is the small counter bar that acts as both a seating area and a divider between the barista line and lounge.

A great Starbucks to visit on a Sunday afternoon. And bring a postcard or journal while you’re at it.

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