Great NYC Coffee Shops In Which To Sit For A Long Time

If you are broke like me you probably need a place to which you can escape.  Specifically, you need a place to go because your apartment is claustrophobically small.  In addition, it is helpful if the place serves very inexpensive snacks.  It is also an asset if the place allows you to sit for a long time.

Here are a few of my favorite coffee shops that offer great people watching as well as beaucoup de general inspiration.

Café Pick me Up
Avenue A @ 9th Street, East Village, Manhattan.
This place is the epitome of cool.  There are plenty of writerly-looking people who hang out for long periods of time so you will never be alone.  You do need to keep a steady stream of coffee and/or snacks flowing so that you can legitimize staying for a long time.  You can also try hiding out in the side room to keep them from knowing you are still nursing your first cup of coffee.  Pick-me-up is definitely is an inspiring place'one where I feel like a real writer based on the fact that I feel that around me are real writers.

Starbucks
Columbus Avenue between 81st & 82nd street, Manhattan.
I know, I know, how dare I mention a Starbucks.  This Starbucks located is special; this one makes the list because I took a writing class here once.  It was a private class and it was held at Starbucks.  Sure, it was sometimes hard to hear my teacher over the sound of the cappuccino machine.  Sure, we had to battle to get a table against a lawyer who was taking conference calls.  Sure, one time I heard a lady get divorced over the phone.  These things may all be true, nonetheless, I learned a lot.  It surely never got boring.

Dean and Deluca
40th Street & Eighth Avenue, Manhattan.
Directly across from the Port Authority, this place has mucho people watching potential.  I used this spot just this week when I arranged to meet a family member who was just arriving in town.  When I got there I noticed that there was some kind of Times Square emergency going on.  Luckily, not one of the car bomb variety.  Since it didn’t seem too serious, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the five fire trucks-worth of husky fire battling studs walking around, carrying hoses, and generally looking hot'pun intended.  This particular storefront is perfectly situated for people watching as it is on a corner and has floor to ceiling windows.  I was lucky enough to still be here when one of the many spring monsoons of this week blew through.  From the safety of my glass house I had a great view of people flying by me.  It was like that scene in karate kid II when the little girl has to climb that tower and ring that bell to alert the town to the storm and Ralph Macchio climbs up and saves her.  It was just like that, but without the tower'or the little girl'or the saving part.

Bakeri
Berry Avenue between north Seventh and north Eighth streets, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Here is a warning about Bakeri: you may not be cool enough to go there.  It is not that the people who work there make you feel uncool'you might just look around and feel bad about yourself.  The place is usually busy'full of very well-heeled, beautiful hipsters'the kind of hipster you would like to be.  If you would like to dream up your next performance art piece, come here.  If you would like to discuss obscure French philosophy'this is your place.  If you would like to try the best scones in the world, come here.  Oh my god they are good.