Who is that man in the green stripes? And how could anyone be so gosh darn attractive?
Oh, hello! Welcome back to another healthy serving of coffee and cigarettes. October is certainly in the air, and as the majority of my friends are home chugging Red Bulls for their Science of Psych midterms, I find myself down in NYU-ville at the hipster haven that is Think Coffee.
Think is hands down my favorite place to do work in the City. Not to say that I’m always productive there, but I love it nonetheless. Last year I came down here at least once a week to do work, and I didn’t realize how much I missed it until now. Sure, it’s a pain transferring to the N-R-W at Times Square, but mark my words, this place will not disappoint.
Just a block away from Washington Square Park, it is a prime spot for homework doers, coffee lovers, and celebrity gogglers alike. (Last spring, I saw James Franco here quietly checking his email in a corner. I couldn’t do any work for the rest of the night.)
As people walk into Think, most are struck by its size—chill, hipster coffee shops aren’t normally associated with spaciousness. But this place defies expectation, while still maintaining the Macbook-and-oversized-headphone-friendly atmosphere. The center of the space is littered with sofa chairs and couches, while the sides are packed tight with small tables housing NYU students sporting plaid.
Brick walls give this space a warm and welcoming feel. The light isn’t so dim that it hinders work productivity, but it’s just dim enough for guests to feel at ease as they enjoy their grilled cheeses and wine—yes, they’ve got wine, and not a bad selection either.
Speaking of grilled cheese, I just finished mine. Wheat bread with swiss cheese and tomato—basically perfection. And paired with a mug of deliciously dark coffee that I sweetened with real sugar and not Equal for once, I am convinced that I’m in heaven. It may just be hipster heaven, but I could care less at this point.
Time for a post-dinner cigarette. And once again, it’s a Marlboro Blend No. 27. These are the first cigarettes I’ve had that haven’t bored me by the end of the pack. Have I finally reached stability? Oh, that’s a scary concept. I doubt it.
And now I’m ready for a coffee refill. It’s not free, but the second cup is just as delicious as the first, plus, it’s discounted.
Walking back to my seat, I couldn’t stop thinking about how this place typifies what a coffee shop should be. With the variety of art for sale on the walls and the even greater variety of potentially wonderful things to accomplish while here, this place represents everything that is awesome. The indie rock may be a bit too loud to read effectively, and the boys may be a little too beautiful to allow visitors to concentrate on anything else, but they add to the overall ambiance. Also, the wireless here hardly ever works, but, with reading to do, sometimes that can be of greater help than hindrance.
This place isn’t a secret, though, especially south of 14th Street, so be prepared to have a cig or two as you wait around for the next available table—but I’ve always gotten a seat, so no real worries on that front.
Think is open until nearly midnight daily and there’s live music by local bands on Thursdays and Fridays. For anyone longing to burst their way out of the Columbia weekday bubble, I can guarantee that Think will not disappoint.
Good night and happy travels, my fellow addicts.
Think Coffee. 248 Mercer St. (between Third & Fourth streets). (212) 228-6226. Open weekdays 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m., weekends 8 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
Andrew Wailes is a Columbia College sophomore majoring in creative writing. Coffee and Cigarettes runs alternate Fridays.
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