Coffee to Go: A New York Dream

The first thing I find is a cafeteria. It's called Blue Bottle Coffee. The place is embedded in one of those typical buildings with a staircase on the façade, but inside it is minimalist. I let myself be advised by the barista. The jet lag doesn't help me decide. I eventually choose a Myanmar coffee with a thick, syrupy body and hints of fig jam flavour with bright notes of lemongrass.

It's time to go my way. The city is waking up. The light has changed. At that moment I am fully happy. The streets of New York make me feel alive and lucky. I'm hungry. I don't want to go to one of those trendy places with fancy people and lots of plants. I find myself at Viand Coffee Shop and my instinct tells me to enter. I find out that Viand has been serving New Yorkers for over 30 years and they are known for "the best turkey in town". I order pancakes with bacon and syrup. And a coffee. There are cases of drinks stacked near the bar and people rushing in and out. The waiters are mostly middle-aged gentlemen who know their job and their customers inside out. I am full of energy to continue my walk around The Big Apple.

After wandering around for a few hours, I begin to feel tired from having started the day so early. I decide to take the metro and right at the exit, under one of those iron bridges where the train goes, I see a tiny cafeteria with a slightly gnawed awning and two blue chairs in front of the place. Once again, my instinct tells me to stop. The place doesn't seem particularly well cared for, but I can hear jazz music wafting from inside. Perfect for my mood at that moment: tired but happy. It's called Otha's Coffee, and the sign that says 'OPEN' beckons. It turns out to be a very cosy place where the people of the neighbourhood go. I order a maple Latte and a homemade doughnut. Just what I need to finish my day.

Back at the hotel, I reflect on my first day in New York. Walking, eating and drinking coffee is all I have done. I could do that every day of my trip. Skip the museums, monuments and shops. Stick only to entering the places that my instincts alight upon. Give myself over to caffeine and the purveyors that say 'We're Open'. Live in a permanent state of jet lag that makes everything seem like a dream. Throw away the list of recommendations, the guides, the map. What a different trip it would be.

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This piece was originally published by LOST magazine and is printed here with the permission of LOST magazine and Ona Bascuñán.

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