Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

"I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop

I love so much

All of the while, I never knew

All of the while, all of the while,

it was you."

Crazy to think, had you asked me a little over a year ago what I would be doing today, I never would have imagined that the response would be "drinking coffee in NYC, the city where I have been living for the past two months." For starters, I hated coffee. I found it quite repulsive. It smelled like tar and even moreso looked and tasted like it. It wasn't until I found a little coffee shop in North Park, San Diego, CA called ' Caffe Calabria ' where my love for coffee started. My go-to cup of joe? Vanilla latte, iced or hot. It makes me feel like a real person in the morning.

Now, having spent the past two months in NYC (want to hear about my Summer Affair? ), I've fallen in love many times...all over the city...with coffee. New York has been home to some of the best cups of coffee that I have ever had.( Within my short one year span of drinking coffee, that is. )

If I'm up for the trek, I'll head over to Bluebird Coffee Shop near the corner of Houston and Allen for a strong espresso and the best homemade granola I've ever tasted. I got caught here in a Summer storm, spent three hours reading, writing, and enjoying the bangs and bolts of the thunder and lightening :)

In the mood for a hangout spot? Birch Coffee , with locations all over the city, has a lot of tables where spotting anyone without a MacBook Pro is a rarity. My favorite location-just a few blocks from my apartment- is located on the Upper West Side, Columbus Ave & 96th St. If you're up for the challenge, their innovative tip jars challenge you to a little game of trivia. Remember, it's always good to tip your barista ;)

This last one, Biased?, you ask. Nope. Yes, I worked here, but I still find it to be one of the coolest hangout spots in Soho. Snuggled in the well-known book store, McNally Jackson , this cozy cafe allows you to ditch the technology for a bit, grab a book, a coffee, and a bite to eat. The pastries are supplied by bakeries all over the city and the housemade sandwiches are to die for. Try the chicken salad, just trust me.

A couple more noteworthy quick stops: Blue Bottle Coffee on the Highline, as well as Gimme! Coffee in Soho. These are just a few of my favorites, and with only about a week and half left in the city, I won't be able to tackle every shop I'd like to. Do you have a favorite coffee shop? If so, where? I'd love to hear :)

Word of advice*, and not to be a hater-but if you're looking for quality coffee, ditch the Starbucks. Go out and find somewhere unique and different, it's so rewarding.

Happy drinking!
Naturally yours,
N