Coffee mornings in — Upper West Side — New York
I must set the record straight from the outset that I’m a tourist from London. It’s where I was born and have lived all of my life (I’ve travelled a bit) so my opinions may be skewed. I’m not a New Yorker and these snippets are my observations, feelings and my thoughts from having my customary coffee in the morning and watching the world go by.
The convenience of wi-fi and the inconvenience of poor coffee
I had browed a few blocks looking for a coffee shop where I could simply plug in and get access. Maybe I did not understand the urban pass or could not be bothered to get onto a free wifi hotspot but I ended up in a well known coffee shop with wifi access. So here is where I perched each morning from around 7:30–8:30am for 5 days. Yep, maybe I have been spoilt given I spend a large amount of time in coffee shops and look forward to that welcoming taste, whether it be a cappuccino or mocha. As I write this post the lingering of a bitter taste in the mouth has prompted me to sugar-up and make this coffee salvageable. With the morning rush hour queue never ending I did not have find the effort within to ask for another one. It was ready in a matter of seconds so I did not expect a big improvement.
Good morning!
I was taken aback slightly as I walked around the neighbourhood on a Sunday when it was very quiet. A couple in their eighties and starting the day in brisk fashion through a good morning at me and I responded in a jittery fashion. It was quite welcoming and I felt warm after this encounter. The sense of community was apparent to me. It did not take much to make me feel this way.
So, as I bounced into an independent coffee shop, the greeting was ok but the farewell a I can only describe as rude. ‘Younger people who run independent coffee shops are not nice!’. Slow down I say to myself. Clearly, it was an incident but you have to remember I’m a tourist and here for a fleeting moment so these encounters are magnified.
A dog is never lonely
You love your dogs here. I mean you really do! There seems to be sense of pride with owners out walking their dogs. There is a different type of walk compared to where I live in London where it seems like a chore. Here, it is fuzzy and people frequently let their canine lead them. Then there are the dog walkers. I’ve never seen so many in my one week here. It looks like a good business to have!
The love of a nanny
I’ve always had a problem with how nannies are perceived and the challenges that are highlighted in the media (in the UK anyway) of how they are mistreated and disrespected by their employers. It is noticeable here there is a big market for childminders which is a reflection of the affluence in the area. From what I understand the average wage for a nanny is above the New York average. Most seem to be middle aged African-American women. Now, why do I say this? it’s noticeable to me. Again, it may be a reflection of my upbringing in London to West African immigrant parents or it may simply be an observation. This is America and the historical context is sometimes never far from my mind.
A bird just fell from the sky!
It literally did, only a few feet away from me. It looked like a sparrow of some sort. That British OMG response kicked in but the New Yorkers just walked on by. Trying my best to ‘blend in’ I continued walking like it was a normal occurrence but it was not a normal occurrence as I’ve never experienced that before! It does not happen in London. I’m sorry but it we must make a drama out of something so natural in many ways. Is this a reflection of the overreaction of British culture to such trivial things, or just a reflection of my dramatic self!
I’m not an Olympic athlete but I’m getting close
Emerging from doors that look like the stage door from a Broadway theatre, with biceps pumping and sweat beads creating a virtual rainstorm on the sidewalk I concluded here is a strong element on the healthy body in Upper West Side. I’d seen similar over the last five days that told me keeping fit was a serious pastime for many people around here. This is complemented by the shops that look like futuristic refill points for androids, selling overpriced smoothies that contained ‘fresh’ powders amongst the industrial fruit mix on show. With a good routine I could easily see myself falling into this lifestyle.
Goodbye Upper West Side
Through my stay here I of course did not spend all my time in Upper West Side and saw the regular tourist sites outside of the neighbourhood. As it has always been for me when I travel I want to get sense of the local life. This is what intrigues me. The sense of the local man, woman and child. From the outset I said being a tourist has a kind of narrow view but it’s so exciting to get some kind of insight, even if from the observations of a coffee morning or two. There was certainly a lot I did not see here and conversations with the locals would have opened up another chapter or two here. Maybe next time.
