Coffices

I do not drink coffee, but if I did, the only place I would want to go to is Starbucks. At least they have Wi-Fi.

In Manhatta: Whole Foods upstairs, at Houston makes an amazing coffice!

@Uraniumfish: My girlfriend told me she goes to Food Emporium. They have a nice coffice upstairs. At least I believe that was the store she said.

@Uraniumfish The Starbucks in Park Slope is actually kind of an awesome coffice.... I was actually sitting in it when I posted this topic. Does Whole Foods have wifi....?

@NeverSleeps Pretty sure it does, yes. At least, I've seen people working on laptops so figured they do, though I can't verify that. I guess if they wanted it from turning into a coffice they could just block the wifi...

@NeverSleeps I have never yet ventured out into a Coffice but in my neighborhood of the Upper East Side only Caffe Noi on 76th and Second offers free Wi-Fi. M.Rohrs Fine teas and Coffees is a historic little coffee place on 86ths street between Second and Third but their attitude leaves much to be desired and they charge for Wi-Fi. My husband and I were kicked out from here once and we have never been back. A search on Yelp reveals many others have also had the same experience-http://www.yelp.com/biz/m-rohrs-house-of-fine-teas-and-coffees-new-york#query:wifi%20cafe. So for me it will be my nearest Starbuck's unless I decide to invest in a dongle and be free of the tyranny of coffee shops.

@uptowngirl It's crazy how many places below 14th St and in Brooklyn offer wifi - I thought all coffee shops in Manhattan had free wifi!

@NeverSleeps You would think that would be the case what in this world of smartphones, iPads and what-nots but the cafe owners of the UES have to get it ..they like hotels want to extract their pound of flesh.

I love Joe on Waverly and Sixth. If you are interested in a "barfice" Daddy-o has wi fi too . . which I use when I want to get my beer on during work time.

@JenMac Had to laugh - 'barfice' sounds closer to 'barf' than to 'office.'

@Uraniumfish You said it!

@uptowngirl That's really unfortunate. Maybe the UES just doesn't attract the same sort of laptop crowd and coffee shops don't feel the need to cater to such people?

@JenMac It seems like every bar in my neighborhood (Park Slope) has wifi as well. You might be on to something with this barfice thing.

My local takeouts and diners don't have wifi - although both are so crowded I imagine they wouldn't want to encourage people staying for ages...Probably better though. It's nice to go somewhere with just a good book!

@NeverSleeps I think its a bit silly in this age of iPads etc not to offer free wiffi in your establishment but then who is to argue with these cafe owners. I am sure they have routers et al in their back offices but just dont want to extend the services to their customers. Not that it is such a great additional expense in any case. I haven't really noticed / or checked for wifi at bars on the UES though

Blue Marble back in Boerum Hill even had wifi! There was this one miserably hot day last summer when my internet was down and I really really had to get some work done. And I spent a marvelous afternoon at Blue Marble, in that wonderful cool air conditioning, getting it done! And with ice cream besides! And why did I end up at Blue Marble in the first place? Because the stupid cafe closest to my place had an anti-wifi policy - jerks!

@Uraniumfish I LOVE Blue Marble. But I think we've had this convo before... I tried that Van Leeuwen place on someone's suggestion and I don't love it as much as Blue Marble. Not that it isn't amazing... just not creamy enough or something.

@JenMac I have been contemplating switching from coffices to barfices - not that either of those two words were in my vernacular before reading these forum postings.

@everyone Re: the original posting: I completely disagree with just about all of that blogger's suggestions. Archive in Bushwick was a decent space and it was always filled with laptops but I thought the baristas were the worst kind of snotty hipsters. The worst! And I LOVE Boulevard cafe - their food is decent and fresh and I do not agree that their ambiance is lacking at all; they have a lot of cool photo local artist photo showcases. Plus everyone who works there is awesome and friendly. I think Cafe Grumpy in Greenpoint deserves better scores, and I hate that Root Hill Cafe place in South Slope, not because the people aren't cool - it's just small and overpriced and the food could be better. Obviously I should have written that posting - seeing how I am the coffice professional over here.

My fav coffice is Four and Twenty Blackbirds - it's a pie shop, but it's one of those places that really caters to the lap top crowds. The pie is kind of expensive - $4.75 for a slice or something - but so good. Plus it's a short walk for me, which is the best quality to look for in a coffice if you ask me.

@Everyone can you seriously work in a coffice/barfice? I would be totally distracted I think..

@uptowngirl I am always distracted it seems. If I'm at home I can't wait to see what's on TV or read one of the magazines/books piled all around me. If I'm out and about I can't help but check out whoever is hanging out around me. No wins, I tell you!

@NeverSleeps Glad to know that I am not the only one with a tiny attention span though I am also a great procrastinator!

I think I actually work better when I'm not at home. For some reason I feel a strange pressure to get things done when I'm not here. Or maybe it's just that actually leaving home makes me feel more purposeful.

I could never work in public, but I do like the idea of working someplace other than my apartment. Perhaps soon I can look into getting a small office share somewhere.

@Uraniumfish Doesn't it get monotonous always being at home? I admit I am home working more often than not, but I do really enjoy not being here all the freakin' time.

@JenMac That's a good point.. I NEVER go on Facebook when I'm in public. That would be so indecent. I'm also less likely to add to my library via Amazon.

@BroadwayBK, JenMac I am like Uraniumfish I work better @home

@JenMac. That's a good point. When I'm home I end up watching television episodes and surfing/faffing about on the web instead of working. I find a cafe, even one with wifi, motivates me to work harder!

There is something about being around other people who seem to be working as well that helps, I think. I am okay at working in public, but I prefer to do my reading at home. I don't see how people can sit in a coffee shop and read when music is blaring overhead and they are surrounded by chit chatting people.

Since the move, it's easy for me NOT to find working at home monotonous, since I can just walk downstairs if I want instant action and variety.

I find people fascinating so it's hard for me to look at a computer screen in public because I inevitably end up people-watching instead.

I am just getting to doing some work after spending all afternoon playing wii. This is what I'm talking about!

@Everybody: Despite the fact, I work at home, I do have clients who come to NY and want to see me. When that happens, the only place they seem to want to meet me at is Starbucks.

@Uraniumfish you and I are alike in that respect I do love people watching and hence would be useless at work outside home.