Ozzie's Coffee

Today was one of those days where I just didn't want to leave Brooklyn. The way my transit card works right now, is that it costs me less long term to pay per ride than to get the monthly pass. It's fine, but it has the undesired side effect that sometimes I just don't go to Manhattan unless I have an actual reason, otherwise it costs me 4 bucks to get there and back. Four bucks add up, man.

This is partly why I ended up at the coffee shop in front of our building. Literally, it's right across the street. I love Park Slope so much. I am still in full study mode for the LEED Exam. If Obama is right, most of the new construction coming up will be sustainable design, and I gotta make myself competitive as a candidate. And I trust Obama, I really do.

I have very mixed feelings about Ozzie's. I want to like it because it's a coffee shop right across the street. My parent's thought it was the greatest place when they came to visit last year. But other times I've gone, I've had super slow unfriendly service. One time I tried to work with my laption and I couldn't get the wi-fi to work. Then again, I haven't fully given it a chance because something always seemed a little off to me about it. Nate goes there on Saturday morning and picks up coffee and bagels for us. They are usually good enough. So I should like it, right? It's this weird thing where I want to like it and I want to not like it, and faction of my aesthetic subcontious are battling it out.

Stop. I'm waxing philosophical and that never leads anywhere productive.

I just want to say: I think I am an Ozzie's convert. I like the place. I had a great experience there. And I think it's an important distinction to see which types of coffee uses it can have, and what things it's just not so good at. Specially in comparison to the Tea Lounge, which from the surface was my preferred place. I feel like because I went to them back to back recently with the specific purpose of studying, I can only judge one in comparison to the other.

The thing is, Ozzie's doesn't have couches. It doesn't have that cozy vibe where you envelope yourself in indie coolness and have yerba mate to chill around. In many ways, Ozzie's is more of a utilitarian coffee shop that reminds me of an old pharmacy converted to a cafe. You know the type, it's an established prototype. It has lots of windows, and teeny tiny tables that are really best for no more than two people. The morning service is terrible, but the afternoon guys were pretty chill. Probably because they work in the afternoon, and the morning guys have to be there at 6 am, and really, who could be in a good mood when they get up so early in the morning.

The main thing I like was that I got a lot of work done. A lot. There was a utilitarian aspect to it that really vibed with my mood. Every table was full, and though people kept leaving and new ones took over their tables, I didn't feel weird for staying for over 2 hours nursing my same cup of coffee. The guys sitting closest to me was a a bit annoying, as he kept answering his phone, but not that big a deal in the grand scheme. The people were good, not pretentious, not there to see and be seen. They seemed to be there because they wanted to sit and have coffee. There were some people reading the newspaper, some reading books, a couple of people with sketchbooks, about 5 -6 students with textboks and laptops, two tables with parents and babies, and a couple of table with single people making time until their friends showed up to join them. A good diverse crowd, both in age and activity. As an urban designer, I coudln't ask for more.

Ozzie's, I owe you an apology. I though you were mediocre. Now I realize that I never gave you a chance. I was caught up by superficial BS. I never allowed myself to sit for a long time and observe you. I dismissed you because of bad bagles, and that is unforgivable. I hope you understand. I hope you take me back.

Because, really, I have soooo much LEED studying left.