A very good map to have.
(Note: I’m terrible. I’m sorry. I now have a goal of once a month and have joined a writing group. This should be doable. I hope you’re all still following!)
Date of Visit: October 9, 2012
Location: 178 N. 10th Street (between Driggs and Bedford)
Weekday Hours: 10am-6pm
Rating: 7 out of 10
Wifi: Free with a password they give you at the counter. It does go in and out quite frequently.
Music: Lots of 80s Whitney Houston. Very odd for a cafe in the middle of hipster Williamsburg.
Restroom: No, and this is where it loses points. You have to go to the bar across the street. Poor planning, if you ask me.
Food and Drink: It also loses points here. The cookies were big and soft and pretty good, but the tea was kind of terrible. It was standard Earl Gray, so I’m not sure what went wrong, but it was very meh. There is a foursquare deal of a free coffee or lemonade for your first check-in. So that’s good.
Crowdedness: Not too bad. No one sitting there when I arrived, and while people came and went during my time there, there was always a free table.
Comfort: standard kitchen-like wooden chairs, mismatched but comfortable. Some of the chairs had arm rests, which you don’t see everyday. Small tables which are impossible to share if you and a friend are both on your computer.
Staff Amiability to Linger: I suspect this place is very new, so they’re looking for patronage. They didn’t mind a bit that I stayed a couple of hours. They were also busy with the new refrigerator they had just received. An exciting endeavor indeed.
Plug Locations: A plug for every table! If that was a presidential campaign slogan you better believe I’d vote for this cafe.
Workability: I got the work I needed to get done, but that was because a) I had been working since 7am and didn’t have much more to do and b) what I did need to do was writing, and I didn’t need the internet. Having incredibly spotty internet was definitely a hindrance to sustained, continuous work.
The Little Extra: I got to work with my friend Chee, which is always a pleasure.
Of Note: A young woman overheard Chee and me discussing Foursquare and specials, and ended up signing up for it then and there. If you follow any of my other writing, you know I’m a fan of social media, and was happy to spread the love.
Overall: I always say that you need three things to work consistently in a cafe: the internet, a plug and a restroom. While the plugs were in abundance, the lack of bathroom and a consistent internet connection were worrisome. I would check them out again, if only because I chalk the internet connectivity to new business kinks that will be ironed out. However, if it continues I will not return again.
A school project we wish were real. (via DesignWorkLife)
I would be there every day if it were.
Cafe Talk whole-heartedly agrees. It’s not your office. If you don’t want to support the place you’re working, go home.
Date of Visit: May 2, 2012
Location: 139 8th Avenue (between 16th and 17th Street)
Weekday Hours: 7am-8pm
Rating: 3 out of 10
Wifi: Free, with a password.
Music: It was honestly too loud in there to hear much of the music. Even if they’re not busy.
Restroom: Sort of. They’ll sneak you through the kitchen if they’re not too busy, which is kind of cool but ultimately not, you know?
Food and Drink: Good standard fare of tea. I didn’t eat, but the food did look delicious and made with care. A lot of people came in to get lunch, as it was that time of the day.
Crowdedness: People were in and out, but very few stayed to sit.
Comfort: Not very. The tables were very small and close together. I kind of always felt in the way.
Staff Amiability to Linger: I actually didn’t linger very long, so it’s hard to say.
Plug Locations: One. High up on a wall. Not near a table. So, no.
Workability: Given that this is a blog dedicated to cafes that you can work in, I have to say Paradise Cafe does not live up to its name in that regard. But I suppose no one would patronize if it was called Inferno Cafe. It is one of the worst cafes I have tried to work in. It may be a great place to lunch or people watch, but after about 45 minutes I left for greener pastures (for me, the Tea Set).
The Little Extra: None that I could see.
Of Note: While not good for working, it is good for people watching and hanging around doing nothing.
Overall: Sometimes you need to take the time and just sit and watch people. And Paradise Cafe is perfect for that. But do not bring a computer “just in case” you want to do work. For it will not happen.
