81st and York (New York)

Lots of cuties in here today but that is not my focus. My focus, as usual, is more on the human aspect of what is happening to us as a society. You get your "normal" people like the sweet woman with the cute kid that asked me if I prefer my blackberry to the iphone and had a regular, polite conversation as some people still do and then you get the woman that I asked about my hot chocolate when I couldn't hear the barista who was too self-involved to even stop her phone conversation and respond to me. Instead she just motioned, "I don't know". I'm not surprised that she didn't know what anyone else around her was saying or doing because she was, as many of us are these days, very engrossed in our own worlds and oblivious to others. Children are given somewhat of a pass but there was a child that was clearly old enough to know better hanging out with his friends that raced to the front of the room and nearly knocked over a disabled woman. Now, granted, he's a kid but give him 5 or 10 years.

81st and York (New York)

As is the pattern on a Saturday evening, the place was crawling with cuties. I didn't stay long but (in the time I was there) the view was lovely.

84th and 3rd (New York)

Busy as always but still one of the friendliest sites in town. A fellow patron actually handed me a tray to carry my coffee back to my group with and a completely different person came after me to bring me straws for our iced tea. And they say New Yorkers aren't friendly!
:-)

84th and 3rd (New York)

Definitely the friendliest of all the Starbucks (probably because of the size). Total strangers are forced to sit together at just about every table but it forces people to socialize with others that they may not otherwise speak to. It actually has a very homey feel to it.

General

Jam packed as always. I guess as the weather grows colder people look for someplace warm to hang out and grab a warm pumpkin spice latte (gag) to pass the time (so much so that you have to share a table). I guess that can be nice if you are sharing a table with a handsome stranger but on the Upper East Side it is more likely that you are sharing a table with a whiny socialite so you may want to bring your ipod just in case :-)

81st and York (New York)

It was insanely loud in there today. I couldn't hear myself think much less type. There was a cluster of good looking guys speaking in Russian. I'm not sure but, at one point, I think I could decipher one of them complaining about his wife and kids so...'nuff said.

General

Is it me or are Starbucks everywhere just overflowing with people? It is already shaping up to be a cold winter in New York so I hope they are planning on stocking up on salt for their salted caramel hot chocolate because I can't get enough of it!

81st and York (New York)

Lots of familiar faces here (as always) but not my favorite. I have not seen my favorite patron here in a while. Tall, dark and handsome must be making his coffee at home these days :-(

81st and York (New York)

I've been a little focused on my own thing today but I caught a glimpse of several good looking people stepping in and out of here tonight. I spent several hours here tonight working on my computer and the scenery has changed several times over. I guess I'm falling victim to what everyone else does too - putting my nose in my laptop or blackberry and leaving it there (and forgetting there are actually other people in the room). Bad habit.

General

Tons of Starbucks all over New York were packed today. Now that the Yankees are out of the Championships, the crowds are back in the coffee houses. See girls, I told you!

81st and York (New York)

Seriously, do something about the music. It is Saturday night and everyone in here is under 80 - we could liven things up a bit!

Sidebar - I've been trying not to mention this but the women that work in this particular Starbucks are so incredibly rude that I'm starting to think it is a prerequisite to work at this branch if you are female. You're giving us all a bad name - lighten up!

84th and 3rd (New York)

Pretty empty here last night but an ecectic crowd as always at this Starbucks-it is worth the trip just for the variety.

General

Well now I know somebody has been reading (even if they deny it) because look at what I found on yahoo today - an entire article that highlights everything I have been saying in my blog. Take a look for yourself (it is still sound advice).

http://yahoo.match.com/y/article.aspx?articleid=5763&TrackingID=526103&BannerID=706377

81st and York (New York)

For a Saturday night, everyone is looking very serious in here tonight. A couple of cute guys (the few non-sports fans in New York) but everyone was very busy.

General

Where have all the cute guys gone? Maybe it is because of the current sports trifecta but Starbucks around the city are bare (at least when it comes to eligible men). They must be watching the various game(s) at your local watering hole instead. Ladies - keep the faith. They'll be back!

81st and York (New York)

More crowded than usual today - I guess a lot of people have today off for Columbus Day. It is, however, a mystery to me why they are staying here in light of the music selection. It is a miracle we're not all in a coma. It was getting better for a while. I'm not sure what happened.

81st and York (New York)

Only one cute guy in here tonight and he is super sweet (probably because he is from out of town). He is going out of his way to talk to everyone and be friendly. I am a die-hard New Yorker (born and raised). I would never knock New York - it is the greatest city on earth in my opinion but we are not known for chatting up our neighbors. This poor kid looks so out of place that I had to talk to him. We could all take a lesson from him. Instead of people looking at him like he has 2 heads, maybe you could say hello back. New Yorkers - it won't kill you.

81st and York (New York)

So much sweetness, so little time. Speaking of sweetness, you have to try the salted caramel hot chocolate. Sounds strange, I know, but it is like having a chocolate covered pretzel.

Still, my favorite sweetie is not here tonight but the place is filled with handsome, polite guys all offering to give up their seats. If you're in the neighborhood, you may want to stop by...

81st and York (New York)

I think I just witnessed a love connection! A very cute couple just met up on, what appears to be, a blind date. Good luck - they look nice together :-)

81st and York (New York)

I choose to believe that this means someone has actually been paying attention: As is typical on any given Saturday, there were no seats in Starbucks and a very nice, handsome man invited me to sit with him. Maybe there is hope for the human race yet! And the most shocking part, we didn't spend the whole time with our noses in our laptops or listening to our ipods!

General

It is official - Starbucks is taking over the world! I just bought a new Blackberry Torch and there's a Starbucks app already installed on it. Starbucks - there's an app for that.

81st and York (New York)

Definitely not the most happening of the Starbucks scenes but they are slowly trying to improve their music selections. PLEASE! We need some fresh faces and tunes that aren't stuck in the 1940's.

81st and York (New York)

God this place is boring tonight. I guess it must be all that "must-see" Thursday night TV that has people hibernating for the Fall. The most exciting thing happening here tonight is the rude woman reading over my shoulder - busted!!! Yeah, that's rude.

84th and 3rd (New York)

Kinda small but the music alone is well worth it! Old school jams and tons of hot guys doing everything from chillin' to the tunes to tutoring kids. Ya gotta love it here.

General-To Protect the Innocent

A very famous TV actor was hanging out at one of my favorite Starbucks sites last night. Both he and the Starbucks shall remain nameless to protect the innocent but he was very cool and people tried to respect his privacy until a kid asked for his autograph. He was very sweet about it and super nice. The moral of the story is, you never know who you may end up sitting across from in your local New York Starbucks but everyone (even the famous) has a right to privacy, some free wifi and a good cup a joe.

81st and 2nd (New York)

The second floor really is where all the cool people are hanging out. Once I went upstairs, it opened up a whole new world for me. If they had a few more outlets to plug in your laptop and a designated coffee bar for the second floor it would be Starbucks nirvana.

81st Street and 2nd Ave (New York)

All the times I've come here, I just found out today that they have a whole second level. The only reason I found out is because that is where the outlets are. The same nice baristas are here as usual - and I thought I was a workaholic.
I must admit, this one is a bit too tame for me. Not much going on and the music is making me want to take a nap but, again, the people that work here are all super-nice. So, if you're sick of going into a store in Manhattan and the people behind the counter grunt at you or don't even look up, this is a breath of fresh air.

81st and York (New York)

The place certainly was jumping on Monday morning. The same old reliables are always there including the guy I shared a table with the other day. It is always so packed you're almost forced to make friends even if it is just for lack of space. Friendships have started over less..

I see everybody in Starbucks reading on these and they are the coolest things. I gotta get one!

81st and York (New York)

A lot of cute single guys of all ages, shapes, and sizes sitting around tonight. Some with long hair, makeup nailpolish and more accessories than I am wearing. Now, that is just not for me. Not that there is anything wrong with that (to quote Seinfeld), it's just not my cup of tea. But, hey, if you're into guys with lots of eyeliner that look like they've been hit a few too many times by the bedazzler, this is the place for you tonight.
A lot of people were sitting outside taking in the last of the warm summer air and THIS time I caught a girl picking her nose. I cannot stress this point enough-regardless of your gender, picking your nose in public is never cool. Please refrain!

81st and 2nd (New York)

I was in there earlier and what's strange about this place is that the stools are all lined up in an "L" shape facing out the windows. When you walk by on the street, you can feel the row of guys leering at you over their laptops. The good thing is, you know what you're getting yourself into before you walk through the doors.

I have to maintain that my favorite thing about this Starbucks is the polite and friendly guys behind the counter.

General

Its an interesting evening in Starbucks. Started out promising - 3 very cute guys all sitting alone. Problem - one was talking (or rather, singing) to himself, the other was completely in love with himself and the third...oh the third. Well, all I can say is let me give a word to the wise...it is never okay to pick your nose in public. It doesn't matter how cute you are, that is just never sexy.

81st and York (New York)

I gotta be honest - it's a little bit of a freak show in here today. Is it a full moon? I think it stems from the music they play in this particular Starbucks. It seems to set the tone. That's nothing personal because I come here too so who am I to talk? :-)

Mystery Site - Manhattan

A lot of U.S. Open fans in here tonight (I can tell by the caps and T-shirts). They must be loading up on caffeine because it looks like it is going to be a long night for the U.S. Open - we still have hours to go. I guess everyone here is just killing time and getting wired to stay awake.

81st and York (New York)

Pretty low key today. A lot of different people just chillin' in Starbucks on Labor Day. People from all walks of life seem to be looking to relax before having to go back to work tomorrow after the long weekend.

I couldn't help but notice one nice guy in a black tee reach over to grab a straw, smile at me and actually say hello. With 132 views this week, could it be that he is a reader? You never know. Maybe he read my post from the other day and decided to be one of the few people to take a chance and actually speak. Needless to say, I smiled back and said hello. If we each do this every time we go in for our daily cup of Joe, we may actually become a society of people that actually communicates! Imagine the possibilities... :-)

General

This blog has had 78 views so far. Viewers have been from all over the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Spain, France, the U.K., the Philippines, Portugal and Romania. My goal is to see if these concepts are universal. I know Starbucks is but are people and cultures the same in every Starbucks around the world? You would know - you're from all over the world!!! Post your comments and let readers know if we're all the same from New York to New Zealand.

81st and York (New York)

This Starbucks is always packed. The same cute guys seem to be consistent there so I guess, if you're interested in one of them, they are likely to be there on a regular. But, if you like variety, you might want to check out the one on 85th and 1st (and there's a movie theater next door so, if you hit it off, you could transition right into your first date). Good luck!

81st Street and York (New York)

I know dating websites are all the rage but what happened to smiling at someone across the room, saying hello, engaging in some polite conversation and maybe having a cup of coffee?

81st and 2nd (New York)

The most endearing aspect of this particular Starbucks tonight were the two sweeties working the counter. Definitely worth the trip in to meet these two uber friendly baristas.

86th Street and Lexington (New York)

Lots of traffic in here today. Cute guys in and out. Particularly friendly today. Unfortunately, the one sharing a table with me is on the phone with his fiancee making his wedding plans.
Note to the guy on line with the red shirt at around 6:45pm with the glasses (if you're reading) - you're a cutie!

Starbucks 86th Street

Not that Starbucks is meant to be a pickup joint (although it beats your local bar or club) but anyone who has visited one lately can tell you the coffee isn't the only thing that's hot.  There are some pretty good looking guys spending their afternoons in your friendly neighborhood Starbucks and, for the most part, they don't seem like slouches.  Take the guy with the brown hair typing on his laptop or the blonde in the baseball cap talking about his new play. 
The one thing I've noticed is that there is a lot of staring and smiling going on but not a lot of talking.  If you see a Starbucks Sweetie that you want to talk to, maybe you should post about it.  Who knows?  He might be noticing you too.  You might actually get a conversation going.