Iced Coffee

With the weather warming up, I've started waking up yearning for a fresh iced coffee. Flavorful and refreshing, I can't think of a better accompaniment to my commute. Of course, when I'm in Rye I'm rushing out the door to catch the train and never have time to drive into town. In the city, I've been on the hunt for the best place. Dunkin Donuts, Pax, and Starbucks are all within a block of Wright's apartment, so I've been testing them, but blah blah blah, none are quite quenching my thirst. There's also a coffee shop right at Hunter College, my subway stop, that I tested a few times. The location was ideal, but the coffee was heavy and unappealing. I gave up after two tries.

On Monday, I wandered into a coffee shop that a friend recommended to me. She used to live in the neighborhood I work in, so she understood my plight and told me about this place. It is quaint inside, and smells delicious. There are fresh pastries and salads, and everyone sort of tends to themselves, getting coffee or reading. There are tables outside. It's off of Madison, so I hadn't walked by it before, and was taken by its charm. I went in and ordered an iced coffee. It was $3.25.

I was sort of taken aback - that is a dollar more than Starbucks even. And it wasn't a latte or anything, just regular coffee. But, at this point, I had it in my hand so I paid up and shrugged. Moments like this happen often up here - you think you've found a "hidden gem" but then remember that you are on the Upper East Side, so there is no such thing as hidden gem prices.

I walked out feeling dismayed - my search would have to continue! - but then took a sip of my coffee and stopped dead in my tracks. It was the most delicious coffee I had ever tasted. It was fresh, crisp, flavorful, and light. Literally ten times better than any iced coffee I'd been testing the last couple of weeks. Well, I thought, maybe this can be a special treat. I certainly can't drink an upwards of $3 coffee every single morning.

I caved. It was just so good! I've gone three mornings in a row. I even ordered a croissant (It was also $3.25...) and it was buttery and flaky and amazing. Ugh, disaster! But just such a wonderful disaster. I keep making up excuses - a sunny day means I'm allowed to go. I can also go if I'm early for work. And if I have a headache and really need one. And any other reason I can ever think of.



Sometimes, its the little things that make you happy. I am so happy about this wonderful coffee that I'm overlooking the price and even writing an entire (boring?) blog post about it! Ahh, working world.