The First of Many Coffee Entries...

To whom it may concern-

It all started in Austin, TX when I decided that I was going to be super snobby and write about every coffee shop that I attended during my visit... Then I thought, why don't I do that all the time? This project is full of all the things that I love... Coffee... Writing... Blogs... Snobbery... All the things. So here goes my first entry here. I will also link my previous blog post about all of the Austin coffee shops here: http://kittensandpuppiesandrainbows.blogspot.com/2015/04/austin-coffee-tour.html?m=1

I used to use the "cappuccino metric" to judge different coffee shops, but I am just as much a fan of a latte, so I am going to use the "latte metric" this time around!

Friday, October 23, 2015-

Birch -- (New York, NY)

http://moimnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/moim_BirchCoffee_1.jpg

Photo by: Sydney Ippolito

The Latte: I am such a fan of Birch. I think that it's my favorite coffee shop in the city so far. It's affordable and it's just brilliant. The milk is always expertly steamed and the shots are pulled to perfection. The espresso has a light and nutty taste which pairs well with any types of milk. AND for those non-dairy folk they have Soy milk and Hemp milk options.

The Wifi: So, let's talk about this awesome download speed. Amazing. Also, the way that they encourage people to leave and not just sit here for hours (ahem... sorry) is that they have to ask for a new Wifi code every hour. Most codes consist of an 8 digit code that is different every time. It's pretty great. So, if you're going for hours... be ready to ask for another wifi password however many hours you're there.

The Aesthetic: All the Birch locations are very "homey" feeling. If I want to sit and chill, I go to the one at 96th street and Columbus Avenue or the 7th avenue and 13th street location. But, if I just want a quick cup of coffee, then I will run into the 62nd Street and Lexington Ave location. There are lots of dark wood tones and it's filled with books. They have a cute tipping poll where there are two tip jars where there are two answers to a poll question that they posted. It's pretty great. They also have "Let's start a conversation" prompt at the 96th street location where someone get's a table and a question that encourages people to approach them. It's a very interesting concept.

Overview: I love Birch. It's one of my favorite coffee shops for sure.

-Sydney the Destroyer