jobibu's portal

black cat les

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idk the history behind this cafe but i find myself stumbling here often for these reasons:

• closes at 10pm. late-night nyc cafes are an endangered species
• amazing cappucino. the barista has a loose wrist when it comes to the amount of espresso
• filled with younger people (hopefully not mostly college kids, i'm not that young) to motivate me

it's grimy and dim inside with an outside door that stands at the edge of the cafe. an alice in wonderland layout that feels more of a dive bar than a study spot. even worse, i keep forgetting that every thursday, at 6:30 pm, chris browns materializes through audiowaves as the cafe prepares for comedy open-mice from 7-10pm (yes, until it closes). i haven't had the privilege of staying for the occasion but the cafe overpopulates with jovial regulars and brave first-timers.

yet still, i come back here and many others do as well for the grind. the lack of seating and if seating is available, the sunken couches and narrow desks provide little comfort. yet still, i labor here for hours and many others do as well even when the barista charge tap water for 50 cents and the restroom often comes with a sink that can barely drip water. and yes, i could be in my room where i have a wider desk with a monitor alongside a tv and couch to focus.

something fatal about any type of remote work in a bedroom is that it's hard to disassociate the idea of sleeping when i'm trying to grind something out. i don't really practice the pomodoro method (25 minute worktime with breaks in-between) but it's mandatory in my bedroom. while at a cafe or any other spot, i can grind like an overdosed adderall user without a care for water but maybe an occasional smoke or restroom break (warning: hydration is more important than anything else mentioned).

and while it sucks that these open-mics do come on days that i really want to grind, i consider black cat les a haven for my knowledge and work efforts.

maybe its the really good cappunino or the idea that it closes at 10 pm or the comfort of having others beside me working hard, but i can't see a future without this place unless i somehow get the same grind in my bedroom. idk if it would be possible if i decide to live alone eventually in this huge labyrinth we all call nyc.