The Bean

I've been spending lots of time in the Union Square area lately. The beauty of being a freelance writer is that I can work from wherever there's an Internet connection, but I usually end up working from home because it's cheaper than buying food at a café just to sit there for a few hours. Plus, I'm always guaranteed a spot at my dining room table.

Well working alone in your apartment day after day can get pretty boring so this week I've been tagging along when A. commutes to work and writing from random coffee shops instead. I'll grab breakfast and finish my morning shift just in time to meet up with him for lunch. Then I'll shift gears and work on personal projects in the afternoon. (Notice the increase in blog posts lately?) I have a hard time concentrating in total silence so the coffee shop buzz is the perfect amount of ambient noise to keep me from zoning out. Distractions still happen, but getting through my work is much easier now because I'm not busy trying to find ways to fill the silence.

If you're looking for the perfect little coffee shop near Union Square, I can't recommend The Bean highly enough. I've met a friend for a quick meet-up at the 824 Broadway location before, but yesterday was the first time I worked from there. It was love as soon as I settled into a cushioned seat by the windows. The vibe is mad chill with that right amount of buzz where there's activity all day long without getting too noisy. The music is good, but easily fades into the background and can be tapped into when you feel like paying attention to it. The space is bright and sunny, the seating is really comfy with pillows spread along the window seats, and most importantly, there's WiFi. I spent a full 8-hour workday there yesterday and took advantage of their $5 lunch special (a sandwich, chips, and a bottle of water), which is not bad at all for the area. Another bonus is that they actually know how to properly butter and toast a bagel, a skill you'd think would be easy to master, but you'd be surprised. When you find a place that does it well, you latch on. I definitely intend to do so.

What are your favorite places to work from? Right now I'm spending the rest of the afternoon on the Union Square Park lawn where there's shade from the sun, a breeze in the trees, and free Internet connection in the air. And now that this post is done, I think I'll lay back on the grass and get started on my next read. Happy Friday, everyone!