Too old and too young.

That was me and my son yesterday at Think Coffee in the heart of NYU near Washington Square.

And I am only 31 years old (for whatever that means). But aside from someone’s parent who was visiting their daughter, I was by at least a US presidential term the oldest person in there. Easy. No one in that café saw any of the original Star Wars trilogy in the theater during its initial run. MTV was already an institution by the time they were born.

Ok, the moment of shock is over.

Think Coffee is a damn cool place, do not get me wrong.

And it is another café well designed, perfectly fitting its location. It is much larger than I expected. Seems like a great place to study, or to chat in order to avoid studying. Lots of desks and lighting for laptops. Mezzanine seating. Even an espresso bar. Posting board for tutors and acting lessons.

Oh yeah, they also serve up a good espresso. Fair Trade coffee.

Plus, they donate 25% of their profits to local charities. Awesome. That’s the way a business should be run.

Address

Think Coffee – 248 Mercer Street, New York between 3rd and 4th Streets. RW Trains at 8th Street. 6 Train at Bleecker Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg - Marilu

Wow!

La Colombe Torrefaction in Tribeca is finely designed.

Fantastic espresso. Great location. Cool ambience. Beautiful interior. Plenty of space, yet still has quite a buzz about it, due to the loft-like ceilings and contemporary crowd.

It is a café that knows what it wants, knows what it is and then just is.

Truly beautiful to experience. From the music to the chairs to the rich color of wood floors to the art chosen to the small espresso bar, La Colombe is wonderfully designed. Everything complements and belongs together.

My son and I met one of our designers, Sengthe, who is working on a film project in New York before heading back to France. And he also enjoyed it.

For the first espresso, my son was just a joy. Smiling and playing. But as the time, and desire, for another espresso came, he was ready to check out the neighborhood. VERY READY!!!

It works out well that we had to leave early. Because not only did La Colombe make a fantastic first impression, but it is always desirable to leave the clientele wanting more.

Address

La Colombe Torrefaction – 319 Church Street, New York at Lispenard Street, one block south of Canal Street. NQRW, ACE, JMZ, 1, 6 Trains at Canal Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Initials B.B.

Within a couple block stretch on Lexington Avenue is a little sweet spot of cafes to be visited.

The first of which my son and I enjoyed yesterday.

Corrado Bread & Pastry Café.

Simple. Comfortable ambience.

Plus, they also have sidewalk seating, which, on a gorgeous day like yesterday in such a beautiful neighborhood, was completely packed. We had to wander up and down Lexington a couple of times before there was an open table.

With less favorable weather, I imagine that Corrado becomes quite quaint as there are just a handful of indoor seats.

Good espresso. They also use Danesi coffee, a good choice. And tantalizing pastries. I only tried the pecan bar, but would love to try some of the others that are captured in the video.

There’s at least one other location in the city that I am now excited about us visiting.

Address

Corrado Bread & Pastry Café – 960 Lexington Avenue, New York at East 70th Street. 6 Train at East 68th Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Comic Strip

Gramercy Park is one of the underrated areas of Manhattan. Everyone knows about the far West Village. It’s beautiful, it’s classy, it’s quiet, and it’s 1 step away from the buzz provided by the Avenue thoroughways of 6th,7th and 8th.

Gramercy has those same qualities. Just slightly more understated. It is smaller, and yes, it is on the East Side which has the reputation of being quieter. Ok, so it is quieter. But I still love east and west!

Just a couple of minutes from the manic Union Square and Flatiron, Gramercy is a calm force.

This is exuded by 71 Irving Place Coffee & Tea Bar, which I have wanted to visit for years. But trying to grab a table on a Saturday afternoon is quite a challenge. Now that I have gotten out of the 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday lifestyle, somehow some opportunities have opened up.

While still full, 71 Irving place had some open seats on a Friday mid-afternoon for myself, my son and web designer - InnerGraphics. Ah, the beauties of fatherhood!

So chill, so relaxed, so comfortable. And there is a small terrace in front if the weather is nice and you’re fortunate enough to grab one of the two tables.

71 Irving Place, you were worth the wait.

Address

71 Irving Place – 71 Irving Place, New York between East 18th and East 19th Streets. at West 105th Street. 456LNQRW Trains at Union Square.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Sous le soleil exactement

Web Designer

Inner Graphics

There’s a hot spot on the upper Upper West Side. It is called Silver Moon Bakery.

My son and I walked by on a Saturday afternoon to see it absolutely packed. So I decided to make a mid-week visit to see what the crowds were for, and yet still be able to enjoy ourselves.

Plenty of outdoor seating (they need it for summer weekends) and a buzzing location in general. It benefits from the bending of Broadway to get plenty of foot traffic through the area.

The macchiato was large, which was a surprise; decent croissant. Comfortable service. Just do not stay too long, as indicated by signs around the café.

The people-watching is fantastic. Silver Moon is also kid-friendly, as evidenced by every other table having either a baby or a baby on the way.

Cool place, I just hope that they do not confuse their Qs (quality and quantity).

If you are uptown and need a refresher, check out Silver Moon Bakery.

Address

Silver Moon Bakery - 2740 Broadway, New York at West 105th Street. 1 Train at 103rd Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Black and White

Talk about unexpected and a fresh idea.

How about a Cali-style-quasi-In-n-Out-Burger-looks-like-a-taco-stand espresso bar in the heart of Manhattan?!

Welcome to Gilileo Espresso Bar on the Upper West Side.

There is no indoor seating, as the entire café is outdoors. You walk up to the window/counter to place your order, and then you can enjoy your café/snack in the covered bar and seating area. And somehow there is that air of New York style and sophistication; not entirely laid back Cali-style.

I’m curious to see what it looks like in the winter. But the idea definitely surprised me; the type of creativity that is invigorating to see here in NYC.

My son must be going through a growth spurt that is making him heavier by the minute and also quite tired, as shown in the video. His nap gave me a few minutes to take advantage of the location and sidewalk seating.

Now if only they could raise the bar a bit with the espresso, Galileo could be an absolute gem.

Address

Gilileo Espresso Bar – 176 West 94th Street, New York at Amsterdam Avenue. 123 Trains at 96th Street. Or, BC Trains at 96th Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Black and White

We made our first café jaunt through Chelsea yesterday to visit Café Grumpy on a quiet street just off of the incredibly unquiet 7th Avenue.

I love their logo.

They also have a quirky name, as the word ‘grumpy’ made me think my son and I would be visiting a coffee house/diner where I would have to explain to the waitress (not barista) what an espresso is. The internet reviews I read before hand re-assured me, promising one of the best espressos in the city.

The atmosphere and service were quite pleasant; thus turning the name, Café Grumpy, into a fun and stylish part of the experience.

The café is mellow chic, with a soft and light décor. Generous use of space for the tables.

And the espresso was a treat, putting it in the class of specialty espresso bars in the city.

Check the video out : Is that an impression of Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ in the crema of my espresso?

If you’re grumpy then visit Café Grumpy to help sort yourself out.

Address

Café Grumpy - 224 West 20th Street, New York between 7th & 8th Avenues. 1 Train at 18th Street. CE Trains at 23rd Street. FV Trains at 23rd Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Chatterton

For a piece of peace in the middle of hectic shoppers running to and from, there is Mon Petit Café near Bloomingdale’s on the lower Upper East Side.

Every time I walk by during the summer, I just want to sit down at the sidewalk café and watch the world go by for a few minutes.

We finally did it. And it is really a pleasant experience amongst the hustle and bustle. Even more so, when my son is in a playful mood, enjoying the atmosphere.

Mon Petit Café is better known as an excellent restaurant serving French cuisine. But with its location and sidewalk seating, a late afternoon café in between the lunch and dinner rushes will allow you to enjoy the here and now of life.

Address

Mon Petit Café – 801 Lexington Avenue, New York. At 62nd Street. 456 Trains at 59th Street.

Music

Serge Gainsbourg – Bonnie and Clyde