Over Thanksgiving break, in Brooklyn, I experienced the third place in its authentic form. It is real. The show Cheers reflects the lived experience of some of my friends. How can we all work to craft these spaces?
The closest I have come is Busboys and Poets. Busboys has given me the opportunity to have conversations that I would not have otherwise been able to be a part of. I have heard from experts on Gaza, Black Lives Matter, Cuba, and activism, as well as authors, musicians, poets and more. In addition to the featured speaker, there are also community conversations - it is the closest I have to a town hall. The best part - almost all of it is free! And I can work there. There are outlets and low pressure. It genuinely feels like a place that is meant to be more experience than commerce. I am so grateful that the same is true for The Coupe. When I have a lot of work to do outside of my work hours, a "third place" that is not home or school makes a big difference. The fact that my homes away from home have delicious food and drink is a bonus!
I also have a "Politics and Prose is my happy place" card up on my refrigerator. They should be paying me for that expression because I've been saying it for years. Although its limited seating and wifi have made it harder to work there, the book talks I attend and the friendly staff make it a place that I go to when I just want to feel my blood pressure drop and my joy rise. And the bonus with them is that their iced mocha will forever be a taste of heaven for me.
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