Need a good study cafe...

anonymous

I am a physical therapy grad student just moving to the nabe, and I need a place where I can study. I've been living in Clinton Hill and studying at Tillie's for a while -- wouldn't have passed physics without it. Now I need to find a place in PH where I can sit with a cup of coffee and my books for about two hours without making anybody unhappy. Any ideas?

captain m

You cant have coffee unless you sneak it but the Grand Army Library is decent upstairs.

sje

Le Gamin on Vanderbilt is awesome for this, they have great, strong coffee, and also wireless access, if you need it. Welcome to the 'hood!

carnivore

Thanks for bringing this up, Jennybat, and for the good answer sje.

I've been looking for something similar. The GAP Library does have a coffee area on the ground floor, but it is suboptimal for studying. Prospect Perk (Flatbush and Sterling) doesn't have enough seats, although it otherwise seems ok.

Has anyone tried Half (on Vanderbilt) during the day for this? They have coffee, and (I've heard) wireless access.

I'm definitely going to try Le Gamin next time I need to work on a manuscript.

anonymous

i have definitely seen people using computers at Half, but not sure if they were wirelessly connected or not. the outside area looks like a nice place to study.

anonymous

Subject: Half

Half on Vanderbilt Avenue definitely has Wi-Fi connection and serves coffee and lunch during the day.

anonymous

Subject: Hours & hours...

Thanks, everybody! Any idea how Half, Le Gamin and Prospect Perk are with extended lingering? I often need to stay for at least two hours in order to get good studying in. Tillie's has been so fantastic for this, I'm going to miss it.

Ironically, one of the only other places I have found that has been okay with that long of a study session has been Starbucks, which I absolutely hate. But in a pinch, they don't blink an eye at a two-hour stay. But they play terrible music, and they're Starbucks, so I'd really rather not go that route ever.

amyg

I doubt very much that Half or LeGamin would have any problem with it. Prospect Perk has very limited seating though so that might be a different story -- though they're very nice there.

sje

Le Gamin hs no problem with it whatsoever, and the staff is awesome.

dailyheights

Half has "free" wireless, but they have it with a company that makes you sign up with a username/password. I don't mind that, but their added layer of "protection" may cause problems: I had to call tech support, and mess around with IP configuration settings, release, renew, reboot, etc. By the time I got it all sorted, I was halfway through lunch anyway.

Usually these free wireless thingies "just work" and suddenly you're connected... not for me at Half. The sandwich was great, though.

rhodamine

Subject: Re: Hours & hours...

jennybat wrote: But they play terrible music, and they're Starbucks, so I'd really rather not go that route ever.

hahaha. this morning, i was in the corner bodega up on washington getting a cup of coffee. some hipster waiting behind me in line said "dude, is there like a Starbucks around here or something?"

everyone just laughed and shook their heads.

anonymous

Speaking of coffee joints, does anybody know what the deal is with the storefront on Flatbush near Park Pl. that has a sign saying something like "Coming soon: Heights Coffee Lounge"? And is this an homage to DailyHeights?

rita

half also has the garden in the back. i can't imagine extended lingering would be a problem there during the day, since they seem to have only one person running the whole place. the music might not be conducive to studying tho.

anonymous

Subject: music

The problem with Starbucks' music for me is not necessarily its terribleness, just its...starbucksiness. As long as it doesn't feel like it was programmed by a computer to make a 25-32 demographic feel like buying coffeebeans, I'm fine with music to study by.

anonymous

I feel awkward setting up shop and half cause it's so small. I usually leave the hood and go to the Tea Lounge on Union St.

anonymous

tea lounge on union...i went there to study one rainy afternoon and it was like a daycare center. i couldn't concentrate, instead i ended up counting strollers and nannies. 17 strollers (not kiddin') and 8 nannies. children running all around, climbing furniture. it sparked the entrepanuer (can't spell) in me...shouldn't there be an indoor playground for all the chitlins in the area...so we adults can read in peace during the winter and rainy daze...? anyone got an extra hundy grand to donate? it would be a smash!

daveb

Subject: Re: Need a good study cafe...

Jennybat wrote: I am a physical therapy grad student just moving to the nabe, and I need a place where I can study. I've been living in Clinton Hill and studying at Tillie's for a while -- wouldn't have passed physics without it. Now I need to find a place in PH where I can sit with a cup of coffee and my books for about two hours without making anybody unhappy. Any ideas?

I can vouch that IMHO, the new coffeehouse on Flatbush, next to Geido has the best cup of coffee in the neighborhood. Everywhere else seems really weak, especially Prospect Perk. The have internet and a moderate amount of room. The only complaint was that the music was playing a bit loud for my taste, but that may have been just a solitary occurance.