Cafe Grumpy Pink Saturday

By popular demand, CoffeeGirl, aka Buttercup, is back to writing about coffee. It's been a long hiatus in Buttercupland, though I've kept up in InstagramLand @buttercupnyc. But I wanted to do a little more than one photograph and fifty words, so I've returned with a visit to Cafe Grumpy in Chelsea. I picked a rainy Tuesday for my coffee excursion and it was a great place to while away a dreary late morning in January.

For my reentry to coffee reviews I chose the neighborhood -- Chelsea -- because I hadn't been there in awhile and I knew there were fun coffee places to visit. I googled "best coffee in Chelsea" and the name, Café Grumpy, caught my eye. It was in close proximity to my subway -- important on a rainy and cold day -- and it turned out to be anything but grumpy. It was cheerful enough for  Pink Saturday.

 

Café Grumpy is actually four independently owned cafes/bakeries and a roaster in Brooklyn and they serve a great cup of coffee. My choice, iced coffee from Colombian beans, is not listed here, but it was excellent. I plan a return visit to try the Kenyan coffee, with its tasting notes of Big Cherry, Black Currant, Clove and Grapefruit. The pastries looked delicious, but as I am still Pastry Abstinent, I only looked and drooled.

Café Grumpy has some of the best packaging of any store I've seen lately and I was captivated -- lots of photographs -- by the coffee bags and the mugs. Since I recently sorted through my vast mug collection, I abstained here, too, but it was a challenge.
 

 

As long I was literally just a few blocks away I paid a visit to St. Peter's Church Chelsea. It stands on land donated by Clement Clarke Moore in the 1830s. Clement Moore gave us one of the most notable Christmas poems, "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Hence St. Peter's is also known as the Christmas Church.

As an update to my journey of 1,000 miles I am happy to report I am right on track for January. I've walked 67.1 miles and I'm hoping to complete 85 miles by the end of the month. So far the weather has been very cooperative for walking out of doors and I am most grateful.

As ever, thanks for visiting. Friends in Georgia, prayers for safety from the tornados in the area. Dear friends, keep safe and take care!

 

 

L Is for Lincoln Center

My subway stop when going to the gym. For the great majority of people who get off here, it's the gateway to fabulous music, dance and drama at Lincoln Center.

 

 The Lincoln Center complex. The Metropolitan Opera is on the right.

 



Dante overlooks one of my favorite green spots in New York City. It's a block from the gym, near my bus stop and the subway and the perfect place to drink coffee from Epicerie Boulud. 

Epicerie Boulud is part of chef Daniel Boulud's restaurant empire. It's a take-out (primarily) and there are no seats insides, just a bar to stand at. One more reason the tables across the street are so inviting. On a personal note, it's a block from my gym and I pass it at least twice a week. I had a fabulous birthday lunch at its sister restaurant, Bar Boulud, next door (thanks, again, A and N), but I rarely stop here. It's a little pricier than even most expensive places in the neighborhood and I had a somewhat disappointing latte here in the last year. But it's part of my world and I decided to give it another try this week before the gym.    



I had already had my allotted two cups of coffee for the day and in an effort to be able to sleep that night I asked for iced decaf. There was no premade iced decaf -- perhaps just as well -- and I then ordered an iced decaf Americano. It was very good and turned around my previous opinion of their coffee. It was a solid B+ and though pricier than most places I have been sampling, well worth it. I took my coffee outside and enjoyed every second of the spring afternoon, under Dante's gaze. The pastries do look outstanding, but in an effort to fit into my jeans when this project is over, I abstained. Pastry abstinence is getting harder and harder.   

Yes, friends, I am behind. I should be doing "N" today and I just finishing "L." My goal is to post "M" tonight -- had a great experience in Midtown West -- and do a post for "N" tomorrow, in which I am planning to share pictures of Chelsea Market. I am not giving up and the end of the alphabet will be represented. This is not going to be like high school American history where we never got beyond Theodore Roosevelt. 

I want to thank friends for suggestions about places I might try and for all the enthusiasm about this project. I got a text this morning with a spotting for "X." I was totally at a loss here and I will be sampling in Chelsea soon. I have also been asked if I will stop drinking coffee when the Challenge is over. Ha! Someone will have to pry my mug out of my cold dead hand.

So much coffee and so little time! As ever, thanks for visiting and enjoy the weekend.