I'm sitting in the nearest coffee shop to where I live, which happens to be a Starbucks. When I walked in, the manager said "Good morning, Matt."
I've only been coming here a few months, one or two times a week, but it now it feels a bit like home.
— you may be looking for a different type of third place rec though, a place where you can definitely build community, and there's no guarantee of that at a coffee shop.
My impulse for me is to assume I'm not alone in this need/desire and to start something. Any place can become that third place, now the challenge is just getting people to join you there.
While still in college, I plastered "reading aloud night" posters around the campus and invited people to bring something to read aloud to others: either their own work or a favorite snippet from another author. A half dozen people came and we hung out until late in a common area—and then kept doing it. Some beautiful friendships started in that little group.
Sep 28, 2024
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I know I’m sooo late to this (Im not a coffee drinker!)- I recently started being a coffee shop regular. It’s enlightening to have a place to chat, run into friends, read, and try new drinks. Sometimes these things feel limited to only alcohol-centric spaces and it’s great to have a spot to unwind after work each day. Chai lattes forever and always ❤️
Jul 31, 2024
there’s something quite melancholy and cathartic about it, like wow, I’m old enough and I’ve been living in this neighborhood long enough to start to be recognized as a familiar face. i love that i can walk into my favorite coffee shop and be greeted as a friend, by baristas who know exactly my coffee particularities but don’t frown if i want something different from my usual order. it feels especially comforting on days i miss home and feel kind of alone, kind of afraid of being an adult. being a regular is feeling seen and known even by relative strangers, with whom you can connect over a comforting drink or meal! this is just one of the ways i love to cultivate a sense of home and community in my coming-of-age years— it’s so grounding to experience familiarity especially when you’re adjusting to living alone, recently moved to a new city, or otherwise needing to feel settled during tumultuous times!
Nov 11, 2024
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It just feels like a breath of fresh air in this digital age - got an old-timey feel to it.
Feb 26, 2025
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this is worthy of celebration: the lack of video—autoplay video, noisy inane video, panicky video, algorithmic, dumb video, rabbit hole video, any video—on pi.fyi is a good thing
Oct 5, 2024
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this is going to hurt — A LOT — but it's getting to the point where there's no other option
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one of my 2025 habit goals
alone or with others, it is the best
Jan 21, 2025