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The bit about teahouses in China reminded me that in America, especially the suburbs, we don't really have places like that. It's kind of sad, the only place th
by jcw 17y ago
The bit about teahouses in China reminded me that in America, especially the suburbs, we don't really have places like that. It's kind of sad, the only place that comes to mind is Waffle House at 3AM. Most restaurants and coffee shops seem to discourage customers sitting around for several hours.
- gamble 17y agoRestaurants and commercial furniture are designed to get customers in and out as fast as possible. Ever notice how most fast-food places use plastic banquettes with seat backs that are pitched forward? They're intended to be so uncomfortable that you don't linger after eating.
- timr 17y agoI agree that the so-called "third places" don't really exist anymore (in the US, anyway), but the article's comparison to modern US coffeehouses was clunky. These days, laptop zombies tend to convert third spaces into glorified cubicles. Wi-fi has taken formerly social environments, and made them creepy and dull. I remember the first time I visited a coffee shop, long Before wi-fi was invented: it was a social place that had big couches, plants, books and games. People gathered there, played chess and cards over coffee, and there were even live performances of various sorts at night and on weekends. Contrast to your typical coffee shop scene today: rows of tables and uncomfortable chairs, doubled-up with dudes at laptops who have been camped out for hours, nursing a small cup of coffee. Once upon a time, coffee houses were about relaxation and social life; today, they're basically about work. So personally, I'm thrilled that cafes are starting to cover up power outlets, and I hope that they soon follow this trend with paid hourly wi-fi access -- or even eliminating the wireless access entirely.