I'm still getting used to New York and trying to find places to write or complete website work without being in anyone's way. Granted, I could stay in the apartment or just sit in the library all day, but where's the fun in that?
I've found a couple of places online (my favorite being the New York Public Library, which makes me feel like I'm back in Oxford), but I'm still struggling to find good places locally and that are less crowded with tourists (mainly because I'm a noob, so anything I know is bound to be touristy).
Today, I decided to try Scandinavia House in midtown Manhattan. From what I gathered, it's a cultural hub for anything Scandinavian. There's a gallery with paintings and photographs, a cafe, a play area that looks pretty nifty, and a free library! Off I went.
After feeling posh, walking down Park Avenue and after bothering a lot of people, I headed up the service elevator, per the guard's directions, and ended up in the play area. I was confused at first, retracing the guard's instructions, wondering if I could set up shop near the kiddies running around. Perhaps I could sit on that replica toad stool?
No. That won't do. Stress compounded as I received a text from my boss, asking why she didn't see any new content up this past hour? Was I even working still?
Golly.
I walked forward, thinking I could at least sit against the windows away from the rest of the nannies, when I stumbled into the library quite by accident. It was just an open door at the end of the play area. There was one long table with chairs and two walls with shelves. In front of me, there was a guess book inviting people to share where they're from and in the far corner, along a wall of two desktop computers, was a pretty blonde girl, who looked surprised to see me. She almost got up, before turning back to her computer to shop for cosmetics.
I decided to act confident, so I strolled forward, clutching my bag with worldly wherewithal and picked up the pen. Name? Easy. Place of origin? I scanned the book and saw all of these countries that would make sense in coming here and frowned, but I took heart when I saw Brooklyn and Vermont. I wrote down Georgia in loopy letters, before assessing the area.
There was one long wooden table in the small space, so I took up a seat right at the edge near an electrical plug.
I read online that there wasn't wifi service, so I came prepared. I hid my mobile Internet box under my book bag (I mean, if they wanted people to linger, they'd put in wifi, right?) and tried to look like I was writing a paper on Scandinavians. I looked over at the shelf of books and debated grabbing some for authenticity, but I didn't want to trouble the blonde girl.
We were the only two people in that space, and I didn't want to put in my headphones, out of self-consciousness more than anything. Plus, my laptop's pretty infamous for not working properly when it comes to my headphones. Selena Gomez playing to an entire plane came to mind, so I sat there, writing up Tumblr posts and curating Pinterest photos, as the blonde girl shot me suspicious glances.
It was just so eerily quiet.
Inevitably, she gave up on looking at foundation, and I got a little comfortable at my seat. I mean, the worst she could do was kick me out or accuse me of not being Scandinavian. She didn't do either.
So I sat there, typing, worrying that I'd be found out rather easily. I mean, I figured I could always pretend that I was half Pacific Islander and Scandinavian, right? People never know what to make of my origins anyway; it's become a fun game really. I could use this to my advantage, maybe? Unless someone came up and asked for specifics. Then I'd be screwed.
But no one bothered me. It was actually a really relaxing place. I could hear the kids playing in the area on the other side of the wall, and I got amazing wifi service. The best I've had since coming to New York! Someone did approach me later on, to tell me that a tour group of members would be coming up to use the table. I asked if I should leave, but she nicely said I could stay, that the tour group would be speaking Scandinavian most like, in case I was bothered? I laughed and told her that it would be interesting to hear them and thanked her for letting me know.
I'm going to try Poet's House soon. I wonder if they'll know I'm not a poet?