When I’m going to a coffee shop, I want to be sure of a few things. First I want to be sure that the coffee is going to be of good quality. There is nothing that bothers me more than milky, weak, coffee. The next thing that I’m looking for is a certain ambiance to the café.
Walking down the street here you are literally amazed with how many cafes there are here. It doesn’t seem like so many stores serving similar products could stay in business at the same time. However, in a city like New Orleans, or more accurately with a culture like New Orleans, taking time to sit and have a coffee with friends and family is part of the culture. It is something you take time out of your day to enjoy and also something to look forward to. It is viewed to be as important as the many other things that you do during your day. In this respect, sitting down and having a coffee is not viewed negatively by the culture; instead it is something that’s important to living well.
These cafes have a certain ambiance to them. Although many have become modernized and are equipped with wireless internet and conversely many have not. Some of the older establishments have become as integral to the city as the numerous statues and plazas that populate the city. Dating back hundreds of years, these cafes may not offer you 4g connection for your phone to connect to or whatever the latest technology. Instead, you will act like a New Orleanian for a day and sit back with only the person in front of you to focus on. In many ways, these cafes have turned into something that they weren’t before, tourist destinations. But the truth is that you will still enjoy an authentically New Orelanian experience while in these cafes because everything from the architecture to the furniture have been preserved as uniquely New Orleans.
Though these older cafes may not offer modern conveniences like wireless Internet, it could be argued that they offer something much better. They offer an experience to go back in time and enjoy a simpler place: a time where you are expected to take a break from your busy day and enjoy yourself. There is something very important about the leisure that is imbedded and revered in New Orleans culture. To me, it shows that New Orleans have a sense of what’s most important in their lives. They value work, but also play. The cafes in New Orleans are a reminder to slow down and enjoy a coffee. In these cafes it is easy to forget about work for a moment, and that is exactly the point. The coffee is great, and the ambiance helps you relax.