This morning, Tanzina Vega posted a tweet asking "What NYC places do you miss?"
There are so many places that I once went to that are now gone. Looking through various responses I recognize lots of places I used to frequent. Life Cafe, for instance. There was a time in my life when Life Cafe was where I always proposed to meet friends for dinner. But I didn't even know it was gone, because I stopped going long before it closed. (Am I part of the problem?) French Roast, too, I have fond memories of, going back many, many years. But in the last 10 years that it was open, I probably only went there two or three times. Tower Records, Unique, Antique Boutique, and Canal Jeans were all places I visited in middle school and probably into high school, but they all outlived my regular visits by years (decades?). It's hard to say I miss these places when I know, if they were still around, I probably wouldn't be going to them.
If I think about places that are gone that I would still go if they were here, there are a few to be sure: Hope & Anchor, St. Mark's Bookstore, Franny's. But at least as much as I miss places that are gone, there are also places I "miss" that are still here:
I miss Washington Square Park and the Astor Place cube, where I always knew I would find friends after (or during) school.
I miss the Waverly Diner, where I would order a broccoli and cream cheese omelet (!!!) with fries instead of home fries, and a Sprite.
I miss Odessa, where I drank cosmos and went through so much relationship drama (including my ex-husband's and my first kiss -- definitely the most consequential kiss of my life) in the late 90s.
I miss Barcade when it was brand new in 2004, huge and empty, so we could take over an entire corner and camp out for hours.
I miss Pete's Candy Store trivia night from roughly 2004-2007.
I miss Sharlene's, where we all decamped after old Freddy's closed before new Freddy's opened.
I miss Fulton Grand, the only bar I have ever called my local.
I miss 2010, when I could walk into any bar in a certain part of Brooklyn certain I would run into friends.
I could go on, but I'm sure you get the gist: it's the times I miss; not the places.
