Back To Bluestone Lane

As I was teasing this blog on Instagram this past week, I wrote in one of the posts about how sometimes you don't appreciate something until the second time around. That was most certainly the case with this coffee shop. In reviewing my Google Maps review of Bluestone Lane, I noticed that I had only rated this place 4 stars and my review didn't really explain why I didn't give that extra star. A 4-star rating is still really good, but it doesn't exactly makes sense compared to the rating I gave after my second visit. I ordered the same exact thing, but I would say that my experience was that of 5 stars. The service was pretty much the same during both visits, the quality of the food/coffee was the same - so why the difference in rating despite the consistent factors? Well it's quite obvious it had entirely to do with me.

As I cover this experience, I am going to detail the difference between my two visits, and highlight how those affected my overall experience. This is definitely an interesting exercise for me in documenting two separate experiences simultaneously, but hopefully it also makes for an interesting dance between time for you as the reader. Anyway, you came here to read about this awesome coffee shop - so let's get into it. 

First & Second Impressions 

Visit 1: It had been a week since the person I was dating and I called it quits. Being the emotional creature that I am, cuts were still fresh and I was trying to stay up in spirit, despite the depression of Winter still in affect. To prevent myself from dwelling on the heartache, and to get some much needed separation from what I will politely refer to as an inconvenient living arrangement, I decided to get my ass up, embrace the crisp air and find a place to hang out for the day. I didn't want to just go straight to the Brooklyn Roasting Company, so I decided to look up some other promising spots in the fabulous DUMBO area. Bluestone Lane turned up in my search; I recalled passing it multiple times on my way home from work during the week. First impressions were great, as it is a spacious shop just as I like. No surprise that I loved the hanging plants and vibrant flamingo wall in the back. The staff was a little disengaged, but still friendly all the same. Overall, it was a solid first impression. 

Visit 2: As I have gotten better at visiting a number of different places and documenting my experiences, this has translated to amazing visibility via Google Local Guides. I don't want to get too deep into it, but essentially, Google Local Guides allows you to be rewarded for the reviews you leave for the places you visit. This has given me another forum in which I can share my POV and content with others, at tremendous scale. So I have recently been going back to places I've already left reviews on, and refreshing my experience my taking some photos and even giving the shops another go to see how my experiences may evolve with subsequent visits. Needless to say, Bluestone Lane was on my list of spots to revisit, and I found walking into the coffeehouse to be just as charming as the first visit. I would even say the staff was even nicer the second time around, but that could have had something to do with my attitude, which we'll touch on. 

Taking Time To Appreciate

Both Visits: Between both experiences, I took the time to look closely at what Bluestone Lane is and what they have to offer. In taking a close look at their menu and selection of pastries, I was immediately enchanted. While pretty modest in variety, the style of offerings was rather unique and I could tell that there was quality behind all of it. During both visits, I ordered the Almond Butter & Jam Toast and some black coffee. 

Visit 1: I looked over the menu, but being the indecisive Libra that I am, I tend to lean toward options that are most recognizable - even if they're in a form that I am not used to. Seeing as I am obsessed with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I figured the Almond Butter & Jam Toast would be perfect. 

Visit 2: This followed my exploration of Gregory's Coffee, where I ordered the Almond Berry Toast. Given that I didn't really enjoy that and actually found this toast from Bluestone Lane to have been way better, I ordered the same thing again out of love and convenience. I am very much a creature of habit, and it's always easier choosing something I've had before, espeically if I enjoyed it. 

Attitude Affects Experience 

Visit 1: I had intended to use my time at Bluestone as a productive escape, blogging and keeping my mind off of my emotions. Well, I certainly tried that, but found myself texting my former lover, professing the value of keeping a friendship and desperately exploring opportunity for platonic engagement. In the midst of this foolishness, I was pleasantly comforted by the great serving of coffee that they provided me with. I absolutely love how you get a jar of coffee and can pour up to about 2.5 cups at your leisure. Like, not every coffee shop serves coffee this way, even if you're sitting and hanging out, so that got major cool points in my book. 

Visit 2: Completely different perspective. While my fascination with the manner in which the coffee was served was consistent between experiences, my interaction with the coffee was different. Where as the coffee and pouring it was a comfort for me during my first visit, it was a form of art during my second stop. I was positioning the pouring the coffee in different ways, taking pictures and videos for my blog and my Instagram stories. Rather than a distraction, it was an opportunity to celebrate my love of coffee and present it in a form that inspires thought and intrigue. 

Doing The Experience Justice 

Visit 1: After some prolonged exchanges, my former lover and I decided to hang out that evening and see a show in SoHo, as an effort to move past a confusing and sudden severance in engagement. I think it goes without saying that I was engulfed by the overwhelming emotions I was holding at the time - disappointment from being heartbroken, desperation in trying to keep what was lost and frustration from being so obsessed over something that obviously wasn't worth my time or energy. Juggling all of this completely distracted me from the best part of the entire visit - the Almond Butter Toast. I was already thinking about what I wanted to say to this person, how I would conduct myself, wondering whether it was even a good idea or not  - all the while overlooking just how much I was enjoying the toast. By the time I took notice of how good it was, it was already gone. I had scarfed it down, contently, and was already off to the next experience mentally. That is how I lost the fifth star in my review. 

Visit 2: Just like with the coffee, I looked at the toast as a work of art. From the way the utensils were perfectly folded within the napkin, to the way the toast was artfully placed on the plate. I had snapped at least a dozen phots before I finally took my first bite of the toast. The biggest and most impactful difference between my first and second visits, was I consciously took the time to focus on and appreciate how much I enjoyed the toast. I was already aware of the same things - like how warm and soft the bread was, how smooth and creamy the butter was, and how well all of the flavors were together. It all comes down to appreciation. Sure, I had noticed these things before, but the second time I appreciated them so much more. And it was in appreciating those details that I found the fifth star. 

Don't Wait Until The Second Time 

If you haven't gathered from the parallel reviews of my experiences as Bluestone Lane, moral of the story is that attitude impacts how you receive things. If you are feeling troubled and running away from a rain cloud that you can't seem to shake, the time you spend somewhere or with someone is going to be overshadowed. But if you are fully alive and receptive to the places and people you encounter, I believe you will have a far more enriching and fulfilling experience. I learned an extremely important lesson between my two visits: not to ever let anyone or anything distract me from joy when it is available to me, and to take peace and happiness in going on these journeys independently. And in doing so, I can say that Bluestone Lane has successfully taken the #2 spot in my list of favorite NYC coffees shops so far. So make sure you go and check this place out when you're in the DUMBO area. And don't forget to bring a positive outlook with you when you go.