I’m trying to write in different locations to get a better sense of what kind of place is best for writing. I wrote some notes while writing in Bryant Park.
What do I hear? There’s an area in front of the library where a woman is playing piano and singing. It’s pleasant. I can’t make out the words. Conversations are going on in all directions. I also can’t make out the words. Some construction to the left of me.
What do I see? There’s a spot in front of me where people stand to pose for pictures every few minutes. Otherwise, the lawn is closed and empty. There’s a lot of green on the ground and a lot of buildings if I look up even a bit. Someone at a table in front of me has Chipotle and his Gorilla Pod is set up so I’m guessing he’s doing some kind of timelapse. The people in front of me are taking some pictures in front of the lawn. Posing. Can’t hate.
What do I feel? Hot. Definitely should’ve gone with shorts today. I found some shade. Once in a while there’ll be a breeze. It’s just short enough to be useless for comfort and cool enough to make me think about finding a cooler place.
What do I smell? Nothing notable. A couple people passed by with trays of Blue Bottle coffee. I bet that smells pretty good. Though you gotta get pretty close to iced coffee to smell anything at all.
What do I taste? I have half of a Blue Stone Lane iced coffee left that I’m sipping on. It’s great. Iced coffee always tastes better when it’s not me putting it together. I don’t mean that in a sense of a cold brewski being better after mowing the lawn. I mean the taste alone. I need to learn how much of everything to put. I’d guess it’s a lot more sugar than I think.
How was it for writing? As far as outdoor spaces go, right now I’m pretty much just comparing it to Washington Square Park. Bryant Park has a lot of tables so it’s probably better logistically. But so is my living room so that’s not exactly the point of writing outside. People watching is better at Washington Square Park. Despite having no table, I was able to focus better at Washington Square Park.
I’ll keep trying to write outdoors once or twice each week. I enjoy being at parks. It seems like a healthy thing to do. I get my sunlight. I might try Central Park or the High Line next. I’ll be sure to write about it, even though I’m not sure it makes for a great read. I think a future rundown of thoughts on different outdoor spaces for writing might be interesting.