James, Third Place is a new term to me, and now I will be looking at places with it in mind!
My corner retaurant, Coffee Cup, is such a place. Tom and Jimmy, purchased the place from the original owners in 1976 after arriving from Greece. They just retired last week after operating it for 41 years, and sold it to a 31 year old man from Egypt, who plans to continue the tradition. All the homey art and decorations will stay, as will the feeling that all are welcome.
I'm a little curious, did you consciously set out to try and make this blog space a virtual Third Place? Or did you come to know the category later? I think several things make it function as a social space that is a place people hang out and feel comfortable other than home and work, one being the fact that it is posted daily, so does feel 'open for business' consistently every day, and like many blogs is free to all to participate, the broad mix of ideas contributes a great deal, and the fact that there is room for highbrow and lowbrow aspects of art, all in a light-hearted and fun spirit...
Dean, you're lucky to have a "Third Place" in your neighborhood. Obviously it works best when these spaces are actual rather than virtual, but I'm delighted with the thought that this blog can serve a purpose that in some ways resembles an actual Third Place. I first learned about the concept at the Seattle bookstore "Third Place Books," which is so much more than just a bookstore.
Another waiting-for-the-food-to-arrive gem. Did you share this one with the “models”?
ReplyDeleteI think diners hold neighborhoods together, and are a great way to learn about the history of a place from the "horse's mouth."
ReplyDeleteSteve, no, he didn't notice or care, because he was absorbed in talking to the other guy.
ReplyDeleteDean, I agree. They're a good example of a "third place": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place
Be careful what you say, the walls have ears... and sometimes watercolor brushes.
ReplyDeleteJames, Third Place is a new term to me, and now I will be looking at places with it in mind!
ReplyDeleteMy corner retaurant, Coffee Cup, is such a place. Tom and Jimmy, purchased the place from the original owners in 1976 after arriving from Greece. They just retired last week after operating it for 41 years, and sold it to a 31 year old man from Egypt, who plans to continue the tradition. All the homey art and decorations will stay, as will the feeling that all are welcome.
I'm a little curious, did you consciously set out to try and make this blog space a virtual Third Place? Or did you come to know the category later? I think several things make it function as a social space that is a place people hang out and feel comfortable other than home and work, one being the fact that it is posted daily, so does feel 'open for business' consistently every day, and like many blogs is free to all to participate, the broad mix of ideas contributes a great deal, and the fact that there is room for highbrow and lowbrow aspects of art, all in a light-hearted and fun spirit...
Dean, you're lucky to have a "Third Place" in your neighborhood. Obviously it works best when these spaces are actual rather than virtual, but I'm delighted with the thought that this blog can serve a purpose that in some ways resembles an actual Third Place. I first learned about the concept at the Seattle bookstore "Third Place Books," which is so much more than just a bookstore.
ReplyDelete