For the select few who were walking down Franklin Avenue on this knock-your-socks-off chilly winter’s Friday, there probably wasn’t a more enticing spot than the sun-filled nooks of the Brooklyn Label coffee shop. The wind practically buffeted me into this cute corner cafe, which has more than enough space (and free WiFi) for a dozen or more laptops—in other words, a perfect place for our occasional feature, “What’s on your laptop?”
Arthur Paul Karmss (right), 63, artist and musician from Glendale, Queens
I’m working on a original manuscript on the technique of making wampum beads, which I’m a practitioner of. Wampum beads were purple and white beads made from clam shells found on the north-east coast of America. The technique was invented by the native people and copied by the Dutch who made them and used them as legal tender in New Amsterdam and in 17th-century New York. I’m writing a definitive account with the whole technique of how I make them using the original reconstructed tools.
Alexander Schwartz, 34, videographer and screenwriter from Greenpoint, Brooklyn
I’m transcribing his handwritten manuscript of this book. We met at an art event.
Mira Jacob, “old,” writer and parenting editor for Yahoo Shine, from Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
I am editing an article about kids being cyberbullied, and trying to figure out why it should matter to me that people who are slightly overweight at 70 live longer.
Benn Gurton, 35, web entrepreneur from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
I’m testing an application that’s going to launch this weekend, it’s called CelebCentral.com. People can see photos, gossip, whatever by running a search on the site. Mira and I met a few months ago at a coffee shop in Boerum Hill, Building on Bond. We go there three or for times a week so we’re a little sick of it, so we needed a change of scenery, so this is kind of a field trip for us.
Mira: I feel like you kind of busted us. We’re at a new coffee shop, oh my God!
Chris Bagnall, 32, TV producer from Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Right now I’m working on a project for my job. I’m producing a series of mini webisodes for Subaru. I’ve been traveling around the country for the last two months producing these branded entertainment pieces for the History Channel. Right now I’m in post-production, so I’m currently editing on Final Cut Pro and using After Effects and all sorts of little graphics programs. The webisodes will be out on History.com on February 15.
Brooklyn Label, 180 Franklin St. (between India St. & Java St.), 718-389-2806
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Before laptops… did people *work* in coffee shops as much as they do now? Or did they just read the newspaper and talk to other humans?
These people are so industrious! I’m always just refreshing BoingBoing. Oh, and Brokelyn, of course.
Well, Acee, I have a feeling the interviewer wasn’t that probing… so, really the question asked was “What are you meant to be doing on your laptop right now?”
No no, I confirmed the veracity of all their answers by waiting until they went to the bathroom and sneaking onto their laptops to check their browsers, ninja style!
Just kidding, I took their word for it.
I think that coffee shops have always been conducive to both work and non-work activities in equal measure, it’s just the medium that’s changed… It’ll be: “What’s on your iPad” next!
writing a manuscript on wampum beads? who would make that shit up?
you said Franklin Avenue at the start of the article, but this place is on Franklin Street — I was so excited (as a Franklin Avenue resident) for a new coffee shop – and then I saw it wasn’t.
Very true Faye… very true. I had no problem believing that one.
Sorry, my mistake on Franklin Avenue – apologies for raising your hopes!