Diners, As a Concept

the original
Originally uploaded by raemarie.

The subject of diners came up on a friend's My Space blog. (Yes, not only am I on My Space, but I read other people's blogs.) He was a big fan of diners and gave some tips about how to enjoy them more.

I love diners. I love them not for the food, but for the convenience. Remember, I'm a writer. I've always been a writer. When I first started in this twisted game back in 1999, I had no money. None. Yet I needed to eat, and usually something besides mac and cheese.

Enter the diner. Eggs and coffee were always cheap in diners, as were burgers if I had an extra five bucks. Eventually the diner became less of a place to eat than as a place to decompress. I wrote many an article and brainstormed many an idea while leaning back against some vinyl booth. Hell, I even interviewed people in diners, just so that I wouldn't have to leave my natural habitat.

This afternoon I put together a list of some great New York City Diners. Please visit them, but only carry $10 in your pocket, like any young, self-respecting writer would do.

Buffa's: Prince Street and Lafayette. Still grimy, still dark, still vintage NYC.

The Pancake House: Broome and Centre Street A diner right in the middle of Chinatown. If you go there enough times, they'll remember you, your order and bring you coffee as soon as you sit down. Ridiculously cheap.

Tom's Restaurant: Broadway and 112th Street. Seinfeld made the facade famous but it's best known as a hang out for tired, hung over Columbia students. I've spent many an afternoon at the counter, gnawing on burgers and eyeballing a handsome Greek waitor.

Cheyenne Diner: 9th Avenue at 33rd Street. It looks like something straight out of 1945: Chrome, Neon lights and a long line of booths and counter. It's very popular with the media types who lurk on 33rd Street.

Jerry's: Prince and Broadway. This is a fancy diner. It looks like an old school diner, if an old school diner served $14 salads and had racks of wine on the wall. Go there for brunch and feel like you're somebody.

Feel free to send me more.