Lotus Moment: Roaring In Cafe Revelry

Why This Is Awesome: Lately, I've seen a few people begin to post plans for post-Covid revelry, and I can't help but wonder if this is genuine enthusiasm for the future or just a lovely game of "I can't wait until ..." to help keep everyone's spirits up? Either way, I'm here for it.

Thinking back to when I treated myself to a walking tour of Greenwich Village in 2019, I remember I snapped this photo of the landmark Marie's Crisis Cafe while standing at an odd angle. The history geek in me was enamored by the sight of being within spitting distance of the last location Thomas Paine would frequent before he died in 1809. But it was the theater geek in me that was delighted to hear that nowadays the spot serves as the West Village's most famous sing-along piano bar dedicated solely to show tunes!

Can you hear me squee-ing from behind my keyboard?

The current building, constructed in 1839, was a boarding house and a brothel before finding its true calling as a speakeasy and bar in 1929. With plans to check out the space sooner rather than later, I had hoped to visit the inside back in 2020 after the lockdown ended in the fall. Kind of a like a personalized celebration for enduring a difficult year. But then fall came and went, and now we're in 2021, and unsure of what lies ahead.

What I am sure of is that I still have my sights set on visiting Marie's, enjoying a cocktail or two, people-watching to my heart's galore, and pretending to know all the words to whatever song everyone is singing. Now, I don't know when that future celebration will be, but it will be a Lotus Moment within a Lotus Moment in the making.

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Top Image: Marie's Crisis Cafe in the West Village by Candace Nicholson