January 8, 2026
The Old Neon, January 2026
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
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Notes and essays, organized by date.
New Jersey Diners and Bars
21 published posts.
January 8, 2026
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
September 2, 2025
There was a time when late coffee felt like a normal bad idea. Now even bad ideas seem to need nicer lighting.
August 1, 2025
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
April 17, 2025
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
January 19, 2025
There was a time when late coffee felt like a normal bad idea. Now even bad ideas seem to need nicer lighting.
August 31, 2024
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
June 15, 2024
The old counter had better manners than most new rooms. It let people sit without asking what the sitting was for.
December 5, 2023
The old counter had better manners than most new rooms. It let people sit without asking what the sitting was for.
November 2, 2023
The counter had a sugar packet stuck to it and a stool that turned a little too easily. Old diners and neighborhood bars were not perfect rooms. They were public rooms, which is different and maybe more useful. A person…
July 19, 2023
There was a time when late coffee felt like a normal bad idea. Now even bad ideas seem to need nicer lighting.
May 20, 2023
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
May 22, 2022
The old counter had better manners than most new rooms. It let people sit without asking what the sitting was for.
December 30, 2021
There was a time when late coffee felt like a normal bad idea. Now even bad ideas seem to need nicer lighting.
October 8, 2021
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
September 18, 2021
There was a time when late coffee felt like a normal bad idea. Now even bad ideas seem to need nicer lighting.
September 12, 2021
The counter had a sugar packet stuck to it and a stool that turned a little too easily. Old diners and neighborhood bars were not perfect rooms. They were public rooms, which is different and maybe more useful. A person…
August 31, 2021
One open stool at the counter, one cup of coffee, one guy talking like the whole room had subscribed. I miss places where nobody had to turn the moment into a brand.
June 16, 2021
There was a time when late coffee felt like a normal bad idea. Now even bad ideas seem to need nicer lighting.
January 23, 2021
The counter had a sugar packet stuck to it and a stool that turned a little too easily. Old diners and neighborhood bars were not perfect rooms. They were public rooms, which is different and maybe more useful. A person…
December 21, 2020
The counter had a sugar packet stuck to it and a stool that turned a little too easily. Old diners and neighborhood bars were not perfect rooms. They were public rooms, which is different and maybe more useful. A person…
December 20, 2020
The counter had a sugar packet stuck to it and a stool that turned a little too easily. Old diners and neighborhood bars were not perfect rooms. They were public rooms, which is different and maybe more useful. A person…