Bread Stuy, a Bed-Stuy purveyor of lattes, Panini and time-wasting WiFi came this close to closing recently (the place was saved grace of three customer-run fundraisers), but does that really mean that gentrification in the neighborhood is failing? In an area that houses a good number of cafes, but also its fair share of bodegas and bullet-proof Chinese, Bread Stuy somehow became the ultimate symbol of the neighborhood’s efforts to nice-up. “It’s no longer just a place for people to go in and drink their coffee — it’s part of the fabric of the community,” said Crystal Bobb-Semple, whose own a nearby store, Brownstone Books. “It’s all about creating a better neighborhood.” more ›

A big crowd packed Joe on East 13th Street last night for New York’s first inter-cafe barista showdown, as representatives from some of the city’s top coffee houses competed in a Latte Art Throwdown to benefit American Red Cross relief efforts in Burma and China. In fact, so many spectators turned out to watch the competition – which was simulcast on the back wall – that they had to send out for more beer three times, “devolving from Sierra to cans of Bud Light,” according to event organizer Erin Meister. more ›

Serendipitously coinciding with Obama’s big primary win, tonight’s Latte Art Throwdown at the 13th Street Joe will surely be crawling elitist liberals who love stuff like delicious espresso and college education. The city’s top coffee houses (Ninth Street Espresso, Gimme Coffee, Cafe Grumpy, Everyman Espresso, and Gorilla Coffee) will be sending baristas to the event, which is called "Rosettas for Relief" and benefit the American Red Cross' efforts in Myanmar and China. more ›