WEBVTT
00:00:02.879 -->
00:00:05.679What does it mean to live creatively?
00:00:05.919 -->
00:00:11.919Not just in what you make, but how you move and how you dress and how you build your world?
00:00:12.160 -->
00:00:17.440What does it mean to feel at home in your space, in your skin, in your purpose?
00:00:17.920 -->
00:00:20.239Welcome to the Maroon Life.
00:00:20.480 -->
00:00:22.800Our lives in full color.
00:00:23.039 -->
00:00:31.760A podcast where we explore the art of creative living from the way we style our homes to the stories we wear on our backs.
00:00:32.079 -->
00:00:35.359We're your co-host, Adrian Franks, Nicole A.
00:00:35.520 -->
00:00:36.079Taylor.
00:00:36.240 -->
00:00:43.600Two lifelong creators, curators, and culture seekers on a mission to make space for freedom, joy, and design that speaks.
00:00:43.759 -->
00:00:54.479We tap into soulful conversations about joy, design, self-expression, home renovation, and everything in between.
00:00:59.920 -->
00:01:00.960How are you doing, Nicole?
00:01:01.119 -->
00:01:02.320I'm good, I'm good, I'm good.
00:01:02.479 -->
00:01:03.439All right, right, right.
00:01:03.520 -->
00:01:04.799What's going on with you?
00:01:05.280 -->
00:01:08.560You know, getting into the swing of 2026.
00:01:08.799 -->
00:01:10.480Oh, it's coming in hot, right?
00:01:11.280 -->
00:01:12.000Blazing.
00:01:12.239 -->
00:01:15.439The world, the world is literally blazing around us.
00:01:15.519 -->
00:01:17.280Yeah, Greece hot fire.
00:01:17.680 -->
00:01:19.439So, um, you know, let's talk, right?
00:01:19.519 -->
00:01:20.959We are here 2026.
00:01:21.120 -->
00:01:23.840It's a nice day here in Brooklyn, New York City.
00:01:24.079 -->
00:01:26.239Um, you know, Garvey's back in school.
00:01:26.319 -->
00:01:29.120I'm back in the swing of things of doing cool projects.
00:01:29.200 -->
00:01:32.480You're still working through a lot of your um independent projects.
00:01:32.640 -->
00:01:44.239But I want to sit here and talk about, you know, 2026 as it stands, or as it relates to this idea of safe spaces and this idea of creating spiritual places that we can hang out, like, right?
00:01:44.319 -->
00:01:48.319There's this places and spaces that we've been, or more so on an experience.
00:01:48.400 -->
00:01:51.359Um, I think a lot of people are looking for that.
00:01:51.519 -->
00:01:55.840I think the last couple of years, definitely post-2020, we won't call it that era.
00:01:56.079 -->
00:02:00.079More and more people are trying to find places that they can really connect and not just online.
00:02:00.239 -->
00:02:11.520I think more and more people are truly trying to get back to what they call IRL or in real life, you know, connections because some of the things on social are a little fabricated.
00:02:11.599 -->
00:02:15.120They may not even be real, or more so they just leave it a little shallow and empty.
00:02:15.199 -->
00:02:16.240What do you feel about that?
00:02:16.560 -->
00:02:17.840Well, two things.
00:02:18.000 -->
00:02:27.280I mean, the first is that for the last few years for the month of January, I'm dry-ish, but I also get off social media.
00:02:27.759 -->
00:02:28.400Ish.
00:02:28.879 -->
00:02:34.560Um, I take social media off my phone, and the only way I can access it is is online.
00:02:35.599 -->
00:02:39.280Um, and I also make an assertive effort.
00:02:39.520 -->
00:02:45.759This is the time of year where I'm like, who do I want to catch up with in person that I didn't catch up with last year?
00:02:45.840 -->
00:02:52.879I'm kind of behind the gun a little bit on that, but that's always my plan for at least the last five years.
00:02:53.039 -->
00:02:58.879And then the second thing is every article I read nowadays is about analog this, analog that, right?
00:02:59.360 -->
00:03:03.120And I I was thinking, I'm like, what is this analog conversation?
00:03:03.280 -->
00:03:14.960And when I say analog conversation, they're saying that this is the year that people are gonna go back to listening because to cassettes or listening to DVDs or to have a vinyl or what?
00:03:15.120 -->
00:03:16.639A vinyl or vinyl.
00:03:16.800 -->
00:03:18.159I think people have been doing that for a while.
00:03:18.319 -->
00:03:23.680Or I saw this thing about what to put in your analog bag, and it was like you should have a notebook.
00:03:23.759 -->
00:03:25.360I'm like, wait, people don't have notebooks?
00:03:25.520 -->
00:03:26.319You'd be surprised.
00:03:26.400 -->
00:03:27.680I mean, that people don't write.
00:03:27.919 -->
00:03:29.360Yeah, people don't have notebooks.
00:03:29.439 -->
00:03:32.159I mean, I I I always have a a moleskin.
00:03:32.639 -->
00:03:33.039Same here.
00:03:33.360 -->
00:03:42.319Um, and I think that that conversation is also too like how do we connect with people in person?
00:03:42.879 -->
00:03:47.439Like nowadays, I ask for an in-person meeting.
00:03:47.520 -->
00:03:59.199If I have a meeting with a colleague or if I'm interviewing someone for a story, I immediately say or or offer the option of in-person first.
00:03:59.599 -->
00:04:05.919And if they can't do in-person, I let them say, Let's do it on Zoom, Zoom, or what have you.
00:04:06.240 -->
00:04:13.039It's just, you know, you connect better with a person when you're in person, and also too, you get out of the house.
00:04:13.199 -->
00:04:16.240For me in New York, that means I'm walking somewhere.
00:04:16.560 -->
00:04:21.439So I might be walking down a street or catching a train I don't normally catch.
00:04:21.600 -->
00:04:25.600So I get inspired by people, places, or things.
00:04:25.920 -->
00:04:41.600Yeah, I mean, that is a very good insight because um, you know, post-2020, a lot of people have kind of gone into this whole cocoon kind of approach of like human existence versus in-person.
00:04:41.759 -->
00:04:48.319And I think the idea of creating the safe spaces and in-person has kind of changed radically a lot, right?
00:04:48.480 -->
00:04:56.639Like the idea of a third-place environment has it's nothing new, but it is becoming kind of like the new analog thing, like what to do in real life, right?
00:04:56.720 -->
00:05:04.399Um, I know we talked about getting Garvey, like some, you know, analog kind of cool stuff, such as, you know, maybe an iPod or a cassette player.
00:05:04.560 -->
00:05:08.000But the ideal of a third place, again, that's that's not new.
00:05:08.079 -->
00:05:13.680Uh, I used to work at a coffee shop, I won't actually say the name, that was that was their thing, right?
00:05:13.759 -->
00:05:16.079It was always called themselves the third place environment.
00:05:16.160 -->
00:05:20.480As you guys know, that the third place is basically, you know, it's like a neutral ground.
00:05:20.560 -->
00:05:27.439The first place is your home, the second place would be wherever you work, and nowadays work is relative because of co-working, right?
00:05:27.680 -->
00:05:32.959Work is kind of like wherever you can open up a laptop and jump on a Zoom call, right?
00:05:33.120 -->
00:05:42.879Um, so the the second and third place have kind of like fused a little bit because the co-working aspect of this is that you can work anywhere.
00:05:43.120 -->
00:05:49.759The the the odd part of a third place, third place now is wherever you are at technically, right?
00:05:49.839 -->
00:05:56.959So if you're at a park, if you're at a hotel, if you technically at work, they're trying to make work feel more like a third place.
00:05:57.199 -->
00:06:14.160The problem that I think that we're trying to really you know work through is that Zoom calls have become very disruptive, or this ideal of a you know, a team meetup uh on like Zoom or Google Meet or whatever, you kind of go to work or you go to a co-working spot to actually be on calls.
00:06:14.399 -->
00:06:15.600You want to hear something funny?
00:06:15.839 -->
00:06:16.240I do.
00:06:17.199 -->
00:06:19.839I don't, and this this is a hot take.
00:06:20.480 -->
00:06:21.519Hot take coming in.
00:06:21.839 -->
00:06:23.920Okay, it's gonna be hot as Greece.
00:06:25.040 -->
00:06:32.879I no longer feel like coffee shops where everyone has their laptop open is a third space.
00:06:33.120 -->
00:06:34.000No, it's not.
00:06:34.800 -->
00:06:36.240Um, I don't.
00:06:36.480 -->
00:06:40.959I mean, there's a coffee shop in our neighborhood, bedside, that I used to frequent a lot.
00:06:41.360 -->
00:06:57.360Then I stopped going because everyone had a laptop and it just felt I don't know, it felt rushed like they didn't want you in there because and I wasn't necessarily crazily nowadays when I go to coffee shops 90% of the time I don't have my laptop.
00:06:57.600 -->
00:06:59.279I usually have your phone.
00:06:59.439 -->
00:07:04.560I I do have my phone and I usually have a notebook, but I don't have my laptop.
00:07:04.800 -->
00:07:23.360And I go to a coffee shop um near my son's school Garvey, and every time I'm in there without my laptop, I see somebody I um know or somebody that looks familiar because I'm paying attention, my head is not buried.
00:07:23.439 -->
00:07:23.519Right.
00:07:23.759 -->
00:07:42.480So I'm my hot take is the coffee shop that allows and has a ton of computers and people have them open at from from the time they open to the end, that's not a third space.
00:07:42.800 -->
00:07:49.120Well, I mean, computers now are relative because computing is not just laptops, it's it's phones, right?
00:07:49.199 -->
00:07:52.079It's phones, is you know, it's tablets slash iPads.
00:07:52.240 -->
00:07:57.040Now is actually, you know, uh wearable technology such as like iwear, right?
00:07:57.279 -->
00:08:05.680But I do think this idea of what the third place should be, it should be a place where you can connect with people that you're cool with or just random people that you don't even know.
00:08:05.839 -->
00:08:12.160And maybe that is what we need to start defining what a third place is, which kind of gets to uh you know the next subject, right?
00:08:12.319 -->
00:08:14.560How do you define what the third place is?
00:08:14.639 -->
00:08:19.839Like we already talked about like what it traditionally was, but we're now in 2026, right?
00:08:19.920 -->
00:08:32.639A lot of things going on in the world, a lot of people trying to navigate certain spaces where there's, you know, new coffee shops or new co-working spots or new libraries or new, you know, hangout spots.
00:08:32.799 -->
00:08:35.919Like, what is going to define these places going forward, right?
00:08:36.000 -->
00:08:37.919Like, how do you create this neutral ground?
00:08:38.080 -->
00:08:43.600Um, there are some spots currently that I've been frequent uh here in Bed Sti that kind of feels that way, right?
00:08:43.759 -->
00:08:47.039A lot of bookstores, I think that's for me is a great place for.
00:08:47.600 -->
00:09:03.759I definitely think a bookstore is a third place because you typically, if you are browsing in a bookstore, you have to have your eyes open and you're browsing the chef, the shelves, excuse me, and you're seeing people to the right or your left.
00:09:03.840 -->
00:09:07.120So I would say definitely bookstores are a third place.
00:09:07.440 -->
00:09:24.080Um, another way I would describe a third place for us, I would say the Maroon House, our house in Athens, is a third place because um when we go there, we um have you you look around, they're trees, we have to look at each other.
00:09:24.240 -->
00:09:25.120We got a record player.
00:09:25.279 -->
00:09:31.919For we we have a record, we have all the analog things, and for a long time we had a room that was supposed to be the no-device room.
00:09:32.159 -->
00:09:32.960It didn't work out.
00:09:33.279 -->
00:09:38.720Well, you know, it's but that's kind of the only room that like there's a bunch of like electronics.
00:09:38.879 -->
00:09:42.080It was supposed to be the meditation room and then it turned into the office.
00:09:42.240 -->
00:09:46.399Um I actually like the fact that it is the room where most of the electronics are located.
00:09:46.720 -->
00:09:49.600Like, you know, we record podcasts, we work.
00:09:49.759 -->
00:09:50.960It's the work room, right?
00:09:51.039 -->
00:09:54.240You kind of have to have that room in your space for that.
00:09:54.399 -->
00:09:56.480So the rest of your house can be for living.
00:09:56.559 -->
00:10:02.720It can be for like, you know, a second, third place kind of uh mindset or an experience.
00:10:03.039 -->
00:10:15.840Yeah, we need to up, we need to um we need to update it and make it that place and then make sure the other spaces um are no devices.
00:10:15.919 -->
00:10:26.399Uh but I would say for us, I think for a lot of people, third spaces, third the third place, excuse me, are becoming um their vacation house.
00:10:26.480 -->
00:10:33.440Or it may be their third place is the place that they always rent every summer when they go to Martha's venue.
00:10:33.919 -->
00:10:48.639Um I also think that third place, third spaces or uh spaces where you're connecting with people are um it may be friends' houses, it may be like we kind of talked about this in previous podcasts.
00:10:48.799 -->
00:10:56.000It may be every month I get together with my my friend circle that are all moms.
00:10:56.480 -->
00:11:00.080Um and we get together and re-ro re-rotate it.
00:11:00.240 -->
00:11:05.600I think this third space is um has evolved.
00:11:05.679 -->
00:11:14.159And I think in 2026, where everybody is craving to be around people and to build communities in a more meaningful way.
00:11:14.320 -->
00:11:21.600I think that the third space has to evolve more from just um a set physical space.
00:11:21.840 -->
00:11:23.039Yeah, I I agree.
00:11:23.120 -->
00:11:37.679I mean, if you think about what's going on now, more and more uh creatives that I've noticed, they have purchased houses to create what they call retreat houses, and they're turning these so-called third-place environments that are like for close networks.
00:11:37.919 -->
00:11:46.000So, you know, inviting friends or inviting like close associates, um, that's becoming like people third-place environments for a lot of reasons, right?
00:11:46.159 -->
00:11:55.759Where it's gonna be, in the case of the Maroon House, this is like a lot of um people that come by, they're like creatives or they're like entrepreneurial, or they're just cool people who just enjoy culture.
00:11:55.919 -->
00:12:03.360Some other um creatives I've noticed have created their third-place uh retreat house for certain types of communities.
00:12:03.519 -->
00:12:14.320Some around queers, some around like uh people who cook, some around people who are all into like craft, or some around people who are just purely just you know, just doing Natama playing games.
00:12:14.480 -->
00:12:20.639But these places are becoming more or less like community centers for their small individual.
00:12:22.720 -->
00:12:31.679Versus like an open community or open third place environment that's kind of tests that can have access uh for lots of people or for all people.
00:12:31.759 -->
00:12:38.639And you know, I think the whole uh idea of the um the Airbnb model that's kind of waning a little bit.
00:12:38.879 -->
00:12:40.639Yeah, I would say it's definitely waning.
00:12:40.720 -->
00:12:52.480I do I do think too, I think it's to kind of dove into our personal definition of of third space is a place where you can just be or daydream.
00:12:52.879 -->
00:12:59.200Like, you know, I think that's also a part of having a third, being in like a third place environment.
00:12:59.440 -->
00:13:05.200Like, there are some places in the neighborhood or New York City, believe it or not, where I feel like I can just daydream.
00:13:05.519 -->
00:13:07.039You know, can you name those places?
00:13:07.200 -->
00:13:12.559Yeah, I would say like going to like um Brooklyn uh botanical gardens.
00:13:12.720 -->
00:13:13.120Right.
00:13:13.279 -->
00:13:16.559Uh I feel like, and I've gone there sometimes and had a blanket.
00:13:16.639 -->
00:13:22.080You've been been there and just have a notebook and just sitting out there, it can feel like a third space.
00:13:22.159 -->
00:13:27.120It can have some of the environment and uh some of the elements that feel like a third space.
00:13:27.200 -->
00:13:29.759I know one time we did that and there were other kids there.
00:13:29.919 -->
00:13:30.639Yeah, yeah.
00:13:31.039 -->
00:13:35.919And Garvey um started playing with the other kids, and we saw the other parents.
00:13:36.080 -->
00:13:43.200I don't remember like talking, talking to the other parents, but I remember the kids were deeply involved in playing.
00:13:43.440 -->
00:13:47.360So that felt like a third, uh, a third space moment.
00:13:47.519 -->
00:13:51.600I would say um, we talked about the bookstores.
00:13:51.679 -->
00:13:52.879I would say for sure that's me.
00:13:52.960 -->
00:13:54.320I would say the public library.
00:13:54.480 -->
00:13:57.200As you know, you know, I'm a huge advocate of the public library.
00:13:57.360 -->
00:13:59.279I like the public library, but I'm gonna be real with you.
00:13:59.360 -->
00:14:01.360Sometimes the public library can feel like a courthouse.
00:14:01.600 -->
00:14:10.480Well, be I'm just saying, but the thing about the public library in in my neighborhood, the one that I frequent the most, every time I go in there, I see someone I know.
00:14:10.639 -->
00:14:14.480It feels Oh, yeah, it feels like it feels it feels a lot familiar.
00:14:14.639 -->
00:14:17.600Yeah, every time you go in there, you you catch up with someone you know.
00:14:17.679 -->
00:14:19.840You there's a human connection there.
00:14:20.399 -->
00:14:23.600Excuse me, either the librarians or other parents.
00:14:23.919 -->
00:14:27.200So for me, it is a third space for me.
00:14:27.440 -->
00:14:29.440Um, it is a community space.
00:14:29.600 -->
00:14:47.679I would say too, um, what are places you think that are like uh I know we talk about this a lot, um third place or um third place places or spots that are kind of non-traditional that we are loving right now.
00:14:48.000 -->
00:14:49.279Well, here's the funny thing.
00:14:49.440 -->
00:14:55.840For me, uh this is you know, long before you know I became a family man and a career creative.
00:14:56.000 -->
00:14:58.320My third place environment used to be the record store.
00:14:58.480 -->
00:15:02.639Now, if you think about everybody knows I'm a big proponent of music.
00:15:02.799 -->
00:15:05.440Like music is a big part of what I do, right?
00:15:05.600 -->
00:15:12.960So I would go and spend hours and upon hours just, you know, listening to music and walk out with like a hundred dollars worth of CDs.
00:15:13.200 -->
00:15:24.720Now, um, if you're talking about music, um, that would be interesting because, you know, now music is more of experiential, it's more event-driven, it's more concerts, which are kind of expensive.
00:15:24.799 -->
00:15:33.200Um, places like here in Brooklyn or even, you know, back in Atlanta, uh, we would go to a lot of the music festivals or the different types of like music pop-up events.
00:15:33.519 -->
00:15:34.879I don't know if I would call those thirds.
00:15:35.039 -->
00:15:36.480But they were third place for me, right?
00:15:36.559 -->
00:15:36.720Okay.
00:15:36.960 -->
00:15:41.039So this is not necessarily talking for the general public, but I'm talking about for me, right?
00:15:41.200 -->
00:15:42.240And I think that's that's fair.
00:15:42.480 -->
00:15:43.840I think that's the bigger thing now, right?
00:15:44.000 -->
00:15:48.480If we're asking individuals who even listen to this podcast, well, what would be that third place?
00:15:48.559 -->
00:15:51.679Because third place don't have to be something that's, you know, for everybody.
00:15:51.840 -->
00:15:53.919It could just be for you and a small group of people.
00:15:54.159 -->
00:15:59.200But I think the bigger question to ask is why does it matter that people have a third place?
00:15:59.440 -->
00:16:04.559Oh, but I mean, I think it matters because nowadays you we you talked about it a little bit in the beginning.
00:16:04.799 -->
00:16:06.639Everybody's working from home.
00:16:06.879 -->
00:16:12.639Like the home and and work has merged in a way like like never before.
00:16:12.879 -->
00:16:13.039Right.
00:16:13.279 -->
00:16:23.200Uh, even though some people are back to work X number of days, but like people work from home now, and you can be at home days upon days and never leave.
00:16:23.440 -->
00:16:31.519You can be working and um washing clothes and ordering groceries and never leave the same spot.
00:16:31.840 -->
00:16:32.480There's no separation.
00:16:33.120 -->
00:16:34.399There's no separation.
00:16:34.639 -->
00:16:37.600So that's number one why I think it's super important.
00:16:37.679 -->
00:16:39.279And also, too, you know, here's the thing.
00:16:39.440 -->
00:16:49.759When I look at people like my late aunt who passed away, when COVID came along and the church came around, the church closed for what two years?
00:16:50.000 -->
00:16:50.879Oh, that's a good example.
00:16:50.960 -->
00:16:52.240A church is a third place environment.
00:16:52.480 -->
00:16:55.519Yeah, the church closed, her third place went away just like that.
00:16:55.679 -->
00:16:56.080That's true.
00:16:56.320 -->
00:17:02.799But the even crazier thing about that is churches that I never would thought in my life went online.
00:17:03.440 -->
00:17:16.160And so you have people, it's easy for an elderly person who even if that was their that was their twice-a week outing, they would be like, Oh, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna listen to church online now.
00:17:16.400 -->
00:17:22.400Um, and so that's why I think that's but that takes away from um communing with people, communing, right?
00:17:22.640 -->
00:17:23.279Connecting with people.
00:17:23.440 -->
00:17:23.920It does.
00:17:24.240 -->
00:17:25.519Being in the fellowship hall.
00:17:25.680 -->
00:17:37.839And even at church, I I think churches now, um, I mean, there are plenty of articles out there about how the black church is is no longer what it is, or any church is no longer what it is.
00:17:38.160 -->
00:17:51.599But when you have revamped how people church, which means not in person, the third place of the definition of third place in church definitely changes.
00:17:51.839 -->
00:17:53.519Um, but why does it matter?
00:17:53.599 -->
00:17:56.160Is because we need human connection, right?
00:17:56.240 -->
00:17:56.960I agree to that.
00:17:57.119 -->
00:18:03.039You need you, you need listen, it ain't nothing like hearing somebody saying a beautiful hymn in person.
00:18:03.279 -->
00:18:06.960I mean, if you're gonna listen to it online, you might as well just listen to the gospel song.
00:18:07.200 -->
00:18:07.599That's true.
00:18:07.680 -->
00:18:11.200Because it's not about that in-person, it's just the feeling, right?
00:18:11.279 -->
00:18:14.799It's it's it's it's more than just hearing it, but you can feel the energy in the room.
00:18:15.759 -->
00:18:17.440That part, feel the energy in the room.
00:18:17.519 -->
00:18:24.160You can wait, the biggest thing is you can see everybody in the room and you can see how the energy is transforming them.
00:18:24.240 -->
00:18:25.440So that has an effect on you.
00:18:25.680 -->
00:18:27.039It's shorthand language too, right?
00:18:27.119 -->
00:18:27.200Yeah.
00:18:27.279 -->
00:18:33.039Because you know, you see, if somebody's smirking and somebody singing a hymn wrong or right, right, you're gonna feel it, right?
00:18:33.119 -->
00:18:42.640It's like an unlike an unspoken kind of joke, like, oh, well, you know, old girl shouldn't have been singing it like that, but we know that he can sing it or she can sing it or can't or whatever.
00:18:42.720 -->
00:18:47.920It's a kind of a funny, unspoken kind of language, shorthand language that you can kind of only get in person.
00:18:48.079 -->
00:18:59.279And listen, the other thing is, you know, psychologically, is that you know, when you love something a lot, um you want to spend a lot of time with it, right?
00:18:59.440 -->
00:18:59.599Right.
00:18:59.680 -->
00:19:04.559You know, one of the things I saw, like all these shopping places, these retail spots.
00:19:04.720 -->
00:19:06.720Um, I think I saw Coach.
00:19:06.880 -->
00:19:20.799I mean, I like coach, but I don't know if I'm like dying to go to a coach coffee shop, but there's so many retail brands that are creating coffee shops inside of them, which means you're spending more time with them.
00:19:20.960 -->
00:19:22.160You're spending more time.
00:19:22.319 -->
00:19:33.759And I think stuff that you love or people that you love, when there's a space, a physical space for you to kick it with them and feel the energy with them, you're gonna stay longer.
00:19:34.000 -->
00:19:34.400I agree.
00:19:34.640 -->
00:19:40.880And it's funny because I was talking to a young designer that I'm quasi-mentoring about how to navigate this new world.
00:19:40.960 -->
00:19:46.480Um, she's recently graduated from a college down in Atlanta, uh, Kennesaw State.
00:19:46.640 -->
00:19:50.559And she gave, you know, we had like a 30 minute session, maybe a 40 some minute session.
00:19:50.640 -->
00:19:59.200And I think the one thing she asked me, uh, what should I give her in terms of like new advice or old advice that I take to heart even now?
00:19:59.359 -->
00:19:59.759And I said, well.
00:20:00.160 -->
00:20:01.759So I think you should be curious.
00:20:01.920 -->
00:20:04.799I think you, as a designer, as a creative, you got to be curious.
00:20:04.880 -->
00:20:08.559And the only way to be curious, you kind of got to get from behind your laptop.
00:20:08.640 -->
00:20:12.160You got to leave the environment that you're comfortable with and you got to go out and explore.
00:20:12.319 -->
00:20:14.799And I think third place environments allow for that.
00:20:14.880 -->
00:20:19.200I mean, I just told you that my favorite spot used to be, you know, a music store.
00:20:19.279 -->
00:20:20.880Now, of course, that's no longer around.
00:20:20.960 -->
00:20:22.240But now I go and still search for.
00:20:22.640 -->
00:20:23.119Which is crazy.
00:20:23.200 -->
00:20:24.559I mean, there are vinyl stores.
00:20:24.880 -->
00:20:25.759There are vinyl stores.
00:20:25.920 -->
00:20:34.880But the moral of that story is that I was telling a young person who came into this creative profession during a time where everything was online.
00:20:35.119 -->
00:20:38.720And I'm now telling her to go out and do more things in the real world.
00:20:39.039 -->
00:20:46.799Because just experiencing curiosity behind a screen in your home, it's not going to complete that picture for you.
00:20:46.960 -->
00:20:47.599You got to go out.
00:20:47.839 -->
00:20:48.720You got to go travel.
00:20:48.799 -->
00:20:50.160You got to go meet up with friends.
00:20:50.400 -->
00:20:53.119You kind of need to go out and explore.
00:20:53.279 -->
00:20:54.400See what people are doing right.
00:20:54.480 -->
00:20:55.519See what people are doing wrong.
00:20:55.680 -->
00:20:56.720Go to some festivals.
00:20:56.880 -->
00:21:05.279But that third place environment for me is a feeling, is community, is people, is places that you've never been.
00:21:05.680 -->
00:21:07.599It don't have to always be something that's familiar.
00:21:07.680 -->
00:21:14.000It could be something that's completely new to you that you just open to learning and exploring and just giving it a chance.
00:21:14.319 -->
00:21:19.200Yeah, I think like shared, um, I think about Brooklyn Brainery.
00:21:19.279 -->
00:21:20.559I think they're still around.
00:21:20.799 -->
00:21:26.480But it's um it's a space here in Brooklyn where you can take creative classes.
00:21:26.720 -->
00:21:40.480Um, and they're usually like, you know, what a dozen other people, a few dozen other people, and then you may take a class on like uh uh wood carving or like calligraphy.
00:21:40.640 -->
00:21:43.920Um, and they've been around for a long, at least 10 plus years.
00:21:44.079 -->
00:21:44.240Right.
00:21:44.480 -->
00:21:48.799And I I'm curious, you know, I haven't gotten an email from them around in a while.
00:21:48.880 -->
00:21:50.319I hope they're still around.
00:21:50.559 -->
00:21:59.359Um but they understood 10 plus, 15 plus years ago, that third places are important.
00:21:59.680 -->
00:22:08.880So like for me, every now and then taking a class there, showing up there, um makes you feel it makes you feel good.
00:22:08.960 -->
00:22:14.079You're around like-minded people who are interested in learning about the same thing.
00:22:14.319 -->
00:22:18.559Um, so that curiosity that you just said.
00:22:18.640 -->
00:22:19.119Yeah.
00:22:19.279 -->
00:22:30.559Um, but taking putting the curiosity uh in a place and making it physical, I think is um, or how can let me let me let me redo that how I saying it.
00:22:31.359 -->
00:22:33.599Seeing the curiosity in person.
00:22:33.839 -->
00:22:34.079Right.
00:22:34.240 -->
00:22:34.880Like you gotta see.
00:22:35.119 -->
00:22:36.960Not just scrolling it and liking it, right?
00:22:37.039 -->
00:22:43.200Not hitting thumbs up, no, but seeing and feeling the curiosity in person is always a kid.
00:22:43.440 -->
00:22:45.519Like, I'm super curious about ceramics.
00:22:45.599 -->
00:22:46.559I like ceramics.
00:22:46.799 -->
00:22:50.880I don't want to be a ceramic artist, but I'm like, should I?
00:22:51.039 -->
00:22:54.960I've never done like a um pottery class, but maybe I should.
00:22:55.279 -->
00:22:57.119You never threw any clay and spun it.
00:22:57.279 -->
00:22:58.000No, I've never done that.
00:22:58.160 -->
00:22:58.880Is that dirty?
00:22:59.119 -->
00:23:00.000No, I've never done that.
00:23:00.400 -->
00:23:04.160Well, I mean, and see, and see, and it's cool we're talking like that, because maybe that's one of those things.
00:23:04.319 -->
00:23:09.839Um, you know, people like us can, hey, you got a curiosity around it, maybe go take a quick class on it, right?
00:23:10.799 -->
00:23:19.920The craziest thing is that um we have a whole our bar, um, our dry bar, what they call it, in at the maroon house.
00:23:20.160 -->
00:23:23.119The entire wall is dedicated to ceramics.
00:23:23.279 -->
00:23:32.319So we have so at first I was like, oh, it's all, you know, black ceramic artists, but I I have more than black ceramics, ceramics in there.
00:23:32.400 -->
00:23:36.480But majority of their, they're probably about a dozen plus pieces.
00:23:36.640 -->
00:23:45.519Um, I have a vase from the black artists guild, black artists design guild.
00:23:45.920 -->
00:23:48.319They did like a collaboration with Pottery Barn.
00:23:48.640 -->
00:23:50.319I have ceramic there.
00:23:50.880 -->
00:23:54.240Um, um our dear friend.
00:23:54.319 -->
00:23:56.400Um Anita Major, shout out to you.
00:23:56.640 -->
00:23:58.000Anina Major.
00:23:58.240 -->
00:23:59.759She, I mean, she blew up.
00:23:59.839 -->
00:24:04.079I I think that that piece she gave us was like a trade, or she maybe gave it to us.
00:24:04.240 -->
00:24:06.000She's like in the Black Smithsonian.
00:24:06.240 -->
00:24:06.960That's what artists do.
00:24:07.039 -->
00:24:11.759We just we give work to our friends, and then we blow up, and then our friends.
00:24:12.240 -->
00:24:15.519We have her so so so many different ceramic artists.
00:24:15.680 -->
00:24:19.519I got a gift from being on the board of the Anna Lewis Foundation.
00:24:19.599 -->
00:24:21.680They gave me a ceramic, ceramic piece.
00:24:21.759 -->
00:24:25.200Anyway, I'm saying all that to say, I'm like, oh, I'm interested in ceramics.
00:24:25.279 -->
00:24:27.200Yeah, I probably should take a class.
00:24:27.359 -->
00:24:28.240Uh, but I haven't.
00:24:28.319 -->
00:24:32.480And and that's listen, that's how you meet new friends.
00:24:32.720 -->
00:24:33.519Well, let's listen.
00:24:33.599 -->
00:24:45.680Let's take a quick break, and we're gonna come right back and get into some other things around like the human case, the culture case, maybe the economic case of what these third-place environments mean, and why do they even matter more even now?
00:24:45.839 -->
00:24:48.319So, uh during this 2026 going forward.
00:24:48.480 -->
00:24:51.039So, gonna take a quick break and be right back.
00:24:56.240 -->
00:24:58.079Looking for creative inspiration?
00:24:58.319 -->
00:25:03.519Graphite Pro Radio explores the intersection of design, culture, and innovation.
00:25:03.680 -->
00:25:05.119One conversation at a time.
00:25:05.279 -->
00:25:09.440Join us for deep dives into the creative process and game-changing ideas.
00:25:09.680 -->
00:25:11.519Start listening today.
00:25:21.039 -->
00:25:27.680All right, we're back from a quick break, and you're listening to the Maroon Life Podcast.
00:25:28.000 -->
00:25:30.240Uh, third spaces.
00:25:30.559 -->
00:25:35.839Listen, I can't have this conversation about this and not talk about restaurants.
00:25:36.079 -->
00:25:39.200I mean, this is like the cultural impact around this, right?
00:25:39.440 -->
00:25:40.480Well, just period.
00:25:40.640 -->
00:25:42.480Restaurants as third spaces.
00:25:42.720 -->
00:25:48.079Like, what does it mean economically to be a restaurant or neighborhood restaurant?
00:25:48.319 -->
00:25:50.319And what does it mean culturally?
00:25:50.559 -->
00:25:56.160Um because you know, restaurants, historically speaking, have always been a third place for well, everybody, right?
00:25:56.400 -->
00:26:05.680I mean, think about the restaurant you grew up going to, where it's Ryan's or I don't know, the old Pizza Hut, but any of these restaurants, you went with family friends, and you hung out for hours.
00:26:05.920 -->
00:26:07.200Well, I think about one thing.
00:26:07.279 -->
00:26:12.559I think about when I think about third spaces and cultural impact, I think about the Odeon.
00:26:13.039 -->
00:26:14.240Oh, the Odeon, right?
00:26:14.480 -->
00:26:21.119That's what pops in my head about how you know you hear all these great stories about creatives in Lower Manhattan.
00:26:21.200 -->
00:26:25.519They went to the Odeon from, you know, Basquiat to Warhol.
00:26:26.000 -->
00:26:35.119And so I automatically see that Odeon, the very classic New York downtown cafe restaurant as a third space.
00:26:35.279 -->
00:26:41.759But this it's also an economic um impact with having a restaurant that's been around 20 or 30 years.
00:26:42.000 -->
00:26:48.720I mean, listen, in bed style, when I think about Peaches, that is the ultimate third space, right?
00:26:49.119 -->
00:26:51.839Like it is a fixture in the neighborhood.
00:26:52.160 -->
00:26:58.960Um it is a place that you know you can go inside of and you can sit at the bar.
00:26:59.039 -->
00:27:03.359That's the best seat in Peaches, the original Peaches on Lewis Avenue.
00:27:03.599 -->
00:27:08.319And you know that um nobody's gonna have a laptop at the bar there.
00:27:08.640 -->
00:27:14.880But more importantly, um, hey, the economic impact.
00:27:15.680 -->
00:27:19.599Craig and Ben have been hiring people for I don't know how long.
00:27:19.920 -->
00:27:32.640Um, and if if there was an announcement tomorrow that they were going out of business, there would be a big economic gaping hole uh on Lewis Avenue, and people probably out of jobs.
00:27:32.720 -->
00:27:40.480So third spaces um they also um massage um culture, right?
00:27:40.799 -->
00:27:42.000And and money.
00:27:42.079 -->
00:27:48.720They they are an opportunity to bring in economic empowerment to the people working there and the owners.
00:27:49.039 -->
00:27:57.839So many restaurants are closing, which is like heartbreaking because when you see it sometimes, you're like, I can't believe it.
00:27:57.920 -->
00:28:06.720And I think the visceral reaction isn't is not like oh my gosh, my favorite dishes is I'm not, I won't be able to have it anymore.
00:28:06.799 -->
00:28:08.720It's like, oh my gosh, my place.
00:28:08.799 -->
00:28:09.599Yeah, my third place.
00:28:09.920 -->
00:28:12.319Your third place is going away, it is going away.
00:28:12.559 -->
00:28:19.680So um, yeah, if we didn't mention it before, restaurants are definitely a third place, and they're all closing, not just in New York.
00:28:19.759 -->
00:28:26.160I've seen it in multiple cities, restaurants that we frequent in Atlanta, some in maybe Chicago, definitely.
00:28:26.640 -->
00:28:28.640Oh my gosh, eats eats in Atlanta.
00:28:28.720 -->
00:28:32.160I haven't gone there in years, but when I saw that, I was like, can you believe it?
00:28:32.319 -->
00:28:33.599But they are reopening.
00:28:33.680 -->
00:28:34.480So that was the thing.
00:28:34.880 -->
00:28:35.440Yeah, I saw that.
00:28:35.680 -->
00:28:39.519It may not be the same as it used to be on punts, but it they are reopenings.
00:28:39.680 -->
00:28:46.160And I'm curious to see what the economic like fallout or impact that would be since they all open up in a new spot.
00:28:46.480 -->
00:28:48.480Well, yeah, like agave in Atlanta.
00:28:48.559 -->
00:28:51.119I know we have a lot of people from Atlanta that listen to this podcast.
00:28:51.279 -->
00:28:53.039Agave, which is right in Cabbage Town.
00:28:53.200 -->
00:28:54.079Just love agave.
00:28:54.319 -->
00:28:56.000Um, I think they probably closed.
00:28:56.079 -->
00:28:58.000This is January, they're closing probably now.
00:28:58.160 -->
00:29:02.079But I wondered, I never got that question answered if they owned the building.
00:29:02.240 -->
00:29:04.799Um, because they had been there like 20 plus years.
00:29:04.960 -->
00:29:08.720But like uh, I was like, oh my gosh, I haven't gone there.
00:29:08.799 -->
00:29:12.000But then I also was thinking, like, what's gonna go there?
00:29:12.160 -->
00:29:17.839Are they gonna put more apartment buildings uh probably so on top of each other?
00:29:18.000 -->
00:29:20.799Um, that people probably are not gonna know each other.
00:29:21.279 -->
00:29:23.680Um, but that's a whole nother conversation.
00:29:23.759 -->
00:29:36.160But yeah, I mean, listen, we haven't even scratched the surface of all the third places or spaces that people would probably um would say, yeah, if you're listening, drop us a note.
00:29:36.319 -->
00:29:37.759Tell us what are we missing?
00:29:37.920 -->
00:29:42.960What's your third, your favorite um third place environment?
00:29:43.200 -->
00:29:49.119Well, think about like these third places, um, like from a cultural historical standpoint, right?
00:29:49.200 -->
00:29:58.160A lot of uh movements, to your point, like the Odeon, that was a movement of a lot of downtown artists convening there and and fellowshipping in that place, right?
00:29:58.240 -->
00:30:10.480Uh a lot of times you look at with the SELC, like these guys were meeting at restaurants that they can only eat at because of, you know, obviously racism and um you know segregational laws back in the 60s.
00:30:10.640 -->
00:30:14.480Um you think about like, you know, something that happened in the 80s, right?
00:30:14.720 -->
00:30:19.599Even here in New York, a lot of people's favorite spots to convene at or like their favorite local pizza spot.
00:30:19.759 -->
00:30:29.039But certain movements were, you know, uh more or less uh created in these third place environments, specifically around restaurants and places to eat.
00:30:29.200 -->
00:30:31.279So what are your takes on that?
00:30:32.160 -->
00:30:42.480I mean, I think that it's becoming harder and harder for restaurants, I'm just being real, to be third place in um environments because they want you out of there.
00:30:42.640 -->
00:30:42.880They do.
00:30:43.119 -->
00:30:44.160They they listen.
00:30:44.480 -->
00:30:57.440They want to, they want, they want, they want to flip the tables or excuse me, they wanna they need as many people to come in there and um to eat, and they need to be able to do it as many times as possible.
00:30:57.680 -->
00:31:02.480So um I do think that there's some restaurants and cafes in Brooklyn.
00:31:02.559 -->
00:31:15.200Like I think about Cafe Moto, which is in Prospect Heights, like you see restaurants like them um opening up at 7 o'clock, and from like 7 to 12, you can bring your laptop in there.
00:31:15.279 -->
00:31:16.880People kind of take meetings there.
00:31:17.039 -->
00:31:19.119I mean, I know I've taken so many meetings there.
00:31:19.200 -->
00:31:20.559I have people meet me there.
00:31:20.720 -->
00:31:25.920You can get your coffee, pastry, a little breakfast sandwich, and kind of linger, and it's no big deal.
00:31:26.079 -->
00:31:42.400And then they obviously have um, you know, a dinner service, you know, with uh competitively priced entrees, but they're not gonna let people be sitting up in there at five o'clock, five to five to ten where they got reservations.
00:31:42.720 -->
00:31:51.119But there are some cafes that understand and have the ability to be able to let people linger during the day.
00:31:51.200 -->
00:31:59.200But I do wonder, um, even the few places I can think of off the top of my head, um, how long that will happen.
00:31:59.359 -->
00:32:03.519Like, for instance, I've been going to the Ace Hotel for more than a decade.
00:32:03.759 -->
00:32:04.559Right, right, right.
00:32:04.960 -->
00:32:07.519The one in the city and the one in downtown Brooklyn.
00:32:07.599 -->
00:32:21.440If I need to like, you know, take a meeting, do some work, grab a coffee, grab a drink, even take a kid, you know, because the one in Brooklyn is easy to take a kid, plop the child on the sofa and um to work.
00:32:21.599 -->
00:32:32.079But like, man, it's hard for me to think now in New York, all of the hotels that have co-working um in their in their lobby.
00:32:32.160 -->
00:32:39.759And I bring up the hotels because most of the hotels, like the Ace, um, there are a few other in Williamsburg and in Midtown.
00:32:39.920 -->
00:32:49.039They are they they're making their money, they're banking that as you're sitting there, you're gonna have a coffee, you're gonna have a pastry, you're gonna have a cocktail, maybe.
00:32:49.279 -->
00:32:50.240A cocktail.
00:32:50.559 -->
00:32:56.240Um, but I do wonder because sometimes you go in there, and I've told you this before.
00:32:56.480 -->
00:32:59.839I'm like, yo, we gotta get here before nine because it's gonna be packed.
00:33:00.000 -->
00:33:00.319Yeah.
00:33:00.559 -->
00:33:10.480Um if you go to these hotel lobby spaces after 10 o'clock, good luck with finding us, good luck with finding a place to sit down.
00:33:10.559 -->
00:33:11.680You can get something to eat.
00:33:11.759 -->
00:33:14.799Yeah, but uh you're not gonna be able to sit down.
00:33:15.039 -->
00:33:22.480Yeah, I mean, it's funny because um, you know, this ideal of hoteling, that's even coming to the corporate world because now I know, right?
00:33:22.640 -->
00:33:26.319Yeah, because you know, now you don't really have an official place to sit.
00:33:26.480 -->
00:33:27.920You have to book your desk.
00:33:28.079 -->
00:33:28.960Is that what you have to do?
00:33:29.119 -->
00:33:30.079I have to do that all the time.
00:33:30.160 -->
00:33:31.440And that's not that's nothing new.
00:33:31.519 -->
00:33:32.720That's been around.
00:33:32.880 -->
00:33:37.680I would say the hoteling aspect of corporate has been around for a good solid maybe 20 years.
00:33:37.759 -->
00:33:42.880It just became more commonplace uh over the last five years, and you have to book, right?
00:33:42.960 -->
00:33:57.519And even that ideal of booking using apps such as you know, Resi or Open Table, this is not an ad, but people are now using booking apps to uh more or less go have a third place to either work or a third place to chill.
00:33:57.680 -->
00:33:59.680Um, I mean, we work used to be a thing.
00:34:00.000 -->
00:34:00.240You right?
00:34:00.480 -->
00:34:03.359You used to have to use that to go for co-working, you book on that.
00:34:03.599 -->
00:34:05.440Now there are these social clubs.
00:34:05.599 -->
00:34:07.119Uh I've recently tried out one.
00:34:07.279 -->
00:34:09.119I won't say the name, but maybe I will.
00:34:09.199 -->
00:34:09.519I don't know.
00:34:09.599 -->
00:34:11.199They give us some money, we'll talk about it.
00:34:11.360 -->
00:34:15.119But it's a social club here I've been using uh to meet new people.
00:34:15.360 -->
00:34:16.320Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:34:16.480 -->
00:34:18.880And I've gone to at least two of the events so far.
00:34:19.039 -->
00:34:38.000You gotta pay for it, but it is a way that I can book uh time to have a third-place experience, such as um pitching ideas for um like a design or app or just meeting people and doing like what they call like fast dating style interactions or networking, right?
00:34:38.079 -->
00:34:39.199You get a chance to meet people.
00:34:39.519 -->
00:34:47.119The goal here, but the goal here is to kind of get more people out of their own personal bubble and meeting people in real life.
00:34:47.360 -->
00:34:53.920So a lot of these apps are creating experiences where people can book time to meet humans.
00:34:54.400 -->
00:34:57.119Yeah, I didn't realize that you were booking the time to meet humans.
00:34:57.440 -->
00:34:58.239That's essentially what it is.
00:34:58.400 -->
00:34:59.119Yeah, I mean it is.
00:34:59.360 -->
00:35:01.440I mean, an RSVP is essentially booking.
00:35:01.679 -->
00:35:03.199You are booking, they know who you are.
00:35:03.920 -->
00:35:06.559Uh you're in the system, you get the email.
00:35:06.719 -->
00:35:17.199Listen, I think you're going to see more of um what you're calling booking um to be in third place environments.
00:35:17.360 -->
00:35:27.519I do think that there's gonna be an onswell of people trying to find connection outside of home and work.
00:35:27.920 -->
00:35:44.800And I would even take it further trying to find connection outside of some traditional third space environments, and the traditional would be the very traditional coffee shop, the very traditional church place.
00:35:45.039 -->
00:35:54.239I think people want connection outside of those because we know that those two spaces that I just talked to, they're radically different from um from 2019.
00:35:54.480 -->
00:35:56.159Oh, yeah, they are very much so.
00:35:56.320 -->
00:36:10.639I mean, I think the biggest problem that where there is a you know a coffee shop or uh a social club that's costs a lot of money per year or some type of app that allows you to book time with humans.
00:36:10.800 -->
00:36:14.400I think the ultimate goal here, the human case for all this, is trying to solve loneliness.
00:36:14.480 -->
00:36:29.280And is it this idea that true creativity, whether you're trying to, you know, figure out how to solve a problem or you know, come up with some great ideas or even just innovate, it doesn't happen in like isolation or asilo.
00:36:29.519 -->
00:36:30.960It has to happen around other people.
00:36:31.119 -->
00:36:36.000You need that friction to kind of work through work things through, right?
00:36:36.159 -->
00:36:38.800To uh kind of get better understanding, to get insights.
00:36:38.960 -->
00:36:42.719So, well, see, what I'm thinking about is is this bullshit or is it real?
00:36:42.880 -->
00:36:50.239You know, I think a lot of times if you're like to yourself, you don't have that thing that you can kind of uh measure against, right?
00:36:50.320 -->
00:36:53.760You don't have people telling you, hey, maybe you need to think about it like this.
00:36:53.920 -->
00:36:55.519Or, hey, that's a great idea.
00:36:55.599 -->
00:36:57.039Now, this is how you can plus it.
00:36:57.119 -->
00:37:00.239But that usually happens mostly in real life.
00:37:00.480 -->
00:37:02.159Yeah, I 100% agree with you.
00:37:02.239 -->
00:37:13.119It's funny because um, as you know, I'm still writing, finishing my manuscript for the book that's titled tentatively the Maroon House Cookbook.
00:37:13.360 -->
00:37:21.920And one of the things that I've been writing about over and over is that one of the reasons why we always have the happy hours, yeah.
00:37:22.400 -->
00:37:28.559Um, or uh is because I have this kind of I call it a spiritual nudge.
00:37:28.800 -->
00:37:34.400I will have a spiritual nudge to be like, yo, I need some people in my space.
00:37:34.800 -->
00:37:40.800Um because it does give me the right people, right?
00:37:41.039 -->
00:37:45.199I mean, and we talked about this in previous episodes about the right people.
00:37:45.519 -->
00:37:47.920It gives me this creative boost, right?
00:37:48.079 -->
00:37:52.159It gives me this energy, it gives me this fuel to propel forward.
00:37:52.400 -->
00:37:59.440Um, and I would say it's the same thing about being in certain spaces and being in certain third spaces.
00:37:59.599 -->
00:37:59.760Right.
00:37:59.840 -->
00:38:00.639I'm not gonna lie.
00:38:00.719 -->
00:38:08.880Sometimes one of the last two or three times I've been in my neighborhood coffee shop, um, I felt inspired.
00:38:09.199 -->
00:38:20.559Um, I was meeting a friend and she was here from Japan, and Unbeknownst to me, the coffee shop owner and her have been friends for 20 years.
00:38:20.800 -->
00:38:23.599Obviously, you can get that if y'all didn't do it in real person.
00:38:23.760 -->
00:38:31.360Yeah, if we had just caught up uh on the phone or FaceTime, I wouldn't have picked that up.
00:38:31.440 -->
00:38:34.639I just sent her, I was like, hey, I'm here at this coffee shop.
00:38:34.880 -->
00:38:36.079And she was like, oh, okay.
00:38:36.159 -->
00:38:38.800So when she got there, she was like, We've been friends for 20-something years.
00:38:38.880 -->
00:38:40.320I'm like, oh wow.
00:38:40.559 -->
00:38:46.159Um, so I feel good about going to the coffee shop.
00:38:46.239 -->
00:38:47.280And I gotta add this whole thing.
00:38:47.360 -->
00:38:49.119I know we've talked about coffee shops a lot.
00:38:49.199 -->
00:38:54.719Somebody told me you, you should, you should learn how to make your own coffee and stop going to coffee shops.
00:38:54.800 -->
00:38:58.400I was like, Well, I don't go to coffee shops every day and I drink coffee every day.
00:38:58.559 -->
00:39:00.400Um, it used to be twice a day.
00:39:00.480 -->
00:39:02.480Now I'm probably just at one cup a day.
00:39:03.199 -->
00:39:27.039But pretty much at least five days a week, six days a week, I get my coffee from home, but I make it a point to have coffee out because hey, they say that 2026 coffee is going up, and one of the biggest things that all the podcasts are telling people, make your coffee at home.
00:39:27.360 -->
00:39:33.440And I actually just kind of clutch my pearls when I hear that because I'm like, some of these coffee shops ain't gonna make it.
00:39:33.599 -->
00:39:53.840If we're telling everyone to make their coffee at home and to stop going to coffee shops, that means our neighborhood third places, like coffee shops that understand third places, coffee shops like my neighborhood coffee shops, all of their um tables um are not for laptops.
00:39:53.920 -->
00:39:56.960They have signs on there saying no laptops at this table.
00:39:57.679 -->
00:39:59.760Uh so I say that like.
00:40:01.679 -->
00:40:02.159Hey.
00:40:03.360 -->
00:40:04.480Support your local businesses.
00:40:04.800 -->
00:40:05.599That's what you're saying.
00:40:06.239 -->
00:40:08.719But also keep your ass home sometimes and make your own.
00:40:09.039 -->
00:40:14.639Yeah, I mean, I kind of went around the world to say this that third places are inspiring.
00:40:14.880 -->
00:40:17.440Yeah, and people mansplaining coffee is kind of weird.
00:40:17.760 -->
00:40:23.760Creating your own third place at home periodically can also be inspiring as well.
00:40:24.000 -->
00:40:24.480Exactly.
00:40:24.639 -->
00:40:28.239So I think to kind of wrap things up, let's think about this, right?
00:40:28.320 -->
00:40:30.239Like, let's think about a couple questions here.
00:40:30.320 -->
00:40:34.079Like, how do we really intentionally create these third place environments, right?
00:40:34.159 -->
00:40:35.840If they're not going to be something that we own.
00:40:36.079 -->
00:40:39.199Like what are programming ideas to help kind of create this?
00:40:39.280 -->
00:40:45.920And what are the role of people in your community or your circle or whatever that is to kind of bring these things together?
00:40:46.079 -->
00:40:55.119Like, I think to kind of kick it off, um, I think how you intentionally create spaces is, but think about the space that you would want to be a third-place environment.
00:40:55.280 -->
00:41:02.239I know for us, we say, you know, our homes are kind of like our like third place environment because we invite close friends.
00:41:02.480 -->
00:41:07.039For some other people, it may be a space that they go and meet, and that's their space, right?
00:41:07.280 -->
00:41:12.320I think, you know, when it comes to programming ideas, um, you know, maybe there's some things you can do.
00:41:12.400 -->
00:41:15.360Some people do game night, some people do portrait night.
00:41:15.599 -->
00:41:18.960Some of my first things I used to do in my first apartment, I used to host portrait readings.
00:41:19.039 -->
00:41:20.719Now, this is back during the whole Love Jones era.
00:41:21.039 -->
00:41:22.079That's so funny to hear that.
00:41:22.239 -->
00:41:23.920Yeah, I was I used to host portrait readings.
00:41:24.000 -->
00:41:25.519I used to write poetry, but whatever.
00:41:25.760 -->
00:41:27.760But, you know, is there a way to do programming?
00:41:27.920 -->
00:41:29.039Some people, again, of course.
00:41:29.440 -->
00:41:30.880I like you calling it programming.
00:41:31.119 -->
00:41:33.119But yeah, right, you kind of want to have a certain sense of the same thing.
00:41:33.280 -->
00:41:35.840Yeah, I will say though, yeah, yes.
00:41:36.559 -->
00:41:43.199Also, I think the um the role that I expect from the community of my friends is to just participate.
00:41:43.360 -->
00:41:46.559I'm not expecting people to bring something, although that helps.
00:41:46.639 -->
00:41:52.639I'm not expecting people to always participate, but you know, participation does make things more fun, right?
00:41:52.880 -->
00:41:56.960But I I think that's the role of your communities when you want people to just be involved.
00:41:57.199 -->
00:42:10.880Yeah, I would say like creating a third place or space environment at home does require you to really think about um your physical space.
00:42:11.440 -->
00:42:17.360And it does, you do need to think about like, okay, what do I want to do here?
00:42:17.519 -->
00:42:26.239And when I say physical space, when I think about our apartment here in New York, and when we want to do something, a third space, we take it to the terrace.
00:42:26.400 -->
00:42:32.480You do, we have a terrace here, so it's easy to create this kind of third place, the terrace.
00:42:32.559 -->
00:42:41.360It's hard in this room, in our living room, to do it, but in the terrace, you can create a third space environment.
00:42:41.679 -->
00:42:43.199You have the sun.
00:42:43.519 -->
00:42:44.800We always kind of it's funny.
00:42:45.920 -->
00:42:46.239Right, right.
00:42:46.400 -->
00:42:50.719The sunset has been um the focal point, right?
00:42:50.960 -->
00:43:00.239Um, so that's one way of like looking at your home and saying, what is the physical space where this third place moment can live?
00:43:00.480 -->
00:43:03.760It may be in Athens at the maroon house.
00:43:04.079 -->
00:43:10.880I have seen our front and backyard being the actual physical environment.
00:43:11.039 -->
00:43:14.880Like we have turned the front yard into a badminton.
00:43:15.599 -->
00:43:18.079Badminton, it can be bocce ball.
00:43:18.239 -->
00:43:19.199We've turned it into bocce balls.
00:43:19.280 -->
00:43:20.639Sometimes it's a pool for the kids.
00:43:20.880 -->
00:43:28.559Yeah, so you can take spaces and turn it into like this third space where people can daydream, you can relax.
00:43:28.960 -->
00:43:30.159Hey, our friends conversation.
00:43:30.400 -->
00:43:33.039Our friends at Eschel, remember they invited us for game night.
00:43:33.119 -->
00:43:33.440Yeah.
00:43:33.599 -->
00:43:35.039And they had all kinds of games.
00:43:35.119 -->
00:43:36.239You know, they had fools ball.
00:43:36.320 -->
00:43:38.480We was doing the little funny games you see on the show.
00:43:38.639 -->
00:43:40.079They turned their downstairs.
00:43:40.480 -->
00:43:41.760Shout out to the basement.
00:43:41.920 -->
00:43:42.320Yeah.
00:43:42.559 -->
00:43:44.400Uh, shout out to uh Dr.
00:43:44.639 -->
00:43:49.360Kenny uh and uh Daphne Eschow, our dear friends that are in Athens.
00:43:49.440 -->
00:43:57.360But their basement is like a fun place where they've created a third space where you can have easily a game night.
00:43:57.599 -->
00:44:10.800So I do think it's important during 2020 2026 and beyond, if you're looking to say, you know, I want to stay at home or I want to connect with people without this time limit.
00:44:11.039 -->
00:44:14.559Because you know, I just said about restaurants, like these folks don't want you into it.
00:44:15.039 -->
00:44:15.920They want you in and out, done.
00:44:16.079 -->
00:44:17.039They want you in and out.
00:44:17.199 -->
00:44:19.119Um, how can you create this at home?
00:44:19.280 -->
00:44:22.719Think about your space and what's the tiny space?
00:44:22.880 -->
00:44:26.719If you got a hundred square feet of space, like how can I turn this into something?
00:44:26.800 -->
00:44:28.239I mean, we've done trivia.
00:44:28.400 -->
00:44:28.800We've done.
00:44:28.960 -->
00:44:32.960Yeah, we've done games, um, all those things.
00:44:33.199 -->
00:44:37.519Um, you can do it on the fly, but a little thought always makes it better.
00:44:37.760 -->
00:44:40.880A little thought about what you're gonna do and how it's gonna be executed.
00:44:41.119 -->
00:44:43.440I mean, think about black people back in the days.
00:44:43.599 -->
00:44:48.880Um, you know, a spade game would just pop up in somebody's house, and that literally turns into like an event.
00:44:49.039 -->
00:44:51.760I am not a spades player, to be honest with you.
00:44:51.840 -->
00:44:53.440It's it always intimidates me.
00:44:53.519 -->
00:44:55.119Uh, but I love watching spades.
00:44:55.199 -->
00:44:57.920I can be a great spade spectator of a spades game.
00:44:58.159 -->
00:45:16.079And listen, the funny thing about it is um when you talk about black people creating these third space environments in their home, the spades biz with card games is it because basically the table, the table becomes the center and the focal point.
00:45:16.239 -->
00:45:16.559It does.
00:45:16.719 -->
00:45:31.920Like that table gotta be set up right, it gotta be clear, you gotta be able to have enough space to lay out the books, and people kind of like are not like sitting at the table with the car players, you're kind of surrounding them, right?
00:45:32.079 -->
00:45:32.320Right.
00:45:32.480 -->
00:45:40.639So it's like um intentional and unintentional uh third place space that has all the things, great conversation.
00:45:41.039 -->
00:45:50.480Um, if you go to a space party and you don't know somebody and you standing next to them, believe me, by the end of the night, y'all gonna get to know each other.
00:45:50.719 -->
00:45:55.760Because, you know, it's rowdy, people are laughing, people are connecting.
00:45:56.000 -->
00:45:56.480That's true.
00:45:56.639 -->
00:45:58.079Yeah, it's very true.
00:45:58.159 -->
00:46:01.360And I think the, you know, go ahead and put a cap on this.
00:46:01.519 -->
00:46:11.039Um, we would like to ask you guys as listeners, like, you know, what ideas do you think make you feel safe, or what's a cool place that you would like to create in terms of like a third place environment?
00:46:11.199 -->
00:46:13.599What's missing in most of these places now?
00:46:13.679 -->
00:46:19.199Um, you know, feel free to hit us up, text us if you know us, or you know, inboxes from the site.
00:46:19.440 -->
00:46:25.840But definitely like to hear back from you guys about what a third place environment means to you and how would you create that going forward?
00:46:26.159 -->
00:46:31.679Live, be curious, and most importantly, love.
00:46:32.159 -->
00:46:34.800Yeah, love the spaces and places you visit.
00:46:34.960 -->
00:46:36.079Peace, guys.
00:46:36.400 -->
00:46:36.880Peace.
00:46:37.760 -->
00:46:42.000Thanks for tuning in to the Maroon Life, where creativity meets culture and joy.
00:46:42.159 -->
00:46:43.920Part of the Caffe Media Network.
00:46:44.000 -->
00:46:47.360Follow us on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen.
