Visiting Angelina Jolie's Coffee Shop in NYC
Or, sharing truly is caring.
Yes, I didn’t know either that Angelina Jolie has opened a coffee shop. And guess what it is called? Atelier Jolie. (I know!!) There couldn’t have been a more perfect place and I just knew I had to go.
For those of you who are new to my world - my membership is called The Atelier. It’s where you learn the journaling method that helps you create your own success. It’s the place where … you learn how to connect with your own Inner Colors and share them on the canvas called Life.
But back to the Atelier in New York. So, how did I find out? Because of a message on Instagram. The story is quite amazing. And it shows how sharing truly is caring. It shows how Instagram is not just “superficial”. It is actually a place of connection, if we use it well and wisely.
So, I went to Demo Café in Aguascalientes, in Mexico, and shared the photo on my coffee account on Instagram @acoffeedaily. Someone from the community replied - “Hey, these cups look exactly like the cups that Angelina Jolie chose for her coffee shop!”
I was surprised - What? Angelina Jolie has a coffee shop?
I looked it up immediately. Atelier Jolie, located in Manhattan.
It just so happened that I was already planning my next trip to New York.
The two (almost) identical cups
Just one day after meeting Brianna Wiest at her book signing event - which had already absolutely blown my mind and inspired me in many ways - I got to make a stop at Atelier Jolie in Manhattan. This is a video I found which takes you to the place - in case it doesn’t open at the precise time, look for 11:51 min. Just imagine you were walking in, and, if you happen to visit or be in NYC, the address is 57 Great Jones Street.
The place celebrates its uniqueness.
You don’t really see from outside that it is a coffee shop and that is one of the many things I love about the place. It’s so “not cliché”, it’s so different, it's … unique. And it celebrates its uniqueness - which I find both empowering and encouraging. Places can be a reminder of something we can apply in our everyday lives, of something we can embrace more or see more clearly.
Sometimes - and I know I am not the only one - I compare myself too much with other accounts on Instagram. I wonder whether, in order to be successful and share content that has an impact, I also need to, let’s say, do reels of GRWM, or recording myself while putting on/off make-up. But that just doesn’t come naturally to me, and frankly, it’s also really not the purpose of my brand or message.
And taking that step and decision to be okay with falling out of the norm here and there - it takes courage. There is always a risk that comes with it, because you have the proof that other models do work, and you’re testing something new. Which, if done well and authentically, will eventually be the “unique selling point” that attracts the right customers for your brand, or, applied to your life, the correct people and community that understands and sees you.
There is an atmosphere of community and “just be you”.
I can’t really describe why or how I felt it, but I know that places have a “vibe” and “energy”, and if you pay attention to the colors, decorations, details, and the way everything is designed, you can sort of pick up the subtle details that make the full picture. It’s a little bit like reading a text in between the lines.
The furniture was arranged in a way that resembled a living room. There was a huge table at the center, so I’d assume that, unless you come as a group, people who don’t know each other share the same table. And that is how the entire place feels. As if it was saying: We all share the same table. It doesn’t matter where you come from, or where you plan to go to, now you are here, and you are welcome.
My personal favorite was, of course, the white piano. How beautiful, to have piano in a coffee shop! I also really liked one detail about the cakes and pastries - the names of the chefs were featured, too. You can look up the project on Instagram at @eatoffbeat and read their story on their website. I absolutely loved it!!
What most inspired me …
… is seeing projects that are done with so much thoughtfulness and heart. I’ve been a fan of Angelina Jolie prior to visiting Atelier Jolie, but I could see her work and dedication to her message in every little detail.
Often, we see “success” and “power” as something bad, or something that is being misused. We sometimes hold ourselves back, fearing success and the big stage, because we are used to seeing celebrities that don’t really give back or use their power in a meaningful and supportive way. I definitely had to journal a lot on my own definition of “success and power” and deciphering what I had learned about it, to intentionally choose what I want to think about it, and make of it.
So, it was beautiful to first see Brianna Wiest in person, who uses her voice to help millions of people around the world to heal, connect and live more meaningful lives. I realized how you can “be loud” by not being loud at all. Words can change lives.
And then, one day later, I stepped into a space that was so different from anything I’d ever seen before. Something that whispered “I see you, tell me about your story”. And something that, also, let me see how small and connected the world is.
What brought me to Atelier Jolie was a comment from a follower from Argentina, because of a picture taken in a coffee shop in Mexico, which would eventually guide me and turn my path towards Atelier Jolie in New York City … and now, the story is traveling to you. I think that is pretty amazing.
Choose a life that makes sense to you
It’s these moments of finding my own story in a larger story, or, let’s say, finding my own places of meaning in a huge city, moments that may just make sense to me, that I live for. I realized that life is so much “fuller” when you only focus on your own story. When you go to places you truly want to visit, not because “they’re cool”. In the time I have been in NYC, I haven’t visited the Statue of Liberty yet, and I haven’t even gone to the Empire State Building. These would probably be the places recommended to visitors, and while I for sure want to visit these one day, it wasn’t on my own list of priorities. I cared more about coffee shops, and connecting the dots of my own story.
And I hope you feel encouraged to do that, too. To live a life that feels meaningful to you, because you intentionally choose the stories that you want to write. And if you feel like it, share your stories - you never know who most needs to hear them.
Sharing truly is caring.
Keep creating, A