The Starbucks Experience

HQWest · #1 05-27-2012, 02:36 PM

It is no longer always socially acceptable to hang out and take a smoke break, or to stop by the local bar/hangout on the way home anymore. I figure this is where the coffee break fills in for a lot of people. It also provides a chance to get up and stretch or get out of a cramped or stressful office.

I didn't start drinking coffee at all until I started working a lot of late nights in graduate school. Not that I never worked late in college, just that Diet Coke sufficed previously.

I didn't start drinking coffee regularly until I worked in the SF Bay Area. It was freezing cold all of the time, and we went to work before the sun came up, and frequently walked home through the fog. An afternoon coffee might be the only break that day, and it gave us a chance to take a walk to a local coffee shop. It might be the only time I would see the sun for weeks. This was exacerbated by the fact that I worked with a lot of Germans - who would often INSIST that a coffee break was as important as lunch.

Now that I am back home in the Deep South, Starbucks is on campus. A lot of times it is nice to go there to meet up with a small group of people from various places on campus, or to just get out of the office. ETA - and now I have a gold card....

knight_shadow · #2 05-27-2012, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HQWest

It is no longer always socially acceptable to hang out and take a smoke break, or to stop by the local bar/hangout on the way home anymore.

Clearly, you've never been to Dallas

HQWest · #3 05-27-2012, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Clearly, you've never been to Dallas

I said not always socially acceptable. HQJr. would not be pleased that dinner was late....

On a recent outing for a birthday party - I had a sitter for HQJr- but not everyone did. The DJ commented "Oh look - you have a baby, in a bar." The mother's response "Oh no. We have two."

knight_shadow · #4 05-27-2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HQWest

I said not always socially acceptable. HQJr. would not be pleased that dinner was late....

I guess my "joking" smiley didn't show up lol

Quote:

On a recent outing for a birthday party - I had a sitter for HQJr- but not everyone did. The DJ commented "Oh look - you have a baby, in a bar." The mother's response "Oh no. We have two."

This happens a lot in Dallas, too.

I remember meeting some friends at an uppity/yuppie patio bar in Uptown and having a good time -- until I turned around and saw a woman with her infant and toddler. I think it's one thing to bring kids to a restaurant/grill/lounge, but to bring them to a bar-bar (intended for 20- and 30-somethings) seemed so off to me.

HQWest · #5 05-27-2012, 03:32 PM

I know you're just joshing with me. The line between bar/restaurant/tavern is becoming blurred based on how much food they serve especially during earlier dinner hours.

PiKA2001 · #6 05-27-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I remember meeting some friends at an uppity/yuppie patio bar in Uptown and having a good time -- until I turned around and saw a woman with her infant and toddler. I think it's one thing to bring kids to a restaurant/grill/lounge, but to bring them to a bar-bar (intended for 20- and 30-somethings) seemed so off to me.

At least she didn't leave them in the car...

What I don't get is the trend of bringing your dog to the hipster bars...it's a dog, leave him at home.

psusue · #7 05-27-2012, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HQWest

This was exacerbated by the fact that I worked with a lot of Germans - who would often INSIST that a coffee break was as important as lunch.

This. When I lived in Italy there was an entire culture around coffee. Meeting at coffee shops was a regular thing and they had kind of unspoken rules about what kinds of coffee you drank and when and with what meal. I think that 'coffee culture' is something Starbucks is trying to recreate here in a way. But I think in general we're more 'give me whatever will caffeinate me and fast' so it's different. I know I don't generally care where the coffee comes from/its quality as much as I care about the price and speed/convenience of delivery.

ASTalumna06 · #8 05-27-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColdInCanada11

I'm the exact opposite! I love Tims hot chocolate but can't stand Starbucks (I think dark chocolate is awful)

Ok, question.. Did they change Starbucks' hot chocolate? I remember always hating it because it was dark chocolate, but I've been going to Starbucks every so often over the last year or two because I've been traveling for work, and sometimes that's the only option for breakfast. My boss and I don't really like coffee, so we get hot chocolate... And now I don't mind it. It's definitely different, IMO.

But I really don't go to Starbucks, or any other coffee shop, if I can help it. When I lived in New England, I'd stop in to Dunkins on occassion for a hot chocolate (my favorite!), but I definitely wouldn't hang out there. The only restaurant I might go to for reading/studying is Panera, but even that doesn't happen frequently.

And while I'm not a fan of coffee, some mornings, I simply can't go without it. In that case, I get some from the awesome coffee machine in my office, and I make a cafe mocha - half coffee, half hot chocolate, with a good amount of milk mixed in