The Starbucks Experience

[HQWest]

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]

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

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[thewasher418]

In school, I spent many many hours studying at Starbucks. I would always drink either hot chocolate or chai lattes. Once in a blue moon I might try a coffee rink, but I could never bring myself to like that taste.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I like frappacinos in bottles. They get me caffeinated faster, and save me the unpleasant experience of having to be around the phalanx of hipster doofi in Starbucks.

Lol...I love the "Latin" plural of doofus!

[AXOmom]

This is a little off-topic but it does involve Starbucks and coffee. I never developed a taste for it, but my husband drinks enough to keep Columbia's economy going for at least a year (well, the legal economy at least). He was at 7 or 8 cups a day when we met.

He has punch cards for every coffee shop, barista bar, and roadside stand in town and can rate each one as we pass them. Since we live in the Northwest, or Starbucks Central - that was about 8 million coffee stands/shops and a buttload of cards (literally since he stuffs them all in his wallet).

One Christmas a pretty white box is delivered to our house. I open it up and find a 5 lb bag of Starbucks Christmas blend which consists of beans from Africa (specifically Ethiopia, I think) which have been shipped to us from New York (don't ask me why Starbucks is shipping to us from NY when we've lived our entire married lives within a short driving distance of Seattle). It's wrapped in a silver ribbon and attached is a card.

My husband was a minister at the time, so I assumed this was from some parishioner who knew of his coffee obsession and sent it as a Christmas gift. I open the card and read:

"Dear Valued Starbucks Customer:"

Yep, he was such a valued customer that Starbucks felt it was worth their time to mail him a 5 lb bag of unground Ethiopian coffee beans shipped in a box from NY and wrapped in ribbon. I was assuming they didn't do this for everyone who had visited a Starbucks that year- after all - I like their hot chocolate and shaken ice tea lemonades but they weren't sending ME anything.

The next time I went in I asked a girl at the counter how much business she would guess a person would have to do with Starbucks in order to rate this "gift". She looked at me and said, "Hmmm...I'm guessing $300 or up a month." Needless to say husband and I had a long conversation about his coffee habit when I got home.

33Girl - If you ever travel the country, you should probably avoid the Pacific NW. I'm fairly certain we have the hipster doofi market cornered....sigh. ... I will say that here - the majority wouldn't be caught dead in a Starbucks, so it would probably be safe for you.

[cheerfulgreek]

I'm not sure if anyone has ever tried Caribou Coffee's "Hot Apple Blast", but it's so yummy. That's pretty much the only thing I'll get when I'm there. There's nothing like opening up a good astronomy book, drinking a nice cup of Hot Apple Blast, in a comfy chair, in front of a simulated fireplace. Mmmmm...



I also enjoy the environment at Caribou, too. They have a fireplace at the one I go to. Unfortunately, it's not a real fireplace, but it gives me a similar feeling as a real one. Maybe it's against code here to have a real fireplace inside of a coffee shop.

[Jill1228]

I love Dunkin Donuts hazelnut coffee. Sucks that there are no DDs near me. Occasionally I go to Panera or Brugger's bagels for their coffee.
My bad habit (and rock a gold card to prove it--should be platinum) is Starbucks

[Hockeynut]

The only time I ever go to any place like Starbucks is when I set up a date with a girl. I don't even like coffee so I'll order some other drink.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

33Girl - If you ever travel the country, you should probably avoid the Pacific NW. I'm fairly certain we have the hipster doofi market cornered....sigh. ... I will say that here - the majority wouldn't be caught dead in a Starbucks, so it would probably be safe for you.

LOL. I actually reconnected with an old friend from there and we have so much in common it's scary. She's from VERY north WA though, like on the border, so she's almost more Canadian than Seattleian.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by Jill1228

My bad habit (and rock a gold card to prove it--should be platinum) is Starbucks

This is me. I don't drink, smoke, etc. My vice is Starbucks Mochas.

Help me. Please.

That said... I cannot stand their coffee. Way too strong and makes me literally sick to my stomach.

The OP mentioned Beaners (I mean Biggby now that they are all PC with their name). I like their Caramel Marvels but they are so overpriced I won't go there any longer unless I have a BOGO coupon.

[zookies]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Caribou Coffee

Now that's what I was thinking. I like them better than SB.