I didn’t learn to drink coffee until I was in my 30s. Maria, the woman I stayed with in Hungary, introduced me to good coffee. Of course I started out liking a little bit of coffee with my cream and sugar, and I drank it that way for years.
When I started worrying about the amount of sugar I was consuming, I learned to drink coffee with just cream, no sugar. I quickly learned that higher quality coffee needed less cream, cheap coffee needed not just a ton of cream but sugar as well.
I’ve never really gotten into coffee without cream, though I know it would be better for my diet if I would.
However. Starbucks just opened a concept store on 15th. (Store’s web site: http://streetlevelcoffee.com/) I went up there this morning — why the heck not? Though they’ve destroyed the convenience factor for me (they won’t take Starbucks cards) they do have free wifi. And if it gets as warm as it’s supposed to get this weekend, well, I may end up hanging out there for the free wifi as well as the AC.
I didn’t realize, however, that they have a Clover! Ever since I read about these machine I wanted to try the coffee made by them. I saw the machine while I was waiting for my coffee, and walked over to talk with the nice man (D. Major Cohen) about it. He gave me a taste for free (Costa Rica – La Candelilla Estate). OMG was it good. I drank it without cream, it was so smooth. I plan on going back and trying all their different blends, to figure out which ones I like.
Say what you like about Starbucks, I think this is a great venture for them. I hope the store succeeds, and that they’re able to bring this type of store to other parts of the country.
Aster Coffee, on 24th Ave., has a Clover that they got before Starbucks bought it out. Clovers DO make good coffee, it’s true.
They do! I am looking forward to exploring more of the coffees made with the Clover machine.
They won’t take Starbucks cards at an actual Starbucks? That’s…kind of stupid.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it but I have to admit, from what I’ve heard about it I’ve been really unenthusiastic.
The sign says, “Inspired by Starbucks.” But it’s just a shell game. They’re still Starbucks. Not like a regular store, however. If you’re curious we can walk by it next week – but you don’t have to go in if you don’t want to. *G*
We can take a look 🙂
I was going to ask you if you were planning on visiting the new store. I need to go and see how it compares.
So far I have mixed feelings but that has more to to with location/design than anything. I’ve heard about the impact of the local businesses on it’s new design as though it took more than just contextual inspiration and instead stole design ideas. As a designer this is a hard one but I want to see what is going on. As for location if I am going up to 15th for beverages then I am going for tea. If I think I want coffee then I go to Vivace.
That fancy machine better be worth the walk.
I’m not convinced that the design ideas were stolen. It looks like a funky coffee shop — actually funkier than any of the other coffee shops on the block, quite frankly. We’ll have to see how the atmosphere of the place eventually shakes out.
I think the fancy machine might be worth the walk, but bare in mind that it’s *expensive* compared to regular coffee.
Aster Coffee, on 24th Ave., has a Clover that they got before Starbucks bought it out. Clovers DO make good coffee, it’s true.
They do! I am looking forward to exploring more of the coffees made with the Clover machine.
They won’t take Starbucks cards at an actual Starbucks? That’s…kind of stupid.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it but I have to admit, from what I’ve heard about it I’ve been really unenthusiastic.
The sign says, “Inspired by Starbucks.” But it’s just a shell game. They’re still Starbucks. Not like a regular store, however. If you’re curious we can walk by it next week – but you don’t have to go in if you don’t want to. *G*
We can take a look 🙂
I was going to ask you if you were planning on visiting the new store. I need to go and see how it compares.
So far I have mixed feelings but that has more to to with location/design than anything. I’ve heard about the impact of the local businesses on it’s new design as though it took more than just contextual inspiration and instead stole design ideas. As a designer this is a hard one but I want to see what is going on. As for location if I am going up to 15th for beverages then I am going for tea. If I think I want coffee then I go to Vivace.
That fancy machine better be worth the walk.
I’m not convinced that the design ideas were stolen. It looks like a funky coffee shop — actually funkier than any of the other coffee shops on the block, quite frankly. We’ll have to see how the atmosphere of the place eventually shakes out.
I think the fancy machine might be worth the walk, but bare in mind that it’s *expensive* compared to regular coffee.