Yes, this was my afternoon. I met a friend for coffee and got my usual Vente size dark and bold brew. Verona is my favorite bean by Pikes Place and some others are OK, too. Starbucks is the place I learned to like raw sugar and it's hard to go back to little white packets. As I have written in earlier posts, I have enjoyed a Vente in some incredible cities in the U.S. and in many other countries. It isn't everyone's cup-of-tea, I know, but to me it's comforting. I recommend their stores in Santa Fe, Newport, RI, Vienna, Paris, and Prague. Don't misunderstand, I do enjoy the foods and coffee in the other countries, and their pastries, chocolate creations, etc., etc. Starbucks would never, ever keep me from experiencing and enjoying the coffee in foreign lands. One of my favorite memories of what Starbucks has done to me is, we were visiting our son who was studying architecture in Florence. He lived on the Piazzo Pitti across the Ponte Vecchio from school and the Caffè Pitti was right outside his door. I sat down to order a coffee and tried to order something larger than their regular teeny, tiny cup of coffee. Which is very good. To my son's embarrassment, I ended up with a double, double, double size cup that, as he explained in Italian to the waiter, only a crazy American tourist would even think to order. I blame it all on Starbucks and my addiction to my Vente. It is about a gallon and I like it that size. Period. I just hope I can show my face someday at Caffè Pitti without them recognizing me and bursting into laughter.
