Obsession with Coffee

I have talked about my liking for a good cup of joe before, but it has reached a new level. I am an honest SBC follower, but now only for drip coffee or espresso I make. While I can make a great espresso with their coffee, I have found that the baristas here are lacking the skills to truly make a great espresso drink. Unfortunately, due to the lack of SBCs here in Austin and the truly super convenience of Starbucks, I have been going to Starbucks. Now you are saying ok, but what is my new level of obsession? Well it is that I can't not have a latte if I am out of the house. I am not working right now, but yet feel compelled to hit up Starbucks every time I am out of the house and pay the $3.52 for a Grande, non-fat, 1 Splenda latte! I can't help it. I love the taste of the creamy, silky, frothy milk swirling around with some espresso. Now b/c it is Starbucks, I add the Splenda to help cut down the serious bite their over-roasted coffee has.

I leave the house as little as possible since I haven't gotten my first unemployment check yet and I don't want to waste gas or spend useless money, but when I do venture out it is like a serious voice in my head that says "GET A LATTE" and the next thing I know I am pulling off the highway and into the Starbucks drive thru. Then I get that Grande, non-fat, 1 Splenda latte in my hand and it is like ultimate release. It is seriously 16oz of heaven in a paper cup. It tastes so good. I love it. Yummy.

I need to stop this before I spend all my savings on Starbucks, or I need to find a job so that I can keep affording my habit! Or I need someone to purchase the Breville Espresso Maker off my registry so I can start making my own at home!

As you will find out, I love coffee! I love good coffee. I can't however function without a good solid latte in the morning and a great not too fizzy diet coke in the afternoon. I spent 3 wonderful years of my life working for a franchise of Seattle's Best Coffee here in Austin. I think I might even still regret leaving, although it was ultimately better for my friendship with Ben and for mental health! I worked like a dog, and finally lost the drive to keep performing.

Seattle's Best is now a division of Starbucks, which is ok since they have held the intergry of the coffee and the roasting styles of the original SBC. They didn't sell out, but yet made a great decision to enter into a relationship with their biggest competition. It makes sense. SBC customers are a different segment of the coffee drinking populus, so now Starbucks owns two instead of one segment of their target market.