Comments on: Probably unfair of me, I know

By: Amy S.

Amy S. — Sun, 09 Nov 2003 08:45:44 +0000

“But Amy, how virtuous is it to remain pure when temptation is not in your path ?”

There’d be plenty in my path if I took an alternate route to work, never fear.

Besides which, I stand by my opinion that six out of seven Starbucks brew their coffee from a mixture of asphalt, burnt toast crumbs, lukewarm tapwater, and Gravy Master[tm]. Even if their owners weren’t evil personified, I don’t think I’d be enough of a gambler these days to hope that I’d chance upon the one in seven where the brew is drinkable.

I don’t do pubcrawls. We should arrange a coffee crawl up M L King Blvd some day next Spring. Were I to have a blog, that would be as good a kick-off topic as any, I suppose.

By: jemale

jemale — Tue, 04 Nov 2003 22:23:17 +0000

Good luck with the house in Peekskill, comrade!

By: language hat

language hat — Tue, 04 Nov 2003 04:58:04 +0000

Well, my wife and I just signed a contract to buy a house in Peekskill. And it turns out the locally owned Peekskill Coffee House has excellent coffee for much less than St*rb*cks (I got a double espresso for a buck fifty). So this sad tale of addiction may have a happy ending. Soon to be an ex-capitalist tool, Language Hat

By: jemale

jemale — Mon, 03 Nov 2003 16:28:58 +0000

But Amy, how virtuous is it to remain pure when temptation is not in your path? And there is no Starbucks past 39th on Hawthorne where the real hipness begins, so, nyah.

Gee Kevin, if Kip is a yuppie shithead, he better start coughing up that part of his slary he hasn’t been depositing. Go beat it out of him, will you?

By: Amy S.

Amy S. — Sat, 01 Nov 2003 18:27:37 +0000

All of M.L. King Blvd., save for right near the convention center, is a Starbucks-free zone. Nothin’ but Mom ‘N Pop coffee as far as the eye can see.

Take that, you efette hipsters. :p

By: Kevin Moore

Kevin Moore — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 22:04:54 +0000

But…but Kip is a yuppie shithead. He’s just our yuppie shithead. And we wuv him for it.

(Besides, I like both those candy-colored clamshells and their companion VWs. So I guess that makes me a Y.S., too.)

By: jemale

jemale — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 01:01:15 +0000

John–yes, well, Kip makes some nice Chai and good cofffee as well–fresh water is key.

And I understand comfort factor. But I would think people could have a home and an away team, as it were.

Bill–watch it man. Kip AND Patrick Farley carry those candy color iBooks! (ha)

‘Sides, the dude I was dissing had a fancy-schmancy Titanium job.

By: jemale

jemale — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 00:54:11 +0000

It’s a deal, Hat.

The thing is, when I first had their coffee in the early 90s, it was a damn fine cup of Joe.

And it might be the same as it is with bagels–something about New York water makes it better.

‘Sides, I am so Apple’s bitch–who am I to point fingers at capitalist tools?

By: John

John — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 00:50:39 +0000

I suspect for Starbucks patrons (or patrons of any major, homogenous chain) it’s a psychological comfort to know that wherever you go, there will be a familiar Starbucks, with a familiar flavor.

Even if that flavor is burnt or bland. Go figure.

Me, I just patronize my kitchen and make myself some Chai. But then I really ought to leave the house more often.

By: language hat

language hat — Fri, 31 Oct 2003 00:46:40 +0000

Someday somebody’s going to do a study of the genetic/biological component of people’s reactions to Starbucks coffee. Your reaction is obviously not a personal idiosyncrasy; I know a number of people who feel the same way. But a lot of people love it as much as I do — and I assure you I didn’t want to love it, I thought “who needs some Seattle intruder? we have good coffee right here in NYC.” But my brother was an addict and dragged me in and I tried it and was smitten. Their espresso is damn good. But there’s obviously some element that strikes certain people as unacceptable bitterness, and I look forward to seeing it all thoroughly investigated. At any rate, if you’ll accept that I can genuinely like it without being some kind of capitalist tool, I’ll accept that you genuinely dislike it without being a knee-jerk anti-capitalist who wouldn’t admit she liked it if it were the best thing she ever tasted. Deal?