Kat with a K: Green Tea Latte, Reincarnated

April 04, 2006

Green Tea Latte, Reincarnated

Remember how I was all sad that the coffee stand on campus stopped selling the green tea latte I had just discovered that I loved? Well, VERY shortly after that, I read on Starbucks Gossip that Starbucks was going to start making one. And it was set to premiere April 4! Today! So I stopped by on my way to class and got one, and yay! It's virtually identical to the late lamented one. (Of course, this has led to all sorts of wild speculation regarding the likelihood of Starbucks using the campus coffee stand as some sort of super-secret test market.)

This latte and the really, really good mocha I got at Starbucks on Sunday might just tip the balance to making it more often worth my while to go a bit out of my way to get to a Starbucks. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, there is no Starbucks really convenient to any of my regular commutes. (There are, however, 33 Dunkin' Donuts locations within 20 miles of my house, and I'm not sure whether that even counts those in supermarkets or gas stations.) But I spent a lovely interlude at one of the inconvenient ones this past Sunday morning, with a friend and a New York Times, and I think that will have to be repeated. Oh yeah, that's another reason I like Starbucks - the people working there don't laugh at me for spending $4.50 on a newspaper, because they're charging me almost as much for a cup of coffee. Sigh.

Updated to add: And, yes, I feel vaguely guilty about going to Starbucks, or Dunkin' Donuts, for that matter. I do try to patronize independent coffee places when possible, I promise.

Posted by Kat at April 4, 2006 05:47 PM

Comments

Yay for your green tea latte!

Hey, I figure I spend so much on coffee EVERYWHERE that it's all just fine. When I'm traveling, I must confess to great joy at finding a Starbucks in an otherwise coffeeshop free town.

Posted by: Chris at April 4, 2006 08:17 PM

No convenient Starbucks? How horrible. I think I'm withing 10 blocks of 20 of them right now.

It freaked me out when we went to Stuart Florida. They don't seem to have a Starbucks outside of the airport. I mean, is that legal? I thought occupancy by more than 3,000 people was dangerous and unlawful. Even Phoenix has an armload of them.

I have a silly story from our time in Stuart. This little girl walked past Sharron, coming from the opposite direction. She passed about three feet to Sharron's right, never bumped into her or anything like that, and her mother scolded her for passing someone without saying "excuse me". We both had simultaneous flashes of the mayhem that would result in Times Square if people actually did that.

Don't feel guilty about patronizing Starbucks. They're a great start-up business for an independent investor. They not only say they value their employees, they act like it. I've heard that if enough people ask for a particular baristta (sp?) by name, that person gets a bonus. It's only fair. He or she is bringing in business. They brought back the coffe house. They have fair trade programs throughout the world to help coffee growers get fair pay for their products. They have environmental programs. They're a positive force in this world. Go enjoy your green tea latte with a light heart. You're keeping good people in business.

Now I have to go get one of those this afternoon.

Posted by: Ivy at April 5, 2006 12:29 PM

I never realized how much I missed Dunkin' Donuts until I moved to San diego. I wish you could send one of those 33 out here!
as for sturbucks... meh

Posted by: Melissa at April 5, 2006 12:39 PM

Premiered the Green Tea Lattes? They've been selling them here for at least the last few months. They're yummy.

I feel badly about patronizing Starbucks only if I know that they forced out an independent coffee shop in the same area. Some have, but not all of them and there are quite a few locations that can support a whole lot of establishments.

On the other hand, I'll go anywhere for coffee if I have to. And I do mean anywhere.

Posted by: Carrie K at April 5, 2006 04:05 PM