I have something I feel the need to confess.

I go to Starbucks every morning before work.

Now 90% of the people who read this probably wonders why this warrants a confession (other than perhaps a boring day at work). Well, for years, Starbucks was my enemy.  I am from the Pacific Northwest. Over the last 10 years, I ran 5 cafes – Borders, Peet’s and Seattle’s Best (all located in Borders stores) and Starbucks was the enemy.  Not to mention CoffeeBoy’s coffeehouse was a independent that concentrated on artisan coffee drinks and Starbucks opened up across the street from them.   Plus, one time when I got a drink at a Starbucks it was resteamed milk (this was when I still drank milk so probably at least 6 years ago) that was scalded and was the most foul thing I ever had.  Actually now that I think about it, I think that may have been what put me off milk for good.

So I never went to Starbucks, unless my mom insisted when I visited her.

But finding myself here (as in where I work) with pretty much Starbucks as my only option for espresso, I stop every morning in the mall across the street from the office.  Starbucks still annoys me on many levels – I think the regular coffee is awful, I think they are way overpriced (especially coming from someone who knows what the raw cost of a coffee drink actually is), the size names annoys me, and I hate their bastardization of real espresso drinks (macchiatos are espresso & a dolop of foam – that’s it).  I try to go someplace else in the afternoon – there’s a SBC in the Borders at the mall, which I still feel some weird loyalty to - but sometimes I find myself back at the evil empire.

Most embarrassing? The drink that I get, the one the Starbucks baristas know me by,  is the one that used to annoy me the most as a rival barista – Soy Venti (ugh) Carmel Macchiato (UGH). 

And I enjoy it. 

I am so ashamed.

But, funny enough, Mr. CoffeeSnobBoy himself goes to Starbucks every morning as well.