Thursday's Ten and then some

I may have a slight confession to make.

Those of you in real life know that I have a little addiction. However, I think I've kept it pretty well hidden from my bloggy friends.

Sure, you know that I'm in love with Joe (of Trader Joe's). Of course you are aware that I prefer the bubbles of San Pelligrino over tap water. I'm fairly certain that you have noticed that I have an affinity for the recipes of Rachael Ray and Giada (and going hand-in-hand with that, it is painfully obvious that I am a carb lover).

So what addiction is left, you ask?

I may have hidden it (among other reasons) because coffee isn't always that interesting of a topic to blog about. And also, because Starbucks isn't the greenest thing I could do. But that is (slowly) changing. For the last few months I've noticed that if you bring a travel mug into Starbucks you get 10 cents off your morning/afternoon/midnight coffee. Which is great--I own a ton of them. However, when I stop by Starbucks I normally get an iced coffee with a shot or 2 of flavoring. This is because (a) it's cheaper. Think half price and (b) it makes me feel like I'm getting something special without all the calories and stuff of say a white chocolate mocha.

Putting iced coffee in a travel mug is just not that practical. There's the issue of the ice coming up to meet your mouth as you tip your head back to drink. Among other things. So I really didn't see myself ever getting to take advantage of this new green thing Starbucks is doing.

And then yesterday I stopped at Target. And this Target houses a Starbucks. And I gave in to temptation, mainly because I hadn't had time to make my coffee at home that morning. And when I saw the display at the register angels sang.

Or at least I did.


Look closely. That's right--it's a reusable copycat of the plastic cup I've had to recycle a gazillion times. AND it's double insulated, so it doesn't sweat all over those papers on your desk that your boss needs today. Bonus!

I was thrilled. THRILLED I say. And I can now feel just a little bit better about ordering an iced coffee in MY new to-go cup! (and while I realize that I will have to visit approximately 100 times to get my "money back" at $.10 a fill-up, I don't care)

And now moving onto the Thursday's Ten. Coffee themed of course.

10 Things I have Learned about Coffee

1. If you don't set the coffee maker the night before, it will not have the coffee nice and ready for you when you crawl bound down the stairs to fill up your mug
2. If you are wearing white and carrying coffee, all of nature is against you
3. People who don't necessarily like the taste of coffee often enjoy the smell of it brewing. I don't understand that at all, but hey.
4. Grinding your own beans really does make all the difference.
5. As much as I love my Starbucks, and mostly use their beans at my house...if you have a good coffee maker and know what you're doing you can make cheap coffee taste great.
6. Flavored creamers are AMAZING. Especially the pumpkin spice that comes out (conincidentally I'm sure) right at the same time every year as the pumpkin spice latte at S-buck's.
7. People who don't like the taste of coffee will probably not want to kiss you right after you've drank a cup. :0)
8. Who wants to bet that my wordle this week will have STARBUCKS really big on it. Or not at all.
9. Somehow buying coffee from a coffee shop makes it taste just a little better. I think it's the "not making it myself" factor. Much like eating out.
10. Babies/toddlers will always want a sip of your coffee. If you give in, watch out. You'll have a little me on your hands (I drank coffee from the high chair. No lie).

By the way, in all seriousness, Starbucks is really trying to better the planet and be more green. Since that's something near and dear to my heart, I'm including a link. Click or don't, but it's kinda cool.
http://www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet/index.aspx#mugPledge