You know you're in the midwest when...

[spanambula]

... you live closer to Wal*Mart than you do to a Starbucks. On the up side, there's a place that sells my favorite tea in a grocery store outside of Indianapolis, at least, according to the Peet's website. I figure at some point it'll seem worth the 90-minute round trip

Comments

[spanambula]

Hmm... it depends on when in April... we're going to be back in Portland for a bit during that time.

[sirspamdalot]

About eight years ago, I saw a map of the country with dots where there were Starbucks locations. Cities like Portland and Seattle looked like rashes, but in the midwest there were entire STATES that didn't have a single Starbucks.

But in their absence, here's a money-saver: buy yourself an espresso machine. They come cheap at Target (and prolly WalMart), and you can buy gourmet coffees in the grocery store and make your own lattes or mochas every morning for less than you'd pay at *$'s. Some extra effort, but it's convenient and it pays for itself, and it's better than plain old coffee.

[spanambula]

It is odd that while Starbucks is closing stores all over the country, they just opened a new one not TOO far from here. I confess I'm wondering how "Extra-hot low-fat venti caramel macchiatto" would sound when requested by a customer with a southern drawl. I'm imagining it prefaced with "Git me wun o' them..."

[spanambula]

Also, eight years is almost as long a time in Starbucks advancement as it is in internet advancement.

[spielorjh]

What are the chances that your drive back from FL might put you in the area of Charleston SC?

[spanambula]

ummm... I have no idea. We'll be driving in a van with my parents, not just the 2 of us, so I'm not sure how flexible the route will be. I'll ask, though.