I am headed to NYC next next weekend and have already begun my mental checklist of eats. I am a relatively easy-going vegetarian (I eat fish). Boyfriend, however, is allergic to raw fruits and vegetables, dislikes fish, and is generally a picky eater. (The boy doesn't even like chocolate that much.) If I could take him to a good burrito place, he'd be thrilled. Let me know where I could venture, in Manhattan or Brooklyn.
@ pooch: What is the "concept" of Starbucks in your opinion?
I think eating off of Judy Chicago's dinner plates would be blasphemous, and pretty difficult for the more recent ones (as the flowers protrude more out).
I go to American and whenever visit my Georgetown chum, I indulge in the veggie burger at Wisey's. Oddly, it's one of the best veggie burgers I've ever had.
charoset (a conglomeration of nuts, raisins, sugar, honey, fruits, various other sweet mushy things)
So, I checked up on it. The building is for rent now...so long Cluck U.
I live on the same block as the Cluck U near Howard U. It's been closed for months, for what I can only assume is repairs or a remodel. I'm sure the chicken was good (this coming from the fingers of a vegetarian) since it's at a major intersection. I'll post updates if I find out when it plans to re-open.
Sabrina,
Most of the women I know - love giving sensual, sexual, fantasial pleasure to the men they adore. That's part of the joy for them in being in a relationship. That's part of the joy of being the feminine joy to the man in their life.
It's OK that you take offense. But, it makes me sad. I am sad for you if you do not have a relationship with a man in which you delight in delighting him. I am sad for you if you do not have a relationship in which you both delight in delighting the other - using your specific feminine and masculine souls - delighting the specific masculine and feminine spirit of the other.
Michael
@garvey: i agree with you, too.
@iliana: loving the "concept" of starbucks = the accessability of
having a cafe experience here in america. a totally unique experience,
pre-SB -- except in ethnic neighborhoods. not the same thing as having coffee in a "coffee shop" or diner.
i think they started taking themselves too seriously. i don't want to detract from the SB success story/phenonomon -- which was at first, seemingly spontaneous. they just started orchestrating too much, in my opinion - making it like a SB religious experience or something. it's only coffee....
Not quite a issue worthy of debate but from a business perspective it is interesting.
Starbucks (SB's) built their business on the historical coffee house platform borrowed from the Europeans.
They also brought the bold (over roasted) European brews and offered them to those who patronized their kiosks.
Initially patrons came to enjoy the coffee house ambiance. The coffee was tolerated.
SB's recognized early that those who came and purchased coffee were leaving their cups half full/empty--you decide depending on your attitude.
So SB's began to provide "candy bar coffee"---it started with chocolate and cream to hide/mask the awful over-roasted bitter brews and extended into cappuccino, lattes, caffe' latte's ,mocha's and other offerings that would cover the bitter/off flavor notes caused by over roasted coffee.
Smart business decision--but like many decisions made by SB's they had not thought beyond the next shareholder's meeting.
SB's built their coffee houses with reckless abandon and to keep the business afloat (cash flow) they began selling cold drinks, snacks and even today soup and sandwiches. Not enough pure coffee drinkers were around.
Wouldn't the "coffee connoisseurs" keep them in business? You know the fellow snobs who purchase just a very special cup of "Verona" fast and easy -compared to a non-fat, soy latte with extra foam-- (Pleaaassse). But those long lines are not made up of "connoisseurs" they are made up of "the masses" trying to cover the awful SB's brew with all sorts of concoctions--caramel, egg nog, chocolate--extra cream--please anything to lessen the taste of this terrible burnt brew..
The long lines of patrons could be lessened and perhaps ever more NEW customers would arrive if the coffee was palatable and not requiring a chemist from DuPont to cover the acid..
The reality is:
If you took away the food, cold drinks, sugary flavored drinks--and iced beverages the Starbucks connoisseurs would not have a line in which to wait and they --in time-- would not have a place to sit and use their Wi Fi because SB would be filing for bankruptcy protection.
So the "masses" who know more about coffee than SB.
Howard understands this and is attempting to build a Dunkin Coffee program with the franchise--so far the brand he built is smothering him in this attempt.
If he doesn't figure this out soon as other smaller coffee franchise have, then Starbucks is doomed.
The food is excellent--great sandwiches.
i have no use for starbucks -- i hope they close some of the new york locations that have become such a blight on the landscape here. plus their coffee is expensive and terrible, imo, and not in that order.
Most of those Starbucks employees have a health plan, even if they are part-time employees, don't they? For that reason, the brand would get my support.
@Garvey: And for braindead high school kids to get to call themselves "baristas" for serving you a crappy pumpkin latte.
@iliana: the concept of Starbucks is a hip place for hip white hipsters to hang out and have hip expensive coffee.
Europe has Starbucks as well. Where I live in Germany there aren't any in my town, but drive 15-20 minutes either way and you can find them. At least in Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Heidelberg. I much prefer going to a local cafe though. It's like Lewis Black says...
"If you walk to the end of the block, there sits a Starbucks. And directly across the street -- in the exact same building as that Starbucks -- there is... another Starbucks. There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks! And ladies and gentlemen, THAT is the end of the universe."
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Location: Washington, D.C.
About: I'm a student in Washington, D.C., who is just learning how to cook and enjoys reading about food.
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