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I tried the Iced Mocha and it was a complete waste of nearly $3. It was WAY too sweet and although I could taste the coffee, I wouldn't want to because it had a harsh, burnt flavor.

Make your coffee at home, put it in a travel mug (preferably stainless steel---I got a nice one at Target) and have your coffee or espresso exactly the way you like it while saving money and the environment (all those throw-away cups and lids)

You may as well seek out some really good coffee, there is barely a price difference between McCafe and a good cafe and the quality and flavor is obviously worlds apart. In NYC, Gimme!, Joe and 9th Street Espresso all offer the same drinks in the same price range--and it will be a drink to savor.... otherwise, check out http://www.espressomap.com to find quality obessed coffee shops in the US.

I got an iced mocha on my way to work on Sunday morning as I was running too late to make my own coffee at home. I thought it was swill... and for almost $3, was NOT worth it. It was completely full of ice so I probably got about 5 ounces worth of actual beverage. Like the article mentioned, I too thought it tasted more like chocolate milk than anything else.

I noted this morning though, I got a 32 OUNCE vanilla iced coffee at Einstein Bros for $1.79 (which is mad cheap for coffee around here - Philly 'burbs). And their coffee at least tastes half decent, as far as chains go.

yeah, as said above, we've had mccafe in MN for a year and a half, two years now. its crazy that its just coming to NYC. personally, their iced coffees are my saving grace... like 1.75 for a medium and for just over 2 bucks you can get a large that will last you forever... its not too shabby and it keeps me awake at work or on a long drive, and i can grab on in the drive thru, sooooo easy.
i get the mochas sometimes, but its like paying 3 bucks for a chocolate milk with whipped cream, plus their medium mocha seems REALLY small, or like they put too much ice in it, because i always drink it in like three gulps. so its not really worth the money, but sometimes i just NEED one. with the cinnamon melts, its a pretty rad combo [can you tell i have mcdonalds often? its one of only three options near where i work, the others being subway and a gas station, so MCCAFE YAY].

I went cross border shopping once (I live on the Canadian side) at a mall in New York state, and one of my friends went to Dunkin Donuts and ordered a coffee and the person asked him "What would you like in it?" My friend said "double double", and received a blank stare from the person, which my friend returned with another blank stare not realizing Double Double is a Canadian term. I was in earshot and explained double double means two creams, two sugars.

Anyways, I had a cup of coffee at mcdonalds when they were offering them free in the mornings and it wasn't bad. Not too bitter or acidic which is my main problem with a lot of coffee, too acidic.

I'm an American lefty and I've always eaten in a basic European manner; friend's grandmother and her European friends. Except, I hold my knife in my left hand and fork in my right. I am pretty much ambidextrous about everything but handwriting.

Also, it's very bad manners to cut up all of something before eating. Just as it is bad manners to butter all of a roll/slice of bread (unless it's breakfast toast) before eating. Some Americans just have very bad table manners.

How do Americans eat then. I must ask as an Englishman.

I'm an American who has never travelled abroad (not by choice, I assure you). Fork-switching seems perfectly natural to me, because it means the dominant hand does all the persnickety work. Fork concave-side-up - well, it just feels like things are less likely to fall off.

Having said that, I've never cut up an entire steak/chop/meat-thing at once before taking the first bite.

I'm pretty klutzy. It tends to drop right off my fork.

I think I was meant for the American way of eating.

I wonder if this is related to the piano in the woods ... which, coincidentally, was also in Massachussetts.

The other day, we saw what looked like an uncooked roast, plus a couple steaks, in a bag inside the bus shelter. But it looked like some dogs got there first - it was all messy and chewed up.

Needless to say, we waited for the bus outside the shelter. But anyway, is this some kind of international trend??