Actually, I don't know if I spelled that right.
From my current Worcester residence, I often will choose to pick up the pike in Auburn instead of 146 for one reason: the Starbucks on rt 12. After all, we're very much into Iced Tea Lemonade season here.
Today, I was feeling a little daring and decided to not only take 146 to the pike, but to also take a drive-thru one of several "independant-yet-not-boutique" coffee options Worcester has to offer. "Independant" in this case meaning not Dunks or Sbux, and "not-boutique" meaning less trendy and more homey, with less chance of boys in tighter jeans than me. See also: Boston Donuts (home of no fewer than 12 flavors of iced coffee), Go Nuts for Donuts, Donut Express, etc.
Getting into the drive-thru line at Culpepper's was sketchy enough - or at least the pickup truck behind me seemed to think so because he had to slam on the brakes when I omitted my turning signal and rolled into the parking lot on two tires. Once in line, I noticed a few things that struck me as odd. 1. The menu was nowhere to be seen. I finally saw what looked like it could be a sandwich board type of setup behind some landscaping, but the words were illegible. 2. I had to ring a doorbell at the window for service.
I took my best guess, and ordered a large iced coffee w/ skim & 2 sugars. $2.39, so similar price point to my standbys, and the large was about the same size as a medium at dunks. However, minus points for that definitely NOT being skim milk.
Showing posts with label Coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coffee. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, December 15, 2008
One morning without power was enough...
...but, apparently there are still 12,000 people without power in Worcester (yea, that's twelve THOUSAND, not a typo).
I "Rip van Winkle'd" it, and slept through this "ice storm" we had Thursday night and woke up Friday morning to the precious sound of my boss' voice, "RISE AND SHINE SWEETHEART! WE DONT HAVE POWER SO WE'RE GOING TO PLAY IT BY EAR...MAYBE YOU CAN WORK AT NOON. MAYBE NOT UNTIL THREE. I JUST DON'T KNOW, LIZZY, EVERYTHINGS A MESS. I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED." (yea, he really talks in all caps.)
(Whhhaat? No "power?" Thank God I straightened my hair the night before. First things first, right?)
Happy to get an extra hour to sleep, since I wasn't quite prepared to "Little House on the Prairie" it and begin studying by candlelight, I didn't realize how bad our precious city was until I went to Starbucks: that little side street that connects Flagg and Pleasant was completely blocked off by an enormous tree...so much for my shortcut! I had to navigate and weave in and out of fallen branches all along the West Side, careful to avoid fallen down power-lines. (Must.Get.Espresso.)
For our out-of-city readers, here's a picture of the aftermath, courtesy of the Boston Globe:
Read the accompanying article, too, from December 13, "Ice Storm Paralyzes Parts of New England."
The city is still being cleaned up and I was back to work bronzing Worcester's finest today. Schools are closed again tomorrow: Four day weekend for the kiddies (and Momma P)!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Time to Break out the North Face and Uggs: Fall in Worcester
It's officially my favorite time of year!1
And, to help everyone get in the fall spirit, here's a WORCESTERistas Top 5 compilation of what to look forward to:2. Review (and coordinating story) coming soon!
And, to help everyone get in the fall spirit, here's a WORCESTERistas Top 5 compilation of what to look forward to:
1. The pumpkin spice latte has made its annual arrival at Starbucks.
2. Pumpkin Spice beer at Armsby Abbey, the hot new bar on Main Street, featuring over 100 beers on tap, an an alleged hot spot for young professionals, at least on "Friday nights."2
3. Pumpkin bagels at Bagel Time on Park Ave.
4. Apple cider from the cute farm stand on Pleasant Street, just inches into Paxton.
5. Apple picking from any one of the neighboring towns3 -- and all the yummy desserts that go with it!
Of course we want to know what your favorite thing is, too! Let us know!
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1. Although I do love a good beach day, they're few and far between here in the Northeast! And I do love the many sweater options: I get cozy just thinking about a cardigan, chunky turtleneck, cable-knit crew...And, no, I won't stop wearing Uggs. I don't care if Vogue says they're "Out."
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1. Although I do love a good beach day, they're few and far between here in the Northeast! And I do love the many sweater options: I get cozy just thinking about a cardigan, chunky turtleneck, cable-knit crew...And, no, I won't stop wearing Uggs. I don't care if Vogue says they're "Out."
3. Read: cute.date.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Forgotten Gem: The Bean Counter
During my undergraduate tenure, the Bean Counter was a staple in my life. It was where I had my first Latte freshman year (back when I was awake and drinking coffee at 10:30 pm), and where I got into a morning coffee routine my first summer as a working girl. My friends and I went there to sneak a delicious dessert after a raucous early morning exam1, or to pretend we were doing very focused, detailed work while really just clicking random article on Wikipedia. They knew your order, and they didn't judge if you BYO Coffee Brandy. I even lived three doors down for a year or so. This was bad news, both fiscally & physically.
Somehow, in my moves across town, I'd let it slide completely off my radar. That changed yesterday. It was rainy, cool, and I was en-route to see my boy Bruce Springsteen. I suddenly had such a craving for a mint mocha!
No letdowns here. I was pleased to see that the atmosphere and the interior hadn't changed much at all, and the cookie & coffee were both delicious. I made pleasant conversation with the patron behind me in line, and several minutes in I realized I had no idea of the gender of my new friend. Whatever it was, I think it was interested. S/he arched her back to reveal cleanly shaven upper pubic region. Since I was not interested, I quickly moved on with my beverage. One thing that I did NOT miss is the awful mismatch between cups and their respective lids. I think there have been maybe 1-2 times that I have successfully finished an entire beverage without any spillage. The clear plastic cups are the worst.
While I didn't take notes, I am pretty sure the pricepoints fall somewhere between magenta/orange and green/brown. However, the coffee itself is much more varied and delicious, and the dessert options (cheesecake, giant cookies, cupcakes, and gluten free variables of all) are much more tempting. The bagels there are also absolutely incredible, no toasting required. Plus, I always feel better supporting a local business than a massive conglomerate. It's so trendy right now, along with that gathered detail at the tops of bags.
******
This post actually suffered the same temporary fate as the Bean. I wrote it, and left it in draft format for two weeks. This just makes it all the more exciting to re-discover it! I've actually made it a point to stop in more often on the weekends (not open when I leave for work at 6am, and because I have to go to bed at 10:00 I'm not interested in coffee at 7 when I return). For example, I had an iced coffee for the ride to Fenway.
_____________________________
1 It's cheesecake o'clock somewhere, even if in Worcester it's 9:15 am.
Somehow, in my moves across town, I'd let it slide completely off my radar. That changed yesterday. It was rainy, cool, and I was en-route to see my boy Bruce Springsteen. I suddenly had such a craving for a mint mocha!
No letdowns here. I was pleased to see that the atmosphere and the interior hadn't changed much at all, and the cookie & coffee were both delicious. I made pleasant conversation with the patron behind me in line, and several minutes in I realized I had no idea of the gender of my new friend. Whatever it was, I think it was interested. S/he arched her back to reveal cleanly shaven upper pubic region. Since I was not interested, I quickly moved on with my beverage. One thing that I did NOT miss is the awful mismatch between cups and their respective lids. I think there have been maybe 1-2 times that I have successfully finished an entire beverage without any spillage. The clear plastic cups are the worst.
While I didn't take notes, I am pretty sure the pricepoints fall somewhere between magenta/orange and green/brown. However, the coffee itself is much more varied and delicious, and the dessert options (cheesecake, giant cookies, cupcakes, and gluten free variables of all) are much more tempting. The bagels there are also absolutely incredible, no toasting required. Plus, I always feel better supporting a local business than a massive conglomerate. It's so trendy right now, along with that gathered detail at the tops of bags.
******
This post actually suffered the same temporary fate as the Bean. I wrote it, and left it in draft format for two weeks. This just makes it all the more exciting to re-discover it! I've actually made it a point to stop in more often on the weekends (not open when I leave for work at 6am, and because I have to go to bed at 10:00 I'm not interested in coffee at 7 when I return). For example, I had an iced coffee for the ride to Fenway.
_____________________________
1 It's cheesecake o'clock somewhere, even if in Worcester it's 9:15 am.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Jumpin' Juice & Java
The old Tatnuck Bookseller plaza on Chandler St. has been revamped and I am loving the result!
As a native Worcester resident, my heartbreaking sentiments were shared with the community when they closed in 2006; it was the perfect place to go for a quick (but so delicious!) sandwich and always had your summer reading in stock. It's been a few years, but now in its place is Jumpin' Juice & Java (tag line: the hippest drinks on earthTM ).
(And, really, it couldn't have come at a better time after my heart-wrenching announcement of the Shrewsbury Street Starbucks closing!)
Jumpin' Juice & Java serves a full line of specialty coffees, espresso drinks, both java and juice smoothies (non-fat/dairy), and a variety of menu items, including breakfast (served all day!), salads, sandwiches and wraps, paninis, and bakery items.
I sampled a 12oz cappuccino with sugar-free almond syrup and my mom had a 16oz latte with sugar-free vanilla syrup -- both could stand up to my Starbucks standard of delicious. (And, for all you DD-lovers: there are no pretentious names or sizes, rather just 12, 16, 20, or 24oz!) And, none of the menu items are over $7.00!
They kept most of the Tatnuck Bookseller's rustic appeal- with the original floors, ceiling, and beams throughout, and added in a fireplace, cush leather seating, a row of comfy booths and plenty of tables to accommodate yourself and a good book (or homework! They have free wifi!!) or a group of your closest friends.
And, they offer perks! They have the frequent-buyer cards for Lattes, Smoothies, and Coffee. Purchase 9 and get one free!
Should you find yourself outside of the city, locations are also in:
Gardner, MA
486 Chestnut Street
Leominster, MA
843 Central Street
...we also brought home a Caribbean Sunrise smoothie (with pineapple, mango, coconut, peach)...with the intention of adding some Malibu Rum to it later on!
Nutritional information for their smoothies can be found on their website.
As a native Worcester resident, my heartbreaking sentiments were shared with the community when they closed in 2006; it was the perfect place to go for a quick (but so delicious!) sandwich and always had your summer reading in stock. It's been a few years, but now in its place is Jumpin' Juice & Java (tag line: the hippest drinks on earthTM ).
(And, really, it couldn't have come at a better time after my heart-wrenching announcement of the Shrewsbury Street Starbucks closing!)
Jumpin' Juice & Java serves a full line of specialty coffees, espresso drinks, both java and juice smoothies (non-fat/dairy), and a variety of menu items, including breakfast (served all day!), salads, sandwiches and wraps, paninis, and bakery items.
I sampled a 12oz cappuccino with sugar-free almond syrup and my mom had a 16oz latte with sugar-free vanilla syrup -- both could stand up to my Starbucks standard of delicious. (And, for all you DD-lovers: there are no pretentious names or sizes, rather just 12, 16, 20, or 24oz!) And, none of the menu items are over $7.00!
They kept most of the Tatnuck Bookseller's rustic appeal- with the original floors, ceiling, and beams throughout, and added in a fireplace, cush leather seating, a row of comfy booths and plenty of tables to accommodate yourself and a good book (or homework! They have free wifi!!) or a group of your closest friends.
And, they offer perks! They have the frequent-buyer cards for Lattes, Smoothies, and Coffee. Purchase 9 and get one free!
Should you find yourself outside of the city, locations are also in:
Gardner, MA
486 Chestnut Street
Leominster, MA
843 Central Street
...we also brought home a Caribbean Sunrise smoothie (with pineapple, mango, coconut, peach)...with the intention of adding some Malibu Rum to it later on!
Nutritional information for their smoothies can be found on their website.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Starbucks on Shrewsbury Street to Close
I read this morning in the Telegram & Gazette that Starbucks is set to close down their Shrewsbury Street establishment, one of seven in the state slated for closure.
The Shrewsbury Street location was by far the best one in Worcester (IMO, of course). With plenty of seating (unlike it's other Worcester counterparts) and a prime location for an after-dinner coffee (especially on evenings where one was all Cafe Dolce-d out and couldn't possibly fit a cappuccino and piece of cheesecake in her1...), this location was ideal.
I was pleased to read that an unidentified employee is hoping customers can convince Corporate to keep the store open through a grass-roots effort2. Let's hope this works. Otherwise, my next favorite one, located in Auburn, will be seeing more of me. A closing date for Shrewsbury Street Starbucks was not released.
The other two locations, 11 East Central Street (the one with the drive-thru) and 1 West Boylston Street will remain open. As for the rest of Central Massachusetts, the article reported that no other Starbucks were to be closed3.
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1. What? Like you can go into Cafe Dolce and not order dessert? Don't judge.
2. I haven't found anything on the internet about this yet, but I'll post as soon as I do so you, too, can help the effort.
3. And you can keep your "I love Dunkin Donuts" comments to yourself.
The Shrewsbury Street location was by far the best one in Worcester (IMO, of course). With plenty of seating (unlike it's other Worcester counterparts) and a prime location for an after-dinner coffee (especially on evenings where one was all Cafe Dolce-d out and couldn't possibly fit a cappuccino and piece of cheesecake in her1...), this location was ideal.
I was pleased to read that an unidentified employee is hoping customers can convince Corporate to keep the store open through a grass-roots effort2. Let's hope this works. Otherwise, my next favorite one, located in Auburn, will be seeing more of me. A closing date for Shrewsbury Street Starbucks was not released.
The other two locations, 11 East Central Street (the one with the drive-thru) and 1 West Boylston Street will remain open. As for the rest of Central Massachusetts, the article reported that no other Starbucks were to be closed3.
------------------------------------------------------------------
1. What? Like you can go into Cafe Dolce and not order dessert? Don't judge.
2. I haven't found anything on the internet about this yet, but I'll post as soon as I do so you, too, can help the effort.
3. And you can keep your "I love Dunkin Donuts" comments to yourself.
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