Starbucks and Cafe Rouge

With another early class this morning my Starbucks venture was delayed a bit. When I did finally arrive at Starbucks, I was craving a cappuccino. After I ordered my drink I looked around to see what all the shop was selling. I noticed some lolly pops in the clear bins in front of the register. I thought that selling suckers at Starbucks was quite an odd thing to do, but no one asked me so oh well. :) As you can see in the picture to the right, these lolly pops seem to be a bit out of place. The rest of the items being sold are mints and chocolate, the usual, but the suckers on the other hand are simply weird. I noticed another item at this Starbucks that seemed a bit odd to me as well. This item was not for sale and was actually a sign hanging on the wall. The sign was all about safety and protecting items from being stolen. I think it is interesting how much stealing is openly talked about here and at Starbucks nonetheless. It is a bit nerve racking to know that pickpocketing is such an issue that even Starbucks has to make a statement about it. When my drink was finally ready I could not wait to taste it. Because it was a cappuccino, the first sip was quite foamy. As I continued to enjoy my coffee I began to taste the full cappuccino. The coffee flavor was super strong and it was very hot. I have been sick for the last two days and this nice hot drink made me feel better for a short while. This evening, after walking around the city, it was time for coffee round two. For this coffee trip I headed to a darling little french restaurant called Cafe Rouge. I was in the mood for a cappuccino again and thought it would be nice to compare it to that of the Starbucks version earlier in the day. When my drink arrived, it was in a very large ceramic mug and topped cinnamon dusted foam. This cappuccino was extremely hot like my Starbucks one, but almost impossible to hold because of the mug it was in. I found myself having to wait for the coffee to cool a bit before I could hold the mug. Once I could successfully drink my coffee, I realized how delicious the cinnamon topping was. The spice added a little something extra to my cappuccino and made it that much more delicious. The coffee flavor was not nearly as strong as the Starbucks cappuccino, but it was still quite yummy. More coffee to come on Monday. :)

AM

Cafe Nero

This morning I was desperately in need of coffee after a late night, but unfortunately Starbucks was nowhere to be found. When I exited the underground on my way to Westminster Abbey, I spotted a Cafe Nero and decided that this would be the outlet of my morning coffee. I had planned to go to this shop eventually because it is a major Starbucks competitor so this morning was the perfect time to test it out. When I walked into the shop it was quite apparent it was not intended for customers to stay and drink their coffee. This coffee shop was made strictly for "take away" service. Inside the tiny hole in the wall shop were sandwiches, cakes, frozen drinks and lots of other goodies offered for take away. Because it was a warm morning I was not exactly wanting a warm drink. I chose to order a cafe latte over ice and that way get the best of both worlds with the coffee and cold drink. I have provided a video of my initial thoughts of the drink.

While I did enjoy my cold beverage this morning, it definitely was not Starbucks. In my opinion, Starbucks does not need to worry about Cafe Nero becoming more popular because I was not very impressed with the drink. The iced latte lacked enough of one of the ingredients, ice. The small amount of ice was a let down in and of itself but was more disappointing about this drink was the very little coffee flavor. I don't plan on going to Cafe Nero again and my loyalty will remain with Starbucks. :)

AM

Hot Chocolate with a Twist

I was unfortunately unable to begin my day with my daily dose of Starbucks. I had to meet for class early and did not have time to stop for coffee. By the end of class I was desperate for caffeine and headed to the closest Starbucks. I found a darling little shop right off of the Notting Hill Gate Underground station. I headed in for my coffee immediately after spotting the shop. As I gazed over the menu deciding what to have something sparked my attention, hazelnut hot chocolate. As tempting as this sounded I knew that I needed caffeine. I decided to get a bit fancy on the barista today and dress up the hot chocolate. I ordered a grande skinny hazelnut hot chocolate with a double shot of espresso. I was quite excited about this concoction because I got the best of both worlds with the hot cocoa and the caffeine. I couldn't wait to get my drink and test out my creation. I have provided a video of me taking my first sip that I think you will find informative.

Okay, it is quite obvious from the video that I liked this "fancy" hot chocolate. The way the coffee flavor came through into the chocolate was outstanding. It was almost as if the drink was made with dark chocolate because of the coffee addition. I must say I highly recommend this drink to all coffee/chocaholics out there, you won't be disappointed.


I also decide that today would be the day to break down the barrier of the glass case holding all the magnificent pastries. My friend Katie and I each selected our favorite item from the case and planned to split them at a picnic later in the day. I chose the skinny blueberry muffin and she selected the chocolate fudge brownie. I was excited about each selection and could not wait to test them out.


Later at the picnic...

We split the blueberry muffin during our picnic today at Regent's park. You can watch the videos of our responses to the muffin, but let me first say that it was delicious and I'll probably have to have another.

After a long day of shopping...


Returning to the flat this afternoon, Katie and I were both in need of a chocolate treat. Thanks to our Starbucks trip this morning we had a chocolate brownie waiting to be eaten. The appearance of the brownie was generic at best, a flaky top and a crumbly center. The flavor of the brownie was what made it stand apart from others. The richness of the chocolate paired with the perfect balance of crispness and fudge-like consistency made this brownie one of a kind. I have seen brownies at Starbucks stores in the States before, but none quite like this. Here in England the chocolate is richer, smoother and far more creamier. Most of the chocolate is Belgian and that seems to make a difference. I will without a doubt indulge in another Starbucks brownie before heading back to the U.S.

AM

Sloane Street Starbucks

I headed to Starbucks for class this morning and had my mouth set on a cinnamon dolce latte. Before I ordered my drink I spotted some goodies in the glass case. I think it is impossible for me to walk into Starbucks, order a drink and leave. I can't help myself but to drool over the glass case goodies. Today the treats that I was eying were different than the usual pastries or chocolate cake. The special treats staring my way today were veggie sticks with dip and large juicy fruit cups. It is quite interesting that each Starbucks that I visit has a different selection of tasty offerings. Some shops seem focused on sweet treats while others are more on the healthy side such as this one. It may depend on the neighborhood in which the shop is located. The shop today was in a rather ritzy neighborhood and was also the location that had all the postings about yoga and other health related postings that I shared last week. The photos that I provided yesterday of the yummy treats were taken at a Starbucks located in a more touristy area. It might be that the Starbucks I visited yesterday offers more sweets because that is what tourists are more drawn to. The Sloane Street Starbucks is in a residential area and therefore caters to a more health conscious audience. After I finished gazing at the infamous glass case, I ordered my grande skinny cinnamon dolce latte. Much to my dismay, the barista informed me that this Starbucks did not carry that flavor. I was very disappointed that I would not be enjoying the drink that I had been craving, but I decided to order a skinny hazelnut latte instead. I must say that the hazelnut was delicious, but it was no cinnamon dolce. Upon finishing my drink it was inevitable that I would have to use the "lou". I was also interested to see what a Starbucks bathroom would look like in London, because the ones in the States are quite nice. I was shocked at what I saw as soon as I entered the restroom. I would have to describe the space as a jail cell made for a four-year-old. The sink was miniature and very close to the ground and the hand dryer was about two feet lower than I would have liked. The was were tiled to chair rail level with old red tiles from the 60s. It was quite apparent that this bathroom was far different than any I have seen at home. I am thinking that maybe this bathroom was already in the space when Starbucks moved into the location and the company decided to keep it as it. I must say the bathroom was functional, but quite awkward to use. It was an interesting trip to Starbucks today, but still a wonderful one for sure. :)

AM

Double Decker Starbucks

On my way to Harrod's today I walked past this Starbucks and thought it was quite interesting. The doors to the street were wide open and lots of people were walking in and out. The best part about it however, was the fact that after getting a drink or pastry, the customer can walk upstairs for seating. I took a picture of the shop and hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. :)

AM

Picadilly Circus

I headed back to Picadilly Circus today after an unimpressive visit yesterday. I decided I would give the circus a go again and hope that today would be better. I knew that I stop to Starbucks would make everything okay, so today's Starbucks adventure was at Picadilly Circus. This Starbucks appeared quite similar to other stores that I have visited, however the contents of this shop were far more desirable. Fluffy cupcakes, moist carrot cake and luscious chocolate cake are just of few of the scrumptious treats offered at Starbucks Picadilly. Unfortunately, I had already eaten breakfast and was not yet hungry for lunch so I had to pass up these tasty treats. Hopefully I'll be able to head back to this Starbucks eventually to sink my teeth in one of these sweet sensations. My drink of choice today was a tall skinny vanilla latte. I love vanilla favored coffee and decided it was about time I test one out. As I waited for my drink, I explored the shelves of Starbucks goodies being sold. There were fun things on the shelf like a bottle of Starbucks caramel syrup, mini London espresso mugs and a variety of other mugs and cups. Luckily, my drink was ready before I decided to purchase everything on the shelf because it was all too cute, especially the espresso mugs. I was quite exited when my drink was ready because I have been craving a vanilla latte. I have provided you with a video of me taking my first sip and telling all about it. I can honestly say it was a phenomenal drink. The coffee flavor came through far more than vanilla lattes that I have had before. The sweetness of the drink was perfect and different from that of a traditional vanilla latte. I still think that the milk here adds a special sweetness to the coffee that U.S. milk does not. I thought it was a great drink and I think you can tell from the video. :)

Flat White

This morning I ventured out at Starbucks and tried a new drink. At each coffee shop that I have visited in the UK I have noticed an item on the menu of which I know nothing. This mysterious "flat white" as it's called sparked my curiosity from day one. I decided that today would be the day to try it. Before ordering, I asked the barista what this mystery coffee consisted of. The answer to this question is contained in the video below. I think you will see from my reaction, this drink is not something that I am used to. I am however, glad that I tried it and will definitely order it again in the future. As you will notice, the cup that the flat white comes in is smaller than the size tall. Because of this, the collar is too big for the cup. This is an issue that was not a huge deal but did make holding on to the cup a bit challenging. This Starbucks shop was located on Portobello road just before the famous Portobello Market (you can read about this in my other blog exploringtheuk.blogspot.com). Like Java Bean earlier in the week, this shop had some unique wallpaper. The entire shop had a unique feel from the front bar to the back lounge. I have provided some images to help grasp the differences this Starbucks possesses. I would categorize this location as having a bit of a rocker edge to it. Not being from the area, it is hard for me to judge whether or not this is how the local community is or if this Starbucks just happens to be a bit funky. As you can see from the images the furniture and curtains are a bit more worn and vintage looking that what is typically in a Starbucks. I must say, I like the funky look, but I like Starbucks for it upscale classy feel.