$tarbuck$

i lived in midtown manhattan [aka: the capital of corporate America] for 4 months. the gap and forever 21 were my downstairs neighbors, a massive billboard for apple's ipod provided mood lighting for my apartment + macy's flagship location was my corner store. and if you want a cup of coffee, there were 6 starbucks within easy walking distance. this would have been great if every other person in new york didn't shop at the gap and if starbucks wasn't so annoying. i swear there's one of those little green mermaids every block. God forbid you walk your lazy self more than 20 feet for a cup of coffee, and this isn't even seattle [where it all started]. according to their website there are over 300 of them within a 20 mile radius of my apartment. if you step inside, every location is the same. an emo kid tucked away in the back corner complete with an iv [oops i mean ipod], the perky young baristas [a copy written term] in bright green aprons w/ matching visors, the cool and oh so smooth music [they even have their own xm satellite radio station] and let's not forget the screen printed 'art' laden w/ coffee terms as if the overwhelming aroma could make you forget why you were there [no silly, for the coffee]. so after ordering + having to repeat the special instructions [there's a whole 'secret menu' that novices don't have a clue about. they even make you say those silly names for sm. med. or lg.] for my triple shot, extra hot, grande caramel macchiato i fork over $5.04. [why am i doing this again? oh yeah there's no where else! aren't monopolies illegal or does that only apply to bill gates?] now comes the best part: waiting, ears peeled for my drink + praying that no one else takes it. i also am hoping they got my name right [a friendly barista once mistook emilie for henli. how? i don't know]. and in the process i've got to fight every other caffeine-starved sell-out to get to the counter. why is it in new york everyone crowds the counter as if they are the only person in the place? didn't they notice that i ordered my drink eons before they did? finally after throwing some elbows, i grab my extra-hot drink that they conveniently forgot to put a sleeve on [ouch] and now must fight for a place at the sugar/cream kiosk to stir/embellish as i please. eventually, after a 10-15 minute fiasco i adjust my hair and make it out the door, assuming no one has mistakenly bumped my overpriced, super hot coffee down the front of me [i've seen it happen to poor unfortunate souls]. and that is the treasured starbucks experience.