Helping for Haiti

I took last week off from my life in order to help others with theirs. I figured that if all it took for me to make a difference in a part of the world that I will most likely never get to was to make the small sacrifice of my time, it would be worth so much more to so many people than I could even quantify!

When Starbucks took the initiative to include a way for customers to donate to Haiti Relief when they purchased their morning coffee, I was pretty amazed at the outpouring of my customers. These are the regular people that come in day after day and get the same drink without even flinching...and they opened their hearts for people they knew they'd never meet, but needed all the help they could get.

I took that initiative and ran with it. I searched online for places that would be able to use my help and after paging through about 20 places that looked like they'd be perfect, I settled for one that seemed like it needed all the help it could get. I talked to a very nice gentleman on the phone and coordinated my stay based on how much time I could afford to sacrifice and was on my way!

For one week straight I worked almost non-stop on split 6-8 hour shifts. Twice a day, a semi truck would pull up to the warehouse packed full of toys, shoes, clothes and household basics. We had a team of 12 people unloading, 5 people sorting and 10 people packing & sealing boxes. Most of the people were in the same situation as me...they had regular lives, worked normal jobs and didn't have too much themselves. We all bonded and busted our butts like we'd been a team for years and it was a really fun experience. To top it off, I know that the time I spent will make a difference for so many people who have so much less than the rest of us.

One week of my time saw more generosity in so many ways than I can ever remember. It was well worth it, but now I'm back to the daily grind of my life. BACK IN ACTION!

GUATEMALA CASI CIELO GIVEAWAY!

Thanks for following along and for the kind messages on twitter and through email. I was hoping to get a little more interest in this contest since this is probably one of the most coveted of the seasonal release coffees that Starbucks has.

Here are the winners in order:

milfvideos - FULL POUND

These winners receive 1/4 lb. each:
jules792000
babydest
lifeonprint
monstamonster
kkirkendall
dolls123
atweetmom
bctripletmom

If you are one of the winners, please contact me with your mailing information in a direct message (DM) through twitter. I will also be contacting each winner individually as a follow up tomorrow.

With much love and a french press of Casi Cielo,

Barista Loco

Welcome back GUATEMALA CASI CIELO!

It is once again the time of year for my FAVORITE seasonal coffee to be released...Guatemala Casi Cielo! This limited release coffee is one of the most sought after by Partners and customers alike not because it comes out just once a year at our favorite coffee venue, but because it is a very rich and smooth coffee with medium intensity and a sweet aftertaste. What this means is that those who aren't accustomed to the bold flavors and extreme intensities of some of the regular Starbucks offerings have a very Starbucks-esque coffee to enjoy all day long instead of just as a morning pick-me-up.

This is an affordable GOURMET coffee if you ever want to experience one! I love this coffee so much that I want to share it with many...SO...I'm going to give some away! My contest will run for two weeks - starting today, January 10, and ending on January 24, 2010.

I will award 9 prizes in total...eight 1/4 pound bags and one FULL pound of Guatemala Casi Cielo.

9 winners total, and here is how you enter...

#1 - Follow me on Twitter @StarbucksMonkey (If you are already a follower, you are one step ahead in the game!)

#2 - Follow my tweets & Retweet my daily "Odd Drink of the day" at least two days each week (RT @StarbucksMonkey)

#3 - Post the link to my blog at least once per week on Twitter & anywhere else. Here is the shortened link you can use: http://bit.ly/3jSyTQ - Get creative :)

THAT'S IT!!! HOW EASY CAN IT GET???!!!

On Sunday, January 24m 2010, I will take all eligible entrants and run them through an online randomizer to determine the winners! Good luck and keep following me for fun and COFFEE!!!

With much love and a french press of Guatemala Casi Cielo,

Barista Loco

Back to work ---> CRAZY STYLE!

Well, after the holidays, its back to work as usual...the regulars are back, teachers are coming in before class, the students wander in randomly, parents stop in for a "Thank-goodness-the-kids-are-back-in-school" Latte and all of the usual partners are back on the schedule with no scratch-off fill-ins.

This is the same phenomenon that happens after every holiday break or school vacation, except this time there was something different...LOTS OF CRAZY DRINKS!

I'm not sure if people got turned on to other drinks while they were away or if there is some magazine or internet article out there telling people how to order their drinks for whatever end result, but its definitely not what one would expect. The easiest way to describe this to people who don't work for Starbucks is as follows: Most drinks are made of three components...ether non-fat or 2% milk, shots of espresso (or decaf...same machine, different button) and a flavor in the form of a syrup or sauce. Some drinks are topped with whipped cream and some aren't. Because of this formula, many baristas have formed a system so there is always a fresh pitched of steamed milk (non-fat or 2%) ready for the next drink - this keeps the hot drinks flowing at a speed that is acceptable to the greater majority of customers. The machines automatically steam the milk to a certain temperature...this is acceptable (and desired) as well for optimum taste, texture and enjoyment. BUT, throw in to the mix five or six custom drinks like a 190 degree no foam green tea latte followed by a kids temperature hot chocolate and a breve latte at 135 degrees and you have all the makings of a traffic jam at the espresso bar.

HOWEVER, its great to be back on the bar and making people smile when they receive their quad venti, extra hot, absolutely ZERO foam soy latte even if the person behind them cringes a little because they know their drink will take a minute or two longer!

Look for a new contest coming up soon!

With much love and HAPPY NEW YEAR French Press,

Barista Loco