Did you know there are 23,768 Starbucks around the world? Oh wait...now there's 23,769. They pop up every 3 minutes and 47 seconds. OK, I made that part up. 23,770. And did you know that Starbucks first bought their coffee beans from Peet's? That part is true. Now everyone knows the first Starbucks was opened in Seatlle on Pike Place in 1971, and that milestone is celebrated in this piece of corporate art (photo: http://bit.ly/2nrqNK4). 23,771. So Jamie W. and I found ourselves in the main shopping area of Limerick and just finished a couple of small pizzas at Bella Italia (review: http://bit.ly/2oQkhg2). A little coffee would be nice before our long road trip to Galway.
So what I love about the Irish is how unfettered they are about their friendly dispositions. I have never felt one-quarter of the genuine warmth at a stateside Starbucks, especially in San Francisco where cynicism is seen as a badge of cool. 23,772. This is a spacious one by the chain's standards with a lot of seating much of it occupied by locals with their laptops (photo: http://bit.ly/2ojy4e9). I ordered a €4.45 Grande-size Pumpkin Spice Latte (photo: http://bit.ly/2nri7Ds), and sure enough, it tasted the same as the one down the street from me back home. Corporate standards, y'know. 23,773. So the four stars is a tribute to the warmth of the Irish and a latte that satisfied my desire for sweetened caffeine. Not so much for Starbucks. 23,774.
COFFEE - 3.5 stars...the latte you come to expect from Starbucks
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...more spacious than usual...oh and a place to recharge my iPhone
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...charmers, they are
TOTAL - 4 stars...it's Starbucks after all...23,775 read more