#Starbucks summer menu

[klancelover42069]

Who was going to tell me that Starbucks is pro-Klance

[only-one-brain-cell]

I have the same energy about Max that Penelope has for Andrew. What kind of movies does she like? Music? What’s her favourite book? Her favourite colour? What’s her coffee order??

[selfconsumerofmywoes]

kind of miss working in a cafe - would love to work in one a few hours a week but i literally have no idea how to go about getting a job in a city

[dailyfoodlovers]

My uniozed Starbucks manager just told me we're rolling a new more violent menu next week. As far as I've heard it will look physically identical but ordering certain items will mean the barista has to try to hit you with the Porta filter as hard they can at least twice on the skull and take out at minimum one knee. I don't really want to do it but they're also doubling the dental coverage and mama's teeth have been rotting twice as fast this summer do to the smog

[baronessvonglitter]

Cherry, Cherry 🍒 Chapter 1 🍒

“Austin”

pre-outbreak! AU!Joel Miller x f!Reader

Word count: 2K

Summary: new to the city, you befriend Sarah, and in a time of need you befriend her dad Joel

WARNINGS: this particular chapter is safe for everyone to read, but future chapters will contain smut; mild cursing, little bit of flirting; age gap (reader is 18, Joel is 35); reader is tomboyish but otherwise no race specified and will not be throughout the series; until otherwise specified, this story takes place in the summer of 2003 and is AU with no outbreak, no use of y/n.

Author's Note: this was the first fic I ever wrote, after months of lurking on AO3. It's one of my favorites to write and probably my most popular on AO3, so I'm bringing her to the party. In this particular chapter Joel fixes a sink, and I did minimal investigating into the world of plumbing, so obviously any mistakes are just gonna be there.

Series Masterlist

Austin is quiet. So much quieter than where you came from: Houston, the city on the bayou, where there's always something fun to do. Not that Austin is without its charm, it just kind of feels like living on the moon after the hustle and bustle of your hometown, the fourth largest city in the US. But the people are friendly, the vibes are mellow, and you soon begin to feel at home.

Soon you'll be starting college at the University of Texas, a school you've had your eye on since fifth grade. Your mom, overprotective but meaning well, allowed you to stay with your older cousin Sofia rather than living on campus. And you're excited about it because even with a roommate, this is your first time on your own, away from home, about to really live your life.

School starts in a couple months, so in the meantime you get a job at a new Starbucks in town, providing you with a little spending money. The first few days are a blur, making drinks, learning the register. But it keeps you busy, A few times a week a younger group of kids come in, ordering the cheapest things on the menu. One of them, a girl 13 or 14 years old, approaches the counter. She studies the overhead menu with an air of seriousness. "What's in a frappuccino?" she asks.

"Um, coffee, espresso, milk, ice, and syrup blended together, basically. Comes with whipped cream on top. I could give you one to try," you offer, as your manager is out that day.

"Sure," the girl answers eagerly.

You make the cold, frothy drink and hand it to her. "I'm still pretty new at this, so if you hate it, I'm sorry," you joke.

She smiles and walks back to her friends, sipping the frapp.

You work until evening and pick up some fast food on the way home, Getting out of the car with your food you lean back against the vehicle, stretching a little, trying to wake yourself up a bit. Then you hear the sound of a truck coming up the driveway next door and the engine shutting off. There are a couple of voices you hear as the people begin to exit the truck.

"Hey, she's the one who gave me the free coffee today," you hear, and though it likely isn't meant for you to hear, you glance over and see the young girl from earlier today, climbing out of the truck. From around the driver's side you see a man, mid-thirties, tall, well-built, a black t-shirt clinging to his torso. Dirtied jeans and work boots complete his attire. It takes a moment before you realize he's looking at you.

Immediately you glance back at the girl, obviously his daughter. "Hey," you smile and give a quick, awkward wave. She waves back politely and he gives a curt nod and quick wave. They make their way up the front porch and you hear his gruff voice: "You had coffee? Great, now you'll be bouncin' off the walls all evenin'," before the door closes behind them.

"Guess I met my neighbors," you mutter, making your way inside as well.

Over the next few days the girl, who you now know as Sarah Miller, comes to Starbucks, ordering the same frapp every time. "Don't tell your dad I'm giving you all this caffeine," you tell her, hiding a smirk.

Sometimes you give her a ride home from the cafe, though she claims to use the bus now and then. You come to see that Sarah is a lot more mature than you were at her age. You hang out from time to time, swim in your backyard pool, go to the mall, and every time you drop her off you catch a glimpse of her dad, always a figure in the background. You exchange a wave or polite smile and move on.

It's your day off, a Sunday. You intend to spend the day lounging, watching TV. Maybe Sarah will stop by. After making a quick breakfast for yourself you do the dishes. When you're finished, you realize the class ring you'd set on the counter is gone, likely washed down the sink. "Damn!" you exclaim, and text Sofia, who has just left for work.

Go next door and ask Mr. Miller if he can take a look and get it out. He's helped around the house before your cousin replies.

You sigh and put the phone down.

You're a little hesitant going to speak to him. His truck is in the driveway so you know he's home. You knock on the door, feeling self-conscious about your first interaction with him, and Mr. Miller opens the door.

"Good morning," you introduce yourself. "I'm Sarah's friend.. from next door."

"Nice to meet ya, I'm Joel Miller." He extends a calloused hand and you shake it. You've always assumed him to be a man who does hard work for a living, but in your first time seeing him up close you admire his tousled, dark brown hair, his deep brown eyes that seem serious. "What can I do for ya?" he asks in his gentle Texan drawl.

You smile. "Well, I was told you're pretty handy around the house, and I lost my ring in the sink just now." You chuckle at your mistake. "Would it be possible for you to come over and take a look?" You feel really shy about asking this of a man you barely know.

He takes a moment to think, clears his throat, raises his brow. "I suppose I could stop by." His tone is gruff but his manner seems warm enough. "I'll give it a shot. I'm no plumber, but I'll see what I can do." He shrugs.

You smile and sigh with relief. "Of course. I mean, even you just checking it out would be a big help.. whenever you can stop by I'll be here." You don't want to make demands on his time.

"All right.. I'm not doin' much right now, so I could swing 'round if you like. Just let me grab my toolbox."

Once inside, with minimal conversation Joel gets on the floor, under the sink, and gets to work. You wait nearby, trying not to hover, but also wanting to be available in case he needs anything. Plus he's good looking. You watch as he works. His shirt rides up, revealing his torso, and a hint of the waistband of his underwear. Your eyes wander lower until you force them away. To distract yourself you start putting things away in the cupboard.

"Sarah tells me you're new to Austin," he says as he works.

"Yeah, I'm actually from Houston. I'm starting UT in the fall, and staying with my cousin in the meantime. I take it you know Sofia?"

"I do. She's nice. I keep an eye on her place when she's away. Even when you're there."

You mean to say something in reply, maybe 'thank you' but you're thinking about him keeping a protective watch over your home while you're inside, unaware.

"So you're starting university? How old are ya?" he asks.

Something about his question makes you feel like a deer in headlights. "I'll be nineteen in September. On the twenty-sixth."

You can almost hear the smile in his voice. "No shit? That's my birthday. Except I'm far from nineteen. Small world, ain't it?"

"Yeah," you say, sneaking another glance at his torso.

"What're you studyin'?"

"English," you answer, excited to talk about it. "More specifically Literature. I want to write, and maybe one day work at a huge publishing house."

You hear Joel give a grunt. "What do you write?"

"Poetry sometimes, short stories, I have a few ideas for novels."

Another grunt. "You don't look like the type.. the writer type.. no offense."

"What type do I look like?" Your heart races as you realize he's categorized you already.

He peeks out from under the sink and his eyes fix on you in a way that makes you shiver. "I don't know yet. But you're young. Maybe you're the rebellious type." He goes back to work.

You sit on the floor, your back against the fridge opposite him. "How am I the rebellious type to you?"

He's quiet, and you see the gleam of his eyes from where he's under the sink. "Haven't quite figured it out yet.."

You can tell he's having fun with this, and there's a vibration in the air, a palpable chord struck, and you wonder if he feels it too.

"Anything I can do? Feeling kinda helpless over here," you chuckle.

"Just stay out of the way," his voice is more gruff than maybe he intends. Frowning, his eyes focus on an item lodged in the P-trap. He reaches in and pulls out your ring. It's covered in gunk and grime but you recognize it immediately.

"Oh shit! Thank you..." It's your class ring. 'Class of 2003' is engraved on the side, with a princess cut sapphire on top. You put it aside to clean it later.

Joel smirks. "No problem."

"I really owe you one."

"I dunno about that. Just don't go throwin' away your valuable stuff next time, okay?" He's teasing, almost playful.

You laugh "Okay.. hey I'm working at the cafe tomorrow. If you come by I could get you a free coffee." You put the offer out there, testing the waters though you aren't sure why.

"Free coffee? Careful, girl, between giving away free stuff to me and Sarah, you're gonna run Starbucks out of business," he grins. "But yeah, I might have to stop by."

You walk him out, even though Joel says it's not necessary, but you can tell he enjoys your company. "I guess I'll be seeing you around Joel.. Mr. Miller."

He stifles a chuckle. There's a touch of amusement in the way he speaks to you, but he hides it behind a warm, open expression. "Call me Joel. No need to be so formal around me."

"If my mom was here she'd say I was being disrespectful, calling you by your first name." You can't help a little blush.

"I won't complain about respect," he smiles again.

"She's pretty protective of me," you describe your living situation, your freedom that is being given in increments.

"Well your mom might've done you a favor there." Joel looks out past your front porch. "That's probably a wise decision, ya know? What about your dad? He ok with you living far from home?"

You shake your head. "He's not.. really in the picture. My parents divorced about five years ago. My dad went up north, Minnesota I think, and I haven't seen him since.." You feel a little vulnerable revealing this.

Joel's brow furrows and his expression darkens. You wonder if he's thinking about Sarah. You don't know much about her mother and haven't felt okay to ask. "I'm sorry to hear that. Are you all right?"

You shrug. "I guess so. I've managed this long without him.." You give a smile that doesn't reach your eyes. "I shouldn't be bothering you with all this.."

"No problem, I don't mind listenin'. Do me a favor," he says suddenly. "Be careful out there, okay?"

Something about this catches you off guard. "Of course I will."

He smiles. "Good. I'll see you at the cafe tomorrow," he phrases it like a hopeful question.

"Bright and early," you say, feeling a few butterflies in your stomach.

He laughs and nods. "Til then."

You watch him leave and though you cringe at how young, foolish, childish you must appear to him, you can't deny that you feel something, even for a brief moment. Maybe it's nothing. But something about him sticks with you, an odd feeling in your chest. But it's just a dumb, knee-jerk reaction. He has a family, he's twice your age. You're focused on school and your future. Joel Miller is the last person you should be thinking about...

...right?

next chapter ->

divider by @saradika-graphics 👑

[quill-pen]

Modern AU Scroogeverse: Starbucks orders

@rom-e-o and I joked around about it a little this morning, so I thought it might be fun to do.

Disclaimer: I, personally, am not a coffee drinker at all. I hate everything about coffee--the smell, the taste, the noise the coffee maker makes as it brews. And I never have dealings with Starbucks because I think they're a little overhyped and expensive.

Note: Americanized Bess has absolutely influenced these people's taste on things like iced and cold beverages. As she should. Cold drinks are lifeblood.

Ebenezer: First off, nobody makes coffee like his beloved Bess (she does it the old-fashioned way on the stove and adds just the right amount of heavy cream and cinnamon) so that's usually where Eb gets his coffee (she'll pour it in a thermos and send it out the door with him). But on the occasions Bess' coffee is unavailable for various reasons, Starbucks is an easy stop on the way to work. His drink of choice: the dark roast, tall, cinnamon powder, heavy cream, and two pumps of cinnamon syrup (if it's the holidays, he'll add a pump of the peppermint) to make up for the lack of Bess' TLC. It's good, but still not as good as Bess'; every sip of her coffee is like her love in liquid form and you bloody hell can't beat that. If he's had several late nights at the office, Ebenezer will also add a few shots of the signature espresso. If he has to attend a morning business meeting he's been dreading, the man has also been known to fill a flask with a little "feel-good" juice and spike his drink just enough to get through the meeting. He doesn't get anything else from Starbucks. He might try something Bess gets, but, as stated before, Starbucks is merely a handy substitute: He's not about to take time to explore their menu. Note: They never get his name right. Ebenezer is now simply known as 'Ed' at the local Starbucks.

Bess: For warm weather: a grande iced dark chocolate mocha with heavy cream and light ice. The number of espresso shots depends on how busy work has been. For cold weather: a tall caffè mocha, with warm heavy cream, light foam, and six mocha pumps. Again the number of espresso shots depends on work. If she's in the mood for something particularly sweet, Bess will usually go for one of their chocolate chocolatey frappucinos. She doesn't have a particular favorite--she likes them all--but always gets them in grande. Note: You think they'd be able to get Bess, easy enough, but no; she's been called "Bed", "Bless", "Beth", "Bet", "Bast", and "Bath". These people aren't even trying, are they?

Bob: Doesn't go to Starbucks--it's not on his way to work and it's too expensive (he's got lots of kids to take care of, even if now being partners with Mr. Scrooge makes life so much easier and comfy). He stops in at a local mom-and-pop place called 'The Grinds' and gets a large, cowboy coffee with a little milk and sugar. (He's also sweet-talked the barista into adding some espresso shots. The man has like a dozen kids, okay?! He needs it to get through the day!)

Ethel: Unlike Bob, will occasionally patronize Starbucks--mostly when she is out with the other girls. Because this is only an occasional thing, Ethel likes to treat herself (she deserves it!): a venti strawberry crème frappuccino with vanilla sweet cream, extra whipped cream, five syrup pumps, two espresso shots, toasted vanilla syrup, cookie crumble topping, mocha sauce, and extra strawberry puree. Leave her alone--she's affording herself a rare treat--it's fine. Note: Don't always get her name right either, but they get it right more often than with Bess.

Harry: Does not have a favorite. Man gets something different every time he goes and has liked everything equally. He does have a particular fondness for their frozen fruit beverages though, but only in summer. When the weather gets cold, he'll go for their hot apple drinks. The only customization he insists upon is extra cinnamon or peppermint during the holiday season. After all, he loves Christmas--it's his favorite time of year! He always gets the largest option. Note: Yes, his name always gets spelled right, usually accompanied by little Harry Potter flourishes. He finds them so charming and tries to keep them all. Hela eventually throws them out when he's clearly forgotten about them--usually after a week.

Hela: Usually goes for their teas. It's a toss-up between a short honey citrus mint with light lemonade and an extra pump of honey or a short, regular matcha tea latte. Note: Only gets her name spelled right if she's served by a fan of Marvel.

Tom: He is a very simple man. In the cold, he beelines for their hot chocolate: grande, steamed whole milk, doubled mocha pumps with extra whipped cream, and extra caramel drizzle with caramel sauce lining the cup. In the heat, it's a regular mango dragonfruit lemonade with extra ice. Note: Once got named "Dom" at Starbucks. The barista winked at him as she passed him his drink. Addie was with him and did not appreciate it; she absolutely took a cue from her cousin and groped his ass on the way out. The ride home was very long after that, but the events that played out at home were a blast.

Addie: In the cold, she loves the white hot chocolate. She'll usually get a tall with oat milk, extra foam brown sugar syrup with a mocha cause lining, and chocolate mint cookie sprinkles with light whipped cream. In the heat, her go-to is a grande iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso with salted caramel foam, mocha drizzle, whipped cream, and caramel crunch topping. Note: Often gets called "Abbie", but one time, somehow, she got called "Baddie". She rode that high for a week.

Ernie: Isn't really a coffee man, so he mostly sticks to the teas. He goes for the classic Earl Grey with a little lemonade, honey, and a pinch of cinnamon. If he's looking for something cooler, he just goes for the lemonade. Nothing very complicated. Note: Absolutely gets "Bert" added in with his name like 80% of the time. The joke is getting old now, folks.

Ella: Honestly, she doesn't do Starbucks. She had one drink once--a huge chocolate java mint frap, loaded up with all the best goodies. It was so good. But the stomach flu was going through the Cratchit household at the time and she got hit with it right after she had that heavenly delight and... yeah. Ruined the entire chain for her. Just the mention of Starbucks makes her stomach roll. Ernie doesn't drink Starbucks around her and does his best to shield the very logo from her view.

Granny: Simple and surprising--a doppio of espresso macchiato. regular except for eight shots of espresso instead of the standard two. She's in her 80s and surrounded by young folks, okay? How else do you expect her to keep up with them all?

Josie: Doesn't do Starbucks either. She thinks it's overrated and too trendy, and will go out of her way to find small, independent establishments to patronize. She enjoys hazelnut lattes with a little touch of cinnamon and mocha sauce. Will always ask the barista to make the most unique design they can with the cream and asks if she can watch.

Mickey: Just like his love, he doesn't do Starbucks. For one he could never afford it; for two, he tried some once and he didn't find it all that great. Certainly wasn't worth the hype everyone seemed to have about it. He chooses to support the independent coffee houses as well, often taking Josie out on dates to them. He likes the cowboy coffee with only a little milk; he enjoys the rusticness and simplicity of it. Josie isn't a fan of the flavor but she loves the smell of it on Mickey's breath afterward and she doesn't mind the taste coming off his tongue and lips when he kisses her either.

Jules: He can't drink coffee as it makes him sick, but he enjoys the iced teas. His favorite is a blended grande black tea lemonade with some apple juice and strawberries. And definitely extra ice. Always extra ice. In the winter, he gets a regular caramel apple spice. Note: Often gets his name spelled as "Jewels". Once he had an older barista that was a big fan of Jules Verne though, and he got that written on his cup--that was fun.

Martha: The chocolate java mint frap, tall, with coconut milk, double-blended with frap chips, hazelnut syrup, two extra pumps of the mint sauce, mocha sauce lining, toasted cookie crumble, light cinnamon powder, and whipped cream--that's this girl's game. She only needs to have one once in a while, as it's so very rich. Note: Once got called "Martyr". So... that was different.

Kathy: Girl is a fiend for the espresso shots! That's what happens when you're studying to be an L&D nurse, I suppose. She gets a quad of the blonde roast loads it up on six shots and hammers it. But after she's had a couple of those, she'll get a short, dark chocolate mocha with heavy cream and honey to sip on. Note: Has been called "Catty" more than once. She does not appreciate it.

Millie: VENTI. PUMPKIN. SPICE. LATTES. With extra cream and cinnamon and caramel sauce lining. She lives for this stuff and literally has an emotional breakdown whenever it goes out of season. After that, she falls back on the vanilla bean crème frap, venti size, with almond milk, extra whipped cream, frap chips, macadamia syrup, caramel lining, white chocolate mint sauce, honey blend, cinnamon, mocha drizzle, and caramel crunch topping. And, ya know what? It's still nowhere near as good as the pumpkin spice. Why don't they just sell it all year?! It would be their number-one seller! They could just start a whole other Starbucks offshoot just for the pumpkin spice and rake in the money! Note: Absolutely tells the barista how to spell her name and double-checks to make sure they got it right.

Gil: Decaf roast, tall, black--plain, simple, easy. He likes the bitterness; reminds him of the earth and nature. If he's craving a little sweetness, he might add some honey. Note: Usually gets called "Dill". Does not complain--he gets his coffee either way. And he kinda like the name "Dill" actually.

Tim: He's not allowed to drink coffee, as he gets way too hyper. But he does like their frozen fruit drinks. The pineapple passion fruit is his favorite; he always gets extra pineapple in it. He gets the largest size and sticks it in the freezer whenever he's had enough to snack on for a few days. The stuff tastes even better when it's frozen enough to eat like ice cream! Note: Tim is so cute, most of the time the baristas don't even hear him say his name because they're so focused on his cherubic smile or sparkling blue eyes, so they just write "Angel boy" on the cup. Tim just blushes and beams.

Beryl: She doesn't like coffee, but she is also a serious businesswoman, and serious businesswomen drink coffee. Beryl gets the espresso con panna in the smallest size with extra whipped cream and three espresso shots. The whipped cream is the only way she can stand the taste of the stuff. Sometimes she needs a little mocha drizzle to get it down too, even while she's holding her nose and trying to swallow it down without letting it touch her tongue. Ebenezer has pointed out to her time and again that it's okay if she doesn't like coffee--she can drink something else if she wants to--but Beryl refuses. "Businesswomen drink coffee! It's a staple!" And no one is going to convince her otherwise. Note: Never gets her name spelled right, so she has taken to telling them at her name is "Bear". That always gets spelled right and she gets comments on how "cool her name is". Beryl might be considering changing her name to "Bear".

[izzytown]

welcome to part 2/2 of “the company’s reacts to starbucks” babes!

if you missed part 1, check that out here

let’s get right into it:

nori: nori has a flair for the dramatic (look at his hair and beard braids and try to argue), therefore his drinks have to be ✨extravagant✨ — this mf probably orders tiktok drinks, layered fraps, you name it. he has no chill. he will also order it by how he found it - “can i get ‘the last of us’ drink?" (a venti strawberry creme frap with mocha, java chips, and layered with puree and cookie crumbles).

bifur: despite his gruff exterior, bifur seems like a sleepy/chill person, so i imagine he gets various types of teas depending on whether he needs to wake up a bit or wind down. he doesn’t go to Starbucks unless he’s with dori, so dori can order for him (again, this man grunts??) he seems like a hot london fog latte kinda guy, or maybe a royal english breakfast tea type of person.

bofur: if dori is the mom friend, bofur is the dad friend - he probably likes a basic coffee with cream (maybe even a flat white) for his day to day orders, but he’s absolutely a mobile order regular. he treats himself with the og “stbx secret menu” fraps, like a cinnamon roll frap, snickers frap, etc. but it’s okay bc they’re mobile-ordered🫶 probably also gets a chocolate chip cookie with his coffee, let’s be fr.

bombur: bombur, this friendly man, absolutely gets frappuccinos and only frappuccinos. he’s tried every flavor, and cycles through a caramel ribbon crunch w/ extra caramel drizzle, a java chip, or a cafe vanilla frap. he also gets a ham and swiss on baguette or an eggs and cheddar protein box every damn time he makes a starbucks run.

dwalin: dwalin is scary. he stresses out every barista based on his demeanor, even though he’s actually incredibly soft. he probably gets a red-eye, and then gently corrects the barista if they don’t know what a red-eye is. also gets a black cold brew with a shot of espresso during the summer months.

balin: he’s SO grandpa. he secretly wants to get black coffee and seem exasperated like gandalf is, but his go-to is a raspberry white mocha, or occasionally a toffee nut white mocha. maybe a nonfat java chip frap w/ no whip if he's treating himself? a little sweet drink to reward himself after giving therapy to the entire company is usually what he needs.

bilbo: and last but certainly not least, our favorite anxiety-riddled hobbit finds himself at starbucks often, mostly because of the comfort it brings him. like his nephew frodo, he prefers a nice tea to calm his nerves, switching between earl grey, royal english breakfast, and a chai latte if he’s feeling adventurous. if he’s wanting something with coffee, you can bet he’s getting a honey almondmilk flat white. you can always find him working on his book there after the events of the hobbit, probably munching on a warmed blueberry scone as he writes.

[icleanedthisplate]

Dine-Out Meals of October 2023, Ranked

I ranked the following based on taste alone. I made no consideration for ambiance or the general dining experience or whatever. I included meals I got to go. I included food trucks, catered meals, and fast food.

I got into burgers this month.

Should you be interested in the pictures or reading the few words I had to say about each meal, click on the home page and scroll down or see the archives.

Apolonia ‘Classics’ Tasting Menu (Yellowtail Crudo, Roasted Mussel Toast, Fiorentini al Sugo, Mediterranean Branzino, The Pistachio). Apolonia. Chicago, Illinois. 10.1.2023.

Samantha’s Steak Salad. Samantha’s Tap Room. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.9.2023.

Signature Sweet Hot Burger w/Fries. Copper Grill. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.10.2023.

Half Rack of Ribs, Broccoli, Baked Sweet Potato. Corner Grub House. Sulphur Springs, Texas. 10.25.2023.

Chopped Sirloin w/Mashed Pots, Creole Salad. The Faded Rose. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.23.2023.

The Ranch Salad w/Salmon. Standard Service. Heath, Texas. 10.27.2023.

Whiskey & Aged White Cheddar Burger w/Steamed Veggies. Yard House. Irving, Texas. 10.26.2023.

Fried Chicken Livers w/Pepper Jelly (shared), Eggs Benedict. The Second Line. Memphis, Tennessee. 10.22.2023.

Baleadas Con Todo w/Carnitas. El Sur Street Food Co. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.9.2023.

Chicken Spaghetti Lunch Special, Side Salad. Cache. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.16.2023.

Meatloaf w/Green Beans, Baked Potato. Samantha’s Tap Room. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.30.2023.

Veggie Sandwich w/Potatoes. Blackberry Market. North Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.17.2023.

Angry Wife Roll, Hibachi Chicken Lunch. Wasabi. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.6.2023.

Santa Monica Cobb Salad w/Chicken. Summer House (ORD). Chicago, Illinois. 10.4.2023.

Chicken Leg Quarters, Peas, Broccoli & Cheese Casserole. Platnum BBQ (River Market). Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.18.2023.

Chicken Leg Quarters, Green Beans, Broccoli & Cheese Casserole. Platnum BBQ (River Market). Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.5.2023.

Steak Sandwich w/Steamed Veggies. Huey’s (Germantown). Germantown, Tennessee. 10.21.2023.

Noodle Bowl w/Tofu. Three Fold Noodles + Dumpling Co. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.19.2023.

Lunch Catering (tacos, chips, etc.). Blue Coast Burrito. North Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.22.2022.

Bangkok Noodles w/Shrimp. Bangkok Thai Cuisine. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.24.2023.

Buffalo Tempeh + Sesame Cauliflower. City Silo. Memphis, Tennessee. Germantown, Tennessee. 10.21.2023.

White Bean & Ham Soup. Cache. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.31.2023.

Catered Buffet (buffalo chicken chimichanga? Shrimp tacos, assorted pizza, fried chicken sliders, etc). Acebounce. Chicago, Illinois. 10.2.2023.

Breakfast Catering (Bacon, Eggs, Fruit, Pastries). Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center (Catering). Grapevine, Texas. 10.26.2023.

Catered Buffet (Pasta, Pasta, Pasta, Minestrone Soup, Doughnut). Hilton Chicago (Catering). Chicago, Illinois. 10.3.2023.

Catered dinner (Steak & Chicken pieces, butternut squash, Brussels, mashed potatoes, ice cream w/toppings). The Glass Cactus (catering). Grapevine, Texas. 10.25.2023.

Tacos (Tipsy Chick, Crossroads, Mr. Orange). Torchy’s Tacos. Rogers, Arkansas. 10.12.2023.

Chef Salad w/Turkey, Pizzas (Pineapple, Sausage). Vino’s Brewpub. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.20.2023.

Chicken Wrap (?). Unknown Caterer. Irving, Texas. 10.26.2023.

Chicken Fingers w/Side Salad. Stickyz Rock’n’Roll Chicken Shack. Little Rock, Arkansas. 10.11.2023.

Oatmeal, bacon. Residence Inn by Marriott. Germantown, Tennessee. 10.22.2023.

Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich. Starbucks. Benton, Arkansas. 10.25.2023.

Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich. Starbucks. Chicago, Illinois. 10.2.2023.

Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich. Starbucks. Chicago, Illinois. 10.3.2023.

Turkey Sandwich, Pasta Salad, Cookie. McCormick Place. Chicago, Illinois. 10.2.2023.

Chicken Sandwich, Pasta Salad, Cookie. McCormick Place. Chicago, Illinois. 10.3.2023.

[hannahmartin30]

All About Me

Hello everyone! My name is Hannah Martin. I am a senior graduating in the spring with a major in Human Resource Management and a Minor in information systems. I am from Trenton, Michigan which is a small town about 20 minutes south of Detroit. Over the summer I had an internship at BASF in Wyandotte, and at the moment will be going back to work there after I graduate. This company is a place where you can work your way up in positions and that is what I plan on doing depending on the opportunities that are given to me. I love to be outdoors and do outdoor activities like camping. I currently work at the Student Activities Center on campus and have been an employee there for a couple years now as a Fitness Specialist.

A company that I believe has great use of their social media is Starbucks. I admire the aesthetics that they use depending on the season, and how the promote their drinks, both ones that they have year round and ones that are only on the menu for a limited time. They show off their products so that they target different demographics and celebrate things that the World may be celebrating at the time.

I am excited to be taking this class so that I can explore how different companies use social media to their advantage when promoting a product or putting their company in the publics eye.

[lilliesforya]

Uniqlo in Ginza and Animate in Akihabara

9/20 I went to Tokyo this past Sunday with Katie. It took us like 15 minutes to find each other in Tokyo station. Tokyo station is so large that when my train goes underground to start to pull in, it goes for like 6 minutes at regular speed before it stops at the platform. Afterwards, we walked to a Starbucks that was close by. I went to this exact one 2 weeks prior during my disastrous phone repair sponsored trip to Tokyo, the apple store employee told me where to go. The building it is next to is really big and on the inside there's a large place in the middle for art installations or this time it was various regional omiyage being sold. This time I got a triple espresso iced latte with oat milk and the espresso was so strong I was thrilled. We shared a banana rice milk muffin and an American waffle. Both were good but the waffle was better. I love Starbucks because it feels the same no matter where you are in the world (though the nice cups and plates did make it hard for me to suspend my belief).

I needed shirts for work so we went to the giant Uniqlo in Ginza. It may be the biggest technically but it's vertically big, so when we were going up each escalator to every floor the floors seemed small to me. The Osaka Uniqlo felt bigger to me even though it was only 3 floors if I remember correctly, because it was horizontally larger (than vertically). The store was beautiful and had a lot of winter clothes out and everything was organized well. I needed summer clothes though and so we spent a longer time looking for t-shirts and pants. It's still really hot here and in Tokyo so I'm not sure why the fall/winter clothes are in full swing. I got some work appropriate t-shirts and lounge pants but I couldn't find any work pants that aren't full trousers. I also got a nice dark green sweatshirt for 1990 yen which is crazy because in the US in winter those sweatshirts are like 40/50 dollars.

After Uniqlo we went to the Shake Shack we had passed on the way there. The food was so good it felt like we had been reborn. The seasonal lemonade is mango right now, and it was seriously amazing. We both agreed it would taste really good with vodka too. There's also a black sesame shake on the menu currently and I want to try it despite not being able to. By the grace of god, we got seats just as we were walking back to stand around a table.

I was excited to see the Animate because it's well known for carrying all sorts of anime goods. It was really cool to see as a whole. I was surprised by the lack of escalators for the 7 floors. There was an elevator but only one. I found Bungou Stray Dogs stuff. I'm lucky that season 5 is in the middle of airing right now because that's why there was merch. There wasnt that much to choose from in my opinion but im also devoted to two side characters (technically speaking). I did get a folder with Chuuya on it to hang in my house. There was a lot of Genshin merch. This was so fun to see in person. There were buttons for practically every character and I finally found Ayato (my genshin main) merch! I got cute Ayato themed post-its and a Tartagila plushie/ keychain. I was hoping for any Trigun merch or Honkai Star Rail merch but there was none. The lack of Trigun stuff didn't surprise me because that's more popular in America. But HSR is new and I see ads on the train all the time for it and so I was surprised that there was nothing. Definitely better for my wallet but not my heart.

[nickgerlich]

State Of Mind

Ah, summer. When I was a kid, it was my favorite time of the year. School was out long before Alice Cooper could write a song about it. Long days, short nights, miles and miles of bike riding, and sandlot baseball games that went on all day. Life was good, and I hadn’t a care in the world.

Of course, things are different as adults. There are lawns to mow (I came home to a 10-acre jungle from my early-summer travels this year, thanks to record rains while I was gone). Bugs to repel. Skin cancer to worry about. Air conditioning units to fret over (said the man who just shelled out $500 yesterday for a repair call). Yeah, it’s not as much fun as it once was. Responsibilities, yo. I’m not a grumpy old man, though. Promise.

But summer has been, is, and will continue to be the time when marketers have fun releasing all manner of seasonal promotions. From blockbuster movies to new soda flavors, collectible Dr. Pepper cans featuring the latest Spiderman movie, tasty menu variants, and more, marketers pull out the stops and have fun.

Like Heinz and their new 50-state series of collectible condiment packages. Say whaaaat?

Now before I continue, please know that I am a lifelong collector. I got that gene from my father, who saved coins and stamps for years, sold them, and then started collecting a wide variety of ephemera. I started with beer cans in the 70s, branched out to include soda cans, then took on signs and bottles, followed by Pez, old coffee cans, and more recently, Starbucks mugs. My kids are going to hate me when I die.

For the life of me, though, I cannot imagine why someone would want to save condiment packages, because…well..what are you going to do with them? Build a special display case? And then worry that rodents might find them worthy of a nibble?

That hasn’t stopped Heinz, though, from creating a unique package for each of the 50 states. While Heinz is wise to position themselves as a condiment company rather than just the ketchup people, these 50 packages will only feature seven different condiments. It is the little foil pouch that will differ. Oh, and they will be available everywhere, so you don’t have to fly to Anchorage to get the Alaska one.

This is an interesting development given the saber rattling of Heinz last spring when the company announced it wanted restaurant patrons to rat out any diner or cafe in which they saw workers filling Heinz bottles with cheaper store-brand alternatives. I wrote about it for my students then, and while we all felt it was important for Heinz to protect its brand, it was a little over the top to consider taking people to task.

The current promo, though, is good clean fun, as it should be for a company that has a 60% share of the ketchup market, and a strong market position in mustard, mayo, relish, BBQ sauce, and others. There’s little point in being the aggressor when you’ve got it good already. Protect your brand, but don’t be a bully about it.

I suspect that if I wind up with any of these, the unused ones will wind up in the center console of my van. You know. In case I need some ketchup or mustard far down the road. And I promise I won’t fret about getting all 50, or yelling, “STOP! That’s my only Maryland!”

It’s all good fun, and I give an A+ to Heinz for stepping down from its bully pulpit and enjoying the warm, long, sunny, days of summer. Gimme a handful of those packets, and I’m calling it good.

Dr “In The Summertime, When The Weather Is High” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[stilldollest]

Happy first day of spring i wasted the whole afternoon.. it turns out theres no iced chai latte in my local starbucks online menu and now im going to have lunch: local fried fish (not battered ew) with sweet rice and local lemony leafy greens yum while watching legend of the blue sea.. one must always obsess with a piece of mermaid fiction before summer.. last year it was h2o just add water this year its this i love it so far i relate so much.. i too am a long haired beauty who gets attached too easily is always hungry and would die for love

[thelondonwhisperer]

Starbucks puts the ‘extra’ in Summer with pop-up

The Starbucks Extra Summer Lounge on Piccadilly was more like a disco as it celebrated its new Summer menu 🪩

Customers can get a free cup of the new delicious drinks and get their selfie printed on it, strike a pose at the glambot and if they’re signed up as a rewards member they get to personalise their own cup!

[rainbowuniversepageantsys]

Newsletter time...finally! & a Freebie!

My Pot O' Gold Newsletter should have just arrived in your inbox. Thanks so much for your patience! Anyone who is not on the mailing list, you can sign up now by scanning the QR code attached to this post and newbies get a freebie when you sign up. Our Summer Newsletter freebie promotion is an RUP branded clear Tumblr with our logo and a red top and red straw. Perfect to ease into the summer with those Jamba Juice smoothies and Starbucks beverages on the Summer menu. Bring our Tumblr and watch all of the Starbuckees checking you out because this is not on the shelf...lol! Get on our list and get your Tumblr and drink in RainbowUP style baby!

[house-organizing-hacks]

See the New Starbucks x Stanley Tumbler, Plus the Entire Summer 2024 Collection

Technically, the official start of summer isn't until June 20. But for us, the season of flip-flops, sunny rays and long beach days unofficially kicks off once Starbucks drops their summer merch and menu, which means as of this week, we're saying "goodbye" to spring.

The coffee empire debuted three new Summer-Berry Refreshers®— the basic Summer-Berry Refreshers Beverage which features a "blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors shaken with ice,".

To know more: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a60738185/starbucks-2024-summer-cups-merchandise/

[taytay-the-gaybertooth]

Starbucks Summer Skies Needs to be a Permanent Menu Item

Never did I think I'd describe anything as "Kool-Aid Jammers and Fruit Gushers for grown-ups" but here we are. I was massively underwhelmed by Starbucks's other Refreshers, but I'm all for giving things a second chance. So, with 5.50 in Starbucks gift cards to burn and a 50% off coupon, I crossed the street (and nearly got flattened by a semi) to try the new Summer Skies drink.

The other Refreshers are fairly tame, but this drink is strong. If you find the Pink Drink to be very sweet, Summer Skies might be too much for you. As I said earlier, the best way to describe this flavor is a grown-up Kool-Aid Jammer. Despite seemingly having no artificial flavors it packs a punch in sweetness, tasting like blue raspberry. Blue raspberry isn't a real flavor even, so to taste something like it that's natural is quite an experience. The bubbles that come with it are also quite sweet and a bit tart (like a raspberry fruit gusher) and as multiple others have recommended, I'd get an extra scoop for a grande or trenta. Also make sure your Starbucks gives you a straw, else you'll miss out on the bubbles.

Overall, I'd give it an 8/10. It tastes great enough to be worth a permanent menu addition, and is quite nostalgic, but its price tag is a bit eye-watering ($10.75 for a Trenta with an extra scoop of bubbles).