Adjusting to daylight redemption time has been hard. The hour I “got back” last weekend gives a temporary respite from going to work in darkness… for the next three weeks, assuming we lose about 3 minutes of daylight per day. It ensures the trip home is dark. To cope with the lack of daylight, I’ve started drinking coffee a few times a week. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to have an actual mocha.
There are two Starbucks in the same street corner across from my building. Getting to them requires crossing the pedestrian unfriendly Factoria Boulevard, where danger is trumped by a high walkability index. The Starbucks next to the Great Harvest bread store is the most popular, though this is influenced by its proximity to T-Mobile’s US headquarters. My coworkers insist on going to this one despite the high likelihood of shitty coffee, botched orders, and huge worker turnover because it’s a training store. When I get into work early enough, or need a loaf of bread, I’ll walk over with them for a break, but I have not been buying anything.
The second Starbucks on the corner is an improvement, despite the additional danger exposure. I suspect the primary reason the group never goes there is there are no “free bread samples” next door.
Also across the street, inside a QFC, two doors up from Starbucks #1, is a “Seattle’s Best Coffee.” I suppose this could qualify as a third Starbucks since SBC is owned by them, but it is literally a little nook in the QFC bakery department staffed by Jasmin and Melanie. Their mochas are more consistent. The seventh is free.
Another option is a little coffee hut called “Jitters” or “Get the hell outta my way I haven’t had my morning coffee” or something like that. It’s a quick, imperiled ride down the sidewalk of Factoria Boulevard, but has become my caffeine fix of choice. Not only is the mocha consistently good, the lady also remembers my order and pulls out the little sticker dots so I can bike back down Danger Way to the office without spilling the chocolated nectar of the gods.
My “office” only rates a walkability index of 17. It’s 1.18 miles to the nearest espresso (Big Foot), and 200′ of climbing. The reverse is (obviously) the same distance, but an additional 100′ of ascent. While my climbing is improving, I don’t think I can do it while balancing a mocha.
My office has a walkability index of 98. But I thought it was pretty funny as to what it thought certain amenities were. For example, under “bookstore”, it notes that Taboo Adult Video is but .06 miles away.
Home has a walkability of 28.
John, I still don’t have the coffee carrying 100% worked out. This morning, there was some mocha “expansion” through the vent hole, spraying my dropout with caffeine. It didn’t make the bike go any faster. If I weren’t able to quit anytime, I should look into a fancy, permanent container.
Claire: that’s hilarious.
Gee, Claire, that should make holiday shopping very convenient!
Hum…my office rates a 68 and my home rates a 69. Even though I don’t have anything as funny as Claire some of the choices and locations are bit disturbing (Um…Columbia, MD is actually about 45 miles from the District of Columbia so I’m trying to figure out how something that is 1.54 miles from my house is in Columbia, MD).
And of course you can quit any time. You aren’t one of those caffeine addicted Pacific Northwesterners are you? I have to say I’m so loving that it’s midnight when I leave my office and that when I do drive I have to turn my headlights on at 4:30pm. Come on Winter Solstice!