Tag: starbucks

fun

Not a fan!

Shannon

There are certain things that the masses adore but I just don’t.

  • Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks (or anywhere)  I’ll probably be labeled a communist for saying this but it’s true.starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte Meh.  They just don’t do it for me.  And I’ve had one recently so I can say this.  It’s just like pumpkin scented coffee for me.  Now, whip me up a Peppermint White Mocha and we’ll talk!
  • Jennifer Aniston.  I know she’s like America’s sweetheart or something.  And she’s super cute, I’ll give her that.  But to me she just plays the same character over and over in her movies.  And she never seems happy or especially smiley.  OMG if I were her (mega rich, beautiful, engaged, employed in a fun job like acting) I’d be grinning from ear to ear all the time.
  • Birthday Cake.  I like angel food cake and pound cake but birthday cake’s texture I just don’t like.  Especially those from the grocery store or a mix.  For my 40th birthday I had a giant fruit pizza instead of a cake and I was thrilled!  I love to look at gorgeous cakes but I don’t want to eat them.
  • Milk chocolate.  I love dark chocolate and even white chocolate.  But milk chocolate just isn’t my thing.
  • Shopping.  I would MUCH prefer to shop online than just mill about in a mall or a string of stores.  If I have to go to Target or another store I’m in and out with a list.  I hate waiting in line and I really hate being on one side of the store and realizing what I need is on the other side.   If I HAVE to shop brick and mortar then please take me to Target or IKEA.  Otherwise I’m online!

What popular thing just doesn’t do it for you???

birthday

40th Birthday Mountain Extravaganza Days 4 & 5

Shannon

Sunday- recovery day.  We woke up and had breakfast then got dressed to go to town. I had a bit of a headache from all the moscato I drank the night before playing Cranium! CSP & I went to Harris Teeter & the Starbucks inside the Teeter to use their free wifi to set up my new iPad Mini!  LOVE it!  SO cute!   CSP picked up a few lunch essentials while I played with my iPad in the Starbucks.  We stopped by Lowes for a quick minute then it was back home.  After lunch Papa, Gigi, Momo, Sara, and Joey left for Charlotte.   The house was suddenly very quiet.  CSP & I took a nap with the pugs.  While we were napping Marc heard voices on the porch.  Thinking it was us he went outside to join us but it was 2 strangers!  They were chilling out in our rocking chairs just feet from where CSP & I were snoozing (we had the door open, but there was a screen door).  The dudes said they thought our house was part of some tour.  Uh, no.  It’s private property.  So Marc shooed them away.  After our naps there was more porch sitting, knitting, reading, hammock lounging, and BB gun shooting.  IMG_4108 IMG_4109 IMG_4105That’s my Peach Nehi CSP picked up for me at the Mast General Store.  He loves getting an RC cola in the bottle.   In the middle are Jacob, Marc & CSP setting up their BB gun targets.  At the bottom are two little pug loafs hanging out on the porch (Kiki & Molly).  For dinner Marc made us each our own custom calzone (a fun way to finish up all the leftovers from our trip!)

Monday we woke up, packed up, and hit the road for Charlotte.  Being Mountain Pugs can wear you out! IMG_4112

fun

Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean Day 5- Royal Court & Pop!

Shannon

Eventually it was time to leave the Rainforest and the spa and go back to the room to get ready for dinner.  I was waiting for CSP in the lobby of the spa.  And waiting, and waiting.  He FINALLY appeared and thrusted his arm at me- “Smell my arm! Body wash!”  What??  He’d taken a shower!  He said he just wanted to look in and see what they looked like.  But “As soon as I saw the three bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash- they had me!”   Funny boy!  He even had me smell his hair.  They really do have some nice products!

On the way back to our room we passed the adult pool.  DSC_5698  Love the pool bar! DSC_5699 This is the Cove Cafe.  Like a floating Starbucks.  We toured through it once.  You can get magazines to read and little pastries. DSC_5700

We went back to the room and spent some time out on the verandah.  I had a glass of wine and CSP enjoyed a beer.  Then it was time for dinner DSC_5705at Royal Court.DSC_5703  CSP started with smoked salmonDSC_5706 and a bleu cheese polenta cake.DSC_5708  I had roma tomatoes and goat cheese.DSC_5707   My soup was the potato and sausage soup.  I had pictured in my head something like the zuppa toscana that’s served at Olive Garden but instead it had lentils in it.  Not a fan of the lentils.  So I gave my soup to CSP.  He had a mussel and saffron soup that he loved.  For our entree we both chose the NY Strip.DSC_5709  It was scrumptious.  It came with a yummy sauce, corn, green beans, and a little potato poof thing.  For dessert CSP chose the trio- lemon cheesecake, tiramisu, and chocolate soufflé. DSC_5711 I had the banana bread pudding with caramel sauce.  DSC_5710OMG.  I would have licked the plate had it been socially acceptable.

Let me just say that for 51 weeks of the year we eat like normal humans.  We try to eat healthfully and we watch our portions.  But on the cruise, for those 7 nights we’re eating at fancy restaurants having dishes we normally wouldn’t have.  So we splurge!

That night was our server Tumelo’s birthday so we made sure to wish him a happy birthday.  We heard there was going to be a great party in the crew area that night!

After dinner we went to The Tube IMG_3325IMG_3323 for Pop! IMG_3327 Pop is a Pop culture game show.  We also stayed for the 80’s music challenge.  We didn’t win, but we had a great time!  I had my High Tide drink while we were in the Tube. IMG_3326

I had to use the restroom so I ducked into the public restroom outside of the Europa district IMG_3330(where all the adult pubs are). It was the fanciest restroom I’d ever been in!  There was no one else around so I grabbed CSP and brought him in to see!  Just check out this tile mosaic! IMG_3328

At some point during the night we saw Woody DSC_5702 and Jessie! DSC_5701  And Minnie too! IMG_3321  Oh and Donald’s back! IMG_3322  We also passed the queen’s throne so CSP took a picture of me sitting in it.  DSC_5712  Then some lady walked by in a pretty risqué outfit!  DSC_5714

When we got back to the room I noticed I’d lost an earring.  Nothing expensive but a silver pair I wear ALL the time! PROD_5010421_LG Waaah!

Tonight’s towel animal! DSC_5715

Next up…Cozumel & Satellite Falls!

shopping

The most wonderful time of the year

Shannon

It’s Fall y’all!  Well, not officially, but Starbucks is selling Pumpkin Lattes so that’s good enough for me!  Another sign it is Fall is that all the holiday stuff is coming out!  For instance….Scentsy‘s Holiday Collection is available now!  Scentsy has you covered for Halloween, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!  Check out some of these adorable warmers!  

 And there are lots of new Fall/Winter scents available too.  Like Autumn Sunset, Christmas Cottage, Pumpkin Marshmallow, Festival of Trees, Pumpkin Roll and more!  With less than 100 days left til Christmas you better get to shopping!  Click here to see the entire Holiday collection!

food, techno geek

Techno Java

Shannon

If you are a Starbucks fan you need to download the Starbucks mobile app.  It makes it so easy to reload your card and now you can even pay with your phone!  The other day CSP & I were in the drive thru at our local Starbucks.  Before we left the house I reloaded my card via the app but when I handed the card to the drive thru dude he said there wasn’t enough money on the card, the reload hadn’t gone through yet.  He asked did I have the mobile app and just scanned my phone!  So cool!  I also like how I can keep track of how many stars I’ve earned and how long til my next free drink! 

csp, travel

Why CSP is now a cruise junkie

Shannon

When CSP & I met he had never been on a cruise.  We actually met because of a cruise.   I don’t know if I’ve told that story here yet.  I searched my blog but too many posts came up when I searched “how I met CSP” so I got impatient.   Anyway, CSP was invited to go on a cruise by my BIL who was then just my friend because BIL & my roommate had broken up after we’d all booked a cruise.  But none of us save BIL knew CSP.  By the time the cruise came around CSP & I were in lurve.  Anyway, that cruise was super fun but ended terribly.  Problems with customs  held up debarkation for the entire ship.  We weren’t allowed off the ship until 8 and a half hours after we were supposed to board our flight home.  And we were in San Juan so that added an extra layer of difficulty.  That experience turned CSP off cruising for a LONG time.  He didn’t step aboard another ship until Lisa & Pete’s wedding cruise in November 2008.  That one he loved.  I recently told y’all about our cruise next year to celebrate CSP’s 40th bday and our 10th anniversary plus the Alaska cruise we’d like to take.  All of these trips CSP has been keen on, but he’s never broached the subject of a cruise on his own. Until…..

Recently he saw a commercial that combined his greatest love (other than me) and my greatest love (other than him):  Starbucks at Sea. My boy LOVES Starbucks.  He rarely goes more than a couple days without a stop at Starbucks.  He knows that as long as he’s married to me I’m gonna be dragging him on cruises (where apparently the coffee does not measure up).  But now he can get his Starbucks fix on the high seas!  The Allure of the Seas has a Starbucks!  It’s also the biggest ship in the world (for the moment). I found a picture of the Starbucks on the Allure of the Seas and it’s quite pretty!   Alas, CSP will have to wait a while before sipping his cuppa on the deck of that ship.  The new ships are always in the most demand and are usually more expensive.  Plus we’ve got the 2012 and the Alaska trip to save our pennies toward.  Ah well, a boy can dream.

csp, fun

Going for the gold

Shannon

CSP & I have been in a race since late September.  We’ve been racing to see who could earn their Starbucks Gold Card first.  He won.  He flashed that thing around at Christmas like a newly engaged girl showing off her engagement ring.  You’d think he’d been given a free pass to the Playboy mansion.  If you aren’t familiar with the program you register a gift card online then keep reloading it.  Each time you visit Starbucks you earn a star.  He goes about every day as there is a Starbucks right next door to his work.  Plus he just gets the tall coffee of the day so it’s just a dollar or so.  Me, I don’t drink coffee.  I sure do like their fancy $900 drinks though.  White Peppermint Mocha, that caramel apple cider thing, and my new favorite: salted caramel hot chocolate.  YUM.  I have the app on my iPhone and it is pretty fun seeing my iconic Starbucks cup fill up with little gold stars.  There’s a satisfying ding each time one goes in.  I finally earned my 30th star today. I can’t wait for my card to come so I can be as cool as CSP.  Oh, so why is it a big deal to get the gold card?  You get all sorts of freebies.  Free refills on coffee and tea, free shots of flavor, free drinks on your birthday and throughout the year.  And it only costs like $1738 for your free drink.  I kid, I kid.  You can reload your card on your phone which is cool.  Oh, and a Starbucks girl told me a secret.  If you’re buying more than one thing have them ring them up separately and you’ll get a star for each transaction.  Nice!  I love getting the inside scoop!

family, food, shopping

It’s not easy being green

Shannon

I don’t drink coffee so when we go to Starbucks I usually get a frappucino.  CSP gets to take his big reusable coffee travel mugs to Starbucks, but I didn’t have anything suitable for my cold drinks.  So when Jenny blogged or tweeted or something about finding this fabulous reusable tumbler at Starbucks  I was so psyched!  Until I couldn’t find them.  ANYWHERE.  I called every Starbucks in my area, my mom’s town, the ones near CSP’s work, everywhere.  I heard the same story “They sell out as soon as we get them.”  These things are so hot they are even being sold for astronomical prices on eBay! Well I am not about to pay more than retail!

So today we spent the day with my in-laws. Breakfast and shopping at IKEA, picking up dinner fixins at Trader Joe’s, buying our new clothes washer at Sears, etc. FIL suggested we stop off at Starbucks after Sears for coffee. We walked in and there, in all their glory: the coveted double walled, insulated, reusable cold tumblers! The skies parted and the beverage gods smiled down upon me!  There were only a few and only in the grande size.  I scooped one up and they filled it up with green tea frappucino.  Yum.
Finally found a reusable frapp cup! I feel so much more responsible now. LOVE this tumbler. No sweating since it’s double walled. Plus the drinks stay cold longer. I’ve never seen Starbucks offer anything like this. I bet this won’t be the last summer they sell this tumbler.  Comes with a permanent straw too.  So cute!  I’ll be sure to keep it with my reusable shopping bags so every time I go out and about I’ll be prepared!