Hee. And the whitefonted thing itself? Omigod, I want a bazillion of these. Seriously. So fucking cute.

I am SO going to be bouncing this off the wall. I want more.

Starbucks aren't franchised, are they?

Nope.

It depends, actually. The standalone stores aren't, but the airport (and some other) kiosks are, as well as the B&N ones.

I don't think you're allowed to actually bring the coffee into the library, tho. Which sucks.

see, I like this part. I find it disturbing that people drink coffee in a library. maybe, while sitting at a carrel, but strolling amongst the stacks with your half calf hazelnut macchiatto with extra whip is frightening. In a bookstore, if you spill the coffe, you buy the book. In a library, you ruin it for everyone.

Somerville is like Stars Hollow on Gilmore Girls, right?

Yes, except for more homeless people. I haven't seen the usual guy on the corner in front of Diva for ages, though.

Aw man, now I'm worried.

Also, the housing prices are... discouraging, to say the least.

But the Buffista population per square mile can't be beat!

In a bookstore, if you spill the coffe, you buy the book. In a library, you ruin it for everyone.

I think my library charges you a replacement fee if you ruin the books. And I'm good with that.

The homeless thing. I think I have to stay off that topic for a while.

Anybody want to discuss US/Euro cultural differences, maybe?

There is a thing where a Euro store employee, for instance, will assess you for a moment, then address you in the language they guess fits best. That doesn't happen here. Here, they sort of assess your clothes, or the products you want to check out, or ignore you altogether.

I'm not explaining it well. There is a very different vibe in casual contact.

My decision to give or not give at a particualar time is, I think, based more on what's going on with me internally than with the person's actual needs, which I can't ever know.

With me it mostly depends on how they approach me. (Well, assuming that I'm carrying change.) I'll happily drop a dollar or two in a hat for someone who's sitting unobtrusively along a street with a sign or playing a harmonica or somesuch. But ambushing me when I'm walking to my car with my hands full, or while I'm pumping gas, does not incline me to be generous.

Holy crap -- the Plaza is being totally redone into more stores, condos, and fewer hotel rooms. Who wants to buy me a condo at the Plaza?

Sounds cool, but I'd rather live at the Dakota. I think the vibe would probably be discouraging to couples who want to have young children.

There are three Starbucks that are each less than a block from where I work. There used to be four, but one closed.

A Starbucks somewhere closed? I thought that sort of thing only happened when there was a Love Canal-style evacuation.

The promos for The O.C. lie. "The Episode I've Been Waiting For" does not feature a big gay hookup involving Marissa. Though if Colin Farrell were guest starring there instead of on Scrubs and the big publicity stunt were him and Marissa going on a pub crawl together, I'd probably be eager to watch.

The promos for The O.C. lie. "The Episode I've Been Waiting For" does not feature a big gay hookup involving Marissa.

They've got my number with that one. I'm always waiting for a big gay hookup episode.

There is no Starbucks in my town. We do however have at least four Dunkins, a Tim Hortons, and a couple of independents.

The homeless thing. I think I have to stay off that topic for a while.

Ooops, sorry Gus!