Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. A young man is playing his violin.  He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3 year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.

45 minutes:
The musician played.. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

He collected $32.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments …..

How many other things are we missing?

A Temple University professor has released a book about Starbucks, based on years of research at outlets all over the world.

The author concludes Starbucks is not really selling coffee, but a lifestyle image: [we DO sell coffee!]

“If you read the signs at Starbucks and if you read their own advertisements, this is a lot of what they’re selling is all these different things, in the cup.”

History professor Bryant Simon spend 15 hours a week in Starbucks. [what a job!] He visited 425 of its stores in nine countries, but mostly in Philadelphia, and he concluded that people go for much more than coffee:

“For instance, we had this real need for community, we had a real need for safety, we had this real need for predictability, we had this need to give ourselves treats.”

Simon’s book “Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks,” explores what our purchases say about us.

Starbucks, he says, provides a cheap status symbol and the illusion of community, though he believes true connection cannot be found in an international chain.

source: KYW NewsRadio

I have long said that the cup sleeve is just that: a “status symbol”. They’re really not necessary on most drinks in my opinion, just straight up coffee and teas. However, if we ever run out, people go bizzerk! Status symbol: I agree!

The saying may have to be changed to “a cup of coffee a day can keep the dentist away.”

Wired Magazine recently published an in-depth look into the ingredients in a cup of coffee and one of the elements had something to do with dental care.

Trigonelline, an alkaloid, is found in the typically caffeinated drink and apparently helps fight “the Cavity Creeps,” states the magazine.

While trigonelline does give coffee its taste, it’s also true that it helps fight off cavities from glomming on to one’s tooth. It technically prevents the bacterium Streptococcus mutans from attaching to the teeth – a process which left untreated will form cavities.

However, it’s also true that excess coffee drinking can stain one’s teeth, a condition some have treated through cosmetic dentistry.

Still, it may be best to stick to traditional dental care with a toothbrush rather than a daily stop at the local coffee shop.

The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day, flossing daily, eating a balanced diet and visiting your dentist regularly to maintain optimal dental health.

source: DentalPlans.com

Extra-hot venti with whip white chocolate mocha?

Yeah, there’s an app for that.

Starbucks has introduced two new applications for the iPhone and iPod touch that will allow users to order and pay for coffee beverages directly from the device.

The myStarbucks application allows you to customize your favorite drink, remember friends’ or coworkers’ preferred drinks and locate nearby Starbucks stores to order them. The app allows you to share your concoction with others (hey, intern!).

For the uninitiated, a flavor selector helps you choose a coffee based on flavors like earthy, balanced or nutty.

For horror lovers, you can also look up nutritional information.

The other app, the Starbucks Card Mobile App, is in a limited run and will allow people in select West Coast stores to pay for beverages using a bar code on a phone’s screen.

(If you’re in Seattle; Cupertino, Calif.; Mountain View, Calif.; Sunnyvale, Calif.; and San Jose, Calif., check your local store for more info.)

The app is essentially a digitized Starbucks card: you buy credit, then use it against purchases. The store can scan the barcode and the dollar value of the drink will be subtracted from your credit repository.

Is the barcode the wave of the future? It’s unclear. But either way, it’s the easiest method invented to date on spending $5 on a cup of coffee.

Starbucks is about to launch its biggest product rollout ever, and I want YOU to be one of the first to know about it.

VIA™ Ready Brew: What is it?

When I first heard about VIA™ Ready Brew, I was skeptical. However, when I tasted VIA™ Ready Brew, I was amazed! This is not your grandma’s instant coffee! It’s rich, flavorful Starbucks^® coffee in an instant we like to say.

Starbucks found a way to offer a truly great cup of coffee that you can prepare by just adding hot or cold water—YES! I said COLD water! Iced coffee!

While other instant coffees taste flat and lifeless, Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is different – it’s full-bodied and flavorful, just like the Starbucks^® coffee we all know and love.

It’s made with the highest quality, ethically sourced, 100% Arabica beans. The difference is in the proprietary, all-natural process that Starbucks spent years perfecting. The coffee is micro-ground in a way that preserves all of its essential oils and flavor. No other coffee company takes this step, and it makes all the difference!

VIA™ Ready Brew comes in portable, fresh individual packets, each delivering a delicious 8-oz. cup of coffee—great for people on the go!

Someone even said, “It’s like cheating on your French press.” That’s how good it is.

VIA™ Ready Brew is available in Italian Roast, which is rich, intense and Extra Bold, and Colombia, which is smooth, nutty and Medium.

I am now taking pre-orders at my store so you can be assured you’ll be one of the first to get your hands on it. If you’re interested, or if you have any question about VIA™ Ready Brew, please let me know.

Would you like to go ahead and pre-order a 12-pack of VIA Ready Brew today?

Date: 9/14/09

Notes: Funny that a Latin American blend would be called “Italian” Roast– just doesn’t seem right. What a RICH coffee! The aroma is intense, not at all smoky as I expected, like French Roast. Has a high acidity– the flavor lingers long in my mouth. The flavor lingers in my mouth longer than any coffee I can recall. This is odd, but after a few minutes it reminds me of when we used to have to lick postage stamps– now I’m dating my self! LOL

Date: 9/15/09

Notes: You really don’t expect this smoky goodness from a Latin American coffee. I’m getting the aroma of a very ripe piece of cheese and some mushrooms. Really tasting this coffee on the very tip of my tongue. I remember when I did my very first tasting with French Roast, Starbucks’ darkest roast, about a year ago and I hated it! My palate was not trained to distinguish the sometimes not so subtle differences in coffees as it is now– just a side note. The shot is almost bitter, but a good kind of bitter– almost a tartness. I am really not picking up on as much “smokiness” as I expected from this coffee.

Date: 9/11/09

Notes: This coffee is so rich and elegant that there’s even crema around the rim of the cup from the press. The aroma lends itself to a citrus note, of course. However, I think I’m almost picking up on some “woodsy” in the press. I wouldn’t really tag it earthy, but definitely woodsy. Very low acidity. I’m really not picking up on as much citrusy in the flavor as I expected- ODD I know :-/

Date: 9/10/09

Notes: Komodo Dragon is a blend. Before grinding the beans I immediately notice the different bean sizes. Even the smell of the grinds is intoxicating! I am so totally prepared for a BIG BOLD punch in the mouth! Ahhh… the body! The creama on the shot is so rich and think it creeps up the sides of the cup. Definitely getting some citrus in the aroma. WoW! Lots of citrus in the flavor of the drip. Not so much in the press. The press is more earthy– I expected that. Bold but very low acidity. Not much left on the tongue. Would be a great coffee following a hearty meal.

Date: 9/10/09

Notes: lite, lively body – very lite! The crema on the shot is thick, covering the entire top. Not a great deal of difference between the drip and the press. The press, of course, presents more of the natural oils from the bean but doesn’t seem to be that much more bold in its aroma or flavor. The word that comes to mind here is “SNAP”, crisp, fresh, reFRESHing! I can see me sipping this coffee on a summer morning with breakfast on the patio