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The Language of Starbucks & Eating Local

Is it just me or do the people who work at Starbucks have their own language? I get that it makes things more efficient and all but sometimes it's hilarious. I swear they make up some version of Pig Latin just to confuse customers.

Hubby was working this morning up in Chattanooga so I hitched a ride and then hung out at Starbucks doing some work. I ordered a tall skinny vanilla latte which is apparently a "TSVL for the B." I don't know who the heck "B" is but I am going to skip right over biatch and assume they meant either beautiful woman or bombshell. Any Starbucks employees lurking who want to fill me in? Maybe I look Bulgarian? Bulgy? Boxy?

After my TSVL (Did I get it right? Am I hip now?) I picked up Tim and we headed to the Riverwalk and got in a couple of hours on our feet. I loved walking and kept thinking how much easier it is than running. I realize how dumb that sounds, but...walking is awesome. I did get a little hangry since lunch was late:



I heard about this little cafe in the Bluff View Arts District of Chattanooga that has locally sourced ingredients and homemade breads. We stopped in for lunch but so did everyone else in the city, apparently. I hate crowded places - there's a reason we don't live in Hong Kong anymore. Outside seating was cold and windy but less crowded and actually really scenic. I had a rye panini with smoked turkey and mozzarella, Tim had a wheat panini with roast beef and cheddar cheese:


So what do locally sourced organic ingredients taste like? According to Tim, it tastes just like Arby's. I think he meant it as a compliment to the chef. I actually liked it a lot, so there you go. I guess I'm the sucker. 

I felt so full of delicious natural ingredients that I needed to balance it out with some frozen yogurt. Ying-yang and all that nonsense.


I had a coupon for a free frozen yogurt so the total for both was $3.86 and I melted a little inside. The first time we went it was like 13 bucks so I consider this to be a huge improvement overall. We walked around Chattanooga a little more because it was so sunny and I forget what being outside is like during the week sometimes. I can't wait until summer starts and I can start complaining about the heat and humidity. Hooray!

So, seriously - what did the B stand for at Starbucks? Best guess wins a prize yet to be determined. It will probably be good vibes or a hug or something - just a heads up. 
Maybe they recognized me as a blogger! Maybe they talk about me all the time but were too embarassed to let me know. That's gotta be it. That or they noticed my bosom. I really had no idea I knew so many words that start with B, this is kind of fun. 

Is eating "local" important to you? Health reasons or economic reasons?
I appreciate it in the same way that I appreciate organic items, but it isn't a necessity by any stretch of the imagination. I will say that I like supporting the businesses of neighbors or nearby farmers, although I would say that's more for economic reasons that anything else. 

Comments

  1. Brunette.

    I eat local if it's cheaper or better tasting. Or easier, like a farm stand near my house versus driving all the way to the store.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1 Point. Brunette is a good guess but does little for my vanity.

      Delete
  2. I had a VSVL at Starbuck's this afternoon and ours is always crowded so I was caught off guard when we walked in and didn't have to wait.

    Local places are hit or miss in my book. They tend to either be better than anything I've ever eaten or so terrible that I know why it isn't crowded.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Babe.

    Nothing is grown in Los Angeles. But we do have lots of farms in the outlying areas, I guess. I'm too lazy/cheap to shop local. I'd love to. But I don't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +2 points for babe. Now we're flattering me. I like it.

      Delete
  4. Our closest Starbucks is 2 hours away...

    ReplyDelete
  5. They were probably saying "V" for "Vanessa" and it sounded like "B."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +2 for a thoughtful, intelligent answer. Sadly, -1 for not giving me an obvious compliment.

      Delete
  6. Badass - I'm positive that is what they were thinking!

    I would like to eat local produce all the time - but with boys with massive tummies it's just not possible.

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    Replies
    1. +3. Obviously they could tell I was a badass from my order of a latte and my striped sweater. OBVIOUSLY.

      Delete
  7. I think it was BABE

    Yin/Yang - that is a good one. I probably would have had the froyo first to make I had room for it.. nice score, too.

    Sounds like a good time all around. Love these kind of Saturdays.

    As for eating local... sometimes it is just too trendy and is way more expensive which is ridiculous, but sadly true.

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  8. I think Kara's right with brunette... but I didn't realize it until I saw her comment. I'm a content stealer, what can I say?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wait. I came back because I was sitting on my couch thinking, if it's B for brunette, it could be B for blonde, too, so that doesn't work. Yep. I came back because I was thinking about your blog... Hours later. Influential.

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    2. I agree....if they were busy it was probably brunette :)

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  9. I have LOVED reading the comments about what they think B stands for. I've NEVER made a single purchase at Starbucks so I have no idea. If you get a definitive answer I'm dying to know.

    I like local restaurants that are vetted by someone I know first. Kimberly at Healthystrides.blogspot.com has taken me to several awesome local restaurants. It's really helped me to change my opinion and be more open to them.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Maybe for the "bar?" Since you were there, rather than the drive thru? Unless there was no drive thru... then my theory is shot the heck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was a drive through - I feel like the mystery is being solved here. +2.

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    2. This was my guess too.... Still a babe, no worries

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  11. Eating local in the rural town I live in is actually cheaper. The foods are usually fresher because they don't have to come as far. But my town is full of hippies, so the price is lower with more competition...not exactly the case in most places.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm confused, I worked at Starbucks for 6+ years and we would have never written "T" for tall, because we would write the drink order on a tall cup. Was this a drive through?

    I honestly hate to admit this online, but we used to add an "F" to a drink order when someone was a jerk (obviously this doesn't apply to you). As in, MF was mocha frappuccino. MFF was mocha frappuccino, f$cker. Heads up to the person making/serving the drink that they were about to deal with an asshole.

    I don't eat local. I shop at farmer's markets, because they are cheaper, and I like to feel edgy.

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  13. Replies
    1. +8. I appreciate the suggestion and the supreme confidence behind your answer.

      Delete
  14. I used to be a barista at Starbucks. I think the B stands for Bar. Did they have a drive through or walk up window? If so, the B was definitely for the Bar (vs the window). Unlike Alyssa, I never wrote "F" on a cup and neither did my coworkers. We did slip decaf to the pregnant women when they neglected to order it, but that was the extent of our cruelty! My go to drink is a tall nonfat cappuccino, YUM!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. immediately when I read B i was thinking "brit" as in british- your accent. after reading ALL the comments before me, it makes sense that its bar

    ReplyDelete
  16. i'm not really sure why, but this post makes me want to go to a fro-yo place and ask obnoxious questions like "are the sprinkles local?" and "are the mini reese's peanut butter cups vegan?". and then they'd write "b" on my fro-yo cup.

    the b obviously stands for "bazingas" -- they were saying you have a nice rack. what else could it be?

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  17. I'm so with you on the Starbucks language...I always order something very simple...I don't even know half the things people order lol It cracks me up..do they even know what they are ordering?!
    I am not a huge fan of walking, I would much rather run! lol I know that sounds crazy but it's totally true.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bodacious maybe? Ha ha. Who knows.
    I get the walking thing. I like it too :)

    ❀Barbara❀
    My Running Shortz

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yep, definitely brunette. However, that could be blonde too, so I don't know.

    There's a local farmers market here in the spring and summer, so I'll go there for some things, but generally, it's kind of a hassle to get locally grown food.

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  20. Walking hurts. Really hurts.
    I guessed brunette.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hmm they don't use letter code at my starbucks. I must admit that I too am curious about the "b". I used to worship the skinny vanilla latte and then I stumbled into coffee addict land and now it is toooo sweet. Viva the nonfat latte!

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  22. I bet it's brunette. But then how would they differentiate between that and blonde? Hm. Okay, maybe it's not that.

    ReplyDelete

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