Original Starbucks

Seattle, arguably the coffee capitol of the US, nothing like a cup of tasty aromatic brown caffine to make you forget about an overcast day by the bay. Seattle is also home of the mega coffee producer Starbucks. For better or worse, they have ushered in a coffee culture era in America. And have made it easier than ever to order your customized coffee drink almost anywhere, and now (for the ultimate is American apathy) they offer drive- thrus at many of their places. So, the original establishment where it all began is located at Pike’s Place market in downtown Seattle. It’s a small little place with hardwood floors, no seats, and a view of the market just outside the windows. I was there visiting with my cousin Janine and since it was the fall, we both ended up getting the spiced pumpkin latte. The baristas were friendly and the coffee was good, but it was Starbucks. We’ll talk on this further my coffee friends in my Tallahasse Starbucks report.

Thomas Hammer coffee company

This is a hip little coffee joint in downtown Spokane. Thomas Hammer is a regional coffee roaster with various stores throughout the NW states. They have a very upscale industrial feel to their esptablishments and offer an assortment of imported baked goods along with a quite imaginative coffee menu. In this case I had some variation of a latte with a little cinnamon and spice in it (this was pre-mocha latte quest) They have the standard drinks that every coffee establishment offers and then “kick it up a notch” (thanks Emril) by offering combinations that you probably never dreamed possible with coffee. Overall a great little store, and of course I had to buy one of their sumo wrestlers for sale. (he lives in my wind chimes now ) overall a great place, if you see one, pull off of the highway and check it out.