If i’m going to spend $5 on coffee and a pastry shouldn’t i at least try to get a really good coffee at an independent coffee shop? Or go to coffee bean and tea leaf before i consider starbucks? Having a starbucks card for the past two years has warped my brain and twisted it in ways i cannot comprehend. I must untwist before i forget that ubiquity does not equal quality. In fact, ubiquity rarely equals quality.

Enough about corporate ubiquity and inequity…i ordered a macchiato northwest style which is a doppio wet instead of a doppio with 2 dollops of foam. The barista was nice enough to grace the espresso with a heart. No sugar, of course. That requirement was met by a loaf of white chocolate bread which looks like it comes from breadbar but i can’t be sure. The espresso was smooth, perfectly balanced by the milk, neither bitter nor sour. I may order macchiatos more often. I must admit, i never would’ve ordered one if i hadn’t had one at starbucks. Technically, starbucks is a better deal: for the same price you get 10 more ounces of milk. But it’s the difference between concentrated happiness versus diluted happiness. The caffeine is the same so if the coffee is better and you’re searching for fewer calories, isn’t it worth it? Besides, there’s also the pretension factor: starbucks’ macchiato is nothing like a *real* macchiato. I’m not just saying that because i’m here enjoying my drink; i’ve done my research. I *know*.