Addicted to the enterprise known as Starbucks

I love Starbucks. I admit it. Yes, I think it's ridiculous to pay upwards to around $4.00 for a latte that you can brew at home for like 1/8 of the price. But it's Starbucks...somehow you can never get it that perfectly brewed, that perfect taste with nutmeg and cinnamon on whipped cream at home. Honey vanilla latte. Caramel macchiatos. Yum.

So in my quest to perfectly describe our nation's obsession with Starbucks, and it is quite a trip...I don't feel at home unless I know where the nearest Starbucks is, and the ubiquitous Starbucks on the corner comforts me, it's almost like coming home. The perfect example of corporate America kicking out the mom and pop locally run stores? Yes. But oh, what a way to go.

I guess the best way to describe the effect Starbucks has is to post this article. Because truly does Starbucks have longevity. The Krispy Kremes of this world are on the brink of extinction because they expanded too far too fast, and the classics such as the Fannie Mays can't keep up with the competition. But for some reason, Starbucks knows exactly how to keep us coming in and walking out with a white canister of that pick-me-up. Check out this article from MSN. http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/P107679.asp?GT1=6110

Rewards 'R Us

The folks at Express wised up to their $15 gift certificate giveaway with their new 2005 pants line...and cancelled the offer. Now they are offering a knit camisole for $15 if you BUY one of their pants. A huge bit of a letdown. It's also a shame because this weekend, some of the dress shirts went on sale for $29.50, and with the $15 free, it would have cost $15 to get a shirt. But with everything going on, I didn't get to Express until they had changed the deal. Grrr.

In other news, Express is also offering their huge leather tote bag for $30 with a $75 purchase. Not that there's anything worth buying in Express right now!

Bath and Body Works has an email offer for a free True Blue Spa Island GetAway Lotion with a $15 purchase from the True Blue collection. With the purchase, they'll also give you a coupon for a free lip balm from the new C.O. Bigelow collection with purchase for next week. The C.O. Bigelow collection rocks. I recommend that everyone try it. When I went to take advantage of this offer, the metrosexual of the decade made me sample the entire new Island GetAway line from the margarita scrub to the bodymilk rinse. In my opinion, it's not a good line. It's really oily, the scents are overwhelming, and it was at best ordinary. I would stick with the original True Blue line; at least they have some excellent products. But the C.O. Bigelow collection? Amazing. Everyone should try their lemon body lotion. I cannot wait for the lip balm next week.

Other business tidbits: Krispy Kreme may be filing for bankruptcy soon...that's what you get for expanding too fast without a cohesive vision. Marshall Field's is set to unveil their shopping site online this spring...financial advisors estimate that Field's has lost millions of dollars by not utilizing their online potential sooner. Ann Taylor is still having their clearance sales. So is Banana Republic.

Finally, per a conversation with Kunjali, as I work on this blog, I realize more and more how emotionally tied I am to shopping, as I am with other things in life. It is interesting to realize that no matter how hard I try, I cannot take a distant, unbiased, or unfettered look at the stuff that centers my life.