cup of liquid love: only the chocolate kind will do

there is nothing better than a mug of cocoa on a freezing/blustery morning. dan and i are what jer might say, "smitten" - and not just with each other. we are addicted to the 'bucks cho (starbucks hot chocolate). i mean not that we don't love the 7/11 cho. which is also high on our list. we aren't above the complete convenience store which gives you the ultimate choice: Pina Colada & Banana slurpee or hot chocolate? (i idle over the two while dan inevitably saunters over to the infamous 'cheeseburger hotdog'. which is about the most revolting thing you can imagine. my sister didn't believe such repulsion existed, so on the wedding day of pete + anna, right after the ceremony, dan decidedly took a sharp turn and into the Sev we went to rest his case. lucky for us the Dunford Chocolate Chocolate donuts were on special that blessid day, so we took advantage. while also giving me yet another opportunity to browse the glossy loves of my life; behold the magazine rack. i do prefer the endless lovely display at barnes and noble, but i can always find myself a browse-worthy winner, no matter where we are or what state i'm in. i am pretty easy to please when it comes to glossy pages.

back to point one: the beginnings of our Cho Addiction started while living in the OC. i realize it's cliche, and yes we probably fell into the hole of consumerism, but usually we walked there - so i justify it since we totally helped with the smog issue. seriously, there is a steaming cup of chocolate on every block, pulling you in. just waiting for your chilled fingers to wrap around the white cup with personalized graffiti listed up and down it's side. (you could be thinking that you never truly need to be warmed up in california. yet i beg to differ, the locals air condition the guts out of every public building, creating a chilly existence for some. i'd wear my full on fluffy 'ewok' patagonia fleece inside my workplace in the midst of july. i couldn't fight the system, i'm not one for conflict/confrontation/causin' trouble - so i adapted.) twice a day, i'd break out free and get some sunny warmth and drone my mind with literature ten minutes at a measly time while breaking. for any of you in the real work world, i feel your pain. day in, day out...

so starbucks, it was dream because on every block in Orange County there is a starbucks luring you in. for instance, take the local albertsons a half block from our previous little flat. within that Albertsons is a friendly mini starbucks stand. though never appealing to me since it was smashed inside a grocery store, it must do amazing business with the bleach blondes who somehow have nothing else to do except for work out and since they are constantly working out, they must constantly wear their skimpy work out clothes, at all times. i guess that just goes without saying. anyway, i'd watch these types run in for organic snap peas and grab their 'bucks mocha latte and hurry out. no time, must hurry, hustle into the black bmw and get back to those free weights..

no no, dan and i prefer the freestanding starbucks shop and no, not the one in the parking lot of said Albertsons, that one was too crowded. yes, we prefer the one two mini malls south and four chevrons in between. the cho would be swirled, whirred, smoothed, whipped and ready - giving us the beverage of choice at the determinedly perfect temperature. oh, jason we miss you. you and your excellent service and your stellar faux-hawk.