So, Starbucks is one of those magical places that keeps us wanting more and more and more and more.:) Or, at least me and millions of other people. I had lunch at a neighborhood supermarket with my daughter and then we walked around in the snow a bit more and then we hopped into the car and drove to Starbucks. We were at home and I could have sat on my bed to make a call to the insurance company. But instead, I drove a mile and a half to our favorite Starbucks (there are 10 in a 10 mile radius) to do what I could have done more comfortably at home.

Then I spent over 3 dollars on my drink. And then I spent almost 4 dollars on a breakfast sandwich for my daughter and I to share. Then she read a book and I checked some emails. All things I could have done at home. But something about the dark wood, and the nice and subtle lighting, and the pleasing tunes wafting ever so softly in the background mesmerizes me. It is like an addiction of sorts.

People could say it is the caffeine, or the taste of the coffee, or the trendiness of it all. But I think it is the whole package. I could drink caffeine/coffee at home. It is not hard to make a bacon, egg and gouda sandwich at home. I actually drink faux coffee. So, I think it is a type of voodoo they have over the masses.

The same kind of voodoo that Disney puts on people when visiting their parks. That is why we are going back again this year. Despite the cost, the travel aggravation, the lines, there is no place like Disney. We do believe it is the happiest place on earth, except for of course our little abode. Even the people that go to Disney are less annoying than they are at other places. Or, is it part of the trance Disney puts me under?:)

Funnily enough, as much as I love those places, I love being at home too. The familiarity of surroundings,my cat, the material items and mementos that take me back to certain experiences that mean something to me. I guess now that I think about it, Sbux and Disney have captured the magic of the home away from home experience but in a grand way. But when it comes down to it,home, Disney and Starbucks hold something in common: Beauty,comfort, memories, happiness, and sharing precious time with people that we love. Those things are more important than the aesthetics or psychology in the advertisements. A price can’t be put on experiences and memories…

Simply~

Dee