venti-sized coffee

Kirk, don't get me wrong either, I am not bashing Starbucks, just correcting those that are under the impression Starbucks is trying to give an Italian experience with those sizes. I actually prefer Starbucks to the caffè one could get in Italy because of the variety (my Italian husband agrees with me and wonders why Italy couldn't have syrups). Of course, I am not a huge coffee drinker anyway and don't go to Starbucks enough to actually be sure that they were or weren't trying to give any experience other than an American one! Of course I had hoped they weren't, so thanks for clearing that up!

I always had the impression Starbucks WAS trying to give you the pseudo-Italian experience with all those silly names -- mocciato?-- but I agree that it comes off as more of an American one -- a corporate, big-chain American experience. I have issues with big chains.... Personally, at home I'm much more of a tea drinker (I've never even owned a coffee pot), but at work -- especially during long night shifts or switching from day to night -- I suck down coffee like it's going out of style. Not a big fan of it, and it's cheap back-burner coffee, but paying upwards of $5 for the tarted-up version of 50-cent joe just narks me.