Snapshot from Starbucks

I love Starbucks. The interior colors excite me: greens- avocado, sage, lime tones, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, pumpkin, gold -all earth tones the procedures thrill me (I am a retired Fed) the teamwork and camaraderie mandated for the staff appeal to my social self as well as my first-born sense of management.
I go often. Probably almost every day.
I have a Starbucks story I would like to share in this week's blog. A snapshot because it is both the following meanings of the word:
snapshot
Function: noun
Date: 1890
1- a casual photograph made by an amateur (me) with a handheld camera (my Canon)

2-an impression or view of something brief or transitory- a snapshot of life (Starbucks visit)
from Merriam Webster Online

Starbucks stores have personalities. The mission statement and procedures for all Starbucks are the same. However, clientele, location, layout and staff impact upon the cultural vibes of each store, so each Starbucks' ambiance might feel different.

Starbucks Mission Statement
To inspire and nurture the human spirit-one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. That one person-me, one cup- grande non-fat latte, and one neighborhood-my New Hyde Park Starbucks.
I am ready to be inspired and nurtured.

Some Starbucks are perfect for sitting with your purchase, others are for commuters on the way to somewhere else. Some are great for people watching, for working on a laptop, for meeting a client, for conducting a job interview. Starbucks are in supermarkets, in Barnes and Nobles, in highway rest stations, in kiosks in big cities.

My everyday Starbucks does not have many chairs. The clientele is on the go; eating while running out the door with a tray of amazingly diverse drinks for hospital staff of any one of hundreds of hospitals or medical offices for which New Hyde Park is known. Snagging a table is an art here. Those who do are riveted to laptops, blackberries or conducting business. No intense curling up with a latte here and no eye contact once seated.
I never expect to sit and read the paper and drink my latte at this location. A big impediment and probably an intended one, is that there are only five small round bistro-like tables, which ideally should have two chairs each for a total of ten-five tables with two chairs. This way there would be two chairs per table. There are only eight chairs, so two tables have one chair. Often when groups are meeting for business, several tables will be rendered chairless.
People will stand at chairless tables waiting for a seat. Most people are not affected by the stander; the stander is ignored by those seated. The chairless one then consumes his/her items standing alone, head down into cup, too ashamed to look at fellow customers.

Starbuck's Snapshot - Summer 2009

I enter my everyday Starbuck's with the urge to get the NY Times and sit with my latte. It is Wednesday and dining section is ripe with recipes, lush with wine recommendations and vibrant food pictures. I am determined to change this Starbucks' culture and be a relaxer/drinker, reader in the midst of business meetings, texters, bloggers, and commuters. I scope out the scene. Only one of the five tables is occupied. If I had a book I would put it on a table to claim it, or if I had a coat or a laptop I would plop it down, but I do not have any belongings other than my wallet and bb. I will not part with them to lay claim to a spot. I get on line, only one person in front of me. The door opens, a man enters, then another, each one claims a table; one by using a book, the other by hooking his cane across a table and chair. Suddenly I am in danger of having no spot-only two remaining. My turn to place my order, I take a quick look back to the entrance, a mother and child have entered. Mother has put some item down on a chairless table, and has joined the line. I am okay, still one table with two chairs. Get my latte and NY Times. Oh no! The young boy has commandeered the two tables and has sprawled across the two remaining chairs. He has reserved a table for his mother AND a table for himself! A violation of Starbucks' code. I am sunk. I am now a stander. Mother is busy with the ordering. I am standing, thinking of how to get the boy to surrender one table and chair, when he announces "These tables are for my mother and me." How did a young boy get so confident and use proper grammar? When is school beginning? Not soon enough. Another couple arrives to sit- Boy again announces: "these tables/chairs are saved." The couple looks at each other quizzically. I want to jump up and say. "Where are the Starbucks police?" Having Starbucks police is my own idea and a suggestion I have been meaning to send to Corporate Headquarters. The Starbucks police would be empowered to evict those who use Starbucks as a hangout and buy nothing, to reprimand those who use chairs for their belongings preventing folks from sitting; they would have the authority to oust folks after 2 hours of sitting with the same drink (BTW I would be ousted)
Finally the mother returns. She is appalled by her son's takeover. She sternly tells boy. "We are not eating here, I made that clear, pack up all your stuff, get your feet off the chairs, rearrange, the furniture." He whines, defiant,but is discouraged by our looks of obvious alliance with his mother. I almost feel sorry for boy-his loss of power and dominance is so quick and so complete. They leave. Boy looks back at us all the way to the car. Sulking.
I move to the coveted window seat. All adults sit. Bliss.

A Starbucks snapshot for a summer day.
Liam would love to meet some women at a Starbucksno seat needed-he would stand
Liam licks his lattes

Do not report us for animal abuse- he only licks the slightest hint of froth from the latte's foam, slurp
Woof, woof, Lick, lick