This was one of the questions I had when I moved here. I guess Seattle is known for coffee because Starbucks is based here and maybe also because the weather...nothing better in an overcast day than a nice cuppa joe. Now let me say one thing before I give my assessment of the coffee culture. I really liked coffee a lot before I got here. When I was little, my Floridian grandparents used to drink it iced and I remember taking sips. Back then, it seemed so adult, now it seems like something of their generation (I'm not talking about those horrible fluffy things they make at Starbucks...just real iced coffee). It's part nostalgia, but I still love it.

When I was in Chicago, I worked in the CNA building. Well known in Chicago and for those of you that are familiar with the Chi-town skyline, it's the squarish red buildng...can't miss it. Anyway, in the mornings, I hopped off the El and entered our building through the Starbucks downstairs. Starbucks was funky and cool, insurance companies are not. I was easing myself into my work day and it became part of my building entry strategy. Because I very definitely needed a venti something to get into those elevators and make it up to floor 31. So, I had the coffee thing before I got here. But it's different here. Here's what I noticed:

1) The Starbucks backlash. There is a Starbucks on every corner. Seriously, you could walk from one Starbucks to another in just a few minutes. And from what I understand, even having them this close, they don't cannibalize each others' business. There's a Starbucks in my grocery store and a Tully's about 50 feet away...I guess there's no limit to how closely you can put these stores. So anyway, Starbucks (Tully's and Seattle's Best for that matter) isn't quite the novelty here it is in other places. So for new and interesting experiences, people try other places. And most of the folks that are serious about coffee become devotees of one coffee-house or another. When I lived in Seattle city limits, I became addicted to Uptown Espresso because they definitely have the most lovely foam that you will ever have on a latte. Now that I am on the East side, I stop off at Victors occasionally and I brew Peet's at home. Starbucks is just where I stop off if I am having a caffeine emergency or I am in an airport (and many other people prefer Starbuck's I am sure...their coffee just tastes a little overly smoky to me).

2) Where decor is a big factor in how the chains market (consistency of brand experience, blah, blah, blah), the smaller coffee houses almost embrace a lack of decor. Rustic could be a way of describing it...or utilitarian. To me, it just represents that fact that it's about the coffee and not the color of the upholstery on the chairs. Am I a more savvy consumer because I shun the marketing or is the lack of marketing a way of marketing? Discuss amongst yourselves ; )

3) Coffee has escaped the low carb phenomenon. So the market is still huge. I haven't seen any studies here on per capita consumption. But I know that coming into a morning meeting, there's a high likelihood of peoples hands being wrapped around a cup from Café Vita, Peet's, whatever. I even see kids (kids!) sipping coffee drinks! Not so sure how I feel about this.

So I don't know that we drink any more of it than the rest of you do. I suspect that we just think about it a little differently because we have more options. Plus there's a little bit of anti-establishment-ness here in the Seattle area. Nobody tells us what to do or what to drink. So whatever everyone else is doing, we don't want that!

I accidentally asked for a venti nonfat latte at Victor's recently. So Starbucks must be doing something right if they have me ordering in their language at my alternative coffee house. Then again, they didn't get my money. Then again, I am talking about them right now. I have to stop. I think I need another cup.