Showing posts with label italian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label italian. Show all posts

Friday 10 April 2015

We are living in a veggie world!

Hello, Hello!

I am so sorry that I haven't been as frequent with my blogging escapades lately. I've been really busy working up a storm and getting myself more established as a vlogger (video-blogger). With that being said, I've missed connecting with all of you in the meantime.

The last time we spoke, I was in Acapulco, Mexico; I am back in Canada and ready for the thrills spring has to offer. For those of you who don't already know this about me, spring is my favourite season. I love the way the world starts to bloom after the long and frigid winter Canada (unfortunately) brings to the table. My favourite thing about spring is waking up to the sun beaming through my windows and hearing the birds chirping every morning. I love knowing that spring is the time of the year where (most) flowers start to bloom and (most) animal babies are born. For me, spring brings new life and new beginnings.

I love animals. From a very young age I have had a deep passion for every animal in the world. I love them so much that I remember going to petting zoos as a child and pretending the animals were literally my friends. I can actually remember trying to kiss a couple of donkeys during those days.. Call me crazy all you want, but I love animals and no one will be able to take that love away from me. I love animals so much that I decided to become a vegetarian 3 years ago. Proudly, I can say that I haven't touched a piece of animal flesh ever since then.

Honestly, when I was growing up, I never gave the slaughter of animals much thought. I knew that what I was eating was an animal, I knew I loved the taste of it and I knew I loved animals; but other then those two facts I didn't really understand what I was feeding into (pun intended). In 2012, my sister (her name is Chiara) had to do a school project which meant being a vegetarian for an entire month. I thought, being the wonderful sister that I am, I would join her in this project and be an encourager for her and make sure she didn't fail the project. However, being the most competitive person I've ever met, I decided to not only join my sister with her project and not eat meat for an entire month, but I would also give up all animal products in the meantime. I had just become a vegan cold-turkey (pun intended....again).



I remember, February 2012, I ate my last piece of meat for the rest of my life. I thought, at first, the only thing that the project entailed was to simply stop eating meat for an entire month. I was sadly (or happily) mistaken. During those 30 days, I was tortured to watch documentaries all about the slaughter of animals. Obviously, I cried my eyes out for 30 days straight. Those documentaries are not only extremely informative, they are also extremely gruesome. For a while I couldn't believe that for all these years I had been so extremely naive. I went around telling people I wanted to become an animal rescuer and I loved animals more then anything else in the world................ AS I WAS EATING A RACK OF RIBS. I felt like a complete hypocrite. Not only is the slaughter of animals completely inhumane, but it is actually extremely harmful to the environment.

Being a veggie girl (which is what I call myself) in an Italian family is much easier said then done. Italians are known for all the different type of meats they serve on a daily basis. Thankfully, my family isn't one who eat (ate) meat everyday, but they definitely loved their meat sauce and homemade meatballs on their pasta. To this day my Nonno will cut me soppressata expecting me to eat it. Last Sunday (aka family lunch day at Nonno and Nonna's house) my Nonno pulled me aside and asked me "Amelia, if you don't eat meat... then what DO you eat?" I answered that question by saying "Well Nonno, if I don't eat meat, then I eat anything that isn't meat" he was shocked by this answer and says "Amelia, EVERYTHING is meat." Yes, being a veggie girl in an Italian family is very hard.




I see becoming a vegetarian one of the best choices I have made in all of my 21 years existence.  I was born with a form of anemia and right before becoming a vegetarian, I had my regular blood test to make sure my iron levels didn't drop since my last visit, it had but not only did my iron levels drop but my B12 levels were low as well. After becoming a vegetarian, I lost 10 pounds, my iron levels became significantly higher and my B12 level went back to normal. I had a much higher level of energy and I felt healthier inside.

There are many different types of vegetarianism: 

1) Lacto-ovo vegetarian: vegetarians that eat both eggs and dairy products.
2) Pescatarian: vegetarians who occasionally eat fish.
3) Ovo-vegetarian : vegetarians who do not eat/ drink dairy products, but do occasionally eat eggs.
4) Lacto-vegetarian: vegetarians who do not eat eggs, but occasionally eat/ drink dairy products.
5) Vegan: vegetarians who do not eat animal flesh of any kind, shellfish, dairy products and eggs.

As I said before, when I first started my veggie girl journey, I was a vegan and I loved every second of it. Unfortunately, I had to stop being a vegan because I still live at home and it was hard for me to be 100% vegan (because my mom still buys me food and feeds me). I do however, plan on returning to the vegan lifestyle once I move out of my house; but for now I am 100% ovo-vegetarian. I do not eat any animal flesh, or dairy products, but I do occasionally eat a few eggs here and there.

Today, after being a full fledge veggie girl (for exactly 3 years, one month and 10 days) I can say being a veggie girl has had it's extreme struggles, when I first started becoming a vegetarian, I hated vegetables to the very core of my soul and I craved meat profusely. Eventually I started to really appreciate vegetables (along with their weird flavours) and as for the meat cravings, they are still very much alive and well. Fortunately enough, I haven't eaten meat in so long that I think veggie patties taste like an actual meaty hamburger, so once I get my teeth in those veggie burgers, the cravings are quenched. Now when I look at a steak all I can think of is that it is literally the flesh of an animal and I get completely repulsed by it and nauseated thinking about someone eating it.

Being a vegetarian is a great choice, but a hard and life-altering decision I've made for myself. It has made me become a more caring and empathetic person. I think of the world in a completely different light and literally imagine myself in the position of the animal during each stage of their miserable life. I wish I could save each and every single one of those poor animals and make them feel loved, but unfortunately I don't have the means to do that. In the past 3 years, one month and 10 days I have happily been able to save a total of 631 animals, 609 lbs of meat and 5,027 lbs of CO2 was not released into the atmosphere (http://vegetariancalculator.com/vegetarian-calculator-monthly).

If you're thinking about joining the animal-saving crew? shoot me an email: thebeanmovement@gmail.com

meow for now!
xoxo, Amelia


Stay Caffeinated.





ps. I'm now on YouTube! Check out me first video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hADcvRrXsYI

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel!!


Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Gmail: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Google+: TheBeanMovement
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement
Zomato: TheBeanMovement
Pinterest: TheBeanMovement
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsOQvQJBNeGb_uKWs6Y59Ow
Snapchat: xoxamelia



Do you have any suggestions to help improve my blog? I'd love your feedback!
Email me: thebeanmovement@gmail.com

Thursday 15 January 2015

Nespresso Cafe!

Hello there my lovely readers, me again.

This week has been so crazy, literally crazier then my typical overly-caffeinated life. I really had no idea where to go this week to fulfill my coffee-fanatic needs. I then spoke to my mom, she told me of a "cool" place in Yorkville named "Nespresso." She goes along by saying "Amelia you have to see the experience, you can tell it's Italian design (she was an interior designer in some part of her lifetime).. it's just a beautiful experience." Guys, my mom became emotional, literally with tears in her eyes...So with that, I decided I should give in to my mother's begging (constant begging) and go on a mother-daughter coffee date.

On our way to this magical land my mom describes as Nespresso, we were driving along minding our own business, we stopped at a red light (just like any other normal human being would do at a red light) when all of a sudden, a scary (actually petrifying) man knocked on the passenger window (I was petrified, thinking we were both about to die) and the man proceeds after I screamed in his face by saying "hey lady! You have a flat tire!" As if my life couldn't get any worse, we called the car dealership who then told us that we would need to be towed and the tow truck wouldn't arrive for another 3 HOURS. 3 HOURS!!! Man, was I ever mad.


3 hours (and a bit) later, the tow truck came and we were off set to find Nespresso on foot, just like the "good old days." GREAT MOM, I LOVE TO WALK (there's a reason why I blog about coffee and not fitness). Finally after a 45 minute walk in -20 degrees, we finally found The Nespresso Cafe. Actually, now that I think about it, they call themselves the "Nespresso Cafe Boutique." I have two words to be able to completely describe to you what the Nespresso Cafe was like and here they are: Nespresso understands. Guys, I don't know if you have been to the Nespresso Cafe, but it was worth every flat tire in the world, every minute of waiting, every different type of frost bite I got on my body and every step that I walked in the freezing cold Canadian winter. It was absolutely stunning. (1 Bean Point)

I took it upon myself to post pictures of the amazing boutique and here they are:



The Nespresso Cafe Espresso Bar.



Nespresso Cafe seating. 



Nespresso Cafe menu and monogrammed table. 

After being completely frozen over *singing the cold never bothered me anyways from the Disney movie, Frozen* we finally go in the warm Nespresso Cafe, there was a hostess at the front desk, who then sat us down at a table, gave each of us a menu and a glass of water with lemon. After I took a photoshoot of the cafe, menu, tables and pretty much anything with the letter "N" on it, the waitress then came (who by the way had a beautiful English accent) and took our orders. I ordered a medium Cafe Macchiato (and asked for it to be as hot as it could possibly be made). (1 Bean Point)

This was then brought to the table: 




And I literally almost fell out of my chair. I was trying to stay cool, calm and collected. I think I played it off well though, don't you worry. The flavour and presentation was absolutely impeccable. (1 Bean Point)

The cost? $7.50. Yes, I know, it was a pretty steep price, but considering the experience it was worth every penny. (1 Bean Point)

There was no drive thru option, but the location was perfect. Nespresso is located right on Yorkville, which makes up for the high prices. (1 Bean Point)

After my amazing cup of coffee, water and chocolate, I took a tour around the Cafe and saw that they actually sell almost all of their machines in their Nespresso Cafe, along with millions of different pods. It was such a cool concept. My mom was right, those Italians, they really do know what they are doing.


I know that I've mentioned this before, but I will say it again. I've been to Italy and I have personally seen with my own eyes what the Italian coffee experience is like, Nespresso nailed it. I have also been to France, and I feel as though Nespresso was an Italian and Parisian cafe styles mixed together. I felt like I was in both Italy and France at the same time (is that even possible?). The presentation, style and flavour was impeccable. Nespresso understands. 



Now it's time for the run-down:

Flavour: 1 bean point
Price: 1 bean point
Ambiance: 1 bean point
Drive-Thru: 1 bean point
Customer Service: 1 bean point

Total Score: 5/5 total bean points!


Overall, I was extremely impressed by you Nespresso. I love you Nespresso. You make me proud to be Italian. I hope you open up many other locations around the world so we can share with everyone what a true coffee experience looks like. You are classy and fabulous. Keep up the outstanding work. Love you long time. 



Reminder for the medium double-double challenge:
The Good Neighbour: 4/5 Bean Points
Coffee Culture's score: 4.5/5 Bean Points
Timothy's World Cup Coffee's score: 4/5 Bean Points
LavAzza's score: 0/5 Bean Points
McCafé's score: 5/5 Bean Points
Aroma Espresso Bar's score: 5/5 Bean Points
Faema Caffè's score: 3.5 Bean Points
Second Cup's score: 1/5 Bean Points
Illy Caffè's score: 4.5/5 Bean Points
Starbucks' score: 3/5 Bean Points
Tim Hortons' score: 2.5/5 Bean Points



Until next week! xoxo

Stay Caffeinated.




Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Gmail: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Google+: TheBeanMovement
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement
Zomato: TheBeanMovement
Pinterest: TheBeanMovement







Do you have any suggestions to help improve my blog? I'd love your feedback!
Email me: thebeanmovement@gmail.com















Saturday 20 December 2014

It's the holiday season!

Hello fellow coffee drinkers!

As you all start preparing for the Holidays, I'm sure that you would all just love to read all about who has the best Holiday coffee flavours. Am I right? I am pleased to announce that for the next few weeks of December, I will be taking the Holiday drinks by storm and finding the best Holiday drink in the coffee world.

My drink of the season? Eggnog latte! I realize that sometimes eggnog lattes are not always available, if this is the case, no coffee for this blogger.

The first coffee shoppe of my choosing is the one, the only; Starbucks! Baristas get ready for me! I am looking forward to this themed month, it's my favourite time of the year!

What other coffee shops do you want me to visit? Shoot me an email at thebeanmovement@gmail.com and tell me where I should go next.

See you next week xoxo.

Stay Caffeinated.











Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Gmail: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Google+: TheBeanMovement
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement
Zomato: TheBeanMovement






Do you have any suggestions to help improve my blog? I'd love your feedback!
Email me: thebeanmovement@gmail.com

Thursday 6 November 2014

LavAzza!

Hello again my little caramel macchiatos! I hope that you all are keeping well!

Throughout the weeks I have been getting questions regarding WHY I would take one coffee experience and create an entire brand perception right of the bat. My answer to this question is simple:

The coffee industry is very, VERY competitive these days. I swear there are millions (not a fact, maybe just a sprinkle of exaggeration to set the mood) of different coffee companies trying to make it in this very competitive industry and just cannot make it out alive.  Through my own experiences, I have learned that every time someone walks into a location; to any sort of retail establishments they are looking for the whole package. Customers want a clear balance between price, quality and experience, but are being manipulated by marketing ploys to believe that a certain coffee brand is better without giving the other shops a fair chance. Many of the now popular coffee establishments "pride" themselves for wanting to provide an amazing customer experience, so in turn are able to jack up their prices and say that they are not only paying for the coffee, but also for the coffee-drinking experience. Now, my job as a coffee-blogger (and coffee lover) is to sort out those who really are not providing the "coffee-drinking experience" as they promised. I hate to be lied too, and I would hate for anyone to be taken advantage of. That is why this blog is a "movement"; my goal is to provide customers the knowledge they need to be able to distinguish which coffee franchises are worth their money, and who is not worth their money. Now, I am not saying in any way that even though I had a great experience in one place, it means everyone will have that same experience (and vice versa), I just want to bring awareness to the fact that everyone should get a fair chance in proving themselves to their customers and that every experience counts. You only get one shot at a good first impression.

Now onto the good stuff,

This week I took a trip over to LavAzza and man, oh man do I have a story for you! Buckle up!

Now as many of you already know from past blog posts, I am Italian and have been to Italy. I have also had the pleasure of having a real Italian coffee-drinking experience. LavAzza is an extremely popular Italian coffee brand, so when I went to their location I was expecting to see the typical Italian coffee-drinking experience I had in Italy. I was sadly mistaken.

I walked into the shop (by using their wooden, broken-down stairs) and saw the lady working at cash which on the phone with one of her friends. Not only was she on the phone with her friend, but she was also watching a work out video on the giant flat screen tv the LavAzza location had. When the lady saw that I was ready to order I asked if she could serve me a medium double double, she told me that they didn't have that on the menu, but the "caffè macchiato was just like it". I ordered the caffè macchiato, she then says "do you want this size or this size" (while holding two cups that look to me like they were the same size) I answered "whichever is suppose to be the medium". The lady then turns to her large coffee machine and starts pressing buttons and pauses. She then turns to me and says "oh, I forgot. It's a slow day, so I am cleaning the big espresso machine, but this one right here is just as good." Without a second for me to answer she started up her Keurig machine and presses all the buttons necessary. I then look at her and ask if the Keurig coffee pods she was using her at least LavAzza, she said yes. I looked on the Keurig website, and they do make LavAzza coffee pods (thankfully).  (0 Bean Points)

The store was all painted in a royal blue (when I say all, I mean all. The outer bricks were also royal blue to match the inside). The inside of the store was modest, with broken mirrors on the walls; coffee machines and coffee beans were on shelves along the back of the store (still in their Canada Post boxes). There were muffins sitting on a plate on the cash desk that were not covered. The tables and chairs were black. Honestly, it was disgusting. The only thing that was new-looking was the menu. (0 Bean Points)

The flavour, oh man. It was awful. I couldn't even describe it to you, it was just so bad. (0 Bean Points)


This price for my Keurig "LavAzza" coffee was ridiculously high. $3.95 for a cup of coffee that I could have made at home with my own machine. (0 Bean Points)


The LavAzza location had no drive thru options and zero parking, so I had to park in an apartment building's parking garage. (0 Bean Points)


Now it's time for the run-down:

Flavour: 0 bean point
Price: 0 bean point
Ambiance: 0 bean point
Drive-Thru: 0 bean point
Customer Service: 0 bean point

Total Score: 0/5 total bean points!


LavAzza, what happened? I was so looking forward to our encounter, but you have failed me. Please take my words of criticism and allow yourselves room for improvement. When you guys are great, I will be back.



What do you think? Have you ever had a taste of  LavAzza? Let me know! I want to hear from you!




Next week's location........ Timothy's! See you next week!



Reminder:
McCafé's score: 5/5 Bean Points
Aroma Espresso Bar's score: 5/5 Bean Points
Faema Caffè's score: 3.5 Bean Points
Second Cup's score: 1/5 Bean Points
Illy Caffè's score: 4.5/5 Bean Points
Starbucks' score: 3/5 Bean Points
Tim Hortons' score: 2.5/5 Bean Points



Until next week! xoxo

Stay Caffeinated.




Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Gmail: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Google+: TheBeanMovement
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement



Thursday 16 October 2014

Faema Caffè!

Hello my fellow coffee drinkers!

Thanks for reading up about the madness we call the coffee world. Coffee is a crazy thing, or a crazily amazing thing to those who love it as much as I do. I don't know about you, but when the time comes that my lips touch the cup filled with coffee, or when I wake up in the morning and the first thing I smell is a freshly brewed coffee, or when my mouth is filled with its first sip of caffeine; is when I am the happiest. So as you can imagine, this journey so far,  has been a great one for me.

Now, before I get to the good stuff, I just wanted to clarify what happens to coffee shops that don't have drive-thu options. Coffee shops that don't have a drive-thu are still eligible for a perfect score, if and only if, they have a great location. As an example, Illy Caffè didn't have a drive thru option, but they were amazingly located in Yorkdale mall. The only issue I had was with their "patio" it was located at the side of the store and wasn't set up in an inviting manner. If the patio had been more inviting, they would have received a full score. Any questions? Send me an email! I'd love to hear from you.

This week, as you may all already know, I visited Faema Caffè.


I really liked the Faema Caffè concept and thought their coffee tasted great. Faema really captured the Italian essence of what a coffee shop should (and does) look like in Italy. It has Italian floors (I actually have the same flooring in my kitchen) the bar area was clearly designated and nicely displayed all their Italian food options. In the back of the store they had many different types of Faema coffee machines and coffee beans displayed for sale and their tables and chairs looked exactly they way they do in Italy. The only thing I can complain about in the ambiance is that I had absolutely no idea where I was suppose to go to order my drink. There was no sign and no one greeted me at the counter to show me where I was suppose to line up. ( .5 Bean Point)

Once I figured out where to order, I ordered my medium double double. The employees were so sweet and started a conversation with me.I told them that I had my mom waiting in the car, and that I going to call her to see if she wanted a coffee and they told me it was no problem, they could wait. They then asked me if I had ever had their coffee before and if I wanted any milk other milk option, they even put cocoa sprinkles on top of my coffee. (1 Bean Point)

The coffee was not cheap folks, it came to a total of $3.95. I understand that the market they are targeting is more of an older audience who know how to appreciate the Italian heritage behind the actual coffee, not the typical fast-food on-the-go coffee places I'm used too. (.5 Bean Point)

The coffee was worth every penny, I think the words my sister used to describe her cup was "it almost brought me to tears" she's a little dramatic, but the flavour was really great. (1 Bean Point)


Drive-Thru option was not available and the location was not the greatest. I went to the Faema located beside Vaughan Mills mall, it took me a good 20 minutes to be able to find the store because there are so many of the same buildings that look exactly the same that I didn't know where I was suppose to go. The parking lot was also completely full, thankfully my mom drove and waited for me in the car. (0 Bean Point)


In all, Faema Caffè was a great place! I loved everything about it except for a few minor details. All I think they need is lower their prices (even just by a little), make it clearer where people should line up and lastly, put their logo on their cup! Good luck to you Faema! I am rooting for you!


Now it's time for the run-down:

Flavour: 1 bean point
Price: .5 bean point
Ambiance: .5 bean point
Drive-Thru: 0 bean point
Customer Service: 1 bean point

Total Score: 3/5 total bean points!




What do you think? What do you like about Faema Caffè? Leave a comment, I want to hear from you!




Next week's location........ Aroma Espresso! Stay tuned folks!



Reminder:
Second Cup's score: 1/5 Bean Points
Illy Caffè's score: 4.5/5 Bean Points
Starbucks' score: 3/5 Bean Points
Tim Hortons' score: 2.5/5 Bean Points



Until next week!

Stay Caffeinated.




Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Gmail: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Google+: amelia.plastina
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement



Thursday 2 October 2014

Illy Caffè!

Ciao my little shots of espresso

What's with the Italian? Well, this week I visited Illy Caffè. An espresso brand all the way from my home land of Italia. I'm not sure if any of my loyal readers have ever been to Italy or come from an Italian culture, so for those of you who don't know; In Italy, espresso is apart of the Italian culture and life style. Every meal in Italy involves a cup of a nice espresso to help digest the plate of pasta (or pizza) they just ate.

With all of that being said, Illy Caffè was absolutely amazing. Best coffee I've had in a very, VERY long time (ever since my last trip to Italy). As I drank my $2.65 medium double double it took me back to the mountains of Tuscany where I sipped my cappuccino thinking about how I really wished there was an Illy Caffè in Canada. My dream came true.

This week I visited the Illy Caffè location at Yorkdale mall.  The overall look of the coffee shoppe was so beautiful and modern. The Illy colour scheme is red, brown and white. The shoppe was inclosed in glass walls and had many tables and chairs overlooking the mall halls. (1 bean point)

When I entered the shoppe I was greeted almost immediately. Once I was greeted, the Illy barista took out a sheet of paper and asked me for my order, he then proceeded to write it down on the paper and started making my drink, as he was making my coffee, he gave the sheet to the cashier who then cashed me out. After a few short minutes, the barista gave me my drink and directed me to the table behind me; so I could put my own cream or milk. (1 bean point)

For a luxurious Italian coffee brand, the coffee's price was very reasonable. (1 bean point)

The coffee was absolutely delicious. I could, for once, actually taste the favour of the actual coffee bean. I don't know how to describe how great it was, but I can honestly say it was the best coffee thus far. Way to go Illy! (1 bean point)

Unfortunately, there was no drive-thru option provided. Seeing as it was located in a mall, and they had no other option, I will award them half a bean point for the convenience of their location in the mall (right before the food court), unless anyone objects. (.5 bean point)



Now it's time for the run-down:

Flavour: 1 bean point
Price: 1 bean point
Ambiance: 1 bean point
Drive-Thru: .5 bean point
Customer Service: 1 bean point

Total Score: 4.5/5 total bean points!




For right now, Illy's only location is in Yorkdale mall. I am really hoping they will start to expand and become one of Canada's leading coffee franchises. They have my vote!



What do you think? Have you ever tried Illy Caffè? Let me know!




Next week's location.......... IS YOUR CHOICE! send me an email (or comment on below) to let me know where you'd like me to visit next!



Reminder:
Last week Starbucks' score: 3/5 Bean Points
Two weeks ago Tim Hortons' score: 2.5/5 Bean Points


Until next week, Arrivederci!

Stay Caffeinated.


Don't forget to follow me on social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Google: thebeanmovement@gmail.com
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovement




Thursday 25 September 2014

Starbucks!

Hey my little beanies!

This week I visited Starbucks.  Now, Starbucks is known for their different types of seasonal drinks; who knew they even offered "normal" coffee? Well, I for one did not. With that being said, This week when I ordered my double double coffee; I have to say I had a great experience!

For those of you who don't know, Starbucks is known for being one of the more expensive coffee brands around the world. Starbucks is not only a coffee brand, but also a fashion statement. The question is: is Starbucks really as good as they say they are? Are they worth the prices they charge?

When I went bought my coffee the line up was long, and it took a while to make my drink. What I found impressive is all the employees were very kind and seemed to really enjoy their job, which made me really enjoy being there. (1 bean point)

When I received my drink, it was at the perfect temperature so I could drink it right away. The coffee tasted really good! One thing I really liked about Starbucks is they give customers different milk options so they can really deliver to a very diverse group of customers. ( 1 bean point)

The store was very coffee- themed which was cool to see. They had art work that had been made with coffee burlap bags. Starbucks also has very pretty decor; their stores are filled with cool couches and wooden chairs. The Starbucks locations are very appealing to the eyes, you can very clearly tell they worked very hard to please the consumer. (1 bean point)

The Starbucks location I went to didn't have a drive-thru. (no bean point)

Starbucks is good, it is also high-priced. I would say that Starbucks is too expensive compared to their competitors since they are a fashion statement, that is what keeps them alive. (no bean point)



Now it's time for the run-down:

Flavour: 1 bean point
Price: 0 bean point
Ambiance: 1 bean point
Drive-Thru: 0
Customer Service: 1 bean point

Total Score: 3/5 bean points



In the case of the double double coffee I had from Starbucks, I'd say that it was not worth the amount of money I payed for in means of flavour, but if I take everything into consideration, they do provide great ambiance and customer service; which makes the entire Starbucks experience perfectly worth every cent.

What do you think? Leave your comments below!


Next week's location..... Illy! Tune in Next Thursday for a new blog post! 


Reminder:
Last week Tim Hortons score: 2.5/5 Bean Points


Until next week, adios!
Stay Caffeinated. 





Don't forget to follow me on Social Media! 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: @TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovemen
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Google+: thebeanmovement@gmail.com




Thursday 18 September 2014

Tim Hortons!

Hello my loyal coffeeholics!

Here we are again, week two; a lot has changed since we last spoke. 

I now have 113 Facebook "Likes", 91 Instagram "followers" and 44 Twitter "followers." I just want to give you all a big thank you! It means a whole lot to me that you are all spreading the word and following me. 

Now, on to the good stuff. This week I went to Tim Hortons, and let just say I was actually very surprised. 

Timmies, as most Canadians, is my go-to place. I typically absolutely adore the flavour of their coffee and I especially love their new dark roast blend, but this week when I payed Tim Hortons a visit; I ordered my typical Double-Double (Dark Roast style, of course). I  then noticed that my coffee was extremely sweet. Turns out, it was a triple triple. The lady at the counter wasn't very happy with me noticing her mistake, and when I started talking to her about my love for coffee and about my experience with the Dark Roast (and how I usually adore it) she looked at me, starred looking very unimpressed.. which I thought was pretty rude. By her reaction, I did not think it was my place to ask for a new coffee; so I left. 

Since during past visits I've had the Dark Roast Tim Hortons Double-Double, and since I know it is usually wonderful, I will give them .5 of a bean point

Who can complain about their price? I know I can't! I payed: $1.65 for a medium double double. (bean point)

The ambiance of Tim Hortons sort of sucks. I am not a fan of the layout they set for themselves. Everything in the store typically looks old and dirty. Their colour of choice is brown, which is fitting since coffee is also brown. However, I believe they over use the brown colour. (NO bean point)

Drive thru option: Available (bean point)

The customer service at Tim Hortons failed for me this time, sorry. (NO bean point)


Now it's time for the run-down:
Flavour: .5 of a bean point
Price: bean point
Ambiance: 0
Drive-Thru option: bean point
Customer Service: 0

Total score: 2.5/5 


In all, I was left unimpressed by Tim Hortons. If it were my first time in their establishment, I don't think I would go back. Usually when I buy a coffee, I'd like to at least hear a good morning or see a smile on at least one person's face; since you not only pay for the product, but also the customer service, and in this case they were both majorly lacking.  Tim Hortons' prices are not the most expensive, but according to what I payed for I do not think it was worth the money.



NEXT STOP...... Starbucks! Tune in next Thursday for updates!


Ciao for now! Stay Caffeinated. 
















Don't forget to follow me on Social Media! 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBeanMovement
Twitter: TheBeanMovement
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thebeanmovemen
Instagram: TheBeanMovement
Google+: thebeanmovement@gmail.com