Erin Shaw Street

Viva Starbucks Via

In my previous job, there was a Starbucks across from my office. As in literally. Even more dangerous, I didn't even have to go outside -- I just walked across the hospital hall and voila, instant gratification. And instant addification -- my skinny vanilla soy grande lattes got to be quite the expensive habit.

Fast forward a bit, and there's no Starbucks in sight near my office (without having to drive there). Until now. A few weeks ago, while on the road, one of my colleagues introduced me to Via, Starbucks' new instant coffee.

Being a bit of a coffee snob I was a little suspect of the tiny packet filled with instant coffee (which the Starbucks people dub as "not your mother's instant coffee.") But I was holding yet another cup of bland Hampton Inn java, so why not.

Oh. My. Coffee.

 Granted, it's not a skinny vanilla soy grande latte, but it's good -- a world away from Nescafe. I like the Italian Roast, which is strong, dark and delicious. (Of course I do doctor mine up a bit to make it a tad sweeter.)

Via is much appreciated for a traveler who isn't always near a Starbucks (incredible but true). I've started keeping them at my desk and in my laptop bag, so when I need my Starbucks fix it's right there. Like most Via drinkers I know (many of  my friends who travel are getting on the train) I'm still into my annoying sounding fancy Starbucks concoctions, but Via is a close second.

It costs $10.95 for 1o individual serving packets, and the three pack is $2.95. A decaf version is scheduled to hit stores November 17.

Have you tried Via? Thoughts?

Related Links:

Starbucks Gossip

Cooking With Amy -- how Via was born

Giving in to the Fall

Curled up in bed this afternoon I listened to the neighborhood boys playing across the street. They seemed to play for a long time in the cool fall air, and their sounds were reassuring.

It's no secret I don't like the cold. Having grown up in the mostly 70 and 80 degree weather of Florida, it always seems like an affront when the temperatures begin to drop. If I could hibernate for the winter I would, safely ensconced under my electric blanket. Wake me up in time to catch the first plane home.

Then I shake myself for the ridiculousness of it all -- it is Alabama, the Deep South. It could be so much colder. So I am digging out the winter coats and reveling in the changes of the season I do like. Putting up Halloween decorations, lighting the fireplace for the first time, eating delicious curry lentil soup from a colleague. It's better to not fight it.

 As the seasons change, so do we. Those are lyrics, right? We painted the family room last weekend, a rich, smokey taupe that makes the room so much more inviting (photo to the left is before and photo to the right is after -- minus window treatments and art -- to come).

I'm doing more reading and less getting on planes (at least in the coming weeks).  I am continuing to grow stronger, albeit with a few setbacks along the way (the root canal today was not fun).

Other highlights of the past few weeks:

• Visiting with some of my best friends -- Renee and Kai in DC and Stephanie in Atlanta

• My first photo shoot for the magazine with Nate (yesterday -- he was was a complete ham)

• Welcoming back Mom and Dad from their Panama Canal Cruise. Thankfully Dad survived his encounter with Colombian guerrillas!    

And celebrating Nate's three and a half birthday last weekend, complete with a chocolate cake and some serious swing time.

So maybe the fall isn't that bad. But I'll still take a blanket.

Oh, I have a story in the November issue of the magazine about a hula hoop studio in Nashville. Click here for my first person story of learning to hoop ....       

Fire! Fire!

Last week Shane taught a group of tough cookies: 100 preschoolers at Nate's school. As you can see, he had a helper, who we will call a "very young graduate student."

Turns out that of all the "magic tricks" he brought, kids are most impressed with fire. Good to know -- and slightly freaky!

(Of course Nate quickly got over his father being the center of attention and turned to his own demonstration of throwing his beloved "soft" for his classmates to see.)

Shane did a great job making science understandable for a bunch of squirming kids.

Yeah, definitely way cooler than hearing from a mom with a job as say, a magazine editor. I kid, I kid.