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STARBUCKS SUCKS

"STARBUCKS SUCKS"

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and Find Out Why STARBUCKS SUCKS

and How Starbucks Let NEW YORK

and New Yorker's Down

During HURRICANE SANDY

Do you believe that after  breathing of Air, Water, Food, Clothing, and Shelter, Coffee is the single most important thing and one of life's necessities to millions. Take it away, you'll survive but you won't be happy. You want it, you love, you need it. Coffee!     

Late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy, aka "Frankenstorm" Hits New York and a much of the East Coast and inflicts quite a bit of devastation.  A large part of New York City loses electricity including Lower Manhattan below 26th Street, the rest of the lucky SOBs above 26th had power. Now we're in our apartments no Electricity, No Heat, No Hot Water, No TV, No Internet, No Power !!!      We lost power at about 9 PM at night. I went downstairs and hung out with Giovanni and the boys at Bar Pitti . They lost their electricity, but their Emergency Lights were on. We sat around, drank some good Italian Wine, at Salami and talked about the Storm. Frankestorm as it would come to be known.      So I had some batteries for my portable Radio and knew they had electrical power above 26th Street .. So I hung out at Bar Pitti until their emergency lights batteries went dead, th lights went off, Giovanni closed down the restaurant and we all went home. Me to a dark apartment, no girlfriend, no lights, no TV, no nothing. I listened to the Radio and fell asleep about 1 in the morning.

     I awoke about 9, turned on the radio, went to the bathroom, boiled some water to take a bath, took a bath, got dressed and left the house on what would become my FrankenStorm Odyssey. I left the house (apartment) about 10, walk around the hood to see what was up. I saw my buddy Jimmy B and Charlie outside on Cornelia Street .. We chatted for about 15 minutes and I told them I was heading up to Midtown. I needed some Coffee and was looking to charge my Cel Phone and Laptop Batteries and looking to see if I could get some Internet Access.  I told them their was electricity up there and I was going to go to a Starbucks, get a Coffee and see if I could charge-up and get on The Net ... So I walked a half block from Jimmy's place to Sixth Avenue and I was on my way up 6th, to Midtown in Search of Electricity and Coffee. I thought for sure I'd find them at Starbucks. As I turned out I couldn't have been more wrong ...      Anyway I walked up 6th Ave which about 40 years ago the city tried naming Avenue of The America's. It never caught on. New Yorkers wouldn't have it. They wouldn't call it that, but continued calling it 6th Avenue and the city was forced to keep it at that. That's New Yorkers. And during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, New Yorkers just like they have many times, on 9/11 and other tough times, we'd show what we were made of. We're "Tough," we're Strong, we pull together and are at our Best when the going gets tough.      I'm walking up Sixth Avenue and at this new little cafe were Joe Jr.'s Diner and Burger Joint used to be (now sadly GONE), the cafe was open for business and people were in there hanging out and drinking stuff, and of course talking about the storm, being without power and what not. So I go in. They have hot Tea, bottled juice, and mineral water, but no coffee. I get a bottle of juice, sit down, relax, and convert with others around me. I hung for about 15 minutes, then took-off, it was back up 6th ave. I decided to head over to the Ace Hotel on 29th Street and Broadway .. I often go there for some Stumptown Coffee and to hang out in the lobby banging stuff out on my laptop. I got there, and plenty of people were outside, but the hotel which is always quite cordial, were not letting and outsiders in and the lobby was just for guest of the hotel and no-one else could hang out in the what would now be a Paradise in the midst of a Blackout, a bi g spacious hotel lobby that had Electricity, Coffee, tables and chairs. Couldn't get in. Hey, I don't really blame them, they have to take care of their guest and it would have been a mob seen if anyone was aloud in. On my way to The Ace I passed a Starbucks at 1140 Broadway. They had electrical power here but Starbucks was closed. I walked past 2 other Starbucks as I continued walking around Midtown in search of coffee, power, and open Starbucks, but there were none to be found. There were Starbucks, they had power, but none were open for business. Now I'm no idiot, and I relive we are in the middle of a crisis and that although these Starbucks have power, the people that work at them, many might like in the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, the Subways are shut-down ("Oh I forgot to mention that! That's why I'm walking!") and "most" people can't get to work. That's most, "but not all." There's like 100 Starbucks around. I realize that they wouldn't be able to open all of them. But I just don't believe that every single one is closed, that not even a few are open. Those SOB's at Starbucks let us Down! We needed Coffee more than ever, there was not a Starbucks open anywhere insight. "They let New Yorkers down." BIG TIME! I do not believe that they could not muster opening a fraction of their many Starbucks Shops with Skeleton Crews. Impossible! There were McDonalds and other businesses open, but "No Starbuck!" No Coffee when New Yorkers needed Coffee and Starbucks most, Starbucks let New Yorkers down. They are not New Yorkers! They don't have the New York Spirit, the company, otherwise they would have had a few places open, serving New Yorkers Coffee, Wifi, and a bit of charging. They let New York down during Sandy and for this, i will never forgive them, "Starbucks Sucks!"      I never really liked them. I'm a New Yorker, "I hate chain corporate places." I love cafes and go to independent ones, not Starbucks, not often anyway. I only use them rarely and out of convenience when I'm in a neighborhood other than my own and I need to get to a cafe for coffee to sit down and get on the laptop, if there is no other place around, I'll go to Starbucks, then and only then, I don't really care for Starbucks.     Anyway, I've gone on and on. The point is Starbucks Sucks. They let New York City and New Yorkers down in the time we "Needed" them most, Starbucks was not there for us, and I find this unforgivable. Daniel Bellino-Zwicke PS During my Hurricane Sandy Midtown Odyssey that lasted 14 hours from the time I left my apartment in Greenwich Village at 10 AM and got home right at the stroke of Mid-Night 14 hours later, i went to the little Cafe on 6th Ave & 12th Street, walked around looking for Starbucks (never found 1 open though I passed about 20), I went in the Benjamin Hotel used their bathroom then hung in the lobby for about 30 minutes. I then went across the street to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where I sat down on the rug, plugged in my Cel Phone and Laptop and hung out for 2 and half hours. "Thank You Waldorf." I then  started to walk towards Times Square and found a McDonalds open on I believe it was East 46th Street between Madison and 5th Avenue. I sat down, got a Angus Burger with Cheese, Fries and a large coffee, "McDonalds did not let New Yorkers down as those SOBS from Starbucks." I was at McDonalds eating my Burger and Fries for about 30 minutes. I then went to the nice atrium next door with half of my McDonalds large coffee, and hung out their with my laptop and their Wifi for about 20 minutes. I then decided to walk over to Times Square. I walked over to Times Square, nothing much was happening and I had an idea.  I love the Algonquin Hotel and decided to go over, have a couple cocktails and hang in the beautiful lobby for a while. It was great there. I sat down at a nice table and ordered a Bourbon Old Fashion. The service there is great, I was welcomed and well taken care of. There were electrical outlets and I charged my Cel Battery and my laptop and settled in, writing, sipping my Old Fashion and just having a grand time. I ordered a couple more drinks, I had a Turkey Club Sandwich and a couple pots of Tea. I was at the Algonquin for 3 and a half hours and had an absolutely wonderful time. The service was impeccable.     At 11:15 PM I decided it was time to go home. I left the Algonquin, walked down over to Broadway and walked down Broadway past Macy's and The Empire State Building, the lights were on, but when I got into the high 20s I could see darkness below. I continued walking down Broadway and when I got to 26th Street, there was Electricity and lights-on on the North Side of 26th Street, but just a few feet away on the Southern Side of East 26th Street at Broadway there was no Electricity, no lights and i could see down south to what looked like a dark abyss, and I was walking down into it. I walked down Broadway and made a right on23red Street. It was pitch black. I walked across the dark of 23rd Street and made a left onto 6th Avenue and down 6th to my building on 6ht Avenue and Bleecker. It was exactly 12 Midnight when I walked into the Pitch-Black of the hallway of my building and up the stairs with my little flashlight. My Odyssey was over. I got Coffee but not at a Starbucks. I got on my Computer and Charged my batteries, not at Starbucks but at The Waldorf, The Algonquin, and McDonalds. "Hey did I tell you, Starbucks Sucks!" 

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The CHRYSLER BUILDING

On My HURRICANE SANDY ODYSSEY

October 22, 2012 

ONE MANS HURRICANE SANDY ODYSSEY 

Watch The Video

"FRANKENSTORM"

October 22. 2012

SULLIVAN STREET, GREENWICH VILLAGE 

NEW YORK

"The start of my HURRICANE SANDY ODYSSEY"

The Day After it Hit

October 23, 2012

LOOKING for ELECTRICITY (Charge Batteries) and COFFEE

The 2 PRIME OBJECTIVES of The DAY

The WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL

NEW YORK, NY

I Hung out here for two hours, charging the batteries on my Laptop and Cel Phone

"Thank You WALDORF"

Walking up 6th Avenue

LOOKING for COFFEE

The EMPIRE STATE BUILDING in the Distance

Walking up 5th Avenue

The FLATIRON BUILDING

Looking down to the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

Corner of 5th Avenue and 37th Street

New York NY

"FRANKENSTORM"

Corner of 42nd STREET and LEXINGTON AVENUE

NEW YORK NY

The CHRYSLER BUILDING 

The CHRYSLER BUILDING

The WALDORF

The ALGONQUIN

COFFEE AND A HURRICANE

 

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis Getting COFFEE

The Importance of Coffee .  It's really up there. High on The Importance Scale that is. Most people wouldn't think about it that much, they love it, their morning coffee, but it's probably just one of those things, you do it every day and so much, you don't think about. Hey, but take that coffee away, and believe me you will.

 

On the evening of October 30, 2012 a Hurricane hit New York, and hit us hard. It was Hurricane Sandy the biggest hurricane to ever hit New York City. It caused much destruction with its hurricane force winds, flooding and the Atlantic literally sweeping homes away, in New York and New Jersey. In New York, Staten Island and The Rockaways got hit the hardest, many people losing their homes.

 

In Manhattan we didn't have it quite as bad, but things did happen. I was back in my apartment in Greenwich Village after spending the day out at two separate trips to Caffe Reggio on Macdougal Street and a stop at Bar Pitti for a little lunch and a chit chat with Giovanni. Caffe Reggio and Bar Pitti were two of only a few businesses to stay open new my house. Well after my second trip of the day to Caffe Reggio where I spent 2 hours each trip it was back to my apartment at around 8 O'Clock. I was watching TV, Hurricane New Coverage of course when about 8:55 PM my lights started flickering. Oh No I said. But the lights stayed on. Five minutes later they were off. That ws it, we lost Power. Well I wasn't gonna stay alone in the dark. I got dressed and went downstairs to see if Bar Pitti was still open. Hell Yeah! They were. They were open, the lights when out, and the Emergency Battery Powered Lights that all restaurants, bars, and most buildings are required to have. Apartment buildings are required to have them in the hallways. We have them in my building. Guess what? They weren't working. No big deal, I had my flashlight. Anyway, they had lights at Bar Pitti, food, wine, and gas to fire the stoves. I had a bowl of soup and a glass of wine, hung out with Giovanni (the Owner of Bar Pitti and a friend) and the waiters, we chit-chatted, drank wine, and listened to the news. Apparently we lost power because a Con Edison Power Sub-Station on 14th Street was flooded from waters from the Hudson River over flowing the banks from the storm surge. The transformers inside blew-up, and the power went off. Well the power was off below 39th Street that is. Everyone above 39th Street had power (Lucky SOBs), we didn't.

So I hundg out with Giovanni and the boys at Bar Pitti for two hours. The batteries finally died on Bar Pitti's Emergency Lights, it was 11:30 and time to go home. Boy that was a Godsend having Bar Pitti open and a place to go for a couple hours, kill some time and be with people.

So I went back to my house. I listened to the news on this massive Hurricane on my iPod-Touch until the batteries died, and was bummed that I didn't have batteries for my portable Radio, which would have been a big thing to have. I did try to get batteries before the storm hit, but every place was out of size D batteries, so I couldn't.

Well I fell asleep sometime around 1 Am I think. I got up at 8:30 .. No electricity and no hot water, but I did have gas and cold water, so I boiled water and took a sponge bath, made a good ol Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, got dressed and went outside to see what was going on. I made a beeline to Caffe Dante, then Once Upon a Tart and all nearby delis to see if anyone was open and selling Coffee. I didn't have any power at home, no TV, no Radio, but I wanted my morning Coffee, there was none to be found. I walked over to Cornelia Street and saw my buddy Jimmy B and Charlie outside. We BSed for about 15 minutes and I told jimmy I was heading Uptown were there was Power. I figured I go find a Starbucks above 39th Street get a Coffee and maybe power up my Cel Phone and Laptop, if possible. I don't really like Starbucks (too Commercial) but I'm gonna tell you in a minute why I can't stand those SOB's now and how they let New Yorkers Down during Hurricane Sandy.

So I said my good-byes to Jimmy and Charlie, wished them well and started making my way up town. It was raining lightly as I made my way up 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village. I was heading uptown in search of Coffee, Food, and Electricity. I had been walking about 10 minutes when i came across a newly opened Coffee Shop (In the old Joe's Diner space on 6th and 12th) that was open and selling Coffee. Right On! I got a coffee, sat down and relaxed. that was nice. I sat there about 12 minutes chatting with people about the storm, this-and-that.

After about 12 minutes relaxing at the coffee shop and sipping coffee, I was on my way again in search of food and electricity and more coffee. As I walked up 6th Avenue, you'd see someone every now and then holding a cup of coffee, or several cups, and people would go up yo them and ask "Where'd you get the Coffee?" Everyone wanted Coffee, and people started realizing just how important and meaningful that little cup of Java is in their lives, especially when you can't get it. You realize!

Well that day I had quite an Odyssey, and Odyssey in Search of Coffee and Electricity. The Odyssey took me from my neighborhood (Best in The City) of Greenwich, up above 39th Street and Midtown, in search of you know what. Well I'm not one of the masses who loves Starbucks, for me it's just the opposite. I don't like Starbucks and avoid it like the plague. Starbucks is the McDonalds of coffee shops and I've always preferred one-of-a-kind independently owned Cafes, and I've been going to them way before the first Starbucks opened its doors. Now, that, said, I do go to them now and then, but just out of convenience when there is no other better alternatives around. Starbucks does come in handy. Anyway, this day I was actually looking to specifically go to a Starbucks. I didn't know which one, but I did want to go to Starbucks that day. Yes, no electricity below 39th Street and my plan was to walk up to Midtown, above 39th, find a Starbucks that was opened, get a coffee and hopefully be able to get a Electrical Outlet and charge my 

Cel-Phone battery and maybe my Laptop. I knew that everyone else would want to be charging up but at least I'd get a nice hot cup of coffee. "Not!" I walked all around, passed about 10 Starbucks, and guess what? Not a one was open. OK, my usual Cafes in my neighborhood of Greenwich Village / Soho we not open. They couldn't, we had "No Electricity" downtown, that's why I went uptown, they had electricity and there should be some Starbucks open, "Not," again. There wasn't a one open. Those "Bastards" let us down. Starbucks, SOBs! OK, I realizethere was a Hurricane and some people maybe couldn't get to work. OK. But with more than 50 Starbucks above 39th Street those "No Good SOB's" should have been able to organize some skeleton-crews and open at least a few Starbucks in a time when New Yorkers Needed Starbucks most, those SOB's let us down. Yes, "Starbucks Let New York and New Yorkers Down." They could have opened a few of their shops, when the comfort of hot Coffee and a place to go would have been so greatly appreciated, it would have been like a great Public Service to New Yorkers, but No, "Stabucks Let New Yorkers Down" when we needed them most, Starbucks was not there for us, New Yorkers. OK, enough of this already, I hate those Bastards, and will never forget when we needed them most, "Starbucks Let New Yorkers Down."

  Now, back to my great odyssey. OK, no Dam Starbucks like I planned. I'd have to find some other options. Well, now that I think about it, maybe Starbucks did me a favor, as my options turned out way better than any time spent at that "Giant Commercial Sanitized Conglomerate Stabucks" could have ever been. So I looked all over for a Starbucks to go to, didn't find a one, they were "all Closed," SOB's! So I'm in midtown I figure I might as well go over to my workplace, maybe someone is around. So I walk over to East 49th, get to my job, nobody is around. OK? It's near the Waldorf so I figure let me go over there, Cha-Ching !!! I hit pay-dirt! The Waldorf is open, and it's jumpin, people are all over the lobby, sitting  in chairs or on the floor (nice comfortable thick Rug) and they're "all Plugged-In), their laptops and cel phone. Right on! I do the same. Found a free outlet and plugged in. My laptop first, then my cel.

 

 

 

 

to be CONTINUED

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAFFE REGGIO

 

DURING FRANKENSTORM

 

HURRICANE SANDY October 29 , 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Watch The VIDEO

 

 

ONE MAN'S FRANKENSTORM

 

 

HURRICANE SANDY ODESSEY

 

 

NEW YORK , NY

I Begin My HURRICANE SANDY ODESSY

 

 

Walking around GREENWICH VILLAGE and Soho

 

Before headig up to Mid Town to get COFFEE . Food ?

 

A place to hang (The ALGONQUIN HOTEL and WA:DORF ASTORIA)

 

 

and to Charge the Batteries of my Cel Phone and Laptop Computer

 

 

It was quite the day.

 

 

Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

.

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