Barista Baby

As some of you know (from one of my first blog posts), I am crazy for my Breville espresso machine. Why do I love it? Let me count the ways.

1. I have paid for the machine a few times over. Think about how much money you spend every year on your daily Starbucks hit of caffeine.


2. I don't have to leave the comfort of my own home to have a delicious coffee beverage. I have a coffee in my hands within 10 minutes of getting up - bedhead, pajamas, slippers and all.


3. I buy fair trade and/or organic coffee and organic milk. Most coffee shops don't offer organic milk. (If you know of any in Seattle, please let me know!)


4. I get to try great coffee like Stumptown, Caffe Ladro, Allegro and Peet's. I grind my own beans so my coffee grounds are oh so fresh.
   
5. I can make whatever my little heart desires... nonfat latte, whole milk cappuccino, americano, espresso macchiato, soy, caffeine, half caf, decaf, you name it.

Now if I haven't convinced you to give up your Starbucks habit and buy your own machine, I don't know what else to say. They are expensive but if you're currently making a daily pit-stop for coffee, at say $3 per day, you will pay off your shining beauty in less than 4 months.

For Christmas I wanted to get my husband and I some over-sized coffee mugs for our morning cup of joe. Not an easy task. I checked out all the major stores... Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Cost Plus and more. No luck. Finally I tracked down two different mugs and got us each our own pair. I got my husband some huge Chantal 16oz mugs from Mr. J in Bellevue. I got myself a pair of the Sculptors Mugs by Ceramiche Virginia from Anthropologie. They start my day off with a smile.