tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post6736954172361387515..comments2024-03-28T13:54:16.110-07:00Comments on danger garden: In the gardens of friendsdanger gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227500551609537140noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post-38714381338509320022009-09-11T20:34:00.986-07:002009-09-11T20:34:00.986-07:00I think there's a possibility your friend'...I think there's a possibility your friend's mystery plant is a baby madrone (Arbutus menziesii). If the leaves are a little bit leathery, and the trunk is reddish, it may be one. We had a very similar size and look plant volunteer in our back garden this summer, too. I'm thrilled, if ours is. I really wanted a madrone in our plan although we thought we didn't have the right situation for one. But if this is a volunteer, that clinches it, although we will have to move it a short distance. Your friend should not water the madrone, if he wants to keep it. That's apparently the kiss of death. If he wants to move it, now's the time. They don't do well with moves and transplanting when they get bigger. Good luck to him!MulchMaidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848950758103138175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post-21663359751649433642009-09-04T13:27:05.648-07:002009-09-04T13:27:05.648-07:00MTJulie, oh my...you do have point there! I wonder...MTJulie, oh my...you do have point there! I wonder if they would put it in a paper cup with a lid so nobody would know!? The really nice thing about Steve's yard is that he doesn't have to un-do a lot of previous owner landscaping. He can just start right in with things the way he wants them.<br /><br />ricki, you are right I drive by both of those locations frequently. I've never been in though, sounds like I might need to stop! I have to admit I really like the Charbucks flavor...danger gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227500551609537140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post-47431625011019077482009-09-03T10:26:04.396-07:002009-09-03T10:26:04.396-07:00My son is in the coffee biz (Ristretto Roasters, o...My son is in the coffee biz (Ristretto Roasters, one on 42nd off Freemont & one on N Williams...one close to you, no?) so I hear a lot about coffee politics, and the nuances of aroma, flavor, etc. quite similar to wine. I am not that much of a connoiseur, but after a RR coffee, it is hard to go back to "Charbuck's" unless I am on the road.<br />Not one to jump on the "bash them because they are so auccessful" bandwagon, SB seems like a pretty decent company fishing around for ways to deal with growing pains.ricki - sprig to twighttp://bannersbyricki.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post-78488075427474115952009-09-02T21:35:51.806-07:002009-09-02T21:35:51.806-07:00I think it "looks" cool. I sometimes wis...I think it "looks" cool. I sometimes wish I could get a beer or a wine in the drive thru on the way to work ;o)<br /><br />Looks like he has a nice yard to work in! Can't wait to see what he does with it.Julie Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827476441219850741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post-55104327841172271122009-09-02T14:55:00.115-07:002009-09-02T14:55:00.115-07:00Well Megan, I'm glad you asked (you did ask ri...Well Megan, I'm glad you asked (you did ask right?). Steve wanted to go take me to a neighborhood place but I really wanted to go to Starbucks, I LIKE Starbucks, I don't have any of those negative big corporate issues with Starbucks that some folks do. It's reliably good coffee and after a night of hanging out and drinking wine I needed some good strong coffee. But the coffee SUCKED! I always order the same thing and it didn't taste anything like what I wanted. And the pastries were dry and bland. So on a actual food and drink level they scored a zero. Oh and the guy filled the cup so full that when I put the lid on it spilled all over the counter! Nice. Why couldn't he put the lid on for me like they do at the real Starbucks? <br /><br />On to the other part of the experience, the decor. I really liked the way it looked. I could feel that I was totally being sold an experience but I could overlook that because I liked the experience. It was a very cool place to hang out. Except for the whole CREEPY thing about the fact that I was at a Starbucks owned store that was hiding the fact that it was a Starbucks. So it all felt fake. Very fake. Not good. I won't be back (ok it's not like I would just drop-in anyway but next time I am in Seattle I won't go there).<br /><br />So there you have it, my review. Oh...and I forgot there was a table of people setting around tasting wine. They had score sheets and were tasting and scoring, they might have been employees I couldn't tell. It was 10:30 am! It added to the odd fake sort of surreal feeling.danger gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227500551609537140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018965493805276234.post-49090835904689335502009-09-02T14:30:34.468-07:002009-09-02T14:30:34.468-07:00I haven't been in the fancy new beer & win...I haven't been in the fancy new beer & wine Starbucks-but-not-Starbucks places yet. I can't tell if you liked it or found it odd. I've read some stories about a shop in New York that a blogger was saying he didn't think would make it. He thought it was a weird mix, to try to present the shop like it was a local indie shop when it's actually a Starbucks. I'm not sure where I fall yet, I'll have to see one to make up my mind. I get Starbucks coffee regularly (on account of the addiction) but their brand seems so damaged these days, so I'm relieved they at least know they have a problem, whether or not they have found the right solution. Of course if I could just count on reliably good coffee/good service I'd be happy without a rebranding/unbranding effort. However, I still have a hard time picturing going to a Starbucks after work for a drink.Meganhttp://www.nestmaker.comnoreply@blogger.com