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| Rose Hill Starbucks Kirkland, WA (Hawaiian Odysseus photo) See that window to the left in the photo above? Follow the T in STARBUCKS straight down, and that's right where I sat for several hours this afternoon and early evening producing two blog posts--the one just before this entry entitled, MY BIGGEST ROLE TO DATE, and a post for Hawaiian Odysseus 2 about my grand-nephew, Ryder Silas, being THE PERFECT SUCCESSOR (to the E*Trade baby model). My knock on Starbucks, as compared to Tully's, is that the former doesn't place enough importance on having good, comfy furniture and ample table space for writing, doing homework, engaging in business activities with a plethora of electronic doodads, or holding hands with and gazing into the eyes of a sweetheart. Well, I must say, I have had to eat my words today. I really like the spaciousness of this Starbucks. There is no physical partition between the bar area and the seating area, and yet there is a definitely implied separation between the two areas without giving anyone a claustrophobic or overly segregated feeling. There has been a steady flow of customers through this shop for the several hours that I have been here. Even so, no one has had to stand around looking for a place to sit. There are four large, well-cushioned chairs in the center of the seating area. Lots of tables border the three walls--the one you can see in the photo above and the two adjacent to that wall. One of the first anomalies I noticed was that the entire day shift crew, except for the manager, were dudes. When the evening shift arrived, there were two females. Either way, though, there was a pleasant ambience during the entirety of my stay here. An outdoor patio was not used at all today, but as the weather gets warmer, I can imagine a host of people in casual summer clothing will be utilizing that extension. The majority of customers were Caucasian, with the next largest ethnic group being East Indian. There were a couple of Japanese women. In the evening, I observed an Afro-American male at the bar. I was the only Pacific Islander. (I found this interesting in that the area I live in--the Rainier Valley on the southeast side of Seattle--has the opposite makeup. Of course, I am usually the sole Pacific Islander in that area as well. That's always a lot of fun.) Kirkland, like the other two major eastside cities, Redmond and Bellevue, is considered to be an affluent entity. This was reflected in the predominantly middle- to upper middle-class persona of the customers I saw in here today. |
(Hawaiian Odysseus photo)
The parking lot has an abundant amount of well-marked spaces. I took the above photo in the early afternoon. As I write this, it is 7:10 PM (Hey, the red hot Mariners game just got under way! Go, M's!), and the parking lot is more than half full.
A couple of male students--one with a Russian accent--are sitting directly behind me. The American is a loudmouth, pressing his point home with his companion about a homework assignment. Even with his over-the-top volume, there continues to be a pleasant atmosphere in this coffee shop.
I've had a venti Vanilla Soy Latte, followed by a venti Americano (the latter being free because I got it as a substitute for a bold brew, which is normally free because I use a registered gold card). There is enough caffeine in me to keep me going through the grueling 8-hour baking shift which starts at 10 PM for me.
My stay here at this particular Starbucks has been an enjoyable one. I was able to produce three posts, including this piece. In a few minutes, I will use the restroom and then pack my stuff up in preparation for a light supper at Safeway and a bus ride from Kirkland to Redmond.
(Hawaiian Odysseus photo)
I'll be back!
