Thankful Thursday

I received FANTASTIC news via Facebook this week.  Starbucks is bringing the Chonga Bagel back to the Northwest!!

Photo Credit: http://cakeandicecreams.com/

Here is my Facebook post from September 29, 2011 - when I discovered it was being discontinued:

This is me, mourning the Chonga Bagel from Starbucks. :-( Good bye old friend. I'll always be thankful that my old manager was given an extra bagel one day and that he decided to give it to me. That was when I learned how delicious you are

....were....

I will treasure the years we had together.

Gone too soon.....I'll miss you!

You can tell I was extremely distraught.

Truth is, I have gone to Starbucks a LOT less since the Chonga went away.  I can tell because I don't use my debit card there, I just continuously load money on to a gift card.  (I do this because the I use their (red) card, and every time I used a charitable donation was made.)  I think I've only loaded the card once since September.

When you don't drink coffee, there are significantly less reasons to go to Starbucks.  I only love one other food item there (The Greek yogurt parfait with honey, granola and cranberries - PLEASE don't get rid of it!!!!) and it is often sold out at my usual Starbucks so....why risk going there if I have no back up food option?

This is a great time to mention that by "usual Starbucks," I actually mean "the Starbucks I try first" because I have 4 within a block from work, and this number grows exponentially with each added block.  (Tip: Never suggest that we meet at the Starbucks across the street from my work - we'll never find each other.)  I have been known to go do three different Starbucks to track down a bagel or yogurt.

Despite not drinking coffee, and despite the fact that some days I think it's trying to ruin my life, I do love Starbucks - a love that has grown even stronger with the return of the Chonga!