Starbucks Instant Coffee

The Starbucks Company calls their instant coffee product "Via," and is test-selling the coffee in select US cities.   Via is a "road" to destruction, in my view.

I don't get it. In the last five years the Starbucks brand has been diluted with bad coffee, bad sandwiches, and lower quality pastries. They did have a good thing going with their music until iTunes came along. But that's not Starbucks' fault. What is their fault is the decline in their coffee quality, Pike's Place, and now further dilution of the brand with Via.

Starbucks has a shareholder problem.The value of the shares steadily increased since the issuing the of IPO in 1992. Until recently. The shares peaked at around $40, declined to $10 a few years ago, and are now inching back up to about $20 per share. Understandably, large shareholders hate to see their investments diminish. And they know that the only way back up is to expand, to sell more of the current product, or to create more products to sell. They have done about about all the US expansion they can do, they have a bigger menu in the stores than they need, so what's left?

Instant coffee? Yuuuchh. Fire the brain-child that dreamed this up.

It may work, sure, because it is still "cashing in" on the mystique of the name, but what happens 10 years from now when the Starbucks name is synonymous with Folgers or Maxwell House. Imagine saying to someone, "let's meet at the Folgers store." Instant coffee is short-sighted growth and killing the image goose that lays the golden eggs.

I have a suggestion. How about making a really good cup of coffee? Every cup, every customer, every time someone walks in the store.

College of Saint Thomas More

The College of Saint Thomas More invites students, Tutors, alumni, friends and benefactors to the blessing of the new Chapel of Christ the Teacher by Bishop Kevin Vann on Monday, October 5 at 5:00 p.m.

Bishop Vann will celebrate Mass following the blessing of the chapel. All are welcome and encouraged to come celebrate this joyous occasion with the College.

Details:

Date:	Monday, October 5, 2009
Time:	5:00pm - 8:00pm
Location:	Chapel of Christ the Teacher
Street:	3011 Lubbock, Fort Worth

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php

Yogolait. Frozen Yogurt.

I have a suggestion the next time you go out for dinner: go to Yogolait for a frozen yogurt dessert. I did last night and boydaddy it is good. The store is in a small shopping center south of Central Market, a couple stores from Starbucks.

The Yogolait concept is self-serve for both the frozen yogurt and the toppings. Yogolait provides paper cups and the customer chooses from a selection of 8 or so flavors and does the dispensing himself. Same with the toppings.

Our favorite: the classic tart frozen yogurt with toppings of assorted berries and nuts, and maybe a little chocolate. (We were daily visitors to a very similar store in Philadelphia)

Pay by the ounce. A small serving costs about $3 - 4.

It is so good it is scary.
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For a detailed list of yogurt flavors and toppings: http://yogolait.com

Yogolait
3250 Hulen St #130
Fort Worth, TX 76107

Candlelighters Run, 2009.

My favorite 5k run in Fort Worth is the Candlelighter's Run & Walk. Here's why:

1. The "nightrun" itself is different and enjoyable.
2. Great food and refreshments. Not every 5k provides as much.
3. Music and festive atmosphere after the race.
4. Downtown Fort Worth as the start and finish points.

Put all of these together and everyone gets a very enjoyable event. More importantly, the Candlelighter's Run & Walk supports an agency that works with children cancer patients and their families. There are 120 cases of childhood cancer each year in Tarrant County and the Childhood Cancer Foundation of Fort Worth has been assisting the patients and their families since 1992.

Following is a summary of event details, and, by the way, I will be there, running in slow motion.

• Cost: $20
  
• Date: October 10, 2009
• Time: 5k Run start time is 8:30 p.m.
• Event begins at 6 pm.
• Start location: 8th St and Main St., Fort Worth, Texas.

For more information or to sign-up: http://www.candlelightersfw.org

Ellerbe Fine Foods

Food in Fort Worth... there's plenty of it... and there's plenty of personality behind the wonderful eating establishments... Places that come to mind: Nona's, Fred's, JJ's, , the list goes on and on.

More recently, the Magnolia area has seen another addition that has taken off and really shown Fort Worth what personal attention to ingredient selections and home town tastes can do for a great meal.

Ellerbe Fine Foods on 1501 W. Magnolia St. is the new spot to get very good service, great wine selection, and incredibly fresh/tasty meals.

My wife, Becca (of the West), Josie Singleton (Eat This Fort Worth), and myself took a "neccessary" trip to Ellerbe's for an article in the current issue of Fort Worth Foodie. The article was about focusing on locally grown organic foods and their importance (not to mention their fantastic taste).

Enough rambling... Here's the quick rundown of dinner... Probably one of the better meals you can get in Fort Worth. I'm not kidding. We've ventured out to many different establishments, but the tastes that we had at Ellerbe's, was quite possibly unmatched.

We sample several of their appetizers, entrees, and even deserts. Here's the quick breakdown...

Apps:
Homegrown tomato salad - nice, big, flavorful tomatoes with hushpuppy croutons. Good, strong flavors.
Texas peaches and Deborah’s Farmstead Chevre - lovely comibination of cheese and peaches.
Watermelon, cantalope, shaved proscuitto, goat cheese, and a balsamic reduction - my favorite, flavors were very bold, sweet, savory, all over the place!

Entrees:
Curried Lamb Chops, Latte De Feta, Warm Couscous Salad, Tzatziki - incredible. The lamb chops were perfectly done (moist, pink, spiced just right)... The couscous was nice with the smooth feta.. and the Tzatziki gave a cool topping to the spiced lamb.

Grilled Airline Chicken Breast, Port Glazed Lightsey Figs, Mascarpone Polenta, Grilled Asparagus - Very tastey polenta with the mascarpone. Very Earthy feel to it. Chicken was properly prepared and mixed very well with the polenta.

Dessert:
Texas Peach and Prosecco Semifreddo - sweet, sparkling, tastey...
Maw Maw's Bread Pudding - not bad, really really rich...
and a pot of French pressed coffee - they put the water in too hot, slightly burnt

Overall, like I said earlier, the service was prompt and attentive (and very knowleadgeable)... the meal was no less than great, and I definitely put my seal of approval on the place...