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PUT DOWN THE PHONE AND PICK UP A CUP!! We hear so much about texting and talking while driving, but what about those people who can't seem to take a coffee or lunch break without their telephones up to their ears? Honestly, I like a good phone conversation as well as the next person, but I think it's all gotten a bit out of control.  Like where do we go from here? I was walking back from lunch the other day and realized that no one was paying attention to their surroundings, the traffic signals, the other pedestrians, the elderly, disabled, pets and babies.  People are completely addicted to their smart phones, which isn't so smart, sometimes. I tend to not walk and talk because I don't want to get distracted and step out into traffic or become the victim of a "snatch and grab" which is not at all uncommon in large cities. So, I thought, "What if everyone decided to, for one day only , not use their cell phones during lunch or break and inste

Teavana Marshmallow Macaron Herbal Tea Coffee, I will never leave you.   But, there are some teas that just know how to initiate a love affair before you even know it has started. Every night for the past few days, I've craved the new Marshmallow Macaron herbal tea from Teavana .   Teavana is one of those places where you have to be careful.  You're walking through the mall, minding your own business, and bam out of nowhere you see those big dispensers saying " Free Sample ." You come in for a sniff and leave with a hole in your pocket.  So many options! This tea actually tastes like Marshmallow and Macaron !  Don't know how they did it.  There's even little marshmallows in the tea. It looks like trail mix!  But, it's tea. I love my coffee but this stuff is creeping into my bedroom at night! Can't fight it?  Steep it.

Peet's Columbia Nabusimake I feel bad telling you about one of the best coffees of the year from Peet's when they've already roasted their last batch.  Final roast was March 18th. It's been a crazy work-week and I hadn't had time to let you know.  But, there is a very good chance that there is still some of this great stuff in your local Peet's coffee shop. Columbia Nabusimake is "fair," as in fair trade, but also "fair" as in "fairly balanced."  The perfect amount of "pow" combined with the perfect amount of "just right" to make this chocolate-y, robust blend bold but not too bold. You can no longer purchase it online, but there is absolutely nothing stopping you from visiting every Peet's within a 40 mile radius of your home until you find it.  It's the weekend.  The perfect time for a "coffee hunt." Peet's Columbia Nabusimake (organic and fair roast) - a limited offering

It had been a while since I'd had San Francisco Bay Gourmet Coffee .  It's a very popular brand at Costco and other big box stores and I've seen it in the kitchens of my friends. However, I had never personally tried the Single Serve that Rogers Family now offers. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  The coffee is a good bit less expensive than the traditional K-Cups(R) you find in stores.  It's also 97% biodegradable.  Which is what concerned me.  The "cup" itself seemed a little odd-looking and I was concerned that it wouldn't brew properly or that it might leak.  But, it does work perfectly. This review is for the " Donut Shop " blend which is a milder roast.  I'm trying to get in the habit of drinking lighter roast coffees, as opposed to the bold roasts I normally drink.   The fact that they're widely available in grocery stores is another plus.  You don't have to wait for a shipment in the mail or make a sp

Losing an hour's sleep is rough.  I'm using today to prepare for my week ahead. Lining up my single-serve coffees to have at the ready for my harried and hurried work-day mornings. First up is  Caribou's "Mahogany" Dark Roast Coffee .  Made with a mix of El Salvador and Sumatra beans.   I used a 10 ounce cup setting on my brewer and it made this cup just right.  Not too strong and not too weak.  Bold and satisfying.  And simple. I could do this with my eyes half-shut, which is exactly what they were when I made this. Caribou is just one of the many varieties of single-serve coffees available at your fingertips (literally) from Cross Country E-Cafe .  You don't even have to leave home to shop. I wonder if there's a "repeat" button on my single-serve brewer? Cross Country E-Cafe Tel. 1-888-774-6939

Laissez Bon Temps Roulez! Happy Fat Tuesday. Eat, drink and be merry - because tomorrow Lent begins!

Guest Post by Samantha Thomas for Nescafé Is coffee your first love? Can’t say no to the fresh aroma of coffee at home? Truth is, instant coffee doesn’t do the trick for diehard coffee lovers. To brew that perfect cup of coffee, you need a coffee maker that is not only simple to use but also does justice to the flavor and essence of coffee every time you take a sip. If you have been searching for the perfect coffee maker far and wide, here are some of the top coffee makers that you must check out. Take a look: 1.     The French Press or Cafetiere Looking for a quick, easy way to brew a big pot of delicious coffee at once? The French press is a godsend that you can rely on any day for a fresh and hot cuppa Joe. The advantage of the French press is that it is easy to use and extracts a large quantity of coffee from even a handful of coffee beans. 2.     The Aeropress For that perfect single mug of coffee, nothing works like the easy to u

It's the little things that make a big difference.  Like this hot cup of Starbucks Reserve Sumatra Blue Batak  I'm enjoying this morning. It was a particularly rough week at work and I was feeling like I needed something to make me feel better.  So, I stopped off at the Starbucks Clover store and picked up something special. At 15.95 for an eight ounce bag, it's on the more expensive side, but sometimes you have to treat yourself. I've had this particular reserve before, but the 2014 Roast delivers on its promise:  " Smooth and earthy with deep, syrupy body and sweet herbal notes." Living for the weekend. From Starbucks.com : "For centuries Batak tribe members in the Lintong district on Lake Toba’s southern shore—Sumatra’s prized coffee-growing region—have cultivated big, bold coffees like this one in their backyard gardens. After the ripest cherries are handpicked, they’re painstakingly wet-hulled in small batches. This unique proc