Obsession.

I am totally obsessed with Coffee Bean.

I worked at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf when I was in college in LA and of my “non-career” jobs, it was by far my favorite. I loved wearing a hat (LA food code!) and not worrying about my hair, I loved wearing a uniform that wasn’t ugly, and I discovered I was a morning person! I had no problem with my 5:30 am start time!

The shopping area that it was in had a theater a couple of doors down that would show cheap-o movies, too. So I would finish with my early morning shift, walk down, get a student rate for a cheap-o movie and see a movie before class. I loved doing that.

I loved tips. I LOVED tips. I mean, I worked at the exceptional rate of $6.25 an hour, so tips were a huge part of my pay. Since I worked in a wealthy part of LA - Marina Del Rey (not fancy shui shui Beverly Hills, but better than where I lived) the tips were awesome. They weren’t like Starbucks tips – which are all collected and then separated based on number of hours worked. Every time someone left a shift, tips were dumped and separated into tubs for each employee working on that shift. Every time someone came on shift, tips were dumped and separated. So you got the tips that you actually worked! I always worked mornings, when business is busy and tips are generous. So I wanted THOSE tips – the ones I earned. I had a huge change jar at home and would empty my pockets every day. Daily pay? I loved it! In fact, tips were my gas money every week. I paid for an entire trip to Vegas on tips. (I am always very cheerful in the mornings)

I love the Coffee Bean coffee. I always have it at home. My friends and family know to get it for me when they see it. Frappuchinos have NOTHING on Ice Blendeds. I adore the coffee, the espresso – everything!

The terrible thing about it all? Coffee Bean and Tea Leafs are really only in Southern California. So I become obsessed anytime we start heading towards LA or SD. I have been to many a Coffee Bean in the So Cal region now. Poor Todd – he finds himself driving all over for my obsession. But it’s so yummy!

Now, there is a Coffee Bean in San Fran, but I’ve never been there. Apparently, I find it easier to go to San Diego than San Francisco.

Lucky for me, my MIL has a Coffee Bean not to far away from her!