The French are changing. After Starbucks, a healthy president, and a ban on smoking in public places, smoking will be banned in French cafés starting January 1st.

Green tea better be good to compare with Cafe Du Monde Coffee with beignets at the French Market or a Starbucks double tall Latte at Pikes Place Market. Thanks to Gunpowder, I miss New Orleans and Seattle but I do not miss coffee.

Know one of the initial success secrets of the Americanized: Chipotle (Mexican), Pizza Hut (Italian), Outback Steakhouse (Australian), Olive Garden (Italian), Starbucks (Italian), China’s KFC (American), Boudin Bakery (French), and Hooter’s

The Starbuckification of the French Quarter in New Orleans begins.

A tall Starbucks latte costs $3.10. That's $62 for 1 Month (weekdays only). 2 Pounds of Peets premium Sumatra costs $24 which is enough for 20 cups, or 1 Month. Out of the $38/Month you save, take $13 and buy a French Press and take the remaining $25 and donate it to Obama's campaign. Why? Because a French Press makes much better coffee.

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX ; SEHK: 4337) is a multinational coffee and coffeehouse chain company based in the United States. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 15,011 stores in 42 countries. Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, snacks and items such as mugs and coffee beans. Through its Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of these products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks brand ice cream and coffee are also sold at grocery stores.From its founding in Seattle, Washington, as a local coffee bean roaster and retailer, Starbucks has expanded rapidly. In the 1990s, the company was opening a new store every workday, a pace that continued into the 2000s. Domestic growth has since slowed down, though the company continues to expand in foreign markets and is opening 7 stores a day worldwide. The first location outside of the U.S. and Canada was established in 1996, and they now constitute almost one third of Starbucks' stores.As of November 2007, Starbucks had 8,505 company-owned outlets worldwide: 6,793 of them in the United States and 1,712 in other countries and U.S. territories. In addition, the company has 6,506 joint-venture and licensed outlets, 3,891 of them in the United States and 2,615 in other countries and U.S. territories. This brings the total locations (as of November 2007) to 15,011 worldwide. Starbucks can be found in many popular grocery chains in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in many airports.Starbucks' corporate headquarters are in Seattle, Washington, United States. As of January 2008, the members of the company's board of directors are Howard Schultz (Chair), Barbara Bass, Howard Behar, Bill Bradley, Mellody Hobson, Olden Lee, James Shennan, Jr., Javier Teruel, Myron Ullman, III, and Craig Weatherup.