Starbucks Revelation

http://thenextweb.com/2010/01/11/starbucks-formula-social-media-success/

When you live in New York City, Starbucks pop up everywhere. Depending on what neighborhood you're standing in. This particular coffee house tends to locate itself inside Targets as well. This may not be true for all over the country, but in NY the pair go together like peanut butter and jelly.

http://inhabitat.com/inhabitat-interview-8-questions-with-starbucks-global-responsibility-vp-ben-packard/

It's quite odd. The lower middle class is subject to this rather high priced coffee shop. I suppose this is good marketing- you have no local Starbucks because you're neighbors can't afford it but when those same neighbors go to Target they suddenly have the money for it.

Low and behold I found a little secret out about the Starbucks-Target matrimony. The coffee you purchase while shopping is cheaper than the the java you purchase while sitting in the cafe playing Facebook games on your laptop.

http://www.fastcompany.com/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/mic2012_poster/mic2012/141-poster-starbucks-most-innovative-company-2012.png

Yesterday, while trying to complete my Starbucks Card 10 Star Dash I got a Target coffee while waiting for a prescription. I ordered a  tall blonde roast for my first time. Lately I've been drinking the grande Vanilla Blonde Roast. This particular beverage costs about $2.80 at my local Starbucks. Last week this same local Starbucks ran out of the Blonde and didn't get a restock for a coupe of days. On another note it bewilders me how a coffee house can run out of a certain type of drink. Two days in a row I ordered the tall Pike coffee. This beverage could cost me anywhere from $1.91 to a little over two dollars. I guess it depends whether or not the barista charged me tax.

http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/80450F/thefw.com/files/2012/04/Starbucks-Secret-Menu2.jpg

My Target tall Blonde Roast cost me $1.65, when you add in the tax my total was $1.80, the cheapest I've ever paid for a Starbucks coffee. When I went to the regular Starbucks a few hours later I checked out the price board. Here, a tall coffee costs $1.75 before tax, $.10 more expensive. I decided to get an iced coffee since I was a little sweaty from walking.                                         

                                              

My best guess for the price difference is to make the coffee more appealing to the members of society that frequently shop at Target. It's a step above Wal-Mart and the .99 cent store but it still isn't no Bloomingdale's or Macy's.

My second guess is because the coffee isn't as strong or tasteful. The Target Starbucks' is regular Starbucks' ugly cousin who got all the hand me downs.

Stabucks Coffee shops that are present in
Targets must all have the same design.

I've seen both the picture below this
one and this exact setup featured
in both Targets that I go to frequently. 

Today I had to go to Starbucks in order to get my 10th star for the Dash I mentioned earlier. I was going to try a regular Starbucks' tall Blonde roast in order to see if taste or strength of the coffee was stronger than the cup I had the day before. They must have known I was coming to out them. My local Starbucks was closed because of plumbing issues. I walked to the Target so I could get my last star. 

It makes me wonder though what other prices are different. I never pay attention to the price of an Iced Caramel Macchiato, I always use my free drink reward to order a really big one. The next time I walk into the regular Starbucks I know what price difference I'm looking for.

The SAG Awards

Tonight we are once again presented with an award show celebrating cinema and television.  It better be worth while since Once Upon a Time and Revenge will not be airing tonight. 

This time around, actors, who are a part of the Screen Actors Guild, vote on other actors. I wonder how many people voted for them selves.  This is almost like high school presidential elections. Hopefully the members of the SAG are smarter than students in high school are. Well, let's pray these actors and actresses are smarter than what the 'People' who voted for the People's Choice Awards were.  Leah Michelle isn't even funny. I've never laughed at anything she has ever done. And, is her dress see-through. Stars should just show up naked din that case.

Here are tonight's nominations and my predictions. 99 percent of these movies I have never seen so I'll be guessing... again.

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role

Alan Arkin, Argo
Javier Bardem, Skyfall
Rober De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role

Sally Field, LincolnAnne Hathaway, Les MiserablesHelen Hunt, The SessionsNicole Kidman, The PaperboyMaggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series

Alec Balwdin, 30 Rock
Ty Burrell, Modern Family 
Louis CK, Louie
*Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory*
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

*Can I just say Jim Parsons deserves to win this time around. Few people can play such a strange character so well and make the audience think they really are that character. I can't believe Parsons is normal in regular life.

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Comedy Series

Edie Falco, Nurse JackieTina Fey, 30 RockAmy Poehler, Parks and RecreationSofia Vergara, Modern FamilyBetty White, Hot in Cleveland

Betty White deserves to win because she is rip roaringly lol. May I just say Sophia Vergara- not that funny.  She's just hot.

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Comedy Series

30 RockThe Big Bang Theory
Glee - How is Glee even a comedy series. Is it just because it's a musical and there's no  musical category.Modern FamilyNurse JackieThe Office

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Movie Or
Miniseries

Nicole Kidman, Hemingway and GellhornJulianne Moore, Game ChangeCharlotte Rampling, RestlessSigourney Weaver, Political AnimalsAlfre Woodard, Steel Magnolias

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries

Kevin Costner, Hatfields and McCoysWoody Harrelson, Game ChangeEd Harris, Game ChangeClive Owen, Hemingway and GellhornBill Paxton, Hatfields and McCoys

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Drama Series

Claire Danes, HomelandMichelle Dockery, Downton AbbeyJessica Lange, American Horror StoryJulianna Margulies, The Good WifeMaggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Drama Series

Steve Buscemei, Boardwalk EmpireBryan Cranston, Breaking BadJeff Daniels, The NewsroomJon Hamm, Mad MenDamian Lewis, Homeland

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series

Boardwalk EmpireBreaking BadDownton Abbey
HomelandMad Men

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Leading Role

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings PlaybookDaniel Day-Lewis, LincolnJohn Hawkes, The SessionsHugh Jackman, Les MiserablesDenzel Washington, Flight

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark ThirtyMarion Cotillard, Rust and BoneJennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings PlaybookHelen Mirren, HitchcockNaomi Watts, The Impossible

Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture

ArgoThe Best Exotic Marigold HotelLes Miserables
LincolnSilver Linings Playbook

Outstanding Performance By A Stunt Ensemble In A Motion Picture

The Amazing Spiderman
The Bourne Legacy
The Dark Knight Rises
Les Miserables
Skyfall

Outstanding Performance By A Stunt Ensemble In A Television Series

Boardwalk EmpireBreaking BadGame of ThronesSons of AnarchyThe Walking Dead

Let's see how many of my predictions turn out to be truth.

I say we go watch all the pretty dresses on E!'s read carpet special.

The Golden Globes

The Golden Globes is an award show that I hear is like the black sheep cousin if The Academy Awards.  It's not as important, but any show where celebrities and those in the media are presented with some sort of statue is a big deal.

Let's not forget the fashion that strolls along the red carpet. Which I would like to mention I missed all of because I was trying to find a decent template for this blogger account.  Hence, none that I found worked and now I am left deliberating if the last 15 minutes of "Who are you wearing?" is worth it. Or even if watching the Golden Globes is worth it.

By the way is Kim Kardashian invited to these sorts of things.  She's every where yet has done nothing.

Back to the main attraction.  Before today I thought the Globes were for television but now I remember that's the Emmys. This award show celebrates both Movies and Television. Now my real question is why does the world need two same based award shows. What is the real difference.

Maybe the Globes are for those movies that graced our presence during the holiday season. That makes sense since I didn't see any of the nominated movies and I'm pretty sure none of come out on DVD as of yet. As for tv it beats me. It must be a celebration of all things visual.

Thanks to nj.com here are your nomnations, with who I think should win even though I know did-lie squat about anything nominated. All of which I haven't seen 90 percent of the trailers for.

MOTION PICTURES

Best Drama
"Argo"
"Django Unchained"
"Life of Pi"
"Lincoln"
"Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Musical/Comedy
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
"Les Miserables"
"Moonrise Kindgom"
"Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
"Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Director
Ben Affleck, "Argo"
Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"
Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"

Best Actress in a Drama
Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Marion Cotillard, "Rust and Bone"
Helen Mirren, "Hitchcock"
Naomi Watts, "The Impossible"
Rachel Weisz, "The Deep Blue Sea"

Best Actor in a Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"
Richard Gere, "Arbitrage"
John Hawkes, "The Sessions"
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"
Denzel Washington, "Flight"

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy
Jack Black, "Bernie"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Ewan McGregor, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Bill Murray, "Hyde Park on Hudson"

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Emily Blunt, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Judi Dench, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Maggie Smith, "Quartet"
Meryl Streep, "Hope Springs"

*I will silently root for all of them.

Best Supporting Actress 
Amy Adams, "The Master"
Sally Field, "Lincoln"
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Nicole Kidman, "The Paperboy"

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin, "Argo"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Django Unchained"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"
Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"

Best Screenplay
Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty"
Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"
David O'Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"
Chris Terrio, "Argo"

Best Foreign Language Film
"Amour"
"A Royal Affair"
"The Intouchables"
"Kon-Tiki"
"Rust and Bone"

Best Animated Feature
"Rise of the Guardians"
"Brave"
"Frankenweenie"
"Hotel Transylvania"
"Wreck-It Ralph"

Best Original Song
"For You," music and lyrics by Monty Powell, Keith Urban ("Act of Valor")
"Not Running Anymore," music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi ("Stand Up Guys") 
"Safe & Sound," music and lyrics by Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett ("The Hunger Games") 
"Skyfall," music and lyrics by Adele and Paul Epworth ("Skyfall") 
"Suddenly," music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil ("Les Miserables")

Best Original Score
Mychael Danna, "Life of Pi"
Alexandre Desplat, "Argo"
Dario Marianelli, "Anna Karenina"
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil, "Cloud Atlas" 
John Williams, "Lincoln"

TELEVISION

Best TV Comedy or Musical
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Episodes"
"Girls"
"Modern Family"
"Smash"

Best TV Drama 
"Breaking Bad"
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Downton Abbey"
"Homeland"
"The Newsroom"

Best Actress in a TV Drama
Connie Britton, "Nashville"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"

Best Actor in a TV Drama 
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

Best Actress in a TV Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

Best Actor in a TV Comedy
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Louis C.K., "Louie"
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Best Miniseries or TV Movie
"Game Change"
"The Girl"
"Hatfields & McCoys"
"The Hour"
"Political Animals"

Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Nicole Kidman, "Hemingway & Gellhorn"
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Sienna Miller, "The Girl"
Julianne Moore, "Game Change"
Sigourney Weaver, "Political Animals"

Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Kevin Costner, "Hatfields & McCoys"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "Sherlock (Masterpiece)"
Woody Harrelson, "Game Change"
Toby Jones, "The Girl"
Clive Owen, "Hemingway & Gellhorn"

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Hayden Panettiere, "Nashville"
Archie Panjabi, "The Good Wife"
Sarah Paulson, "Game Change"
Maggie Smith, "Downtown Abbey: Season 2" 
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Show, Miniseries or TV Movie
Max Greenfield, "New Girl"
Ed Harris, "Game Change"
Danny Huston, "Magic City"
Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

Overall I think it will be a "Lincoln", "Les Mis", "Breaking Bad" sort of night.