Letter meme!

[osprey_archer]

From littlerhymes, who gave me C.

Something I hate: Coffee. Still, despite working at a coffee shop. However, we do occasional coffee tastings, and at the last one I was not filled with a desire to go chug a cup of water to wash the taste out of my mouth, and this is clearly a sign that the coffee is corrupting me. WOE.

Something I love: Chocolate caramel muffins. These are a new thing this winter at Starbucks and I adore them and it is my ambition to convince everyone to try them so then Starbucks will keep them and I can have chocolate caramel muffins FOREVER.

I have not tasted such excellent chocolate muffins since I was a sophomore in college, when the dining hall had giant chocolate muffins for breakfast, still warm from the oven, with chocolate chips inside gently melted from that heat. They were basically cupcakes without icing. They were exquisite.

Somewhere I've been: Cambridge! In fact, I've been to multiple Cambridges: the original in England, which has a plethora of utterly charming bookstores, and also one in Minnesota, which has but one bookstore, but that one is pretty charming. I bought Rosemary Sutcliff's The Silver Branch there.

...This probably tells you everything you need to know about the way I travel.

Somewhere I'd like to go: I'd like to go to Canada. I have, admittedly, already been to Canada, but Emma lives there now, and I would like to visit her. And we've been discussing maybe going to Prince Edward Island sometime, and that would be most excellent.

Someone I know: My oldest friend - the one I've known the longest, not the oldest in years - is Chelsea. In eighth grade we made a haunted house in my basement and shuttled all our friends through it, and while they were not properly appreciative of the monologue I had prepared (I did not actually give the monologue; that honor fell to our eventual co-conspirator Emma), it was nonetheless glorious and beautiful and will eventually work its way into one of my books.

In the book, they will properly appreciate the monologue. If only because the monologue may accidentally open the gateway to eldritch horrors.

A film I like: Captain America, obviously.

A book I like: Zilpha Keatley Snyder's The Changeling, which is the most magical book that I know that has no actual magic. It's one of the few books - among it's many other virtues - that I think really captures the fun of imaginative games. Often reading an account of someone else's games is a bit like hearing someone try to explain an inside joke: clearly it made sense to the people who were there, but the magic is long gone.

But The Changeling gives you that "you are there" feeling. Also, utterly marvelous descriptions of tree-climbing.

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's one of the few books...that I think really captures the fun of imaginative games.

So, so true. And *so* true what you say about tree climbing, too. I found a willow growing over a stream and called it "Bent Willow" in honor of Bent Oaks Grove.

The first Starbucks I went to didn't have the muffins D: Admittedly it was one in a B&N, but they didn't even know about them. "Well," I said, "they have them in Indiana." I mean, come on, Massachusetts Starbucks! Get your game on!

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

The B&N coffee shops are their own weird thing; they get their coffee from Starbucks, but I'm pretty sure they get their baked goods from somewhere else.

Is Bent Willow climbable?

[poeticknowledge.livejournal.com]

Chocolate caramel muffins?!!! How did I miss this?! I really hope we have them here in Tennessee because I have now made it my new mission to try them this week! :D Either they weren't on the drive-thru menu when I last went about a week or two ago or my attention was too focused on the yummy new tiramisu and caramel flan (?) lattes -- LOVE the tiramisu latte by the way! Adam and I have had them twice. ♥ I plan on trying the caramel flan one as well. :)

Also, YES!!! Captain America is awesome! :)

I am also very eager to check out The Changeling. Sounds very intriguing! :)

And yes!!!! Canada! :) I want to go there so badly! Jacobnorman, one of my newest LJ friends, lives in St. Albert in Alberta and she was giving me all of these lovely descriptions of how beautiful it is there and various tips and advice on where to visit by province in our AIM chat and it has only renewed my passion and fervor for traveling there! :) The only problem now is money....someday! ♥

[poeticknowledge.livejournal.com]

Also, I would love to do this meme as well if you will give me a letter! ;) :D Looks fun! ♥

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Hmm. F?

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

My store doesn't have a drive-thru so I'm not sure what all would be on the menu, but it's possible that the muffins are tucked away in a corner somewhere; they don't seem to be getting the push that the caramel flan and tiramisu lattes are. The tiramisu latte is very popular at our store; the caramel flan latte seems to be more of a love it or hate it kind of thing, so I'm curious to hear what you think!

There are so many places that I want to travel! *sighs* Someday, as you say!

[poeticknowledge.livejournal.com]

Hmmm....I think the letter "F" might be a bit tough in terms of naming a friend. Can you choose another letter?

[poeticknowledge.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean! :) There are so many places I'd like to see! ♥

I definitely plan on trying the caramel flan so I will let you know my thoughts! :) I hope I can hunt down one of those tasty muffins too! ♥ *crosses fingers*

I will keep you posted! :)

[littlerhymes]

The way you travel sounds much like the way I do too. Why are suitcases so inconveniently small when you're trying to take home like 10 extra books?

The haunted basement sounds amazing. ALL the accidental portals to hell dimensions, pls. :)

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I don't think it has to be a friend, maybe just someone you know from work or school. But maybe D would be easier?

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I sometimes find myself thinking "Do I really need to take along multiple pairs of pants? I'd have more room for books that way!" But usually sanity prevails.

[poeticknowledge.livejournal.com]

"D" would be much easier, thanks! :) It's true that I could just pick someone I know, but I would rather talk about someone close to my heart, as you have here. ♥ I can think of a few people already with this new letter. :)

Looking forward to posting this! :) Thanks again! :)

Also, guess what?! The Starbucks here does indeed have chocolate caramel muffins! I am ecstatic! :D They were out of them today unfortunately, but maybe sometime this week while I am on vacation! :) Yay!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Bent Willow was climbable--or rather, it was walkable on, like that illustration of Ivy balanced on one of the oak branches in Bent Oaks. Oh it was lovely in spring!

I missed a chance to try a different Starbucks yesterday. I might make it a deliberate mission today.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I do love that illustration. Wonderful Ivy!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I made a mission to Starbucks with the healing angel.

THEY HAD THE MUFFIN!

But only one--which was okay, because the healing angel wanted blueberry. But how lucky was that? I got the last caramel muffin of the day.

The center was ah-maze-ing, just amazing, just as you said it would be.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

YAY! I'm glad your quest for the muffin was at last successful!