reviews-day tuesday

Welcome to a new series. To keep Tuesdays alive and interesting and readers engaged. You want to know what is worth your time, money, investment. I can help you with that. And we'll try to keep it relevant.

Once in 12 stars, I get a free drink from Starbucks, thanks to my well-used gold card. Typically this means I buy the biggest, most delicious, recently-added drink menu item. Or sometimes I just go with my gut and get a venti iced coffee, unsweetened. Today though the PSL signs sparked my interest - just what we need in this life, another acronym - and although I did not desire a Pumpkin Spice Latte on this particular Tuesday, I did notice that a few sister drinks had been added to the latest and greatest Fall drink list. The one pictured above is a chocolate chai latte. Chocolate + chai + latte. Three words that seem like they should go together deliciously. Two of those, rearranged in two different ways, are two peas in a pod. Chocolate + latte (mocha) and chai + latte. Both drinks melt in your mouth, especially on cold days, but mixed all together (minus the espresso), the drink is less than impressive. I was disappointed, but not as disappointed as if I had actually paid for it. Stick with your chai or your mocha or your PSL or that other thing you get at coffee shops - coffee. Chocolate chai leaves much to be desired. Hence the half-full cup that got thrown away shortly after this picture was taken above.

If, however, you are interested in real, live, more expensive, but worth it coffee, take a walk down to Peregrine at the Eastern Market location, Union Market, or U St. Each location makes a drink so beautiful, so luscious, you will spend the rest of the day is a frothy milk daze, heart racing from espresso. You know how infants are described as "milk drunk" after they eat? No? (Go here for clarification.) Well, "milk drunk" is the best way to describe your experience after Peregrine. (That's not to say it's the same as breastfeeding. Don't even go there.) Come visit me in DC, and I'll take you by Peregrine. I have spent many a time at this counter, anxiously anticipating my drink, delighting in the carefully chosen music over the speakers.

Each barista has been trained so thoroughly that their drinks are signed, sealed, and delivered to you the same way, same taste every time. My recommendation would be to go on a Saturday morning, and then, sipping your drink, take a stroll over to Eastern Market to buy your fresh fruits and veggies. Sometimes they even have homemade goat cheese and soaps and moon pies.

I leave you now with a look at my new slowly-budding garden, thanks to a little pop-up shop in Eastern Market, and a song for your Tuesday afternoon. Ta ta.

my babies:
(from left) kale, spinach, broccoli