[Claire]

There's this charming little coffee shop (Capitol Coffee House) two blocks from my house next to this amazing little Italian restaurant, alba osteria (no, I'm not ee cummings, they just don't capitalize).

The coffee shop serves a light dinner upstairs, has amazing desserts and wines in the evenings, mouth watering pastries in the mornings, is filled with dark antique furniture, has great patio seating, is always packed, and oh my gosh, the coffee drinks are to die for.

I found out from our neighborhood Starbucks manager that Starbucks OWNS Capitol Coffee House. I guarantee that NONE of their regular customers knows it, or they wouldn't go there (major hippy hang-out too). I about DIED. Here I'm always feeling guilty that I don't go there often enough, thinking it's locally owned, but NO. It's owned by Starbucks!!! Apparently, Starbucks makes offers on its local competition when it moves into a neighborhood. I had NO idea!

So....that WAS my favorite little independent place.