Starbucks Coffee

It's been a while (at least for me) since I've been to a Starbucks. Fortunately this particular location had plenty of tables (even a big bench!) and an outlet was pretty easy to find. They've got a bunch of dog-friendly tables outside and even a water bowl for your pooch.

I decided to try something new today and went with the vanilla bean Frappuccino. While it was pretty good and you could taste the bean, it simply reminded me of a shake versus a real frap. In other words, it was kind of boring.

Service at this location seems sort of indifferent and the baristas talked to customers in kind of an abrupt tone. As a place to work from though, it was pretty good. It's quiet and convenient and there is tons of parking and places to get a quick bite to eat. It's pet-friendly so that's always a plus so bring your furry friends along if you need to get some work done outside.

Food: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Price: $

Atmosphere: 8/10

As someone who has just joined the ranks of the un/self-employed, I am grateful to have a place like this for my "office." There are outlets everywhere, plenty of natural light, always at least one or two seats open, a cozy reading corner with armchairs, and a large table in the middle for group meetings or families. This Starbucks also has a nice shaded patio with plenty of tables, benches and even a couple of lounge chairs, as well as a water bowl for pets. It's located in a shopping center with a lot of easy parking and just about everything you need to run your errands, from Vons to Chase to Cotija's (yes, you must have their carnitas tacos). Golden Bagel is right next door and has an outdoor patio as well, so you really have double the breakfast options in one place. Service is pretty friendly. I really can't think of anything else you could want in a Starbucks, except perhaps an ocean view and almond croissants--but a girl can't have everything. For now, this is easily my go-to Starbucks.