Sunday, June 08, 2008

The mug that started the collection


This is my first ever Starbucks mug which started my collection in February 2001.


It's the valentine mug of 2001 which was the first ever mug I ever bought, and which has spurred me to collect more.  Although I have quite a sizeable collection now, most of my mugs have a story to tell, and in chronicling the collection, I think it is also good to take note of the stories behind the mugs as well.

I had arrived in New York in June of 2000, and although I had been going to Starbucks regularly thanks to my coffee drinking hubby, I never really paid particular attention to the mugs.  In February 2001, I saw this mug and was just drawn to it because of its design.  I picked it up and used it as a pencil holder in our room.  We had a few mugs in the house already by then, but they were already there and being used by Alan when I got here.

This will always have a special place in the display because it's the one that started it all.
Posted by Pinay New Yorker at 07:24:19 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, May 30, 2008

Coffee talk in Manila

Okay, before the coffee afficionados out there go up in arms against me, I deeply regret not having picked up my usual stock of Figaro Barako coffee as I usually do.  Totally my fault.  Hoping to get the freshest batch, I postponed getting my coffee beans just before we left, and the only branch we found ourselves in didn't have any in stock, promising a fresh delivery the following day when I just completely lost myself in last minute things to do.

I did manage to grab some Kape Vinta from Starbucks during my last breakfast with Gina in Greenbelt 1, along with two other coffee blends, Muan Jai (from Thailand) and Arabian Mocha Java.  I haven't quite tried the two other blends which were P100 and P200 more than the local favorite, but they show much promise.  It might be a while until I can brew a cup, though, because one of Alan's friends had given me quite a huge stash of coffee beans from Kalinga (presumably Apayao) and Baguio.  Since the latter were not commercially packed, I want to start grinding them first when my present stock is depleted.

I was also overjoyed to find that there was a new Starbucks Manila mug.  (It's about time!)  Another special addition to my collection, I picked up one of the generic mugs on the shelf to add to my "babies".


This is a priced addition, and I'm glad that this edition doesn't fall short of the usual size nor quality of the regualr Starbucks city mugs collection.  Sadly, I can't say the same for the original issue of the Cebu Starbucks mug.  I'm happy.  Over and above any new city mug, a mug from "back home" will always have a special place in my treasure trove of Starbuck mugs.serveware.

The barrista asked me how many I already have.. that got me stumped.  I haven't quite gotten beyond trying to catalogue my collection as I keep adding mugs every few weeks or so.  I really should do this before summer's over and try to figure out a way for me to display all of them on the top shelf of my kitchen shelves where only around 2/3rds of the whole collection sit.  My guess is it's in the area of 50-75 mugs.

With the diet in mind and knowing I had my bibingkas and puto bumbong to indulge in, I decided to stay away from the ensaymada this time.  My mug more than made up for all the other goodies I missed at Starbucks in Manila.
Posted by Pinay New Yorker at 00:37:22 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Yes, no Starbucks in Belgium

In response to comments from Mina and Jayred regarding my post about the absence of Starbucks in Belgium.

I have made it a point to find the nearest Starbucks to wherever we are headed, and it did shock me at first to find that there was none in Belgium. There are even online petitions for Starbucks to bring their business to the country. Of all the countries Alan frequents because of his job, Belgium is the only country we have yet to get a mug of. (I already have Paris, Zurich, and Geneva.) Friends have given me London, Berlin, Hamburg and Madrid. In Asia, I have Manila, Cebu and Singapore. Then I received an Australia mug from my bestfriend, Donna. And there is my growing US city and occasion collection which grows a mug or two (or three) when a new series comes up.

Posted by Pinay New Yorker at 09:29:38 | Permanent Link | Comments (3) |

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Update: My Mug Collection

A fellow Starbucks mug collector, Mina, stopped by and left me a comment.  (Thanks for stopping by, Mina..) 

I have been hoping to continue cataloguing (sp?) my mug collection but it's not one of my priorities right now.  Besides, I still feel bad about breaking one of my mugs, and it hurts that it was one of the newer ones from Alan's trip to Phoenix.  It somehow slipped from my grasp as I was bringing it to the kitchen sink.  It fell on the carpet so only the handle was shattered, but the mug was nonetheless broken.  I don't want to dwell on it because I don't want to get obssessed with getting a replacement.

There is still no Starbucks in Belgium, so the last trip saw no new addition to my collection. =(

I'll get over it.




Posted by Pinay New Yorker at 12:47:17 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

Sunday, September 23, 2007

My Starbucks Mug Collection

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At the risk of making people think I'm converting this space into a photo blog, I'm presenting my first attempt to catalogue my Starbucks Mug Collection.  (The link will take you to my Flickr account where you will be able to view the photos in detail, and hopefully soon, with accompanying comments and descriptions.)
The mugs shown are those that are yet to be displayed on my kitchen shelf where the majority of my collection is.  There are a few that are currently being used as coin or pencil holders, and there are at least two in the office, one on my desk, and one which I use for soups I need to heat up.  I'm still trying to decide whether to photograph them with flash or without, as many of the photos above were taken with natural lighting.
Many of these mugs have stories to tell -- a good number of them are gifts from friends who knew I was collecting Starbucks mugs.  More on those stories later.  For now, here's the first batch of pictures of my mug collection.  Manila, Cebu, Paris.. the New York ones are on the shelf, but I will have them join this roster soon.
Posted by Pinay New Yorker at 22:30:49 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

Thursday, January 04, 2007

New Additions to my Starbucks Mug Collection

I added two mugs to my collection over the holidays and have an eye out for the seasonal mugs which are currently in the clearance racks of Starbucks now that the holidays are over.

I stumbled upon this New York City Holiday mug showing the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on the way to getting the holiday gift for the grab bag.  At first glance I thought it was the NYC mug, but when I saw it was an NYC Holiday collection mug, I had to buy it lest I miss out on this one altogether.  (Like I did with the black and white skyline series..=(

The second mug is a present from our friend Jimmy and Andrinna who spent the holiday season in Andrinna's native Switzerland.  I already have the Geneva mug thanks to one of Alan's previous visits there, so I am just overjoyed to add another Swiss mug to the collection: Zurich.

While some well meaning friends have given me mugs as Christmas or birthday presents, I have really restricted my collection to Starbucks mugs only.  And although they are sold year-round, I do not purchase them full price unless they're a city or limited edition mug.  I have bought some of the older mugs issued before I even knew of Starbucks in Manila from Ebay, but I have since curbed the urge to spend for this hobby.  So these days, I either get them from the stores here in New York, or when Alan and I travel alone or together.  Friends who also know of my collection have also given them to me as gifts.  This is the reason I have Singapore, Madrid, London, Vancouver, Cebu, Philadelphia and Pike Place (the original home of Starbucks) in my collection.  A friend had mailed me one of the Art series from Okinawa, but sadly, it arrived here all broken to bits.  Alan already had the Manila mug when I arrived here but it got chipped, and I purchased another one myself during my 2002 trip home.  The last Starbucks mug I have purchased from a trip was my Paris mug.  (Finally!)

I'm keeping an eye out for any of those Christmas mugs on the clearance shelves these days.  I noticed they released quite a few designs, and while I would welcome another mug, I'm pretty happy with the NYC Holiday mug I chanced upon without looking for it.  Only if I see a really good bargain.. say something for less than $4.00.  If only because it was a bargain find, I will make space for it in my display.

Posted by Pinay New Yorker at 22:22:20 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |