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Addiction

Peet’s Coffee Kailua Bound

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Peet’s Coffee & Tea is coming to Kailua sometime in the near future. It’ll be located in a new development that’s finishing up construction on Hekili Street, next to Boots & Kimos and Zpizza. This will be the first Peet’s in Hawaii that’s outside of Waikiki.

I’m a fan of the changing variety of drinks offered by Peets. While on a staycation at the Waikiki Sheraton, I downed several raspberry mochas. More recently, I enjoyed their Coconut Latte while at SFO before cruising Alaska.

Can’t wait for yet another coffee purveyor in the Kailua community. Down the road would be Coffee Bean and further down is Kalapawai Deli and its espresso bar. On Hahani Street is Starbucks. In between these is Whole Foods and their coffee bar, and across the street is Morning Brew. Yeah, I think this area is well caffeinated.

Girl Scouts Are Not Natural Bliss

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Did you see Coffee-mate’s new creamer called Caramel & Coconut? This new flavor is a collaboration with the Girls Scouts, but odds are you probably overlooked this new creamer thinking it’s part of the Natural Bliss line.

Just look at the packaging, and you’ll understand how you can easily mistake this creamer. And if like me, you had a unflavorable run in with these natural creamers, like me, you now tune them out.

Coffee-mate Caramel & Coconut
Coffee-mate Caramel & Coconut

But the Girl Scout flavors are not Natural Bliss as visually indicated by the red cap (and lack of Natural Bliss labeling). I found this at Target by the way.

Found the Dou’ssants

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A serendipitous visit to the Safeway in Manoa yielded the last box of donut croissants in the store. But not only are these donut croissants, you call them dou’ssants and make sure you really play up your French accent when talking about this fluffy goodness.

Call them Dou'ssants
Call them Dou’ssants

I couldn’t find them in Kailua, and I’m not sure if there are other varieties, but the dou’ssants come in a box (or container) of four for $6.99.

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Save a buck as a Safeway Club Card member

Look for them in the stands with the other fresh baked goods. Sadly, I’m too stuffed to try one. Come back tomorrow for a review of a dou’ssant.

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Sorry for the blurry pic, too excited

CroDough Hawaii Coming Soon

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Or actually now. In a food truck. In the Kakaako area. Yes, another cronut source as arisen in the Aloha State. CroDough Hawaii just had their first offering as captured in their Twitter stream @crodoughhawaii shortly after their story in the Pacific Business News.

These CroDoughs look legit and handcrafted with love. That and I like the gangsta, square look of them. Check out more CroDough pics on Instagram. Some Yelp reviews are already posted.

Join the Starbucks Grocery Challenge

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So with Starbucks push of its products in local groceries, their latest promotion is the Grocery Challenge. Ending on October 19, 2013, you’ll receive $10 in Starbucks credit by earning stars from qualifying grocery purchases. Not only that but with each star earned, you get a bonus treat.

Starbucks Grocery Challenge
Starbucks Grocery Challenge

In order to participate, you have to sign up first using your Starbucks account. After entering qualifying codes, you’ll get an email with redemption instructions. I’m not sure which Starbucks products are part of this promotion though. But please, play by the book and repeat after me – I won’t steal Starbucks stars.

Stealing Starbucks Stars?

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starbucks-redeem-codesOver the summer, Starbucks expanded its Rewards program where you can earn stars at the grocery store. No longer limited to Starbucks locations, certain Starbucks products have redeemable codes good for Rewards stars. Here’s how it works.

Very easy, right? Buy a qualifying product, look for and remove the sticker, enter the code at starbucks.com/entercode, and watch your stars accumulate. But will this convenience allow for the stealing of stars?

Look at this bag of Starbuck coffee beans recently bought at Costco. I didn’t even notice the sticker in the upper right corner until I reached home. It’s relatively easy to stand in Costco and peel off a few more of these stickers since there’s no indication that a sticker had been removed. Although the adhesive is fairly tacky, the sticker comes off cleanly. As a general consumer, you probably wouldn’t realize your bag is missing its Rewards sticker.

Earn a Rewards star
Earn a Rewards star

Of course, I’m not advocating stealing stars, but I can see how it’s so easy. Keep your caffeine addiction in check, and do the right thing.

A Sacrifice Was Needed

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With a renovated Starbucks and a brand new Starbucks in Kaneohe, you know something had to give to sustain the balance within the coffee universe. Unfortunately, this was the sacrifice necessitated.

Mocha Java Windward Mall Closed
Mocha Java Windward Mall Closed

Mocha Java Cafe in Windward Mall is now closed. I’m not sure when they closed, having bought a drink in August. I’m guessing the temptation of the SBUX siren came with a cost of not having competition a few scant yards away. So sadly, Mocha Java’s Windward run is over lasting nearly two years. They opened shop during a coffee drought in the mall and right before the holidays so shopping excursions were always caffeinated. I sincerely thank Mocha Java for chancing expansion outside of Ward.

Starbucks Windward City Renovated

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I was worried that the caffeine addicts in Kaneohe wouldn’t have enough sources. But then, the Starbucks inside Windward Mall opened, and the busy Windward City location finished its renovations and is also open to quench coffee cravings.

From the outside, everything looks the same at the Windward City Shopping Center.

Starbucks Windward City Reopened
Starbucks Windward City Reopened

The inside has adopted the modern rustic look like the Windward Mall location. Not as original as the Waikiki Park Shore store, more like the Kakaako store, but definitely different from its previous look. The seating has changed the most. Gone is the short, four-seat counter and barstools by the entrance, replaced by a counter that spans the entire window front.

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Long countertop

The small, two or four-seater tables have been replaced by a massive single table.

Center table
Center table

The lighting also changed. I don’t remember what the lighting used to look like but now, there are incandescent or incandescent-looking bulbs with a branded diffuser.

New lighting
New lighting

But alas, my hope that this renovation would also bring in Hawaii’s first Clover brewing system wasn’t realized. The Aloha State is still Clover-less.

Starbucks Windward Mall Now Open

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The mermaid

As of Thursday, September 5, 2013, the Starbucks location inside of Windward Mall is open for business. A scant month ago, the construction sign was posted, and now it’s here, neighboring the Pa’ina Ko’olau food court.

This is the third Starbucks location in Kaneohe with the drive-through located across the street and the renovated storefront in the Windward City Shopping Center. The Windward Mall addition is on the small side, occupying a mere cornered angle of mall real estate. So far, there is no Starbucks signage, just the familiar mermaid logo identifying their arrival.

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Starbucks Windward Mall

Being new, this Starbucks has the modern rustic look that’s making its way through other stores. Shades of various browns, wood finishes, and tiled patterns appear to be the trend.

Aroma Caffe No Longer at Ala Moana

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On a recent trip to Ala Moana, I made my rounds then headed to Aroma Caffe for a caffeine pick-me-up. With a location in the center court area, this cafe is typically empty which makes for short waits. Let’s be honest, the Starbucks end caps in Macy’s and Sears are just way too crowded and your drink takes forever. I never got into the Honolulu Coffee Company even with their convenient locations. So Aroma Caffe was perfect – good location, short waits, decent prices, and I personally liked my espresso drinks.

Aroma Caffe at Ala Moana Center
Aroma Caffe at Ala Moana Center

But on this day, the location was vacant with no trace of the colorful Italian themed kiosk. Maybe they relocated in the mall due to all the construction? I couldn’t find their relocation using Foursquare or Yelp so instead I headed to my backup coffee spot, the eBar at Nordstrom’s.

Looking online, Aroma’s site still lists Ala Moana, but Ala Moana’s web site does not show them as a vendor. On Facebook, there are pictures of a new storefront with no location given, but on Yelp, a recent review places Aroma at the Ilikai Hotel. Aw bummers, looks like I lost my coffee oasis in Ala Moana. 🙁 Thanks for the memories, Aroma Caffe.

Salted Caramel is Back too

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You might have heard that the Pumpkin Spiced Latte (PSL) is already back at Starbucks. Usually reserved for later in the fall, the PSL is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a longer stay on the menu.

The PSL also brought along its friend, salted caramel. You can order both in a latte form (hot or cold) or as Frappuccinos.

Salted Caramel Frappuccino
Salted Caramel Frappuccino

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