Look, I know true coffee drinkers refuse to enter a Starbucks and slow food/local food proponents shudder at the mere mention of the name, 
but you gotta admit the java giant sells some of the cutest coffee mugs around. Go ahead, admit it! (And admit this, too: If you had a chance at world domination, wouldn’t you take it? I thought so. Besides, Starbucks was once a lowly local coffee shop itself, you know.) Of course, given a choice between a local coffee shop and a Starbucks, I’ll take the local — as long as it’s good, that is. But I’ll always go in a Starbucks and check out the coffee mugs. Unless I find ones that I absolutely Have to Have At That Moment, I’ll wait until they go on sale — and it’s like The Gap: Everything eventually will go on sale. So I kept watching for these retro plastic glasses (left) to hit the clearance table, and I nabbed four this weekend when they finally did. Adorable!
And here are a couple Starbucks coffee mugs I bought recently. The one with the swirly design was on sale, while the fleur-de-lis one was one of those gotta-have-it-now purchases. Why do I love Starbucks mugs/glasses so much? They’re good quality — hefty, solid and stable — and are made for coffee drinkers — substantial handles, varied shapes for cappuccinos, lattes, etc. Plus, they’re cute! And isn’t that the best reason?
Coffee with Cathy 
Cathy, I’m loving the blog! I will tell you that I refuse to buy coffee from Starbucks because it’s so bloomin’ high, but I do agree their coffee mugs are great. I have one on my desk that’s insulated on the bottoom and it has red, pink and brown hearts all over the top. The inside is red. It’s quite striking, actually. I get lots of comments on it.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Ginna. Appreciate the kind words — and the co-appreciation for Starbucks mugs. I bought two adorable Starbucks espresso shot glasses today. They’re sort of a rounded oval shape and so solid and hefty-feeling — could not resist.
You’re right about the prices, though. Everytime I hand over a $5 bill for a coffee, I cringe. But I notice that my periodic conscience-stricken boycotts don’t seem to affect business at all!
Hello Cathy,
I also bought the Blue Starbucks mug with the Brown Fleur de Lis back in 2008. I loved that coffee mug so much. Recently, while I was traveling out of the country, a family member of mine broke this mug. I am quite upset about it. I wonder, do you still have yours, and, if so, might you be inclined to sell it to me?
Cordially,
Angela
Angela — I’m so sorry, but no. Actually, I sent it to someone else who saw this photo. It was her boyfriend’s favorite mug and she had broken it. I sent her my whole one and she sent me back a picture frame she’d made from the broken shards of her mug. So cute! But good luck with your quest. And if you find another one, grab one for me, too! — Cathy