Tuesday afternoon Alex hopped in the car after school and announced that he wanted to go to the bookstore. Since his love of reading brings me untold volumes of happy, I told him we could absolutely stop at the bookstore – but Mama needed to make a quick detour first.
Three words: pumpkin spice latte.
After all, I’ve had the PSL on my mind for the last week, and a trip to the bookstore seemed like a perfect excuse to try one. Plus, I figured that if I only got a tall, the mid-afternoon caffeine would probably wear off before bedtime.
I am very logical and think-y, you see.
So I made my way to the nearest Starbucks, pulled up to the drive-thru and ordered a tall PSL. And you’d better know that I got the whipped cream, because what, what could possibly be the point of having the whipped cream option and saying no thank you, MY WORD.
When I was getting my debit card out of my wallet, I remembered that I still had a Starbucks gift card with some money on it. Granted, it was probably all of 54 cents, but EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS, people. I drove up to the window, and as I started to hand over my cards, I realized that I knew the girl who was working at the drive-thru.
We chatted for a few seconds, and then I said, “Hey – do you mind checking to see what’s left of this gift card?â€
She grinned and said, “Don’t worry about that today.”
And I was all, “Huh?†and she was all, *smiles,* and I was all, “What?â€
AND THEN SHE HANDED ME MY COFFEE AND TOLD ME IT WAS FREE.
And then I thought, “THE INTERNET WILL NOT BELIEVE THIS.â€
I mean, what are the odds? That I would try my very first PSL and then not have to pay for it?
You can imagine my delight.
After I thanked my friend approximately 22 times, I drove off and took my first sip. It was nothing like what I expected. My fear was that it would be syrupy sweet, but it wasn’t at all. I was surprised by the amount of nutmeggishness (totally a word), but I didn’t think that was necessarily a negative even though I’m not typically a nutmeg fan. So I took another sip, thought about it for a minute, and then I said (out loud – just like Alex cared), “Hmmmm. That. is. interesting.”
And it was, y’all. It was interesting and tasty and delightful. I don’t think I could drink one every single day – I like my coffee a little more straightforward as a general rule – but it was a deee-licious coffee treat. I was tickled by how much I enjoyed it.
So there you have it: I’m officially on the PSL bandwagon.
Up next: peppermint mocha.
The excitement just never stops, does it?
Fluffy coffee is such a treat sometimes.
The Peppermint Mocha is 176 kinds of awesomeness. Bless God.
Beware the peppermint mocha! So delicious, but so sugary and caffeinated that I seriously thought I was having a cardiac event and couldn’t sleep at all the first time I had one.
Free delightfully delicious coffee?!
Awesome!
My husband (Active Duty Air Force) gets free coffee from a local coffee house because of being in the military. And it always makes me smile. It’s the little things, isn’t it!
Glad you enjoyed your treat!
-Andrea
Oh that sounds so yummy! Too bad I can’t stomach coffee, hehe! My October “treat” was a pumpkin pie milkshake, oh my! It’s making me silly just thinking about it.
Oh . . . so excited that you’re giving the peppermint mocha a try! It is BY FAR my favorite coffee treat. Just a recommendation . . . wait until after Thanksgiving, on a nice/cool day, and enjoy somewhere festive (for me, lazily window shopping with Christmas carols playing in the background)! Makes it taste even better! :-)
I, too, have seriously considered the pumpkin spice latte but don’t generally drive through Starbucks. In fact, I had a gift card from almost 2 Christmases ago still with $1.54 left on it, so I drove through Starbucks just last week to finally use it all up and ordered a hazelnut cappachino instead. What foolishness. I could have had a PSL.
The day you first posted about the PSL I found myself lost on the way to one of the 194 sporting events I attend each week. When I got off the freeway to determine where in the sam hill I was…I landed in a Starbucks parking lot with a Drive-Thru (which I don’t have anywhere near me). ANYWAYS…thought it was a sign to grab myself a PSL. Oh my did I regret that decision. Wasn’t a fan at all. To be fair, I got it iced instead of hot, and passed on the whipped cream. Might give it a whirl one last time on the hot side with whip and see if that improves my view, but I am not optimistic! Going back to my Carmel Macchiato I do believe…
I am BURSTING with pride. I knew you could do it!
Oh my internet friend- you will never know the can of worms your PSL post started. It all came to a head this morning. I’m writing about it over at my place as we speak.
Seriously, you’ve no idea.
:)
Oh how sweet! My husband has banned me from having anymore PSL because I come and want to rearrange the house a millions times and run around acting batty, ha ha. Just wait til the peppermint mocha, YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!!! I can’t wait!!!! See I’m already acting batty and it hasn’t even come out yet! Have a Fab-You-Lous day chicky!!!!
~Molly P
P.S I’m using way too many exclamation points here :)
I LIVE for PSL to get out of the way so my peppermint mochas will arrive. They are splendiferous.
Welcome to the goodness that is PS!!!!! :)
This internet believes that you DESERVE a free PSL for all of the many words you have dedicated to the PSL lately. :)
I too ordered my first PSL at the Targets this week. And my first thought was “interesting.”
And I know it is a southern sin, but I did choose the non-fat, no-whip option. Sad horns. It was still delicious, but in a less guilty way.
oh, she totally wrote it off as advertising, since 4700 or some odd internets are now going to HAVE.TO.GO.GET.ONE since BooMama talked about them today! Thanks for the inspiration!:)
Suzanne
Now i suppose they should make a BooMama bacon latte….????? :)
I realize this was not your point, but I had to comment on “his love of reading brings me untold volumes of happy.”
So true! I raised a reader, too — he is now 24 and reads stuff that’s WAY out of my league, but it makes me so happy that he loves reading the way he does!
Did you know that you can order any of the drinks “half-caf”…that way you can enjoy the warm deliciousness anytime, and sleep at night!
I’m sitting at my desk at work, I know – sinner, reading this lovely bit of reading material and laughing out loud.
I enjoy a Peppermint Mocha from time to time but PSL – I must say, never tried it. Me thinks it’s time to indulge!
Thank you for making me laugh and giving me something to smile about!
Funny Free starbucks story, I have a friend that has five kids and homeschools them all. One day she was having a particularly trying day when she decided she need caffeine stat, so she pulled into the drive-thru and order a coffee over the sounds of wild mongrel like children. When she got to the front window the guy handed her her coffee and said this one’s on the house you need this more than we need the money. And then looked in the back seat of her oversized SUV.
Peppermint Mocha! It’s heavenly! I love it like I love reading your blog. Makes my day. Hope you had a wonderful time with your sweet boy at the bookstore. A bookstore, a PSL and an afternoon with your child…what a blessing!
How amazing. Great treat and free. You will love the peppermint mocha. Ahhh makes me long for snow to think of it. I love your blog. I have to confess if we lived closer, I’d so want to hang out with you!
Yum!! My mouth is watering for one now. My son just mentioned starbucks, and my mind jumped right to PSL. I think I’m a hopeless case!!
Mallen
Canadian fan
hilarious.
Have you tried the PSL at Panera?? In my humble opinion, it is even better than the one at Starbucks! :)
On the reading note, my oldest has battled reading since the get go. However, over the last couple of weeks he has decided he might like it. So we found a book he really enjoyed and began tag team reading. When I picked him up from school the next day he was outside reading. Upon getting in the car he proudly announced that he was on the next chapter (which I knew was not possible). So I said “Really? So what has been going on in the book?” Response : “Oh I don’t know I have just been reading it in my mind.” Me: “Okay so what has been going on in your mind in the story?” Response : ” Oh I don’t K..N..O..W.. I just like reading it”.
Baby steps, baby steps.
I always tell “them” to give me one less pump of chocolate in the peppermint mocha so it’s not too sweet. My kids all drink them, too – the youngest is 3! :)
Hooray for your free PSL! You deserve it! I enjoy the PSL too, but it’s definitely not an everyday flavor for me either. I feel the same about the Peppermint Mocha. Good for a few sips (or a maybe a Tall), but not something I want lots and lots of. Delicious nonetheless.
Yay! Welcome to the PSL Club! Tickled that it was free :)
There is NOTHING better than free. It’s my favorite flavor.
sweetie, you are going to FAINT when you get the peppermint mocha.
remember… not regular whipped cream. PEPPERMINT WHIPPED CREAM! with DARK CHOCOLATE CURLS!
You are hilarious!! How fun to get your first one free today!
The PM is a bit sweeter than the PSL.
More like a hot chocolate with a peppermint stick melted in it.
TOTALLY without calories.
You can’t drink one until the Christmas season starts. It’s like the snowflake sweater.
That would be a freeeeelicious PSL! Sweet little kisses from God! Such joy!
And the Peppermint Mocha – You will be amazed!!!! I can’t wait for your reaction…and rememmmmberrr (that was said in a sing-songy way)…you DON’T have to wait for the PSL to go away. Most places serve it now!! However, I would recommend your first experience be brought to all the fullness of awesomeness by combining it with a little Christmas shopping!
I don’t think there is a better kind of Pumpkin Spice Latte than a FREE PSL! I am so glad you tried it! I LOVE them, but I also cannot wait until you try to Peppermint Mocha. This became my favorite holiday coffee drink in college. You cannot beat it when it is cold outside!
I am normally not a coffee “treat” kind of person. I love just my regular strong coffee with some non-dairy creamer and some sugar. However, that peppermint mocha has been sent down here from Jesus, I think. Just as a little birthday treat maybe He sends it right around Christmas? Oh, it’s just such a wonderfully blissful treat. :)
I’m so glad that you finally tried it! I don’t visit Starbucks very often – just a special little treat when I make a late night trip to Barnes and Noble with the hubby or when I am out shopping.
Oh, you have to try the Peppermint Mocha while you are out Christmas shopping. It will be a nice treat! I get it with extra pepper mint and extra hot. It is sweet but its so delicious. I think its the equivilent to drinking an Andes mint.
I did a little happy dance in my head for you that it was free. Not a real happy dance, because I’m about to give birth ANY OLD DAY NOW, but a nice little jig in my head.
How could you possibly wait this long? I went almost immediately after your last post. I have a terrible case of suggestive thinking and if someone else likes it, then so do I.
I loved my first PSL and my second! And I am counting down the days until the PML. But I always ask for the Peppermind White Chocolate Mocha. Oh my. I need one bad now!
You are way too cute! You almost make me want to go find one of those myself… but I don’t drink coffee. Oh well. Glad you enjoyed it… and that it was FREE to boot! Excellent!
God gave me a blessing today too. Praise Him!
Oh Boo…that’s so cool!
Guess what?
I stumbled upon a sweet blessing and I thought I’d share it with you.
This dear lady has posted a replica recipe of the P S L !!! Woohoo!
Go check it out, girl!
http://prairiecottagerose.blogspot.com/2009/10/pumpkin-spice-latte.html
Girl, if you like pumpkin you totally need to try Edy’s Limited Edition Pumpkin icea cream!! Hye, drop a scoop in your morning coffee if you want! It’s absolutely amazing! I will fight my kids for it!
I’m not a coffee-er myself, but my good friend tells me the Gingerbread Spice Latte that will be out sometime in November is to die for. Maybe you could try a free one of those? :)
Grin. I loved that Jesus blessed your PSL moment :)
Peppermint mocha is VERY GOOD too!
You SO deserve free PSL because I think you have sold more of them for Starbucks than you know. After reading your post last week about it, I bought my first PSL last Saturday while shopping in the Cincy area. I live so far out in the boonies, the closest Starbucks is 50+ miles away. I thought that it was very good. Maybe leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste, but I still liked it. I think that you could talk me into anything :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I am not a coffee drinker and my friend introduced me to the White Hot Chocolate today, and I am in love with it. It’s probably just steamed milk and a pump or seventeen of the white chocolate syrup, but I don’t care. It has whipped cream on top and it was yummy.
So glad you liked it! My husband used to work at Starbucks and they were encouraged to give out freebies every once in awhile. It’s just great PR!
I did some comparison shopping and have to say that cheaper is not always better. Tried the pumpkin latte at Dunking Donuts this morning…not nearly as yummy and heartwarmingly cozy as Starbucks.
I have to agree with Heather S…wait until after your turkey celebrating is done before getting a Peppermint Mocha. That is a drink best served with a side of David Phelps’ “Joy to the World” and some Christmas shopping.
I love the Pumpkin Spice Latte and am so sad when they take it away! Have you tried the pumpkin yogurt from TCBY? It is yummy too!
All right….I’m in. I now have to try a PSL. I am a die-hard Peppermint Mocha fan and was turning my nose up at the PSL. I give in.
When you try the peppermint…you will fall in love all over again. But beware…it is very addictive. You will want to change your coffee to Peppermint every day!!
peppermint mocha? soooo good. you will love it. even more than PSL. guaranteed. and oh, did you know? any day of the year you can get raspberry syrup in your mocha. yep you can.
You are going to cry and proclaim the Peppermint Mocha blessed, I just know you will.
the deal with the PSL and PM is THIS:
(what Daniel has learned after 8 years and approx. one-hundred million dollars invested into personal coffee related Starbucks research). There is ALWAYS too much flavoring–and you can live with much less. I usually get only 1 pump of vanilla in my caramel macchiattos, and it’s enough. Same with PM and PSL–just ask for HALF the flavoring. You’ll get a little less sweetness and more espresso flavoring. Yummers.
You espresso-ed your first PSL experience quite beautifully ; )
And then I thought, “THE INTERNET WILL NOT BELIEVE THIS.â€
This made me LOL and my dh wanted to know why :) Thanks for making me smile!
xoxo melzie
I had a PSL with whipped cream today. Jimmy and I were on a “date” (buying running rain jackets for our half marathon on Saturday where it is supposed to rain all day—imagine that? rain!) The PSL was great! But wait until you try the peppermint mocha! Wow! I had one of those once a week when I was pregnant with Sam! Very Tasty!
welcome to fall. i’ve been waiting for you to sip from coffee’s “holy grail”. i’m glad you liked it. or at least found it interesting. :) in the spring, you can welcome the season of tulips and easter with a fluffy bunny…a toasted marshmellow and caramel latte. mmmm….
Welcome to the PSL club…you’re gonna love it!
I had my first PSL last Saturday. I had to get out early to take the doggie to the groomer. I was so close to Starbucks that I just had to stop and try it. Let me tell you, the drive thru at Starbucks on Saturday morning is LONG! The PSL was great!
After your post(s) about PSL, I decided I meeded to get on the bandwagon and try one. so last week when I was at the grocery store, I stopped by the Starbucks window and got one…It was so delicious that I have been thinking about it ever since. I’m getting ready to go visit my girlfriend and her new baby in the hospital so I’m going to stop and get us each one. What could be better after having a baby than to have a PSL:)
Welcome to the club! :) Your Autumn is now complete!
Maybe Starbucks knows where their sudden PSL sales surge came from, and decided to pay you back just a little. :)
The peppermint mocha is my favorite!
Whew…we can still be friends…you liked the PSL. I treat myself about once a week….never more than a tall bc it just gets to be too much for me. ;)
You go girl!!
YAY! About time you tried it boo mama! And free to boot – you couldn’t beat that! Perfect timing! Those things are the best and OH.MY.WORD. the Peppermint Mochas are to.die.for!!! P.S. My husband nicknamed our daughter “BOO BOO” many years ago! :o)
no no no. up next is the gingerbread latte. with whip & of course, the nutmeg. it tops them all. and since gingerbread is only one word, you can get away with typing just 2 letters…..so, get ready for the return of the GL.
While I love me some PSL, the peppermint mocha is just beyond delicious. Cannot wait!
BooMama, happy to hear that you got blessed today-much like the way you bless all of your readers!
(I’m dying for a pumpkin pie blizzard from DQ, but three words haunt me: the.wedding.dress. Thank goodness it’s a lace up!)
I generally don’t like anything with too much “nutmegishness” either but the PSL is one of my faves! Starbucks got the nutmegishness just right. Love. That. Word.
Had my first PSL just Wednesday. I was quite pleased. Like you, I don’t normally like a lot of sweetness; in fact, while I used to drink caramel machiattos I haven’t been able to get a hankering for one in quite a while – just too sweet. But I kept hearing about the pumpkin spice latte from my friends on FB and just had to try one. It was our first real autumnal day here in sunny Arizona, so it was a fitting treat.
Well, I liked the thing so well that I just knew I would need more before the season is up. Not being one to normally feel like I can afford SB on a regular basis, I just took care of that little problem. Granted, my solution seems a little “blonde” but it works for me. I just put me a $15 gift card to Starbuck’s in my grocery cart the next day! Now I can have about 4 more PSLs for free…sort of!
I love me a good coffee story! Like you, I prefer more coffee taste in my coffee, but a PSL sure ain’t nothin’ to be mad at.
Yes, I JUST LOVE the pumpkin spice latte. I knew you would like it!
And, it is even better when my friend who works there gives it to me for free!!!
If you’re up for a “mixed treat,” try 1/2 PSL and 1/2 white mocha, OR, for the PM adventure, 1/2 and 1/2 white mocha. The second will knock your “sweet” socks off, but it’s so worth it!
I don’t even LIKE Starbucks coffee ever but the Pumpkin Spice Latte…oh my. I have had like 10 this month. I got one before the last 2 TMS football games and had the giant size, so the caffeine lasted well into the 4th quarter. But almost $5 each? Ouch.
Oooooh. Love those lattes. I order mine half pumpkin, half sugar free vanilla, low fat with whip. Sometimes half caf.
Tis divine.