Dunkin Donut Coffee Refund at Giant

We rarely, if ever, return anything after it is purchased. Yesterday we did our usual grocery shopping at the neighborhood Giant. We always cash in our rewards and also look for on line coupons. When we got to the coffee section my husband usually picks whatever is on sale. So he picked up a large bag of Dunkin Donut coffee thinking it was $5.99. When we got home I always check the receipt to see the overall cost of things. I was surprised to see that the Dunkin Donuts coffee was actually $11.99 - not $5.99. But what made it more confounding was that it was decaffeinated. Neither one of us would drink that in the morning. If it was regular coffee we would have just kept it. But we knew we wouldn’t ever use it - except for a rare evening decaf after dinner if we had guests. And that hasn’t happened in over three years. So we decided to see if we could return it for a refund. And, we forgot to pick up a melon earlier in the day so the return trip would service two purposes. We arrived at the customer service counter with the receipt and the product. The guy was smiling and said we didn’t even need a receipt. He made the refund without a fuss and credited it back to our card. Then we went and picked up a melon and my husband found an Opal apple he wanted to try. I don’t mind doing self check out but haven’t figured out how to process products without scan codes. The lines were kinda long but one of the cashiers who usually looks out for us opened a register to check us out. So it pretty much was an even exchange. I suppose it helps to go to the same place for things and be nice to everyone we see. At least we see it that way. 

C&H Sugar Cubes

Some things are not easy to come by these days. When you have a cookie, candy, and sweets monster in the house the supplies must be maintained. My husband has a big sweet tooth. He loves chocolate, candy and sugar. He drinks coffee in the morning and tea after dinner. With his drinks he always has sugar cubes. It’s a cultural thing. He doesn’t use the type of sugar that is dissolved in the drink, but sugar cubes that you put in your mouth and soak them up with the tea or coffee. Since we have been ordering our groceries on line since March, it’s been more and more difficult to find sugar cubes. I’m not sure what the big deal is. The only time we were in the grocery store was to get flu shots. Even then when we checked the aisle for cubes they weren’t there. In the meantime I got a box of individual packs of sugar like you find in the restaurant. It’s a last resort. So I searched amazon to find something before the cube supply ran out. It wasn’t cheap, but I decided to get six boxes of C&H sugar cubes as a surprise package delivery. It was like Christmas when they arrived. So we can breathe a sigh of relief for awhile - until the next time. 

A Care Package From Milwaukee

It would be a long ride back to DC from Milwaukee, and we wanted to get an early start. So we would be skipping breakfast and get right down to it. We generally try to return in a day, rather than stay at a motel along the way. Going out is one thing, but coming back is another. We lived in Milwaukee for thirty years and whenever we visit, we stay at our old next door neighbor's place, right next to our old home. That had advantages and disadvantages, but it's always a very nice time. Since we were leaving early, our hosts made up a surprise care package for us. It included two coffee mugs filled with coffee, cinnamon buns, and fruit. We ended up having coffee there before leaving, and took along the rest of the treats. It was a very thoughtful thing to do and we took full advantage of the contents, including the napkins and hand wipes, not long after we left. The fruit hit the spot somewhere in Indiana, and we sparingly finished off the cinnamon buns right before our arrival home around midnight. Whenever we visit Milwaukee and visit our friends and colleagues it makes us wonder why we moved. I suppose as long as we are able to travel about back and forth it's a nice getaway for all concerned. But I don't know how many care packages any one else would get. It's nice to know folks for long periods of time. It's the small things that matter most.  

Katie's Coffee House in Great Falls

It was a toss up between Royal in Alexandria and Katie's Coffee House in Great Falls for breakfast. I preferred Royal to a long ride, but the day was lovely for a scenic "road trip" so we headed out past McLean to the Falls. Milwaukee had a famous coffee shop called Miss Katie's Diner near Marquette University, and I was expecting something similar. I knew right away that when we had to order from the counter I wouldn't care for it. The food was good, but it defeats the whole point of going out - although for the younger set, that seems to be the preference. And there is something about getting drinks in plastic cups. I don't particularly like bussing my dishes either. It was relatively busy with non-working types of folks. The ride back was nice - there are a lot if horse farms out that way.  So in the end it wasn't anything like Miss Katie's in Milwaukee. I think I'll take Alexandria next time. 

Dunkin Donuts and Subway at The Library of Congress

It has been under construction for the last several months if not a year. But before they started to renovate the space for the new Dunkin Donuts and Subway at The Library of Congress, the existing coffee bar was moved to another location down the hall in the tunnel that connects the Madison Building to the Jefferson Building. There is a self serve cafeteria on the sixth floor with great views of the city, and it is definitely my preference for coffee in the morning. The new space opened this week with a great deal of enthusiasm because it gives employees and visitors another option for lunch and break space. Since I live only two blocks away from work, I go home every afternoon so I don't have to think about it. I would not have visited the new area, but a friend asked me to join him for coffee, so I took the opportunity to check it out. It is much brighter than before, and it has a wi-fi bar, banquette seating, and a lot of tables. For the time of the day it was active with customers. I heard the line to order and then wait for pick up was long, but that will take time to adjust to the process. Maybe they need to separate drinks only from food orders. The prices are also cheaper for drinks...don't know enough about the other options. On the way out I did see the owner of the coffee bar, who may lose some business with this new option. But I suppose that's how it works...unless of course they are all connected somehow and share the profits. 

Palisades Salt & Pepper

One reason we travel along the Whitehurst Freeway in Georgetown, up along MacArthur Boulevard past Canal Street in the Palisades is to go to Sibley Hospital. It reminds us of Elmbrook Hospital in Brookfield in Wisconsin- away from the huge medical centers and nonsense. But today we drove that way to try out the brunch at Salt and Pepper. Along the way is Georgetown, the Urban Ecology Center, and an interesting neighborhood. As the city slopes its way toward the canal, the houses either sit atop hills with huge stone walls in front, or are built below the sidewalk level with a bridge of sorts to reach the house, depending on which side you find yourself. We enjoy the ride back and forth, and are glad we can avoid the Georgetown traffic by taking the Whitehurst freeway, even though it is an extremely ugly structure. The brunch was good, but I think we like the dinner more. But nothing beats Alexandria as far as I am concerned.

Arlington, Va. across the river

The Bridge from Arlington in the distance; Georgetown on the right
along the Whitehusrt Freeway

M Street- right to Georgetown; the Exorcist steps on the right;
an inflatable balloon atop a hockey fan's house 

Georgetown University Hoyas

The Palisades

Not sure what this is but it reminds me of a sludge plant we saw
in a biology class

 

Salt and Pepper Restaurant

Matching coffee mugs

Perched up on a hill behind a wall

Hope they have another way of getting in

 

We've tried the Boat House a couple times -it's "ok"

Or below the sidewalk with a gangplank of sorts

Some really interesting architecture

Part of the "sludge" plant or ecological center

Some really old homes

Along the canal back to Georgetown

  T

Back on the Whitehurst- Kennedy Center on the R

Potomac River scene

One of the worst intersections in town - but a great view

Bali's Best Coffee Candy Premium Collection

It's been some time since we ordered my husband's favorite candy- Bali's best coffee. And there are three kinds: Espresso, Coffee, and Latte - made with real coffee. We used to search for it just about everywhere in Milwaukee and when we first moved here. But we found it on Amazon in just the right quantity and at a great price. He absolutely loves coffee and the candy that tastes like it. He keeps some in the car, in his pocket, around the house, and whenever we take a trip. I checked the last Amazon candy order and it was from 2010! Requesting free shipping because our current supply would last a bit yet, it was expected to be delivered within 5-8 business days. To our surprise, it arrived today by our favorite UPS man a week ahead of schedule. Anyone who has tried this candy knows how good it is. If sugar caused diabetes, my husband should have it- but he doesn't. He rarely gets excited about gifts and packages, but this one is an exception. 

Wonder what the UPS man thinks?

Eager to see the contents

Good enough to keep on the kitchen counter

300 pieces in each container

I think I tried one once

Moby Dick (Moby D) wants some too