The year is marching onward and it’s already time for the March 2024 Ultimate Coffee Date. Pour yourself a cup, pull up a chair, and join the linkup Deborah and I host the first Friday of every month.
You know how this works—grab the badge, link your post, and comment on the other blogs in the link-up.
You also may be joining the Fit Five Friday Link-Up with Darlene, Michelle, Renée, Jenn, and Zenaida.
Marching Onward To The March 2024 Coffee Date
If we were having coffee, I would have to ask if you’ve tried—or even heard about—Starbucks new Oleato drink. I first heard of it a while ago, but they seem to be really promoting it recently.
When I first heard about it, I though they were taking advantage of the bulletproof coffee trend, but they claim it was inspired by Starbucks’ founder Howard Schultz’s trip to Sicily when he experienced the custom of having a spoonful of olive oil in the morning. 🤔
When my colleague and I had a bit of time to kill before our train home from NYC, we decided to give it a try. (No photos since we were juggling luggage.) While it was pleasant at first, we both thought the flavor may linger a bit too long ….
If we were having coffee, I would tell you how grateful I am that my firm liberally reimburses me for all my trips to Starbucks when I am traveling. These are my receipts from my recent trip to NYC, minus the Oleato receipt I couldn’t fit on one screen. 😉
I made two trips each morning—once post-workout and once on my way into the office (sometimes with a bakery item for breakfast). Our system questioned the two charges on February 14 as duplicates, but when I pointed out the different time stamps, it was approved. In reality, I don’t think they even require receipts for charges under $10 or $20. 🤷♀️
If we were having coffee, I would share how nice the baristas are at the Starbucks by my NYC office—I’ve already told you how the barista’s at my usual office spoil me. On the “snow day” they were gave out snowman stickers just for fun!
I passed them on to a colleague with a young son.
If we were having coffee, I might tell you how I spent one hour on the phone with United to book our flights to Jackson Hole for our summer hiking trip—thank you Cari for inspiring our trip to the Grand Tetons. Because of my history of DVTs, I have an Economy Plus subscription so I can have extra legroom without paying an arm and a leg each time. By chance, my current subscription expires in June—but I was booking trips in July. Apparently my outbound flight was covered by their post-expiration grace period, but not my return flight. After the agent figured out what was going on and “consulted with her supervisor” she was able to get my return flight booked in Economy Plus without charging me for it, on the assumption that my subscription will “auto renew” as it is scheduled to. ✈️
This whole experience made me realize that I will encounter this issue anytime I am booking summer vacation travel, because of my June renewal date. I was willing to extend my subscription now, but their systems don’t allow for that. At least next year I will know what is going on, and hopefully reach a helpful agent again.
How far ahead do you book vacations?
Would you like to try the Oleato?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
We honeymooned in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, and then went back in 2018 so I could run the Grand Teton Half Marathon. On our honeymoon we hiked up to Lake Solitude. It’s a beautiful hike with the reward of the glacial lake at the top. I think it’s about 15-16 miles roundtrip.
I’d forgotten about your DVT. It’s great that you were able to get more leg room on your return flight. Stay safe!
No thank you to Oleato because I don’t like coffee.
According to my personal Starbucks barista (my daughter) the Oleato “is gross”. She doesn’t understand the health benefits of olive oil of course, but that said, I haven’t tried one. We were planning a hiking trip in Switzerland this summer but it looks now like our plans have been dashed, no thanks to college drop-off duties. Oh well.
Oh, sorry about your trip. I think we should all plan one with Catrina.
Yes I plan to try it. But I’m hooked on the chocolate cream cold brew presently.
We get a lump sum for each work day of travel. So I could use it for coffee but usually it’s for my evening wine. lol.
Jackson hole is beautiful. I went there years ago.
Hmm not sure how I feel about olive oil in my coffee!
A trip to Jackson Hole sounds lovely! I’m glad you were able to get everything worked out for your flights. I’d love to get a vacation planned but not sure when – gotta get through this reno first!
I am not sure I would like olive oil in my coffee! Your summer trip sounds so fun and that is great that they fixed your flights up! We are not planning any vacations this year because of our senior dogs, we had to cancel two trips last year because of issues with their health!
They keep trying to give out free samples of the Oleato at my Starbucks. It sounds really gross to me. I don’t even like coffee to begin with, but coffee with olive oil in it? Ew.
I will agree that Starbucks baristas are usually SUPER nice. They always greet me by name and remember my drink order. They seem to really like their job! (I would find it incredibly stressful.)
Your summer trip sounds amazing. An hour on the phone to book the plane tickets sounds… aggravating… but you got it done!
Well, the Oleato is made with oatmilk, so maybe you should try it. 😉
Ha, I keep seeing the Oleato everywhere. It’s definitely getting a lot of buzz! I’d try it out. But probably not order it.
Sorry about the pain for booking the plane tickets – but yay for a great vacation coming up!
Jackson Hole is beautiful is the summer and I remember doing some fab cycling and running workouts there years ago. Sometimes we book way ahead and sometimes we have an unexpected travel opportunity come up. No interest in the Oleato and I avoid Starbucks coffee when I have other options 🙂
So I probably won’t try the Oleato (because the combo of coffee and olive oil will not be kind to my GI system), BUT we have an Italian restaurant near us that has a dessert that is vanilla ice cream drizzled in good olive oil. It is the most magical thing in the world, so I imagine it could translate to a coffee beverage. I also imagine that Starbucks (though I love them), will probably not go all in on the GOOD olive oil.
Anyway.
I like to book vacations way in advance, but Mr PugRunner is a “let’s see what hotels are available tonight” kind of guy.
They say it is “infused with award-winning Partanna® extra virgin olive oil,” but I don’t know if that’s really a good brand. 😉
I haven’t heard of the Oleato, but it sounds like a hard pass for me. That would be stressful dealing with all those travel dates coinciding (or not, LOL) with your subscription.
I’m a hard no on the Oleato. I’ll take my healthy fat somewhere else!
When I travel, I try to go to local coffee shops, but my Starbucks affinity is very low compared to yours – LOL
I think I like knowing that I will start my day with something I like.
I’ve heard about it but haven’t tried it yet. Maybe I will because I am curious. I am jealous that your company reimburses you for the coffee.
So nice that your company reimburses the Starbuck coffees when you travel!
I haven’t heard of Oleato… but like you, I immediately thought of the bulletproof coffees.
I have just spent hours booking overnight stays in various hotels for a hiking trip in Switzerland in August. The hike is around the Mt Blanc and it’s tricky to get places because it’s a very popular hike. With a bit of tweaking I’ve managed to book everything. Hopefully it’ll work out!
That sounds like it requires a lot of logistics. Glad you got the reservations made!
haha, that definitely sounds like it comes from the bulletproof coffee trend. That’s awesome that your firm will reimburse your travel-Starbucks! 😛
Sorry to hear that you got stuck on the phone for so long. :[ Grand Teton is absolutely beautiful — I hope you have tons of fun!
Yay Grand Tetons. You’re going to have an amazing time. An hour. Ooph
I just saw the new Starbucks drink yesterday because I was stopping to take blossom pics. I tried olive oil vanilla gelato but the combo doesn’t resonate with me.