Hermes Cafe Bon Temps~Good Times Cafe

[Keren16]

Brune et Blonde is indeed a Cote Rotie. If you prefer the lighter styles of Burgundy Pinot Noir, I can see why some Chateauneuf du Pape might be a miss for you. I also really like Vacqueyras. Of course, it really depends on the particular vineyard and vintage, as with anything else. For Burgundy Pinot Noir, I would love to one day try Domaine de la Romanee-Conti but I can't bring myself to buy a bottle of wine that I could buy a B or K with.

I have had Barbaresco, actually it was one of the wines I tasted last night. I do usually prefer Barolo to Barbaresco but I do enjoy both and like everything.... it really depends on vineyard and vintages. I can think of wine styles that I typically dislike that I've had great wines from, and styles I usually love that I've been disappointed by.

I hope you get to enjoy some new styles of wine! If I ever have a fantastic red Burgundy, I will think of you and remember the name and vintage. I have a habit nowadays of taking pictures of the labels on bottles I either really enjoyed or really hated so I can look back on my tasting notes and remember.

I had Vacqueyras. Isn't Gigondas close by? I don't remember much about them. Are they from the southern part of France?
Other than Vosne Romanee, the closest Ive come to drinking a Romanee Conti is Romanee St Vivant (maybe incorrect spelling). Have you tried Richbourg? I agree with you, a Kelly comes before buying a bottle of either of those two!
Is Barolo considered the King & Barbaresco the Queen (something like that)? Now I'm thinking I should go back to my neighborhood Italian restaurant to try those wines. [emoji6]
I recently started taking pictures of memorable wines also. Makes sense.

 

[Keren16]

I would pass on them, honestly.
I've never had the Rice Crispy treats there but I used to like that they carry some sugarfree flavors. They've recently discontinued most of them, though, which is disappointing. It was one of the reasons I would go there for coffee.
I am tempted to buy my own sugarfree flavors on the internet and take them with me when I grab coffee at places. I'm surprised more cafes haven't cashed in on having sugarfree flavors. Many people are concerned about the sugar levels in food and need to watch it nowadays.
I do have a "guilty pleasure restaurant" though, if I can even call it a restaurant.



I buy most of my shoes at Bergdorfs because I like the selection better and my SA is there. I prefer working with one SA who knows my style (and what I already have) and that I can count on for honest opinions and advice. Barneys carries Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle which is what I mainly buy there, plus the occasional dress or skirt. In general I find people at Bergdorfs to be more friendly but that is probably because I'm in the store more often so they know me better. I do head over to Barneys when I don't find what I am looking for at Bergdorfs. I haven't really had a bad experience at either store.

We have several Starbucks in my neighborhood which are popular. I don't go much. Are their coffees good? I like cordatito or cafe con leche which are Cuban style coffees characteristic in south Florida where I live. Im not Cuban. I love them anyway. Sometimes with a pastry. We also have a health foods restaurant nearby that serves good coffees.

 

[Keren16]

I would pass on them, honestly.
I've never had the Rice Crispy treats there but I used to like that they carry some sugarfree flavors. They've recently discontinued most of them, though, which is disappointing. It was one of the reasons I would go there for coffee.
I am tempted to buy my own sugarfree flavors on the internet and take them with me when I grab coffee at places. I'm surprised more cafes haven't cashed in on having sugarfree flavors. Many people are concerned about the sugar levels in food and need to watch it nowadays.
I do have a "guilty pleasure restaurant" though, if I can even call it a restaurant.



I buy most of my shoes at Bergdorfs because I like the selection better and my SA is there. I prefer working with one SA who knows my style (and what I already have) and that I can count on for honest opinions and advice. Barneys carries Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle which is what I mainly buy there, plus the occasional dress or skirt. In general I find people at Bergdorfs to be more friendly but that is probably because I'm in the store more often so they know me better. I do head over to Barneys when I don't find what I am looking for at Bergdorfs. I haven't really had a bad experience at either store.

I like Bergdorfs also for their good selection of shoes & helpful SA's. Have you bought any of the Hermes scarves they sell? I have in the past. Not sure what the current inventory is like.
I bought Serge Lutens fragrances from Barneys. The Frederic Malle I own came from SAKS, Miami.
It always helps to have nice sales associate. I like to please them, as you do also, for their honest opinions & the time they take to make us happy with our purchases.

 

[Keren16]

I've had my card number used numerous times and caught it fairly quickly. I wasn't liable for anything of course. Now I would prefer they declined more and verified purchases especially if they let a 5 figure charge go through at H. I really do not rack up those kind of purchases often. Perhaps because it was immediately refunded the didn't check but I would rather deal with the hassle of getting things approved than dealing with fraudulent charges!

Most of the time, the credit card company calls me to verify questionable purchases. I find the fraudulent charges after it's been done. Recently, I receive a text first to verify I made the charge. If I'm going to make a large purchase or go out of town, I let the cc bank know. I too prefer the charge be declined until its verified by myself or an authorized user on the account. Another situation I've encountered is a call from the company telling me a new card will be issued. The reason was a business records were compromised & many credit card numbers were on file.

 

[Kyokei]

I had Vacqueyras. Isn't Gigondas close by? I don't remember much about them. Are they from the southern part of France?
Other than Vosne Romanee, the closest Ive come to drinking a Romanee Conti is Romanee St Vivant (maybe incorrect spelling). Have you tried Richbourg? I agree with you, a Kelly comes before buying a bottle of either of those two!
Is Barolo considered the King & Barbaresco the Queen (something like that)? Now I'm thinking I should go back to my neighborhood Italian restaurant to try those wines. [emoji6]
I recently started taking pictures of memorable wines also. Makes sense.

Yes. Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Chateauneuf du Pape are all Southern Rhone AOC appellations. If you mean the $16k Henri Jayer Richebourg Grand Cru I have never tried it and probably never will in my lifetime. I will invest in lifetime pieces like B or K but those are pretty steep for a wine that I will inevitably drink. I did have a Richebourg once (that was much cheaper in comparison ) for a very special occasion and it was wonderful. I remember that day fondly. This was right around the time I was just getting really into wine so maybe I didn't appreciate it as much as I would now.

Barolo is usually considered the King of Italian wines, yes! I’d say Brunello is up there too, though Barolos are great. I tend to like the slightly older ones the best. There is actually an Italian wine restaurant right near one of my favorite restaurants. This restaurant does not have a good wine list at all (it is a Japanese restaurant so their wines are a bit mediocre) so often I will head for wine at the Italian place after eating there.

We have several Starbucks in my neighborhood which are popular. I don't go much. Are their coffees good? I like cordatito or cafe con leche which are Cuban style coffees characteristic in south Florida where I live. Im not Cuban. I love them anyway. Sometimes with a pastry. We also have a health foods restaurant nearby that serves good coffees.

I wouldn't say the coffee is great but it is convenient sometimes. I will go other places first that have a better coffee selection but sometimes it comes down to location. I dislike their Pike Place (the default coffee), but I like very bitter and strong coffee so the Dark Roast is a bit better in my opinion. I don't drink milk and don't put sugar in my coffee so the taste of the black coffee/espresso is important to me.

There is a coffee place by Hermes that my SA recommended to me that I've been meaning to check out.

I like Bergdorfs also for their good selection of shoes & helpful SA's. Have you bought any of the Hermes scarves they sell? I have in the past. Not sure what the current inventory is like.
I bought Serge Lutens fragrances from Barneys. The Frederic Malle I own came from SAKS, Miami.
It always helps to have nice sales associate. I like to please them, as you do also, for their honest opinions & the time they take to make us happy with our purchases.

I haven't purchased any H scarves from Bergdorfs since I really like shopping with my SA who gives honest opinions about the scarves. We have similar scarf taste most of the time and they are the best when it comes to knowing what will look great on me. Even options I would have never considered, I am surprised by.

I have a couple of great SAs that I work with at different brands but my H SA and my shoe SA at BG really are phenomenal so I stick to them. I remember you asking about Clive Christian... I actually have a great SA there too, she is always so sweet and I sometimes visit the counter to say hello even if I'm not buying. If I don't really connect with any SA at a brand then I will just buy from whoever is there.

 

[eagle1002us]

I would pass on them, honestly.
I've never had the Rice Crispy treats there but I used to like that they carry some sugarfree flavors. They've recently discontinued most of them, though, which is disappointing. It was one of the reasons I would go there for coffee.
I am tempted to buy my own sugarfree flavors on the internet and take them with me when I grab coffee at places. I'm surprised more cafes haven't cashed in on having sugarfree flavors. Many people are concerned about the sugar levels in food and need to watch it nowadays.
I do have a "guilty pleasure restaurant" though, if I can even call it a restaurant.



I buy most of my shoes at Bergdorfs because I like the selection better and my SA is there. I prefer working with one SA who knows my style (and what I already have) and that I can count on for honest opinions and advice. Barneys carries Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle which is what I mainly buy there, plus the occasional dress or skirt. In general I find people at Bergdorfs to be more friendly but that is probably because I'm in the store more often so they know me better. I do head over to Barneys when I don't find what I am looking for at Bergdorfs. I haven't really had a bad experience at either store.

A common sugar substitute, aspartame, concerns some people.

 

[eagle1002us]

We have several Starbucks in my neighborhood which are popular. I don't go much. Are their coffees good? I like cordatito or cafe con leche which are Cuban style coffees characteristic in south Florida where I live. Im not Cuban. I love them anyway. Sometimes with a pastry. We also have a health foods restaurant nearby that serves good coffees.

YES! Cafe con leche is great. I drink it if I can find it in Miami when I'm there. Does Miami Beach Starbucks have it?

 

[nicole0612]

Speaking of wine.... does anyone else live near Starbucks that are now selling wine and craft beer? I saw this a few months ago at a Starbucks I occasionally stop by when I need a quick cup of coffee. I feel like nothing good can come of wine from a Starbucks, but morbid curiosity is getting to me.

I live near 3 of these establishments. The small plates and ETOH are not too impressive, but the atmosphere is a bit nicer for sitting with a coffee. I actually love their veggie brown rice bowls for a quick lunch, as they have two Starbucks INSIDE my workplace (a hospital) and another on the same block.

I would pass on them, honestly.
I've never had the Rice Crispy treats there but I used to like that they carry some sugarfree flavors. They've recently discontinued most of them, though, which is disappointing. It was one of the reasons I would go there for coffee.
I am tempted to buy my own sugarfree flavors on the internet and take them with me when I grab coffee at places. I'm surprised more cafes haven't cashed in on having sugarfree flavors. Many people are concerned about the sugar levels in food and need to watch it nowadays.
I do have a "guilty pleasure restaurant" though, if I can even call it a restaurant. .

I like to bring little travel size flavored stevia drops in my purse. The nozzle fits inside the mouth hole of a coffee cup. I like nunaturals stevia drops best, but they do not have a travel size so I use SweetLeaf mini liquid stevia droppers.


(Similar size stevia drops container, my purse is in the bedroom with my light-sleeping husband).

 

[Kyokei]

A common sugar substitute, aspartame, concerns some people.

Ah yes, I'm aware of that. But they still carry the cinnamon and vanilla flavors but discontinued caramel and hazelnut.

Oh well, I really only go there every so often when it is the only convenient place to get coffee in the area. A lot of other places have better tasting coffee to drink black.

 

[Kyokei]

I live near 3 of these establishments. The small plates and ETOH are not too impressive, but the atmosphere is a bit nicer for sitting with a coffee. I actually love their veggie brown rice bowls for a quick lunch, as they have two Starbucks INSIDE my workplace (a hospital) and another on the same block.

View attachment 3497959




I like to bring little travel size flavored stevia drops in my purse. The nozzle fits inside the mouth hole of a coffee cup. I like nunaturals stevia drops best, but they do not have a travel size so I use SweetLeaf mini liquid stevia droppers.

View attachment 3497961
(Similar size stevia drops container, my purse is in the bedroom with my light-sleeping husband).

That is a smart idea, thanks for sharing! I am often by one of those Starbucks evening locations and like the atmosphere better but have only had regular coffee there. I used to be a very big fan of another local coffee shop but because of reasons I won't get into here no longer go there. I miss their coffee a lot though; it was great. They had many different roasts and my favorites tasted great as is.

 

[nicole0612]

That is a smart idea, thanks for sharing! I am often by one of those Starbucks evening locations and like the atmosphere better but have only had regular coffee there. I used to be a very big fan of another local coffee shop but because of reasons I won't get into here no longer go there. I miss their coffee a lot though; it was great. They had many different roasts and my favorites tasted great as is.

I can completely relate. There are a couple of places I used to love going to, but due to a bad experience or poor treatment I can no longer go and enjoy myself. I have had a few moments where I consider going in, but I have such a bad taste in my mouth that I know I would not enjoy it. For me, the atmosphere and how I feel somewhere is much more important than the food (or clothing, accessories, bags etc) I can get there.

 

[Kyokei]

I can completely relate. There are a couple of places I used to love going to, but due to a bad experience or poor treatment I can no longer go and enjoy myself. I have had a few moments where I consider going in, but I have such a bad taste in my mouth that I know I would not enjoy it. For me, the atmosphere and how I feel somewhere is much more important than the food (or clothing, accessories, bags etc) I can get there.

Same here. If it is just one person but the rest of the staff is fine, I can avoid that person. But sometimes it is an issue with the management or just poor service all around and I won't go back. It's sad when you see it happen in a place you once loved. There are some brands I don't shop at because I disagree with their sales tactics, one being a product that I once was a fan of. There are more than enough places that make me feel happy about being there to bother with the few that don't.

 

[nicole0612]

Same here. If it is just one person but the rest of the staff is fine, I can avoid that person. But sometimes it is an issue with the management or just poor service all around and I won't go back. It's sad when you see it happen in a place you once loved. There are some brands I don't shop at because I disagree with their sales tactics, one being a product that I once was a fan of. There are more than enough places that make me feel happy about being there to bother with the few that don't.

I completely agree, though if I really love a brand, be it for food or fashion, I am certainly willing to go to a less convenient location if the atmosphere is more relaxing or welcoming. I like a low key environment in general, but I do appreciate knowledgable and efficient assistance by staff, and friendliness is great, but only if it is sincere (or close enough to fool me, I suppose).

 

[EmileH]

Oh gosh. You guys were busy overnight.

Wine: I love Italian wines. For anyone in Philadelphia you must go to panorama wine bar on front street and buy a flight called the Italian stallions. It's very Philadelphia.

Sweeteners: I'm not super careful about additives in my foods and I drank sugar free beverages forever. A few years back I decided that a teaspoon of sugar was better than any chemical.

Shoes: bergdorfs has the most amazing shoe department. I'm lucky that I don't go there often. I would be broke. I like that they carry a variety of heel heights. I'm feeling a bit overloaded on shoes at the moment. But I could probably use some attractive snow boots for winter.

I'm so excited that my dress is coming in. I'm going Saturday to make sure it fits. There might be another surprise waiting for me as well. [emoji16]

 

[Kyokei]

Oh gosh. You guys were busy overnight.

Wine: I love Italian wines. For anyone in Philadelphia you must go to panorama wine bar on front street and buy a flight called the Italian stallions. It's very Philadelphia.

Sweeteners: I'm not super careful about additives in my foods and I drank sugar free beverages forever. A few years back I decided that a teaspoon of sugar was better than any chemical.

Shoes: bergdorfs has the most amazing shoe department. I'm lucky that I don't go there often. I would be broke. I like that they carry a variety of heel heights. I'm feeling a bit overloaded on shoes at the moment. But I could probably use some attractive snow boots for winter.

I'm so excited that my dress is coming in. I'm going Saturday to make sure it fits. There might be another surprise waiting for me as well. [emoji16]

Next time I'm in Philadelphia, I will check that out!

Bergdorfs shoe department is indeed dangerous. A little less so than H for me, but it's up there.

I'd love to hear more about your dress (and the surprise) when it comes in.