The Sock Bottle Gets and Upgrade, and Finally Goes to Starbucks

I made this brown felt Mug Snuggie (Smuggie? Did I just invent something?) for my infamous Bottle in a Sock so that Les would not cringe every time I decided to take my sock bottle out on the town with me.

Just kidding. That's a total lie.

I made the Smuggie for me. I had no problem filling up the Bottle in a Sock coffee mug with organic, fair trade java and some soy milk (and sugar, and dark chocolate syrup) at home and taking it out for a drive or a walk. But every time I thought about taking it to Starbucks for my weekly (twice weekly?)Guilty Pleasure Latte, I would get up to the counter and freeze. I Just. Couldn't. Do. It. I couldn't bring myself to hand my sock bottle over the counter to the hipper-than-thou barista. I couldn't bear the thought of the suited up Loopers behind me in line cocking their eyebrows at my makeshift to-go mug. The same way I sigh and shake my head when the lady in front of me orders a Nonfat One Splenda No Whip Decaf Coffee Caramel Frappucino. (That actually happened. 15 minutes ago.).

But today, the Smuggied Bottle made it out of my bag and over the counter. Hooray! One small step for repurposing posers like me, one giant leap for my Starbucks disposables waste reduction. And guess what? I got not one, but TWO complements on my "cute" coffee bottle. Yeah, the barista who was actually making my nonfat latte had some trouble getting the steamed milk into the bottle in an orderly fashion, but he smiled and said "no problem!". Like any properly indoctrinated baristas would do. I explained to him that it was my first try with the new coffee bottle. And he just handed me my bottle and said "Enjoy!".

And I am. Enjoying my very FIRST waste-free Starbucks Latte.

Finally. Only 4 months in the making.