Second Home

Have you ever come across a place which you can reclaim as your second home? A place where you would go to and do almost everything? A place where you've become so familiar that your mum will nag whenever you told her that you are at that particular place instead of home? I'm not sure about you but I certainly do, and the place that I've called my second home is Starbucks.

Located in the hypermarket, Carrefour, this Starbucks outlet is one of its many kinds in Subang Jaya. My initial reason of why I choose this outlet in particular was because it is the nearest to my home - I stayed in KTM Quarters which is just behind Carrefour Subang Jaya, so to get here, I just need to walk for approximately 5 minutes from my house. Starbucks in Carrefour started its business in the year 1998. It is the first Starbucks outlet in Subang Jaya. Initially, it consist only half of the present compound.

I forgot all about my first visit to this Starbucks outlet but what I can remember was the first treatment that I've received from the friendly and knowledgeable Starbucks' Baristas (Barista, refers to someone who works in any Starbucks outlet besides allt he managerial personnel). The first time you were to enter the shop, these barista will never failed to greet you with a smile. During your first visit here, you don't to feel inferior or scared on what to order, just ask what's in store and the baristar on duty will, nourish you with the beverage menus that suits your taste bud.

Besides friendly and informative treat that you'll get from the store's baristas, the vast variety of beverages is also one of reason why Starbucks outlets are my first selection of hangout place. Even though the price range can be considered as pricey to some, the coffee beverages' quality is among the best compared to any other coffee brand. You can choose from expresso beverages, freshly brewed coffee, frappuccino - a blended beverages, chocolates and a vast selection of tea and fruit juice. There are also ample of flavor that you can choose to go with your desired coffee, for those who like their coffee to be sweet, there are four types of syrups that you can namely, classic, vanilla, hazelnut and caramel. Your pick doesn’t stop there, you can also choose your milk to be either skimmed, low-fat, with or without foam, steamed extra hot or even soy milk; the choice is yours. For those who are more adventurous, you can even ask for extra expresso shot for your favorite beverage and for those who are afraid of caffeine, they even have decaf coffee to feed your hunger and wild imagination for coffee.

Apart from drinks, there are also variety of cakes, pastries, and sandwiches if you want to enjoy your drink with some food. Through many innovative and creative inventions, Starbucks Malaysia has come out with many types of beverages that suit our local celebration, beverage such as "iced-passion shaken" tea is one of my favorite drinks on a hot sunny day.

Going to Starbucks for me is more than just to enjoys the vast selection of the beverages, but also the ambiance there. The Starbucks outlet in Carrefour might undergone several changes, especially its infrastructure, but the feeling every time I walk into it has never changed that is why, despite our busy schedule, my friend and I would make an effort to hang around there at least once in two weeks. The atmosphere in Starbucks also made it possible not only for friends to hang around together, through time, I found many come to Starbucks to meet client, study, and also to work. Working in Starbucks will give you the different nature of completing your task, outside your office and for someone who worked from home like me, working in Starbucks refrain me from fall into slumber land. The cozy lighting and comfortable couch and sofas catalyzed the good time you'll spend with friend, business client or your loved ones, along with soothing jazz music play list, aired on the background.

I called many of my friends to share their experience about going to Starbucks and their response are as such:

Nuzul, 26 - "What I remember about Starbucks, Carrefour is when I brought my
boyfriend to meet my friend for the first time. It was such an experience"

Lola, 34 - "When I first started my Event Management Company, was in Starbucks most
of the time, this is also where I met many of my clients. Many of the barista has
become great friend and even though I seldom go to Starbucks anymore we
still meet each other.

Musa, 25 - "As someone who works here, Starbucks in Carrefours has many regular
customers. Here, we practice a strong baristas-customer relationship because
it's not like any other Starbucks where people come and go.

I myself have great experience with people that work for Starbucks; people like Shah, Musa, Asraf, Aida and Lin are few names that have been the front face, still serve their best in Starbucks Carrefour. People like Ika, Irene, Azril, Shaq, Jo, EJ, Ryan, Miza, and many others that has left Starbucks Carrefour or Starbucks itself, has turn from merely acquaintance to friendship.

Being in Starbucks can be such a wonderful experience, especially for those who love coffee like myself, the nice nonchalant service that I've experienced from Starbucks outlet in Carrefour, has given my friend and I a good impression toward Starbucks as a whole. Whenever I travel, the first thing I'm looking forward is to get my iced venti latte and yes, it must be from Starbucks.