We don't ususally shop at Vons (part of the Safeway network, for those unfamiliar with the chain), but my day was made last week when I was in our neighborhood store and discovered they're carrying Peet's coffee! I first discovered Peet's at the many Au Bon Pain bakery cafes in D.C. a decade ago, and we used to purchase Peet's by mail-order from San Fran. What's great about the stuff is that the folks at Peet's don't burn their beans beyond recognition (unlike, say the purveyors of a ubiquitous form of joe that originates in Seattle). I like the stuff so much that soon after my return to Reason's California HQ in 1997, some of us were able to prevail on the powers-that-be at the Reason Foundation to purchase Peet's for the office. (It probably helped our cause that Reason founder Bob Poole was a Peet's fan from way back.)
Anyway, since Peet's has no retail outlets in Las Vegas, we no longer have to order the nectar from San Fran; we can get it (and Lola's new favorite bean, Seattle's Best) in Vons. When we're on a Maxwell House budget, which is most of the time, we enjoy Trader Joe's Bay Blend -- which is intended to channel the best qualities of Peet's and Starbucks, and is a bargain at $5 a pound. Someday, when we're feeling prosperous, we'll do a blind, three-way tasting between Peet's, Seattle's Best, and TJ's. We'll get back to you.
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