For those of you not familiar with the San Francisco Bay Area, I live in Berkeley -- directly across the Bay from the Golden Gate Bridge. My office in is Hayward, roughly 20-25 miles south. Normally, I get my coffee shipped to my office from Espresso Vivace and it is roasted and delivered to my office in 48 hours. BUT . . .

I forgot to order it by Tuesday of this week, and so -- just to play it safe -- when I placed my order on Wednesday, I had it delivered to my home. Good thing, too, as it arrived not on Friday, but on Saturday . . . although I honestly think this is the Post Office's "fault" -- they deliver to businesses faster than to homes.

Be that as it may, it's all good, I have my coffee and all is right with the world.

So where does Peet's come in?, I hear you ask.

Well, I ran out of coffee on Friday (in both home and office). Normally, I would go to the original Peet's in Berkeley, just down the hill from my house, but there are closed for rennovation -- the building is nearly 100 years old, and Albert Peet opened in 1966, and virtually nothing has changed since then. (OK, the roaster is gone, but not much else!) So, I swung by the brand new Peet's in Hayward that has only been open for two months and grabbed some coffee for the office. I ordered a cappuccino, but the person taking my order apparently only hear me say "short pull" and placed an order for a straight double espresso, short pull.

Aside from the manager, I think everyone at this locations is brand new to Peet's, and I cannot believe that the training Peet's gives their employees is anything along the lines of Vivace, Intelligentsia, Ritual, etc., etc. -- but I gotta tell you: that was the best straight espresso I have ever had from any Peet's location . . .

Hayward. Who knew?

I may have to rethink my opinion of Peets. On the rare occasion, I drink mass roasted retail coffee, it is usually Starbucks brewed because their straight espresso, from the push button machines, is vile.