mumbai mocha

Check out this short write-up from Vogue India about the first Starbucks in India now open in Mumbai.  Featuring American waiters and American "super-size" portions along with the usual Starbucks offerings -- and just like the American Starbucks phenomenon, more of the Seattle-based coffee (and tea and so on) spots are scheduled to open in Mumbai within the week.  They do tend to multiply like caffeinated rabbits!  

the (be)witching hour

I really love epicurious.com and Douglas Little's suggestions for a more sophisticated (sorry, kids) Halloween party, featuring an upscale Witches' Sabbath theme for the evening.  Click here for details, and while the theme is indeed witchery, perhaps a bottle or two of Vampire Wine can be served?  And if you're at such a party drinking coffee in the wee hours to sober up before heading home and cream curdles in your cup, there may be a real warlock among the guests.  Or the cream just might be past its prime but it seems much more interesting to have a Halloween warlock around.

(Pictured:  The Black Cat -- Gino Severini, 1911, Wikimedia Commons)