My Ode to Coffee {Smart and Final Ambience Giveaway}

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

This sponsored post and giveaway are inspired by my sampling of the new Ambiance line of coffee by Smart and Final. *Contest is now Closed - Congrats to #27, Kalea!*
"Over second and third cups flow matters of high finance, high state, common gossip and low comedy. Coffee is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds, a stimulant of wit, a foiler of sleep if you want it so. From roadside mugs to the classic demi-tasse, it is the perfect democrat."            ~Author Unknown
I'm sure you're all dying to know how I feel about coffee. You could skip straight to the bottom for the gift card giveaway, but you'd be missing out on a chance to get to know me better!

I didn't start drinking coffee until I was in college. I've always liked the smell of the beans and a fresh brewed pot, but before I went away to school I couldn't take the taste. Even when I started drinking it, it wasn't really because I wanted a cup of coffee. It started, like most people I knew, as a tool for cram sessions or a way to wake up after a long night of partying, er, studying.

Before I learned to appreciate the taste and recognize a bad cup of coffee, I drank mine like Clarence, a character in one of the best movies ever made.* "It's not a good cup of coffee unless the spoon stands up." The sugar to liquid ratio was totally skewed toward sugar. My teeth feel gritty just thinking about it.

I've become a bit of a coffee snob in my old age. We prefer to grind our own beans, only drink flavored coffee and always have an assortment of creamers and half and half in the fridge. Also? I don't mix flavors. If my coffee flavor is creme brulee, the creamer has to be, too. French Vanilla and Hazelnut do not go together and never shall the two mix in my mug.

Speaking of mugs, I have two favorites. There's my everyday mug that I went to several Starbucks to find, and my Copco travel mug. I don't let anyone use them so don't even ask.

Coffee Break! from Flickr via Wylio
© 2011 LenDog64, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio

Does anyone remember that TV show from the early '90's Grace Under Fire? In one episode, Grace's neighbor, Nadine, got into a fight with her husband Wade over how she takes her coffee. "Doesn't he know I like my coffee taupe?!" That's me. I can't drink my coffee unless it's a certain shade of taupe.

I also have pretty specific tastes when I go out for coffee. Most people stop offering to go on a coffee run when I'm around because I will hand you my drink order on a Post It note. Yes, I am that person.

I may have gotten a late start, but now coffee is a big part of my life. I usually start my day with it. I've had meetings over a cup. I've made new friends, reconnected with old friends, caught up on life, laughed, had serious discussions and read great books with a cup of coffee nearby.

I love my coffee. I need my coffee. I crave coffee. I have driven out of my way for coffee. Coffee!!!!!!

Ahem.

I've told you my coffee quirks, now you tell me yours. I have a pretty cool prize up for grabs. Smart and Final wants you to get addicted to enjoy their new Ambiance coffee. 


You'll get the same gift basket I was given with a sampling of their 6 flavors AND a $150 gift card. $150 goes a long way at Smart and Final (more on that later). So how do you win? Easy:

Prize: One winner will receive an Ambiance coffee product gift basket and $150 Smart & Final gift card.

Rules/ways to enter:
1. Comment here with your favorite coffee moment, quirk or your beverage of choice.

2. You can earn extra entries for tweeting about this giveaway and using the #MyAmbianceMoment hashtag. Leave a comment with a link to your daily tweet (one tweet/extra entry per day).

3. Post the contest on Facebook and leave a link.

4. You don't have to follow me, friend me or Smart and Final to win. There are 14 other bloggers doing the same giveaway and all links are being Tweeted and posted on the Smart and Final Facebook page.

Sample text: "Enter to win an Ambiance Coffee gift pack and $150 gift card from @smartfinal http://bit.ly/SFSmartiesAmbience #MyAmbianceMoment Pls RT!"

5. You know the drill, no contact info, no entry.

6. I'll post the winner here and on Twitter after I've used Random.org.

7. Winner has 24 hours to respond or I'll choose another.

Deadline: Tuesday February 8th, midnight PST.

Good luck!

*If you can tell me what movie that line is from you'll be my new BFF.

54 comments:

  1. I like my coffee black. On occasion I'll add some flavored creamers but typically, just hot and untouched is perfect for me!

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  2. My all time favorite coffee drink is a caramel frapp!

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  3. My favorite time to have a cup of coffee is a couple hours after lunch. 3pm is the perfect time for a pick me up!

    larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

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  4. I tweeted on 2/1:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/32678459767525376

    larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is my coffee quirk: while I love good quality coffee and don't mind paying extra for it, if I'm visiting somewhere where the coffee is bad, I still drink it. I just can't seem to pass up a cup of coffee of any quality!

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  6. I tweeted http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/32715168962052096
    Thanks!

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  7. Coffee-anytime, anywhere! My favorite coffee habit: the pot is automatically set to brew at 4:30 am so by the time I am ready for the shower at 4:45 am, I take my coffee with me, set it on the sink next to the shower and I can drink and shower at the same time! Just wouldn't b the same if I didn't start my morning with coffee!!!

    Charlene

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  8. I tweeted on 2/2!
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/33007933520347137

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  9. Daily tweet 2-03
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/33245786791743489

    thanks!

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  10. My fav moment is when the kids are asleep and the dishes are done and I can finally have some "me" time.
    1prizewinner at gmail dot com

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  11. Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/1prizewinner/status/33251771996569600

    twitter name: 1prizewinner
    1prizewinner (at) gmail (dot) com

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  12. My favorite moment is early in the morning, before everyone gets up and the house gets noisy. I enjoy a hot cup of coffee in peace! :)
    rosanova_family@comcast.net

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  13. Tweeted on Feb. 3!


    http://twitter.com/#!/rosanovafamily/status/33260837376507904

    rosanova_family@comcast.net

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  14. My favorite beverage is the standard cup of unflavored coffee.
    lesleymitchell52@yahoo.com

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  15. I tweeted on 2/3:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/33385804843716608

    ReplyDelete
  16. Daily tweet
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/33445862503882753
    thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Tweeted on Friday, Feb. 4!

    http://twitter.com/#!/rosanovafamily/status/33521250366136320

    @rosanovafamily

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  18. I love having a cup of decaf late at night. It warms me up!
    frugalhappy@yahoo.com

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  19. My favorite time would be in the morning - I love first cup of fresh brewed coffee in the morning
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

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  20. tweet http://twitter.com/#!/ljshores/status/33740455061630976
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

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  21. I started drinking coffee later in life, too, but I love it and drink it every morning Beverage of choice: A nice house-style blend.
    frugalhappy@yahoo.com

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  22. I Tweeted on 2/4:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/33769524062846976

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but my husband enjoys a good cup of coffee
    phyllis2win(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Tweeted on 2/5!

    http://twitter.com/#!/rosanovafamily/status/33942955362353153

    ReplyDelete
  25. My favorite coffee moment is EVERY Saturday morning when my husband and I get up early to make a pot of coffee and then sit in bed together chatting over coffee while listening to music.

    ThriftyWays(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I tweeted

    http://twitter.com/#!/kellyblackwell/status/33977691350900736

    ThriftyWays(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. I used to drink my coffee with cream and sugar. Cut out the sugar, then cut out the cream. Straight black now...but not too strong.

    ReplyDelete
  28. daily tweet
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/33989699613757440

    ReplyDelete
  29. I tweeted on 2/5:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/33997400796299264

    ReplyDelete
  30. oooo my fav beverage is a Starbucks Java chip frappachino :)
    Amanda Biel
    hisangelonly05@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I tweeted!!! @afwife05
    http://twitter.com/afwife05/status/34006468017520641
    Amanda Biel
    hisangelonly05@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. There is a rule in my house that no one is to talk to me until I have my finished my first cup of coffee. My husband has tried to tell me something like take out chicken to defrost for dinner and then he left the house to go to work. When he arrives home and finds that no chicken was taken out, he realizes that he spoke to me before I had my first cup of coffee.

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  33. tweet http://twitter.com/#!/ljshores/status/34070090462924800
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
  34. Daily tweet
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/34169640267550720
    thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/phyllis2win/status/34250123219312640
    phyllis2win(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  36. My quirk is that my coffee must be VERY hot. I can't stand it when it starts to cool.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I tweeted on 2/6:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/34350480423395328

    ReplyDelete
  38. tweet http://twitter.com/#!/ljshores/status/34421412286435329
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I shared on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ljsin2win/posts/196131107079694
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
  40. Tweeted 2/6

    http://twitter.com/#!/rosanovafamily/status/34370218373423105

    rosanova_family@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  41. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/phyllis2win/status/34619233270759425
    phyllis2win(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Tweeted 2/7
    http://twitter.com/#!/rosanovafamily/status/34370218373423105

    rosanova_family@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  43. I love peppermint flavor coffee!

    prdmilitarywife12 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. daily tweet
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/34713105413971969

    ReplyDelete
  45. i tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/Prdmilitarywife/status/34713199894859776

    ReplyDelete
  46. tweet http://twitter.com/#!/ljshores/status/34801449561096192
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
  47. I tweeted on 2/7:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/34785774452875264

    ReplyDelete
  48. I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/phyllis2win/status/34952982495764480
    phyllis2win(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  49. daily tweet
    http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/35070896452403201
    thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Last tweet! 2/8:
    http://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/35119961085050880

    ReplyDelete
  51. My favorite coffee moment is getting up early in the morning before the rest of the family and brewing a pot of coffee and enjoying a cup a two before the day begins.

    shawn113(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  52. last tweet http://twitter.com/ljshores/status/35169414408044544
    ljsin2win-at-gmail-dot-com

    ReplyDelete
 
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