This is the first in an occasional series wherein I will discuss my thoughts on working in Downtown Los Angeles,  a place I have only previously visited for the occasional meal and night out drinking. I may also talk about riding the train, but only if I can find something to say other than “people are weird.”

The first thing that strikes me is the absolute domination of Starbucks. 
There are at least 5 Starbucks within 500 feet of my office, including one in the lobby of the building, and one connected to the building, but on the street for common folk to get their caffeine fix.

I’m sure that in time I will discover some mom & pop (or just an industrious Asian fellow) coffee shop with a better selection of less bitter blends than the mermaid lady serves up. 

For now, I am left to decide if the brand-less coffee that sits for God knows how long in a dented carafe in a place my employer calls “the galley” is privileged enough to grace my cup. My tired eyes will likely decide the final outcome.

In other news, I have managed to find a source for ice-cold Diet Coke in a can. The cost is four times what I am used to paying, but such is the burden of working deep in the metropolis.

Photo credit: fortinbras via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA