FIRST STARBUCKS IN ITALY!

STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy

IT FEELS LIKE I'VE COME HOME.

starbucks, chick-fil-a, target, anthropologie, hobby lobby. these fab five places were all second homes to me especially when jack and kate were super little. the first two had drive-thru - best invention a mom of little kiddos could ask for!!!

when we moved to italy, all five of my beloved places were suddenly no longer a part of my everyday life. my heart was so sad.

then, we heard starbucks was coming to milan, italy. and not just any starbucks, but a RESERVE roastery - a more upscale coffee shop which would include a high end princi bakery with oven onsite, coffee bar, a nitro gelato affogato where you get a scoop of freshly made gelato in your espresso, arriviamo bar for pre-dinner cocktails and bites inspired by the italian apertivo which is enjoying a drink in the early evening with small snacks.

there are currently only three reserve roasteries in the world - seattle, shanghai, and now milan! they are opening three more soon in new york city (december 13th!), tokyo, and chicago. how amazing would it be to visit them all!

anyways, needless to say, i was ecstatic and counted down the months until the grand opening! chris was excited too, but since he is a huge fan of the local italian coffee bars here, he didn't act as if a long lost family member was finally coming home!

STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STARBUCKS IN THE WORLD.

today was a perfectly cool and crisp november day to visit this gorgeous historic building built between 1899 and 1901 that was once a post office (poste). they really could not have chosen a more ideal building and location of piazza cordusio (blocks from the duomo!) for the first starbucks in italy.   

after waiting in a line (long but moved quickly) to get in, we were rewarded with a breathtaking sight of the massive interior space that was just as exquisite as the outside! we felt like we had stepped into a willie wonka coffee factory - so romantic and opulent, yet warm and cozy too!!

i was instantly in love with everything, the color scheme, the textures, the materials used, lighting, the yummy smells, EVERYTHING!

my eyes scanned over tuscan white marble bar tops and gleaming touches of copper - a perfect mixture of sparkling glass and earthy wood tones sprinkled throughout... my favorite though had to be the FLOOR - the candoglia marble pieces were hand laid by local artiscans in a beautiful traditional palladian pattern in colors of cream, copper, pink, grey, and black! swoon...

STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy

PIAZZA CORDUSIO.

piazza cordusio in itself is a sight to see with its handsome architecture and mix of vintage and modern trams criss-crossing through the oval shaped square. i felt like i could spend hours just hanging out in the starbucks outdoor terrace with my green matcha latte watching the trams and people go by.

MOUTH WATERING DETAILS.

every square inch inside and out screamed to be photographed. but somehow i held myself back from going overboard - must save some for my next visit, right?!

as you enter, from left to right:

* PRINCI BAR with their delicious artisanal pizzas, pastries, breads baked in a hand-built, wood-fire oven.
* GIFT SHOP AREA
* SCOOPING BAR where you consult with a coffee master to help choose which starbucks reserve coffee suits your taste.
* ROASTING AREA
* BATHROOM (downstairs and spectacularly designed as well!)
* ARRIVIAMO BAR (upstairs) cocktails + nibbles + more coffee + that wood FLOOR!: i would love to have that gorgeous herringbone pattern in my dream home one day!
* MAIN BAR we sat here to try the nitro gelato!

STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy

GORGEOUS CENTERPIECE.

it was incredibly fascinating to be able to get a 360 degree look at the art of coffee roasting right there as we sat sipping our coffee and dowing our nitro gelato! from the roaster, to the cooling tray, to the 22 foot bronze cask that serves as the de-gassing chamber (which is a natural part of the roasting process), and the packaging area - each part of the process added such an exciting element to the atmosphere! 

STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
i love this dreamy view of the sforzesco castle from the square. it felt magical watching the sky fade sleepily into dusk as the street lights twinkled awake one by one...
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy

PERFECTLY BLUE SETTING.

there could not have been a more beautiful setting for this jewel of a building! the evening's blue light perfectly showcased this historic masterpiece. and the tram cables framed it all so well.

STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
gelato time! this lovely concoction comes from turin and is whipped with nitrogen right in front of you. the kids were pretty fascinated by the process. what a fun way to pass the time until our dinner at pescetto!
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
right at this moment, the kids started getting antsy and hangry. we quickly bundled them up and headed straight for dinner at one of our favorite places to eat in milan: PESCETTO where we usually get yummy crispy fried shrimp/calamari/fish (fritto di gamberetti e calamaretti e pesce) & rice/potatoes with mussels (riso patate con le cozze)!

by the way, that small canon camera that kate is holding is the one we bring when i don't want to bring along my big camera/lens. and even when i do bring along the usual camera gear we are always taking that one out for food shots at restaurants and capturing random fun videos. i also love seeing the images/videos our kids capture with it especially when they interview each other - hilarious!  here's the dark brown leather case we use - the kids love taking turns carrying it crossbody style! and lastly, that white sippy cup - my favorite for the past several years now!
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
as we walked towards the duomo to catch a taxi (we normally take the metro, but at night we like to stick with taxis), we were pleasantly surprised to see the street draped in holiday attire already! so excited to see milan fully decked out for christmas next month!
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy

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STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
STARBUCKS finally arrives in italy! more photos in the grey moss journal! https://greymoss.com/first-starbucks-in-italy
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