Former Starbucks Employee Reveals Insider Tips

Bonnie Caton, here. Before my job at Great Escape Publishing, I worked at Starbucks.
I’m not ashamed.
I can make a mean iced triple grande extra caramel caramel macchiato with whip.  And I know a few secrets you might not know because I worked there. For instance…
** Not a lot of people know about “short” drinks. If all you need is a tiny pick-me-up, request a “short” mocha, latte, or chai… basically anything that comes hot, to get an 8oz drink instead of 12oz.
** Soy milk foams up faster in the steamer than cow’s milk. Newbie baristas often don’t know how to control the amount of foam in soy drinks, so requesting “no foam” will still get you some foam in the cup… but it won’t be a whole cup full of foam.
** And, most Starbucks stores have “for here” mugs and even iced drink glasses. If you want to hang out for a while, ask for a “for here” mug and sip from ceramic, instead of flimsy paper. (Bonus — often, you’ll get an extra cinnamon sprinkle or something pretty on top when you do this!)
You can also…
** Ask for “no water” if you want a creamier chai latte…
** Make your drink less sweet by requesting fewer pumps of syrup (I’ll take a one-pump vanilla latte, please.)…
** Request your drink “extra hot,” and the barista will heat your milk beyond the 160-degree limit to ensure your drink is still hot when you’re ready to drink it back at your desk…
** And, if the store isn’t busy, you can ask for French-press coffee. Starbucks will make any of the coffee they’re brewing as a French press, if you want. (Just watch out for dirty looks from the barista if there’s a line of customers waiting.)
Wherever you go, there’s nothing like getting insider advice. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you attend our new photo expedition in New Mexico this coming October 4-8, 2012 with professional photographer Efrain Padro.
Efrain’s photography has taken him all over the world from Morocco to Paris…Puerto Rico to Holland, and more.
And it’s his job this coming October to help you gain the skills you need to do the same.
Having lived in Santa Fe for so long, Efrain knows all the best photo shoot locations and he’s a real New Mexico expert.  Don’t miss your chance to travel with him on his own turf and see two cities – Albuquerque and Santa Fe – through the eyes of an insider.
Again, more details about our upcoming workshops here.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.  Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]