Tasty Nor'Easter

Speaking of the Northeast, there's a little phenomenon going on up here involving orange and purple. This is nothing new for those who have lived here all their lives, but for California boys like myself, it may come as a surprise to learn that Dunkin' Donuts is the Starbucks of the Northeast!

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of Starbucks here. It's just that, instead of seeing them every block, you see them maybe only every 5 or 6 blocks. Seemingly more prevalent than the naughty coffee goddess are location after location of gaudy orange and purple Dunkin' Donuts signs. I find it kind of charming in a, "God I'm glad to be inundated with the presence a completely different chain" kind of way.

There's something less sickening about the Dunkin' Donuts impact on the region. It seems to be embraced more universally than Starbucks is in the West. For instance, I was reading through the latest issue of Boston's Weekly Dig, which includes a reader's poll type "Best Of the Area" feature this week. Included are all the usual categories one sees in these types of things: Best Burger, Best Haircut, Best Pub, Best Dunkin' Donuts?

Dunkin' Donuts is more than a store, my friends. Dunkin' Donuts is a frickin' genre! The winner of this year's "Best Dunkin' Donuts" award is the 750 Washington Street location, where apparently an employee named Claudia is known to shake her booty to dance music while expressing her "love of the Rolling Stones and America in general."

The Rolling Stones and Dunkin' Donuts pretty much sums up America, 'round these parts.