At 7:12 PM -0800 4/2/07, mike larkin wrote:
>http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2237661.ece
>By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
>Published: 05 February 2007
>
>At the Sweet Spot Cafe in the northern suburbs of
>Seattle, you get more than a foam topping on your
>cappucino. You get a waitress in a bikini, or maybe a
>tight-fitting T-shirt, and a choice of drinks with
>names such as Wet Dream (with caramel and white
>chocolate), Sexual Mix (a caramel macchiato) or Erotic
>Pleasure.
>
>South of the city, in Tukwila, the baristas at
>Cowgirls Espresso wear sheer negligees and visible
>pink panties. It's the same story in any number of
>other suburban bars and drive-through stands, like the
>Natte Latte in Port Orchard or Moka Girls in Auburn -
>bikinis, racy lingerie, fetish clothing, and plenty of
>suggestively exposed flesh.
>
>At Best Friend Espresso in Kenmore, at the northern
>end of Lake Washington, the outfits take their
>inspiration from Playboy-style sex fantasies. The
>staff will go for the naughty schoolgirl look one
>week, then don black-framed glasses the next to look
>like sexy secretaries.
>
>Welcome to "sexpresso" - the latest coffee fad to hit
>America, in which the country's seemingly boundless
>fascination for Italian-style Java is combined with
>its equally boundless fascination for half-naked
>women.
>
>Seattle may not be the first American city to come to
>mind when it comes to the pleasures of the flesh, but
>it is super-saturated with coffee stands, all of which
>are battling each other - and the mighty, locally
>based behemoth that is Starbucks - to give morning
>commuters an extra reason to stop off at their
>particular establishment.
>
>"Here on Aurora Avenue, there's a drive-through every
>20 blocks. You have to do something to stand out,"
>said Sarah Araujo, owner of The Sweet Spot. Ms Araujo
>brainstormed with her customers to come up with
>something new and different when she bought the cafe -
>then called Aurora Espresso - a couple of years ago.
>
>Not only did her staff start removing clothing and
>giving suggestive new names to the drinks, they also
>started doing theme days - Tube Top Tuesdays, Wet
>T-Shirt Wednesdays and Fantasy Fridays.
>
>The plastic coffee cups are indistinguishable in shape
>from those sold in any other coffee shop in north
>America. But they are decorated with the silhouette of
>a busty naked woman carrying a steaming mug of "Joe".
>The lid is sealed with a pink lipstick kiss.
>
>During the summer, when the persistent Seattle rain
>finally lifts and the Pacific Northwest enjoys a few
>months of real sunshine, The Sweet Spot organises
>bikini car washes and takes care to post the most
>suggestive photographs on its website. This year, the
>cafe is planning a barista calendar.
>
>Coming with a theme for a coffee bar is nothing new in
>America. In Los Angeles, there are cafes where you can
>buy second-hand books, get cut-price legal advice,
>throw pots, or listen to really, really bad live music
>provided by local bands. Strangely, nobody until now
>has thought of combining coffee with sex.
>
>Ms Araujo and others say it has given an unmistakable
>boost to their businesses. Their staff may only
>receive minimum wage, but the tips can be terrific.
>
>"Our customers may be half-asleep when they get here,
>but we do what it takes to wake them up," said Ms
>Araujo. "They always say: 'Thanks for the great cup of
>coffee and the smile; it made my day'."
>
>Some local puritans have expressed disquiet - and
>railed at The Seattle Times newspaper after it ran a
>feature on the sexpresso trend 10 days ago. But law
>enforcement officials say there is nothing illegal
>about wearing scanty clothing, so the trend is almost
>certain to keep spreading.
>
>Even Seattle, though, has its limits. Sexy underwear
>is all very well, but the city hardly has the climate
>of French Polynesia.
>
>"We're not in bikinis right now," Ms Araujo conceded
>in the murky early hours of yesterday. "We're going
>more for miniskirts and boots. It's pretty cold up
>here."
>
>
>
>
>
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