Gee I’m glad it’s raining…

...so no one can see my brace.

Yes, I’m sitting in a NYC Starbucks, it’s pouring out, and I’m rocking a sweet gray ACE Bandage wrist brace from Duane Reade. Maybe you’ve heard of him? He showed at Bryant Park last Spring with Donatella Versace. Yes, that Duane Reade. I look very cool. Which is good because I’m in the Garment District, surrounded by models and fashion-forward, chic peeps dressed in head-to-toe black. But none of them have an arm brace! Losers! (Maybe they think I’m super trendy, following new, bizarro Japanese Kegadoru phenom?)

I just had lunch with my two iVillage editors, Michelle and Valerie. Sushi, hugs, and great conversation. So nice to put a face to the name of someone you email everyday, you know?

Yesterday and today, I’ve been meeting with my editors from Health, Women’s Health, Self and Huffington Post – always a treat for me :-) Last night I tucked into some Vietnamese food for my first time ever (note to Saigon Grille: “very dirty martini" does not mean “straight vodka”.) Pinkberry has graced my palate twice so far. And now, in Starbucks, I’m trying out a new drink – the Skinny Latte. If you’ve stopped into your local java-infused crack house lately, you’ve no doubt seen them advertised – 90 calories, nonfat and with ample calcium. I made mine Mocha, which I’ve never tried before (Here’s how the convo with the barista went: Me: “How does the Skinny Mocha Latte taste?” Skinny, goateed barista: “Good, except for the “skinny” part.” Umm…way to sell the product, dude!)

I think I got a few too many pumps of mocha, though, and they forgot the espresso, because damn, this tastes like warm chocolate milk and it’s time for Leslie to go sleepy-pie… Still, lots of women are ordering skinnies and it does feel oddly virtuous and exhilarating to order it.

On the other hand, I know some body image/weight loss bloggers are perturbed by the use of the term "skinny" as a drink label. Take this excerpt from a letter written by an actual barista on Starbucks Gossip:

"It is politically incorrect. Should we start calling drinks with 2% or whole milk and regular syrups 'Fat' or 'Obese?' Consider what customers on line waiting for their turn to order their drink will think if they hear the drink before them being called out as 'Skinny.' It leaves the door open for the next person on line to be offended. Additionally, the word 'skinny' itself can have many different interpretations, not all of which are positive. In today's society, the term 'skinny' often refers to a person who is considered TOO thin or unhealthy looking. People will not want to order a drink with a name that they associate with an unhealthy appearance."

Tell me what you think. Is calling a latte "skinny" upsetting to you? A marketing ploy? Or is that taking the issue too seriously? Remember, the other sizes are "Tall," "Grande" and "Venti."

Comments

I have seen the Skinny Latte advertisements and have been perplexed by them. Am I missing something? Is the Skinny Latte new? Is it a different size? I think I have always said "Tall Skinny Latte" when I have ordered one. In any case, calling it a Skinny latte obviously does not upset me. Whatever best conveys to the barista that I want skim milk works for me! Although, I do like when they mess up my order and give me a coupon for free beverage during my next visit.

I LOOOVE the free coupons!!!! I once got one becuase they took a long time to make my drink. That was awesome!
Skinny lattes don't offend me. They can't help being skinny, the baristas made them that way!

I posted this "skinny" craze on my site, the responses i might add were quite amusing ( http://www.nutritiousjunk.com/food-thought-skinny-starbucks#comment-1820)

I actually ordered a skinny late othe first time this week (I'm usually a straight up espresso sort of person, but the Starbusks one suck to the point of being undrinkable so they need the milk to mask that) and, to tell you the truth, the word "skinny" is so over-used that I didn't think twice about seeing it on the menu board. I find it hard to believe anyone would find it offensive really.

I posted about it on my blog.
Am I Offended? No. DO I like it? No..
I dont like the idea of perpetuating food issues and this just contributes to it.
Will I avoid Starbucks because of it? No.. As a shareholder will I/have I write/written a letter? Yes.
I just wish society would stop talking about food and its effect and start getting back into the soul and spirit of things and living...

I'm there with Rebecca... I've heard nonfat drinks called "skinny" for years. It's not new to me.

What bothers me about the skinny latte isn't the name, it's the artificial sweetners!

Although I had a giggle when I ordered a steamer for my kids the other day and I had to say "I want a fat cow with whip" Sure, I could've said "make it with whole milk for the kiddies" but my way was much more fun:)

I like it how Alyssa on my site called it a "What's the point?". and yes, what is the point of shelling out four bucks on mediocre, watered down coffee infused with artificial sweetners. 4 bucks can get you a delicious fat free yoo hoo at my local 7 eleven with extra change for a pack of gum or tic tacs!

Great to see you too, Les! I personally thought you rocked that arm brace pretty well under your sassy black trench. Michelle and I are running out to DR this afternoon to get up on the trend.

isn't Duane Reade an NYC pharmacy? I mean I guess that was supposed to be a joke... but anyone else outside of NYC might not get it!!

I just stumbled on your blog and I have to say that I LOVE IT! It's probably one of the funniest blogs (if not THE funniest) that I have ever read... and I plan on reading it everyday now! Keep up the awesome work!

oh, and GO WISCONSIN! (I am from Madison)

I eat those Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches all the time, and I love them. I never even thought about the name, I only started to eat them because they were a more virtuous indulgence than, say, a pint of full fat Hagen Daas.

I love ordering my skinny latte! Mostly because it saves me words . . . I used to have to say "venti skim cinnamon dolce latte with sugar-free syrup no whip." Now I sail in and get my venti skinny cinnamon dolce.

i couldn't care less about starbucks, but i'll tell you what bothers me: the word "virtuous" when it's used to describe food choices. food is neither "good" nor "bad", so why should it be judged as such?