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 Linda Thomas
twitter: @TheNewsChick
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Seattle woman will eat food only from Starbucks for a year

January 8, 2013 @ 4:12 pm (Updated: 9:56 am - 1/9/13 )

Beautiful.jpg
A Seattle woman says she'll only consume food from Starbucks for all of 2013, though friends and family tell her it's going to "cost a lot of money" and she's "going to gain weight," (Photo courtesy Beautiful Existence)
"That's going to cost a lot of money."

"You're going to gain weight."

Those are the reactions a Seattle woman gets when she tells friends about her plan for the year.

Beautiful Existence, her legal name, is only going to eat food and drink beverages from Starbucks for all of 2013.

"I've been going in and getting their nutrition by the cup charts for all their serving sizes," she says. "I'm already getting a feel for what to eat - the plain nut pack as a snack because it only has 190 calories, compared to the piece of pumpkin bread."

Lucky for her, Starbucks bought a tea business and a juice company last year, so Beautiful will also purchase food from Evolution Fresh and Tazo Tea.

"I'm still trying to figure out how I can do sushi," she says. "I have two friends who are chefs and I want to see if I can get them to help me tear down some of the products at Evolution fresh and do something else."

Are you still trying to figure out why she's doing this?

Beautiful, who does not work for Starbucks and isn't getting paid by the company, designs year-long challenges for herself.

I met her after she spent a year shopping only at Goodwill.

This year's project is about more than eating turkey paninis and sipping green tea, she says.

She wants to document her experience to show how communities benefit from Starbucks.

"The company pays good benefits for part-time workers. That's where my money is going," she says.

In keeping track of her receipts, so far she's spent an average of $18.79 a day on food and drink from Starbucks.

"We're really lucky and I would say actually spoiled as Americans because we have all these different eating options," she adds.

"You go to all these other countries and they don't have these luxuries. Really? Is it really going to be that hard for one year of my life to limit my menu? We'll find out."

By LINDA THOMAS

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (68)


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  • sportsguru wrote...
    Linda I really like you
    January 8, 2013 7:17 pm

    As a journalist, not the stalker way that some of your fans on mynw.com like you and I think you know who I am talking about. But this story just makes me want to run for the hills and never come back, well not really, but I think you get my point.

    I don't mind human interest stories, but someone with a made up name of beautiful existence wanting to eat starbucks food? I think you had one a while ago about Zuckerberg getting a dog,lol. Now the crying baby one was cool and you have had some good ones that I liked in the past, but this one?

    Are your kids keeping you up and your tired and had to put something out? I come to kiro for YES, you, dave ross and "gulp" Dori Monson when he isn't whining hysterically, now that's a nice little line up for me when I am on the road going from site to site making my cheese or when I come home and want to read a entertaining blog. Was it you that did one on a woman marrying a building or was that Dori?

    Bottom line is stop it!!!!! Oh, I would listen to Boze, but something about his voice tone that irrates me after a while, he would be good teamed up with someone for a change of voice tone and I love Luke's vocabulary, not so much his politics, but he is funny in his way, ok I'm off topic, see what your topic did to me,lol.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TheNewsChick wrote...
    Here's the deal sportsguru
    January 9, 2013 12:44 am
    If you haven't heard, my job changed suddenly this week and I'm back doing a morning radio show as my primary job focus. I love what I'm doing, but I'll admit I'm mourning the loss of time I had to focus exclusively on unique and more substantial stories. I know the kinds of stories you like and I think you'd like many of the stories I was planning. When am I going to get to them? I don't know. It bothers me when I'm not able to put out an in-depth story, but I'm very short on time these days and am still trying to figure out my schedule. Fortunately, my kids are very supportive and I'll figure this out somehow. All that said, I like Beautiful Existence and the challenges she creates for herself. One last thing, I wasn't the I wasn't the "marrying a building" writer, but I can tell you that story did very well online.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Linda
    January 9, 2013 9:32 am
    We love you anyway. Hopefully KIRO will figure out what they're doing and settle on something good for you. Having said that, I can't wait to see Beautiful turn into a over- caffeinated Mad Cow...this should be fun! LOL
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Why is she doing this?
    January 9, 2013 4:00 pm
    Because she is a narcissistic empty headed, lost soul, who is begging for attention because her parents refused to hug her and tell her no!

    IMHO, that is...

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    TheNewsChick
    January 9, 2013 4:09 pm
    I with you for better or worse Linda, no worries and I look forward to your next one. That's just how I roll, once I like you, it's hard to get rid of me. I could tell, you didn't give this one the time that you usually give your stories.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ sportsguru
    January 9, 2013 4:23 pm
    You almost met with Bill Law for a beer awhile back. But now you "got rid of him".

    What gives? ;-)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    soo purletiv
    January 9, 2013 5:37 pm

    Man, you got the memory of an Elephant, you are probably the only person on this website that remembers that exchange.

    We were having our usual bantor insulting each other and then we started giving each other history lessons about each other and he offered to have a beer with me, he indicated that he had parents semi close to me, I want to say Monroe, I do work in Monroe from time to time and he wanted to have a beer on a week day and I run a small business Monday thru Saturday (I try to take Saturday off if I can), I told him I couldn't do it on a weekend and left it open.

    Approximately six months later me and Mr. Kersey are at each others throat and Bill jumps in and I tell him, man we was suppose to have a beer together and here we are again wanting to strangle each other again and HE DENIED HE EVER OFFERED TO HAVE A BEER WITH ME!!!!!!!!!

    That's a deal breaker for me Soo, you tell me your a stand up guy, brag about being transparent on a blog and using your real name and you had a chance to meet me and have a beer and because an ally of yours is having a problem with me, you are going to deny we had that conversation on this very blog?

    I guess I was naive corresponding with him, all I have is my word and character and no amount of money is worth giving those things up, no amount.

    If you can't be honest and man up with me, it's time to go kick rocks.

    I gave you more than what you were looking for huh, you were just being funny weren't you, I knew it.

    Pftttt

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    wait
    January 9, 2013 5:43 pm
    I told him I could do it on the weekend and not the weekday.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ sportsguru
    January 9, 2013 8:56 pm
    I do have such a memory as you accuse me of.

    And in reality I remember the initial occasion much better than you related here. No big deal.

    All I am saying is, give peace a chance.

    Strike that, that was a lyric flowing through my head.

    As you may recall, I mentioned that if you and Bill happened to be in the same bar together, watching say, the Seahawks, having no history together, I would imagine the 2 of you would have no problem getting along and chatting it up, since you had the Seahawks in common. You might even offer to buy each other a beer or 2.

    However, if either of you brought up the topic of politics, all hexx would break loose.

    I have long lamented the folly of taking sides on political issues. I have a strong relationship with all of my family and relatives. However, my family and relatives have so many divisions between each other and most divisions are based on political views. Stupid, sad and pointless!

    I remember a time when you and Bill Law were chumming it up, so to speak, but then became mortal enemies, again, so to speak. Each can blame the other, but it was your political views (not YOURS, but each others) that divided the two of you.

    That's why I made the comment, that if the 2 of you happened to be at a pub or bar, sitting next to each other just chit chatting, I bet the two of you would get along just fine. Mention politics, and that is a game changer!

    It's not a skin color thing, it's a political thing.

    Stupid, sad and pointless...

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    soo purletiv
    January 10, 2013 8:13 am

    Even I can't remember all of the specific's of that original conversation, so I am embarrassed that you remember a "little better" than me, my recollection was a general recollection, I might be missing a few facts, it was a long time ago.

    I know this might be hard for you to believe, but I really try not to hate anybody, I don't care who they are, what political party they belong too and/or what financial status that they belong too, much less what color they may be.

    For example, some poster on here that I truly have respect for that I KNOW have different political view than me, RON PROVOST, I know he is a republican, but he is probably the fairest person on this board, you never hear me going after him like I do certain people and I agree with his big tent theory even though I am not a registered Republican, he can get a little upset when you talk about the catholic church but other than that, he is the epitome of fair and balanced on this site. ROOMTEMP is obviously a libertarian I think and he is honest about his feeling and you never hear me attacking him for his views, I agree with a lot of what he indicates are the problem with the nation and the constitution, I don't have problem following the constitution even though there are things in the constitution that are probably draconian in TODAYS society and economic climate.

    KATO, I just love this person and I am not sure what there political affilliation and this person actually get's on me anytime I am in hyperbolic mode, but you never see me attacking them, if you are sincere and I feel you are sincere in your feeling and not just flaming the fires of hate because of your personal and/or political position, we can agree to disagree and/or come to some compromised agreement.

    MESSIAH101,lol, he is the luke burbank of this site, way to the left, but I don't begrudge him for that and don't attack him, I might disagree with him, but don't attack him/her, the fact that he is an ex-military man might also play a factor as well, but I hope you get my point.

    I have said this before on this site, I would not be where I am at if it wasn't for WHITE people and I am not talking about legislation that gave me rights, I am talking about people that have been in my life over time.

    I go on the attack on people that flame the fire of hate toward any group of people and I definitely have some conservative views on certain issues, but if you don't move lockstep on all of them, you are a stinking liberal to some posters.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ sportsguru
    January 10, 2013 2:57 pm
    Fair enough.

    I can stomach most of what you posted here, with the exception of what you wrote about ron prevost.

    He is only fair and balanced until you challenge him. He is a phony who acts like a nice guy, but is in no way such.

    He defends the Catholic church as if they could do no wrong. Unfortunately, they did REAL BAD wrong. And I am not just referring to what the priests did, but what the hierarchy was guilty of. ron prevost does not like me since I have no problem calling them out for the fact that they have ruined many children's emotional and mental state for life. I have no tolerance for child abuse in any form.

    He accuses me of being silent when other molesters, such as the Penn State scandal, are in the news. He is a fool. I have always been consistent in my bent against these types of "humans".

    Anyways, overall I think the guy is a dork, but that is not important.

    And how did I go so off topic?

    Still think it would be cool for you and Bill Law to meet some day for a beer summit... ;-)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Oh, and BTW:
    January 10, 2013 3:04 pm
    I think ROOMTEMP is what you say.

    He and I have a similar sense of humor, but he does a better job of putting it in words than me...

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    Congratulations, Linda
    January 10, 2013 8:52 am
    ...on you and Dave getting Curley fired. I guess KIRO couldn't stand someone actually making sense in the morning...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    I appreciate this story
    January 9, 2013 2:21 am
    I visited Beautiful's blog , I will be watching for her in disguise eating at Ivar's...Now THAT will be a story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    to sum up the story up she is a . . . .
    January 9, 2013 5:39 am
    plain nut. What would you want her to eat for a year? I'm back doing a morning radio show as my primary job focus? That promotion did not last long. Maybe you should move to TV. Can you do traffic reports?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    And she can take you ch with her.
    January 9, 2013 5:56 am
    You will be the commie, I mean the political comic relief. You will be the Butt of the call in jokes!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    This
    January 9, 2013 5:53 am
    is News?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Annie (1) wrote...
    Oh KIRO..It was good to know you!
    January 9, 2013 7:04 am
    What in the world has happened to KIRO? Who is making the decisions on staff, stories? Over the last year KIRO has turned into a National Enquirer/TMZ/Entertainment Tonight clone. Why is this womans bizarre behavior a story? Yesterday Dori Monson was playing audio of a convicted serial killers appearance on The Dating Game show-many years ago..after he had killed several women. Trouble is-that audio & video was played/shown all over the media a few years ago when Alcala was on trial & then convicted of mureder in California-it's not just old news-it's OLD OLD NEWS. Just this weeks example of how irrelevant(sp?) KIRO has become.Do the hosts really like doing this stuff-or is it a mandate from management? Don't even get me started on Dave Ross-in the 9am hour it really hit home how out of touch he is with the average everyday person-what's happened to him? It's a sad situation-I used to love listening to KIRO-now-not so much.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    The commercial reality is that KIRO has to maintain an audience
    January 9, 2013 7:35 am
    The advertisers want to see a great big old slice of market share more than anything else. Once the KIRO sales reps get their attention with that, they can move on into the demographic nuances of age, income, education, etc.

    Format a radio station to appeal primarily to educated, intellectually curious, critical thinkers and the content would be brilliant. It would also be short lived. If you want or need the numbers, you need to distract Boobus Americanus from "Survivor" and "The World's Biggest Loser".

    Gossip, not news; with "opinion" as well as journalistic perspective more frequently tailored to reflect the prejudices and preconceptions of the target audience.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    "Boobus Americanus"
    January 9, 2013 9:30 am
    Excellant choice of words.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • snikkers wrote...
    spot on
    January 9, 2013 10:16 am
    Annie.....I'm with you on this. I have listened to KIRO since the mid 90s and have really noticed the change in the last year or so. I made a comment earlier last week and mentioned the TMZ similarity as you have. I'm tired of audio portions of video clips of stuff I chose not to view on yahoo and youtube. There was a time when the hosts would take callers and have let them argue a perspective on an important topic. Talk radio,errr uh "Talk & Conversation Radio" isn't conversation at all. Someone at KIRO better let these very talented hosts do it the way the want to, rather than the way management sees it needs to be done.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William P wrote...
    Annie
    January 9, 2013 1:52 pm
    I totally agree with you; they certainly have seemed to lost their way. I thought Dave Ross had died and gone to progressive heaven. I've switched to KOMO 1000 AM for my news and then around the dial for some music and sports.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Annie
    January 9, 2013 4:49 pm
    You nailed it and Dave Ross needs to be put out to pasture like KOMO did with that irrelevant hack Ken Schram. HEY KIRO MANAGEMENT- you guys have lost your minds and a HUGE percentage of your listening audience....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    Vacuous
    January 10, 2013 8:54 am
    Listen to Ron and Don...you can hear Rachel Belle discuss how little she knows about anything.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Beautiful Existence = liberal nutjob
    January 9, 2013 7:56 am
    Name, haircut, seemingly fake eyeglasses. All this becuase the company pays good part time benefits? Okayyyyyyyyy....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    as a moderate liberal...
    January 9, 2013 9:45 am
    i completely agree with you. her name alone screams entitled.

    this chick seems really hipster-y, and kinda pretentious. "oooh, i'm ONLY gonna eat at starbucks, ain't i original!?" like nothing like this has ever been done AND documented either by movie or blog? must be nice to have a life where this is a completely legit challenge to undertake.

    i get the feel that money isn't really an issue for her, like she has a: trust, rich daddy/mommy, or something of the like.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • holm206 wrote...
    FART NOISE....
    January 9, 2013 8:13 am
    Not newsworthy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bdijulio wrote...
    @holm206
    January 9, 2013 8:28 am
    Great Job.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jstumbo wrote...
    Beautiful Existence?
    January 9, 2013 8:56 am
    Looking at the picture, she should change her name to Pat.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    nice.
    January 9, 2013 9:46 am
    ftw.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    i say that also...
    January 9, 2013 9:46 am
    having not seen a better pic of her. if she is an attractive lady, i retract what i commented.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    Good story, Linda
    January 9, 2013 9:05 am
    It would be easy for me to arm-chair the crap out of it if I wanted to but honestly, I think that Beautiful Existance exemplifies the 21st century hipster-youth generation of Seattle. She's bundled several current-topic and local-culture tenets together and in the process, maybe she will entertain some folks as well. In a way, it's kind of grunge.

    I just hope she stocks up some stuff at home in preparation of the 1st Sno-pocalypse of the year!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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