Long time no see, Starbucks. The most recent release brings the update for the “Bluegrass State”. Been There – Kentucky v2 introduces the change from “Mammoth Caves” to “Mammoth Cave” on the front of the mug. Although, the more I look at the mugs (see comparison picture below), the more I think it was actually “Mammuth”. They’ve definitely changed the look of that “o” (or was it “u”?). What do you guys think about it? Leave a comment below, please.
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The release of Been There – Yosemite National Park denotes the further expansion of the BT series beyond cities and countries. Yes, we had amusement parks, but never a National Park, which made me wonder what other parks have Starbucks stores in them? After a quick search, it seems that this is the only one so far, and I think I know what could be the reason for that. It seems that the news about the opening of the store in Yosemite National Park was not well received by many park admirers.… Read more
Star Wars Been There – Tatooine is a mug for probably one of the most well-known locations from the Star Wars franchise. Home planet to both Luke and Anakin Skywalker, it is remembered for its desert landscapes and beautiful sunsets of its two suns. I believe it is the only planet featured in all six episodes of the saga (although only mentioned in The Empire Strikes Back). It is also the very first planet to be seen in the film franchise (Episode IV – A New Hope) and that’s what most of the mug is dedicated to.… Read more
Star Wars Been There – Endor is a mug for a small forested moon that orbited the Tana (Endor), a gas giant from the Endor system. Other names of the moon included the Forest Moon of Endor or the Sanctuary Moon.
The front of the mug shows Ewoks, native inhabitants of the moon. They were primitive but curious and friendly furred bipeds that used spears, slings, and knives as weapons. On the other hand, they appeared to be quick learners of advanced technologies and concepts brought by the Empire.… Read more
Here’s Star Wars Been There – Batuu, the release that I’ve mentioned in my previous post. It makes it the fourth mug from this mini collection.
In the Star Wars universe, Batuu is a remote terrestrial planet on the edge of the galaxy’s Outer Rim Territories. Batuu was once covered by massive trees, that later transformed into stone towers after a cataclysm. These formations, referred to by local Batuuans as “spires”, became landmarks for settlers. Black Spire Outpost is the largest settlement on the planet, which was a busy stop for travelers before the invention of hyperspace travel.… Read more
At the very first glance it might seem that Starbucks Been There Delhi is the mug for the same city as we’ve seen within the YAH collection: New Delhi. Make no mistake, these are two different entities. New Delhi is an administrative district within the borders of Delhi. In other words, it’s a city within another city.
Delhi is one of the oldest cities in the world and has always been a dominant trading and commercial center in northern India.… Read more
Starbucks Been There Mumbai is the mug for the second-largest city in India. It is the financial, commercial, and entertainment center of the country. The official name of the city was Bombay till 1995.
The front of the mug is occupied by Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. It was built in 1888 from Bori Bunder railway station under the new name: Victoria Terminus. It is now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its High Victorian Gothic style of architecture.
The back of the mug shows the Gateway of India which is an arch built between 1913 and 1924 to commemorate the arrival of King-Emperor George V and Queen-Empress Mary in Mumbai.… Read more
Starbucks Been There Bengaluru is the mug for the “IT capital of India” thanks to its role as a hub for major IT companies both from India and abroad and a home for many IT professionals in the country. The front of the mug showcases the skyline of the city and also a picture of Lal Bagh Botanical Garden which is more than 200 years old.
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Starbucks Been There – Hyderabad is yet another mug from India that has been released as a batch recently. The name of the city can literally be translated as “Lion City”, where Haydar means ‘lion’ and ābād goes for ‘city’. There are different theories about the origin of the name. One of them suggests it was named after Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib, also known as Haydar (since he was brave as a lion in battles). Another nickname, “City of Pearl”, it got from being the main pearl trading center in India.… Read more
Starbucks Been There – India is one of the five mugs from BT series released for this country recently. As a reminder, there were only two YAHs from India: New Delhi and Mumbai.
This new mug is designed using the blue palette (my favorite) and showcases certain landmarks which India is known for: from architecture and animals to Bollywood and dancing.
Dance has always been a major part of the religious and cultural life in India. It dates back to ancient times and is believed to originate from dances and rituals of the Vedic period (circa 1500 – 500 BC).… Read more
