Discovery Series Ornament – Taichung

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Taichung highlights a few of the city’s best-known natural, cultural, and recreational features. Taichung developed from a regional settlement into one of Taiwan’s largest urban centers, while still retaining easy access to mountains, wetlands, flower farms, and agricultural areas. Its location in central Taiwan gives the city a particularly varied landscape, stretching from the coast in the west to higher elevations farther inland.

– The large cup of bubble tea is a fitting choice for Taichung, which is widely associated with the drink’s origins.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Santa Cruz de la Sierra

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Santa Cruz de la Sierra offers a smaller selection of symbols from Bolivia’s largest city and the surrounding eastern lowlands. Santa Cruz de la Sierra was founded by Ñuflo de Chaves in 1561 and was moved more than once before becoming established at its present location. Over time, it developed into the economic center of eastern Bolivia, with a culture and landscape quite different from the country’s high-altitude Andean cities.

– The sloth is one of the most distinctive animals found in Bolivia’s tropical lowlands.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Taoyuan

The Discovery Series Ornament Taoyuan is an especially interesting release because Taoyuan did not receive its own mug or ornament during either the You Are Here or Been There series. The city was previously featured in the older Relief series, however, so this is not actually Taoyuan’s first appearance in the Starbucks collectible lineup. Instead, it marks the city’s return after being absent from the two major series that followed Relief.

Another detail only became apparent to me while looking at this ornament: the inside of the cup does not carry the Starbucks brand name.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Costa Rica

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Costa Rica highlights the extraordinary wildlife and landscapes of this small Central American country. Costa Rica became independent from Spain in 1821 and is known today for its commitment to protecting its natural environment. Despite covering only a small part of the world’s land surface, the country contains tropical rainforests, cloud forests, volcanoes, beaches, and an exceptional variety of wildlife, much of it protected within national parks and reserves.

– The Arenal Volcano is one of Costa Rica’s most recognizable natural landmarks.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Bolivia

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Bolivia showcases some of the country’s best-known natural and cultural symbols in the smaller ornament format. Bolivia became an independent republic in 1825 and takes its name from Simón Bolívar. Its geography is remarkably varied, stretching from the high Andes and Altiplano to valleys, tropical lowlands, and the Amazon basin. This diversity is reflected especially well in the ornament’s combination of high-altitude scenery and tropical plants.

– The llama is one of the animals most closely associated with Bolivia and the Andes.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Taiwan

I am lucky to have a friend who travels a lot and sends me these. It would be much harder to get them otherwise. Starbucks released six ornaments for the “Formosa,” and I have them all!

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Taiwan features a compact selection of symbols highlighting the island’s landscapes, wildlife, agriculture, and outdoor activities. Taiwan’s history has been shaped by its Indigenous peoples as well as periods of Dutch, Spanish, Qing, Japanese, and Republic of China rule. The island is also remarkably mountainous, with its rugged interior rising sharply from the densely populated coastal plains.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Puerto Rico

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Puerto Rico brings together several images that capture the island’s tropical landscapes, historic architecture, and strong connection to the sea. Puerto Rico’s culture developed from a mixture of Taíno, Spanish, African, and later Caribbean and American influences, with the island becoming a Spanish colony following Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1493. Today, Puerto Rico is known for its distinctive culture, beautiful natural scenery, and historic cities.

Puerto Rico surfing appears among the symbols on the ornament, reflecting the island’s long coastline and excellent surfing conditions.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Santiago

The Starbucks Discovery Series Ornament Santiago brings together several elements that capture the character of Chile’s capital, from its dramatic mountain setting to traditional food, native wildlife and popular culture. Santiago was founded by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia on February 12, 1541, in the Mapocho River valley. The city grew into the political and economic center of the Spanish colony of Chile and remained at the heart of the country after Chile declared independence in 1818. Today, Santiago is the country’s largest city, set against the Andes and surrounded by a landscape that is very much part of its identity.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Idaho

According to my notes, Discovery Series Ornament Idaho is the last Discovery release from the USA that I was missing in my collection. We can always expect more mugs and ornaments in the future, though.

The Discovery Series Ornament Idaho brings together some of the natural attractions, local traditions and official symbols associated with the Gem State. Idaho became the 43rd state of the United States on July 3, 1890, after first becoming a U.S. territory in 1863. Much of its identity is tied to its mountains, rivers, forests and agriculture, with potatoes and huckleberries becoming particularly recognizable symbols of the state.… Read more

Discovery Series Ornament – Maryland

The Discovery Series Ornament Maryland captures several of the state’s most recognizable symbols in a compact design. While Maryland is often associated with the Chesapeake Bay and its maritime heritage, the ornament also highlights the state’s official flower, bird, and one of its favorite pastimes, creating a well-balanced tribute to the Old Line State. The artwork keeps the clean, colorful style of the Discovery Series while focusing on icons that are instantly recognizable to Marylanders.

– One of the most eye-catching elements is the Black-eyed Susan, Maryland’s official state flower since 1918.… Read more

1 2 3 46