Hot Commodity

Hot Commodity… Squid drinks plenty of seawater just by oozing around the lair, but next up in Squid’s list of preferred beverages at this time of year is hot tea. It warms the tentacles simply by holding it, which is a bonus.

For that reason, Squid prefers Squid’s tea served piping hot. But in an incident a year ago at the Starbucks on Vierra Canyon Road in Prunedale, super-hot tea ended badly for customer Consuelo Nava who, according to a lawsuit filed on Dec. 23 in Monterey County Superior Court, received a cup of tea on which the lid was not properly attached. The drink spilled onto Nava, injuring both of her feet.

“Starbucks provided no warning that the tea content was dangerously hot,” the complaint reads. (Squid thought that part was implied – the exception, of course, being the coffee shop mega-chain’s frothy drinks like lattes, which are almost always too cool for Squid’s liking.)

Represented by San Jose-based attorney Timothy Gill, Nava is now suing Starbucks for negligence and seeking damages for emotional distress, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity and more, in an amount of at least $35,000.

That should go far enough to purchase a whole lot of cups of tea; Squid suggested ordering them iced, to avoid any future issues.

Best of the Rest… In the undersea world where Squid lives, whoever is the best is determined by survival of the fittest. On land, humans like to crow about who is the best of the best, to the extent that it loses all meaning.

Leading up to year-end, a number of “best” lists were published online about seaside towns, including local spots making rank. HGTV named Carmel as the most charming small town in all of California for its fairytale-style cottages, boutiques, art galleries, white sand beach and other attractions.

Not so fast, according to The Travel website, which on Dec. 9 put Carmel below Pacific Grove in a story that touted eight Northern California towns as better than Southern California bergs. Carmel was seventh on the list, described as a place to head to instead of Laguna Beach. Pacific Grove was number four on the list, considered a better spot to visit than Malibu.

“In contrast to Malibu’s exclusive and polished scene, Pacific Grove exudes warmth and authenticity. This idyllic retreat offers a peaceful retreat infused with timeless beauty.” (Carmelites, Squid thinks, might take offense on the authenticity point.)

Murphys in Calaveras County was ranked first, the place to be instead of Santa Ynez, which, come on now, how can you top the most beautiful coastline in the world? Which proves Squid’s point: These internet “best” lists are totally meaningless.