I'm a bi tired, and currently consuming watered down coffee and a stale danish found in the lobby of the hotel where I'm currently residing. Suddenly I realize why Starbucks is as popular as it is.

While those of us who live in areas where there are a diversity of choices when it comes to coffee (within a three block radius of my home, there are no less than 10 different coffeehouses, only two of them being the Coffee Best of the Northwest), there are many areas where Starbucks is the only choice. And if they are not the only choice, the other options available are less than optimal.

Of course, there are more barbecue options here, so I suppose things even out somewhat.

I arrived into Kentucky around 6 pm local time, and before I even had a chance to settle in an unpack, I was whisked off to a cooking demonstration sponsored by Jim Beam. There was precious little to learn from the demo, what with an audience of 160 people who were more interested in sampling the bourbons found on the table display and the gift bags given to each person who attended. The food was good enough, but the bourbon was better. I say that, not because I had suddenly found the bourbon religion, but simply because the food was really not the point of the demonstration.

One of the interesting things to watch down here is, while this festival is meant to celebrate bourbon, it's difficult to avoid the behemoth that is Jim Beam. And while I'm going to spend most of my day with the Beam folks, I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I'll get to see and talk to other companies.