Coffee Bean in the huge office park on Canoga Avenue near Califa Street: July 2008 Archives

I decided to stop in at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in the huge office park off of Canoga Avenue in good ol' Woodland Hills.

Sure it's a minor inconvenience to get my parking validated ... but at least there is parking.

And they have not one, not one and a decaf, but FOUR drip coffees brewing and available: light and dark roasts, a flavored coffee and a decaf.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Starbucks ruler Howard Schultz.

I'm no fan of flavored coffees, but maybe some of you are.

It's about freedom.

I am a fan of dark roasts, and the Colombian I got today was and is excellent.

Adding to the overall goodness, Coffee Bean always offers nondairy creamer at its condiment bar — a tip of the hat to a) vegans and b) the lactose intolerant.

At Starbucks, you can request soy milk from the barista, but nondairy creamer at the condiment bar? Nope.

And remember, there's a huge Coffee Bean opening up in the Ralphs market directly across the street from my local Starbucks.

Now I'm not saying I won't darken the doorway of many a Starbucks — there's just too damn many of them.

But Coffee Bean, you know what I need. I'm not complicated. You seem to "get me."