WTF is a Mocha Latte?

Photo by Tim Knight: Seattle Photos by Tim Knight

Okay, seriously….

I have been watching a lot of Grey’s Anatomy lately while working on my SKC* sweater for the KAL*. As a Seattleite, my soul is salved by pictures of my beloved city and sound (that’s the water where the “ferry boats” go….not, um, noise). In fact it has a surprisingly calming effect on me which counteracts my allergic reaction to New England in general. Enough so, in fact, that I almost think that if I could simply watch enough episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, I could continue living here somewhat contentedly.

Aside from the beautiful scenery, they’ve done a lot of things right…The Native American art in the hospital, the over use of the word “seriously,” ferry schedules taped up in the locker room, the motorcycle ferry commuters, even the style of the cement pillars outside the hospital have pleasantly captured Seattle style in an almost impressive way.

Then there are the things they missed but are somewhat amusing for the “insiders.” Like George and his family hunting wild turkey in North Bend of all places? From the location of the hill in the shot, they did the scene behind the outlet mall off of I-90. I’m pretty sure guns aren’t allowed in such a densely populated area but I digress.

Then there’s Derrick’s “trailer and land in Seattle.” You know? The one he has to take the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry to get to work from? Right. I mean, I’m sure his trailer is really in Suquamish, that he drives to Bainbridge Island, takes the ferry to Seattle, and then goes to work. Thousands of Kitsap County residents do this every day (Heck, my dad did it for a decent chunk of my childhood). But why does he say he lives in Seattle? It’s one thing to tell people you’re “from Seattle” (even though you grew up in Kitsap County, went to college on the East Side and have never actually resided in Seattle proper) when you’re say, 3,000 miles away in Boston. But when Seattle is in your backyard, you say “I live in Poulsbo,” or “I live in Suquamish,” not “I live in Seattle,” unless you freaking live in Seattle.

Then there are some larger, much more annoying offenses. Like the ubiquitous location of Seattle Grace Hospital. In the first episode of season one, you see Meredith driving north-bound on the Alaskan Way Viaduct (you can tell because the Puget Sound is on her left as she is driving) to get to work. This might make you think the hospital is in North Seattle near, say, Ballard.

But then later in episodes of season’s one, two and three, you get these marvelous shots from the “roof of the hospital” which showcase the beautiful Space Needle and the oh-so-ugly EMP which are spitting distance from the hospital. While these shots of classic Seattle icons were most likely filmed from the roof of either the Center House (which is an over-glorified food court) in Seattle Center or from the roof of Fischer Plaza across the street from the Pacific Science Center, this imaginary location in Seattle Center is nowhere near Ballard.

Okay….so maybe Meredith got lost on her way to work in the first episode, turned around and went back to her imaginary hospital in Seattle Center. But then how the heck to George and Izzy walk south on the sidewalk (the opposite direction of Seattle center) along the waterfront, turn left and almost instantaneously arrive at the hospital? As if Safeco Field is now the hospital? Why? And Where? What the heck? Someone needs to mail the producer a map and ask her to pick one location and stick to it because Ballard, Seattle Center and Safeco field really aren’t at all the near each other (at all. seriously.).

Yes, this is the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market. Picture from www.citycomfortscom

Then finally, the source of my agitation which has inspired this blog-rant….their overuse (or rather, use at all) of the word “Mocha Latte.” I'm sure every single, self-respecting Seattlite out there watching this show is asking themselves,

“WTF is a Mocha Latte?!”

It’s either a mocha or it’s a latte. That’d be like me ordering a “Pepsi Water.” It’s either Pepsi or it’s Water…..not both and not at the same time. And it’s not as if one, well-meaning but ill-informed New Yorker is calling it that. Oh no!…..everyone on the show calls it that. Furthermore, nobody is corrected, and they all seem to know what they’re talking about.

If anyone were to order a “Mocha Latte” at any coffee shop within at least a 100 mile radius of Seattle, they would be made fun of by the baristas once they left, and they would be taunted endlessly by their friends because any self-respecting Seattle dweller over the age of 12 knows that it is either a Mocha or a Latte…not both. As Meg puts it so well in her blog post: “If you want both, bring two travel mugs and insert a conjunction.” Thank you.

*abbreviations:
SKC = Sexy Knitters Club
KAL = Knit-a-long / Knit Along