Seattle

It's taken 10 years for the birthplace of Starbucks to promote their city, and it's a doozy. Designed much like the Aspire Card, the Seattle Card has various panels highlighting the icons of the area. The top left panel is Mt. Rainier, seen from Seattle on a clear day, the iconic Space Needle from the 1962 World's Fair, and the Seattle Ferry system (center panel) that is transportation for people and vehicles around Puget Sound. Other transportation icons include a jet with Boeing being one of the largest employers in the area, and a bicycle panel in the lower left* (more on that below). A guitar represents the history of music, as Seattle is the birthplace of rock legend Jimi Hendrix and the music style "grunge". Other local groups made famous include Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam. Can't forget the coffee cup panel. Seattle has a reputation for heavy coffee consumption; as coffee companies founded or based in Seattle include Seattle's Best Coffee, Tully's and of course Starbucks. There are also many successful independent espresso roasters and cafes around the region as well. Lastly, the panel of rain drops (below the Space Needle) as Seattle receives about 38 inches a year. Reality is that many other major cities receive more rain, but it's the constant "drizzle" that makes it feel like it's raining all the time. Rounding out the 10 panels are the fish and tee-pee's, one representing the huge fishing industry and the other based on the rich history of native American's in the region. Released May 2011