Just One Cup at a Time

The Joy of Java....round 3

So we actually hit up 2 Cafes in February but I'm a little slow and I'm just posting this one.

And it was a gooooooood one!

It was Kailey's birthday so we took her to the Alcove for lunch (those pics comin' up next) and then just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away is an Intelligentsia location (in Silver Lake).  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this coffee.  If you haven't had it before....well you should!  You'll thank me.  And not only do they make yummy cappucinos....but they sure are puuurrr-tyy too!  Check 'em out!!

Silver Lake isn't the most "fun" area but it sure makes for some good people watching.  It helped too that it was one of those fabulous Sundays in February when it was 80 degrees out.....crazy time!  Gotta love So cal!!!

And pssssst a little secret that is really no longer a secret well and not my secret to really keep anyway because Catherine told me this secret.....you can get Intelligentsia coffee in SCV at Undergrounds cafe......meet me there on a Saturday morn sometime.....its my new digs!

I found a blog of someone who posted some really cool pics of this joint....

the JOY of Java...round 2

It wasn't planned.  It certainly wasn't supposed to happen 2 weekends in a row.  The "plan" was to visit one per month but shoot plans are always made to be broken and with a free weekend, gorgeous weather and an itch to go play.....we decided to head to Ventura for round 2 of our tour.  So I know you're saying Ventura isn't really LA but it's close enough.   There's also one in the OC I want to try.  I like to push boundaries...just a litte.

Although part of me really wanted to head back to Zona Rosa because I still keep thinking about their specialty cappucino.....the perfect amount of mexican chocolate in it....mmm.

Anyway back to Ventura.  We hit Latte 101.  Latte 101 has won lots of awards and has been voted "best coffee house" and "readers best choice" for several years.  Worth a shot right?

Well let's just say we probably won't be going back to this one.  The cappucino was "okay" but what it lacked was ambiance.  It was located in a strip mall and it lacked character.  It wasn't the best cappucino I've ever had but also not the worst.

But we didn't let the morning end there....we headed to Santa Barbara for a few hours and enjoyed the sunshine!   We ate at the best little cafe and bakery on State Street that we actually said we wished that our morning cappucino had been at this little cafe....

The only bad part is having to head home before the sunset. 

But we pulled over at Rincon to soak it in for as long as we could...

And of course our prop-your-camera-on-the-car self portrait and hope that it clicks fast beacuse we're about to fall....

Introducing....All for the JOY of Java

   

This year's monthly adventure - visiting LA's best coffee houses.  I can't wait!  Oh what JOY!

1st stop:  Pasadena's Zona Rosa Cafe

Let me tell you it did not disappoint!

It definitely helped that LA was having an 85 degree weekend and the cafe had quaint outside seating.

But oh the cappucino.....oh the cappucino!!

I LOVE coffee as most of you know.  I've had and tried my share of them.  I've also been fortunate to be able to travel alot and one thing I always do on vacations is drink cappucinos no matter what country I am in.  This doesn't make me an expert by any means but I do know a good capp when I taste one!

It's good to know that coffee is a universal language.  It really is.

That said - the Zona Rosa Cappucino DID NOT disappoint.  I'm craving one now.

In fact it was so good it's worth posting the picture again and again and again....

So the next time you're in Pasadena and you want an off-the-beaten-path java - you must try this!

Then you can thank me....and thank me again.

Jodi and Kailey still are - they are joining me in this little tour thing that I decided to do this year.

Stay tuned - I have at least 9 more so far to try.

P.S. the only bad thing....is when it's gone!