What’s Your Summer Story?

My summer is just getting started.

My summer story has just begun.

Whatever happens I’ll probably document it.

Hopefully good food.

Hopefully good times.

Hopefully some travel.

I’m glad that you are part of it.

Thank You.

Yes.

You.

XoXo.

-L

How I Survived My First Comic Con, 2010, San Diego

Ok, here is a more complete write up about my trip to San Diego Comic Con and how it came about. Of course I had heard of Comic Con all my life…but I was never really interested in going. I’m not into Comic Books, and there are only a handful of shows I really go fangirl over. Then, in going along with the theme of 2010 – new experiences – I ended up going to Anime Expo last month after scoring a pass. I knew NOTHING about Anime, but still had a blast seeing everyone dressed up. Then I realized Comic Con was coming up and thought…hmm if I liked Anime Expo, then surely I’ll like Comic Con! However, by the time I tried to get tickets it was sold out. Then! Rosa offered me passes on Tuesday before Comic Con and I was so shocked and excited! The passes were for one day, and after talking to RE and Jeffrey, we decided to go on Saturday, spend the night in SD and come back Sunday. Win.

In the days leading up to Comic Con, I was talking to Carrie, Derek, and Daniel about it and each of them had some words of advice for my first trip to Comic Con. Carrie warned me of excessive lines and nerd smell. Derek warned me about the crowds and how insane it was. Both of them concluded that they would never go to Comic Con ever again. And Daniel made some predictions that may or may not have come true. Armed with this advice, I decided that in order to get the most out of my day, I should make some sort of plan, so I went online to the Comic Con website and looked at the schedule for the panels. Not knowing what to expect, imagine my surprise when the first thing that caught my eye was an Umbrella Academy panel at 11:15am. So far, Comic Con was looking great! I never expected to be able to listen to one of my favorite musicians and one of my favorite artists speak in person! Win.

The ComicCon website has a feature that allows you to make up your schedule and it even has maps. It is complete genius. And then I found something better. The Comic Con iPhone application is the BEST when it comes to navigating through the convention. It lets you “bookmark” the events you want to attend and it organizes it by time.

Additionally, you can also search for exhibitor booths and bookmark or “favorite” the ones that you want to visit. I “favorited” the TopatoCo booth after Daniel mentioned that Jeph Jacques would be signing there. As I browsed more, I saw that there was going to be a Vampire Diaries panel at 5pm in Ballroom 20, which is huge and would surely be a long line. I favorited that as well because where else would I be able to catch a glimpse of Damon? I was willing to wait it out…more on that later.

We left home at 4am and made really good time! Even though we made some stops along the way (Keane, but they were closed), we got to San Diego a little bit after 7am. The first order of business was to pick up our badges. The line was INSANE. It was all the way to the marina. This was the first line of the day. Figuring this would take at least an hour, imagine my surprise when 15 minutes later, the line moved. Not just moved…the line FLEW. Not even 5 minutes later, I was already inside getting my badge. I was amazed at how organized the badge pick up was. It was a total blur. Pick up badge, get handed a bag and a guide, and BAM! I was at Comic Con. Now what! Trekkies! That’s what! See below…

Since I had my schedule and objectives programmed into the Comic Con iPhone app, I knew that the panel room I was looking for was on the same level as the badge area. When I got there, I noticed that there were some people already lined up. Wow. This was no joke! So I went around the corner and settled down in line. I was about 25th. I took out my MBA, headphones, cellphone charger and sat down. Time passed by faster thanks to Netflix, some texting with Noelle, some Twittering with Nancy, and various text conversations with other people. In a quick conversation with the guy next to me, I realized that we were here for 2 different panels. He was here for Marvel (and he was quite excited about it) and I was here for Umbrella Academy. It all worked out perfectly though! From my research I knew that they don’t empty the panel rooms between screenings! So that means that if I sat through the Marvel panel, I would have a great seat for the Umbrella Academy panel. Hey, I wasn’t going to leave and come back, so why not!

About an hour later we were let into the room to sit and wait. Something so cliche happened. Something I thought was stuff of Comic Con folklore. Not one, but three Trekkies sat to my right. And in case you thought I was making this up…I sneaked two iPhone photos…

There were some HARDCORE fans waiting to see this Marvel panel. I almost felt bad for not knowing who these people were. Apparently, they are a pretty big deal. Here is the info I could fine online.

The third in Comic-Con’s series of “Year of the Writer/Comics Writers Unite!” panels focuses on Marvel Comics and includes Comic-Con special guests Brian Michael Bendis (AVENGERS, NEW AVENGERS, ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN), Matt Fraction (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, THOR) and Chris Claremont (X-MEN FOREVER, X-WOMEN) in a discussion with writer Mark Waid (AMAZING SPIDER-MAN). Room 6DE

I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but I was a bit bored. I passed the time by texting with Shawna, catching up on emails, Twittering with my SCV people, and a brief convo with Daniel where he provided suggestions on how to best pass the time at Nerdlandpalooza. Although tempting to follow his advice (I was hungry, afterall), I opted to instead put the phone down and attempt to listen in, and focus on Matt Fraction’s perfectly disheveled bed hair. He’s a bowl of handsome, that one!

I tried to be interested, I really did, but I’m sorry, I can’t. Don’t hate me. I was so relieved that these panels are so punctual because as soon as 11am hit, it was over! I figured I would try to get a seat in the first row, but as soon as the doors opened tons of people rushed in and hurried to get seats anywhere. So I kept my already super awesome seat in the third row right in front of the panel.

Sure enough right at 11:15, in walked Scott Allie, Gabriel Ba, and Gerard Way. Gabriel Ba is a fantastic artist! He is from Brazil and started speaking to the crowd in Portuguese for the longest time. It was hilarious because I could totally understand what he was saying! He does speak English though, so after messing with the crowd for a bit, he made himself understood.

The panel was advertised as a spotlight on Gerard Way, but really it was a discussion about Umbrella Academy. Some backstory…I’m a huge MCR fan (I have their calendar and a MCR sweater in my classroom) and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’ve liked MCR for almost 5 years, and them along with AFI are one of the few bands I listen to in English. So when I first heard Gerard Way was going to be writing a comic book years ago, I thought well that’s silly! Until my friend Christina got me the comic book and graphic novel for my birthday years ago. I love the story, I love the drawings by Gabriel Ba, I love the setting (Paris) and it is the ONLY comic book I have ever read.

It was a great discussion about the characters and the story and what is to come for the next chapter of Umbrella Academy. They kept quiet on the movie though! No details to report, but I eagerly await it. Seeing this panel on Umbrella Academy totally made my day. I was in love with Comic Con at this point. Oh, by the way, in the panel rooms they have the table set up to the right, and then on the above left they have huge screens. I suppose these are for the people that didn’t have a fantastic third row center seat like I did. I also suppose those people weren’t three hours early and had to sit through a Zzz Marvel Panel. Was it worth the wait? TOTALLY. Objective #1 Complete!

This panel would be over at 12:15, but I ended up leaving by noon so I could make it down to the Exhibitor Hall and catch Jeph Jacques, who was set to be there at that time. Sure enough, thanks to my trusty ComicCon iPhone app, I was able to find the booth really quickly. It took me about 7 minutes to leave the panel and get into the exhibitor hall. I was amazed to see that the exhibitor hall was not as crowded as I thought it would be…

As I made my way down the escalator, I checked into Foursquare and unlocked the 2010 San Diego Comic Con badge (the Superman symbol) and the Super Swarm badge (+250 checked into a venue). Objective 2 Complete!

The TopatoCo booth was located among a buffet of Web Comics. Cyanide and Happiness were across the way! Since I was on a tight schedule, I didn’t have time to see much else. I had an hour to knock off two objectives!

Luckily I had some idea of what Jeph looked like, and as I got to the booth as he was settling down ready to meet his fans. You could buy t-shirts, aprons, posters, prints and more. Or, you could purchase a sketch/drawing/comic. He would ask people “any special request?” and then he’d draw it on special 2010 San Diego Comic Con cardstock.

Although I enjoy reading Questionable Content, I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore fan. Sure I wanted to meet Jeph Jacques, but when it comes down to it I was there for a gum wrapper.

It was nice to see how the magic happens. Look at Dora, as he draws Marten in the background. I hope that one day, Dora and Marten finally get together. She’s my favorite character. Marten is just silly. Faye, who?

And tht

What followed was hours of waiting around, being told this was the line, then being told it wasn’t the line, etc. While hanging out, time went by faster as a buffet of celebrities passed by. As I’ve said I’m not easily starstruck…but when Ryan Reynolds walked by? Yeah. That was a highlight. I’ve thought he was so cute ever since he was on Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place! Then he kind of faded away, and then in recent years he became a huge celeb! I loved him in Just Friends (one of my fav movies) and I also find him to be incredibly gorgeous. I always remember when I went to the Vancouver Olympics and turned on the TV in the hotel room, Ryan Reynolds was the first thing I saw (one of those BC commercials). Also, Serena from Gossip Girl (another one of my WB guilty pleasures – don’t judge) was there.

San Diego Comic Con: 5 Objectives: Achieved

I got hooked up with Comic Con passes on Tuesday. On Saturday? I was at Comic Con. Something I never thought would happen. I loved Anime Expo, and I love adventures and new experiences, I was ready to take on the ‘Con! However, hearing all the warning signs from Carrie, Derek, and Daniel, I decided to make a plan so I could get the most out of the experience. After all, I only had one day at the convention. I quickly browsed the schedule and made a plan. At first I only had 3 objectives that I would be happy achieving. The list then grew to 5. I am happy to say that I reached all my objectives by 2pm! Wow! I’m so proud of myself!

***

1. Umbrella Academy Panel with Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba – 11:15am

Umbrella Academy is the only comic book I have read, and I have all the issues (bagged and boarded) and I even have the book. These were actually a gift from my friend Christina for my birthday a few years ago. MCR is one of the few bands I listen to in English. Gabriel Ba is one of my favorite artists. Win. Win.

***

2. Jeph Jacques – Questionable Content – 12pm

This is a web comic I had never heard of until two months ago thanks to Daniel. I started reading it to try to catch up, and Dora is my favorite character! She owns a coffee shop! Fair trade. Single origin. I have since boycotted though. I really want Dora and Marten to get together. Having said that, I wanted to meet the guy behind the comic, and he would be at the TopatoCo booth starting at noon.

***

3. Gum Wrapper – 12:30

Inside joke. Move along. Nothing to see here…

***

4. Get all the ComicCon related 4sq badges possible. – Throughout the Day

I love collecting 4sq badges. Sure its a silly game, but it makes time go by faster when you are bored. And, I was a bit bored as I waited in line for panels. I was able to get the Super Swarm badge (more than 250 people checked into a venue) and the 2010 Comic Con badge! Total win!

***

5. Photograph Damon – 1:55PM

I love the Vampire Diaries. I read the books when I was 11 or 12 and now that its a TV show on my favorite cheeeeeze network, the WB? I love it! I don’t watch a lot of current television, but this is one show I never miss! Nancy, WeezerMonkey, and some others share my…okay what’s the right word? Obsession? Lusting? Fangirl status…over Damon. Yeah, I know his name is Ian Somerhalder, but to me, he is Damon. At first I was going to brave the panel line to get into Ballroom 20 and see the cast talk. Then, Rosa told me that the cast (including Damon) would be signing at the WB booth. I was conflicted…if I was going to make line for the panel, I would miss the autograph line. I’m not a fan of autographs, I’m more into photographing. Nancy made a statement that was so true: “signing vs. panel. Getting a few personal moments with them or being in the same room as them and watching them talk?” She wins logic! I opted to skip the panel, and go look for the WB booth. After waiting around, for a few hours, the cast showed up and I finally saw Damon in person. I could not handle the HOT. Completely blown away, my friends! After some strategy, I was able to achieve my objective. I took a great photo of Damon, next to Elena and Stefan. This photo, to me, makes all the waiting, the hunger, the thirst,  and the soreness in my legs, completely worth it. Success.

And that is a quick summary of how, by 2pm, I was able to achieve all of my 2010 San Diego Comic Con objectives! I was tired, hungry, thirsty, my legs hurt, and there was sensory overload…but yes. I survived! And I loved the experience! One more adventure to cross off my list! I’ll blog the full experience later because there were many interesting moments!

Trivia With the Crew, TGIF, Valencia

For what seems like years, I have been hearing about trivia. It has come from two people specifically. Mike and Vinh. I had evaded trivia for a long time…making up lame excuses. “I’m making a roast” is the big one…however last week I finally stopped by and was greeted by…not much. I left after about a minute or so. Mike told me to give it another go, and apparently tonight was the night, because there were a whole bunch of us gathered at TGIF. A place most of us would never go to otherwise.

I have come to the conclusion that the whole point of trivia is to support Mike (he is the master) and to hang out with friends. I’m a total believer in trivia now!

Oh, and this picture pretty much sums it up. These boys take their trivia very seriously. Bring it!

Thanks to: Mike, Scott, John, Jason, Aleks, Nate, Ryan, and everyone else for hanging out! Trivia takes place on Thursday nights at TGIF’s in Valencia at 7:30pm. Gather your group of friends, come up with a name, and have a go at it! I will refrain from posting our team name…as I don’t want to offend anyone’s mullet.

SCV Coffee Caravan Wrap Up

The SCV Coffee Caravan had been in the back of our minds, and the topic of discussion for what feels like years! So as is the norm among our circle of friends, when you plan something last minute, you get most everyone to attend. And that is how we finally set out yesterday to caravan to some of LA’s best coffee shops. We thought about maybe renting a big van and doing it that way, but the caravan was a better idea, because that way you could come and go as you wished and you wouldn’t feel stuck. We lost some people along the way, but the real troopers were RE, Jeffrey, Greg, Kendra and Mike. They were still standing by the end of it at Intellivenice. Notice I didn’t list myself among those names…every now and then I fall apart…when it comes to coffee…

The meeting time was 11am sharp at Cognoscenti Coffee, which is one of my top 3 favorites in LA. Guess what? My friends are really punctual! Me? Not so much…when I arrived at Cog most of the gang was chillaxing outside drinking and chatting. It was a really nice scene. Like, hey! I know those people! This was one of the standouts of the whole adventure. Mason and Yeekai treated us so well, and the coffee drinks really impressed everyone.

Sidenote? You know my namesake drink at Cog? The “LD” that I always mention? Well, I heard that in the time the gang had been there, two people that we didn’t know had come in to order it by name! The LD is a hit! And then I learned that the LD has 4 shots…wowza. I had no idea. Sometimes I even get 2!

The group had a variety of hot drinks, cold drinks, and of course pour over!

We must have been at Cog for over an hour without wanting to leave. I love this shop! I also love hanging out with my friends…so this was a great start to the day! Those in attendance were: Susan, Jay, Carrie, Brian, Mike, Scott, his wife and daughter, RE, Jeffrey, Greg, and Kendra. Thirteen people total, including me!

Soon it was time for some food! So we headed just down the street to The Oinkster! I’m not a huge fan of the Oinkster, but it was close by and I was willing to give it another go. While we were waiting for our food, a hipster walked by wearing the same shirt as Mike! Seriously, we couldn’t make this up! I was able to sneak a picture on the sly…

The Oinkster is known for their pastrami, so I had a sandwich with fries. It was huge, so I only ended up eating half. I’m a fan of the fries and the garlic aioli.

This was a great spot to just sit outside, eat, talk, laugh. This is what summer is all about, and this is what surrounding yourself with a solid group of friends is all about too.

Soon, it was time to move on to stop number 3! Intelligentsia Silver Lake…

Wanting to pace myself, I opted for iced tea! The others ordered a variety of coffee drinks which looked great, of course! I saw a couple of iced coffees in the mix.

Mike and Carrie discussed coffee…and we just hung out inside, outside, people watched…etc.

Susan ordered a “gibraltar” which is a somewhat DL item. I’ve never tried it, but Susan was a huge fan! I know Mike and Carrie are huge fans as well. Maybe next time I’ll order one too!

We took the obligatory tourist picture outside of Intelligentsia SL, with RE captured. Only later when she was uploading photos did she notice we got photobombed! The guy in the green shirt, sunglasses in the back, behind Brian? No idea who he is, but I will admit…he’s good!

Carrie and Brian were off to the 909 so they parted ways, and the rest of us headed over to Scoops!

I had the Mango Tang Sorbet…

By this time, the heat was really getting to everyone. Scoops was HOT. Scott and family decided to head back to the SCV at this point. The rest of us debated if we wanted to trek to Westwood to hit up Profetta or if we should head straight to Cielo. This would be the longest trek for us, and with the heat and the traffic, this is was going to be a real test. It took about 40 minutes to get to Cielo, and by then I wasn’t feeling well. So when we finally made it, I was a bit uneasy. Jittery. I ended up getting an Aranciata.

Needless to say I was disapointed that I wasn’t able to enjoy barista Noah’s handywork, but the rest of the gang sure did and everyone loved this shop. Cielo was a clear standout. Most of us there, except for Greg and Kendra, had indulged in multiple cups of 49th Parallel at SCAA, and as you know 49th is my favorite roaster, ever. I was sad that I opted for Fiji water as my second round, but at this point I couldn’t handle any more caffeine.

Mike ended up buying a bag, and had some pour over. Really, Noah at Espresso Cielo is one of the best baristas I have encountered lately. He comes from Portland, and really knows what he is doing. Noah. Tell your friends. I told mine already! Cognoscenti and Espresso Cielo are two of my favorite coffee shops in LA. Mike wrote about Cielo earlier this morning, and I agree with him. Why is there not a line out of the door at this place? And not to cramp his style, but when Intellivenice first opened, the lines weren’t as long as they are now. I suppose like with Intellivenice, it will take some time for people to find this shop, but once they do they will realize what a gem it is. I adore this place. I suppose people don’t realize what a big deal it is for Cielo to be carrying 49th Parallel. Trust me, its a HUGE deal! Espresso Cielo. Total win.

Our final stop was just down the street at my other most favorite shop, Intellivenice. I was not feeling like myself at this point. I was SICK. When we got there, Susan took a picture and headed off to Pasadena with Jay. I was barely hanging on at this point, but RE, Jeffrey, Greg, Kendra, and Mike totally brought their A game. Impressive. They ordered a variety of coffee drinks. I don’t know how the boys were still standing at this point.

Mike also ordered an OG Dr. Pepper (his favorite). Apparently Rocket Fizz is always out of it lately! Hmm! If you have never had OG Dr. Pepper? Its pretty awesome! It was at Intellivenice that we recovered from the heat. I was feeling slightly better, we had a great conversation, just hanging out at one of my favorite places. It was nice! A good conclusion. We had a rough middle, but at the end it ended up okay!

I have always thought its weird that someone would order soda at Intellivenice. I mean, you have some of the best baristas, some of the best beans and equipment, why have soda? Well, yesterday, I became the girl that ordered soda at Intellivenice. This Bubble Up made me feel so much better!

So, basically the Coffee Caravan finally happened! Despite the heat and the traffic, we made do with what mother nature and the universe threw our way. Next time I would take out Scoops and maybe wait until the weather cooled down a bit. I enjoyed hanging out with everyone outside of Awesometown though! I hope that happens a lot more often. Its funny because Friday night we had just hung out at Undergrounds, and here we were again on Saturday. Sometimes I see one or two people from the group at a time during the week, but when EVERYONE gets together, there’s something magical. We are different, we have different views, we like different things, but we make it work, and that’s something that we talked about at The Oinkster. I’m so glad I can call you guys my friends! And those of you that couldn’t join us, I hope you can come next time because we missed you guys!

We ended up:

Cognoscenti Coffee – Clear STANDOUT

The Oinkster

IntelliSL

Scoops

Espresso Cielo – Clear STANDOUT

Intellivenice

Magnolia Bakery, FINALLY Open in Los Angeles

It finally happened! After the rumors, and the anticipation…we FINALLY got a Magnolia Bakery in Los Angeles! On my “not a bucket list but kinda like a bucket list” I wrote that I want to eat a Magnolia cupcake. Scott offered to bake me some from the cookbook, but it wouldn’t be the same…

Yesterday, on Twitter I heard that today was the day! Even though we had the SCV Coffee Caravan planned, we figured we could stop by after it was over. So that is what we did around 7:30ish. I thought surely it would be closed by then, but it wasn’t! Turns out some days they will close as late as 10pm. Total score!

The SCV Coffee Caravan left me a bit jittery and it made me sad to know that my first visit to Magnolia would be while I was feeling sickly. However, you know me. I like to visit places on the first day open, amiright? So off we went.

I am not oblivious to the Magnolia haters out there, but this is MY opinion, and remember this is something I had been looking forward to for a while. Walking inside was like a fairtytale dreamland. The cupcakes were being frosted right in front of me and it was like out of a storybook.

The decor and the charm of the place was unlike anything I had experienced in Los Angeles. Everyone working was kind and polite, and all the cupcakes and pastries looked amazing. I ended up ordering two cupcakes. The classic red velvet, of course! The frosting was much lighter than what I’m used to, but it went perfectly with the cake part. It took a few bites to really get into it, but yes. I’m a fan. It is much more subtle flavors than Sprinkles.

I also got a plain vanilla. Nothing spectacular, but still good. If the cupcakes look a little smashed, that was my doing. There is currently no seating inside (or outside) but I would imagine they would add some sort of table/chair situtation…You can also choose to get your cupcakes packed in a box to go.

I also added a slice of coconut cake…which I absolutely loved! The size was pretty decent too! The thing is, there is so much to choose from! I’m seriously considering going back tomorrow! I love Magnolia and I’m so glad they are open in Los Angeles. This place is seriously going into the rotation, and I look forward to treating my friends to their cupcakes on special occasions! Oh, and I know the pictures look a bit fail. First of all, I was a bit jittery from the coffee crawl, and feeling under the weather…but the main reason is that I’m not sure what the photo policy is, and I didn’t want to be kicked out since I plan to come back often. So I took them really quickly hoping some would turn out.

Magnolia Bakery

8389 West 3rd Street

Los Angeles, CA 90048

(323) 951-0636

Espresso Cielo, Revisisted, Santa Monica

As much as I love Intellivenice, there is something about Espresso Cielo that brings back that feeling of jetting away to Vancouver. Remember that only three shops in the ENTIRE United States carry these beans. This is my favorite coffee shop in Southern California. It will forever be the place where I first experienced the wonder of 49th Parallel, my most favorite roaster. Coincidentally, it wasn’t until a month later during the Olympics that I finally made it to their actual shop in Vancouver.

Basically, when I start to miss Vancouver, all I need to do is come here, and it fills the void…Espresso Cielo? I still love you tons! You make me happy in a way that no other shop in SoCal can…and Noah? You are incredibly chill, homie! Even if you did call me a coffee nerd! If the tiara fits…

Espresso Cielo

3101 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Quesadillas Lupita, North Hollywood

Ricky, of Ricky’s Fish Tacos fame, recently told us about a cart selling quesadillas outside of Superior Grocers near his home in North Hollywood. He told us the owner was from Puebla and that it was really good. Hey, if Ricky says its good, then I’ll definitely check it out. So that’s what we did today.

This cart is much nicer than I expected. These people have a really nice set up. Wowza. It is also really clean, so total win on that part. So basically, they sell quesadillas and you can choose a filling such as asada, al pastor, chicharron, hongos, and I think there was one more, but I forget. Anyway, they are making the quesadillas with fresh masa. As Scott pointed out, they are not hand forged, but in my book this still counts as “hechas a mano” so whatevsies.

I ordered a plain quesadilla because that’s how I roll…

My most favorite thing about this cart is that you can garnish your quesadilla however you want. I added crema and cotija. It was fantastic! Plus, no one is there to judge you! I love cheeeeeze!

This is the quesadilla de chicarron which looked really good and seemed to be really popular.

Here is the quesadilla de hongos.

For my second round, I ordered a quesadilla de carne asada.

Which I once again topped off with crema and more cheese. It was great!

I noticed a lot of people opting to order tacos, which I guess is a good choice, since the tortillas are hand made. The quesadillas are $3.00 each, but I’m not sure how much the tacos are.

Overall, this is a nice set up. I love street food and I love quesadillas, so if I were nearby, I would make an effort to stop by. Everything looked fresh and the cart was clean, so that is always a good sign. This is a completely legit operation, meaning permits are in place and the cart is inspected periodically.

Quesadillas Lupita

Usually 8am – 7pm – except Monday

6140 Lankershim Boulevard

North Hollywood, CA 91606-4808

Caffe Luxxe, Santa Monica

I have been hearing that Caffe Luxxe is pretty much the best ever for some time now, yet I had never been. I know! I know! I’ve been to all the greatest LA shops, yet this one had eluded me…

Since I have a problem handling caffeine when I’m feeling a little sickly, I decided to order tea instead of coffee. I know, I’m finally at this place and I order tea. Oh wells! It just gives me a reason to come back. The shop is really cute! It reminded me of Seattle…

Of course, the pastries looked amazing! We had to order something!

And, here is my white peach tea. It was fantastic and soothing. I felt a lot better after drinking it. I will definitely go back to Caffe Luxxe as soon as I feel 110% better. Can’t wait!

Caffe Luxxe

925 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403-1504
(310) 394-2222

Undergrounds Coffee Shop, Valencia, Santa Clarita

There’s a new coffee shop in town! Its located in the Bridgeport Marketplace and its called:

Undergrounds: Coffee, Community, Culture

This shop has only been open about a week, and I finally got to try it this morning.

First of all, the space is beautiful. So much comfortable seating and high tables inside.

The decor is coordinated with the story behind the beans they use, and the vibe is welcoming. The person behind the design of the space used to do set dressing for films, and you can see his talent. Every detail is taken into consideration.

This coffee shop is currently in its first stage, and is serving drip coffee, french press, iced coffee, iced tea, and lemonade. They use beans from Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company, whose motto “Drink Coffee, Do Good” can be seen throughout the coffee shop.

This is a donation based coffee house, where you pay what you think it is worth. A percentage of the sales goes to support a local non-profit. You just put your money into this donation box.

Our friend Carrie is one of the smartest people I know. I’ve always said it, and I’m so lucky to call her one of my very close friends. For those of you that did not know, Carrie has extensive coffee knowledge. Out of our gang, she is the one that really knows her stuff. And look who happens to be a volunteer barista here a few days per week? Today she happened to be working from 8-11, but she will be sure to tweet her hours.

RE and Jeffrey shared a french press.

I opted for lemonade because I had a lot of coffee the day before.

If you opt to have your coffee for here, they serve you in one of these red mugs that have the coffee’s motto on it.

There were a couple of people hanging around the coffee shop this morning, but we quickly settled on one of the comfortable seats.

There are plenty of flat screen TV’s around this coffee shop, and soon it was time for World Cup! Netherands vs Uruguay! I moved to a high table seat so I could be in front of the action! This was the first game I have seen in public during this year’s World Cup.

This shop has free WiFi and tons of board games. It really is meant to be a spot for the community. Yes, it is located on the lower level of a church. Yet be assured it is open for EVERYONE. I do not attend this church, and I am of a different faith, but I totally felt welcome. Nobody preached at me or tried to convert me so if that is the mentality you have coming in, you are wrong. Again, this is for everyone in the community. Go in there with an open mind and enjoy the space and everything they have to offer.

In the fall, they hope to have a full espresso bar, complete with a legit machine! I want to be first in line to catch Carrie pull me a shot! The people that work the bar are volunteers and not all of them are trained baristas, just be aware of that when you go in there. I will probably make it a point to stop by only when Carrie is working because she is my friend, and we are so happy she has an outlet. Carrie is a real barista, remember?

I know I was a bit cryptic this morning on Twitter about the location of this shop, but I wanted Carrie to be the one to tell you guys about it. I encourage you stop by and check it out for yourself. I can see myself stopping by for a lemonade or iced tea on the way home from work. Go in there with an open mind an enjoy!

They have plenty of seating outdoors and are even planning on possibly hosting family movie nights in the coming months. Like I said, it is located in the Bridgeport Marketplace, coincidentally near my pond!

Undergrounds Coffee Shop

(Lower Level)

23841 Newhall Ranch Road

Valencia, CA 91355

Cafe Cafe Espresso Bar, Topanga Westfield Mall

On one of the last days of school, a month or so ago, my favorite black onyx Tiffany’s bracelet snapped. You know, the bracelet that means a lot to me and is my second favorite piece of jewelry? The one you always see me wearing? The fact that it happened at the end of the a long school year was ironic, what was the universe trying to tell me? Was fate involved? Maybe.

The reason I bring this up, is because my bracelet snapping caused me to visit the Topanga Mall that fateful day in early June. I had been to the Topanga Mall before, its near E’s job, and coincidentally I spent a lot of time near the area in the last two years taking various exams for my credential. After my bracelet snapped I stood there in disbelief for a couple of seconds before proceeding to crawl around making sure I gathered all of the beads that had landed on the staple ridden floor of my classroom. I’m not sure why we picked the Topanga Mall that day, we could have gone to another Tiffany’s location, but again, maybe it was fate that I had Topanga on the mind. Had it not been for this chain of events, I would have never known about this coffee shop. Yes, I believe in fate.

On our way to the Tiffany store that day, RE spotted something beautiful, red, and shiny. It was just sitting there, on a counter in the middle of the mall. RE took a photo of it, and that photo ended up on Eater National the next day. There was a sign that said Cafe Cafe, but nothing else. The machine was as legit as it gets around here, and immediately we concluded a real coffee shop was going to be popping up in Topanga. Immediately I had to wonder why we couldn’t get something like this in the SCV, but I had a more pressing issue on my mind! My bracelet!

In the last few weeks we had wondered what had become of that lovely La Marzocco machine, but couldn’t find any information online. The concierge of the mall had no idea when Cafe Cafe would open either. Which brings me to today. My MacBook Air has been having issues and coincidentally RE had an issue with her MacBook where her keyboard was out of wack and she couldn’t capitalize certain letters. Totally bizarre. After my computer lost all audio output last night, we decided to pay a visit to the Apple store located at the Topanga Mall today. Plus, we would get to see if Cafe Cafe had opened!

It turns out Cafe Cafe is located under the Apple Store so while I waited to be seen at the Genius Bar (I lost my appointment after being 17 minutes late) we went to check it out. What followed was three hours of coffee talk, beverages, and cake. This place is the real deal. Not only do they have the pretty $$$$ Cherry Red La Marzocco, but the barista totally knows how to use it. I ended up hanging out there for a couple of hours and walked away full of caffeine and a renewed appreciation for the art of coffee and the baristas that are striving to educate the masses.

The cafe also sells sandwiches and salads, and offers non-coffee drinks as well. Mexican Coke and Voss are some of my favorites so it was nice to see them as options! I firmly believe Voss is the ultimate when it comes to water. Its silly I know, but I love Voss! Anyway, I went with my cold brew. Its not just iced coffee kids, its cold brew. With sweetener. This was really good! Like so good it didn’t need milk. By the way, they use their own blend of organic beans. I believe Papua New Guinea was mentioned in conversation.

As I was paying, I noticed a pour over bar on the counter! If you want to spot a legit coffee shop, look for the pour over bar. Recently, Intelligentsia has gone completely pour over and I’ve enjoyed a couple of cups of pour over from Cognoscenti. It makes all the difference as far as taste. Seriously. Pour over is the new black. Look for it.

RE had a latte so I totally photographed the pour. In case you didn’t know, RE has mastered the art of capturing a pour, where as I’ve been trying every chance I get. Speaking of mastering the pour, watching our barista prepare drinks was a nice experience! He is sooooo talented! And he was at ease with the equipment. Mad talent, this one! I should mention that there is seating at the bar, so you can watch all of the action happening right in front of you. Similar to Intelli, where you have your own person barista making your drink right before your eyes.

Jeffry ordered a latte too and he let me try it. So smooth! So perfect! This latte was INCREDIBLE! And paired with these house made cookies? Yeah, it was pretty much bliss. Yes, they make the cakes and the cookies in house! I was also told that they even make the bread for the sandwiches they sell! I even saw ovens!

Yet, you know what truly won me over? Our barista added espresso beans to the presentation. You certainly don’t see that everyday! I love espresso beans dipped in chocolate, but they also taste great plain. Yeah, at this point I was pretty much in lust over this place! I couldn’t believe that Topanga was so lucky to have a shop of this caliber located at the mall! I’m so jealous!

After finishing my cold brew, I knew I wanted to order something else to try. RE and Jeffrey went off to the Apple store because it was time for her appointment at the Genius bar, so I stuck around this shop. That is when I found out they have free WI-FI in the general area of this shop. And so, today, I became that girl that hangs out at a coffee bar taking advantage of free internet all the while catching this coffee show going on in front of me. In the middle of the Topanga Mall. Surreal, right? Yet, it was really cool! The set up is so cool and the chairs are so comfy.

As I pondered what else to order, my barista handed me this cup pictured above. Wow. Do you want to know another sign of a legit coffee place? They have a signature drink. This is a sampling of the Cafe Cafe. Espresso, chocolate, acai berry and crème fraîche. I think that’s what it was. I was too busy drinking it. How can coffee get boring when baristas are constantly pushing the envelope? I loved this so much I ended up ordering the full size version pictured bellow. Don’t be fooled by the looks of it. I guarantee you wont find this drink at your local Coffee Bean or Starbucks. Trufax.

And since I had a few hours before my Genius Bar appointment at the Apple store upstairs, I decided to try one of their cakes, which I am told are also made in house. It was an espresso cake. It tasted like an espresso tiramisu. It was fantastic! Mind. Blown.

At this point the coffee jitters were starting to set in as I saw an Audi drive by. I thought I had imagined it, but no, it really happened. Talk about surreal! Maybe I should hang out at the mall more often!

As i sat there with my laptop eating cake and drinking my Cafe Cafe, I got to see a lot of drinks being prepared from start to finish. Luckily someone ordered a crafted cup so I got to photograph the process. If you like coffee, treat yourself to a crafted cup! It will change your life, trust!

Really, there is something about seeing the whole process from beginning to end that sets third wave shops like these apart from the more well known chains. Starting with the grinding of the beans mere seconds before a drink is created.

And you know the place is legit when they have a brush handy!

And the espresso tamper of course! I never get tired of espresso tamping! I wish I had caught it on camera. Next time. You can see the silver tamper in the background though. Yet, I did manage to capture the final result before the shot was pulled!

And all that effort went into this lovely latte that was prepared for a waiting customer. Seriously, Topanga/Canoga Park is so lucky to have a place like this in town. I can’t think of another coffee shop of this caliber in the surrounding areas, much less Santa Clarita. If you find yourself in the area, seriously make an effort to stop by. This place is so amazing and the barista (I think his name is Ron) is one of the most talented I have met. Plus, the set up is really nice with plenty of comfortable seating. You hardly feel like you are at a mall. I spent almost three hours here as I waited for my Apple store appointment, and there was never a dull moment.

Cafe Cafe

Westfield Topanga Mall

(Under the Apple Store)

6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd

Canoga Park, CA 91303