Yogurtland!

My little sister turned 15 yesterday... 15! oh my ... where has time gone?! She's now running 800 meter sprints, 6 mile uphill mountains and getting ready to take AP courses... WOW!

All she wanted for her birthday was to go to Yogurtland. Fine with me because it's yummy! Everytime I go I always bust a different yogurt with the same toppings ... Kit Kat, Butterfinger, blackberries and strawberries ... drizzled with caramel .. of course ... haha. So, to my surprise guess what flavor they had (drum roll, please) ... CAFE CON LECHE! woot woot :)

I thought I was in heaven ... then... I tasted it and ... eh... nothing special... not my favorite flavor ... I'll stick with Ghirardelli chocolate whenever they have it up ... yes, I'm a chocolate and coffee feen! :)

Just Like Home... Tribute to Presto Instant Cafe!

Hey!


This blog is long overdue and I'm sorry for the absence! I was busy all over the place during the month of April, but no worries! I experienced new coffee brands and ways to make them taste great! mmm :)

For my boyfriend's spring break we decided to take a road trip up to San Francisco and explore the city. We drove through Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Padres National Forest, the Danish town in Solvang, La Purisima Mission in Lompoc, through San Jose and finally landed in SAN FRAN!

I'm not going to lie, right away I wanted to go home. It was rush hour traffic and the streets were packed. It took an hour for what should've been a 10 minute drive. what in the world?! We arrived at the Whitcomb Hotel right on Market Street, dropped our bags and explored our surroundings. I was amazed at San Fran's transportation system with the electric buses, cable cars and the hybrid taxis everywhere. It's a very creative city that likes to show off its art - why not? it's amazing!

We exhausted ourselves with the major tourist attractions, from Alcatraz, The United Nations building, The Aquarium of the Bay, Pier 39, Lombard Street ("The Crookedest Street" in the world), the Golden Gate Bridge and my Tia's place. We got through these in one day, so you know we were pretty tired, so what better way to end the day than with coffee... oh.. my.. gosh... yes... it was that good! It wasn't just any coffee, it was PRESTO!! 100% pure coffee from Nicaragua!

I had my two cups of instant coffee that morning with gallo pinto (Nicaraguan mixture of rice and beans) along with eggs, cheese and fried ham. It felt like home again! The coffee was soft and mild, topped with warm milk... just the way I like it :)

Seriously, by far this is one of the best coffee's I've had in a while. Back in LA, I had to find this coffee. It has a nostalgic, calming effect that makes me feel relaxed... wow! I feel that if you make the right cup of coffee, you'll definitely achieve this feeling. This coffee isn't in your local grocery store, I had to drive around looking for a Latin Mini-Mart or Nicaraguan Box shipping place, only to find the wonderful slogan of "El Secreto es el Humito...!"

Don Francisco's Coffee - Official Coffee of LA Marathon :)

Good Morning!!


It's a few days after the marathon and I'm actually kind of glad I didn't run it this year ... It's been my lifelong dream to run the LA Marathon, but my high school coach never let us run since it would interfere with our competitions. (BOOHOO!)

This year, the marathon was amazing! It went from the Dodger Stadium, through Downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and onto the Santa Monica Beach. Although I couldn't run it this year, I was tracking my brother Luis and his friend through email and text. My brother doesn't drink coffee, but clearly, I DO! So, he gave me his Don Francisco's Breakfast Blend coffee provided by the Marathon. Ahhh... once again .. HEAVEN!

It's rich and of course, you know I only made 8 cups for the strong stuff ... yum :)

Americano at the Mustard Seed

The other day, Rigo and I tried the Mustard Seed in Los Feliz, California by the Good Morning America studios. It's a cozy little spot on the corner where you might just run into a celebrity...


My experience at the Mustard Seed was mediocre ... the waitress was "eh" BUT it's all good cuz I can truly say that I had a GREAT cup of Joe. We didn't just have coffee, we ordered the Ahi Tuna Tacos, orange juice and coffee. I know, I know ... Tuna with Coffee? WTH?!

I ordered the Americano cup of coffee ... *sigh* yes ... it was that good that I took a deep breath and enjoyed that little moment of peace! The drink was smooth, light and relaxing. I have no idea what their secret formula is ... but it was lovely.

FYI - Make sure to enjoy it because there are no refills!

Car-puccino ... it's GENIUS!

Car running on coffee ... it's awesome! or is it ... ?

According to Mail Online, The UK unveiled a car that runs on coffee and names it Car-puccino!

It's for the Big Bang science fair that will test it from Manchester to London. The trip is 210 miles and will use 11,760 espressos!!!

OMG ... too much of a hassle .. I'll stick with my regular fuel at the pump, but hey ... it's nice to look at, kind of haha.

Got Milk? Holiday Latte event at Le Pain Quotidien

The Got Milk? Holiday Latte event at Le Pain Quotidien was yummy! They had everything from hand massages, arts and crafts station for kids, five different types of coffee recipes and pastries! Le Pain Quotidien is a cute restaurant on Melrose, which I would advise to try when there isn't a frenzy of coffee phenes.
Barista Heather Perry concocted five recipes to create ... HEAVEN!

Seriously, how could I not be on a coffee high after having the following: Peppermint Mocha Martini, Egg Nog Latte, Tres Leche, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and Toffee Bar Coffee ... YUM!

Favorite coffee recipe was Tres Leches Latte... mmm... deeeelish!

Tres Leches Latte
Ingredients:

• 8 oz. milk
• 2 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
• 2 oz. fresh espresso or strong brewed coffee
• 4 oz. heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar

To finish: whipped cream and maraschino cherry

Directions: Combine whipping cream and powdered sugar and whip until forms stiff peaks. In a mug, combine freshly brewed espresso and sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Steam milk and pour on espresso.