Nugget's, Well, Um.... Nuggets

As a responsible pet owners, the husband and I have to make sure our cat is taken care of.  She's had all of her shots and saw the vet shortly after we adopted her because she had the sniffles.  So when she finally got to the appropriate weight, which was over 3 pounds, we made an appointment to have her spayed.
The deal was to drop her at 8:30 in the morning and pick her up between 3 and 5:30 in the evening.  The shelter has a rule that if you adopt a pet that hasn't been fixed, you have to put down a $40 deposit as a promise to bring them back to have them neutered.  That pays for the procedure and it's a great way to help the shelter make the money to continue fixing pets for population control.
The staff ran a little late and there was a few people ahead.  Only one dog and about 4 cute kittens around Nugget's age.  Nugget was hungry but laid back.  She obviously didn't know what was coming.
We left and stopped for a breakfast and coffee date at McDonald's on the way home.  A couple of 'McBreakfast' sandwiches and a regular coffee.  The McDonald's coffee comforted my mind as I thought about what the little kitten was about to go through.  After breakfast, I went to work for a bit, ran some errands, and around 4pm we went to pick up Nugget.
She was a little out of it when we picked her up and we we got her home, she couldn't walk straight.  We felt so bad.  She had skin glue on the outside and dissolvable stitches on the inside.  She slept most of the rest of the day into the following day and by the next afternoon she was back to her playful self.  We gave her treats throughout the evening so she got her calories in without having to get up to eat.  It takes ten days for them to be allowed back to normal life, like bathing and such.  I'm really glad we got it taken care of.  I'm sure I was more stressed out by the whole thing then she was.  She's all done until she gets a check up next May or if she gets sick before then.  We're really starting to get this pet parent thing down.

Barclay's With The Little One

Wanted to grab coffee with the kiddo so I took her to Barclay's in Northridge.  She had never been.   The barista was a little chatty for us but nice.  I showed her how all the doors behind the register were full of tea and that I'll be checking that out the next time I go there.
She ordered a iced blended mocha and I got an lavender vanilla iced coffee and we sat outside to chat.  It was nice out but after half an hour it started to get hot. She enjoyed her coffee but it's her usual go-to coffee anyway.  I lifted the lid on mine and it had tiny lavender buds sprinkled on top.  Extra points for an appearance.
Once it got too hot for us outside, we saw that Big Lots was having a one day sale.  20% off on everything if you picked up the coupon they had at the entrance.  We saw a lot of great deals.  I ended up finding Nugget's litter in a two pack for $12.00 and used the coupon on that.  She now has litter to last her until she's a geriatric cat.
There is a $10.00 or less bookstore in the same lot but the kiddo wasn't feeling too well so we called it a day.  Not bad for a quick afternoon getaway.  Everyone needs those kind of days.

Celebrating With The Birthday Girl

In a small gathering at my friend's house in Ventura County, we celebrated my friend's birthday.  She asked for a girls night together for wine, snacks, and of course cake.  Following cake, most of the guests headed home.  It was nearing midnight when I really wanted a cup of coffee.  My friend had vanilla nut coffee and offered me a few choices for mix-ins.  When she mentioned coconut creamer, I was intrigued.  After all, it was a Trader Joe's brand, and I can't say no to the Joe.
It was terrific.  Nutty but light, without an aftertaste.  If you remember I did a blog on the Disney designer princess mug collectibles, you can see that my friend let me use her collectible Snow White mug.  I'm pretty sure that contributed to the flavor enhancement somehow.
As the evening was coming to a close, it was just 3 ladies left.  We quietly chatted into the wee hours of the morning, enjoying each others company, especially since our schedules have limited our visits lately.  Summer birthdays seem to last longer, not just because the daylight hangs on, but staying out in the cool evenings is so nice.
Best wishes to our mate for another wonderful year.

Hard Work Rewarded With Coffee

The Boss and I volunteered to assist in the preparation of the new Disney Store in Thousand Oaks together.  We have done many store reopenings after remodels and even worked on a new style of store before it even was announced to the public.  Each time, at least for me, it's like a fun day out with one of my best mates.  We sweat a little, and make some money at the same time but it only feels like work when I get home from a long, labor-filled day and can't move my arms.
This store was no different.  I did the first couple of hours helping to bring in the 25 pallets of product while the Boss was working on opening all the individual items in the girls department.  I worked on opening product for a few departments and we eventually met at the endless process of opening the individually wrapped t-shirts.
Our shift there zoomed by and before we left, we saw the empty store we greeted in the morning was now full of product and on its way to becoming the newest member of the Disney Store family.
Since we were out west of where we usually hang, I had to think where should we grab coffee on the way home.  Oh yeah, I'll take the Boss to TIFA in Agoura Hills.  She had never been and was excited to see all the antique shops in the lot.  I got an iced latte and she got an iced mocha.  After the laborious day, the latte was refreshing but it didn't have a whole lot of flavor.
My favorite thing about TIFA is the fresh flowers at every table.  They also have chess boards but I don't really get a chance to play when I go.
The Boss picked up the craft beer and cocktails set of chocolate for her friends that she was seeing later that night.  She told me the next day that it was good and she could taste the alcohol in the chocolates.
It was a wonderful afternoon with the Boss and even though we worked our buns off, we had lots of fun.  Can't wait for the next rebuild!

My Kids Spoil Me

Happy 100th Blog Post!
In honor of my 100th blog post, I'm doing a giveaway.  In the comments below, tell me what your go-to coffee order is.  (Don't drink coffee?, tell me what tea, smoothie, or flavored water you can't pass up.) It can be what you make when you get up in the morning that you can't start your day without, or that drink the barista already had made for you when you come in because you order it every time. Why do you enjoy it?  Does it give you the warm and fuzzies or is it that it's the only thing strong enough to get your brain working at top speed?  Let me know and I will pick a winner in a week and let you know.  Thanks for reading!  Now for the blog:


As you know, I call my little sister my kiddo.  Her two closest friends are also my kiddos.  One is a teacher and one is a super smart tech guy for a named company.  It doesn't matter their ages, my kiddos will always be my kiddos.  The best part is they always treat me like gold.
The little one found super cheap tickets for the four of us for a concert featuring my favorite band, The Smashing Pumpkins, and the second headliner was one of her favorite artists growing up, Marilyn Manson.  The concert was at the Irvine Meadows and of course the super cheap seats meant lawn seating.  I was happy with that considering this would be my 4th time seeing the Pumpkins.  The little one came up with the great idea of heading to Disneyland for a bit and then going to Irvine from there to avoid a lot of traffic and have dinner before the show.
In just 2 hours, we were able to get chow at the Pacific Wharf Cafe in California Adventure, get coffee a few steps away at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, and then head over to Disneyland to enjoy the enchanted Tiki Room (one of the kiddos had never been).  Then we zoomed off to the concert venue.
Yes, the concert was fun and amazing!  Marilyn Manson put on an animated performance, on par with what he used to do when he was on tour in the 90's.  Billy Corgan, the lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins came out and didn't waste a minute.  He sung song after song after song, only breaking long enough to switch guitars.  As an added bonus he was playing with the original drummer for the band, Jimmy Chamberlin (I'm pretty sure out of the four of us, I was the only one excited about that).
But this blog isn't about bands from my high school days, it's about coffee.
At the Ghirardelli shop, the little one ordered a medium hazelnut latte.  My techie kid ordered a medium caramel latte with whipped cream.  I ordered a small caffe mocha with whipped cream.  And my teacher kiddo was taken away from ordering coffee by the sight of ice cream, specifically the chocolate ice cream in a chocolate dipped cone that she ordered.  Each of the coffees we ordered we shared so we could try the different flavors but each felt that the one's we ordered for ourselves tasted the best.  The mini chocolate chips on my mocha gave it an added layer of chocolate that was outstanding.  However, as delicious each of our items were, you have to remember it came from Ghirardelli.  You know, the chocolatier.  So by the time we left the shop, walked through to the exit of California Adventure, across the park's esplanade, entered Disneyland, down Main Street and to the left to the entrance of the Tiki Room, myself and my teacher kiddo were chocolate wasted.  The other two kiddos were fine but her and I thought we were gonna throw up and die from chocolate overload.  And I only ordered a small! I wouldn't have been able to finish anything larger!  After our stomachs settled, we were fine and we all enjoyed a fun evening together.  The little one did all the driving and bought my coffee, the teacher kiddo picked up the tab on my lunch, and my techie kid shared some of his drink with me while we were at the show (you know drinks at venues are not cheap).  I am truly grateful for my kiddos.  They are all wonderful people with excellent values and a great respect for themselves and others.  What a wonderful day!

They wouldn't let me keep the trolley with chocolate inside.  Dang.

Options, options...

Ghirardelli has some interactive art that depicts some well known San Francisco history.  The buildings in this panel shake to show the famous 1906 earthquake.  Watch out Red Car!

Ghirardelli has it's roots in the city by the bay.  Shown here, the people move as they work hard and the sign above flashes different San Francisco historical events.

Here, the gold miners pan back and forth before they strike it rich during the Gold Rush.

Just a small display of some of their chocolate products.

Where the magic happens.  Well, at least for me.  I believe they are brewing Joffrey's coffee.

Marilyn Manson warms up the audience.

Marilyn included smoke, flames, stilts, and hardcore rock.  Not bad for a guy over 40.

A familiar face, Billy Corgan's performance hasn't changed much in the 20 years I've been enjoying his music.

Sing it!

A solo from Billy.

Jimmy Chamberlin in the back, Billy at front and center, I was so excited.

Wildflour Cafe

In my last two weeks at the job I just left, I got to basically train my replacement.  Lucky for me, she was a wonderful girl and reminded me greatly of one of my cousins.  Even though she was probably half my age, she had spend her life moving around, having experiences, and taking advantage of what the world had to offer.  So when she recommended a cafe in Agoura Hills, I wasn't going to argue because I knew it would be good.
Wildflour Bakery and Cafe, yes spelled that way, is just off Kanan Road and tucked in the back of a shopping center.  It's open for breakfast and lunch and has a large menu to chose from.
The husband and I ordered Egg Sliders.  Eggs, Munster cheese, a large tomato and a spicy sauce.  When ordering the lady asked if we wanted bacon, turkey bacon, or turkey.  I said turkey and he said bacon, but she didn't tell us it was for an extra charge.  Both of our sandwiches were super delicious.  The bread was fresh, soft on the inside with a bite to the crust.  The eggs were fluffy and the sandwich was all around flavorful.
He ordered a cappuccino and I got a regular coffee.  Do note, we ordered the regular sizes.  Even the tips on Foursquare (a phone app where people can review places and leave tips) said use caution when ordering a large because it lives up to its name.  The husband's cappuccino was good.  The downfall to mine was we were dining al fresco and the server didn't bring any coffee accouterments out so I had to take my drink back in to the drink station and do my cream and sugar dance.  I know, first world problems.  The coffee was good but I didn't notice the speciality coffee drink menu until we were leaving.
Overall, I would recommend this place.  The service could use a brush up but the food was great.  They locally source their produce, the bakery cases look fantastic, and the small dining room gives it a cozy but relaxed feel.

The breads and pastries are baked daily with non-GMO flour and no preservatives.

This menu was hidden on a side wall.

We came for an early lunch, so this looks like the early morning favorite.

Art above the drink station.

Blog Update.

I truly enjoy blogging.  Taking the pictures, checking out new things, and telling all my friends and even strangers about my experiences.  I have almost 100 blog posts and over 3000 page views from all over the globe.  But it has gotten hard to blog when I don't feel well.  Nothing serious, but just not well enough some days to give all the detail into a blog that it deserves.  I've got lots of material but the daily posts seem to be slipping from me. Stay tuned, I have lots to share with you still!  Thanks for following my coffee!

Aloha! E Komo Mai!

One of my favorite types of kope (coffee in Hawaiian) is Kona coffee.  There is strict laws on what can truly be called Kona coffee.  Usually because it's more expensive then other coffees, you will more often then not, have it blended with other types, such as Colombian or Brazilian coffee.  The Kona blends are usually half the price of the 100% Kona.  If the bag says, "100% Kona coffee" you will pay a little more, but because of the soil and atmosphere, you will get an amazing cup of coffee.
The Hawaiian Isles Kona Coffee Company has a great assortment of coffees including 100% Kona, but available at my local Cost Plus was 5 blended flavors, which also fit my wallet.  Kona Classic, Sunrise Kona, Vanilla Macadamia Nut Kona, Chocolate Macadamia Nut Kona, and the one I purchased, Toasted Coconut Kona coffee.
I chose today to try out my newest coffee buy because it was a special day at work.  Today was the release of the Lilo and Stitch Tsum Tsums.  Tsum Tsums, for those who are not familiar, are a mini plush toy based off a video game with the same name.  The dolls originated in Japan, and Tsum Tsum translates to "stack stack".  The dolls are meant to be stacked on top of each other.  They can be worn as keychains or pins with little adjustments and the bottoms of they dolls are made with a special material for cleaning your phone or tablet, as in after you played the game to wipe all those fingerprints off.  They are limitedly released at Disney Stores and Disney Parks which has made them into collectibles so people no longer play with them, but collect as many as they can.  Of course that leads to finding the rare ones on eBay for $30 a piece!
In the game, you line up 3 or more of a matching character to clear lines and get points.  Some characters have extra abilities, like to clear a whole line no matter if the characters are matching or not.  The more points you get, you can unlock new characters with different abilities.  It's a cute game and a fun time waster if you don't play the similar Candy Crush game.  Seeing as it is just coming to America from Japan, you can get way more plush characters and accessories over there or online.
Lilo and Stitch is one of my favorite Disney movies, which takes place in Hawaii, so I was thrilled with today's release and bought one of each character from the set.  The set includes, Lilo, Stitch, Lilo's doll Scrump, Angel, Jumba, and the Ugly Duckling from when Stitch was reading the book in Lilo's room.  If you look closely, the duckling has a tear in it's eye from when it was crying.  Aw.
And to go with the Hawaiian theme, I used my new Stitch mug.  In my store, we don't carry this mug, I found it at the Disney Store Outlet in Camarillo after the Lavender Festival.  It perfectly housed my single serving of coffee, freshly pressed in the French press.  It was aromatic and strong.  In fact, the strength of the coffee flavor made the coconut flavor almost invisible.  I will make another batch soon to see if it was the barista's error or if this coffee is just lightly flavored.  Either way, it was ono (delicious in Hawaiian) and I'd like to see how the other flavored Kona coffees are, once my pockets get a little deeper.
A hui hou, Mahalo!

I like the tiny gold clip that comes with each bag.

Texas Turtle Iced Coffee

Today was a simple Monday.  Back to regular chores and errands now that our friends have gone back to Seattle.  (Miss them already)  So in between the household clean up, the husband took a break to make us some iced coffee.
We got Texas Turtle coffee from Cost Plus, just the 2 ounces so we do one coffee base in case it was too strong of a flavor.  It was very good.  A little sweet, ample pecan flavor, slight caramel taste and overall refreshing.  It is supposed to taste like the turtle candy but I think even with the flavors there, it didn't have enough chocolate.
Then it was back to more responsibilities, also known as quality time with our kitten.

Vacation is Almost Over

For the last day of my friend's visit home, we hung out at her mom's house, having leftovers and going through old stuff.  It was funny to look in the closets and see things that have been tucked away for years.  The dress she was baptized in, her grandmothers old favorite fur coat, random things that are fun to look at but will usually just lay in a closet until the next reminiscing.  Among some of the old things, we found some old how-to-draw books.  (I couldn't find a copyright date on any of these old books, but one did have a price tag of 2 dollars from Lumber City).  I thought is was hilarious that they expected you to be able to draw this professionally in 5 simple steps.  (You guys go ahead and try and let me know how well you do)
Just before my friend and her fiance had to head to the airport, we met up at the Coffee Bean by my house.  The California company doesn't have a Coffee Bean in Seattle as of now, so they had to get their fix like any native Californian gets an In n Out fix.
My friend got her usual, a half hazelnut half dark chocolate ice blended with and extra shot of espresso and whipped cream.  I've had it before, that's a really good drink.  I believe her fiance got a caramel ice blended with whipped cream, and the husband got a green tea lemonade.  The husband said his drink had too much sugary syrup and that it tasted like a Lemonhead.  Not really sure that is a bad thing.  I ordered a caffe latte.  I went in thinking I wanted an iced or blended coffee, but the weather today was gorgeous, so a hot coffee was calling my name by the time I got to the counter.  My coffee was perfect.  Smooth with a nice foam top.  We sat outside, smelling the smokey barbecue joint next door, but we were all still too full from mom's leftovers to go over and actually order anything.
We enjoyed our last hour together but you could see the return to regular life blues in their faces.  It's ok, we will see them again next month.

Thanks Mom!

For day two of my friend's visit home, her mom suggested we go to the beach.  We got some chow and as a big family went to Zuma.  It was nice but traffic home was bad.  It's expected with this holiday weekend.
Her mom likes to cook and bake and there is always something yummy sitting around, waiting to be devoured.  Today was some amazing leftover homemade spaghetti sauce, freshly made potato salad, and individual pans of snickerdoodle bread.  We were sent home with two loaves.
Nothing seemed more perfect to pair with it than coffee.
I figured to enjoy the bread even more, I'd keep the coffee simple.  One Trader Joe's instant coffee with a couple of scoops of butter pecan powder and espresso powder.  Together, they were out of this world.  A slightly crunchy, cinnamony crust, soft, warm cake, and little bits inside that I think are cinnamon chips.  The warmth and flavor of the coffee was an ideal compliment.  That will be good for breakfast tomorrow too.

Welcome Back

Our friends from Seattle arrived early this morning.  Even though we were all still tired from an early morning, we got a quick Jack in the Box breakfast so we could catch up.  Everyone got a breakfast sandwich of some sort but I thought I would stick to orange juice, water, some raspberry filled powdered donuts they brought from Seattle, and an iced coffee.  I love the mocha and caramel flavored iced coffees from J in the B, but the husband got us each a small hazelnut iced coffee this time.  He loved his but mine was over powered by fake syrup flavor.  I had to wait and let the ice water it down before it tasted normal.  I don't know what happened but that was a first for a place I usually enjoy coffee at.  On the other hand, the donuts were amazing so that made up for it.

Take A Seat At The Balconi

I'd never had siphon coffee before, but I can tell you that it produces a different, smoother coffee then any I've ever had before. The process of siphon coffee works like a percolator but looks like a lab experiment.  The coffee itself is ground finer, and the water is carefully watched so it boils to just the right temperature.  The following link will explain in more detail.  https://bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guides/siphon
My friend in L.A. had told me about a great place to get coffee that his colleague had recommended and figured since it was near his house, we could check it out together.  After my friend told me about the place, I came across it on a list from Eater L.A. of the top 44 place to get great coffee in L.A..  Ok, ok, so it's recommended twice, let's go already!
Balconi Coffee Company is a 3 minute walk from my friends house.  As you walk in, there is the small cafe feel with art for sale on the walls and interesting coffee paraphernalia in glass cabinets around the small shop.  Hidden up in the rafters was a disco ball.  Why?  No clue but maybe they use it in some of their art exhibits, like one that was posted up on the wall.  Along the seating side of the bar was a long row of bulbs, ready for someone to order the siphon coffee.  The barista was nice guy and asked if we wanted a treat from the small table top bakery case.  At 9 o'clock at night, there wasn't much left so we passed.  There was a list at the front of the days specials and whole coffees for sale.  My friend and I both had our eyes on the Almond Essence Latte with organic whole milk.
Each cup is made fresh so as we waited at a table for our lattes, I opened up some reviews on this place.  Nothing but rave reviews and calls to try to Almond Essence Latte.  Seems like we made the right choice.
The barista handed us our drinks, each with different latte art.  I got a little girl and my friend got a heart/tulip design.  We took it outside since the weather was so nice.
It could only be described as pure bliss.  The flavors were sweet and creamy.  The almond flavor was prominent but not overwhelming.  My friend almost did the Paula Deen eyeroll of satisfaction.
I will be returning to this place soon so try the different origins coffees.  Upon leaving the shop we saw various reviews from media speaking highly of Balconi, including a 2012 award for best funnel coffee from L.A. Weekly.  Bonus points, there is a crepe shop next door.

Oh no! I started to drink it and she got all creepy!