late night espresso

after five shots of espresso i'm feeling a little wired and a lot nauseous. i couldn't help it, the cute barista at silver lake's swanky laMill talked me into trying his favorite, café con leche (concocted with four shots!) the fifth was on the house. oh boy. i'd say college and my momma made me quite the coffee lover and aspiring caffeine connoisseur. it was yummy and beautifully crafted with a thin layer of caramelized brown sugar and finished with a leaf blooming from the (soy)milk foam. i couldn't help but smile. i thought the café was a bit too sweet, and surprisingly i enjoyed rei's vanilla latte much more. could have been the "madagascar vanilla bean-infused syrup" as detailed in the 10-paged menu.

prior we dined at cru's for their raw vegan cuisine. i thought i'd challenge my friend rei's meat and potatoes ways in his own hipster hometown. i started with a watermelon granita, mm was it yummy. so refreshing and simple. watermelon blended with ice and agave, just a tad sweet with the perfect amount of blend that produced this creamy wonderful texture. and the pesto ravioli--the filling made of modestly spiced cashew cheese snugged in thinly sliced jicama and atop, a light drizzle of homemade pesto. and oh so delicious with a light crunch and a lot of comfort. of course it wouldn't be a complete meal had there not been the chocolate brownie á la mode. without a stove and oven who would have thought possible?

update: other yummy eateries in la.
buddha's belly, LA:: their tofu steak. perfectly seared and smothered in a really sweet and tangy black bean sauce.
alcove, silverlake:: the french toast was light and airy and with crème fraîche and a compote of silced banana, orange juice and rum, it was heavenly.
susina, LA:: chocolate raspberry cake. three oh so mouthwatering layers of chocolate devil’s food cake brushed with berry liqueur, filled with chocolate mousse and fresh raspberries and covered with dark chocolate curls.
one word. orgasmic.

life's uncertain, eat dessert first

i'm at yali's, my favorite place for coffee in berkeley and i just got a slice of their chocolate cake.
i think i'm in heaven.

the simple pleasures of walking

Recent discovery: PCC has a shuttle that transports students from main campus to Goldline's Allen Station. This is pretty awesome considering I can hop on their van after class, get to the GL, and then to and from Boxer's office off Union Station. Thursdays I have class before and after the internship so it's quite convenient as I don't have to worry about moving my Highlander. Not so convenient is that the shuttle doesn't run Friday evenings. I discovered such news this evening, having waited forty minutes or so in the dark on Allen Street. Unsure of whether the shuttle was going to come, I just decided to walk. It was only a few blocks, and midway was the Pasadena Coffee Shop. I got a Mexican Latte (very good and cinnamon-y) and a discount from the nice barista. (I love nice people!) With warm drink in hand, I continued to the streets and thought of all the walking I did in DC, and how much I missed it. Here at home I have four wheels that I'm so dependent on to get me to wherever I want to go. I"ll complain if I can't find close parking. But walking tonight made me realize how pathetic and ironic it was to do so. The night was beautiful and calm, and the walk--very much needed from the suffocation of automobiles. It just felt good to walk, and I did so freely.

where's my cup of joe?

coffee drinking is no longer a sweet craving; these past months it's become a daily necessity to function. i'm assured this isn't a healthy obsession.