An Intelligent way to do coffee

Sounds crazy or maybe just normal but I have been drinking coffee since I started college...like all my friends trying to stay awake among books and papers to write I was introduced to coffee. I never liked it, hated even walking down the coffee isle in the market! I don't even know why I disliked it so much maybe because my mom is a heavy coffee addict and I guess I never thought it was delicious.

Over a year ago while working long 36 hour shifts with my husband we discovered Intelligentsia. A sweet coffee shop right smack in the middle of Sunset Junction. As we'd go flashing down Sunset Blvd. with lights and sirens or sometimes just cruising we got curious over this place where there were usually lines for a cup of joe. We walked in one Sunday morning a little after 6am just clearing from running a call at Temple Hospital, we had no idea how this place would change our lives. I ordered a vanilla latte and the barista politely replied "we don't serve vanilla, but I can add agave" and I was like sure whatever you call it I just want a flavored latte so I can go on for the next 12 hours of my shift. Jorge ordered a "decaf" version of what I was getting because this man can drive at any hour of the day and feel good about it. He knows LA like the back of his hand and has many times been called the walking Thomas Guide. In other words he doesn't need coffee to function and he drinks it just for the taste.

So our experience began that morning with the most delicious, outstanding latte I have ever had in my entire life! Their mission involves bringing the coffee from the hands of the farmers themselves allowing them to have the best tasting coffees from Guatemala, Panama, Peru and Rwanda to name a few. It is a treat to see the baristas putting so much passion in what they do. All of them are carefully trained so they know everything there is about coffee and it shows! Everyone is sweet and friendly and ever since we stepped into Intelligentsia we have not stopped recommending people to go and try this amazing place. When we are not working Jorge and I drive from our house to Intelligentsia which is about 30 miles away to enjoy a beautiful day in LA with our coffees in our hands as we hold each other tight.

Last Friday a new Intelligentsia opened in Venice...right on Abbot Kinney Blvd. I'm sure over a few hundred people showed up! They were mixing tunes, free cappuccinos, wine, tea....it was fabulous! I snapped a few pictures and wanted to share and spread the word that if you live in LA I hope to find you there one day and if you are coming to visit you must stop by and emerge yourself into the world of Intelligentsia.

New baby!

Well sort of...I got myself a Cuttlebug!!! I couldn't be more excited from the moment I got the box in the mail on Friday its been a non stop love! I have always drooled over all the beautiful creations you can do with it and it was about time I got one...don't you think?! I only got a few cards done with it because now I'm so excited I can't even choose which die I want to use...the swiss dots or the swirls or the music notes one...aarrgghh! decisions!! but I have to say its a great feeling.
I have a few cards to share with you that have been some of my recent work that you can find on my Etsy Shop. Thanks for visiting me have a wonderful rest of the week.

If you live in California I hope you go out and vote!!!

Cutie Pie

I'm on a roll with pie...or cake this time! This little set was so much fun to create. I made a birthday card to match a slice of cake shaped box using my Tags, bags, boxes and more cricut cartridge and used MS punchies too. I'm in LLOOOVE with everything Cosmo Cricket comes out with and this line "Girl Friday" is adorable. I used lots of pink pearls and felt flowers and a sweet ribbon from my stash.

BTW...hope you had a wonderful National Scrapbooking day. I actually went to a scrapbooking store I had never been to on Saturday! Only about 20 minutes from my house. My husband was taking an exam in Garden Grove on Saturday and while dropping him off I thought hhmm where can I go for the next 4 hours!?! I didn't want to go back home so I began searching "scrap" "scrapbooking" "craft" "stores" on my phone's GPS and what do you know..... I found 3 scrapbooking stores less than 5.3 miles away from my current location! I started to navigate to "Scrapbooking Heaven" ...I thought how cool is that?!"

4.8 miles later Michelle's voice (I just found out that the woman's voice on my phone's gps is set to Michelle) said "Your destination is on your left" And wow...did I find a really cute store with lovely items everywhere! Very pleasant and friendly help as well. They were holding a class that I really wanted to join but couldn't bare thinking my husband slaving behind a desk so I instead participated in a free make and take that only took a few minutes. It was a really cute mother's day card...I just couldn't resist. I bought lots of goodies that I'm sure I'll be working with soon :)

So of course I spent over an hour at the store...by the time I grabbed a bite to eat and coffee I wanted to head to the other 2 stores in Los Alamitos when I got a text from my husband that the class was almost done. Like a good wife I navigated myself back to where I had started my mission and waited patiently as he came out. I CAN'T wait to go and check those other 2 lingering destinations soon!

Have a lovely week everyone! I'm going to enjoy the sun and the heat expected for this week!