Cool Beans

Coffee is an integral part of my life. Like many people, I feel like I "need" coffee to get through most mornings. I met the love of my life (now my husband) in a cafe and we gave away coffee beans in an espresso cup as our wedding favors. "Coffee" was one of the first words both of my kids learned, since they hear the loud espresso machine every morning. And it was more difficult for me to give up coffee when I was pregnant than to give birth to my two kids. (Okay, that last one was a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point.) I take coffee seriously. So believe me when I say this: Lamill Coffee Boutique in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles is, in my opinion, one of the best places to get coffee in Los Angeles.

Lamill Coffee Boutique elevates coffee to a whole new level. At Lamill, coffee is treated like a fine wine. The menu is about 10 pages long and includes choices for type of extraction and beans. Just like looking at a wine menu, you can learn exactly where your coffee came from, what type of flavors you can expect or how the beans were farmed. After all of the choices, I opted for Organic Black Onyx, a coffee blend from several countries that has a bittersweet flavor like dark chocolate. I loved it from the first sip. I only had one appetizer -- The Artic Char Tartare. Even this was absolutely divine. And for dessert? Espresso Chocolate Panna Cotta, which is Bailey's ice cream, coconut ravioli and chocolate coconut streusal. So yummy I can't even describe in words how yummy it was. And to top it off, this place is dolled up really nicely with a modern, lounge-y, classy edge. So cool.

I can go on and on and on but I'd rather have you go there an experience it for yourself. Here's all the info. If you love coffee, you will love Lamill.

Lamill Coffee Boutique
1636 Silver Lake Boulevard
Los Angeles, Ca 90026
www.lamillcoffee.com

Hey Hayes Valley!

Just got back from a perfect trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. It had just the right mix of planned activities, spontaneous adventures, meet-ups with friends and family, delicious food and of course...great shopping! Although I grew up in the Bay Area, I never really got a chance to explore all the nooks and crannies of this charming little big city. One 'hood that I absolutely fell in love with -- Hayes Valley.

Located between the historical districts of Alamo Square and Civic Center, I had heard Hayes Valley was revived when the freeway was torn down after the '89 quake. The streets are lined with cute, one-of-a-kind shops and sidewalk cafes. Not many tourists (well, I guess we were there, but most people around seemed to be locals) and no chain stores. One of those neighborhoods where people hanging out are either residents or tourists avoiding the touristy parts of town.

Here's a rundown of the shops I heart: Miette, a charming pastry and candy shop; Lavish, filled with adult and kiddie accessories, clothes and goodies for the home; True Sake, America's first sake store; and Fiddlesticks, a kiddie clothing store and sister store to Lavish.

My only regret is that I wasn't able to spend enough time here. But I can definitely come back again...and again...and I can find all of my favorite stores online, too!