one of the odd things about going away is coming back to things completely different than how you left. new places open, favorite places close, new buildings are built and the old is torn down. its such a weird concept that life goes on even when i’m on the other side of the world but that’s life! i love re-discovering the place i’ve lived all my life with new awe and wonder. one place that i’m just now discovering is seventh tea at the oc mix mart. it’s owned by the same people who opened portola, which is in my opinion the best coffee in orange county so even before i tried it, i knew this place would be quality. i love the concept of tea on tap and my iced oolong was great! all i can say is i know where i’ll be spending my time this summer
i love all things french so this little french cafe by the church was a real find! their gluten free pancakes were surprisingly good (but isn’t everything with nutella good?) and it was a great time of fun and fellowship with some of my favorite ladies. i sure love saturdays!
whenever we go into town, we usually end up going to capers at some point for the best iced coffees i have ever tasted. the cafe has other good drinks and good (but overpriced) foods but their iced coffees just can’t be beat. so maybe i did just write a whole post on iced coffees but this is my blog so i can post whatever dorky stuff i want… right? btw how pretty are my friends? love them!
lunch at mister d’s was probably the highlight of my trip to hawkes bay. we decided to splurge and go to a nice restaurant while we were in napier and i’m so glad we did because this was one of my favorite meals to date. there were a few moments of silence after our food arrived as we dove into our meals… it was that good! but their homemade donuts really took the cake! the donuts come fresh out of the fryer and they bring out syringes of different fillings to fill your own donut. though i’m allergic to gluten, the stomach ache that followed was no comparison to this amazing concoction. so if you’re ever in napier, make sure to ask for the donuts at mister d’s… they aren’t on the menu which makes them all the more special.
whenever i take friends to la, i always insist on paying a visit to joan’s on third. my mom and i have even driven an hour and a half each way to grab lunch there. though its just a cafe, there is something about the ambiance that is really special. maybe its just special to me because i’ve had so many good laughs and memories there but joan’s is definitely an la treasure. after a day at the los angeles gift show, my mom and i took a few friends there for dinner. the owner ended up coming out and meeting us and she was so sweet, which makes the places all the more lovely knowing such a kind and friendly lady is behind it. when i get home to california, joan’s is definitely one of the first places i plan to go.
huckleberry is a super cute cafe in santa monica with yummy food and a chill, laid back vibe. i love their breakfasts (especially the granola). they have a really unique selection of bottled sodas and i was happy to see some of my favorites from new zealand in the mix.