Quick Update / Thoughts

I haven’t posted in forever. I have a really bad cold right now. It sucks. This week has been very hard for me to get through. But, in more interesting news:

1. I went to Intelligentsia Venice. I love the way it looks. I enjoy the personalities found behind the counter and in fellow patrons. However, I think I prefer the Silver Lake Intelligentsia more simply because I find their assembly line of baristas (one to take your order, one to make your order, one to ring you up) works smoother and faster than Venice’s one stop barista (one person takes your order, makes your drink, and then finally rings you up). Maybe this is just a sign from above for me to put down my to do list, take a deep breath, and enjoy the processes of life.

1½. Speaking of Intelligentsia, I currently am sipping on the in season, direct trade, single origin,  El Machete, Panama. Yum. Not the best part of waking up, but really the only reason I wake up.

2. I went to the Tavern with my roommate for drinks and bar snacks. I loved everything about this restaurant. I hope to write more about it soon. I know I have started the post, but have not gotten around to finishing it.

3. I just bought my first loaf of Woman’s Bread. I really like it. If you’re not a woman, there is also Men’s Bread. If you are not a woman, nor a man, there is gender unbiased / androgynous bread. French Meadow Bakery is healthy, organic, and tasty. I’ve used it for mainly turkey sandwich purposes.

4. I wish I could take some HiberNol.

5. Hope to update more this weekend. Have a happy Friday!

Intelligentisa Venice Coffeebar - Coming Soon!

Intelligentisa Venice is hopefully opening on May 15th! Different from Silver Lake, when you enter the beautifully designed Venice coffeebar you will meet with a concierge and then be taken to one of four custom-fabricated espresso machines where you will deal one on one with a barista. They will take your order, make your drink, and ring you up. Like all Intelligentsia’s, the workers will be hip, knowledged, and amazing! The whole process is pretty neat, including paying because they do not have registers and use a cell-phone like tablet so you can pay anywhere in the store (like the Apple store!).

Also, I read that they have hired M’Lissa and Chris Owens from Ritual Coffee Roasters in San Francisco to work their magic behind the bar. This couple is notorious for amazing coffee cuppings, which is equivalent to wine tastings. I am very eager and excited for it all!

Hours
Sunday-Thursday: 6am-10pm
Friday: 6am-11pm
Saturday: 7am-11pm

Intelligentsia Coffeebar
1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291

Rockenwagner Bakery

So sleepy and cold this morning that I stopped at Rockenwagner Bakery for an Americano. The menu said 2.50, but when the guy said “would you like an extra shot?” I answered yes without hesitation. My mistake. For those of you that don’t know, an Americano is espresso and water. No fancy syrups or milk necessary. You would think it would be cheap, but no. My drink this morning cost $3.52. It’s a decent Americano, but I doubt I will ever buy one from them again. Like the drink, the rest of their menu, composed of pre-prepared food already packaged and ready to go, is overpriced and mediocre at best. Another restaurant on 3rd street that I will never say “hey, let’s go there.”

so tired

Must stay awake…

Note: This picture is from my recent trip to PA over Christmas. I had such a bad red eye flight (no sleep) that I bought a blueberry coffee with espresso (white cup) and asked for side of milk (brown cup on top of white cup). This is interesting because when I went to Dunkin Donuts near my parents house, they would not give me a side of milk in a different cup; the airport kiosk was more accommodating than an actual store.

Note 2: I don’t have enough time to finish the post I intended to write and Wednesday sleepiness is partly to blame so this is my way of saying I am still around and haven’t forgotten about FS.

Note 3: Do you like the holiday design: Happy HoliDDay?

Funnel Mill Coffee

It was a Friday night many weeks ago, but both my boyfriend and my roommate were not available to hang out. I wanted to do something social, but didn’t really want to go drinking by myself. Instead, I drove to Funnel Mill Coffee in Santa Monica. Let me tell you that I have lived on this side of town for over 2 years and had never noticed Funnel Mill. I found out about it through a friend this past year and actually found out where it was located on Yelp that Friday night. I was surprised to find it so covertly close to Bodega Wine Bar; how could I have missed it? Surely I have walked past it. When I talked to the owners it was obvious that this place was meant for true coffee and tea drinkers who want the best quality product. (They don’t want it to be like the hustle and bustle of a Starbucks). The atmosphere is chilllaxed to the ten, spacious, and a wide selection of different seats (chairs, stools, sofas, etc.).

Their coffee is made using the siphon method (vacuum pot / Turkish preparation) - one of the most entertaining  and elaborate coffee “makers.” Out of shyness, I did not take a picture - but here is one of what they look like. But, it consists of 2 jars. One jar is metal and is used to heat water. The other jar is glass for the actual brewing. There is a small alcohol burner that sits under the metal jar, and the two jars are also connected by a slim pipe. You place the ground coffee in the glass jar, boil the water in the metal jar, and light the alcohol burner to continue heating the water. As the water boils, it will begin to flow through the pipe into the jar with the coffee grounds. The water is just below boiling when it reaches the coffee (which is key is coffee in good coffee making). When the metal jar is empty and all the water has relocated to the glass jar for brewing, a balanced lever will tip the jar and put out the burner. When the metal jar cools, it creates a vacuum and the finished coffee is sucked back through the slim pipe from the glass jar. Usually there is a spigot at the bottom of the metal jar, where you pour your finished coffee. The machine looks like it should be in a chemistry lab (for wonderful coffee). It is able to create an amazing cup because there are no filters to alter the flavor and the use of long water contact at specific temperatures produces a smoother coffee.

Funnel Mill also offers one type of bean I have never tried in my life, but have heard so much about: Kopi Luwak (Kopi stands for coffee, Luwak stands for Asian Palm Civet) coffee. You might have seen the CSI episode where it is mentioned. If not, you might have heard about it because it is the most expensive coffee in the world. If you haven’t heard anything about it, that is okay too. Kopi Luwak or Civet coffee is coffee made from berries which have been eaten by and passed through the digestive tract of the Asian Palm Civet. The civets eat the berries, but the beans inside the berries pass through their system undigested. This process only happens in Sumatra (Java), Sulawesi (Philippines), and East Timor. However, Vietnam has a similar type of coffee called weasel coffee, which is coffee berries that have been regurgitated by local weasels (local version of the Asian Palm Civet). Apparently, the berries are a part of the A. P. Civet’s diet. It is proposed that the stomach enzymes add to the coffee’s flavor by breaking down the proteins that give coffee the bitter taste. The beans are defecated still covered in some inner layers of the berry. The beans are washed (hopefully) and lightly roasted to maintain the complex flavor. Kopi Luwak sells between $120-$600 per pound. Sold mainly in Japan and the U.S. It’s limited though, with only 1,000 pounds making it to the world market each year. In 2004, when the big SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) scare, many of the civets in China were exterminated. The night I was at Funnel Mill, I think the price was around 70 dollars for a cup of the Kopi Luwak. I asked the owner how many times a week someone orders it and they said around 4 people a month order it.

Since it was a Friday night and I was alone, I decided it was not the best idea to get caffeinated up and ordered some Chrysanthemum tea (known to relax the body and calm the mind). Even though there was no siphoning machine involved, it was still a beautiful presentation. I sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed. Although I did not write any notes, I do recall this being one of the best herbal teas I have ever had.

I am happy to report that the owners are very friendly, informative, kind, considerate, and thoughtful people. I have also met some other people who work there that aren’t the owners and they are also very friendly and informative. This place is truly a hidden gem that I am happy I found. Free parking. Free wifi. And great people, coffee, and tea.

Funnel Mill
930 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 597-4395

Intelligentsia: Kurimi, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Me: What do you want to do today?

BF: I don’t know, what do you want to do?

Me: I don’t care, whatever….

BF: How about we get some coffee?

Me: Intelligentsia??!??!???!

BF: Yeah…

Me: You’ll drive??????

BF: Only if you buy me a cup of coffee.

Me: Deal!

And that’s how I ended up with a bag of Kurimi, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe. Usually it’s my idea to go out and procure beans, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear my boyfriend suggest it as a Saturday adventure. Especially since it meant there was less of a chance he would be cranky about driving and gas.

Flavor: Floral, honeysuckle
Acidity: Citrus, juicy
Finnish: Subtle, spice

Kurimi is a shy coffee. A soft, clean, citrus (think lemon/lime and orange) start that turns into a spiced cocoa taste which hangs out for awhile until you’re next sip. At first I had reservations about the citrus taste, but as I continued sipping, the cup opened up to me and told me it’s secrets, allowing me to recognize the beauty from sweet beginning to the calming and resonating end.

Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 663-6173

Intelligentsia: Itzamna, Guatemala

I recently was able to get a bag of Intelligentsia’s Itzamna, Guatemala. In Yucatec Maya mythology, Itzamna is the name of an upper god and creator deity that supposedly lives in the sky. The meaning of the deity’s name is unclear, but could refer to a large lizard or Caiman (itzam) or to a liquid such as dew (itz). Aspects of the god were sometimes designated by the epithet “Itzamna Kauil,” which could mean ‘the powerful’.

Flavor: Chocolate, red apple, date
Acidity: Buoyant, well-rounded
Finish: Walnut, nutmeg, butterscotch

Even though the harvest season is from January to April, the coffee tastes like you should be drinking it during the Fall season. Immediately at first sip, I taste the red apples which turns into a sweet slightly spicy taste, which quietly disappears. Not a shy exit, but a confident exit. As if the flavor just came to say hello, compliment you on how good you’ve been looking, and then be on their way out. Because of the transition from loud, pleasant taste to quick and polite exit, I was left wanting to drink more.

Counting down the days until Intelligentsia opens in Venice….

Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 663-6173