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CLOUD 9 is BACK! And better than ever! I’m lucky to work right around the corner and have access to this gem of a coffee spot. They recently moved into the Stockdale Tower instead of the trailer in front. With seating indoors it’ll be a nice respite in the mid-mornings when my coworkers and I just need a quick break. The interior is chic and geometric – lots of lines in blacks, whites, and neutrals. The living wall loaded with plants is simply stunning and brings me such joy. I love a clean space with plants – it’s my happy place! The coffee and overall menu is minimal but plenty if you’re a coffee aficionado. Their specialty items in the past were fun and interesting. Fair warning though, this is a coffee lovers paradise. If you’re here for the sickeningly sweet milkshake like drinks that corporate coffee houses put out then you may be a wee bit disappointed. While I’m sure they’ll make just about anything you should be prepared. This coffee house is also committed to producing zero-waste. Meaning, there are no paper to-go cups. There is a small re-usable fee – in my case 25 cents for a gorgeous glass container. It even had the cutest hair tie on the jar!!! I’m positive the fee doesn’t even cover their expense, but it’s their mission and dream and I’m happy to do my part. I’m excited to return (with my reusable glass!) to try even more of their yummy coffees. PS – if you’re lucky you may catch a lucky Lemon sighting!

Paradise Donuts – Menu with Prices – 612 E Douglas Ave, Wichita

Ever evaluating the glorious donut and the many ways it can be experienced, Paradise made my list the moment it was announced to be opened. My first visit left me unimpressed, but the newness of the shop warranted an allowance to refine the delicate process of producing pastry perfection. My second trip was, unfortunately, equally mediocre. I tried both yeast and cake varieties, in the forms of bear claw, original glazed, and blueberry coffee stick. The bear claw and original were basic puffy, sweet concoctions that avoided the pitfall of being overly doughy but lacked the slight hint of crispiness of a perfectly fried yeast donut. Not to say they were terrible, merely ordinary and altogether generic. The cake style coffee stick was on the dry side, and the streusel crumble on top surprisingly offered no discernible textural difference. Overall, Paradise donuts rate above cellophane wrapped and Walmart bakery donuts, but even Kroger offers a better rendition of coffee’s closest companion.

Zen Coffee Bar – Menu with Prices – 10960 S Eastern Ave Suite 103, Henderson

Follow your bliss and “trueness for being.” Seek out the joy in your being. Coffee is a realization of zen for me! Discover and connect with your happy and glee! Wanting to experience and explore the zen of the coffee bar is this fantastic journey. To achieve a true zen mode one needs clean and comfortable surroundings. Live plants blanket one of the walls cleansing the air as you place that zen order. All around the coffee house is that essential establishment with nature. Plants, plants of all types all around. Keeps the air one breathes in clean and crisp. Actually as I sit here and enjoy my matcha green tea the fresh air from these beautiful plants fills my lungs up with new vigor. No wonder I feel incredible. New coffee cafe, new menu. The first order is always tough. As I stare at the menu the nice coffee bar individuals are extremely courteous. They can feel a first timer. Never during the order process did I feel alienated or weird. The cashier had patience when dealing with my endless questions about dietary issues and what nots. An amazing example of these skills from the barista, as he made my tea lemonade drink was him asking me if I wanted all the ingredients that make up this purple passion. The drinks are not only delicious, but made with the highest quality ingredients and skills. The latte art does lack luster here, but I would rather have a delicious product I consume instead of art on top of it. Sure we all love out latte art but it’s not necessary. An awesome breeze which is the amazing purple passion Butterfly Tea. It includes ingredients such as lemonade, sweetness, and lychee. This Butterfly Tea is very incredibly sweet, but not overwhelming. If your not prepared for its sweetness level be fair warned now. It is served over ice and the tea/lemonade are particularly smooth. No acid after taste or preservative bitterness. The color looks beautiful as it sparkles in the sunshine. As you sip this Butterfly tea the purple holds the passion of the pink and releases this color as the sunlight passes through the ice and the cup. It’s very refreshing especially with those sunny Vegas days coming. Try your turn with the purple passion of the butterfly tea! The Zen Cafe provides a wonderful medium for those that are trying to be their own boss by being a provider of these local individuals products. One of the local business that they are preview in the cafe lobby is an aeroponics sustainable habitat. What is this right? Here’s a crash course in aeroponics: it’s growing plants without any soil! The plants are grown with only water and nutrients. The cafe has an example of this company’s tower garden. This garden is beautiful and fully functional. The growth of plants is done in the lobby with this tower garden. It’s truly fascinating to watch plants grow with no soil. The benefits of having this garden in their lobby is supported by a local business owner in the community. Nothing like free advertising. The chocolates that they sell in store are locally grown and organic which is provided by Happy Endings Chocolates. An array of bracelets and other shiny trinkets can be purchased too at the register which I was informed changes from time to time. Now that we know the zen cafe truly is this nirvana paradise atmosphere: How’s the food and drinks? Everything besides the coffee is made fresh daily in house. Their are options for vegan, gluten, and all the usual dairy substitutes. The matcha green tea I enjoyed on my first visit. Be sure and specify any changes that you would like for your drinks, such as sugar free. The matcha was good but lacked luster and pizzazz. The salted caramel latte was really heavy on the espresso but the caramel flavor was non existent. Truly I hope that this wonderful business does Incredibly well it has so much potential and such vibrant beautiful individuals that strive to deliver delicious food, treats, and happiness. It brands itself as a coffee house and it’s a passion of mine. The coffee is

Glass House Coffee Bar – Menu with Prices – 520 Blair Blvd, Eugene

Wonderful Coffee Stop in Eugene! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/glass-house-coffee-bar-eugene?select=Qmus_BSB0cVUvtqojJ11Fg&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w SITREP If I only have time to make one stop in the City of Eugene while blitzing down I-5, then I will jump onto the I-105 exit and make a beeline to Glass House Coffee Bar for some delicious lattes & mochas! As far as baristas go, April is the bees knees and would be a fantastic rep in whatever city she would find herself. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/glass-house-coffee-bar-eugene?select=x4RA9V2txtT-7Wanlc3voQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w THE COFFEE! The house brew is outstanding. But if I’m on a stretch for a BIT more time (like 30 mins to an hour), I’ll pop for something a bit more extravagant, like the Salted Bourbon Latte – now THAT’S how you kick start your day for a blitz trek all the way back to Sacramento. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/glass-house-coffee-bar-eugene?select=TpRkPfCFlgfNOIVFkb0IJQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w THE ART! This business also celebrates art, of all kinds: * Everything from Dia de los Muertos, https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/glass-house-coffee-bar-eugene?select=G5dKVy364wc2D8XrUwBI7A&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w * To wonderful art by renown muralist Blek Le Rat (the lil Rat is his signature)! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/glass-house-coffee-bar-eugene?select=WWtyJioRuzuDNuwIEw_6sw&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w TRUE STORY My trusty companion MINION got lost here one evening, and I was beside myself with grief I had lost my erstwhile buddy. But the next morning, he was still at the coffee shop where April brought him out to guard my next brew. They are good peeps here…. ? https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/glass-house-coffee-bar-eugene?select=pCPe1qCAzrJn5fVmkCbZjw&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w THE LOWDOWN Come for the Coffee. [Stay for Tacos @ Tacovore next door!]

Sirens Market & Coffee House – Menu with Prices – 3021 Rucker Ave, Everett

Met a good friend here today. It was my first time but she highly recommended it. I love how eclectic and creative the atmosphere was and how cozy of an environment it seemed. The service was great and the cashier was nice. The coffee was really good too! I loved that the in house coffee came in glass jars and not more paper cups too. Also made for a super cute and personable touch! I look forward to visiting again and recommending this coffee shop to others! I also want to peek at the Market side with all the cute knickknacks and such. ?

Little Shop of Soil – Menu with Prices – 1311 Myrtle Ave At, Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn

Much-needed local-owned small plant shop in the neighborhood! Forget overpriced florists or schlepping to Home Depot, Little Shop of Soil is the answer! They have a couple of larger plants/trees (I don’t know which is which, really) that go up to my waist or higher, and then a great selection of medium, small and micro plants. I bought two plants on opening night that I’d never seen before–the leaves had red on the undersides and I just couldn’t resist. The shop owners are young, passionate about plants, and really care about you and the plant you’re taking home. They even offered to special order some larger plants that my husband and I have been trying to find. I’ll be back soon to feed my plant addiction ?

Mean Mule Distilling Co. – Menu with Prices – 1733 Locust St, Kansas City

Distillary Darlin’ Mean Mule Distilling This place has spirit! yes they do, they’ve got Agave Spirit how about you?! Mean Mule Distilling located near Border and Double Shift, don’t forget Stretch’s Grinders! is just what the neighborhood needed. A craft niche distillery that is! Mean Mule imports Blue Agave from Mexico, another reason not to build that wall- Agave plants are rather large right? anyways, they import the plants and distill the agave spirit right here in KC…and no before you ask it is not tequila. At Mean Mule they use their silver Agave Spirit (but you can substitute the fancier gold stuff) in renditions of, you guessed it, the Moscow Mule or so it seems by how the cocktail menu reads but this one has a kick with an addition of peppers (ghost perhaps) and on classic tequila drinks such as the Paloma and on rum drinks like the Mojito, what exactly is going on down here in Crossroads? Well for one thing the decor is super…cute, it truly is with cactus and succulents doting the small scale tables and the pillowed wall benches beckoning for you to take a seat and a communal seating area that makes you feel as though you are in your hipster friends World Market decorated living room. When I visited solo I opted for a tactile chair I sunk into promptly and swiftly enjoyed my gin and tonic. But, when I visited recently with a date we sat ourselves at one of the few tables and I opted for the inviting wall bench with a fluffy orange tasseled pillow. We each tried two cocktails however, I slipped sips of most of them. 5/5 Classic Mojito made with the Agave Spirit instead of rum This cocktail was balanced and easy to drink, the mint was aromatic and the spirit was not heavy, it was refreshing. My date ordered this drink but I switched him because I was not fond of the one I decided on and happened to enjoy this the most. 4.5/5 The Bird of Paradise comprised of the Agave Spirit, campari, lime (another fruit component for sweetness) lemon wheel This cocktail surprised me and took me off guard with its use of campari however, it was a sweet flavor profile which I enjoyed. The toy umbrella matched the playful poolside vibe of this drink and the campari made the color vibrant and summery. 2.5/5 Supernova served in a coupe glass with an orange twirl, Agave Spirit, Rhubarb, lime and pineapple This cocktail to me was all one note, too sweet with the pineapple it overwhelmed everything else.This is the beverage I had to pawn off to my date. I understand the idea with the rhubarb and the lime being bitter and sour and balancing out the sweetness but for me it didn’t work. 2.5/5 Coffee Tonic a coffee, Agave Spirit, and Ginger Beer garnished with a lime in a highball glass This cocktail for me was a no, but I do not really enjoy coffee cocktails and I found the lime off putting with the scent of coffee when you took a sip. My date ordered this and kept remarking that he liked it a lot so I guess that is why my rating is so high. To my taste buds it resembled watered down liquor, ginger beer, and coffee all in a glass with ice and a lime.

Cakes of Paradise Bakery – Menu with Prices – 6322 6th Ave S, Seattle

Am I in paradise? Close! My friend and I visited Cakes of Paradise for some dessert and overall, I was pleased with our treats. My friend ordered one of the rainbow cakes while I had the Silly for Chantilly Bowl, which is one of the featured dessert bowls they have here. We shared both of the items. The rainbow cake was solid, and could see why it’s so popular. It really had a tangy flavor from each of the fruit: guava, lime and orange that make up the rainbow of this cake. Texture was soft and light, with a fruity, gel-like icing between the layers. My favorite of the flavors was the guava, by far. I would most likely order the guava cake on its own versus getting the rainbow. The Silly for Chantilly Bowl included a slice of the chantilly cake with chocolate and caramel sauces, macadamia nuts and we got ours with Kona Coffee ice cream instead of the vanilla flavor, as you get a choice from the two. Because of how strong the Kona Coffee ice cream was, which was fantastic, it was hard to taste the chantilly cake. I was expecting more of the macadamia nut flavor, but enjoyed what I tasted, regardless. I’d recommend getting the chantilly cake on its own if you really crave the cake. Perhaps it would’ve been different with the vanilla ice cream, but Kona Coffee ice cream is no regrets! In addition to cakes and dessert bowls (cakes with ice cream and toppings), Cakes of Paradise offers doughnuts, pastries and can customize sheet cakes and whatnot. Plus, Kona Coffee. Parking is outside of the shop, so is accessible. But I have a feeling this place gets busy. We visited an hour before closing, so had the place to ourselves. But expect a crowd at peak times. Glad to have finally tried Cakes of Paradise!

Brown Palace Coffee & Tea Co. – Menu with Prices – 321 17th St, Denver

We enjoyed a little staycation at The Brown Palace last night and this morning with the cold snowy weather we wanted a quick breakfast before heading home. We stopped in the little coffee shop which is located just inside the front doors of the hotel and so happy we did. I ordered a cappuccino and croissant. All of the pastries are baked in house and DELISH! Others in my party had the apple pastry, breakfast burrito and a bagel. Thinking you need to get there early as once the pastries are gone, they are gone. I was happy to get the last croissant!!! For a $5 to go burrito my husband said it was pretty good. They were out of bacon ones, so it was just eggs. The coffee was nice and strong and my cappuccino was quite good. There is no seating in the little shop, but we found chairs and a table in the lobby rather than taking the food up to our room. Not sure when we will be lucky enough to stay at the hotel again, but will stop by this coffee place anytime we are down this way.

Southern Shores Craft Beer & Wine – Menu with Prices – 109 Pier Master Point Suite 120, Wilmington

Happened upon this gorgeous wine, bourbon and beer bar located literally in the heart of River Lights!!! Josh, the friendly local owner comes not only with knowledge, but he has a plan that will bring wine lovers and more to these beautiful doors! It’s paradise close to the Cape Fear Side! And if in doubt? The patrons are all friendly, welcoming, and make you feel like family far from home! So give this new place a try!!! Josh will welcome you personally!!!

Backroads Coffeehouse & Cakery – Menu with Prices – 680 Dundas St, London

I almost didn’t realize this was the same place that I visited a couple of days ago – serious design change! I wish I had taken some photos to show you! The short: Coffee and service was good, but I wasn’t crazy about their snack selection (but good for vegetarians!). Ambiance was very casual, lots of plants, great place to read a book or quietly browse/work. The nitty gritty – okay so its super casual and lived in looking. Lots of plants in random pots, plants are wilin’ out of control, very au naturel, great. Some high seats, one long bench with small tables so you can still meet with one other person or multiple, if you wanted. It was super quiet when we went, there were a few people working and reading. Music was chill. I think there’s free wi-fi? I really enjoyed my coffee, but the food menu did not entice – but I’m sure that’s just a personal taste. Lots of vegetarian options (i.e. tofu scramble). They had some scones, muffins, bagels, etc. Service was excellent, the ladies were so nice. I could see myself coming back here to read a book and drink coffee, and share with a friend who likes tofu!

Glitter Bean Cafe – Menu with Prices – 5896 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax

Others have tried and failed to make a profit at this poor retail location. This is a busy street, but people walking or driving by can’t see there is a coffee shop inside. From the street there is little to indicate this a commercial property. Looks like (and is) a residential building. No big store front windows at street level. Little in the way of signage. The logo on their sign needs to be re-designed to look more like a coffee shop. The faded Just-us sign (one of the former tenants who went belly-up) is still visible on the facade. Website is a waste: no menu, an empty “events” page, links that go nowhere. Very odd hours for a coffee shop; they like to close early, 6 pm weekdays and 5pm on weekends. Are the owners really committed to their business? Just one month after grand opening they closed the store for a weekend to “recharge.” They like to close when it snows, close for “staffing issues,” close for “unforseen circumstances,” close for government holidays (when all other coffee shops are open), and close for no apparent reason whatsoever. They need to charge more for their products; they are giving away too cheaply to undercut the competition (classic rookie business mistake), they won’t make enough money at those prices. A lot of wasted space in the store isn’t being monetized. I’m not sure what they are trying to do here.

Lucky Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 18 Kirk Ave SW, Roanoke

My husband and I had the BEST experience at Lucky Restaurant. It’s rare for us to go out to eat and genuinely enjoy the food and drinks across the board, but the guys and gals at Lucky are doing great things. Husband ordered a couple beers that were suggested to him and he enjoyed them both. I had a “tequila mule” that was to die for. They make all of their own syrups for the cocktails in house, which is so neat! There wasn’t much in the way of dinner options for a non-meat eater like myself, but I was totally happy with my gnocchi dish. It was served with a mole sauce, which initially made me nervous to order because I haven’t enjoyed mole that much in the past, but this was perfect. The flavors were just right and not too overwhelming. Husband gave the bone marrow appetizer a try and said it was really good! The service was just as great as the food! Everyone was so friendly and attentive- we really didn’t want for anything. Our server let us know that Fortunato is Lucky’s sister restaurant with an Italian flare, so we are definitely going to check it out next. Don’t miss out on this spot!