A COOL Place for HOT Coffee

After an evening of belated birthday celebrating this past Thursday with my cousin Anne, I spent the night at her place in Santa Monica.

Ann asked me the next morning what I felt like eating for breakfast. I said , "Maybe just some coffee and..." She began giving me a multitude of choices (she knows alot of cool places on the west side of town).

Then she said, "Well maybe you'd like to try the newest very cool place to have coffee..." With that I jumped in and said, "That sounds good to me!"

So we headed to the nearby neighborhood of Venice. To this place called, Intelligensia

http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/locations/view/Venice+Coffeebar

I loved the entrance to this place.

Ann said this will keep us going all day long and boy was she right!

I ordered a capuccino. Here it is. I love all the designs they make.

Oooh they have "pain au chocolat" I take one of those!

For Ann it's a "latte"

and a very nice pecan muffin....mmm

we had a relaxing time taking in the atmosphere and drinking our coffee. Just what we needed to start our day.

The interior space of Intelligensia is very open.

My morning breakfast is going, going....

all gone!

Time to head home...

Look at this funny van parked out on the street.

Well that's Venice California on a Thursday in February 2011!

The Long Windings of Destiny

“There are moments when a man's imagination so easily subdued to what it lives in, suddenly rises above its daily level and surveys the long windings of destiny”- Edith Wharton

Imagine That

"A lady's imagination is very rapid;

it jumps from admiration to love,

from love to matrimony in a moment." - Jane Austen

A Need To Be A Little Taller

"High heels were invented by a woman who had been kissed on the forehead." -Christopher Morley

Let's Not Complicate Things

Happy Valentine's Day

"Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day."
-Nicholas Sparks

Wishing everyone a love filled, Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you do something nice for yourselves this day. Something that makes you feel joyful and happy.

"A friendship that like love is warm;
A love like friendship, steady." -Thomas Moore

Slowbowl Saturday Night Dinner

After a very full day of activities, drives to the beach and the countryside for some, shopping in town for others, touring and tasting of great wines for all and a great learning experience making cheese we all return to the cottage for our big potluck dinner.

A perfect time to catch up with old friends.

Brad, Palma, Krista and Steve

Krista, Alan, Mike, Deborah and Bill

Isn't it funny how the kitchen is such a good gathering spot?

Ooooh time for some great food.

Wendy and Rob prepared such beautiful cheese platters

Okay everyone, "Dinners on!"

Slowertravellers know how to party and they sure can cook!

Here's Marta from Seattle and Colleen from the Bay area.

Deborah from St. Louis brought some of her home brewed liquors...Wow were they ever potent and exotic.

Wendy and Sharon brought bags and bags of prizes. The categories ranged from who travelled the furthest to come to this years slowbowl to who is the newest member of slowtravel and on and on. Thank you Wendy and Sharon for all the special gifts you brought.

And then there were the desserts...

Palma's cupcakes that were decorated so beautifully

Rebecca's light as air nutella with cream filled little bites of heaven (that's what I called them)

Earlier in the afternoon Shannon was busy making ice cream. We had "candied bacon ice cream" (that was a first for me), ice cream with absinthe, and mexican chocolate ice cream.

These cookies were to die for. My absolute favorites. Palma made these chocolate sandwich cookies filled with nutella and a touch of sea salt. Oh my...that sweet and salty were a great combo.

Oooh more chocolate and red velvet cupcakes by Palma.

Marcia from Pasadena and Alan and Harriet from Santa Barbara

We had such nice weather that sitting outside was very pleasant.

At evenings end our die hard BlackJack fans once again tried their luck. Wendy and Dave took turns dealing the cards. I have no idea who the big winner was.

We said goodnight to our our slowbowl friends. On Sunday some will stay on at the cottage to visit more wineries, have a picnic,watch the super bowl football game and eat chili, others will meet for brunch at a wonderful Paso Robles restaurant called "The Artisan" and others will take leave for their return home.

It has been another wonderful "Slowbowl" weekend. Great friends, great fun and lots of laughter.

Hope to see you all again next year or sooner!