Day 3: Compañía de Café
Sometimes, for a great coffee experience you have to travel a bit outside of your local area. In my search for something different and unique, I came across this coffee house in South Gate only about 15 minutes outside of Los Angeles. It’s nestled in a fairly new shopping centre among many well-known restaurant chains and retail stores.
Originating in the San Fernando Valley, Compañía brings Mexican-American culture to the cafe environment. The feeling you get while being here is very inviting and social. I would definitely bring friends here for “coffee talk” time. The decor is very clean, yet colorful and cultural. A large tile mosaic welcomes you in, and a little nook in the corner with a sofa, coffee tables and cushioned chairs invites you to stay as long as you like. There was a mix of Spanish rock and 80s music coming through the speakers, which was really what set the mood for me.
The drinks here (not just coffee) offer a variety that makes it so hard to choose just one! They have herb-infused agua frescas, coffee drinks (brewing George Howell and 49th Parallel) with Mexican flavors such as jamaica and tamarindo, enticing Mexican chocolate drinks, and a few signature espresso drinks featuring house-made components. Feeling completely overwhelmed, but wanting to stay in my “coffee lane”, I opted for an iced horchata latte. I’m not usually one to go for the sweet coffee, but really how could I resist? The latte was the perfect balance of milky, cinnamon flavor and coffee with not too much sweetness. I actually liked it a lot! I must go back and try literally ALL of their other drinks!
Not only does Compañía offer an assortment of beverages, but they also have an in-house bakery! Savory and sweet empanadas, galletas (cookies), and other small cakes and pan dulce are all tempting and beautiful to look at. Some of their cookies are decorated with the same prints as their tiles or other creative designs. I had to try some of these goodies, so I got an empanada de queso poblano (goat cheese and pepper), a vanilla cookie, and a guava empenada. It sounds like a lot, but when presented with such glorious foods, you have to get more than one!
Counting down until I go back for more…!
Vanilla galleta with graffiti decoration
Day 2: Found Coffee
It’s always exciting to run into something new in the area. Yesterday, as I was headed home, I drove past a quiet corner in Eagle Rock (North Eastern Los Angeles) and noticed a facade that wasn’t there before. I could tell instantly that there was coffee inside though, and my heart went all aflutter. I immediately bookmarked it on yelp. (After safely pulling my car over and parking. That’s what I’m supposed to say, right?)
Today, I experienced Found Coffee. It happens to be their official opening day, so I had really good timing! The space is still very new (they are still working out the credit card machine and eventually free wi-fi). The decor was very simple and clean, with a mix of wood and metal furniture and lots of flowers! The bright yellow La Marzocco espresso machine stands out on the counter as the focal point. The entire front wall is made of windows that let in beautiful natural light. It is destined to become a go-to study place for nearby Oxy students.
The coffee brewed here is from Demitasse, a well-known roaster here in LA. The menu here at Found is very simple, only including the basics (no fancy syrup drinks with lavish garnishes). They have a small pastry display with items from Créme Caramel, and a few retail items along the wall.
I ordered my usual coffee drink, a latte. This is always what I order at a new coffee spot, unless they have a unique signature drink. The barista carefully crafted a most delicious, beautiful latte with a dainty double tulip for me. I’ve had so many lattes, but for some reason watching her make this one made me really happy. It could have been the nearby tulips next to the la Marzocco, or the fact that she made a DOUBLE tulip. Either way, I was excited to receive my beverage.
I’m happy to welcome Found to Eagle Rock. It feels like such a void has been filled!
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of coffee drinks. I love to indulge in a warm mug of caffeinated awesome topped with frothy, foamy milk. Fortunately, living in LA county there are endless options to get my fix. Sometimes it even seems overwhelming to the point where I can’t even decide where to go. That’s why I’ve decided to try a bunch of different coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafes and narrow it down to my faves.
For the next 30 days, I’ll be sharing my finds on what I think are some of LA’s best places for coffee. Not only for coffee, but also atmosphere and accessibility (working at night can make it pretty hard to find coffee before work sometimes). In addition to sharing my coffee finds, I thought it would be fun to share some coffee music as well. I’ll throw in a weekly “coffee-themed” song for you lot to enjoy as well! So let’s go! This week’s coffee song is titled, well, “Coffee”, by Yuna. It actually pairs well with the current rainy weather that’s going on outside. It just puts you in a wind-down mood from a busy weekend (or week). Even more enjoyable with a cup of the good stuff. Enjoy!
And now, here’s my first coffee find. Something close to home, both in location and name:
Day 1 – Jones Coffee Roasters
If it weren’t for the lot full of cars and the overflow on the street, you wouldn’t even notice that there was a place of business, let alone an espresso bar on the small lot at 693 S. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. It’s a well-known spot for locals and is becoming a destination for those a little further away.
I have much respect for any coffee house that roasts their beans in-house. Jones, however, goes the extra mile and even grows their own beans in Guatemala! They also create some great blends with Rose City inspired names such as the Pasadena Blend, the Gamble House Blend, and the Madison Blend from beans around the world and will ship them right to your home! I have a friend who moved from Pasadena up to the Bay area, and she is forever grateful for this luxury!
Beans from Rwanda
One thing I like about the atmosphere at Jones is that there is always some type of featured art/artist decorating the walls. Most of them are local artists too, which kind of gives me that city pride feeling. There is a huge neon motel vacancy sign on the wall, and they always have a seasonal decor over the bar area. Occasionally you can come to hear live music from some very talented artists/bands. They also sell Guatemalan crafts, coffee accessories, and even offer workshops to improve your barista status. It’s quite the unique little place!
The bar
Always made with love
So the next time you’re in the area (for a UCLA football game or if you’re one of the bazillion people in town for the New Years Day Rose Parade), come to Jones and taste what the locals are so thankful for!
Good from the first sip to the last drop…
For the past year or so, I’ve been doing a lot of outdoor activities with a few of my coworkers. We’ve been to Yosemite, Big Bear, and had plenty of fun in our own “backyard”. After a while, I just started calling us the “Adventure Club”, which to me seemed quite fitting. I don’t know many other groups of “adults” that will climb random trees, go hiking at 6 am to watch the sun rise, or go for a run in the mountains in 18 degree weather just to get outside. Whenever we’re together it’s nothing but good times. No drama, no issues, just pure fun in great company.
Our most recent meet up took us to a coastal hike in Santa Monica, CA. The trail is called the Lower Canoynback Trail, in Kenter Canyon. The whole trail is about 4 miles (roundtrip). The first mile leads to a great viewing area with a single tree that holds a bench swing. From the swing you can look out to see Santa Monica Beach (and beyond. We were able to see Catalina Island very well)! In the view area, you get a complete panoramic view of the Los Angeles area from Hollywood to East Los Angeles to San Pedro and Palos Verdes. On the other side are rolling hills of green (not sure if that’s a seasonal thing, but it was gorgeous).
On our way up the trail
Just keep one foot in front of the other
We hung out in that area for a long while. Just enjoying the scene, each other’s company and chatting with the occasional hikers and their pups (dog-friendly trail, yay!). The tree that held the swing is also a great climbing tree, so naturally the adventurers were all for it. It really was a great time on a Sunday afternoon!
Looking through binoculars – That’s Catalina in the center of the photo
Swing chillin
Of course we brought snacks and water
4 little monkeys sitting in a tree…
Sometimes I’m a scary flag
Always interesting to see who was here before you were
Peek-a-boo
The Adventure Club
As a runner, I’m always looking for new places to explore and get in a good run. While staying in dtla for the week, I was presented with the challenge of finding somewhere to get my run in that was close by. I wasn’t really into a neighborhood run because there are so many people and cars bustling through the city almost all day. Besides that, downtown is not the prettiest of sights. I like to enjoy my surroundings while I run (Except on the track. That’s strictly business).
A little brainstorming and yelping led me to Elysian Park. It’s adjacent to Dodger Stadium, and totally close to dtla. I’ve only driven through the park, and only actually stopped there once so I wasn’t too familiar with it. I found the Wildflower trail on Yelp and decided to give it a go. As the name suggests, Elysian Park was such a delight to discover!
Viewpoint at the top of the trail.
One of my friends/co-workers joined me and the pup for a midweek run. We kind of guessed our way onto the trail, and out of curiosity, explored the winding dirt road until we realized we looped back to our cars. I was surprised to see how extensive the trail was. We mapped 2.5 miles round trip! (Which was way more than I thought we would be able to do.)
The trail has about a 230 ft incline, and a couple of really nice view spots. When the weather is cooperating as it was that day, it’s quite lovely to just stop and take it all in. I really enjoyed finding a new place to go outdoors and will definitely be back for more!
Outdoor exercise is the best! Can’t wait to find more amazing places to go!
Here are some interesting facts about Elysian Park:
• It is the second largest park in Los Angeles, covering 600 acres (Griffith Park is the largest at over 4,200 acres).
• It is the oldest park in Los Angeles, founded in 1886
• It once hosted the Summer Olympic shooting events
Cheers!
Eat. Go. Learn. Live. 