Starbucks on Chorro Near Foothill

This Starbucks is a very small venue and seems to be more for pick up than sitting and savoring your coffee.  There was a steady stream of customers.  It is close to Cal Poly and Foothill businesses.  There is some indoor seating and one bench outside nearby.  There were some students studying, but there were also other patrons enjoying their coffee or picking up orders to go.  Sheila had her usual tall regular coffee at $1.95 and it did not disappoint.  You can always count on Starbucks for a good cup of coffee.  Joan had a toffee nut latte decaf with nonfat milk.  It was $3.65.  It was a smooth and sweet cup of coffee with a hint of caramel and a bit of nuttiness, much like Joan herself.  She also purchased a chocolate croissant for her husband John (allegedly).  Starbucks has a nice selection of baked goods and breakfast items, as well as light lunch choices.

Think About It: Overthinking is the biggest cause of unhappiness.

Coastal Peaks Coffee-New Location

Coastal Peaks Coffee has moved just down the street from where they used to be. They are now located at 3566 South Higuera, Suite 100.  The new location is very nice, spacious, inviting, and relaxing.  In fact, if you sit near the aquarium, watching the fish and sipping your coffee, you might never want to leave!  Sheila had a 12 ounce regular cup of coffee.  There were four options to choose from and she chose the Deep Mahogany Roast, which is a combination of African, Indonesian, and Central American coffees.  True to its description, it was syrupy and smooth, with a smoky finish.Very satisfying, and only $2.00.  Refills are available for just $1.00, and regular customers are encouraged to bring their own cups and fill them at the coffee station.  Joan got a small vanilla bean sugar free latte with almond milk.  It came to $5.10.  She described it as foamy, creamy, and smooth with the almond milk providing a perfect balance.  It came with a tiny delicious shortbread cookie.  Other drinks, baked goods, and lunch and breakfast items round out the menu.  Clientele were varied, including business people, retirees, and friends meeting friends.  It was steadily busy, but waiting time was minimal.  Coastal Peaks is a micro brewery and we were treated to a tour of the roasting room, which is visible through a window from the inside, by Rochelle, one of the very friendly baristas who work there.  She does a "Coffee Academy" once a month, which sounds like so much fun!

There is a meeting room available on request.

There are comfortable club chairs, couches, tables and chairs, counter seats, and pleasant outdoor seating.

Small batches of beans are roasted all day long, ensuring a quality product.

Think About It: Some quit due to slow progress, never grasping the fact that...slow progress is progress.

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Today we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather between the recent rain storms to visit the Cal Poly campus for coffee and were delightfully surprised to discover Einstein Bros. Bagels.  It is located in the Poly Canyon Village.  There is convenient metered parking in the parking structure located very near the Village, which means there are no parking hassles and no need for a permit.  Sheila went back to her roots for this coffee outing.  She spent the first five years of her life living in the tiny ranch house at the end of Poly Canyon, known as the Peterson Ranch.  Her dad taught Animal Husbandry at Poly in the '50's and 60's, which is why the family lived there.  It has changed tremendously, of course, since then.  She remembers playing in the barn and an abandoned chicken coop, and finding turtles in the creek that runs through the property.  There are also remnants of Native American mortars carved into the rocks.  Fast forward to today and a pleasant coffee experience.  Sheila had her usual regular coffee, choosing a vanilla hazelnut blend of Caribou coffee.  It was $2.10 with tax and was just the right touch of nuttiness and deliciousness.  Joan had a hot caramel macchiato with nonfat milk, which was $4.19 with tax.  She described it as being rich and creamy and not too sweet.  They also, of course, have a large bagel menu and baked goods.

There is plenty of seating in this spacious venue, both indoors and outdoors.

Sheila and her brother Tim in Poly Canyon, back in the day.

Think About It: A yawn is just a silent cry for coffee.

Burger King

You might be wondering why we chose Burger King, of all places, to have coffee today.  The reason is we wanted to honor one of America's best known and most elusive authors, Harper Lee, who passed away last week.  In perhaps the only authorized biography of Lee, titled The Mockingbird Next Door, by Marja Mills, Miss Mills recalls many coffee outings to Harper Lee's favorite coffee place, the Burger King in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.  It was on those outings that Harper, known as Nelle to her friends and family, opened up about her life in a way she had never done before with any reporter.  Her novel To Kill A Mockingbird, until last summer thought to be her only novel, has touched lives for generations all over the world, and, if you haven't read it yet, we suggest that you do.  You are in for a treat.
For coffee prices, you can't beat Burger King.  They have a limited coffee menu.  A small regular coffee is only $1.00.  They use Seattle's Best Coffee brand.  It is nutty and strong and certainly worth a dollar!  Joan had a Caramel Coffee Frappe with whipped cream, which was $2.65.  It certainly satisfied her sweet tooth for the week, she said, tasting like a caramel ice cream milkshake.

Harper Lee

Seating is plentiful at the Burger King, and includes tables, booths, and counters.Think About It: "People generally see what they look for and hear what they listen for." Harper Lee

House of Bagels Central Coast

Located in a small strip mall at 158 A Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo, House of Bagels offers a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and, of course, bagels, as well as a small but adequate coffee menu. They also have a smoothie and tea menu. Sheila had her usual regular coffee, which was a 16 oz. size, and cost $2.15.  They offered a Cerro Romauldo Coastal Peaks Roast called City Roast, which was mellow and very satisfying.  Joan had a latte with sugar free vanilla syrup and nonfat milk.  She said it was one of the stronger lattes she's had.  The vanilla flavoring was light and she added a bit of sweetener to get it up to her sweet standards.  It was $3.65 with an additional .60 for the flavoring.   There was a steady flow of customers, most of whom got their coffee and bagels to go.  There are several tables for inside dining and also outside tables and umbrellas to enjoy. Parking is easy and the access to the 101 make it a desirable place to stop on the way to work or school.  Check out their menu online for tasty breakfast and lunch options.

Think About It: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Copper Cafe at the Madonna Inn

For our 30th SLO Coffee Crawl blog we went to the Madonna Inn coffee shop.   We wanted to go there  before Christmas to enjoy the amazing Christmas decorations that the Inn is famous for, but life got in the way. So here we are, celebrating the New Year, instead. We sat in one of the spacious,  yet intimate booths decorated with murals, carved wood, and a copper topped table. Sheila's regular black Apffel's brand coffee, which was $2.95, was rich and smooth.  Refills are free.  Sometimes restaurant coffee can be bitter, but this was surprisingly delicious.  Joan had a caramel latte which was $4.75.  She declared it one of the best lattes she's had on our many coffee outings.  (No sweetener needed!)  We suggest that you pair your coffee drink with one of their delicious Danish pastries.  Joan chose one to "take home to her husband, John."  We'll see if it makes it all the way there!  At the Madonna Inn, it's all about the ambience, from the cobblestone walkways to the stained glass windows, to the lavish decor, your eye never gets tired of discovering interesting things to look at.

    Think About It: You are never too old to set another goal  or to dream a new dream. C.S. Lewis