Black Horse on Los Osos Valley Road

We visited the fourth Black Horse in SLO this morning.  This is the largest of all the Black Horse coffee houses.  Each one has its own personality and is entirely different as far as space goes.  This one has lots of indoor and outdoor seating, the tables are spread far enough apart for business meetings or conversation among friends.  It is very clean and quiet.  Like the other Black Horses, it has an indoor/outdoor fireplace.  Sheila ordered a small regular coffee at $1.70.  They offer a smaller than usual option, which was perfect for a delicious morning jolt.  Joan had a wonderfully scrumptious coffee drink called Milky Way.  It had mocha, espresso, chocolate, macadamia nut syrup, and whipped cream.  How can you go wrong with that combination?  You can't!  Joan declared it rich, chocolaty, and said the macadamia nut syrup gave it a hint of nuttiness.  It was $4.25.

            There are many breakfast and lunch options, including baked goods, panini, and salads.

Besides coffee drinks, there are also teas, cold drinks, and drinks especially for kids.











Think About It:  Repeat this to yourself throughout the day:
I think I'll just be happy today.

Black Horse Espresso and Bakery on Broad

What a beautiful morning to sit outside and drink coffee at Black Horse Espresso and Bakery on Broad Street in SLO!  There is ample seating at this place, both inside and out.  Joan enjoyed a coffee drink called "The Thing" which consisted of caramel at the bottom, vanilla syrup, milk, and iced coffee.  The richness really came through this upside down caramel macchiato. It was $3.75.  Sheila had a, wait for it, regular small coffee which was $1.95.  It was hearty and robust.  Joan said her iced drink was perfect for this summery weather.  Black Horse has a great menu of, among other things, paninis for both breakfast and lunch, wonderful baked goods, including pastries, cookies, and cakes.  Parking is free and plentiful.  It is a great place to stop and pick up some goodies to enjoy there, take home, or to give to your favorite host or hostess.

There is an indoor/outdoor fireplace to enjoy in cooler weather.

Think About It:  Think about taking a staycation in your hometown or nearby.  Joan and her husband recently celebrated their anniversary just 10 minutes from their home at the Quality Suites Central Coast here in SLO.  It was relaxing, carefree, and rejuvenating!

Runway Cafe at SLO County Regional Airport

Okay, so this is something different.  Where can you go for a cup of coffee at 5 A.M.?  The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport!  We ventured to the Runway Cafe there this morning.  The airport is located at 903 Airport Drive, off Broad Street, just down from the Marigold Center.  The Cafe is run by Achievement House, which is an organization devoted to providing work experience to local adults with special needs.  It is located just inside the terminal.  No TSA required!  The menu includes several espresso drinks, tea, hot chocolate, and coffee, cold drinks, as well as breakfast and lunch items.  Sheila got her usual regular small coffee, which was $1.95.  The Runway Cafe uses Dark Nectar coffee, out of Templeton, California.   It was very smooth, not at all bitter, and all in all, a delicious cup of coffee.  Joan had a small caramel macchiato with soy milk.  The cost was $3.95.  She said it was extra sweet, which she enjoys, and fully caffeinated.

                               Snacks and gifts are also available at this small establishment.

                                                       Refills are a mere 50 cents!

                          We would both definitely visit this awesome coffee spot again!
Think About It: If you have a chance to take a trip this summer, whether for one day or longer, just do it and enjoy whatever it brings.

Emily's Cinnamon Rolls

Emily's Cinnamon Rolls is best known for its delicious cinnamon rolls, but it also has several coffee choices, which compliment these light and fluffy treats.  It is located at 588 California Blvd., in SLO, of course.  We would definitely go back, not only for the variety of cinnamon rolls, but for the several coffee choices.  They also have teas, juices, milk, and water.  Parking is easy in this small complex close to Cal Poly.  There are a couple of benches and stools to sit on, but most people take their coffee and rolls to go.  We sat on a bench and enjoyed not only the coffee and yes, we had to sample the cinnamon rolls, too, but had a nice conversation with one of the owners, a friendly fellow named Kyle, who is also Emily's dad.  Sheila had a French press coffee, which was $2.  Joebella is Emily's coffee roaster.   It was a great cup of coffee!  Joan had a caramel latte with almond milk and sprinkled with cocoa powder on top which was $4.  She describes it as having a mild caramel flavor which gave it a nice balance of sweet and robustness.  (Is that a word?  It is now!)

                                      Emily's has gluten free products, too. You can also find them at Thursday night's Farmer's Market in SLO, and Friday's Farmer's Market in Avila Beach.

The cheery, colorful decor will brighten your day!

                       Think About It: ➡️

Barnes and Noble Cafe

The view from the second story Barnes and Noble Cafe at the Downtown Centre in SLO is not to be missed.  It opens at 9:00 A.M.  and serves a variety of breakfast choices and Starbucks coffees for your early morning pleasure.  Joan went "fancy" with a tall caramel macchiato with nonfat milk and nonfat syrup with a caramel drizzle.  With all that nonfat going on, it was practically dietetic!  Ha!  It was $4.25, not too sweet, and with a slight hint of caramel flavor, which, Joan said, got more flavorful as it cooled down.  Sheila had her usual tall regular coffee, no sugar, no cream, no nothing, but that's the way she likes it.  Maybe someday...  Anyway, it was very satisfying and with her Barnes and Noble membership it was 10% off and cost $1.75.  Menus on the tables conveniently let customers know what drinks and food selections there are.  These include baked goods, desserts, sandwiches, soups, and quiches.

                                 The view out the window is fun and great for people watching!

 There are a number of comfortable chairs and tables for enjoying a coffee respite during your busy, or not so busy  day.

     

                             Think About It: The following is a link to a free and excellent e-newsletter called Just One Thing, which suggests a simple practice each week for more joy and peace of mind. We highly recommend it.  rickhanson.net 

Black Horse at Uptown Espresso and Bakery

It's been awhile since we did our SLO Coffee Crawl but we're happy to say we are back. Sometimes life has its own agenda...
Early this morning we visited Black Horse at Uptown Espresso and Bakery at 1065 Higuera Street in downtown SLO.  It was established in 1995 and was formerly known as Uptown Espresso.  It is the second Black Horse we have been to in SLO.  Joan enjoyed the Caramello coffee drink so much at the Foothill Black Horse that she ordered it again.  She had a tall size with soy milk and it was $4.95.  It did not disappoint her!  The homemade caramel really makes it delicious.  Sheila had a regular tall light roast coffee which cost $1.95. It was smooth, rich, and very satisfying.

 This Black Horse has a variety of baked goods, panini, breakfast items, and many coffee and tea drinks to choose from.

 There is an indoor/outdoor fireplace, and plenty of chairs and tables inside and outside to enjoy the great weather in SLO.

 Clientele included business people, students, and seems to be a popular meeting place for people of all ages.

Think About It:  Relax, enjoy, and keep your sense of humor!

Breaking Bread Bakery

Breaking Bread Bakery is located at 1074 Higuera Street in SLO.  You can enter from Higuera Street or go down the alley between Buona Tavola restaurant and the county government building.  We stumbled upon it this morning and were glad we did.  They feature Green Star coffee and a wide variety of teas.  They don't have the "fancy" coffees that Joan usually has, so she fancied up her Paradiso Roast with some Half and Half, and thought it was an exceptional cup of coffee.  Sheila felt the same way about her Italian Roast regular coffee.  The small is only $1.50.  We decided to pair our coffees with a sampling of their delicious looking baked goods, made right there on the premises.  The Orange Morning Bun was lightly flavored with orange, and was flaky and satisfying with just the right amount of sweetness.  We also tried the Carrot Cake Muffin, which was moist and complimented the coffees nicely.

There are several seating options at Breaking Bread.  There are numerous outdoor tables and also counter seating, an outside patio, and indoor seating as well.  They have a wonderful breakfast and lunch menu and freshly baked breads daily.

 Think About It: Don't be afraid to start out your day without an agenda.  You might just open yourself up to a new passion, or, at the very least, discover a great cup of coffee! 

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