Caffeine Fix – Page 11

Yes, It’s Jury Duty – Coava Coffee, Abandoned Horton Plaza, and a Return to Sultan Baklava

February 24, 2019 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Exploring San Diego, Turkish Food, yoso-silly

**** Coava Coffee has closed

Yes, it was that time again, and I caught the bus, then trolley downtown to perform my civic obligation.

I decided to stop for my caffeine fix at Coava Coffee Roasters, a branch of the very popular Portland based roastery/café which opened up in the Westin on Broadway.

Had a very inexpensive Kenyan pour-over; which while as distinctive in flavor as what we get at Birdrock had a nice mild fruitiness and acidity.

And gave me just enough of a boost for the morning.

You can read CC's post on Coava here.

Coava Coffee Roasters
400 W Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours:
Mon – Fri 6am – 6pm
Sat – Sun 7am – 6pm

This was my first JD since they moved things over to the Central Courthouse where the "lounge" is located on the third floor. Of course, we were excused for like a two hour lunch break. I had a place in mind and took my time getting there. Last time, I walked over and checked out Horton Plaza Park. I'd read that Horton Plaza had been sold and have also read of it's impending demise, so I thought I'd take a look.

It was quite eerie; all the closed shops, not a single customer. It reminded me of some movie set.

The only two main shops still open are Macy's on the North side and Jimbo's on the Southwest corner.

I took a look at the directory to see what tenants were still in place. It was very sparse and quite deceiving…..take a quick look and you'll see Macy's listed 10 times!

Both Cathy and CC mentioned remembering when Horton Plaza opened back in 1985.

It was quite sad.

Even Horton Plaza Park was quite empty….this on a very sunny (it was before the last storm system hit) day. Seems that the businesses there were closed down as well.

I'm hoping the proposed redevelopment is successful.

As I made my way to the South end of the mall; I noticed that 24 Hour Fitness and Jimbo's was doing well. I also noticed that the mall was quite clean and in good shape.

It was, as a whole depressing….I needed some lunch.

Call me a creature of habit; but just like last time I headed back to Sultan Baklava. When Sultan was opened in El Cajon it was a regular stop for us. These days….well, we're older and sometimes just getting around downtown is a hassle. But Jury Duty is the perfect time for another visit.

The owner was setting up the baklava when I entered and greeted me heartily, I had a seat, and quickly got some warming Tea.

The fragrance of bergamot wafting up to my nose.

Being the fairly boring person I am…plus not wanting to over eat because I still had an afternoon (and what turned out to be another full day) in front of me. I ordered the same two items I did last time.

Starting with my favorite meze; the Antipezme (acili ezme). This was much better than what I'd had on my previous visit; nice smokey tones of paprika, good acidity, and a surprising dose of spice. The lavas however was too hard and crumbly; lacking any stretch.

I was worried about my Lahmacun, but it was very well done and quite satisfying.

From the nice crisp edges to the tender center. Nicely balanced and well seasoned meat, this turned over some nice memories for me. Sweet-savory-acidity, it does the trick. I know I always say this….but I gotta return more often.

Sultan Baklava
770 4th Ave
San Diego, CA
Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 1030pm
Fri – Sum 11am – 1130pm

Sultan was one of those places for the Missus and I….it inspired us to travel to Turkey, not once, but twice all those years ago. Sitting, finishing up my tea all those memories returned.

From the bustling and historic Istanbul.

To the exotic land of "fairy chimneys", "underground cities", and cathedrals build into mountainsides; Cappadocia.

To the historic ruins of Ephesus and even the wonderful Mediterranean city of Antalya.

We saw, learned, and ate so much. Those images are imprinted in my mind…….

Modena – Cotechino from Bar Schiavoni

February 7, 2019 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Italian Restaurants, Italy, Sandwiches

Our train for Bologna wasn't scheduled to leave until after 1pm, so the owner of our apartment was nice enough to let us check out a bit later than scheduled.

After relaxing for a bit we headed on out. There was still one item I wanted to try before we left Modena and the Missus wanted to do some (more) shopping. We headed on back to Mercato Albinelli. But stopped to check out the cathedral on the way.

There was a lot of restoration work going on in the cathedral, so we just had a quick look and headed down the street to the Mercato.

Which was very quiet on this morning.

Right out the doors of the Mercato is Bar Schiavoni.

This little coffee and sandwich "bar" was doing some pretty good take-out business. The seating is all streetside on foldable chairs and tables. I got us two espresso and ordered something else….

When I told my Italian coworkers and friends that I wanted to try Cotechino Modena, they looked at me oddly and wrinkled their noses. But since, I was in Modena, I wanted to make sure to try this IGP (Indication Geografic Protected) sausage made of minced pork "parts" in the pork rind. The look totally reminded me of Spam®….which of course has its own…ahem,,,,designation of authenticity! The Cotechino was quite porky, rich, with a clove-wine-nutty flavor; it's almost oily, but the nice crusty bread and the sauce which featured capers and vinegar really did a great job of cutting the richness.

I'd gladly have it again….perhaps next time alongside Cotechino's "son", Zampone. The Missus and I shared a sandwich which was more than enough for the both of us.

Bar Schiavoni
Via Luigi Albinelli 13
Modena, Italy

After our "breakfast" we headed over a few blocks to a leather shop we saw the day before.

While it was closed the last time we passed by; this time it was open.

The young lady working here was amazing. She went through all the products; showed us the process, told us the story of the business, which was founded by the previous owner in 1979. She and a partner interned at the shop and when the owner was ready to retire; took over the business. She walked us outside and showed us where the canals used to run (where the street is now) for all the tanners on the street. It was an amazing story!

The Missus bought a bag….a wonderful hand made leather backpack…with a story.

Before we paid; the young lady asked us to follow her upstairs, to the workshop and showed us the ceiling. She told us that this was the original ceiling of the building; which goes back to the 15th century! Most places have it painted or covered over. But here was the original.

She told us; "when I first walked up the stairs and saw this for the first time, I knew it was the place for me!"

We loved this place and hope to return someday.

La Vacchetta Grassa
Corso Canalchiaro 42
Modena, Italy

Yes, we hope to return to Modena someday….with that backpack in tow, and perhaps some stories of where it has been!

Thanks for reading!

San Francisco – Lotta’s Fountain, the Ferry Building, a Walk Along the Bay, and the Fort Mason Center Farmer’s Market

September 22, 2018 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Markets & Grocers, San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Travel

We must have both been exhausted. After a very nice dinner at Mourad, the Missus and I basically slept ten hours! We got up and with no real plans in mind, decided to take a stroll. Since it had been over a decade and a half since we'd been in the city, we thought a walk along San Francisco Bay might be fun; starting at the Ferry Building, ending near Fort Mason.

So, we headed down Market Street. We passed Lotta's Fountain.

This brass fountain was a gift to the city of San Francisco from Lotta Crabtree, a well known Entertainer, you can read more about her here. According to Atlas Obscura, Lotta loved San Francisco and donated this fountain to the city in 1875. And that would be just a "nice story" if not for the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. The earthquake damage and fires left the city in ruins. Lotta's Fountain though, was still standing and became an important landmark and meeting place for survivors of that disaster. Even though the last known survivor of the earthquake died in 2016, a quake remembrance and ceremony is held at this spot at 512am on April 18 of every year. The exact time the quake struck San Francisco.

This one is the Mechanics Monument,

The five figures in the monument are working a metal punching machine.

And then there's the Vaillancourt Fountain.

A fountain build of concrete squares that folks love to hate. One of the searches that comes up when typing in "Vaillancourt Fountain" is this:

We crossed the street to the Ferry Building, which we had visited before.

And picked up Cold Brew from Blue Bottle Coffee.

It had wonderful fruity tones and was just the pick-me-up we needed.

Blue Bottle Coffee
Ferry Building, One San Francisco Bay Trail
San Francisco, CA 94111

And caffeine in hand we were on our way.

It was a slightly hazy day, but the sun was out, and the temperature was fifteen degrees cooler than San Diego.

We wandered out to Pier 7, and enjoyed the view of the Transamerica Building.

We enjoyed a rather brisk walk up the Embarcadero……..eventually getting to all the tourists at Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf.

The haze had started to clear out and I finally got a decent shot of Alcatraz Island.

We meandered past all the tourist traps and got to Ghirardelli Square. Man, I don't recall it being so packed in like this when we last visited all those years ago.

As we neared Laguna Street, we noticed folks carrying bags filled with produce, so we followed the trail and ended up at Fort Mason Center where it was Market Day.

We spent a good forty-five minutes checking out the various stands and sampling the fruit….man, that yellow watermelon was so good.

It was a nice break….a little slice of life. If we lived in the area, this would truly be a weekly stop for us.

Fort Mason Center Farmers' Market
Marina Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94109
Sunday 930am – 130pm

From here; the plan was to grab an early lunch from one of the places on Chestnut Street, so we headed off in that direction.

But after sampling the produce at the Farmers Market and checking out the eating establishments on Chestnut Street, The Missus remained uninspired. So She told me; "let's head back to Chinatown". By heading back, She meant "walk". And then added; let's do it via Lombard Street. Yikes……

So I huffed and puffed my way up Lombard.

Instead of walking down that crooked one block part of Lombard Street we headed a few blocks over and walked down Filbert.

Eventually we made it too Columbus Street, then Jackson. Now the question was, where to eat?

Stay tuned!

Paris – Boulangerie Laurent B, Les Deux Magots, and L’Avant Comptoir

July 21, 2018 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

The Missus was starting settle in a bit…..and She needed a "mission"; something to obsess about. So why not croissants? I had always thought that an excellent croissant au beurre is harder to come by than most folks think. I believe our lunch the previous day at Gontran Cherrier had stirred something. The Missus had croissant fever. During our wonderful meal the previous evening at Arnaud Nicolas we had a nice chat with one of the Servers. He said croissants are a very "personal preference" and we should explore…..but we should definitely stick with artisan boulangerie, where strict codes are adhered and the products are made on premises.

So the very next morning we stopped almost right across the street from Le Fontaine de Mars (La Fontaine du Gros-Caillou).

At the beautiful Boulangerie Laurent B.

We loved the vibe and the very "French" design of the shop.

The croissant, not so much. It was doughy, not buttery nor flakey enough.

Boulangerie Laurent B
112 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

We spent the day on the left bank; exploring shops and taking in some of the sights. Nothing major; just kinda having a nice time in the Saint Germain and Latin Quarter. There's tons of shopping to be done here.

And sometimes and occasional sight like the Église Protestante Saint-Jean.

After spending a good amount of time shopping; we needed to refuel a bit.

On our previous trip to Paris; we passed Les Deux Magots ("le do mago") once the meeting place of Paris's literati and the artistic set. Names like James Joyce, Hemingway, Oscar Wilde, and Albert Camus are mentioned.

It is, of course, now a major tourist stop. We sat outside and had our caffeine fix.

Sitting outside; paying a ton for over priced coffee, watching dozens of tourists taking selfies in front of the place.

I went in to take a look at "Deux Magots"….the café opened in 1884 and kept the name of the silk shop that once stood here.

You do have a nice view of the Église de Saint Germain des Prés.

And the people watching is quite interesting.

Les Deux Magots
6 place Saint-Germain des Prés
75006 Paris, France

A bit more shopping…well, then it was time for lunch. We just wanted something small to eat and a tapas bar named L'Avant Comptoir came highly recommended.

We found the tiny shop to be quite charming. It did indeed remind us a bit of those stand-up pintxos places we enjoyed in San Sebastian and Bilbao.

Menu cards hung on the wall; specials on a chalkboard.

The service….was well, brusque and borderline rude…..only to us though…..

It was bit strange.

Though I got a kick out of watching one lady walk in; order a glass of white wine, and chug the whole thing down in one gulp. She must have been thirsty.

I managed to order two glasses of wine and three items from the menu before the guy just turned around and walked away from me.

The first to arrive was the foie gras (remember "Basque Butter"?). This version was served with preserved cherries.

First off; the bread here was nice and warm, it was delish.

The foie gras was overcooked and mealy. The sauce was a bit too sweet for our taste. Very disappointing.

I ordered the Chanterelles with Jamon Iberico.

Loved the textural contrast of the crisp, crunchy croutons and the mushrooms. Wasn't a big fan of the Jamon as it was too lean for my taste…..I must be spoiled by all the Jamon Bellota Iberico Pata Negra I ate in Spain. The flavor was off for us as well; too much sour acidity.

The one dish that was excellent was the pork belly.

Crunchy skin, buttery fat, nicely seasoned; the wonderful porcine flavor shone through.

So; it was one out of three with regards to the food. Perhaps it was an off day? But the lousy service didn't help things either.

It seems we always have one not-so-great meal in Paris. So perhaps it was good that we got that out of the way.

L’Avant Comptoir
3 carrefour de l'Odéon
75006 Paris, France

Arriving in Alaska, Girdwood, and Dinner at the Seven Glaciers Restaurant

May 28, 2018 mmm-yoso Alaska, Caffeine Fix, Fine Dining, Travel

It was nearing the end of May; the usual time the Missus and I head off on a trip. This year, we had only a week or so and nothing else until the end of the year. The Missus wanted to scratch something off Her bucket list, so we headed off to Alaska to see if we could get it done.

Landing in Anchorage and picking up a cup of coffee on the way out of town….well, it seemed like just another city in the states.

I was shocked to see that I could get an Ethiopian pour over for $3.50!

Not a great cup, but with the typical acidic-sweet-floral tones of African beans, pretty good. The place seemed pretty popular with hipsters and folks on their laptops and such.

Black Cup
341 E Benson Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99503

A few minutes down the road and we realized that we were definitely not down in the "Lower 48" as the locals call it, anymore.

Even though the weather was quite gloomy and there was a slight chill in the air, we couldn't help but keep stopping at places like Beluga Point along the way.

We'd often stop and other folks would start talking to us. Asking us where we were from, where we were headed, all quite friendly. It's definitely something we aren't used to here in SoCal. We also ran into a transplanted Californian, one of many we'd meet along the way. He was a very cheerful person, I ended up volunteering to take a photo of him and visiting family…..I guess I was getting into that mode as well.

At milepost 90….those green milepost signs are how you find many of the directions in the 49th state, I took a left and headed toward, then past, the town of Girdwood and up the road, finally taking a left on Arlberg Avenue and arriving at the Alyeska Resort. The Missus had recently had a birthday and I wanted to make our first night in Alaska a nice one. So I chose the Alyeska Resort because of the well regarded location, accommodations, and restaurant. Indeed, check-in was friendly, professional, and smooth. We had a Junior Suite, which was comfortable and huge, and the Missus's favorite room of the entire trip. Oh, and the really nice young man who worked the front desk was from….you guessed it, California! The view from our room wasn't too shabby either.

Of course, once we checked in, the Missus was just rarin' to go. So off we went, making the two plus change mile walk to the town of Girdwood. Even though it drizzled off and on during our walk the scenery was lovely.

The view while crossing over the river was amazing.

While Girdwood is described as a resort town……it bore no resemblance to the mental picture I had of a resort village. It looked like a charming little town with a single street with a general store on the corner.

There are a couple of restaurants/bars, a post office, what looked like a yoga place, and other services along the single street.

We stopped for a caffeine fix at a coffee shop cum curio store called The Grind.

The collection was indeed "eclectic"……I was sorely tempted to get that "Freeloader Fork"…but settled for an Americano instead.

We sat on the porch of the coffee shop and watch time slowly flow by the quiet street. On occasion someone on a bike would pass….you'd see a couple of dogs frolicking in the park; folks dropping the Post Office to pick up their mail.

The Grind
236 Hightower Rd
Girdwood, AK 99587

We headed on back to the resort and took the trail alongside Arlberg Avenue back.

And noticed a few things we had missed on the walk down.

We also took some time to walk around the grounds of the resort as well.

I'd made dinner reservations at the resorts Seven Glaciers Restaurant. We got ready and decided to head up to the restaurant. And I do mean "head up". You see, the restaurant is located at the top of Mount Alyeska.

And the only way to get there is by tram.

You can pick up your complimentary tram tickets an hour before your reservations. We went up about a half hour before. We had the entire tram to ourselves and our tram operator was from….you guessed it; California….the Bay Area to be precise. He was a friendly, chatty fellow and described the surrounding area like a tour guide. The restaurant is named for the Seven Glaciers you can view from the place. The crazy steep slopes are Black Diamond rated and the view, well, that's priceless.

Funny coincidence, the young man lived in Girdwood and had actually seen us having our coffee on the porch of The Grind earlier in the day. He was one of the fellows who rode past us on a bike.

At the top there's a shop, a bar, the restaurant, and ski runs. Even though it was mid-May, it was still snowing in Denali and had just snowed here a few days earlier.

After having a bit of fun in the snow and ice we headed into the restaurant which was quite well done. What struck us the most; other than the million dollar view was how well the tables were spaced and placed to maximize the view while dining.

While waiting for our table we both had cocktails….which were really low on the booze and way too sweet.

Just as we took the first sips of our drinks, our table was ready and we were seated. The view was fantastic.

One of the reasons I chose Seven Glaciers is that the menu; while priced on the high end, is locally focused. Our Server was great; genial, yet a total pro, and did a good job of describing each dish.

The butter, so creamy and milky was fantastic, the bread not so much, as the marbled rye was dry and crumbly and the lavash just passable.

The amuse was a "ceviche", very nice seafood, a delicious cilantro cream (I need to make this), and a very "corny" flavored "tortilla".

I'd read some good things about the Scallop Bisque ($12) so we started with that; our Server totally got the idea that we'd be dining "family style" and was awesome at setting up the dishes and setting for us.

The wonderfully mildly sweet-oceany flavor of the bisque was good, though it was on the thin side for my tastes and lacking that nice tongue coating texture I enjoy. The chive oil, while on the mild side in flavor was a nice accompaniment. But that scallop, the most amazingly sweet scallop, seared perfectly, the interior rare, just melted away on your tongue……it was fantastic.

The "Tartare of the Day" ($18) was Yak. And let me tell you, it was also delicious.

Very tender, clean tasting, not overly seasoned or gamey, this was nicely put together. The pickled onions were perfect; just sour enough, with distinct clove-herbal tones.

The Missus has never enjoyed King Crab, saying that it "lacked the deep crab flavor" and isn't a big fan of drawn butter either. I did mention that Bering Sea Red King Crab was supposedly the best so why not try it here (1/2 pound $35). I was shocked at how much crab this was.

Well, while meaty, and without an overly brined flavor, this still wasn't the Missus's cup of tea. Not sweet enough, too dry, on the bland side is how She described it. No regrets in trying it here though.

Our entrée, the special of the day is without doubt the best thing we had on the entire trip. It was something both that Missus and I are familiar with; black chicken, but served in a totally different manner; roasted. Traditionally served in a medicinal soup in Asia; I've found it to be terribly tough and while the Missus loves it, I'm not a fan…though it's mostly because of the medicinal flavor of the broth. Seeing Black Silkie Chicken on the menu ($42), we just had to try it.

Along with some very tasty fried artichokes, local asparagus, and tender fiddlehead ferns, on top of a nicely prepared barley risotto, perhaps the best version I've had, the chicken was so good. While toothsome and bony…hey this is free-range black chicken here, nothing out of the ordinary there; the deep poultry flavor was amazing. This is what chicken tasted like when I was a kid! It reminded me of the chicken that my grandparents raised. Sadly, I think folks aren't used to the flavor as the folks on the table next to us sent theirs back saying it was too "tough and gamey" for their liking. We on the other hand just loved this dish.

We also enjoyed the seasonal roasted vegetables ($8). The Missus loves broccolini and asparagus anyway.

The gig surprise was the roasted kale stems which had a nice acidic touch to it. It was surprisingly tender, something you don't associate with kale stems.

While we were rather stuffed, the Missus decided to order the restaurant's signature dessert; the Baked Alyeska, the classic browned meringue topped ice cream and cake.

I went with an Alaskan Brewery White Ale.

Man, that dessert was so rich and dense….I had one bite and went "no mas"……..the Missus did finish it off.

Boy, this was some meal.

The service was excellent and the food quite good.

It wasn't cheap by any means, but a wonderful special occasion meal.

It was a nice way to celebrate both the Missus's Birthday and our first night in Alaska.

Seven Glaciers Restaurant
(In the Alyeska Resort – sort of. It's on top of a mountain)
1000 Arlberg Ave
Girdwood, AK 99587

We enjoyed the ride down in the tram.

On the good side; this was a great first meal and the best meal we had on our trip.

On the bad side, this was the best meal of our trip and we had 7 more nights to go…..

Thanks for stopping by!

Copenhagen – Breakfast, The National Museum, Torvehallerne Market, and the Coffee Collective

December 28, 2017 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Denmark, Markets & Grocers, Travel

It kind of goes without saying that Denmark and Norway are not the most inexpensive places to visit.

So having breakfast provided by your hotel really does help. I've spoken to folks who had two meals a day in Copenhagen; they filled up on breakfast and then had dinner.

And based on our experience everyone does take advantage of the breakfasts. The selection was not bad; decent cheeses, the tomatoes tasted really good. The Missus really liked the very rustic, traditional Danish Rye bread; Rugbrød. I took a little longer….at first, the hard seeds and really dry texture made me call it simply "rug". But over time it grew on me. As you can tell from this breakfast, I was still in "rug" mode.

I really did enjoy the Skyr……something I really enjoyed in Iceland. And the breakfast did indeed fill us up as we weren't hungry until dinner.

While we were headed out on this day; our overnight cruise to Oslo wasn't leaving until the afternoon. So we went ahead and checked out, storing our bags for later.

We now had to figure out what to do? The Missus decided on visiting the National Museum of Denmark which ended up being a great idea. It was a nice walk across the Inner City.

It's quite a large museum, but we lucky and managed to somehow get on the museum "highlights tour" in English. The young lady was delightful. Stopping by all the major displays like the Egtved Girl and giving us the lowdown. This Bronze Age girl and national icon isn't Danish. In 2015, scientific analysis of the remains determined that she was not from Jutland, but probably from the Black Forest.

She also went over the importance of Amber to the Danish.

We learned some really fun things. Did you know that Viking men were quite vain and cared about their appearance? They were known to keep combs and grooming "kits". They also bathed once a week, unheard of in those days. And no, there's no evidence they wore those horned helmets!

At the end the young lady went over the concept of Hygge and it's importance to Danish culture.

We usually don't enjoy tours like this one because of the amount of people. But there was only 5 of us in the group, so it was a lot of fun.

The National Museum of Denmark
Prinsens Palais
Copenhagen, Denmark

We then took our time heading back to the hotel. Just a mere two blocks from our hotel was Torvehallerne Market which houses over 60 shops and food stands in two glass buildings.

And while we didn't have time to eat here on either leg of the trip, we'd stop by and just walk around looking at the various stands.

The produce stands between the two buildings had a some really great looking stuff.

We especially loved how the potatoes still had soil on them….like they'd just been pulled out of the ground a few minutes ago.

We decided to kill some time and take a break at the Coffee Collective. A very busy stand in the market.

The Missus had the Coffee Kombucha which was really fizzy. I had a super strong double espresso….jet fuel.

The Coffee Collective Torvehallerne
Vendersgade 6D
Copenhagen, Denmark

Soon enough, it was time head back to the hotel and pick up our bags. We'd have to get the bus to the DFDS terminal. We were taking the overnight cruise to Oslo. We had checked out the rather discreet bus stop before heading to the museum. Pick-up time for us was 215pm, so off we went.

Past Saint Andrew's Church.

Down Gothersgade, left on Øster Voldgade and voila! The bus had arrived just as we did and we got on quickly as I had prepaid transport. We were amazed at how full the bus got. I've read that a lot of folks do day trips, arriving from, say Oslo in the morning. Spending the day shopping and seeing the sights, then heading back in the afternoon for the return overnight trip.

The Missus had never been on a cruise before. She has a problem seeing the same people over and over again, so long cruises and tours are out. This was just an overnight cruise; think of it as your transportation and hotel room combined.

This was going to be interesting……

Hida-Takayama – The Morning Markets, a Walk Around the Old Town, and Ranka Coffee

October 21, 2017 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Hida-Takayama and Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Markets & Grocers, Travel

Hida-Takayama was one of those places that we wished there was bit more time for visiting. While we'd be leaving that day, we decided to get up early to wander around town a bit before all the day trippers arrived.

As I mentioned in my first post, it had snowed just a few days before we'd arrived. So, even though it was spring, the air was quite crisp. And oh so clean and refreshing.

There are two morning markets in Takayama. We headed first to the Miyagawa Market, located along the river in part of the old town. It was still a bit early and the vendors were either just arriving or just getting set-up.

We decided to stroll on over to the Jinya-mae Market, which is located in front of Takayama Jinya.

The historic streets of Takayama look like something out of a movie set during this time of the morning.

Even the more modern shopping areas have something fun to offer….I've mentioned how charmed we were with seeing Sarubobo everywhere around town.

We crossed over the stunningly beautiful Nakanishi Bridge.

To where the Jinya-mae Market is located. While things were just getting started here as well. It seemed that folks were all set-up for the morning and just waiting for customers.

Along with the usual handicrafts and souvenirs, there were some interesting local products available. We found the varieties of miso to be very interesting.

As well as the local produce.

We decided to return to the hotel and grab a quick breakfast. Which was a very simple western style meal.

We got a kick watching the television show….it featured the "Cherry Blossom" craziness and the news crew was filming from Ueno Park which we had just visited a few days prior.

Since our train didn't leave until 11, we decided to check-out, store our luggage at the hotel, and head back out. While our previous morning walk had been in a clockwise direction, we headed out in the opposite direction this time.

And decided to walk through the more modern shopping street this time. We stopped in at one of the grocers to have a look around.

Boxed Hobamiso ready to take home.

The produce in Japan always looks so beautiful……

One of the souvenir stores was open and we did some browsing. We both got a kick out of the Sarubobo "photo spot"…..they wanted you to take photos here!

It was such a nice morning for a walk….though I don't think this pooch agreed.

And then back on over to the market……

The Missus suddenly remembered that She needed to purchase chopsticks for some coworkers. So we headed on over to Sanmachi Suji one of the historic streets in Takayama.

There was a chopstick shop we had seen the previous day. The shop wasn't open yet, but there was a coffee shop across the street, so we decided to get a little caffeine boost.

This was a pretty classy looking coffee shop.

And the prices were no joke, either.

We were in such a good mood that we decided on splurging a bit and getting that ten-dollar cup of coffee. Which was really smooth. We were instructed to have a walnut with the coffee which really changed the flavor of the coffee, bringing out a bit of acid.

It was a nice little break.

Ranka Coffee (藍花珈琲店)
93 Kamisannomachi
Takayama 506-0846, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

We managed to purchase some nice chopsticks for the Missus's friends and visited some of the shops on the street.

I ended up making a couple of purchases for later on and ran into two older women in one of the stores. They were AJA from Torrance and we chatted for a bit while the Missus shopped. They asked us what tour we were on and were quite surprised when I told them that no we weren't on any tour, we don't speak and Japanese, and we just travelled here ourselves.

By now, things were starting to pick up, and the Miyagawa Market was bustling.

It was also time to pick-up our bags and head to the train station.

We'd miss Takayama; but Kanazawa beckoned!

2018 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road testing, breakfast at Aroma Craft Coffee (Walnut)

October 1, 2017 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!is a blog about food. Todays post includes activities leading to consumption of food. Cathy is writing.

The Mister and I were on our way to Irwindale at 5 a.m. on Saturday, arriving at Phoenix Decorating Company after 7. Four floats were being road tested for the January 1, 2018 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade, which has the theme "Making a Difference".

The float sponsored by Western Asset, an investment company, with it's title "Oceans of Possibility" will have no riders and will appear to be underwater (see the concentric circles on the larger dolphin nose? There are also a few more at the tips of the taller pieces of seaweed, to depict breaking the water surface) (also, water reflections on the backs of the larger mammals).

"Armenian Roots", sponsored by The American Armenian Rose Float Association (click the link to see the artist rendition of this beautiful float) was in the second phase of testing. You can see the slotted out area where the float 'spotter' will be seated. (The driver looks down, at the rose colored line down the center of Colorado Boulevard; the spotter communicates with the driver with instructions and also has their own set of brakes in case of an emergency). "Transforming Lives with Hope" is sponsored by the City of Hope Hospital system and will be a beautiful with its florals hanging from above.

The United Sikh Mission will have its third entry in the Parade in 2018. (photos of the two previous floats are at this link).
Peeking in the float barn, we saw a bit of construction happening…and then were off to find breakfast.
Last month, after leaving BMC Pho (following float road testing), we stayed on the side roads and stopped at a Starbucks in Walnut before jumping on the 60 to drive home. After leaving the Starbucks, we drove through the parking lot and had noticed

Aroma Craft Coffee, made a mental note and remembered to stop in on Saturday.

The Diedrich coffee roaster in the front window had me intrigued; it was being used to roast fresh, green coffee beans by the time we were leaving.

Walk in, order and pay, find a seat and your beverages and food are brought out to you. A perfect espresso ($3), accompanied by sparking water, was brought out first. This is how an espresso should taste; the strength yet slight sweetness of the beans came through. The Mister ordered the Prosciutto Benedict ($12). The toasted english muffin had a layer of baby spinach 'protecting' it from not getting soggy, being topped with (a generous amount of ) thin sliced, quality prosciutto, topped by perfectly poached eggs, topped with a lemony fresh made Hollandaise sauce.

I saw this item being delivered to a table while waiting in line to order. Avocado Toast ($10). Since I've never ordered avocado toast before, I technically can't give a comparison of flavors. Since I know what I like, I can say this was absolutely wonderful. The toast: multigrain-I could taste rye- there were seeds and texture and flavor to the thick slice of toasted bread, which was protected by a layer of spinach and mixed lettuces and topped with a great portion of soft scrambled eggs, topped with sliced avocado, topped with a mild soy based sauce with fresh dill.

We weren't done:

There were several these Siphon Coffee makers at the ordering counter. We ordered a cup ($7) made with this week's special roasted bean, Columbian.

This turned out to be about three (proper, 6 ounce) cups of coffee. A small shot glass 'snifter' of the grounds was provided. This was a beautiful, clear smooth cup of coffee.

A wonderful meal on a beautiful day.

Aroma Craft Coffee 20265 Valley Boulevard, Suite Q Walnut, CA 91789 (909) 869-0001 Website Open Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat-Sun 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Morning in Quebec City, a Visit to Paillard, and Épicerie J.A. Moisan

August 18, 2017 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Canada, Markets & Grocers, Quebec City, Travel

The rises early Quebec during early June; before 5am. And we took full advantage of it; heading out before six. We enjoy taking early walks when on vacation, especially when visiting places that are popular with tourists. Things look a bit different and you get to meander around and spend a bit more time admiring things. Like the La Fresque des Québécois, which celebrates the rich history of the city. There's a wonderful post on this mural on this site. It was still early so even La Maison Smith a very popular bakery and coffee shop wasn't opened yet.

The quiet lanes were very different at this hour, so peaceful, but still very charming and full of character.

There was nary a person to be seen; except for the folks walking their dogs in the light drizzle.

We headed back up Escalier Casse-Cou, deciding to head to Terrasse Dufferin and get another look at Château Frontenac. And wouldn't you know, unlike the day before, the sun decided to make an ever-so-short appearance. But it was enough time to take some lovely photos.

During winter there's actually a toboggan slide on Terrace Dufferin, must be qutie a thrill.

We took the steep stairs up La Promenade des Gouverneurs; the Governors Walk.

There are some pretty nice views from here.

Up to the Plains of Abraham, where the pivotal battle between the French and the British took place during the French and Indian War. This battle basically determined the fate of New France.

We'd seen some very in shape men and women running up and down the steps while walking up….I'd forgotten that La Citadelle was also located close by. It is still an active military installation and home to the Royal 22nd Regiment. We skirted the walls and headed down côte de la Citadelle.

Heading down one of the smaller side streets off Rue Saint Louis we came across this statue of Marie de L'Incarnation who was sent to New France to help establish the presence of the Ursuline Order of the Catholic Church.

You can read more about the story by enlarging this photo.

We wandered around a bit more; coming across places like Le Monastère des Augustines.

By now, some espresso and perhaps something light to eat sounded good. I had a place in mind on Rue Saint-Jean named Paillard.

Upon arriving, the Missus wasn't too impressed with the cafeteria like set-up. But I told Her that Paillard had a reputation for making a decent croissant; something we hadn't had much luck with in Montreal.

An espresso for the Missus, an Americano for me, croissant, and some sparkling water.

The croissant ended up being pretty good. Nice flakiness, a touch of butter, light saltiness, perhaps a bit too chewy, but we were satisfied.

We'd actually return the next morning for coffee and a light snack.

Paillard
1097 Rue Saint-Jean
Quebec City, Canada

It was still too early to start thinking about lunch. So I told the Missus there was one more place I wanted to see. To get there, we had to head up Rue Saint-Jean. Near the Porte Saint-Jean are the old fortifications/city wall.

The view from here was different.

A few blocks up Rue Saint-Jean resides Épicerie J.A. Moisan, established in 1871, said to be the oldest existing grocery in North America.

With over 3000 products, you can really take your time here. And we did.

It is a food lover's paradise.

Looking at the beer selection, I inquired about something local….the response? "Monsieur, this whole case is pretty much local." And the nice gentleman helped me pick something out.

We had a great time shopping for gifts…everything from sweets to JA Moison shopping bags.

I'm sure we'll be back again. Heck, we enjoyed the neighborhood so much, we might even stay in the Auberge upstairs.

Épicerie J A Moisan
699 Rue Saint-Jean
Quebec City, Canada

We really enjoyed the neighborhood, full of bakeries, pubs, restaurants, and yes, the poke fad has arrived here as well.

More of a residential area….it seems a bit Quebecoise-Hipster, but really neat.

And then there's this sign…..which I loved.

By this time we'd starting getting a bit hungry. It was time to find some lunch and we knew just the place!

Thanks for reading!

Montreal – Mamie Clafoutis and VIA Rail to QC

July 15, 2017 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Canada, Montreal, Travel

While we had really enjoyed Montreal, the Missus was ready for our next stop; Quebec City. We'd be going by rail, which I really enjoy.

Since our train wouldn't be leaving until 1245 and we were literally 3 blocks from Gare Centrale, we decided to take a morning walk and grab some breakfast. The Missus decided on a place up Rue Saint Denis.

Of course we passed several churches on the way and really enjoyed walking up Saint Denis as it was full of semi-hipster, trendy, and plain funky businesses.

Hmmm….maybe Elvis does live?

Mamie Clafoutis is a bit of a walk up Saint Denis, which I read the street goes all the way to the North side of the island.

While the namesake of he place is the Clafouti; the Missus had read that the Pistachio Croissant here was very good. I saw a sign for a special Ficelle celebrating Montreal's 375 Anniversary (May 17, 2017) and while it was already the end of May, it was still being made and sold. So, I decided on that.

We both got some espresso for our caffeine fix. When our tray was ready, we headed upstairs to the comfortable lounge area.

The ficelle was ice cold, really chewy….I expected a bit more "crunch", but it was more hard. We really enjoyed the combination of flavors from the cornichons, mustard, and for the Missus, especially the smoked meat. This really set the stage for our return trip, where I'd been looking forward to getting some smoked meat.

The croissant was a bit drier than we prefer and lacked that touch of salt that would balance out the very sweet pistachio paste which was too sweet for me. Of course, I'm not much of a dessert person, but there didn't seem to be much pistachio flavor.

Still, the espresso was good and we enjoyed the vibe of the place. We'd notice that folks in this area seemed to speak much more French than on the west side.

Mamie Clafoutis
3660 Rue Saint-Denis
Montreal, Canada

We headed back to the hotel, going down Saint Laurent, then over to Rue Jeanne-Mance. It had started to drizzle. Even though we had umbrellas, it was also getting a bit windy. Luckily, just as it was getting particularly blustery, we reached the Complexe Desjardins. In Montreal, there's a 32 kilometer network of tunnels, passageways, shopping centers, and buildings called RESO, but it's most commonly known as the Underground City. The name evokes a bit of mystery……but for us; it looked basically like a bunch of malls which were, thankfully, interconnected.

I can imagine being able to move along downtown Montreal without being exposed to the elements must be a godsend during the dead of winter. For us wimpy San Diegans…well, we enjoyed being able to cross the street.

We got back to the hotel, freshened up, and checked out of the Courtyard. We headed over a couple of blocks to where I thought Gare Centrale was….because of all the construction, we had a difficult time finding the entrances, but finally made it.

Since we had business class tickets, we were able to use the VIA lounge in the train station. Nothing fancy, but comfortable enough….drinks and coffee provided.

Having easy access to the restrooms, a nice place to sit, and some coffee was worth paying a few bucks more. I got our fares during some kind of "special" where I paid like only $40 more for round trip tickets in business.

And while our train was not nearly as comfortable as riding the Shinkansen, it was fine.

One thing I did enjoy was the service, which was very friendly, and at times oddly funny. They also really pushed the booze! By the time the lunch cart got to us, they'd run out of everything but the vegetarian dish….shells stuffed with portabello mushroom. Which turned out to be perfectly fine.

Notice the white wine? So, I wasn't going to have any wine or drinks with lunch…but the really funny woman; with that wonderful French-Canadian accent told me, "you must…you must have some. It's from Wayne Gretzky Estates!" How could I turn that down? Wayne Gretzky Estates…… Yep this is Canada….and you don't mess with Wayne Gretzky……

Thanks for reading!