I decided to venture out of the coffee capitol of LA (East LA) because I oddly craved Groundworks' brick walls. Big time. I also felt like being in a not-entirely-hipstered-out atmosphere, as well as drinking a "regular" cup of dark coffee that maybe wasn't brewed in a science beaker. (I love current coffee culture, but when it comes to plain coffee I am happy with Peets or Starbucks because I like it very dark and I find the wonderful elements you get with Clover or Siphon brewing is sometimes just too light or nuanced for me, especially when I want a Garfield-style, hair-raising, bracing cuppa Joe).
After driving in circles (and traffic) looking for parking in Hollywood for over half an hour, I ambled home in a coffee-craving tizzy, debating all the places I could go that would give me what I wanted. Nothing was quite right. This Goldilocks needed her Wee Bear-coffee shop. As the sun set and dusk settled in blue and purple on the hills, I sat in my car waiting to turn on Hillhurst but not knowing where I was going. I may have begun to whimper.
During this Bourgeois torment, I noticed some commotion through an open door at "that corner place that I remember seeing was supposed to be a coffee joint at some point". Namely, Caffe Vita. Right at the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and Sunset dr.
Time to dive into the unknown. :) (Random tip: do that)
Walking there I knew it was right. The air was nice and cold, and I laughed as I passed by the giant brick wall that is Rudy's barbershop, the same building that is shared by Caffe Vita. Ask And It Shall Be Given!
I walked in, having no clue what I was in for and the vibe was excellent! I felt instantly happy and calm. It was welcoming and warm. It had lots of light, but still cozy, with that modern metal-and-wood look. The people who worked there were smiling at me in a real way; everyone seemed positive and pleasant, talking at the tables and enjoying their coffee. The barista girl was adorable and genuinely nice, and when I stumbled to the counter and said "I jus' wanna cup of coffee, do you have like, clover, or different ways of brewing?" - prepared to have to choose my price-tier of coffee extraction methods - she said "well we just do one brew for the day, it's French Press (great) and today it's Sumatra (GREAT!)".
I said it was for here and she reached for a big-ass beautiful ceramic mug asking if that's what I wanted. YESYESYES!! It was like being at a diner or Peet's but with the added foodie-joy of getting high-quality, indie-roasted beans.
Here is a photo of the mug from 10best.com. So sorry I didn't take my OWN photo that day but this is just what it looked like. God I love simple, earthy, sexy things.
They are a Seattle-based roasting company but plan to have a roaster in the cafe itself. I'm trying to contain my delight!
If that wasn't all enough fun, when I went to pay she said "oh and it's free, it's our grand opening so we're giving coffee away all day today!". WhhhaaaaAAAAT??!!
Cloud land. Heaven! It was just what I had envisioned, thinking I'd end up at Groundworks, yet somehow better. Little did I know I would be steered into a higher-consciousness level of coffee-enjoyment that night.
Kids, trust the Universe. If things aren't working out and find yourself driving away from your goal, having no idea where you are going, stay open, keep your eyes on the prize and let your dreams get delivered to you.
Oh ya, and the Sumatra was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. I dare say perfect.
No I'm saying it. It was perfect. PERFECT!
Not just because it was rich and dark without being bitter, but because it was what I wanted. I can't think of a better place to go then the place that miraculously gives you exactly what you want.
To be continued...(with more photos)!
Caffe Vita (the new place to go before or after a Vista movie, yay!)
4432 W Sunset Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 661-6535
1 comment:
i want coffee! yummy post :) Next time I'm in LA I wanna go to Caffe Vita!
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