liquid courage

Hmm, second blog post in a row having something to do with coffee. I've got an obsession...
Anywho, lately with school starting up and assignments flooding in like the plague, I can feel myself losing inspiration and motivation.
I thought that a nice cup of joe would cheer me up, which usually seems to work.
So after having a rather unproductive day yesterday, today I am determined to get some things done.


Tentative plans for Sunday:
-Sell some old cd's and books at Bookman's.
-Get a manicure.
-Car wash and fill up the old tank.
-Try to brainstorm blog topic ideas (for a class assignment).
-Check out Royal at the Biltmore (new location of one of my favorite coffee shops).


Starting and ending the day with liquid courage, sounds good to me.



What do you do when you need to find motivation or inspiration?
Any local places cheer you up?

ground control

Before I begin, today was my first day of spring classes! Can't believe that in a year's time I'll be graduating. Excited, nervous and antsy all at once. Anyways, yesterday I met one of my dearest friends, Alyssa, out in Avondale for some coffee at a place called Ground Control. This place was a sweet surprise, not only did it have a lovely inside sitting area, but the coffee was actually good. I thought for a while that I could only find well-crafted coffee in the numerous downtown dwellings I've discovered, not anymore. Ground Control was delish, (which also had a large display of pastries and cakes) never seemed to get overly crowded, and I can't wait to go back and try a cappuccino or a hot latte. Score.

My lovely friend Alyssa! (Hope you don't mind me posting this)

Tomorrow I start my first official day interning at Ahwatukee Foothills News, I already have an assignment doing a business profile, and a online media class downtown later on.
Spring semester is officially here, I'm glad that my classes don't feel like too much of an overload. At least not yet anyway...

Are you in or starting school too?
What kind of places do you like to go for coffee?

Waking up in Flagstaff

Just realized I skipped right over Christmas. Darn. I had every intention of putting together a lovely collage of festivities for the holidays but did not remember to bring my camera (or use it) while the food, desserts and presents took reign over my grandmother's house. Oh well, New Years was much more picturesque.

My dear Edwin and I drove up north to ring in the new year. Downtown Flagstaff had a cute "Pine Cone Drop" inspired by Time Square's famous ball drop.

first kiss of 2011

The fireworks right after the pine cone dropped were the prettiest shades. It was so nice to be able to have gone to a new place for this holiday, and still feeling like we weren't alone, the people there are very nice. After the stroke of midnight, it was back to the hotel. A minus 7 degrees overnight was way too cold for us desert dwellers. The next day, we got up and headed out to find a yummy-sounding bakery/restaurant. We finally found it after searching around town, to find out it was closed for the day. By then we were so famished that we settled for some Starbucks at a nearby Safeway, and took some pictures in the snow across the street.

I just got these lovely vintage boots in the mail the day we were going to leave for Flagstaff!

My love in his new coat I got him for Christmas.


Later on, we went back to historic downtown which did not last long because it was still incredibly cold!
Just when we needed refuge from the chilling winter weather, we found a coffee place called Rendezvous. After my very large coffee from Starbucks earlier, I felt it was time for some tea. This place is quite unique and is considered a "coffee shop by day and martini bar by night." (Who also has the best green tea I've ever had).
I sure wish I had gotten more photos of the inside, it sits in the same building as an old hotel, and for sure has a 1940s vibe. Some time after talking, people watching, drinking my tea, we decided to head back for Phoenix.
It was such a lovely time, and we definitely want to take more trips together. Our next stop, maybe a dreamy beach town in California over the summer... For now though, I'm still dreaming of that snow.