PORTOLA COFFEE LAB - THE BEAUTY OF LATTE ART

I had the privilege early yesterday morning of visiting Portola Coffee Lab, OC's hottest new coffee hang-out, to watch their baristas in action & photograph what I'd consider some of the most beautiful, detailed latte art I've ever seen poured.

The guys at Portola have a passion for coffee that comes across in their craft -- these are no ordinary cups o' Joe. These are truly works of art.  So beautiful, in fact, I almost felt bad for drinking it. Almost.

I liken it to the exquisite, fleeting art of Native American & Tibetan Monk Sand Paintings. Perfectly-accurate, symmetrical masterpieces that are created for the sake of the art - for healing purposes - and then almost instantly destroyed. 

Latte art takes practice. And patience. And a steady hand. I found it ironic to learn that Baristas need to be careful not to drink too much caffeine while working on their art - otherwise, they risk a case of the shakes and things can get choppy & inconsistent. So, I helped them yesterday at Portola with those extra leftover cups of caffeinated black gold ...  It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it, right?

And believe me. Portola's coffee tastes just as good as it looks.

Visit them on Facebook - or, better yet, visit the Coffee Lab in person to taste for yourself!

(A shout-out to Portola Barista, Truman Severson, who created all of the beautiful latte art in the following photos. Nice work, Truman.)

ART, ARCHITECTURE & MOTORCYCLES IN DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA

Today I was on a mission. To explore my neighborhood of Santa Ana, look at things from a unique perspective through the lens of my camera, and try to capture some of its beauty to share with the world.

So, this morning my husband Tim & I saddled-up on our Harleys and rode into Downtown Santa Ana - parked in front of the Artist's Village - loaded-up on caffeine at The Gypsy Den - and then spent some quality time wandering the streets, exploring every nook & cranny of every building we could find.  

I love this town. Founded in 1869, it's rich with Californian history and culture. I first moved here almost 10 years ago, and it was a completely different place then.  I always had hope for Santa Ana, though, and in recent years it has undergone a complete transformation. It's in the midst of a Renaissance - with new restaurants, bars, shops & art galleries opening regularly in its many newly-restored buildings. What used to be run-down and downright scary at times is quickly becoming a fun, safe, fantastic city to hang out in.

If you haven't been to Downtown Santa Ana lately, then you should definitely check it out - restaurants & bars such as Chapter One: The Modern Local, Lola Gaspar, The Copper Door, The Crosby, Proof Bar and Memphis Cafe are just the tip of the iceberg. Next Saturday, June 18th, 2011 is a GREAT opportunity to come down & check it all out at the 'Posse on Broadway' event in Downtown Santa Ana from 9pm - 2am where 11 venues will host 11 events with free admission for all. 

Meantime, if you don't live locally, I hope these photos can give you a small taste for Santa Ana's beauty...

ONE COOL CAT

Those who know me know that I'm not much of a cat person. But, I have made one exception to this rule... that's my brother and sister-in-law's cat, Penelope. Or, as I call her, "Peen-o-lope."  I like this cat.

This is not your average cat - unlike most cats I've met, Peen-o-lope does not try to bite you at random or lash out in any terrifying, unexpected way when you pet her or pick her up. 

And man, oh man, is she fluffy.

So, I was honored when my brother Jeff Clinard recently enlisted my services to conduct a lil' photo shoot so he could surprise his new wife, Jamie, on her birthday last month with some portraits of their pal Penelope.  I must say, kitty was QUITE the little model!

DAY FOUR - RESCUED BABY SPARROW UPDATE

Well, it's day number four in the Watson home with the baby sparrow that my husband Tim rescued from the middle of a busy intersection last week while out on a motorcycle ride.  So far, it seems that the little guy is adjusting pretty well - eating regularly, staying alert, and enjoying its new home - which today took the form of a small pouch (or "Papoose" as Tim calls it!) around Tim's neck. Adorable.