Bean around the world

Today is another coffee note. I went to Bean Around The World to grab a cup of coffee before a meeting and I noticed they had a new product called the Red Americano. It's basically a rooibos based Americano. I thought why not give it a try. It was just under 4 dollars. That's nearly the same price as the coffee Americano I was going to get anyway.

Well... Here it is.




Its pretty dark looking but save your money. It's none other that super strong rooibos which means it's pretty much flavorless. I like rooibos tea but more so when it's flavoured because I think it tastes like steeped bark which is fine sometime. However, if you are craving a coffee it just doesn't cut it. Even after adding honey and milk it had not made a dent in the unsatisfactory category.

Magda I'm back!!!

So there is this Venezuelan restuarant in my neighborhood. It's called Magda's.


This is the 4th time I've been there and it's Definately one of my favourite places to go for Latin food in Vancouver. I always order the same thing but next time I go I'll try something different. I went with some coworkers after work. It's nice to spend time with each other on a personal level. We were at the restuarant about 2 hours. We talked and laughed. It was a really good time. We also went shopping and each one of us got something. It was a good start to the long weekend.

Here are some photos of the food at Magda's.



Cafe con Leche. Super creamy and rich. I liked it but it was hard for me to finish the whole thing. Personally I prefer a less creamy coffee but I did drink half of it.



Empanadas Columbiania??? Anyway this is a empanada filled with beef, potato and cilantro. I love love love this empanada. I've only had empanadas at a few different places but Magda's is the best in my opinion. It's made with corn flour so the skin is crunchy and crispy on the outside and super delicate and soft inside. Yum yum.


I also ordered some pupusas. This is one of my favourite Latin snacks. I ordered three different ones. 1) Chiccaron ( pork) and cheese. 2) Spinach and cheese. 3) Zucchini and cheese. They are all good and made to order. Fresh fresh fresh!




They give you three dipping sauces to go with your food too. They are a garlic cream, avocado and extra spicy sauce. I captured only two of them as the other one was in use. Make sure you try the sauces!! They are very good.



A good moment:
Though it was a fun day in general and we had many great moments today we also had a special event. It was our Gallery Show. Today students and staff in our school could come and check out the art work our students have been working on all year. We had such a big turn out and the kids were so excited to showcase their work. Parents came to check the show out too. I love seeing our kids faces light up. People were really impressed. I'll have to take a picture of some of the pieces to post. Happy long weekend Canada!

2 great things about JJ Bean

To showcase some of the great coffee of Vancouver I am currently sitting at JJ Bean on Main Street. This is a usual hang out place for me when I want to do some people watching or just read a book at some place other than my bed or sofa. I ordered an iced coffee today. It's a bit different than the usual fare because the drink I love the most here is the Fresca Medici. I just didn't want to be wired for the rest of the day.




There it is on this sunny/overcast, slightly humid day. A nice light and fresh iced coffee.
I also picked up this grilled cheese sandwich. :)


In terms of coffee shop grilled cheeses I think this one takes the cake. It's creamy goodness. It is made with two cheeses, tomatoes and some super savory garlic spread. I am trying to just eat half of it and save the rest for later.

General feeling for the day: Today has been a good day. The weather turned out better than anticipated and I was in a good mood in general. I felt like I got the jump back in my step. Is that how the saying goes?  I even found a guy online I found super cute. I have a very particular type so I'm very excited.

The last two months my heart has been heavy but today I felt lighter in my heart. Maybe it's just that summer is around the corner and I'm starting to look forward to it. Or maybe I am finally not resisting the changes in my life. The feeling of the "freeness" in my heart inspired me and I felt really happy. While I was working with some of my students we took a moment to find something to be grateful for. I think I will encourage that more. Teaching students to be present and grateful is a good thing. We all need to be present. They both said they were grateful for the weather because the sun was starting to pop out.

It was a beautiful moment. More little moments need to be cherished.