5 GREAT PLACES TO EAT AND READ IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

"EATING AND READING ARE TWO PLEASURES THAT COMBINE ADMIRABLY"- C.S. LEWIS

IF YOU DIDNT KNOW ALREADY, I AM A HUGE FAN OF FOOD AND READING. IT IS HARD TO FIND A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN EAT AND READ WHERE IT IS RELAXING AND JUST WONDERFUL. I USED TO WORK FROM THIS GREAT COFFEE SHOP DOWN THE STREET CALLED JC BEANS.  JC BEANS IS NO ORDINARY COFFEE SHOP BUT A CUTE LITTLE COTTAGE COFFEE SHOP WITH BOOKS ALL AROUND WITH A GREAT FIRE PLACE.  IT IS AS IF YOU ARE BELLE IN HER LIBRARY IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. DURING THOSE WINTER RAINS (WHICH IS HARDLY EVER CONSIDERING OUR DROUGHT THIS YEAR) ONE OF THE MOST RELAXING TIMES I HAVE HAD WAS READING MY BIBLE AT JC BEAN WHILE DRINKING AN ICED TEA (I ACTUALLY DON'T LIKE COFFEE AND DON'T LIKE HOT DRINKS, I ALWAYS GET SCARED I AM GOING TO BURN MY TONGUE) AND HAVING THEIR FAMOUS JUMBO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.  THEY USED TO BAKE THE COOKIES MID- DAY AROUND 2 O'CLOCK AND I WOULD GET ONE RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN.  YOU WOULD ALWAYS KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD BE BAKING THEM BECAUSE YOU WOULD SMELL THE AROMA THROUGHOUT THE COFFEE SHOP.

I THOUGHT FOR THIS BLOG POST I WOULD GIVE YOU 5 GREAT PLACES TO EAT AND READ IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

1.  JC BEANS, DANA POINT - THIS IS THE PLACE THAT I DESCRIBED TO YOU PREVIOUSLY.  THEY HAVE PERFECT SIZED BREAKFAST BURRITOS AND GOOD COOKIES YOU CAN SHARE WITH A FRIEND.  AS FOR DRINKS, EVERYONE SEEMS TO GET THE DIRTY CHAI, ITS PRETTY GOOD BUT I LIKE TO KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH TEA.  THEY HAVE GREAT SEATING FOR A GOOD READ.  ALTHOUGH THEY USED TO GIVE FREE REFILLS ON TEA AND COFFEE, THE NEW OWNERS CHARGE 50 CENTS FOR REFILLS.

2. THE PANNIKAN, ENCINITAS- THE PANNIKAN IS BY FAR ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUST GO TO SPOTS WHEN IM DOWN SOUTH.  IT IS AN OLD TRAIN STATION TURNED INTO A BREAKFAST PLACE.  YOU CAN'T REALLY MISS IT IT'S THIS HUGE YELLOW TRAIN STATION ON PCH.  ANYWAY, THEY HAVE GREAT BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.  THE QUICHE IS AMAZE AS WELL AS THE  BAGEL SANDWICHES.  THEY HAVE TONS OF BAKED GOODS!  THE SEATING IS GREAT AND YOU CAN REALLY FOCUS ON JUST READING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO WII FII.  HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

3.  TEA HOUSE ON LOS RIOS, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO- THE TEA HOUSE ON LOS RIOS IS A GREAT TREAT ANYDAY YOU GET TO GO THERE.  IT IS A LEGITIMATE TEA HOUSE.  YOU CAN HAVE A NICE TEA PARTY TO YOURSELF WITH A  VARIETY OF TEAS ( I DO LOVE TEA).  THE SCONES ARE AMAZING!  THEY ALSO HAVE GREAT MEALS LIKE CURRY CHICKEN SALAD AND SOUP.

4. NAPA ROSE LOUNGE, GRAND CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE HOTEL, ANAHEIM- I KNOW THIS SOUNDS RANDOM BUT THIS PLACE IS ONE OF MY HUSBAND AND MY FAVORITE PLACES TO GO.  IN THE LOBBY AT THE NAPA ROSE IN THE GRAND CALIFORNIA HOTEL THEY HAVE A GREAT LOBBY SEATING AREA WITH A FIRE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SIT AND RELAX WHILE ENJOYING SOME APPETIZERS, DRINKS OR EVEN A MEAL.  IT IS PRICEY BUT WELL WORTH IT.  WE CAN SIT THERE FOR 3 HOURS JUST RELAXING AND READING.  MY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THE TRUFFLE MAC N CHEESE, THE NAPA PASSION DRINK, CHEESE PLATTER AND IF YOU ARE GOING FOR A FULL ON MEAL, THE FILET MINOT IS GREAT.

5. MILK AND HONEY, COSTA MESA-  THIS PLACE HAS THE BEST SHAVED ICE EVER!  ALONG WITH AWESOME GF SNACKS AND GOODIES.  THE DRINKS ARE AWESOME AND THEY OFFER BOBA.  THEY HAVE LIMITED SEATING BUT A GREAT PLACE TO READ AND HANG OUT.  THEY ALSO HAVE A TON OF BOARD GAMES LAYING AROUND TO PLAY.

HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO CHECK THESE PLACES OUT THEY ARE THE BOMB!

-ENJOY