Today (and by that I mean January 30 when I first wrote this) I was at Addis Cafe and ran into a friend who was trying the coffeeshop for the first time. She was just telling her friend that she was checking out the coffeeshop because I am always posting about it (in my Instagram stories and feed). I was so excited that sharing my love of this local place helped bring in a new customer--and new fan. She said the coffee and waffles were perfect. I am happy she had an enjoyable meal and coffee. It feels so good to share new places we discover and our favorites. This is one of the reasons that I am finally following through on this blog.
Photo of me and Annabelle in the Grand Floridian before our Princess Character Dining dinner at 1900 Park Fare. We loved meeting Cinderella, Prince Charming, the Stepsisters and StepMother (note characters are different at this location at Breakfast and Lunch). Photo by Jon Harle (thanks love for this!)
Also today I received a text from another friend saying she loves the photos of Disney and what was the name of that character dining place again she was recommending it to a friend. I realize what many have been trying to tell me. I have information and experiences that people are interested in. It is time to put the planning into action.
I struggled with how to start this. I tried to plan it out. Wrote a reintroduction about five times. (maybe more) I often try to do too much. (Applies to other areas of my life too) I want to tell it all in one post, I want it to be perfect. A good friend of mine, Emily, reminded me to keep it simple not everything has to be a long post.
On January 24 another local photographer Joey @littlebittyproductions posted a photo with the quote, "Just Do the Damn Thing." I immediately felt a sense of guilt and also inspiration. It was like she was talking to ME! I began working on getting my act together and planning to relaunch this blog. --And by beginning I mean continuing the planning I have been doing for the last year or two but kept holding back from actually publishing.
If you have followed me on Instagram or Facebook for the last couple years you know I basically run on coffee and that I have a great love of local coffeeshops. So it is only fitting to start there. My daughter and I have been working on a little side project for the last few years CoffeeShop Park. --More on that officially later but in the meantime you can follow #coffeeshoppark on Instagram for a sneak peek.
S'mores Latte (seasonal) at Addis Cafe in Oak Park. Photo by Tina Harle
Addis Cafe in Oak Park is my current favorite Oak Park area coffee shop. You will find me there several times a week. I love to edit my photography, meet with friends and just relax there especially in those couple hours a day I get while my daughter is in preschool. Annabelle calls this "the coffee waffle place" because well that's the two main things they are known for. Oh my do they do both of these right!
Love sipping Honey Nutmeg Lattes while I edit photos at Addis Cafe
I promised to keep this brief and simple (see so tough for me!) so while I could go on all day about my love for Addis Cafe I am going to give you my Top 5 favorites! --Yes that's a High Fidelity reference. If you do not know what I am talking about please go watch that movie right now! (well finish this blog, grab some coffee then snuggle up and watch it)
Tina's Top 5 things she loves about Addis Cafe
1. Honey Nutmeg Latte. One of the best lattes I have ever had. It's perfectly spiced and not too sweet. This has been my go to drink since I first tried it. I have mine with almond milk cause me and regular milk are not best friends anymore. The almond milk does complement the drink.
2. The 206 Special--Mixed Berry Compote waffles with whip cream. Oh my they do this one right! The berry compote is sweet from the berries but doesn't have that artifical or too sweet syrup like flavor because it's made from real berries and homemade. Best berry compote I have ever had. See a close number 3.
3. Berry Compote Scone this is a new addition to the menu this winter and oh my it's delicious. When I want to eat all that berry compote but not have a full waffle this hits the spot for sure. Just look at it...
Cherry Scone with Berry Compote. Photo by Tina Harle
4. Okay ALL the waffles. It's really hard to pick one. The Gusto with nutella, bananas, almonds and whip cream has been my favorite for a long time. The savory waffle with sun dried tomatoes, avocado and spicy (yet mild) sauce--oh and cheese. It is a perfect balance of sweet, spice, and savory. I haven't tried the others because they are so good I have a hard time deciding as it is. But I have no doubt that they are all amazing! Annabelle loves one with just nutella and whip cream (a modified Gusto) and I ask for an extra plate for us to split. She just loves licking the nutella out of the little waffle holes, eating the whip cream with a spoon then making a huge mess picking the rest up. Some day she will use a fork, right? Until then I giggle at the big adorable mess she makes.
Gusto waffles (Nutella, bananas, almonds and whip cream) and Turmeric Latte Addis Cafe. Photo by Tina Harle
5. Turmeric Latte (again with almond milk) This is slowly making it's way into the number 1 spot especially in the winter months. Turmeric I hear has nutritional benefits which is a bonus. But this spice that is in the ginger family has a little kick to it that I just love.
How are we already at the end of the list? There are so many things I didn't mention. One of the best parts of Addis Cafe is that it is such a neighborhood place. The owner lives in the area. She can be seen in the cafe with her friendly smile. She knows you and your order after only a couple times. This is in walking distance from my house--in good weather of course.
I will share with you more of our local favorite places (of course includes coffeeshops), our travels and my photography. Wow I did it, published, actually blogged again. Please tell me what you want to see more of to help me decide what to post next.