My Favorite South Bay Area Coffee Shops

If you know me or even just follow me on Instagram, you know that I take my coffee pretty seriously and am always on the hunt for a cool coffee shop to check out. I've been to a lot of coffee shops both local and along the way on my travels. Now it's time for me to share some of the wisdom I have gained through my coffee testing trials and fill you in on what the best coffee shops in the South Bay Area are (AKA San Jose/Santa Clara). I couldn't narrow it down to just what the best coffee shops in the entire Bay Area are because, quite frankly, I don't think I've tried enough of them. I know, shocking, right? But I haven't given the coffee shops in Oakland or Berkeley their fair shot at winning me over, so I didn't feel right about narrowing it down that much. I guess I know what my future coffee goal is!

Anyway, if you live in the Bay Area or somehow find yourself here, these are the coffee shops in the South Bay I think you should check out!

Adventure | San Luis Obispo Mini Getaway

The day after my birthday a couple weeks ago, we decided to keep the celebrating going and head down to the little town of San Luis Obispo for a short weekend adventure. We took the day (Friday) off of work and hopped in the car for the 3 hour drive down south.

Palm Springs

In August, Dai and I visited Palm Springs for the very first time. We decided to spend this little weekend away relaxing in the desert to celebrate his 30th birthday (and our 6th anniversary that was a few days later!). Palm Springs has been on my list of places to visit for a few years now and it amazes me that we didn't make it until this summer. It is in California after all, and only about an hour from my dad's house!

As you may know, I have this sliiiiight obsession with cute houses and all things mid-century modern. For someone like me, Palm Springs is pretty much paradise.

We opted to stay at the Marriott Desert Springs Villas in Palm Desert rather than directly in Palm Springs and absolutely loved it! While one day I would love to stay at a cool, retro hotel in the heart of Palm Springs, this resort was a relaxing oasis for us, which was exactly what we needed on this trip.
We stayed for two nights and spent our one full day lounging in the pool (because there is no lounging by the pool when it's 110 degrees out!), sipping on drinks, and laughing together. We went out to Babe's BBQ for a special birthday dinner, which was so very yummy!

We spent our evening drinking Moscow mules in the coper mugs I got Dai for his birthday and watching Master Chef on my laptop, which really is our kind of low key night. On our way out of town, we also stopped at a coffee shop in downtown Palm Springs, because how could I go somewhere new and not find a coffee shop to try?

This desert sunset was unlike any I had ever seen before. There is just something special about all of the open space, mountains, and palm tree silhouettes.

All of the awesome, unique houses made my heart so happy. I truly felt like a kid in a candy store! Thankfully Dai was pretty patient with me and let me drive around the neighborhoods and hop out every time I saw a house that I just had to have a photo of (which was like every few feet haha).
This was definitely such a nice little trip for us and we are already dreaming of going back next spring or summer. It was a weekend of pure relaxation, which we totally need sometimes! Our trips are usually packed with activities and things to see, but this was different and a welcomed change. We both felt so refreshed after these couple days in the desert.

Can't wait for our next visit!

West Coast Love // Big Mug Coffee Roaster

Towards the end of the summer, I moved to a different area of the Bay Area because I was starting at a new school. Since then, I have been adjusting to my surroundings and scoping out new-to-me local spots when I have time. One of my very favorite kinds of places to explore are coffee shops, so you bet I've been taking advantage of this opportunity to go to a different place for coffee each time when I am in the mood for something other than Starbucks!

I lucked out one time when looking on Yelp for a place to meet Lauren at for a coffee date and came across Big Mug Coffee Roaster. After browsing through customer photos and seeing drinks served in glass jars and a beautiful atmosphere, I was sold.


Since that first visit with Lauren, I have been back a handful of times and simply love it! When it comes to coffee shops ambiance is just as important to me as the quality of drinks, since I tend to stick around to enjoy my coffee and get some homework or blogging done. This place gets the highest marks in my book for ambiance and atmosphere! There are plenty of nicely, naturally lit areas and some darker spots too if that's what you prefer. I like that there are unique touches like the artwork on the walls and a big chalk drawing that really adds character to the place. They also have loads of seating area, which is very important!
I also enjoy that they have a wall of unique products to look at or purchase. It is beautiful as a whole and adds a lot of interest! Plus, it is always nice to have some cool things to look at while you are waiting for your drink or taking a little break from your work :)
Aren't these macaron ice cream sandwiches gorgeous? I just love how colorful they are! One of these days I will have to try one.
This is my favorite view in the whole shop. The chalk-drawn art on the wall really stands out to me and I love the hanging bulbs! The bookshelves are also a nice touch and I like how they have all different types of seating, like high and low stools so you can find what's most comfortable for you.
Besides beautiful decor, they have so many yummy looking treats! Cookies, pastries, bars... They also have a menu of breakfast sandwiches, waffles, and other foods to go along with your drinks.
I asked Lauren to come along with me on the day I was planning to shoot these photos so I would have some company and it's a nice excuse for a coffee date! Lauren, however, doesn't drink caffeine, so she gets tea. Her tea always looks nice in that big mug, and even better when she has gotten it iced and served in a mason jar! From what she has told me, their tea is pretty yummy and I think it is safe to say that she would recommend it :)

On this particular day, I ordered a ginger spice machiatto, which is a seasonal special. It was pretty good, although I do prefer my go-to vanilla latte! What can I say, I like what I like :) They also have green tea lattes, which are yummy and look beautiful!

Well, that's all for today! I just wanted to share with you all one of my new favorite places in case you happen to find yourself in the area and want to check it out! It had also been a while since I added anything new into the West Coast Love series, so I thought that this would be the perfect place!

I hope you enjoyed this little look at Big Mug Coffee Roaster!

What do you look for in a coffee shop? Do you have a favorite local spot?

Big Mug Coffee Roaster // 3014 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA

Big Mug Coffee Roaster // 3014 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA

West Coast Love // Giants Game

So there's something y'all probably don't know about Dai: he is a baseball fanatic. Like, he just loves baseball anywhere, anytime. He has his few favorite teams, but ultimately he doesn't mind who is playing because he just likes to watch it no matter what. Plus, he knows something about every team in the MLB anyway. Following the Japanese baseball scene is definitely one of his favorite things as well.

Now, I do love baseball. Not as much as Dai, but I do love it. I remember going to games with my siblings and dad through the years, and it is one of my favorite memories of things we liked to do together. I also played softball in high school and really enjoyed it. So, my point is, when Dai proposes going to a game, I don't say no. This past weekend, we went to a San Francisco Giants game on Saturday with his friends visiting from out of town and then also went to a game just the two of us on Monday night! I'm not complaining.

I took the train up to the city to meet Dai when he got off of work and so we could head to the ballpark together. Since we had eaten dinner at the ballpark on Saturday night, we decided to wander around the Ferry Building and grab dinner at a new-to-us burger place. With our tummies full and ready for the game, we hopped on the local train that would take us to the park.
Funny story: When we went to the game on Saturday evening, Dai and I made a deal that if a particular player hit a home run, he would buy me a t-shirt. That player didn't hit a home run, but Dai still got me a shirt because he is just that sweet. Actually, we were walking to the parking lot and saw some people selling these Hello Kitty Giants shirts for pretty cheap. I know that these things sold outside the park, on the street, aren't really "genuine," but these shirts looked great and pretty legitimate looking. You know, not that weird knock-off look that some things have? Anyway, as we paid for the shirt, the guys were in a hurry as they gave us our change and were shoving the shirts back in a bag, apologizing by saying, "Sorry, the cops are coming so we have to hurry." LOL SO THAT HAPPENED. But hey, I got a super cute shirt out of it! And was able to put this "I'm cute and sporty" look together for the next game. Ta-da!
AT&T Park, where the Giants play, is such a beautiful stadium. It is just over 10-years-old and is pretty unique, with its wonderful views, fun details, and abundant food options. You see that old fashioned Coke bottle? It is actually a slide! I love that the park is right on the bay because of the stunning views, but it does make it quite chilly in the evenings. 
Now I don't know about your local MLB ballpark, but around these parts, garlic fries are the must-have, classic food choice. You just don't go to a Giants game without getting garlic fries. It all adds to the experience, you know? Also, Dai had seen this caramel corn around and wanted to finally track it, so we tracked it down to give it a try. It was actually super yummy! Definitely sugary, but so good. You are given a fork to eat it because the caramel is still gooey and wet, which is what makes it awesome in my opinion.
The Giants one when we came on Saturday, but no such luck on Monday night. We decided to leave a little early since we had two trains to take back home and they were losing 9-1 in the top of the 8th inning... As you can see, someone was a little distressed by this ;) Oh well, can't win them all!
Even though our team lost, we had a great time! I'm already looking forward to the next time we are going to in just a couple weeks :)

If you are ever in the Bay Area during baseball season, I definitely recommend fitting a game into your visit! Bonus points if you happen to see a game against the Oakland A's (our rivals just across the bay) or the LA Dodgers. Those ones tend to be pretty competitive and upbeat!

Do you like going to baseball games? Who do you root for?

West Coast Love // Nopalito

This is one of my new favorite places here in the Bay Area. It all started two weeks ago when we were attempting a family photo shoot with my aunt, uncle, and cousin visiting from Texas. The last shoot I had done of them was last summer in Houston when I was living with them, so we wanted to try to fit in an updated session while they were here. We wandered around Golden Gate Park in hopes of finding the perfect spot for the portraits, but alas, when a two-year-old is over it, there is no hope. We decided that the best thing for everyone was to find food ASAP, so I quickly looked on Yelp for the best thing that was near by. That's when we found this gem.
Located in the Inner Sunset District, Nopalito offers traditional Mexican comfort food in a modern and vibrant environment. I loved it as soon as I walked up. I mean, look at that cute table, the modern chairs, the bright green paint around, and those huge succulents.

Also, I think it is important to note that I really love eating out with my Aunt Jenny and Uncle Jacob. Their company is lovely, of course, but it is really because they are 100% okay with eating Mexican/Latin food pretty much every day. Just. Like. Me. That's how you know you have found your food soul mates. (By the way, we ate at a place called Cafe La Taza the day before and then ate at Sol Food the next day. So, basically it was a perfect eating week.)

I appreciate details, so I loved the small fold up menus, the glass bottles some drinks were served in, and the interesting light fixtures throughout the restaurant.
Housemade almond horchata. I've never been a huge fan of horchata, but this stuff was delicious. If I could insert an emoji, it would be that one with the hearts for eyes.

I ordered the chicken mole enchiladas. WOW. They were so, so, so good. The sauce was rich and sweet with just a little bit of spice. I must say, I always choose enchiladas wherever I go, and these were amazing.
The best photo of the day. Not a photo session, but just a snapshot from the girl sitting across from this little family.
My mouth is watering as I write this and I am thinking of ways to convince Dai to take me here for a date night before we go to Japan. They have different menus for lunch and dinner and I am just dying to try their dinner menu as soon as I can.

I hope you enjoyed another peek at a spot around SF and that this restaurant maybe makes your bucket list for your next visit to the Bay Area!

As my Aunt Jenny would say, "You had me at 'Nopalito.'"

Nopalito // 1224 9th Ave,  San Francisco, CA