We have a new tradition of going out for coffee and pastries on Saturday morning as a family. As we were driving to midtown I pulled out my phone and began searching on yelp for a new coffeehouse. I found one called the Naked Lounge. It had 4 stars and looked promising especially because the reviewers highlighted the excellent baristas and their perfectly frothed cappuccinos. Expertly crafted cappuccino foam is hard to come by so I was pretty excited about this place.
Can I just say that my first mistake was choosing a place that had the name "naked" in it?
I knew I was in trouble when I walked in and there were no children to be seen anywhere and all of the patrons looked up in surprise that a family was walking into the establishment. This reaction did not daunt me. I have become accustomed to people looking at us everywhere we go because my children are adopted. I figured they were just interested in us as a family because our children don't look like us. Well, I was wrong. As soon as we ordered our food and sat down I noticed some modern paintings in front of me. Let's just say that they were indiscreet. I immediately began to plot a place for Jason to sit where he could not see these paintings (hoping he wouldn't even notice them because his back would be to them). As he sat down, I glanced over my shoulder to see what was behind me and to my dismay I noticed another indiscreet painting. Then I darted my eyes around the entire coffeeshop and noticed that every painting was of the same nature. Oh man. What kind of person wants to eat and drink in a coffeeshop with this kind of "art?" I didn't want to find out. We downed our muffins and coffee and fled.
Sometimes I hate California.
Jason then decided that he wanted to go to the McClatchy library in midtown to read books to the children; the library is a quaint little house and I fell in love with it immediately. He knew that I would love it. It doesn't get any better than a library inside of a wonderful old house. We had fun browsing through the books and left with a big bag full of videos, children's books and travel books.
Sometimes I love California.
On the way home we spotted a Rite-Aid and I asked Jason if we could stop while I did a little shop. He wanted to roam the neighborhoods looking for public domain fruit so he told me to go ahead and do my shop and call him after I was done. I did a quick 20 minute shop and then we headed back home to read and hibernate on this wintry day.
Time to light the fireplace...
5 ACT Rinses $3.99 ea. ($1/1 from 1/2 SS)
= $1.99 ea. after $1 UP Reward
2 Planters Peanuts $1.99 ea. ($1/1 printable)
= $.99 ea.
2 Raisin Bran $2.50 ea. ($.70/1 printable )
= $1.30 ea. after $1 UP Reward wyb 2
1 Sonicare replacement brush heads $26.24 ($5/1 from 11/21 SS, 12/12 SS or printable )
= $21.24 ea.
2 Ester C (B1G1) $6.49 ea. (use $2/1 printable and $1/1 Rite-Aid vv printable )
= FREE + $1.51 overage after $2 UP Reward wyb2
L'Oreal Deal - purchase these items together
2 L'Oreal Revitalift face cloths (use $2/1 from 1/2 RP)
2 L'Oreal Eye Shadow (use $5/2 from 1/2 RP and $1/1 Rite-Aid vv printable from last month)
= $2.05 total after $5 UP Reward wyb $15 of L'Oreal product
TOTAL: $123.06
TOTAL AFTER COUPONS: $0
SAVINGS: 100%
NOTE: I had some money left on my Rite-Aid gift card from a return from last week so no out of pocket this week. I have wiped out most of my UP Rewards and only have about $7 in UP Rewards left.
Love hearing about an average day. I wonder what other people do on the weekends sometimes. Before kids, we were regulars at coffee houses. We still have a LOVE of coffee, and skip the baristas. I cracked up at the naked coffee house though- soooo California! (Can I comment on the great state if my dad grew up there and I have been a frequent visitor) :)
ReplyDeleteDixie, the Saturday morning coffee and pastry break was instituted by me because I missed going out for coffee with my husband. We both used to be baristas at Starbucks during their romantic period (long before they had a gazillion stores) and we enjoy good coffee.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Southern California so I have pretty much seen it all (including transvestite art in a bathroom) but it is dismaying when you are with your husband and children to look up and expect to see beautiful paintings and you see naked paintings instead. So weird.
Anyway, I didn't know that you had family here. What part of CA does your dad live in? I lived here most of my life and was in Nashville for 8 years before we moved back.
Dixie, I also wanted to note that CA hasn't cornered the market on weirdness. We used to eat at this tiny restaurant called Elena's in Brentwood. It was an Eastern European restaurant I think. We had the same experience eating there that we had in this coffeeshop. We stopped eating there after that. I kept thinking, "what was this business owner thinking?" Oh yeah. I forgot...."he wasn't thinking, he was just expressing himself." Oh brother.
ReplyDeleteHAHA- what makes the world go round, I guess.
ReplyDeleteMy dad grew up in Santa Barbara and went to Cal Poly. He lives in the South now. My aunt and uncle live in Vacaville. They are ex-military. I lived out west until 3rd grade. Born in Las Vegas, but mostly lived in AZ. I love the West Coast and hope to make it back to visit again soon!
Love those pictures!!! Your girls are so cute. Thanks for sharing about your excursion to the coffee house - I had heard very good reviews about it & wanted to stop in, but now I know better & will pass.Also,I appreciated you sharing your thoughts about that place - it helps to keep us more accountable. Glad to see the post & will be hitting Rite Aid this week. Love you all.
ReplyDeleteIrmie, Thanks for your post. Just an FYI...don't forget that this post was for the deals at Rite-Aid last week. I'm hoping to go and do my shop this week around Thursday or so. Nice chatting with you today. Love, Kelly
ReplyDeleteKelly, the people staring at you in the coffee shop were probably just thinking how great it was that you were giving your children great opportunities in "culture." :)
ReplyDeleteMelea, unfortunately you are probably right. LOL.
ReplyDeleteWas thinking about you yesterday. I was missing your sweet smile and your great hugs.
On a side note....I think about you almost every morning when I look at my big toe (and the bruise that is still there from stubbing it on your suitcase). I should send you a picture sometime; it's pretty hilarious to look at. It doesn't hurt at all but it looks like it should.