But First...

There are some definite givens when Kenny and I go on vacation: They’ll be lots of beach time, we’ll eat at a restaurant that was researched or recommended, and definitely Yelped, we catch a sunset, have a few margaritas at a nice bar, and, most recently, we added that we... must find a great coffee shop!

This last week in Florida, we came across Ella Cafe and Thank Baby Jesus we did!  The coffee was delicious, the snacks were super tasty, the staff was friendly, and the vibe was so chill.  We absolutely loved it!  I really wish we could’ve gone more than once, but if we’re ever in the area again we will definitely stop by for seconds! And if you find yourself in South Florida, anywhere near Plantation, FL, do yourself a favor and go order a cup of Joe and a treat at Ella Cafe.  

(I ordered a cappuccino and their lemon poppy muffin. Kenny had a red eye and their blueberry zucchini muffin.  We ate, drank, talked, took a few pictures, recorded a few videos, and definitely shared a few laughs. <3)

Ella Cafe, Feb. 2018 

Toby's Estate, Long Island City, Queens 

This past weekend I discovered a gem in my borough! My fellow readers and writers can back me up and tell you how right I am when I say that there could never be enough cute coffee shops with great ambience, delicious coffee, and tasty treats! And as promised, whenever I find a coffee shop that I truly enjoy, I will post about it and share the news. Hopefully, one of the places I post is near where some of you live or work...or worth a trip.  

Located in Long Island City, Toby's Estate, must be at the top of that NYC list of delightful coffee shops!  It has indoor and outdoor seating available. The decor is industrial and super cute.  They had several juices, cold teas, and water ready for grabs in the weird case that you are not a coffee drinker, but can still use a nice place to read, work, or chill.  However, I am a must-have-a-cup-of-joe-first-thing-in-the-morning type of person, so I ordered a cappuccino, which was so delicious I actually finished the entire beverage. (My boyfriend makes fun of me because I never finish a whole cup of coffee.)  I also ordered the whole wheat banana bread, which was super tasty, and my boyfriend ordered a spinach roll and a cold brew, which he also enjoyed very much.  

Toby's Estate, Long Island City, Queens Outdoor Area

Initially, I thought I would never go back as it was about a 15-minute drive and although we found parking right out front immediately, I expected parking to be difficult.  However, it was such a great experience that I think this will be my coffee spot this summer. There were people on coffee dates, there were groups, and there were people sitting enjoying their coffee while reading or working on their laptops.  I plan to be just like those people often! I always think it's pretty unfortunate to have to travel so far for a nice coffee shop, so I'm still hoping that I'll find one I can walk to soon, but until then, I guess I'll be driving...To Toby's Estate.