pour some sugar on....wait.

I am a cream and sugar kind of girl. I love a milky coffee with a bit of sugar to lessen the bitterness of drinking it black. That is until I tried Pour Cleveland.
This blog wasn't named Cup of Cleveland for nothing. I think I may have found it ladies and gentlemen. The best cup of coffee in Cleveland. You can find it located on Euclid in the heart of Downtown and part of the new shopping strip 5th Street Arcades.
 

Pour uses a very cool brewing method called Pour Over. I learned about this method and a handful of other ways to brew coffee by reading the Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee. If you aren't in the mood to read a big book on coffee, you can watch this little video here where the different methods including Pour Over are featured.

At Pour Cleveland, the coffee is brewed right in front of you. A single (or double if you bring a friend) cup is prepared while you pay. Of course, you can't have a great cup of coffee without a little treat. Choose from Brewnuts or the Cleveland Bagel Co, just to name a couple.

It is worth it to experience coffee as opposed to drinking that bland 60 second brewed cup we are so accustomed to now. Coffee can be so flavorful and delicious. After visiting Pour, you will see exactly what I mean. I even left out the cream and sugar.

(Ok I may have added a touch of cream half way through but guys, this is big).

To learn more about Pour Cleveland, visit the Facebook page or Twitter. Let me know if you love it as much as I do!

home.

I spent the past few weeks at home for Christmas break. While I was home, I decided to visit some new (and old) favorite spots in North Canton and Downtown Canton.

First, I made a trip to Ben Heggy's Candy Company to purchase a few pieces of their yummy chocolates. Heggy's has two locations in Canton and one in Alliance. The little diner on Tuscarawas has some of the best french fries and milkshakes. If you need further proof: the french fries are served with a little square of butter on top.....

I have heard a lot of great things about Muggswigz in Downtown Canton and as the creator of Cup of Cleveland I felt obligated to determine if the lattes lived up to the hype. My verdict? YES.

It was so much fun looking at the drink menu and all the unique combinations that were offered. I opted for a cinnamon and honey latte, Leslie chose the s'more variety and Chris had the classic cappuccino. The latte art was some of the better latte art I have seen in the US, and the taste was equally as impressive.  I understand why Muggswigz won third place in the 2013 America's Best Coffeehouse Competition.

A trip home wouldn't be complete without dinner at 91 Wood Fired Oven. After eating embarrassing amounts of the best bread with the 91 balsamic vinegar reduction, I ordered the blackened chicken with smoked Gouda risotto and a delicious raspberry balsamic drizzle. It was such a nice way to spend an evening home with my family and Chris.

Now that I am back in Cleveland, refreshed and ready to enjoy my last semester in college at John Carroll!

brunch is a verb.

The best meal of the day is brunch. It’s a fact. Not to be confused with breakfast or lunch, brunch is more than eating the same type of food around the same time. Brunch is elegant and classy, or it is relaxed and comfy. There is no need to wake up at some ungodly hour on the weekend to be sure you don’t miss the designated time slot of breakfast. No, brunch is better than that. Channel the Sex & the City ladies by wearing your favorite dress and gossiping, mimosa in hand. Other times, your only requirement is to don pajamas and sip on coffee until the early afternoon.

Brunch is simply enjoying the company of others over warm, delicious, sticky cinnamon buns and a savory quiche. What is not to love about that.

Needless to say, when I had my friends, Lindsay and Hagan coming to visit this past weekend, I knew brunch was in order. I made a reservation for us at Le Petit Triangle Café in Ohio City. I chose this Parisian café because I believe the French do brunch right.

It was a drizzly morning and we welcomed the warm, rich food. Lindsay and I ordered my favorite, Croque Madame with a latte. If you are not familiar, the menu description says it all: “ham, Gruyere and béchamel sauce served warm on grilled challah topped with a fried egg and served with potatoes.” Hagan ordered a savory crepe filled with egg, tomato and melty brie cheese.

The girls and I enjoyed our food and conversation over the chatter of the small café and the steady rain. The food was delicious, every bite took me back to my weekend in Paris!

I am IN LOVE with this place.

After finishing up brunch, we headed over to the West Side Market. If you haven’t been, it is a Cleveland must. The market is busiest on the weekends though, so be forewarned. Parking can be tough at noon on a Saturday. I would be interested to try coming back early in the morning or during the week.

Despite our challenges in parking, it was fun to visit the market. The vendors have the most unique and artisan foods. Adjacent to the main market is the produce section, full of colorful fruits and vegetables. It is a great place to pick up lunch or ingredients for a special dinner.

On our way back, we stopped at Luna’s to warm up with some coffee and a few macaroons. I tried raspberry with a chocolate crème and strawberry basil with a sweet, fluffy filling.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon between Legacy Village and Beachwood Place window shopping at stores like Lilly Pulitzer and the brand new Kate Spade. I also enjoy going into Lush at Beachwood to smell all the fun soaps. 

Of course, the only way to end such a great weekend is to light a few candles and read a book.

I guess what I am trying to say is go brunching this weekend and spend quality time with people you care about.

(yes, brunch is a verb.)

personal day.

I firmly believe in personal days. My definition of a personal day is as follows: minimal work, something fun, and time alone.
We spend the majority of our time with other people. Not that anything is wrong with that, I love being around other people. However, think about the last time you were by yourself for more than two or three hours. I mean really by yourself. The only people around you are complete strangers. It doesn't happen often and sometimes it is almost impossible with school or work or family. After my day Saturday, I encourage everyone to get out and do something by yourself.

This past weekend I woke up early and stopped at Presti's Bakery in Little Italy for a latte and chocolate filled croissant. My plan was to visit the new Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Uptown. I must admit, I was a little nervous about finding parking. (I actually parked and got out of my car before realizing I was blocking a fire hydrant...No wonder I was the only one that wanted that spot.) City driving is clearly not my forte.

However after driving around for about 10 minutes I found plenty of parking along the Wade Oval in front of the Cleveland Museum of Art just down the street from MOCA. 

The first Saturday of every month is free at the MOCA! Being the crazy girl that I am, I was the first person in the door. The museum itself has a really cool architectural design with big glass panels covering the entire building. During the day, the street is reflected in the facade, but at night, you can see inside to all the floors. 

 

I spent an hour or two wandering around the museum and talking to the employees. The art is definitely contemporary. There were some very unique pieces. At first I was a little disappointed because it didn't look as though there was much to see. I took my time admiring the pieces that were there and quickly realized there was A LOT to see once you started to look.
While it's no Louvre, the art just as compelling. It was fun to come up with my own meanings behind a piece of wood with a pot on it, and then read what the artist was envisioning as he created it. I love that nothing is obvious and everything is subjective. Modern art really takes an open mind and a willingness to reflect and question. After leaving the museum, I thought back to how naive it was of me to be expecting more. MOCA has a great approach to keeping their art collections new and fresh. I highly recommend visiting this museum any day of the week.

After leaving the MOCA, I headed back towards my car, stopping to check out Severance Hall and the Case Library on the way.

I can't park right outside the Cleveland Museum of Art and not go in. (its free 24/7 no excuses not to visit) This place has a lot of meaning to my family. On the most basic level, we love it because we love art. However, it is also the place my parents were engaged and one of the best stories.

Our favorite gallery is the Impressionism exhibit where Monet and Van Gogh are featured. I usually sit down the bench in front of Water Lilies. I love looking at the actual painting of our family room picture! After wandering through the galleries for another hour, I finally decided it was time to head back. I felt refreshed and glad to have had that time to myself.

I really believe in order to be happy, you have to be happy by yourself. It's hard finding the time to spend alone, but trust me. It is worth it.



rainy days.

I never understood why everyone gets so upset when rain is in the forecast. Of course there are days where you have plans to be outside and rain might not be ideal. Those are rare cases though.

East 4th

To me, a rainy day is a little treat. It's permission to be cozy, sip on coffee, and read. It's permission to work on a crafty project or write a blog post without feeling bad about not enjoying the sunshine and good weather.

Rain is peaceful and clean and makes things grow. I just love it.

So today, a rainy Sunday, I decided to head over to East 4th to Erie Island Coffee Company. I do my research on coffee in Cleveland, and I have heard awesome reviews about Erie Island. After ordering my latte, the reviews were confirmed.

The barista was friendly and the latte was perfectly made. The coffee beans were ground as I waited and the milk was poured to form beautiful latte art. The atmosphere here is my ideal rainy day spot. If you want the best coffee in Cleveland, it's here.

in the beginning.

Maple Walnut and Salted Carmel Macaroons are the cappuccino's best friend

It is only fair that my first post is dedicated to the place where it all began. I first noticed Luna Bakery & Cafe on my way back from downtown. As I rounded the corner from Cedar to Fairmount, I noticed this cute little bakery tucked into the line of shops. When I got back to school, I started a little list (I told you I love lists...you will see) in my phone. This list started as coffee shops to try. As I mentioned in my About Me page, I am on the HUNT for a perfect cappuccino.
While the cappuccino here is a bit frothy for my liking, it was still delicious. And I suppose it does fall under the American definition of a cappuccino. However, I have a feeling the latte may closer to what I am looking for. Stay tuned as my search continues......

Luna has the charm of a French bakery or pastry shop and the menu is perfect. Homemade soups, crusty fresh bread, and a variety of sweet or savory crepes. So far I have tried one of each, a Fresh Mozarella, Turkey, Basil Pesto and Tomato Buckwheat Crepe and the Crepe Au Natural with Cinnamon Sugar and Maple Syrup. The pastries are delicious as determined by my sampling of the Almond Croissant and Whole Grain Croissant. As you may have guessed, Luna has turned out to be a popular spot for me to return to. It's the perfect place to catch up with a friend or spend the afternoon reading. I plan to do a few more pieces on Luna in the coming weeks, but for now I'll leave you to drool over the delicious Curry Tomato Carrot Soup with a dollop of Lemon Crème Fraîche

So maybe leaving your mouth watering wasn't fair. Here is the website so you can get yourself a crepe...or two.