At Least the Coffee's Good

I've been to Fins a few times now. The first time was right when it opened. I had gone with friends and we were delighted to find another coffee spot with games already provided, as we enjoy a bit of completion with our caffeine. It was also cute when our coffee came with an animal cookie on the side. So I went back, even though there is no wireless, to support the new Fins Coffee.

My second and third visits didn't leave much of an impression, perhaps because they were the run in and out kind, and our drinks were not much to write home about.

So on Monday when I had to go downtown I figured I would give it another shot (pun intended), as I had some reading to do, and it didn't look to be overly populated.

I walked up to the counter and placed my order, "a large white chocolate mocha with mint" The reply was a weird look from the barista, followed by, "$5.15" Okay, I go to coffee shops daily, and I never ever pay that much for any coffee. But, what could I do aside from choke as I handed over the cash. As I made my way to a table I had to squeeze past the only other two people in the place, as the tables are all behind the one they were at. Sitting down I comforted myself with the thought that at least I will get my animal cookies. But then they called my drink, I made my way back past the other two people who made no effort to make my journey any less awkward, and found my very small "large" drink sitting all alone on the counter no little critters in sight. Back at the table I tasted the expensive mis-sized drink and thought, "at least the coffee's good."

Sadly good coffee was just not enough for me. The overwhelmingly loud spastic Jazz music, combined with the closeness of the tables made it impossible to concentrate. I would say the decor is fine, but the set up of the place, is just awkward. I guess the final straw was when I figured out that I was in fact sitting beside the owner, and it was he whom I had to pass by. I would have thought that perhaps the owner would go the extra mile to make the guests visit as simple and easy as possible. One would also hope that he would notice the overwhelming music and do something about it. All in all it is safe to say Fins did not rank high in my book.

I give it a 4

Chillax

Sitting atop Margaritaville in Capitola Village is Mr. Toots a local coffee shop that has been in this same beach side local for over 26 years. What is great about this place is the relaxed vacation like feel that you get going there. There is a tiny and I mean tiny outside patio that overlooks the beach, but inside there is lots of seating and even boardgames in case you actually came to a coffee shop to play instead of work. You will also find many local artists works on display as well as local musicians playing in the evenings.

The coffee not bad, not great either. I have heard that they have great tea, which they seem to have an abundance of. There are some tasty treats to be had if you are in the mood. And they will pour espresso over gelato when they actually have gelato. (sometimes they are out, which is sad.) All in all I would recommend Mr. Toots for a small gathering of friends. If you are local you may want to wait till summer has wound down as you can imagine or may know there are way too many tourists this time of year and parking can be tricky. They do have wireless for those of you who want to know, but this is not the most conducive place to study as the tables are all somewhat tipsy.

If you are not a coffee or tea person, I am not sure why you read this far, but there are plenty of other good places to explore in Capitola Village, which I am sure I will do in future blogs, but feel free to branch out on your own. Zelda's is a great place to start if you are unsure.

The Office

Lets be honest it is this logo that was going to keep me from ever setting foot in Coffee Cat. I mean the thought of a cat in a cup isn't exactly appetizing. Who wants to drink from that cup? I don't, but I do want to drink from a Coffee Cat Cup oh just about anytime. I don't know what it was that got me through the door, but I am oh so thankful that I set aside my snobbery and silly ideas about graphic designs.

Coffee Cat has become what I fondly refer to as "the office". Why? Because it is where I get a vast majority of my work done. I am so much more productive while sipping on a Cappuccino Royal than when I am in my real office. What is a Cappuccino Royal? I am so glad you asked. It is the nectar of the gods, yes it is that good. It is like a normal cappuccino, except that in a small there is three shots instead of the normal two. Simply a much stronger dose of my drug of choice (caffeine). If you are not afraid to live on the edge (may cause cancer) then I suggest that you order one and add two packets of sweet and low. You won't be sorry. Unless of course you get cancer, in which case I am so sorry and I did warn you.

Why else is Coffee Cat my home away from home? Because the barista's are amazing. They are. Not only do they know how to make a fantastic Royal, they can decorate the top with nifty designs in the foam. Besides the fancy coffee skills they all seem to be nice friendly people. They greet people warmly and if you are a regular they know what you want and sometimes have it for you before you can order. Joe the manager is fantastic at his job. He takes pride in what he does, making sure to live up to the owners high standards. The place is always clean, and the shelfs are kept just show. If you are into supporting local artists than that is just one more reason you should check out Coffee Cat, because the walls are always changing. Local artists display their masterpieces for you to enjoy whilst you sip your coffee.

Coffee Cat is not in Downtown Santa Cruz, you will find it in Scotts Valley next door to Safeway. But never fear, for those of you who don't find yourself up in the SV area often you will be pleased to know that LuLu Carpenters as well as the new LuLu's at the Octagon are owned by the same man and carry the same great coffee. They both have their own style, but you can be sure that the coffee will be excellent. For those of you who would rather sip on something less acidic don't you worry your pretty little selves because they also carry a wide variety of tea. My favorite tea is the Oolong Songbird. Odd name but tasty tea non the less.