In LA: Sipping Ice Coffees @ Alfred's Coffee in Melrose!

This Sunday I visited an amazing coffee shop in Melrose with my sister, LA called Alfred's Coffee {Melrose Place} and I was blown away by the atmosphere, coffee, and pastries!

"Alfred's Coffee was definitely a unique and bold coffee shop filled with mind blowing coffee and genuine pastries, it is a must stop for coffee!"

The famous But first, coffee sign spotted as you fall in line to order! Very Instagram worthy!

The Food & Ordering:

Once stepping in Alfred's one can be greeted by a long, but yet fast line of eager coffee lovers ready to drink their iced lattes. It seems like the ordering part was so fast because you get so immense in the artwork and atmosphere of Alfred's before you know it, your in the front of the line. While at Alfred's my sister and I both ordered iced vanilla lattes and a ham and cheese pastry, coming out to around $20. The food came out fast and was just pure heaven! The lattes were so amazing, it had such a clean and slightly caramel taste that I just loved. The ham and cheese was so fulling and the ham was juicy and real! Food was worth every cent!

The Atmosphere: 

Alfred's Coffee is definitely a worthy coffee shop, while the prices may be a little up there, it also pays for the environment. From it's but first, coffee sign to it's green outdoor seating, Alfred's is a great place to go with friends or family!

My iced vanilla latte photographed behind one of Alfred's many picture worthy walls!

Final Thoughts:

I LOVE Alfred's Coffee in Melrose and I'll definitely be back! It was great coffee shop, hip and urban, it is the perfect place to try if your looking to get something beyond the usual Starbucks :)

If you know any other great cafes in LA and if you are interested in visiting Alfred's be sure to tell me in the comments! Happy Weekend!

Find Alfred's Coffee: 

1.) Alfred's Coffee {Melrose Place} 8428 Melrose Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90069 (Yelp)

2.) Alfred's Coffee {In The Alley} 8509 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (Yelp)

3.) Alfred's Coffee {Brentwood} 11908 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049 (Yelp)  

Waiting on Wednesday (#83) - Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

Waiting on Wednesday is Hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine

Goodreads Summary: Eight years ago, Addie Webster was the victim of the most notorious kidnapping case of the decade. Addie vanished—and her high-profile parents were forced to move on.

Mark Webster is now president of the United States, fighting to keep the oval office after a tumultuous first term. Then, the unthinkable happens: the president’s daughter resurfaces. Addie is brought back into her family’s fold, but who is this sixteen-year-old girl with a quiet, burning intelligence now living in the White House? There are those in the president’s political circle who find her timely return suspicious.

When the NSA approaches Darrow Fergusson, Addie’s childhood best friend and the son of the president’s chief of staff, he doesn't know what to think. How could this slip of a girl be a threat to national security? But at the risk of having his own secrets exposed by the powerful government agency, Darrow agrees to spy on Addie.

It soon becomes apparent that Addie is much more than the traumatized victim of a sick political fringe group. Addie has come with a mission. Will she choose to complete it? And what will happen if she does?

Why I'm Waiting For It: I absolutely love reading or even watching movie when it involves the government, the president, and tons of action and suspense! Addie sounds like a great protagonist and the whole plot line is thrilling and I know should be action - packed! So far, tons of great reviews and I cannot wait for this!

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei hits shelves January 12, 2016 from Disney-Hyperion! 

Find Zero Day On:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads 

Tragic & Likeable:Trouble - Non Pratt

Trouble by Non Pratt
Date Released: March 6, 2014
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Pages: 384 pages
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Series: Standalone!

Goodreads Synopsis: In this dazzling debut novel, a pregnant teen learns the meaning of friendship—from the boy who pretends to be her baby’s father.

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”

Told in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, Trouble is the story of two teenagers helping each other to move forward in the wake of tragedy and devastating choices. As you read about their year of loss, regret, and hope, you’ll remember your first, real best friend—and how they were like a first love. 

From Goodreads

Trouble by Non Pratt was a book I really wanted to like, but it just ended up as a book to finish to get off my TBR pile. While it had it's golden moments (such as the protagonist and her new found friend) it gets bogged down by a boring story line and lack of characterization. But overall, the book had a great message about finding those true friends and who will be there when life becomes hard.

The book begins with Hannah, who is 15 and pregnant. As she navigates high school, her pregnancy becomes a big issue, affecting herself, friends, and family. Her best friend, Katie starts to become more mean and her family becomes distant. I enjoyed how the book wasn't full on about Hannah being pregnant from page one, but transitioned to her journey. The book also splits POV with young, new boy named Aaron who seems to care for Hannah. I thought that Aaron was a great supporting character to Hannah, he seemed to bring out things from Hannah she never experiences and say things she never saw her self saying. The characterization on Hannah and Aaron was great, just wished Pratt developed the other characters more. Also, the plot needed more layers and longer chapters to further the story.

Just like with any pregnancy YA novels, the protagonist makes the choice to do an abortion, adoption, or keep the baby. I won't be giving away spoilers but I thought Hannah's choice was very brave and right. The father of the baby also is brought up in the book that comes at a total shock!

Overalll, Trouble by Non Pratt was a good novel, definitely should be read by teens to show teenage pregnancy has an BIG effect on one's life. Unique and powerful, Trouble by Non Pratt was a book that explores family and friend relationship, no matter the current situation. 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

In LA: My Trip to Caffe Bene!

Last week, I visited a great cafe in LA called Caffe Bene, and I knew I had to post a review up on the blog, on a new meme called "In LA" where I'll be featuring food, entertainment, and eventful places in LA. 

Caffe Bene was hip, cozy, and perfect for sipping upon artistic lattes!

While at Caffe Bene with my cousin, I decided to drink a mocha latte (of course for a Instagram pic), but I actually never had art latte! The latte was perfect - not too bitter and not too sweet, it was a perfect balance. 

Overall, I absoultey loved Caffe Bene. While the price were slightly higher than Starbucks, it definitely pays for the atmosphere and drinks. I'll be sure to head back to Caffe Bene! Be sure to stop by this amazing cafe when in LA!


Find Caffe Bene:
1.) 3287 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 384-3713 (Yelp)
2.) 607 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005 (213) 251-1022 (Yelp)