REAL trip report and first days in Phoenix

WARNING: Novel Ahead

So, I will give you a real trip report, sound good?  (of course I will focus on the coffee stops we made because that was the best)  ;)  I wrote this tuesday but didn't get to post it until today because I needed to get pictures up.

Day 1-  we got a late start because it took forevvvver to load the truck.  We completely filled the truck!  Our driver wasn't sure he was going to fit it all, because he had this stupid picnic bench in the back haha.  He is a nice guy though.  Anyway, we started driving around 9:30 PM and only got about an hour out to Terra Haute IN.  Our hotel in Terra haute sucked!  But, it was only one night...


Day 2- I woke up and had oatmeal at the breakfast buffet, and made coffee (I brought my French Press and a hand grinder for my beans).  Then we headed out for St. Louis.  We got there in about 3 hours and stopped for coffee at Northwest Coffee Roasters.  They roast right there in the store! I got a delish espresso, and the fam. enjoyed their drinks as well.  Quick note for anyone who happens to be a coffee geek as I am:  They had a PID'ed La Marzzoco Linea!  It was pretty sweet ;) 

Then we headed on to Oklahoma City.  We saw the memorial and it is absolutely breathtaking.  It is a memorial for the bombing that happened there and pictures speak louder than words so here you go:

Statue of Jesus crying

An artistic blur shot with the zoom of the 9:01 wall

Hotel was great tonight :)  Especially after an 11 hour day in the car!

Day 3-  We got up, I made my coffee and had breakfast when I realized that I had a coffee shop to go to!  (don't worry, I drank the french press later)  So we went to Coffee Slingers!  It was really good.  They had NO drip coffee, so they brewed a fresh French press for my dad, I had a great espresso, and my mom had a latte and my sister an iced chai.  Funny, because it was right next to a bike store so we had to go in to that as well!!

Synesso, I like it ;)

Then it was time to drive.  We dove about 8 hours and got to Albuquerque at a decent time to have dinner there.  The best food of the trip, we went to a sea food restaurant.  I got this:

and no, I didn't eat the fin! ;)

This hotel was also nice.

Day 4-  we woke up, and I went with my dad to a coffee shop I wanted to go to.  Turns out it is closed on Sundays.  Fail.  So we wasted about an hour trying to find it and it wasn't even open.  We went home and had breakfast.  I had oats and halfway through the bowl I realized it was missing something, so I went out to the car and grabbed my jar of PB.  It was quite funny, because I was in this restaurant with my coffee, a grinder, a jar of PB, all that I brought myself haha ;)  Well, it was time to get to the driving.  We drove another 8 hours through some beautiful scenery and a bit of traffic.  One point in New Mexico, we were at such a high altitude, the temperature was only 57!  Well that changed, by the time we got to Phoenix it was 100 at like 7:00.

curvy mountain roads

I love mountains!!

(Not much food was pictured because it consisted of fast food grilled chicken sandwiches for me, so not all that exciting.)

And of course the dogs enjoyed the trip ;)

haley with the tongue out

gretchen :)

Mini sleeping like a baby, how cute!

So, I have been in Phoenix 3 days so far, and I like it :)  The only problem is our apartment (until the house is finished) had the AC broke our first night there.  So we wake up to a 90 degree house, and are like what the heck.  So we called the landlord, who called a repair guy, and it got fixed around 4.  In the meantime, we stayed in shops and stuff as much as possible.  Then while my parents were moving things out of my dad's old apartment into our new one, my sister and I went to the pool by our soon to be house.  It was so great to just jump in the water!  The night was nice because the AC was fixed.  We all slept well.  Tuesday we woke up and ran a bunch of errands. One of which was very important!

So I went to a coffee shop on Monday called Press.  It is only about 4 miles from our new house, so I would LOVE to work there.  I got a application on Monday and returned it tuesday.  I met a manager who asked me a few casual questions and said he would pass on my application to his manger.  I think it is a good sign!  I am so so so excited  =D  She is going to call me, and I am assuming interview me. 

Every time we stopped home it got hotter and hotter in the house.  It turned out it was broken again, and the repair man couldn't come to fix it that night. So we packed up our things and went to my dad's apartment, that he still has until the 14th thank god!  We slept there in AC and hoped to get it fixed today.  Well, we are spending another night here because it isn't fixed!  And there is a heat advisory, as it is 110 today and going to get to 114 tomorrow.  so ya ,it needs to be fixed ASAP!  Fixed!! :}

The highlight of my day today was stopping by LUX coffee bar here in Phoenix.  It was hard to find (no sign on the front), but boy was it worth it!!  The atmosphere was unique and I liked it.  Very artsy, and very focused on incredible coffee and food.  Everyone there had Mac computers :)  They had a beautiful three group lever machine :)   I had a macchiato and it was fantastic.  That was one of the best shots of espresso I have had in quite a while!  So I bought another ;)  This time it was a straight shot and OMG it was delish!!  I would say it was the best shot I have had outside of Seattle, and it rivaled those :o

Espresso and mom's latte

Pulling a shot on the San Marco lever

(EDIT)  I went again today and got another shot of espresso, and the guy gave me a free one because it was a better pull than the first ;)  I got some pics today.

Well, I am off to go to the pool, try to catch up on more blogs, and relax some more ;)

Have a great day all!  You deserve it :]

Scott

P.S. if you are in any of these towns, I absolutely recommend you go to these coffee shops.  They are the best of the best and they all take their coffee very seriously.  It shows in the taste ;]

P.P.S I have a pic TT that I forgot to share, so here it is!

Quite an intense expression!