{"id":2560,"date":"2020-09-24T19:31:19","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T02:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marvista.com\/Yukiko\/?p=2560"},"modified":"2020-09-30T22:49:31","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T05:49:31","slug":"2560","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marvista.com\/Yukiko\/en\/archives\/2560","title":{"rendered":"Cozy and tasty coffee shop in my neighborhood"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
<\/a>2+<\/span>\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t

Hi everyone!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No one knows when this pandemic will end.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, it is September now\u00a0\u3000Almost six months have passed since this pandemic started.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This summer in West Los Angeles, the weather wasn’t as hot as expected. It was more than 100F only a few days.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now, it is better to wear a jacket at night because the temperatures are much lower than the day time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The wildfires which have occurred every year have been expanding near a suburb of Los Angeles, and in the northern part of <\/span><\/p>\n

California as well. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just a few weeks ago, my ex-boss who lives in San Francisco, sent me a picture which was taken in his back yard.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The sky was orange, like Mars!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This photo was taken in the morning in San Francisco.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many people are suffering from asthma and respiratory problem from this air pollution. \u3000<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I hope that these wildfires will be stopped sometime soon\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Accidentally, I found a nice cafe\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Well, there are tons of cafes in Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, it is extremely hard to find a nice one which is close to my house, like I had in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When this pandemic started, I took a walk for my exercise almost every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I was getting bored when I walked the same, route so I tried a change one day.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I was walking on the street which I had never walked or driven by my car before, I found that many people were <\/span><\/p>\n

waiting in a line.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why these people are waiting?\u00a0 Then I found a sign of a coffee shop.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It’s called “Alana’s Coffee Roasters”.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This is the front of the shop.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wow! I didn’t notice that a nice caf\u00e9 is here. It was kind of a new discovery!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

People are standing in line, which means this coffee shop is tasty, so I waited in line too.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The menus are simple.\u3000<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The menus are simple.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cozy place!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, I go to this cozy comfortable coffee shop almost every week!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The reasons that I go once a week \u30fb\u30fb\u30fb<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2460 I can taste fresh and tasty coffee\uff01<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

They roast coffee beans every morning with their own roasting machine.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They never make drip coffee in advance. So customers can taste a fresh coffee every time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2461 It is close to my house after all!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I can walk to this place in approximately 20 minutes. \u3000<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sometimes I go there by car. They have free parking next to the shop.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
There is a free parking space next to the shop.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you cannot find a space to park, you can park on Venice Blvd. There are many metered parking spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2462 The staffs are friendly<\/span><\/span>\uff01<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The staffs are so friendly. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They talked to each customer nicely every time.\u3000<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Especially, Saad as the team leader, and a guy who takes care of their Social Networking named Ezekiel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They are both nice guys!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
He is one of the staff called Saad.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

They are not only friendly but also they are knowledgeable about coffee<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If I ask something about coffee, they explain specifically. So I love this place<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2463 The bakery is fresh and tasty\uff01<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We can get fresh pastries which<\/span>\u00a0are from some bakery shops close to Alana such as Hotcake Bakes in Culver City.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Many fresh pastries.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Everything is very delicious so every time I cannot easily decide which one to buy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, my favorite pastries are “Everything Croissant” and crispy “Morning Bans”\uff01<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This is “Everything croissant “with creamy cheese in it!<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Pirate’s chai and my favorite “Morning Bun”.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2464\u00a0There is a cozy patio\uff01<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now we cannot eat or drink inside a restaurant or caf\u00e9.\u00a0 Eating is only allowed outside on the patio.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, it is hard to find a comfortable and cozy place in my neighborhood\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If I find somewhere that has a nice patio, but just a few tables, it is always packed and I cannot be relaxed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, this place has a comfortable and cozy patio behind the shop.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
There is a cozy patio behind the shop.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Also, there are some big tables in front of the shop so you can spend a few hours and enjoy your time with a tasty coffee.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Some tables are in front of the shop as well.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

So I always bring a book and spend a relaxing time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The owners, Erick and Erin have a strong passion for coffee<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This\u00a0\u00a0Alana’s Coffee Roaster <\/strong>opened three years ago.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Actually, before this coffee shop was opened, one of the owners, Erick Stogsdill<\/span><\/strong> had his own booth at farmer’s markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
He is Erick Stogsdill.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

He sold coffee beans and coffee at the farmer’s markets for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the beginning, he used a popcorn machine to roast the coffee beans.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He taught customers how to drip a tasty coffee,\u00a0 and background information about coffee beans.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then, through word of mouth, his business was expanded greatly.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During that time, Erin Ward<\/span><\/strong> who has known Erick from before left her entertainment business and then started to open this great\u00a0<\/span>coffee\u00a0<\/span>shop with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
She is the other owner, Erin Ward.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

It took two years to prepare to be opened.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The name of “Alana” <\/span><\/strong>is from<\/span> Erick’s 15 years old daughter.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

She has been drinking coffee since she was 4 years old, so now she is a connoisseur of coffee.<\/span>\u00a0\u3000<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They sell coffee beans from places such as Guatemala or Ethiopia, which are imported directly from farms.<\/span>
\n\u203b<\/span>You can find specific information about each bean on their website.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When I talked to one of the staff, Ezekiel told me that Erick and all of the staff taste coffee beans through a broker.\u00a0 If they\u00a0<\/span>interested in some beans, they visit the farms directly.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They visit farms then see the cultivation situation, harvest situation, and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So all the staffs have a great skill of coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ezekiel told me that he is enjoying to study about coffee with shining eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Erick’s passion for coffee reflects on his staff and they are working with Erick with the same ambition.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Also, for example, Almond milk and pastries are from other companies that are close to Alana’s coffee. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They cooperate with local vendors.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Such as Hotcakes Bakes in Culver city.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are many artists, musicians, and painters in this area.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>So they collaborate to have a concert or exhibit with artists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

These are the fliers of the past events.<\/span><\/p>\n

It means community-based business.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I feel Erick and Erin’s business style are familiar to local people.\u00a0 So it’s always busy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Below is a video which Erick and Erin who were interviewed on KTLA Channel 5 (Los Angeles TV)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2193\u3000\u2193\u3000\u2193\u3000\u2193<\/span><\/p>\n