Sip Stir Coffee- Highland Village Location

Just a few months ago I got lucky enough to get a month’s worth of free drinks at Sip Stir Coffee thanks to Dallasite101 and this gave me the opportunity to participate in the grand opening of the coffee shop at the Highland Village location.

And although Sip Stirr coffee in Uptown has really become a staple in the Dallas coffee community, their new location in Highland Village (near Lewisville and Flower Mound), is such a dream and carries as much caffeinated magic as its home location. I’d like to share just a few of the many reasons why this coffee shop is the best place to be.

Be relaxed…

Comfy couches, chairs and stools, this place has cozy vibes written all over it. Aside the beautiful aesthetics, the atmosphere is very relaxed and welcoming. If you’re experiencing a horribly hectic day, this place is an oasis of calm. Come have a drink and let your thoughts free. Better yet, grab a book and wear your yoga pants too because you’re going to want to stay a while.

Be studying…

I wished this was here when I was going to school up in Denton. If you’re a college student at UNT, TWU, or NCTC in Corinth, count yourself lucky. What’s better than amazing cup of coffee while you have a study session with some of your now, life-long-best-friends? There are plenty of plugs for your laptops and phone chargers, and long tables for big groups.

Be social…

I love when coffee shops offer more than they need to. Because truly it should always be about the quality of the coffee. Anything else you get from the place is a reflection the exceeding passion and commitment local business owners have to provide service to their costumers.

What if you just wanted to have a chill day with your girls, or boys, or maybe you need a place to meet a client, or perspective employee for an interview? Well here you can –be social, even if it is in a casual or even professional way.

Be Caffeinated…

I don’t have to really say much about their coffee because I’m sure you get enough of it on my IG. But just to give you a “taste”… Sip Stir offers signature and seasonal drinks, all year long. Their coffee-passionate baristas are welcoming and will guide you through the menu so that you can find the drink that is meant for you. My favorite, which has made it to my Top 5, is the coconut pie latte. I prefer mines with oat milk, it is much sweeter and gives it a more dense texture. Order it hot or cold, its perfect.

Many the signature drinks are made of homemade syrups, which is really easy to do but difficult to get right, and honestly Sip Stir nails it every time.

Their coffee partners sometimes change from time to time, and in my opinion that’s one of the best things about Sip Stir. Right now they are serving Counter Culture Coffee, but one of their more permanent coffee roasters are Coffee Del Rey.

So come, be part of journey.

If you decide to visit, tag me in every picture – it makes me happy!

Let’s talk, I want to hear all about your own coffee addiction! And if you liked my post please hit like to this post, follow my blog and comment your thoughts. If you have time go visit my personal Instagram page, click here.

Also follow me on Yelp so that you have all the details on the coffee shops I will be visiting. Click Here for Yelp

-Xo Monica H

Hola Cafe – Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas

Most of us are aware of the new kid in town, Hola Coffee, who set up camp in the Oak Cliff Streets of Bishop Arts District. Apparently they love Mondays and so do we, now — because they bring us fast, on-the-go coffee shops early in the morning! This Micro coffee shop has gained very fast popularity through instagram and I want to share with you what it is about this coffee shop that makes it worth visiting!

Coffee, coffee, delicious coffee!

First thing’s first, coffee is delicious here!

You ever feel like, when you need something you can’t find it, and when you don’t need it, there it is? It’s hard enough to find a place that has coffee the moment that you need it, having too look for some that’s actually good is almost impossible. Hola cafe makes delicious coffee, and because their a micro cafe I would bet that they’ve mastered how to make speedy fast coffee without losing of a smooth and balance tasting, quality espresso!

Aesthetically pleasing perks on-the-go!

Millennial need a quick picture of their coffee before clocking into work? This coffee shop is aesthetically pleasing so you won’t lose the perks of coffee selfies. I know this is one of those “did you really have to add it to the blog?” kinds of things, but trust me — you were just wondering and I let you know. Mondays can be rally hard in general, and it’s not because it’s not the weekend, but there is so many tasks ahead of us throughout the week. At least at Hola you’ll have a good start to your morning before you get up and go!

Positive vibes only

The atmosphere of this tiny coffee shop is clean, airy, refreshing and filled with positivity. The fact that they love Mondays is already an optimistic view we must surround ourselves with more often, don’t you think?

The vibe is calming, and because of its closed in space, you’ll be comforted by the coffee aromas even if its just for the few minutes you’re in to order.

Let’s talk, I want to hear all about your own coffee addiction! And if you liked my post please hit like to this post, follow my blog and comment your thoughts. If you have time go visit my personal Instagram page, click here.

Also follow me on Yelp so that you have all the details on the coffee shops I will be visiting. Click Here for Yelp

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-Xo Monica H

White Rock Coffee – Royal Ln Dallas, TX

When I use to live in the North Dallas area, I paid for the convince of the Dallas North Tollway. I can’t imagine driving to work in the morning without going that route, traffic here is horrific!

But even still, what could be a 15 minute drive always ended up being a 45 minute drive. Running on a time crunch left me little time for local coffee. Starbucks is always “convenient” but their lines are so long sometimes, and the app can be tricky to manage while on the road.

If you live in the North Dallas area, and come across Royal Lane a lot while on your way to work, here’s a coffee shop that you will love to make a pitstop at:

Conveniently opened at 6 AM, you’ll never feel like you’re running late to work, EVER! It is a very thoughtful sit-down shop, but if you’re literally running to work, this place is almost a hidden gem so you won’t be standing in a long wait line to get your freshly brewed and delicious roast of hot coffee!

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The decor is simple, cute, cozy and really brings in an open environment. You won’t feel like you’re at another Starbucks what so ever. The best part is that White Rock Coffee has multiple locations around the Dallas area, just in case you get hooked after being a first-time visitor at the Royal/Preston Location. All of their locations are personal, fast, and made for those that need the On-The-Go coffee!

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If you’re running so late to your next stop that you can’t even think about what to order, don’t worry! Their unique menu offers seasonal and signature drinks you’ll want to try regardless of what you’re in the mood for. And the baristas are super nice and helpful. They’ll surely calm your nerves. I recommend trying the Adam Bomb, White Rocker or a classic cappucino!

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Maybe an early day plan fell through, or you’re heading home early from work (which never happens, lets be honest) but you’re not wanting to start the evening’a lazy-fest… WRC offers comfortable and simple seating areas. You can have the small tables all to your self, decide to hide inside the nooks by the windows, or if you’re feeling extroverted, meet a stranger by the bar!

That’s as simple as it gets when you’re on the go. You don’t need an overdone, overdecorated coffee shop when all you are looking for is a delicious coffee to wake your spirits up!

If you decide to visit, tag me in every picture – it makes me happy!

Let’s talk, I want to hear all about your own coffee addiction! And if you liked my post please hit like to this post, follow my blog and comment your thoughts. If you have time go visit my personal Instagram page, click here.

Also follow me on Yelp so that you have all the details on the coffee shops I will be visiting. Click Here for Yelp

Xo – Monica H

Houndstooth Coffee – Walnut Hill, Dallas, Tx

Hey friends,

 

Super stoked to talk about Houndstooth coffee! During my staycation, this place was a convenient spot to stop and take a break at. Just by taking a look at their website you’ll see this place is very popular and all over the hipster-saturated cities here in Texas, Austin and Dallas. They have 4 locations in Austin, so if you’re visiting there is no way you won’t have time to get to one of em. Here in Dallas, there are three locations, Henderson Avenue, Sylvan and Walnut Hill. Although I find Henderson Avenue being the most popular, the Walnut hill has just another character of its own that I’m really digging! The super small tree-house-like coffee shop has a swagger of its own that really attract numerous of people, despite the limited space.

For one, Houndstooth Coffee is no-joke one the most serious coffee shops in Dallas, hands down. They do not take their coffee lightly (both no pun and pun intended). They are locally brewed and their barista’s represent Houndstooth with pride by always staying on top of the coffee trends and crafting coffee in ways that many coffee shops don’t know how. They are the stylish creatives of the industry, always finding ways to make coffee a fashion statement, for lack of better words. Houndstooth is both committed to the coffee they serve and the community they serve to. Even this “almost missed by sight,” small coffee shop can curate to the biggest crowds due to their passion and I find that astonishing and admirable.

Now lets get to why this place made it to my list? I mentioned the convenience of the coffee shop’s location earlier and its true that the Walnut Hill location is probably the best location to have such a small and relaxed coffee shop here in the North Dallas area. They don’t need to be in the middle of everything that is happening in Dallas in order to attract the “right” crowd. Both coffee drinkers and coffee enthusiasts get the pleasure of coming to Houndstooth Walnut Hill. Funny story, I was actually at Civil Pour before I walked into Houndstooth. I’ve been here before, might as well come again, right? But it’s more than just convenience. It’s experience.

The barista is a freakin coffee nerd, to say in the most loving way, I loved his expertise. I had a cortado with floral notes, and to be honest I didn’t have much of an idea of what that meant but,  thanks to this guy, I do now. Their coffee is super strong, its bitter in the best of ways, and it will make your pupils dilate seconds after taking the first sip. But you get those notes I’m talking about. The cortados floral note was very light, which meant to me it didn’t leave your tongue with the nasty “burnt coffee bean” after-taste that most coffees carry. No Joke. Nothing better than a coffee that can work the true magic of its purpose, huh? Even though the coffee menu looks slim and limited, you don’t need to want anything other than what the baristas recommend. And it’s okay to ask dumb questions here like, “what is that?” because they actually want to tell you.

So what if you’re not into the strong coffee or what if you’re not a coffee enthusiast but want to just capture the right picture? Well, they have this cutest sign of the word COFFEE that has become super popular and a signature to their location. Everyone knows where you’re at when you see this sign on Instagram. Seriously, anyone’s instagram can be transformed by a pic like that don’t you think?

I love the style of their coffee shop, although it’s very minimalistic for my personal taste. I think for the sizing of the shop, the modern and minimalistic fits perfectly. I see how clean it is, and there are details here and there that make you feel connected but not overwhelmed. The windows really make this place open and liberating, so that if you did get lucky enough to find a seat, you could feel revitalized by the sun’s brightness. They have a separate area where you can find tables to work on your own, away from the barista’s just in case they get rowdy.

My only issue with the place really is the space. Like I’ve said, I do admire that they can continue to attract the number of people they do with such a little tiny coffee house, but when it comes to feeling comfortable and productive, my personal opinion is that you won’t find any of those two here. I don’t if it was just those guys’ preferences, but they were standing… and so was I. The area where you can move away and find a table still continues to be to small, and bring out too much competition for a table that I rather not deal with. If it wasn’t too hot, I’d be outside by the benches, which at least they do have.

Overall, this place is an oasis for many. Small enough to escape for a second, big enough to get the job down of being a coffee shop. There is creativity floating around and you can feel it. But most of all, their coffee carries classiness and signature tastes that are incomparable. I mean, just look at Victor’s face!

Let’s talk, I want to hear all about your own coffee addiction! And if you liked my post please hit like to this post, follow my blog and comment your thoughts. If you have time go visit my personal Instagram page, click here.

Also follow me on Yelp so that you have all the details on the coffee shops I will be visiting. Click Here for Yelp

 

 

-Xo Monica H

Staycation Series: 10 Dallas coffee shops in a week.

Sup! and

Good evening,

I realized just recently that my tagline can say so much about my blog without even having to write a single post. When I first started blogging (really not too long ago but you know what I mean) I didn’t think much of what my tagline had to say about my site. I found it very inspirational that I was able to say “former meat eater finding ways to honor my body as the Temple of God” but then I realized along this blogging-process, that I have written very little, if nothing at all, about how I am a former meat eater. My husband brought to my attention last night that my tagline also states “all while looking for the next stop to drip my coffee”. This area of my life is genuinely true. I am authentically and passionately always looking for a new place I can have coffee at. I’m not a drug user, but some would argue that I am addicted.

I’m on a twelve-day vacation which I desperately needed. Unlike a lot of bloggers that I follow and admire, I am not a full-time blogger. That isn’t by choice by the way. I work a regular, full-time, 8-5 job Monday through Friday, and I binge-drink coffee, amongst other stuff, during the weekends mostly. Actually I take that back. I drink coffee every day, but I don’t blog every day, is what I mean. Who has time to blog during the week??? Welp. This is my opportunity because Vic and I decided to make zero traveling plans this time around. He suggested we try to experience a more low-key, relaxed time off from work by being tourists of our own city.

This means:

1. I finally updated my tagline because lets face it, my dream isn’t to write about how I don’t eat meat. My dream is to write myself into my own happiness.
2. When people have asked “what’s your dream date?” I’ve said certain things, but when people have asked “what is your dream staycation?” I’ve said “coffee.”

Dallas-based blogger firmly believing that I can write my way into my own future all while looking for the next stop to drip my coffee.

As I am writing this I’ve realized that realistically I can only go to about 10 coffee shops this week. As much as I love coffee, I don’t think I could physically spend an entire day drinking coffee just so that I can tell you how it went. It would just go bad. BUT I’m going to try! For the longest I have saved and bookmarked all the coffee shops I’ve either slowly tried, or have wanted to and just haven’t had enough time, in the last 5 years of living in Dallas, to do so. So here’s to a challenge that will truly spark joy in me and hopefully it will spark interest in you.

My hope for this so called series in my blog is to be able to connect with fellow coffee lovers, especially here in Dallas, and really guide them to the best coffee that this town has to offer. I want you to see all the words I can come up with talking only about coffee. Coffee coffee coffee. Yup. And if you don’t drink coffee, still read. I’ll give you insights on the shops that I visit as well. Are they the type of coffee shop that will allow your brain to fit an entire semester’s worth of notes in one night? Or will they force you to plug your headphones in? Do they offer delicious “treat-yo-self” parties? Or maybe they will have you participate on a “diet-while-you’re-here” green-smoothie party? I’m really excited about this friends, and I hope you are too. For now, just start sharing and tell all your friends I’m coming for that coffee!

 

 

 

Let’s talk, I want to hear all about your own coffee addiction! And if you liked my post please hit like to this post, follow my blog and comment your thoughts. If you have time go visit my personal Instagram page, click here.

Also follow me on Yelp so that you have all the details on the coffee shops I will be visiting. Click Here for Yelp

 

Xo – Monica H

 

S1:E6 Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Latte [Vegan]

Good morning and Good Friday my friends!

I’m going to pretend no one reading this blog actually knows me. Although we all know sisters, best friends, and maybe even coworkers are sitting on the other side of this screen.  Today’s post is exciting to me because it’s about COFFEE!! You should know this about me, I love me some good and hot [sometimes iced] black liquid pleasure. I won’t get carried away and talk about my first encounter with coffee but, I will say that it is no longer a source of survival but a lifestyle choice. My husband is assured I don’t love coffee and I’m just addicted to it. He’s calling me a coffee junkie. That’s

Honestly, if I need to be addicted to anything in this world, I think its Califia Farms. We talked about Califia Farms on one of my last posts and guess what, it’s so good it had to be brought up for a second round! This time, its Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Latte, made with the one and only Almond Milk. Does anyone else love almond milk as much as I do? I think I love things too much. Oops.

This drink is soy free, dairy free, BPA free, gluten free, Kosher, carrageen free, and vegan. Califia is known for their delicious and healthy beverages who support and promote a healthy plant based diet. I’m all about plant based diets, healthy eating, healthy drinking, healthy living and Coffee. *grin on my face* I went to Target last night, nothing related to all things pumpkin spice, but instead of buying the gorgeous black jacket I wanted to get, I found this gem. I’m not entirely sure how new it is to the Pumpkin Spice fad, but Califia sure did a great job inventing a new item for the season.

MY TAKE…

Honestly, it’s delicious. It taste like Pumpkin Spice milk. Yes. Milk. Unfortunately it doesn’t have enough of the bitter coffee flavor I was anticipating. When I see the word latte I automatically think, “Well it might not be strong” considering the higher content of milk lattes are made of but, I was hoping that the cold brew would have stood out a bit more. After I took it home and had a sip, I read the label in the back (always read labels before buying the product, FYI) I see that this is a very mildly caffeinated beverage. It has less than 50 mg of caffeine. That isn’t even the normal amount of caffeine a usual espresso contains. BUT WHATEVER. I can deal, I guess.

Focusing on the pumpkin spice aspect, I would say YES it passes the All Things Pumpkin Spice. It meets all of MY requirements. If you take a small sip and just let your taste buds analyze it a little, it taste very identical to the Starbucks PSL, except better. The pumpkin is there, and the spices leave a delicious aftertaste. My recommendation when trying this would be to maybe add it to cold brewed coffee, kind of just like you would add syrup and almond milk to the any other latte. Especially if you’re a coffee junkie like me, you’ll want more of a coffee than an almond milk flavor.

Lastly, I would also recommend putting it in a cup full of ice. The beverage is not as thick as the Califia Farms Half and Half we talked about last time, it’s very thin just like your normal cup of almond milk but I think just like every other latte, too much of it will get sickening pretty quickly.  Although, an 8oz drink contains 80-90 calories, so if you usually get a Grande at Starbucks, that’s about 180 calories with ice compared to the new Iced PSL from Starbucks that contains over 200-370 calories! YIKES! *Cringe*

If you pick up the courage to go try one, please leave a comment below on your own thoughts because I would love to hear them! Links are below if you want to purchase your own, you brave soul.

 

Xo – Monica H

Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew Latte

P.S. I’d love to meet you on Instagram, follow me here

               And if you loved this post please consider sharing it on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram! xoXo

 

 

 

S1:E4 Central Market H-E-B Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Cookies

Hello fellow pumpkin spice eaters. Its cheat day!

I have a great delicious sweet treat for you this morning. I know you’ve been working hard at the gym trying to get that summer body back in shape. But what for if its fall season NOW?! Just kidding, stay healthy.

Like I said, you’ve been working hard and now you deserve a sweet treat. Therefore, I have two questions for you today.

Do you like all things pumpkin spice? YES. Do you like Oreo cookie? YES. If you answered yes to these questions like I did, then these cookies are going to be the best option for you on your cheat day. They are a great combo – Oreo cookie meets Pumpkin Spice.  I am OBSESSED. SHOOK.

This morning I paired my cookies with an almond milk double shot espresso iced beverage. The box advertises it with milk. Your choice! But I will warn you, these cookies unfortunately do contain milk, wheat, and soy products. They are not vegan and they are also not labeled “healthy” on my radar. They are delicious nonetheless and taste like all things pumpkin spice.

So what makes this cookie better than any other? I would say, the cookie part of this treat is crisp, almost like a wafer, but not. The cookie wafer has the cinnamon and nutmeg spices while the cream cheese filling has the pumpkin flavor. Compared to like the Oreo’s seasonal version of the pumpkin spice cookie, this one is best because it is not all blended together and confusing to your taste buds. Many reviews show that the Oreo sandwich cookie is on point with the pumpkin but missing a lot of the spices.

H-E-B’s Central Market really did a number on this one, it doesn’t have the too-sweet taste that can be overpowering at times. And the best part is that two small cookies is all you need. They are actually pretty filling considering most small, sweet indulgences leave you feeling empty and unsatisfied. For those who are watching their figure, I would say this is the best cookie option for you this fall. You can even dip it in almond milk and let the cookie soften if you wish. At least, that is what I love to do with these.

This post is going to be pretty short. I’m not sure how much I can sell this cookies to you. They are great, delicious and actually have the pumpkin spice taste we are all seeking to find in this blog. You truly need to try one or two if you have an H-E-B Central Market in your area. You can also click on the link below to find other pumpkin spice sandwich cookies at other grocery stores. Don’t forget to like and comment down below and tell me your take on them.

Xo – Monica H

Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Cookies

Central Market PS Sandwich Cookies

Oreo Seasonal PS Sandwich Cookies

7- Eleven Pumpkin Spice Cookies – not available online

P.S. I’d love to meet you on Instagram, follow me here

               And if you loved this post please consider sharing it on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram! xoXo

S1:E3 Califia Farms Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer [Vegan]

Welcome, welcome! Grab a seat and get cozy.

When I began my fitness journey last year, I was very dissatisfied to hear that many people feel the need to give up coffee in order to feel successful in their weight loss. And for a while, I was part of that group of people. I think that lasted about 3 weeks, but I gave up. There’s also the small group of rebels that decide to keep their coffee and instead drink it black so that there are no added calories in their drinks. We call those the #basicbitches of the fitness world (I, included).

As I was losing weight, and continuing to drink coffee, I was in search of ways to make my coffee tasteful without adding all of those unhealthy calories, all of the unhealthy cow milk, and all of those artificial flavors! Thus, viola! I discovered this gem.

Califia Farms is well known for producing “good-for-the-world foods” and focuses on a “plant-based food system” in order to make the world healthier! Get. It. girl (meaning Queen Califia). I love this because we do need more plant-based foods to fill our souls and tummies. Their drinks are dairy-free, mainly almond-milk products that are also verified VEGAN. *check mark*

Half and half creamer is usually made of equal parts whole cow’s milk and light cream. This is no different. BUT IT IS. To top this season’s Pumpkin Spice series, I wanted to share their Califia Farms Vegan Pumpkin Spice Creamer with half almond milk and half coconut creamer. This creamer is vegan, BPA free, gluten-free, Kosher and carrageenan-free. What better way to lose weight, be healthy and drink coffee all at the same time. WINNING…

MY THOUGHTS:

 When I opened this up it literally woke my olfactory receptors up and the sense of flavor was “PUMPKIN SPICE EVERYTHING”. Yes, it literally smells like all things pumpkin spice. *heart eyes here, please*.

When I first tried it I made the mistake to add it to my iced Americano and… Nope. Because this drink has coconut cream, it tends to be chunky. I was able to stir it long enough to make the chunks disappear, but one teaspoon wasn’t really enough. And when is it ever, really? So I decided to add two more scoops, and stirred a little. I think it improved in flavor.

Next time I tried it I brewed some hot delicious coffee. I added about 2.5 table spoons of the Califia Farms PS creamer and honestly it was SO MUCH BETTER. I guess I’m still learning the coffee life because creamer never tends to go well with iced coffees. I don’t know, really. Honestly. I don’t.

I took it to work the next day and all my fellow coffee lovers and drinkers made it disappear in like 5 minutes. YUMM.

This creamer is ALL THINGS PUMPKIN SPICE with a small, very tiny exception. The smell is definitely stronger than the flavor. I’m not sure if a little could go a long way here. Especially if you find yourself pouring it over an espresso drink. Otherwise, it is a healthier alternative to regular half and half or even heavy cream. C’mon! And may I add that if you already don’t like coconut cream you probably won’t even feel curious to try it. The thing is, you can’t even taste the usual coconut flavor. It tastes like spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin puree. Try it! And as Shia LaBeouf tells us – DO IT. Just do it!

Xo – Monica H

 

 

P.S. If you tried it, before or after reading this post please, please, please, let me know your thoughts by commenting below. OR just give me some kuddos or suggestions!

P.S. I’d love to meet you on Instagram, follow me here

               And if you loved this post please consider sharing it on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram! xoXo