coffee shop

Bright Coffee

in

Bright Coffee is a minimalistic specialty coffee shop nestled in the heart of Monterey, CA. It is a must visit if you're ever in the area. They share their space with Lilify, a small artisan shop next door. 

They are currently in the process of moving their roaster, therefore in the meantime they offer a variety of west coast based roasters. 

These guys are terrific! Check them out if you're ever in Monterey or just passing through. You won't be disappointed! Also, check out Lilify next door if you're not a coffee drinker. I always have to fight the urge to buy everything they carry.

 

- Monika 

Float

in

I work part-time at a coffee/sandwich shop in Pasadena called Float owned by Iris Lee. I've been working there for about three years now.

Shop interior

Three years ago before Iris took over, Float used to be a sandwich shop called Root Beer Joe's. I had only eaten there once, and I can't say I was impressed by them. So, when Iris took over and opened up Float, I was excited to check it out. My fiancé and I stopped by Float on their first week of opening. I was very pleased to see the changes in aesthetic and menu offerings. One of the first things that drew me into Float was the fact that they carried Handsome Coffee (now Bluebottle). I've been an avid coffee drinker for a few years at that point, and I was a big fan of Handsome's, so I was giddy with excitement when I found out. 

They still serve sandwiches, though the menu has been modified and updated, and they also do floats! Float offers forty plus options on glass bottled sodas that you can pair with the varieties of ice cream they carry. They carry local's favorite Fosselman's ice cream. 

A couple of weeks after my visit, I decided to see if they were hiring. I had nothing to do at the time, I'd been unemployed for almost a year, and it was right across the street from my apartment. I reached out to Iris on twitter (yeah), and she emailed me to come in for an interview, and the rest was history.