I confess: I stare at these two images over and over.

On the day of our photo shoot, it was cooooold. Frigid cold. We started inside by a big old window, for these editorial-type shots. For the record, Ari is a little young for ice skating…. but she pulls off the ice-skating-princess look quite well, if I may say so.

And now…

Making his own debut on the photography blog..

A stuffed pig. Named… I don’t know. He’s a cutie though.

We ventured out into the cold for a few snow-shots! Ari had a blast! Look at that joyous face! And… I fell in the snow. Classy, I know.

A year ago, we met halfway.

Still in the “dating” phase of our relationship. We drove from our respective states, miles and miles.. in happy anticipation of our first Valentine’s Day together. There were lots of sweet gifts. Godiva chocolates, love letters, red roses, a stuffed animal  and a little velvet box containing a sparkly blue-diamond heart necklace… We walked by a frozen river, shared hot chocolate, wandered through a book store, listened to live jazz piano music and ate pizza side-by-side in a little restaurant booth. And called it the “best Valentine’s Day ever.” Then we drove home… apart. (sadness)

This year is much, much better. The gifts were immaterial, not such that I could taste or touch or look at (by mutual agreement, lest you think ill of my husband ). This year, my Valentine gave me…  Another day waking up next to him. Another commute spent talking and laughing and living. Another moment with his arms around me. Another look of admiration in his eyes when I walk down the stairs, all dolled up and ready for our Valentine’s date.

So these two photos are not-so-great, but this is me trying to illustrate my V-day-themed outfit. Yes, I am wearing red lipstick (yay red lipstick!). This is most definitely a rare occurrence. With that and my candy-apple-red nails, I felt uber-festive and Valentine-y. They definitely worked with the little black dress & heels. My Valentine might have swooned. Or maybe I swooned at his compliments? Either way, the outfit worked.

The story on our Valentine’s date: A coworker told me that the State Theatre would be having special Valentine’s Day showings of Casablanca. I was really excited immediately and when I told Brandon, he summed it up. “Perfect!” You see, on our romantic Mexican honeymoon, there was a small DVD library in our villa. Amidst a strange mix of documentaries, horror films and action movies rated much higher than I will ever watch, there was one movie that we watched together. Our first film night as a married couple. It was Casablanca.

Casablanca is a funny/interesting film set during World War II. If you’re into action movies with big explosions and special effects, you won’t like it. If you want your humor to be punch-line obvious, you won’t like it. Casablanca is witty-funny, just the way I like it. It’s a war story, more than a love story. And in the end, the cynical guy does the right thing. We enjoyed it. And found our sentimental side satisfied with seeing it again on Valentine’s Day.

Onward to The Corner Room for some Valentine’s Dessert.

“Build-your-own-Sundae.” Chocolate ice cream + hot fudge + strawberries + whipped cream. That’s my version of paradise. And Brandon had peanut butter pie. Delicious on both counts.

Sooo yes. I would say that this year is infinitely better. Because we’re together. That is all I ask/want/need. Except for my husband to be a wee bit more healthy. He’s under the weather with a cold. I’ve been feeding him copious amounts of chicken & dumplings (like chicken noodle soup, only better) & vitamin C & Nyquil & prayer. But that darling man, even though he didn’t feel so great on Valentine’s evening, still dressed up and took me out on our special date. What a sweetheart.

Best Valentine’s Day Ever.

When you talk to any State College resident about locally-owned coffee shops, Saint’s Cafe is without-a-doubt the first place they mention. And it’s no wonder (voted State College’s Best Gourmet Coffee for years!) . Brandon and I drive by Saint’s Cafe on our daily commute, and we’re always amazed at its popularity. People practically tumbling out the door all of the time. And so it would be Saint’s Cafe and their obvious success that determined our visiting time at 7:00 am on a Friday morning. We arrived before the place opened and were the first ones through the doors.

Saint’s Cafe is pleasing to all of the senses. Delicious coffee aromas teasing your nostrils. Big-band music with Dean Martin’s romantic voice in the background. The attention to detail & continuity throughout the decor. I would call it “understated European.” The dark green walls + various brown furnishings brings a vibe that says, cozy and comfortable, *sigh*-worthy and relaxing, work-place and meeting place.

Various seating options. This tiny-leopard print sofa tickled my fancy.

Saint’s Cafe: A Gourmet Coffeehouse.

They are gourmet, without being pretentious. When gourmet means “really good.”

Let’s talk coffee. (Brandon’s loquacious observations)

Double Espresso.  Key word here is acidic.  There are a couple of ways to describe acidic, in this case I mean more of a citrusy acidity.  Naomi and I were conflicted on what pastry to get, but as soon as I tasted the espresso, I went and bought an iced lemon poppy-seed muffin.  Because acidic coffee and tart, citrusy pastries ROCK.  Here is what acidic means in the coffee world: African.  Without exception, the highly acidic beans come from Africa–mostly from Kenya and Ethiopia.  This wasn’t single-source; the nuttiness/cocoa undertones definitely screamed South America.  So what we have here is an Africa/South American blended espresso, comprising citrusy-acidic/nutty-cocoa flavors.  Smart.  A little sugar really helped the citrus to stand out, as did the muffin.  Probably the most unique espresso I’ve tasted thus far in Central PA.

Mocha with Orange syrup.  My hat is off to Saints’ for having an orange syrup!  After Starbucks took the Valencia syrup off of their shelves a few years back (I cried), it became very difficult to find a replacement (Torani doesn’t count).  Since the espresso (see above^) already had undertones of citrus, it was the perfect shot to put into this mocha.  The chocolate syrup is not the sweet stuff you find in a lot of places–I daresay it was the most bitter (in a good way) chocolate we’ve had.  Overall, a very nice dessert coffee.

House Blend.  Key word remains acidic, but the second key word is earthy.  Earthy = Asian beans.  This was not the same bean as the espresso^.  Nothing of the sort.  Whereas the espresso was acidic/nutty, the coffee was acidic/earthy.  I guess the best way to describe earthy would be this: imagine going out into a freshly plowed field, and take a big whiff of nature.  If that sounds weird to you, please understand that earthy is a very accepted word in the coffee taster’s vernacular, so just go with me on this one.  Take that refreshing, earthy whiff and put it into your coffee.  Not nearly as strong as the espresso, but incredibly balanced.  The flavors stood up stupendously to milk and sugar.  Again, the most unique cup of coffee I’ve had in PA.  Naomi loved it, too.

Iced Lemon Poppy-seed Muffin.  The main use of the muffin was to complement the 3 acidic drinks we just bought!  Finding a good pairing (I dislike that word, but “when in Rome...”) for your coffee is a great way to make everything taste better.  The general rule of thumb is tart pairings for African coffees, nuts/chocolate for South American, and less-sweet-more-savory (like a croissant) for Asian blends IMHO.  The lemon poppy-seed muffin was great on its own, as well as a great complement to even greater coffee.

It’s Naomi here again…

We had already ordered a muffin when I noticed these foodstuffs. Red Velvet Cheesecake?! Lemon Tarts? Carrot Cake? Those signs made me drool. It’s perfectly normal to eat dessert at 7:00 am, right? *winkwink* We will be returning for additional samplings.

The fleur-de-lis is Saint’s trademark sign. And is echoed everywhere from the coffee mugs to window panes. Even though it speaks again of the Europe-in-America bent of this place, I like it simply for the continuity. I appreciate a design that shows a defined sense of style. A plan. A clear direction and well-executed theme.

Those photographers.. always catching self-portraits in the mirror.

There is local flavor everywhere. From the mix of business people dropping in for breakfast (Penn State professors, if I could make my educated guess) to college students to writers and local wedding photographers on a Great Coffee Adventure.. … Saint’s Cafe is on a mission to be the best. And I was sufficiently impressed.

Do you want to visit yourself?

See them on their website and on facebook …
Or just go there. 123 West Beaver Ave, State College, PA.

In the meantime, I will be longing for warm weather so I can sip my gourmet coffee at their outdoor tables.. while staring into my ridiculously handsome husband’s eyes.

Stay classy!
~Naomi Elle

Of course, the 2-year-portrait session which falls in January… had to include Suri’s perfect little fur coat, polka-dots and boots.

I like this “model-walk” shot.

Inquisitive.

Don’t those big, brown eyes just melt your soul?

And we can tell where she gets her sense of style… Mommy!

Like this post if you agree that Serenity is one of the cutest little girls you’ve ever seen!

I am so partial to my nieces & nephews! But somehow, I think that’s okay..

Brandon and I have been enjoying the weather with lunch break walks… the wind feels like an experience of shoreline sea breezes. We also like the fact that warmer days means less money expended in heating bills. Pennsylvania is a beautiful state (says the former Virginia resident, Brandon-my-husband), but it can get COLD. This winter has been unusually kind in that regard. I think we’ve only had a couple snowstorms. Definitely a few rain/ice storms, but nothing serious. Altogether, it’s really just a guessing game.

This kind of weather whiplash means, I am always confused about what I should be wearing. Winter coat? Hat? Scarf? Snow boots? An extra pair of socks or two? Or maybe an autumn/spring flavor outfit? Several weekends ago, we set out on our Great Coffee Adventure expedition on Saturday morning with winter coats… and ended with an impromptu photo shoot in the gorgeous weather.

As you can tell, I have a hard time giving up camera control! Hehe.

Happy Pseudo-Spring Weather!

Because the Groundhog says we have 6 more weeks of the Real Winter Weather ahead.

Rich and fudgy and nutty. Mmmmmmmmmmm…. magic. I gave the few pieces that were left to my little brother. I’m smart, you see.

Thanks to Bake or Break for delicious baking recipes any day!

Where Bellefonte Gathers.

That’s the motto of this little shop. So true. There’s such a melting pot of customers through this place. Businessmen, retirees, students, people on first-dates (I have both been this person and been a laptop worker overhearing the conversation of an obvious blind date! So interesting!), teenagers, women just finished with exercising at the local YMCA, moms with little children, etc. People of all kinds and varied interests/ages gather here. For coffee. For conversation. For quiet. To get away from distractions at home. Or maybe to find some distractions.

One of the things I appreciate most about Cool Beans is their two (now three!) separate areas. You walk down three steps from street level, past the outdoor seating area and in the door. And you find this:

An area designed for socializing. Eating a quick bite. Or working on your laptop with quick proximity to more coffee & baked goods.

Want more comfort? Or more quiet? Step into the next room.

Cozy chairs. Larger tables. Quieter lighting and general atmosphere. Homey. Comfortable enough to curl up with your feet on the couch and let the day pass by.

And if you are under the age of 12, or less than 4 feet tall, you may appreciate this gem of a room… tucked into the far corner is a special kids’ play area! And Cool Beans hosts art classes several mornings per week for the little ones.

More local flavor in the decor…

Brandon’s bringing the serious coffee talk now!

Espresso.  Think potpourri.  That is all.  Get that thought in your head before you take a sip, and you will taste what I mean.  I wouldn’t say straight up floral because that doesn’t quite get the mixture right–it’s the difference between smelling a rose on a bush and smelling dried rose petals in potpourri.  Interesting to note, I am very sure that Cool Beans sources their–well–beans–from the same place as other shops that we’ve visited.  But it didn’t taste the same.  Its amazing what a difference things like storage, handling, weather, and the day’s humidity can play on a cup of espresso.  All of these combined to change the same roast from a young, vibrant floral to a mature, mysterious potpourri.

Almond Joy.  This is also known as 1 shot espresso + 8 oz. steamed milk + a slather of almond syrup + another slather of coconut syrup + a slosh of chocolate sauce + a dollop of whipped cream + chocolate drizzle.  Yes, it is all of that, packed into a 12 oz mug.  One of the selling points of Cool Beans is their latte recipes that taste like candy bars.  If you can imagine a candy bar, they probably sell a latte that tastes like it.  Interestingly enough, it actually tastes like an Almond Joy.  Good to note: when you are trying to break your non-coffee-drinking friend into your world of java, start with a Cool Beans Candy Bar Latte!

House Coffee.  This house blend does light right.  Light shouldn’t mean “watered down.”  Light shouldn’t mean old Maxwell House.  Light should mean all of the amazing qualities of a great cup of robust, intense coffee–just on a lighter note.  People don’t do light right any more-your light roast should not be to your medium roast what your Americano is to your espresso.  If you want a good light roast, hit up the house blend at Cool Beans.

Peppermint Scone.  I loved how the Barista described the scone: “It’s like eating a Girl Scout Thin Mint.”  Omagash.  Thank you for not shrugging your shoulders and saying you’ve never eaten anything here before.  In one sentence, the Barista had sold me on a scone that I would otherwise not have tried (scones = bland biscuits with junk shoved into em where I’m from).  Sure enough, the description was accurate.  SHE EVEN WARMED IT UP!!   The scone was great, and went well with the coffee.

… Naomi here again. That Brandon—he makes me laugh.

And, we both agree that Cool Beans espresso presentation is the best we’ve seen thus far.

This is Brandon’s espresso-tasting face. He really IS enjoying himself.

1 small coffee + 1 double espresso + 1 small almond joy + 1 peppermint scone = $10.12

This is our BAKERY CARNAGE!!!! (calm down, self!)

Cool Beans displays artwork by local artist, Patrick Casher. Apparently, he’s a regular at the place. Gotta love that!

Want to meet us in person by stalking us at our local coffee shop — Cool Beans?!
Find them on their website and on facebook…
Or just go there. 141 West High Street, Bellefonte, PA.

Cool Beans is so cool you just wish it was open longer.

Stay classy!

~Naomi Elle

Fast-forward to 2012. Among my varied personal goals, I charged myself with reading 1 business-related book a month. And started off with a BANG!

Do you know how cool libraries are? I think I’m rediscovering their value in the community. It’s pretty much one thing: FREE KNOWLEDGE. I have an extensive personal library of way-too-many books. I’m still working my way through the titles and probably will be reading those for the next 50 years of my life. But libraries have thousands upon thousands of volumes, with a staggering variety in topic and theme. Whether I’m searching about light in photography or photographer’s biographies or reading up on the culinary habits of the Victorians (it’s just fascinating, okay. I don’t expect you to understand ) or whatever else, I can usually find one book, though probably many more for my reading pleasure.

My bedside table… after putting everything back in a nice, neat pile…

Some of my book choices (business and otherwise) have included:

• Margaret Bourke-White by Susan Goldman Rubin. This is the life story of an incredibly fascinating woman photographer. Her career spanned from the 1920s to the 1950s, from documenting General George S. Patton and the American’s first liberation of a concentration camp. To the Untouchables in India. To share-croppers in the deep South. She was a news photojournalist, always hungry to chronicle the landmark events of the 20th century… even if that meant she was in physical danger. I appreciated her dedication to the craft and her obvious talent in composition. There’s something in each photo that grabs the eye, and more importantly, touches the heart and sends a message. Phenomenal.
• Fannie’s Last Supper by Chris Kimball (Host of America’s Test Kitchen). For a story about recreating one amazing meal from an 1896 cookbook, this tome was incredibly riveting. The author tells stories about his life and the journey into his personal project of cooking like the Victorians did.  A wood-fired cookstove found in the basement of a historical society, boiling calf’s head for mock turtle soup and searching far and wide for the right ingredients, this was like a mystery that one could eat. I was wholly intrigued. Truly the best way to meld the past and present together… Food.
• Don’t Think Pink by Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned. I’m searching out information about marketing. What is different about the buyers of our current market? Would you believe that most consumer spending is done by women? So this book talks about how they think, what motivates them to buy, how to market directly to women. This is especially interesting because.. I am a woman. Some of the information makes me raise an eyebrow or two. Like “how can authors stereotype female-driven spending so broadly?” But it is truly informative.
• Money & Marriage God’s Way by Howard Dayton. Simple Bible truths about honoring God in the covenant of marriage and in the practical area of how we earn-spend-save our money. Money is a big deal, y’all. If it wasn’t, we all wouldn’t be working so hard! This book is iiiiinnnncreeediibly practical. Straight-up put-this-in-your-life-and-DO-IT! (Yes, I’m laughing at myself a little bit). In all seriousness though, from dealing with debt, creating a spending plan (budget), conflict resolution, the different season of our lives with regards to finances, this book just lays it out. I’m a fan (and Brandon is, too! This was one of his Christmas presents.. I just borrowed it from the library of Brandon).

That’s just a little taste of what I’m reading lately. And one of these days, I’ll get a chance to thumb through the magazines that are also accumulating.

Anyways, do yourself a favor. Go to the library. And read something!

I have always been a goal-setter. Around the beginning of December, I go into let’s-think-about-life mode. I start thinking about the last 12 months. How I lived. What I accomplished. What habits I continued. How I succeeded. How I failed. What God did in me. How I had been changed. I start to look over the goals I had set the previous year.

Sometimes I smile because I did something great.. like learn how to shoot manually on my camera… or graduate from Bible college… or start playing piano again consistently. Sometimes I would shake my head. Because my good intentions never translated into actions. My goals were more like “pipe-dreams” and they were still left in the dust of January. My yearly goals always have the same flavor – be more disciplined in my daily life, eat less, sleep more and exercise consistently… get married (I think that was on my goals for the year 2000… and eleven years later, I crossed it off. Don’t give up, single people! It’ll happen!). Become a better friend, worship leader, worker, singer, cook, photographer, etc.

There are a few things in life that are really important and I needed to focus on those. I would evaluate my relationships. With God, with family, friends, co-workers and strangers and ask myself, have I acted in love? Have I practiced kindness? Have I been unselfish in hospitality and giving of my time, energy and resources to others? I would ask myself questions like, at the end of my life, what would I wish that I would have done? That I could’ve become? These thoughts help me to hone in on WHAT my goals should be.

In setting goals, I learned early that the goals must be specific, attainable and there must be clear action steps. If my goal is to learn a foreign language, and yet I never even look into how I could that, or never set a time to study a language, I will fail. Failure should not be evident on January 1st — because it kinda makes you unmotivated..

Set yourself up for success.. by doing a few things:
- Don’t be ridiculous. Like trying to set 24 goals that require enough time to be a part-time job each. You are a human. You only have 24 hours in a day. Probably 8 for sleep, 8 for work and 8 for other things… some of that time is probably spent eating, driving and taking a shower (please be clean; your co-workers will thank you).
- Keep it simple. Otherwise, you’ll have to figure it out every day, and that’s just exhausting.
- Print it out. Put it in front of your face ALL the time. Brandon and I have a life “vision board” filled with our yearly goals, life goals, plans, inspiration, verses, things we’re praying for, etc. It’s our way of setting it before our eyes continually.
- Never, ever, EVER give up! If you miss one day of your new goal to be awake at 5 am, don’t allow that to become your excuse. Do it right the next day. And the day after that.

I have a quote on my calendar that says,
“Character is what you have on the 3rd and fourth tries.”

Here’s a peek at one of my 2012 goals. Brandon cleaned out our attic to find this…. shhhhh, don’t tell my mom. This is my mom’s old manual Pentax camera. (she let me borrow this a few years ago!). And I particularly love it, because it’s the original camera that I used waaaay back in the day on family vacations…

I am going to reacquaint myself with film photography. The principles of “light-painting” apply to both digital and film genres of photography… though film is more unforgiving to technical errors of the photographer (especially to me, who does not develop my own film). It’s also necessary to visualize an image without several shots and using the digital camera’s screen to “cheat’ a bit on seeing the final product.

It’s gonna be a challenge… but I’m looking forward to it. And stay tuned, some of the film work may hit the blog in the next few months!!

An intimate cafe setting. A visit to Cafe Lemont may go something like this: If you’re driving (a totally non-European thing, by the way), settle into the parking lot.. meander by the spacious back patio and in the cafe’s door. A friendly greeting from the smiling barista and you spend a few minutes studying the menu. Ring one of the antique bells on the counter… just for fun. Lunch today? Or maybe coffee & sweets. Glance around at the fascinating decor as you find your seat. At Cafe Lemont, every seat is different… leather chairs, tables, a high bench, a Victorian settee, a space by a table lamp, or in a corner or a hallway, etc.  If it’s a breezy spring day or a warm summer evening or a crisp fall afternoon, make your way to one of the outdoor spaces–a picture-perfect front porch for people-watching and iced-coffee-sipping, and a spacious back patio for meeting a group of friends and wiling away the hours. Settle into your spot.

Then.. sit back… Think. Study. Read. Be fascinated by the local artwork on the walls (this month’s intriguing and most colorful selection by Jean Forsberg). Take a deep breath. It’s your moment to sip coffee and imagine that you went to Europe. And saved more money than calling a lizard about car insurance.  Cafe Lemont is an intimate little place. Perfect for some “real” studying, contemplation, writing an epic life work (or thesis). Perfect for maybe a 10th date, with that one person that you loooove looking into their eyes and whispering sweet nothings to them… Since the sitting areas are in different rooms than the coffee-prep area & kitchen, there’s less noise than most coffee shops. Their background music is simply a pleasant hum that melds into your thoughts until one brief moment that you realize they are playing a song you love. And you smile.

This cafe is serious about coffee. There are many food offerings (and obviously well-loved by the clientele, if I could judge by the empty soup bowls and sandwich plates that surrounded us).

Here is Brandon (my resident coffee expert) with his thoughts on Cafe Lemont’s coffee bean offerings:

Espresso.  The word to remember is distinguished.  Some espresso hits you in the jaw and leaves you crawling away, blindly groping for a muffin to sooth the boldness that had alighted upon your tongue.  Some espresso is more mild and tastes like, well, it tastes like a cup of coffee.  Café Lemont’s espresso dies quickly—within 10 seconds.  While that might sound bad, it’s really a good thing.  If you get a shot of espresso that tastes exactly the same the whole way through, it is either very very good, or it’s very very bad (and the bad stuff is so bad).  With my initial waft (yes, I do that) and my first mouthful, I thought, “Huh. That’s something.”  That something was a particular nuance in this very cup of espresso that was very different than most espressos I have had.  At the start it has a very floral taste to it, like you just drank a bouquet of spring flowers.  While you try to grasp at the fleeting bits of floral, you come to the body of your sip, which is very woody.  I usually use this word to describe a cologne, and in a coffee-sort-of-way, that’s what I mean.  Imagine chopping fresh fire wood on a cold winter day and you’re getting close.  The finish was very spicy—not like hot sauce is spicy, but spicy like what you throw into Autumn wassail—the cloves in particular.  While I’ve experienced these same things with other cups of espresso, the way in which Café Lemont’s drank was very distinguished.

Coffee, house blend.  Organic.  Organic coffee is fun, and often retains a certain warmth in taste that their unorganic (or disorganic?) compatriots lose in their growth/harvest cycle.  Café Lemont’s house blend was best enjoyed with cream and sugar. And an espresso brownie.

Now back to Naomi’s words.

Mocha with Irish Cream syrup. This dessert drink was surprisingly enjoyable in its lightness. I distinctly tasted the espresso, which is usually overpowered and manhandled by the mocha flavoring. I couldn’t find the Irish Cream flavor, but I was too taken with the pretty cocoa-sprinkled cool whipped cream melding with the other flavors to mind at all.

Café Lemont’s espresso added character, a distinguished quality, and an enhancing flavor to the mocha.

I will also exclaim about the unique hand-painted mugs that they use. This pottery by local artist, Charles Hughes, is available for purchase in the store or online at his website. I might need one or two new mugs.

Medium coffee + double espresso + mocha with extra flavor + espresso brownie = $10.25

I loved these antique bells. Collected by the owner, and such a great unique touch.

Want to experience their unique blend of cafe-goodness?
See them on their website and on facebook…
Or just go there. 921 Pike Street, Suite 103, Lemont, PA.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 8am – 6pm. Sunday 10am – 6pm, Monday closed.

Stay classy!
~Naomi Elle