Nitro is the New Black Coffee

If you know me, then you know I have a *slight* obsession with coffee -- more specifically cold brew coffee. I even wrote a whole post about my love for it a while back! So you know when I started hearing about nitro cold brew coffee,  I needed to try it.

Starbucks has had nitro cold brew for a little over a year now, but only at select locations -- so the brew alluded me until a few weeks ago. J.P. Licks, a Boston based ice cream shop, recently released their own nitro and sent out free small nitro and cold brew coffees to their reward card members. I promptly ran to the nearest one to try both and perform a taste test!

I ordered both drinks black and ordered them as they should be served (cold brew with ice and nitro brew without).

The cold brew tasted as expected -- slightly sweet, slightly bitter and relatively smooth.

The nitro brew was unbelievable.

I normally don't drink my coffee black, even with cold brew, just because I prefer the milk or cream to further smooth out my cold brew. It would be completely unnecessary with the nitro cold brew and I actually loved it black. It was smooth and sweet and honestly tasted nothing like what I'm used to coffee tasting like. It was also interesting that it had foam like a Guinness. I was blown away and hope nitro cold brew starts becoming more common because the only downside is it's not offered everywhere!

Have you tried nitro cold brew yet? What were your thoughts?

Exploring the West

Before I started my current job, I had never been to the West Coast. (I always joked the farthest West I'd gone was Iowa, and that it didn't really count!) Lucky for me, in the year and a half I've worked at my job, I've been sent out on two business trips to the West!

The first trip was great, but I only went out a day early to do some exploring in San Francisco and then was in Pleasanton attending meetings for the rest of the trip. The trip I just got back from a couple of weeks ago I was able to go to Seattle and Salt Lake City on business and then decided to have a fun weekend in San Diego with a friend!

It's definitely a toss up between Seattle and San Diego as to which was my favorite city. I loved Seattle because it was beautiful and walkable. I also got to spend a lot of time on boats during my trip thanks to my wonderful friend (and coworker). I was able to attend the Pink Boat Regatta on my last day in the city and it was incredible -- so much pink, boats, and love for breast cancer research!

I also spent a fair amount of time at Pike Market which was amazing and the food all over the city was unbelievable.

I loved San Diego because of the weather and the beach with mountains surrounding it! I also couldn't get over the cacti and succulents everywhere.

I also had the best tour guide around, who also knows all the great food spots. I definitely ate well the entire trip! Also, did you know that real tortillas are so much better than flour? I never knew!

I don't have many pictures from Salt Lake City, but it was also such an interesting place. I saw the Salt Lake City Temple for the LDS Church, drank a beer named the Polygamy Porter, and saw a indie film at a theater associated with Sundance. Everywhere I went in the valley, it was like the mountains followed us too. I want to go back someday to ski because I saw ski resort signs everywhere!

It was such a great trip and I feel so blessed that I was able to travel to three places that I've never been before to both work and play! Have you ever visited Seattle, Salt lake City or San Diego?