Six blends of espresso to choose from and chocolate truffle sauce…. just a couple of things that make Caffe D’Arte a stand out.  Lucky for me, it’s also within walking distance of my home!  Caffe D’Arte (pronounced Dartay) has a special spot at the edge of the Irvington Neighborhood and is located on the corner of 15th & Weidler (in the former Torrefazioni space). They are a specialty small batch roaster with one location in Seattle and one here in Portland.  And it gets better…I can’t think of any other place in Portland where you have six different blends from which to choose your shot of espresso.  For example, you could have Firenze in your morning  Americano and end the day with a shot of Taormina!

 Ambiance wise–which to me is the critical part of the whole experience, this is just a cool space with tons of light and architectural arch details repeated throughout. Each time I’ve been here, it feels a little European. The wide screen TV always has a soccer game on (this place is nuts during World Cup)…and I always hear different languages in the air.  Love that! 

 Open for just a couple of years, these baristas are known for serving up fantastic italian espresso. And to make it even better? Their mocha’s don’t have syrups or powdered chocolate…nope, they use a chocolate truffle sauce made by Gasanko.  To add to your delight, for ‘in house’ coffee orders, each person receives a hand made chocolate (can you say melt in your mouth??!!) created with the same chocolate truffle sauce. Incredible!  Pastries are created by Nuvre–another local bakery and if you are an expert with espresso machines, Simonelli is the only one allowed.

Part of what Caffe D’Arte inherited when they took over the space here, is the rare outdoor patio with the historic Tulip tree.  It doesn’t look like a Tulip tree to me….but then, I’m not an arborist….  Another great space outside as the weather gets better! With the stormy weather yesterday–these pix were pretty dramatic-Enjoy!

• Free WiFi
• Outdoor Patio
• Pastries & Mio Gelato
• Soccer on Wide Screen TV

Here’s the Weekly Report on Portland Metro Housing Market Stats!

Courtesy of Judy Patton & Altos Research

This morning I adventured with my dad to Sound Grounds–on the corner of Belmont & 37th in SE Portland. Knowing ahead of time that they served coffee roasted by Stumptown, I went for a regular cup of Joe–nothing fancy.  Backed up by an incredible blueberry muffin from Kettleman……this ode to “all that belongs to the music of the 60’s” was actually a pretty cool, if edgy, Hawthorne Neighborhood spot.  It’s always a great sign when the barista greets each customer by name and has their drink ready for them…and the fact that one can purchase vinyl records and a hemp mocha shows that Sound Grounds has a special niche in the coffee spot biz. Check their website for updated events and happenings! And of course in homage to the psychedelic era, I have fully saturated the photo’s! Enjoy!

• Free WiFi
• Featured Artists Each Month
• Live Performances & Poetry Readings
• Casual Space for Small Groups to Meet Up