Near Irvine: An Afternoon in Lake Forest

This afternoon’s outing started at 📍 Orange County Library — El Toro. I usually go on weekdays, so it’s pretty quiet and a great place to read or study. One thing that surprised me was that they offer free seeds up to three times a month. You just need to ask at the front desk to receive them.

Next, I stopped by 📍 Ocho Coffee & Patisserie. I recommend their dark chocolate cookie. It is not too sweet or heavy, which makes it a perfect snack. Their matcha latte has a rich flavor, both in the milk and the matcha itself. I tried both the chocolate and matcha croissants. The chocolate one uses dark chocolate and has a generous amount of rich butter inside. I personally liked the chocolate more than the matcha.

The next stop was 📍 QJ Kitchen. I had eaten there three times before and it was always good. However, this time it was surprisingly disappointing, and I am not sure why. I will just share the photos without recommending it this time.

After that, you can visit 📍 Guitar Center to try out some guitars or listen to others play. I have been there twice and the customers were very skilled. In the same plaza, there is also a Filipino supermarket called 📍 Island Pacific Supermarket and Seafood. They sell many unique ingredients that are perfect for making tropical desserts like halo halo.

If you still have time, you can go to 📍 Green Thumb Nursery — Lake Forest and pick up some plants or flowers. They have a wide selection and it is a pleasant place to walk around.