Tempting Tuesday: The “Smart” Gift that Keeps on Giving at Intelligentsia Coffee

A perfect gift for caffeine fiends, the USD 45 Holiday Gift Box includes a 12-ounce bag of Celebration Blend, a festive holiday mug and a bar of Askinosie + Intelligentsia chocolate. Encourage your friends to be their own baristas by skipping out on long lines and hordes of pretentious coffee connoisseurs.

In The Purple Passport to Los Angeles, we loved quality of the seasonal roasts at this hipper-than-thou cafe, but found it difficult to nab a coveted seat:

Some find the “too cool for school” types swanning about detract from the experience, especially since their sprawling posses make getting a table tricky, but others lap it up as part of the specialty coffee scene. All agree that on hot days, the overhead misters on the patio are dreamy. Read more

Now that we’ve decided on the perfect present for our loved ones, how should we treat ourselves? There’s always the option of re-stocking our home stash of single origin or espresso beans for USD 15-19. Warming teas are also available in bagged or loose-leaf varieties. Moreover, if its time to update tea and coffee wares, a number of convenient appliances and serving pieces are other enticing possibilities.

Make an “intelligent” decision this holiday season and do yourself a favor too. The forward-”thinking” coffee shop wants to reward thoughtfulness and generosity towards  friends and family by practicing what it preaches. Just as it does selecting the finest varieties of coffee to serve, Intelligentsia Coffee takes advantage of the spirit of the season to promote its core values, which are “steeped in education and humility.”