LOS ANGELES, CA
Anyone who doesn’t like coffee and donuts in the morning, or any time of the day really, is sadly missing out on one of life’s simplest and sweetest pleasures. Lots of sugar? Sure. Carbs? Yup. But life is all about finding balance, right?
On one of those special days that you’ve chosen to live a little, take your adventurous self over to Donut Friend for an edible masterpiece. I kid you not. What else would you call a glazed donut sliced in half, stuffed with cookie butter, topped with chocolate glaze, criss-crossed with vanilla glaze, and sprinkled with sea salt? Well, the creative minds behind the incredible compilation call it the X-Ray Speculoos—my personal fave.
The Strawberry So Far
I chose the Strawberry So Far more for its beauty than the idea of a strawberry donut. In my world…strawberries are awesome, and so are donuts, but together the two clash. If the combo is your jam, just know that they only make a certain number of them each day and when they’re gone, they’re gone!
Angry Samoa
Another limited edition donut that I highly recommend is the Angry Samoa. Get there early if you want to get a bite of this fabulous ode to the famous Girl Scout cookie. It’s a vanilla cake donut dipped in chocolate, and topped with caramel, toasted coconut, and chocolate stripes. Pro Tip: It is even better warm!
Meet Cruz, the newest member of my pack. I share this here because my, oh my! did I make a big mistake taking him on this donut run. The whole way home he screamed bloody murder for god knows why. He was such a distraction while driving that I ended up 20 miles out of the way.
But uncontrollable energy, potty training, and general destruction aside, he’s been the perfect addition to our lives. And I love having two boys. Romeo’s been showing Cruz the ropes and picking on him at the most opportune moments as any older brother would. My heart melts every time I see them side by side—the love of my life and his mini me. 😍
Back to Donut Friend… It’s amazing. You’ll love it. And here are five more reasons you should get your 🍑 there ASAP:
- DIY donuts! Choose a donut, then pick as many toppings and fillings as you want.
- COFFEEEEEE ⚡️⚡️
- Motion City Sandwich – a large scoop of ice cream inside your choice of donut
- Affogato – a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream
- The special – purchase a dozen donuts from the display case and get 10% off your order
For your donut-binging convenience, Donut Friend has two Los Angeles locations—DTLA and Highland Park.
August 7, 2019
Here’s Cruz all grown up and patiently waiting for a bite of my Polar Berry Club donut!
EXPLORING THE CITY
My parents have been taking me to Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles since I was wearing floral headbands and jelly shoes, and had a big gaping hole where my front teeth should be. Decades later it hasn’t lost its appeal, not to me at least.
This adorable brick-lined Mexican marketplace is fun and full of history, with merchants selling colorful handcrafted items and cold beer. And on holidays like Dia de los Muertos and Cinco de Mayo, the block comes alive with mariachi music and folklórico dancers.
My favorite place is the Olvera Candle Shop with “must-have” tiny trinkets, coconut candles, and sugar skulls galore. It was raining when we went most recently, but even then it made for the perfect little afternoon adventure.
