How Cafe Hopping Became My Cocoa Journey:
Cocoa Exploration
Let's get started!
Let me describe how much I love cocoa.
Cocoa holds a special place in my heart; it’s not just a drink for me. It’s a cup full of memories, warmth, and the love of family. Every time I bite into chocolate or sip my cocoa, it brings me back to my childhood when my dad always cheered me up and rewarded me by giving me a box of chocolate on test days or special occasions. For years, it’s been a reminder that no matter how challenging my day is, my family is always there to support me, and that means a lot to me.
Beyond its delicious taste, cocoa offers numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that cocoa is rich in antioxidants, helps reduce blood pressure, and decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Research also suggests that adding cocoa powder to your diet can help improve attention, working memory, and general cognition.
Excitement over the hidden gem.
A coffee shop that offered a variety range of drinks but somehow no one knew about, or a place that had a wonderful beach vibe complete with a sunset view. As a digital media office worker in Bangkok, I always make sure to find time to go out and get a cup of iced cocoa with my team. I tried a lot of varieties of iced cocoa, like orange cocoa, sea salt cocoa, cocoa crumble pie, and more. Back home in northwest Thailand where my family lives right now, coffee shops were popping up all the time, and my list was always full every time I visited them.
Each coffee shop has its unique taste, ambiance, and smell that makes us remember and trick us into revisiting. For example, during Christmas time all coffee shops will decorate in the same theme and open festive music, that's the cool part of coffee hopping That’s the reason why I always look for coffee shops everywhere I go, and that is how my journey started.
As I grew up
Seven years ago, my journey into the world of cafe hopping began during my university years. With the beach nearby, my friends and I made it a habit to explore different coffee shops after classes. Coffee hopping with friends can truly make your day!
We were all about trying out new drinks and bakeries. Then we chatted about everything that was happening and snapped pictures for our Instagram posts. It was one of the best parts of my life, being away from home and enjoying life with friends.
"Cocoa boosts your mood."
To me, it's like a superfood, offering not only physical health benefits but also a boost in daily moods. Let's drink more refreshing iced cocoa to brighten our days!"
Hopping in Toronto
I’m so excited! I started coffee hopping again after I moved to Toronto; it’s a new world for me to explore. With the different city, culture, and taste of food, this will keep me excited for a while.
I try to get up early in the morning, get dressed, and start to go out for a walk, then finally stop at a new coffee shop in my neighborhood to grab a cup before going to college or sit and chill while sipping hot cocoa on weekends. That’s my plan for my coffee hopping in Toronto right now.
My favorite coffee shop
The first thing that concerns me is the quality, followed by the atmosphere, and finally the price. I’m cocoa addicted, so I always get hot chocolate or iced cocoa because I don’t take heavy milk and cream at all, so to win me over, that drink must be made from very good quality cocoa powder with a bitter taste of chocolate. It would be a plus point if the place is a bit fancy to snap my Instagram story and has a reasonable price that we can get every morning.
Challenges of Moving Abroad
Moving abroad can be challenging for everyone, including myself, but don’t worry too much as you will slowly organize and get used to the change. Finding a place that tastes like home is my new goal for this upcoming blog, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you all.
Come along with me on this cocoa journey as I share the best coffee spots here in Toronto from my own coffee-hopping experiences to all who love to sip cocoa drinks.
See you in the next blog!
Grace
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#TorontoCafe
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Follow along for a deeper dive
into my world of Cocoa :)
