Funnel Mill

As many of you guys know, I'm in the last weeks of my Winter quarter. This obviously means that I'm writing paper upon paper. English majors don't really take too many "tests". In order for me to do work efficiently and effectively, I need to be in a quiet place, away from the comfort of my own home/bed. I used to really like the library, but it got pretty noisy with all the late night crammers.

So, I've resorted to scouting out the most serene coffee shops. Last quarter, I wrote my 18 page long behemoth of a paper at a Peet's Coffee in Brentwood, which had light classical music and NO students. That meant no distractions and I didn't have to fight for a table with an outlet nearby. However, Brentwood is a pretty swanky area. This means that many many celebrities come into that area for restaurants/shopping. Even Heidi Klum lives in the area. And the last time I was at Peet's... Halle Berry was at the restaurant next door, causing the place to be swarmed with paparazzi. Needless to say, it was an exciting atmosphere, but not a good one for getting serious work done.

My roomie, Anita, suggested Funnel Mill Coffee as an alternative place to study. From the way that she described it, it almost seemed too good to be true. Free parking, gourmet coffee, and even a NO CELL PHONE policy. So we decided to go and get some studying/writing done today. Let's just put it this way, it completely met and exceeded my expectations for a study spot.

First of all, let's begin with the COFFEE. I have never ever seen coffee brewed this way before. It was like watching a science lab. They brew the coffee through what is called a "Siphon". It's too complicated to describe so I'm posting a few pictures so that you have some sort of idea what I'm talking about.

Crazy, right? It's a Bunsen burner that forces the water through the grinds and filters it. Totally like a chemistry lab. While the way that they brew it is unique, the quality of coffee is off the charts good. Now, I'm not a big coffee buff in any way, shape, or form but I could definitely appreciate the unique flavor and quality of what I was tasting. I got the vanilla cream coffee, which came with vanilla infused creamer, as well as vanilla sugar. It was like 12-14 oz of coffee for around $3.75, which isn't too bad for the work that went into it and the obvious quality difference. What an experience! 

The second thing that I LOVED about this spot was how quiet it was. Like I mentioned before, they had a no cellphone policy. This place was meant for people to work in. And they set up their atmosphere to facilitate that. Soft classical music in the background, comfy chairs and tables... even outlets at every. single. seat. You had to search high and low for one spot in that place that didn't have access to electricity. It was awesome. Funnel Mill definitely caters to people just like me, who like quiet study spaces and coffee with attitude. 

Definitely check out their website and if you're in Santa Monica, stop over for an amazing experience! I'll definitely be going there again and again!