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Christmas at PADERIA BAKEHOUSE: ‘Twas a Holly Jolly Visit πŸŽ„

Just four more days until Christmas! It really has felt like it for the past few weeks. With the radio blasting timeless songs and Spotify recommending playlists like “Christmas Pop” and “Merry & Bright,” it feels like Christmas is already here. And such vibes are bringing back memories of my last Christmas… when I visited Paderia Bakehouse yet again!

You may wonder, “What more could this blogger possibly have of that bakery?” I’ve got lots more to say: this time, it’s Paderia Bakehouse – the Christmas edition!

December 23, 2022

Last year, on December 23, 2022, I flew to the John Wayne Airport in Irvine, CA and stopped by Paderia. (Now, this alone should give you a hint as to how good the place is.)

I was SO excited to be back at Paderia. The feeling can only be compared to standing outside one’s close friend’s grandmother’s house, waiting to see her (and the treats she has baked for you two).

Uniquely Cute Christmas Decorations

When I entered, I was pleasantly surprised by this interesting Christmas tree:

Now, from afar, it looks like a funky pile of a tree. But close up, it’s really uniquely aesthetic:

It’s got a whole contemporary hodgepodge look!

And then at the bottom was this:

Do you see it? I mean, how cute is this little pug?

It’s got on a little scarf! 🧣

Other parts of the bakery were left as clean & modern as it usually was:

The Menu (Feat. Special December Items)

The menu is on the wall next to the counter:

Or at the counter, where items are always shown inside a glass display. And the glass display was decorated with the same Christmas glam the tree had:

They had placed their ever-cute egg tart plushie (not for sale though πŸ˜•) along with little trees, cotton, reindeer and alpaca/llama plushies! The menu items were the same (delicious egg tarts, banana bread pudding, award-winning cookies, ensaymadas, and drinks) except there were some special seasonal items:

  • Tiramisu Cheesecake πŸ§€
  • “once-a-year seasonal favorite” White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookie πŸͺ
  • and a newly launched Orange Cardamom Malasada 🍊

The Food (Seasonal Items + More)

I couldn’t get the Orange Cardamom Malasada (as it was available only at the Foundation Valley store) but I did get the Tiramisu Cheesecake, White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookie and my usual go-tos (egg tarts and banana pudding).

Paderia treats galore! ✨

The Tiramisu Cheesecake was as delicious as the photo appears. But in my opinion, it wasn’t as mind-blowingly tasty as the egg tarts, probably because I’m an egg-tart kind of person.

Look at those layers of soft bread and creamy fillings!

The White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookie was good, too, as just the name of it sounds. Each bite was filled with the buttery dough, fruity cranberry, and the nutty macadamia.

Look at those bits of white chocolate, cranberry, and macadamia!

But then again, as someone who already has a Paderia go-to item, the cookie was a bit too buttery for me. Nonetheless, it was richly smooth and good .

I don’t think I’ll have to review my favorite items (i.e. banana bread pudding and egg tarts) again. So here is just a short reel to make your mouths water!


πŸͺ To read about my first post on Paderia Bakehouse, click HERE!

P.S. Did you know that the bakery hosts giveaway contests on Instagram? They’ve offered giveaways for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, product launches and more! Visit their IG page HERE.

P.P.S. Speaking of giveaways, I was one of the lucky winners of one of the giveaways! So I visited the Santa Monica location last week to redeem my coupon and treat myself to the ever-delicious Paderia items. And I have to say, Paderia Bakehouse in Santa Monica was looking good this Christmas!

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The Other Cafe Lola: The Henderson Location

2021 came to an end a few weeks ago. Yet, there is still no sign of the pandemic coming to an end. Not even close. The pandemic, as everyone knows, has been terrible, affecting everyone across the globe. It has taken the lives of countless, disrupted the hopes of many. I dreamed of traveling after graduation, but such dream has been postponed indefinitely. Who knows when we will get to travel freely again? Without the fear of the virus? Until then, I plan to travel domestically, supporting small businesses and appreciating places within the states. And without further self-reflection, I reintroduce you to Cafe Lola, one of the most aesthetic cafes I’ve ever visited in the West – but this time, it’s the Henderson location!

*To check out my post on the Summerlin location (near Red Rock Canyon), click HERE.

Cafe Lola in Henderson, Nevada

The Cafe Lola I visited this time was located in Henderson, Nevada. To be honest, I’ve never heard of the city until now. But after a quick search, I was able to discover that it is located just 16 miles from Las Vegas. (I was able to see Vegas from Henderson on my way.)

Apparently, it was voted (back in 2018) as one of the top 50 Best Places to Live in America by Money Magazine and ranked by Forbes as the second safest city in the U.S. It was also named the Greenest City in Nevada. And here’s an interesting fact: Steve Aoki lives in Henderson, Nevada! 😎 For more info on the city, check out this blog post: https://www.retirebetternow.com/blog/living-in-henderson-nv/.

Henderson’s got a neat website, too! Click HERE.

It did appear to be a clean suburban city, with nice new buildings and homes. Cafe Lola was located in a neat plaza by a big hospital:

On the outside, the cafe looks neatly plain. But once you open the door and step inside, it’s a whole different world of florals and aesthetics:

The Interior

I happened to have visited the cafΓ© in December, so it was extra pretty with a giant Christmas tree with sparkly pink ornaments and even a pink nutcracker. But I believe the beautiful crystal chandeliers, pink telephone booth, golden rose decals on inlaid white walls, and other aesthetic decorations all remain the same in the other months as well.

The Food

Although the main purpose of my visit was for the aesthetics, I couldn’t just take photos without ordering anything. So I ordered a latte and waffle to eat at one of the cute tables while snapping as many photos as I could.

The employee brought out my latte first, and I was surprised to find this placed on my table:

Take a closer look:

The letters below the smiling dog/cat reads “Merry X-mas.”

Isn’t it the cutest little latte foam? 😍

The food was exceptionally aesthetic as well, as you can see from the photo below:

Waffle with strawberries, strawberry cream, and strawberry jam.

Now, the fork and knife were kind of dirty – I couldn’t get whatever was stuck on them off with the napkin… But the food was delicious! Not the most delicious latte of waffles I’ve ever had, but nonetheless good.

Conclusion

Cafe Lola in Henderson, Nevada is a fun place to check out if you’re near Las Vegas and if you’re into pretty cafes. It also seems like a great place to hold birthday parties and meet your friends if you live nearby.

It’s a delightfully flowery cafΓ© with rosy walls, pink telephone booth, and a bicycle to remind you of Paris and London at the same time. And despite some unsanitary utensils, you can enjoy a good drink and some good food all the while surrounded by pink roses.

🌺🌹🌺🌹🌺

And extra-lovely around Christmas time! πŸ˜‰