​For all the tea lovers out there, this post is going to change your world. You can go find Boston Tea Bar at La Hoja Verde en Av Valle de Juarez 7002.

Celina and Enrique have a love for tea that is translated into their tea bar. When you speak with both of them about tea, you can really see that they really enjoy speaking about, and drinking tea. Celina found her love for tea when she was living outside of the city, and visiting different tea shops helped her open up her tea horizons. She began to slowly fall in love with all the different teas, and later on she made Enrique fall in love as well. They realized that tea is not just a drink, it really does change the way you feel in your every day life. 

Boston Tea Bar's name comes from the vary famous story you are thinking about right now. You guessed it: The Boston Tea Party. For those of you who need a refresher here is your history 101: Samuel Adams got a group of rebels to dress up as Native Americans to get into the English ships at the Boston Harbor. As an act of resistance against taxes they threw cases of tea into the water. Why does this relate to this tea bar? Tea should be for everyone. You can also see this story reflected in their logo, where you can see the waves of the water at the Boston Harbor. 

They first started out as a Facebook page in October of last year taking orders online. As they started to get more followers, they set up their tea bar at La Hoja Verde where anyone can go and enjoy some of their tea either hot or cold. Now they hope they can continue to grow in the future and eventually find their own place where they can not only keep giving customers great quality tea, but also food, more specifically food that pairs well with their teas. 

All of their tea is imported from Europe, and they offer a big variety of teas for all their customers' tastes. I can assure you that no matter what your tea preference is and how different it is from someone else, everyone will be able to find at least one thing they will love. Not only can you enjoy their delicious drinks at the tea bar, but you can also buy loose leaf tea from them to enjoy at home!

Their main goal is to create a tea culture in Juarez, and to teach locals to find a love for tea. Go support Boston Tea Bar and get tea time started!

Lovebuzz is a bar located in the 5 points neighborhood. As you are driving down Montana and turn onto Pershings (as I would if you are coming from the Westside) then it is easy to miss. It is literally in the neighborhood. I promise you if you go you are in for a treat. I usually love bars with these kinds of ambient where I can relax and enjoy the music. I don't feel pressured to dress a certain way and they legit play all the music I like. It's always nice to see local bands playing towards the front of Lovebuzz and the patio is lovely!! I like that there is also a food truck, Valentine's Kitchen, with delicious food out in the patio! If you have a chance, head on over! It's super chill and unique! The owner, Austin, answered a few questions for us!

 What is Lovebuzz? (For those that have never been/or heard of it before).

  "Love Buzz is a patio bar in the 5 points neighborhood of El Paso.  It has a soul based mid century vibe, hosts cultural events, and live music."

How long has Lovebuzz been open?

" We have been open since September of 2015".

What makes Lovebuzz different from other bars in El Paso?

" The size and nature of our establishment enables us to interact with the community in ways other bars aren't accustomed to doing.  From crawfish boils, video game battles, live music,  to art markets - We try to host events that the community/ neighborhood approaches us to have.  We aren't always trying to pitch our own agenda and we are an establishment that wants our neighbors to choose us over their own living rooms."

How often does Lovebuzz host music events?

"We have a weekly emo party called "Taking back Wednesday".  There isn't a set schedule for musicians or dj's, but on most weekends you can expect to find one or the other."

How would you describe the ambience of Lovebuzz?

" One walks in to love buzz and feels a mid century vibe - A jukebox with 45's, vintage televisions and a marantz sound system to a Sputnik chandelier and vintage furniture.  As one heads to the patio they'll notice desert-scape art with vintage starbursts on the sides of the buildings, they'll be shaded by trees and pergolas, and they'll be able to order some of the best street tacos in the city!"

Any specialty drinks? 

 "Try "El Nopal" it has prickly pear and mezcal in it, or the mazapan cocktail."

Are you a fan of Tex-Mex food? You're probably thinking about a certain famous food chain but let me stop you right there, this place I'm going to introduce you to is a hundred times more homemade and authentic you won't be able to help but fall in food love. What is the name of this piece of heaven and where can you find it? Mala is the Tex-Mex restaurant you've been searching for all your life and you can find it at Av. de las Americas 767 A in Ciudad Juarez. 

This small, but full of flavor, restaurant was created by Arnoldo Palma and his main inspiration was his mother. He wanted to make sure that his vision for Mala was the perfect representation of his mother and some of her best qualities. You can see this love for his mother translated in the authentic and delicious food as well as the welcoming and beautiful space.  

What makes this place special? One word: family. Mala wants you to go enjoy their food and to make feel like you are part of their family. Their entire family put a lot of effort into all the food and space they have now, and they want to make you part of that family. They really want you to sit down, relax, and feel comfortable as if you were at your own house. Not only is the environment a great place to go and spend some time, but while you're there you get to enjoy delicious, fresh, homemade food. 

Asking Arnoldo what he recommends, his short answer was: everything! He explained that all of their dishes are the products of a lot of thought and love. He says that his entire family had a say in the process of creating the perfect menu for their restaurant. Though if you really do force him to choose his answer would be the empanada, which has been a family recipe passed down for generations.  During my trip to Mala I got to try the empanada and a Chiluca (a fried burrito). With any option that you choose, you get to build your own by deciding what meat, or vegetarian!, you want. This leaves you with a bunch of different choices, and a good excuse to come back!

So the next time you're craving Tex-Mex food skip the fast food and go get yourself some authentic, fresh, homemade food from Mala. You'll fall in love with their food, their restaurant, and the lovely people!

PS. Did I tell you they are starting to sell Elotes! Follow them on Facebook to find out about their Elote parties!
P.S.S. Arnoldo would like to thank all of his friends that have helped him out throughout this journey especially Alan and Christian! Without family and friends, things wouldn't be the same!

​Today is a special day, today Juaritoz Cafe & Horneria a delicious and super hip coffee shop in Ciudad Juarez is celebrating 2 years of being open! Take part of their special anniversary and go visit them today for delicious coffee and yummy paninis at 6593 Fray Estebanico. 

What had been a long time dream of opening a coffee shop in Ciudad Juarez by Jose, the owner of Juaritoz, became motivation to make it happen. The beginning was not easy by any means, the budget that Jose and his wife started with was nothing too significant, but they decided to take this challenge in stride. They both worked with what they had and created a small space that became one of the first specialty coffee bars in the city. Jose got his inspiration from none other than Pinterest (I know you do this too so don't judge!) and keeps constantly trying to make changes to the space. As they continued with this project, they began to grow and share the growth with their customers. 

Two years later, you can now go to Juaritoz and find a cultural space that serves as a platform for many different people to be able to share their talents. Juaritoz holds art exhibitions, has live music like jazz and trova, and even has stand up nights. All these events are open to all the public, with the exception of stand up which is only for adults. Even where there aren't events you can go hang out with your friends in this very hip and cool environment. All of these events helped create a space that became so much more than a business. 

So what makes Juaritoz any different than all the other coffee shops in the city? BREAD! Yeah, you read that right, their homemade bread is their specialty. When they first started out, the owners began to search around town for a supplier and in the mean time Jose's wife began to experiment making bread. Her experiments have now become their most popular item on the menu. They realized that the homemade bread they were making was a hit, and everyone leaving was raving about it. They decided to keep it on the menu because their customers liked it so much. 

Now that I've hopefully convinced you to go, let me tell you what you should try! Coffee! Juaritoz has very strong coffee drinks, so coffee lovers rejoice! You will enjoy every sip. Their Juaritoz Iced Coffee is their specialty drink, but beware it is the strongest drink they have on their menu. Apart from that you can enjoy many of their hot and cold coffee options, as well as teas and Italian sodas. For food, I highly recommend just trying their bread by ordering a panini! Jose recommends you try the bread that has bacon and mozzarella cheese. 

Go show some love to Juaritoz (who is turning 2 today BTW!), possibly the coolest coffee shop in the city, and get yourself some strong coffee and delicious food!

​Listen up UTEP students, I think you've found your new favorite coffee shop for this upcoming finals season. BLDG 6, their UTEP location found on Cincinnati St., is one of the coolest, most relaxed coffee shops in town. Not only will you love their handcrafted coffee, but you'll want to stay and work a little while you're there.

This small coffee shop can be missed if you pass by super fast, but if you pay close attention you'll be able to find it without a hassle. BLDG 6 is not a very big place, but you will find a few tables and chairs where you can sit down to do some studying. The place is always very quiet and calm, perfect for your studying for upcoming final exams. 

The coffee menu at BLDG 6 offers a wide variety of hot and cold drinks for you to enjoy. I am a big fan of their hot lattes for my early morning caffeine fix, and something cold and refreshing a little later in the afternoon. They also offer toasts, with different toppings, that you can enjoy with their coffee.

Make a trip to BLDG 6 during these upcoming exams to stay focused, and I promise you'll enjoy your mornings a little more!