Talk about a great place for latte and more.
One Friday morning, I drove to Starbucks on Pine for my weekly latte. I was anxious to savor that taste I first experienced when my grandmother made “café con leche” for us – at least, Starbuck’s version of it. Anyhow, I’d been looking forward to this morning all week, but as I got closer, there was no parking and the line was out the door. I was disappointed, but I remembered that a few weeks prior, a friend suggested I visit “Creama” on Pine. So I drove up the street.
As I arrived, parked and walked in, I noticed that Creama was not an ordinary coffee place. Creama transcended me to a mini European vacation. Its décor and aroma definitely reminded me of charming places I visited in Spain and Italy. The displayed postcards from people all over the world and art pieces of up and coming local artists made the place even more charming. Even though there was a line for ordering coffee, it was worth it, I fell in love! It must have been a mix of the ambiance and the amazing latté made with 100% organic coffee beans (growersfirst.org). After such a wonderful experience and having been a loyal customer for some time now, I had to share the best-kept secret in downtown Long Beach – Creama.
Creama opened its doors December of 2005 with the vision to be part of an up-and-coming city where people can come and experience a European environment. The ambiance provides a perfect setting to work, play or both. Creama offers Wi-Fi access to its customers at no charge and displays artwork by local artists. It is owned and operated by husband and wife Javier Paz and Carmen Frego, and Carmen’s sister Susana Frego. This is a family owned and community oriented business that strives to support local community events and causes.
Creama’s secret for its success is the love and passion its owners have for running an environmentally conscious establishment, treating its customers like old friends visiting from out of town! That weekly splurge I had has tuned into a daily tradition.
The next time you are in my neighborhood, visit Creama! If you would like more information about Creama, please visit their website: creamacafe.com or email them at [email protected]