Week 8 - An Obsession with Aesthetics & Coffee (Bella Keegan)

I'm not entirely sure how, but within the last year I've become addicted to coffee. Objectively speaking, I am well aware that it is not necessarily a healthy addiction. Putting that aside though, this obsession has led me to go out of my way to try out many different coffee places within Orange County. I personally really enjoy how every coffee shop has its own aesthetic and branding, and lighting can usually help to enhance whatever feeling the coffee shop is trying to emit. Below is a picture from Tierra Mia in downtown Santa Ana. While Tierra Mia could be considered a corporation because they have numerous locations, every time I enter this store I feel so light and completely welcomed by not only the employees but by the decor and lighting. The tiny coffee shop utilizes these giant windows to let in a lot of natural light, and then they use these incredibly fun decor lights that have this warm tungsten feel to help make this store feel incredibly cozy. To be honest, while I'm obsessed with coffee I am also obsessed with coffee culture and the way a coffee shop can transport you into an entirely different world. Tierra Mia really uses their location to the best of their advantage with their large welcoming windows, soft light, and white decor and without a doubt it is one of my favorite coffee shops in the area because of this.