Saturday in the Yarraville sun!

It wasn't the ideal way to start a sunny weekend - spending the first few hours waiting to see my local GP  for some antibiotics for my wretched **@#@&%  tooth.. When we were finished the ordeal,  I wasn't sure if I needed a coffee or a very stiff drink! I needed some time to ponder this ....

So Darby and I drove to Yarrvaille so I could decide and to come good on my promise of the morning ' be a good boy for mummy at the doctors and we will get a sparkle biscuit(his all time fave from the Heather Dell bakery in Anderson St)' .. He was spectacularly good for me.. and I'm sure it wasn't just from my bribe.. he knows I'm not feeling well and is genuinely concerned with how looking after me , constantly asking - are you OK mum? The doctor will fix you'..... bless him! 

When I did get  him his biscuit and watched a very impromptu band and veterans march down Anderson st (over in a few seconds but I found it very overwhelming ).  I contemplated my options - that stiff  drink idea still lingering or a coffee.... my head was thumping, so I had to make a decision quickly,  and I really didn't think a dose of caffeine would alleviate it but I also thought entering the pub with a child at 10.30am may look seriously dodge... in Footscray maybe but not Yarraville! Plus my head was sore  from the 2 drinks I consumed last night??? I am sooo weak .... I would have thought the Panadeine  would have settled any headache, alcohol related or not!

I ended up being sensible and chose COFFEE!! I walked past Wee Jeannie, but it was looking rather busy, so I chose her sister and other favorite - The Corner shop in Ballarat St.
Darby and I perched ourselves at the big communal table and ordered drinks instantly! Darby's mini chocolate milkshake arrived within minutes and  I had a taste and almost wished I had ordered one, sweet chocolaty.. cold  and downright delicious!
It was busy as it usually is on Saturdays but the ebb and flow of customers was not at all frantic and stressful like it sometimes can be here.

The service from the new wait staff was very prompt, I ordered some eggs when Darby's drink arrived... (I think food was going to help!)

My coffee came next and even though thinking this was not what my body ordered,  it was exactly the right thing! My headache instantly lifted (uh-oh - alarm bells.. Does this mean I am addicted to caffeine and my body was having a physical reaction to no coffee??? surely not, it was only 10.30am!)

The crema was light and fluffy, with the magical chocolate on top exploding and melting in my mouth.. it was a marvelous experience.. and certainly a unique one I don't have anywhere else! It does bring me back every time! The Coffee that followed was smooth and rich and really marvelous especially when drinking to  the sounds of an all time fave Fleetwood Mac song "Dreams"  (and the whole Rumours album to follow- yay!) ... Darby and I sat there and grooved away  while we ate.. it was bliss.... I didn't think coffee was what I needed, but it was exactly the cure of me feeling off this morning! I should have known (Ill remember this cure  for next time) !!
Oh and we also had a couple of celebrity spotting's in the Corner Shop (if you can call them celebrities!) Comedian Adam Hills.. coming in to enjoy a solo coffee... and the guy that plays the doctor of that new show "winners and losers" having breakfast whilst holding his  baby! He is so cute!
All in all a 10/10 coffee morning!!!Oh and the sun was shining too as a bonus!!!  



On Friday my mum and Darby came in for an afternoon coffee  with me while at work! I  of course took them to Elevenses! It was fairly busy, so we sat outside in the relatively sunny autumn afternoon.... our coffee and babycinos were as always delicious and the lime macaroon we consumed (although just a small bite) was aHHHmazZZZing!! I might have to get the salted caramel next time!! hmmmm

Darby was on his best behaviour even though he was beside himself with tiredness... such a coffee trooper now!!



So Excited by his babycino and macaroon!



Brunswick - here we go again!

mmmmm

Funnily enough today I ended up in Brunswick ! It seems to be my second home at the moment... (three times in a week may be a little excessive though!) Today my business was a catch up with Corrie - I am so jealous of her current location : a hop, skip and a jump to Princes Park and only a block away to an array of yummy  cafes, bars and cool shops and of course East Brunswick, where my heart still is...(or at least half of it). I have decided the month of April  will be my reminiscing month - its been all about Brunswick!  



This morning I am  given free rein on choosing a location to go.. and I really can't decide... I toss up Wide Open Road http://www.wideopenroad.com.au/, a rather new cafe and where I had takeaway from recently and it was rather lovely.. and I'm sure Darby would get a kick out of the Shopping Trolley suspended to the wall!! I will come back here again!
Instead  we head to what used to be Toby's Estate headquarters http://www.tobysestate.com.au/before they relocated to the wonderful espresso bar in the city. It is now trading as the Brunswick Food Store, a warm new cafe serving Middle Eastern offerings,  but luckily for us they still serve what is becoming my favorite coffee brand... Toby's Estate! (And after a little research on my friend google I find  out the room next door is still set up as the Toby's Estate Barista school -I had a sneak peak and it looks very  very impressive!) Might just have to enlist myself in a course! I may not have a coffee making gene in me, but I'm willing to learn.. and you cant say I'm not passionate about the stuff..

We order our coffee and a muffin to share.. It may possibly be the biggest and maybe even the best muffin I have tasted..(I didn't get to taste much as Darby managed to get through most, sharing small segments  with Corrie and I) White Chocolate and Raspberry... classic combination .. because it works. Yummy crispy top and light as air middle, big white choc chunks that had cooked and caramelised.. with that sweet but tart balance of the raspberries.. Just about food heaven...Ill be going back on the hope of one of those muffins alone.


Toby's Barista room



The coffee I had was superb, the familiar taste I am loving so much at the moment! I tend to find Toby's Estate coffee always quite strong, (this is a very good thing) - it is bold and rich and completely overwhelming! Fall in love every time!  





After my coffee experience here, I think I can still do another one, so on the way home I stop into Rays Cafe. I have had a few people at work talk about this cafe as an institution... and its their place to go to when in Brunswick.. So I thought I better try!  Darby and take a seat at the communal table at the front, the place could quite easily transform into a bar at night, it has a very dark, edgy feel to it! People smoking out the front (not cool), waitresses dressed in numbers I could never get away with and lots of exposed brick and wood, to give it that earthy dark look.  It seems to be where all the cool Brunswick kids play... and I am feeling quite self conscious like a very very dowdy housewife here! I order a Soy Piccolo and Darby (dressed as Woody from Toy Story ) happily plays..The music seems to be part star wars.. part Muse.. and I do feel very out of place.. In saying that the staff were really friendly .. and as always Darby wins them over with his charm and sweetness!



My Piccolo



My coffee comes and it is really warm, almost hot, this is good as it  enforces me to sip slowly and enjoy every gulp, rather than my usual guzzling method. It has a slight bitterness up front but a lovely finish... full of fruitiness...mmm the coffee here is good, I just don't think this is the place for me.. I'm not part of the band! The next night I was in East Brunswick again for a raucous dinner with my cousins... cheap Thai food and ice cream Gelobar from  .. a classic  combination!......
As we come close to the end of April,  I think Ill go easy on my Brunswick obsession for awhile...and start exploring some uncharted territory! Anyway as they say abscence makes the the heart grow fonder!

Can you believe I am up to 43 places now! 57 to go! Woo Hoo

Until next time xxx





Stephen Pondering
over
his flat
 white!



 PS - I better make a special mention as I said  I would include a pic for my colleague.. Every month we go out for coffee.. (seeing as now I am the connoisseur) and every time I chose Elevenses in Little Collins St  http://www.elevenses.net.au/! Why would I go anywhere else! Its close by, it has wonderful and friendly staff and the coffee is amazing! And That Tiger Toast is pretty darn tasty too!





Miss Clumsy!



 From  my debacle on the way home from Bendigo I knew it was better for me to play it safe! I wasn't built for detective work, and who thought finding coffee shops would actually involve alot of this highly honed skill! But I was exhausted and Darby was awake so I decided I was up for a lighter challenge! Find a cafe in Brunswick.. there are 10 or so I could pick from  and then  just have a coffee and get myself home! I settled on the closest one to where I was, Miss Marmalade on Union St. The cafe is actually in the middle of suburbia as well with no other retailer in site.  The cafe is very inviting and Darby and I manage to snag a seat at a big vacant communal table overlooking the kitchen. The coffee blend they use here is 5 Senses, which I have had a couple of times and have thoroughly enjoyed. The coffee was strong  and rich with a nut flavour coming through. I needed that coffee so much that it was gone before I knew it!  Darby also enjoyed his babycino which accompanied the largest marshmallow I have seen.. I later found out they have a back room with toys and open space for littlies.. that would explain all the prams going out the back! Definitely a kid friendly venue! Ill be back here again!(and its easy to find!)

I have always been known for my clumsiness, falling over, tripping up, forgetting things, walking into glass doors and probably the best is my messiness with food... which has now translated into my coffee drinking!! On Tuesday I was glad to be back at  work, when I am back I feel normal and definitely not as exhausted. Janine and I decide to head to Eclipse for our morning coffee . In my mind I wanted a Piccolo latte, something strong to kick start the morning. So I order it without hesitation until I see the waitress grab the littlest of takeaway cups, it looked so tiny lined up against the 'normal" sized ones.  Waiting for my order I still contemplate changing, surely that wouldn't be too hard, or hopefully they have a lid, I'm sweating now on the thought of having a lidless coffee, not for the sake of the coffee getting cold, but of my coffee handling skills.. I could see the end result!

My Piccolo arrives looking all gorgeous and caramel coloured (no lid.. yikes) Oh well I will take the risk and drink it as fast as I can!

What a mistake!!!

Walking through the Rialto building and a slight moment of distraction  and I tipped the coffee slightly towards me enough for the coffee to roll down my arm, leg, ankles and feet! Precious Piccolo wasted on my body! It left about two big sips left! It was gorgeous.. but lesson learnt- order a Piccolo TA and suffer the consequences! I was going to need another coffee though to get me through the day! So I was relieved to see I had scheduled a meeting at the other end of town at Parliament. This meant I could visit one of my harder to reach  destinations! Yay!! I had 2 or 3 quality places close by I could chose from! It would be a coin toss to decide!

1) Toby Espresso Bar...

2) Liaison - (real location of the mystery cafe!)

When I arrived at my meeting and went to do the courtesy thing and offer my colleague a coffee I reached into my bag fondling to find my ginormous Red Croc purse...it couldnt be missed! But it wasn't there!! My deliriously clumsy self left it next to my computer!!! Talk about a) embarrassing and b) so disappointing! 

Although the walk back to work did me good... arrgghhh

My best coffees of  this week has still got to be Elevenses http://www.elevenses.net.au/  It can do no wrong in my eyes!! I am soo glad it is so close to work! They launched their Buffalo Soldier sandwich this week - it looks delish but I'm such a wuss and wont try it! Ill come for breaky and try the Tiger Toast! Vegemite and Swiss Cheese! Much more up my alley and I'm sure its as good as it sounds! The coffee keeps getting better and better here  - Love it, Love it!! Love the place, Love the people and I will try a Lux Bite macaroon on a Friday!! !!
Until Next time

xx xx

Work, Life, Balance, and good Coffee!

Well its good news to start with today, a brand spanking new car back in my possession, 3 weeks to the day! Yay! Boy have I missed my wheels.. I can really recommence my coffee challenge and start hitting the burbs for some caffeine! Although on the flip side my body has really thanked me for this extra walking... so I am going to try and keep the activity levels up!

This week has been rather hit and miss on the coffee front .... Monday, Darby and I ventured to Spotswood by train in the freezing cold weather  (who knew it was the last day of Summer!!!!) to visit the Duchess of Spotswood. I have been here a couple of times and it was brilliant! Alas we arrived and their coffee machine was being taken away in a car, not a great sign! Another broken machine! Damn!!!

Coffee dilemma solved by catching the train back to Yarraville (luckily only 1 stop) and meeting up with  my aunty at an old fave:  The Corner Shop! I can never fault their coffee, it is always incredibly smooth and rich. (and no broken coffee machine in sight)

 I was back in Spotswood again on Tuesday to pick up  my car so thought I'd swing by the  Duchess again, but it closed at 3.30! (I arrived at 3.35!!!) Ill keep persisting and go tomorrow!  I have worked hard for this coffee,  I hope its a good one.

I have  also still battled on with my cold, I felt better over the weekend and then went severely downhill when I was back at work (mmm makes me wonder if work is the culprit for making me sick! Ill ponder that some more) .

Work  and home life have thrown me some challenges this week that normally wouldn't  phase me, but somehow I have found it to overwhelming, tears as well! Oh Jane!!!

Quite ironic though that a topic of  my team meeting on Tuesday was Work Life Balance - Is it a load of twaddle! 

 Who really has it??? Is it just a nice saying?? Does it exist in the real world??? This week I'm  certainly  not feeling any kind of balance in life or at work !  I'm completely out of whack!!

Lets hope tomorrow off will rejuvenate and revive me before the weekend!



Total Eclipse.. my magical coffee



Anyway enough of the serious stuff, lets talk about  the most important topic : coffee... I went to Elevenses this morning and was a little concerned when a man was tinkering around with the coffee machine. Oh no not another broken coffee machine, I just couldn't bare it..not this week ...Thank god it was fine and I actually think today's cup was the best I have had from the guys here and that is saying ALOT.... Thank you Elevenses! You made my day!!

I needed to get out of the office for  Lunch, So headed to Eclipse for Lunch with Janine. We both loved what we had.... it was very tasty with finesse, and  presented soo well (it also filled me up for the whole day). My fancy was Flat bread toasted with Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, and Aioli, with Rocket!  The coffee was beautiful as well ..



Highlight of the day: Catching the train home with Darby and using the Master Chef magazine as a picture book.  We read together pointing out all the obvious things , George, Gary, Matt, Curtis, Figs, Lemons, Pizza, Chilli, pasta etc etc! What a great purchase, we both get enjoyment out of it!! Classic moment when we got to   George and Gary's chocolate desserts and I told Darb's everything that was on the page! He piped up "mum I want to cook  a Jaffa Souffle with candy orange !" A few peak hour commuters smirked at that!  Bring it on Darb's!!! Ill drink to that!

Until next time xx

PS - Thanks Damien Rice... you have helped me get through a tough week!

Train Excursion and the dreaded summer cold!

Friday is here and I'm stretching my very foggy brain (damn head cold - I hate you ) trying to remember my coffee adventures from  earlier in the week!!

Weeks seem to be moulding into one and February has almost gone before I knew it was here! Monday came around again and Darby and I broke with our tradition and did something a little different today! Entering week 3 without a car has made me become more inventive with the adventures we take. (Also I try and make them as easy on me and kid friendly as possible!) 



Yummy Smartie Cookie

We decided today on  a train trip to Newport  which would be a fun way to spend the afternoon! Newport is only 3 train stops away so its a quick trip and a perfect length for Darbs, ... less stress than driving really ....



Today we are trying Nosh @ Newport.. I have heard many great things about this place but have never managed to get myself there!

Nosh is situated opposite the Newport train station and is very easy to locate. It is open everyday and for dinner some nights too! Its a very funky  and  low key kind of place. It is also very kid friendly (big tick for that) with toys in the corner, lots of  kiddie food, including gingerbread bears, the always divine Honey Joys and the pièce de résistance "the Smartie cookie!  Kiddie drinks are also served in plastic cups! Darby was very impressed by his babycino  served in a bright green cup, but even more impressed by his smartie cookie.. (I scored myself a few little bites as well.)

Coffee Supreme! A long time fave!

My coffee is yum, they use Coffee Supreme, one of my favorite brands (of a list that is growing fast)!so its hard to go wrong! Ill be back here no doubt. Always nice to have another place so close to go to in the west.. 

Nosh Coffee

Now as the rest of my working  week unfolded and I began to feel the physical effects of a summer cold coming on, runny nose,  sore throat and achy body just to name a few symptoms  (I'm sure my body could be forgiven to thinking it is June), Luckily I still felt the need to drink coffee. Any time I'm even slightly under the weather my body goes into caffeine shutdown and I cant drink it for weeks.. but even though my taste buds are out of whack and I'm severely dehydrated, my body is still calling out for its daily cup of coffee,(YAY)!

Elevenses cool coffee machine on Snooker table 

 I visited Elevenses http://www.elevenses.net.au/ a few times  this week for their super coffee, I love that place! The quirkiness, the location (so close to work) and the divine coffee! Yummy Toby's estate is always spot on here, strong, rich and smooth (this is where I could insert some lame joke about liking my men that way, but Ill refrain!) 



my coffee mmmmmm

 I took the guys from work here on Friday for coffee and brunch as Janine and I are always talking about it and my colleague Stephen wanted to get a picture and mention in my Blog!!! He even shouted me coffee as a sweetener!
The place was heaving with people in a mid morning caffeine rush which is great for them! 

Oh and on rather an embarrassing note, the guys at Elevenses had read my blog (or a part where I have mentioned them!) I suppose this is good.... but I forget that anybody can see/ find  my  portal of dagginess!!! Oops! Oh well, its all in the name of coffee!!

Until next time (sniff sniff)

Enjoy your coffee xx

 PS -  I need to find a new word/s for Yummy- I use it way too much... any ideas please??!???????!

Total ECLIPSE of the heart

Total Eclipse!

Eclipse Coffee http://www.eclipsecoffee.com.au/ is another mysterious cafe, its address is Collins St, but in reality it is tucked away at the back of the Rialto in Flinders Lane, so you have to really be seeking it out.
 I'm seeing a theme in the cafes I have been  trying lately that they are all so understated, with no need for signs or marketing on the outside and often you could walk past and not realise you have missed it. They really let their coffee speak for itself!!

Janine and I made our way to Eclipse on Wednesday morning for our daily coffee experience! When you enter, the  darkness of the cafe is quite overwhelming so early in the morning. You almost feel like its 11pm and you should be ordering  gin and tonics, not soy cappuccinos and long blacks at the bar. The colourful down lights just add to the  late night mood as well, but the scent of Cinnamon lingers from the  nearby fruit toast and jolts me back to my 9.30am reality! Damn!  The food here  looks like another reason to keep coming back, with gorgeous looking pastries and croissants . Ill definitely be back for breakfast and lunch ...

Eclipse have about 3 or 4 baristas working tirelessly  on the Synesso http://www.synesso.com/ coffee machine (I am taking much more notice of the coffee machines these days!)  to churn out the hundreds of coffees it must make in a usual mid week morning rush.  
Now onto my coffee, for the price I pay $4.10 (on the pricey side for a small coffee), I would hope that its damn exceptional!  I can't wait to get it back to the office to try it! It does not disappoint , it is soo smooth and rich. The soy milk enhances the rich chocolatey nutty  flavour. They use their own beans here and they change the blend daily. Today  its a Brazillian exquisite blend!
Ill be back here again for coffee in no time!



My Elevenses coffee



In the afternoon I was after another caffeine fix! So I opted for convenience  and went to Elevenses http://www.elevenses.net.au/, something always draws me back there! The coffee even at 4pm, is still as good as it is earlier on in the day and that's always a sign to me they take their coffee making seriously!


Hasn't been a great week for my Melbourne coffee review 100... no new ones off my list! Still without a car for 2 more weeks, so I  will have to pick up the pace when I get it back!

I purchased the Melbourne Coffee Guide today http://www.thecoffeeguide.com.au/ and it reviews 150 places to go... slightly more ambitious, although there is quite a few cross overs with MCR so it could be doable! If only I had the time... the thought of giving up my day job sounds nice.. but then I have to be able to purchase coffees so that may prove a problem... mmmm If only I could drink more than 1 or 2 in a day without the palpitations and headaches!

Until next time, enjoy your coffee xxx

Hump Day

I generally love Wednesdays - the middle of the week and only one more working day for me to go before the weekend! Yay! And I managed to knock one off my list today! Double Yay!
I started the day off with a coffee from Elevenses, they never seem to disappoint.....


Only an hour later I  had to make a last minute doctors appointment in the city so I made sure that I squeezed in enough time to grab a coffee nearby from my list! Lucky for me, there was such a place only a few doors down called Switchboard cafe! I found it a little tricky to find, a blink and you  miss it kind of cafe, well not really even a cafe. A hole in the wall would more accurately describe it! 
Switchboard use Supreme Coffee, an old favorite of mine, so I was already impressed. It was a little intimate waiting for my Soy Cap, basically standing inside their coffee making space but the staff were super friendly and super quick. The coffee was also of very high standards and if I worked closer to the city I would be coming here often!!!

Switchboard Cafe

Tuesday on my mind

I officially bid farewell to my beloved Nissan Tiida today (sob sob) for 4 weeks. How am I going to live without a car for that long !??!?
I think this is where my 'Incidental activity' New years Resolution will come into play! I'm hoping this will make me fitter, stronger and maybe a little more patient (or should that be impatient) with Melbourne's Public Transport system.
Aside from my grief over my car, I was in good need of a coffee this morning, - the late nights watching trashy DVDs has taken its toll, I think its back to 8.30pm bedtime for a while, although the tiredness does really fuel the need for caffeine, so Ill get back to you about that ...

This morning my coffee of fancy was at Elevenes, fast becoming a work favorite. The staff are fantastic and friendly, its kinda quirky having the coffee machine on a snooker table and the 5 minute walk is also refreshing.  Elevenses use Toby's estate beans which are fantastic and sooo smooth. They are happy to try different blends and as a customer you get the benefit of it!
Oh and today they were super happy as they had made the front cover of The Epicure in the Age, featuring their "Ugly Duckling" sandwich... Well done...They were ecstatic!  Not sure Duck is my fancy for lunch, but if they put as much love into their food as they do their coffee it must be pretty special.

No places off my list today!! 325 days left and 89 places to go!  I'm chugging along slowly...... Oh and my vote will be on Elevenses for next year!



The Ugly Duckling Sandwich from Elevenes



Yay its Friday

A night where I  slept alllll night, Darby is with my mum and dad so I woke up disorientated, not knowing where I was and what Day it was. That's what a full nights sleep does after 3.5 years of disrupted sleep.
Haven't worked on my goal yet today,  but have had some fabulous coffee with Janine at our new favorite 'Go to ' place from work - Elevenses. They make a nice strong coffee and don't charge for Soy! Yay.... Plus it gets us out of the office for 15 minutes to achieve another goal... Get moving during the work day 2 times a week..... I better practice what I preach at work - Health and Wellbeing!!
Have a happy Friday .....