I'm back and its A Whole new World!



More Proud Mary Moments! Ahhhhhh

On Friday  I was like a little girl on Christmas morning !!! Skipping with enthusiasm to my local service station to pick up a copy of the  The Age Magazine Top 30 "Cafes"  (or coffeehouses as they may be more likely referred to  in the future!)  I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy and see who had made the grade! I wonder what I will be like when they release the Age Good Cafe Guide this month featuring 250 cafes, maybe leading me to dream the impossible dream! If I get through my 100 in one piece and not  admitted to some kind of clinic with a serious caffeine addiction ..then  what is  an extra 150 to do ! Easy peasy!!  



I was dying to see which ones I have already been to on "my journey" .... My Score card  read: 22 out of 30 and all since February!  Pretty impressive huh!?? Before February I was sitting at a measly 4 !!! That was before my coffee revolution... crazy what you can do in a few short months when you really have a goal huh!? So much easier than sticking to a diet to  lose that pesky 5kg!!  

Coming from a  relatively new coffee lover.. I think I have only dipped my toe in the water of what the Melbourne coffee scene is really like, and I like what I see..  I  think I am still  discovering that  I may  actually have a  a deep riding passion for coffee after all, well I don't know any other crazies doing such a thing.. but I'm sure they are out there and its only a matter of time before I bump into them over a soy cappuccino... my soul mate perhaps!?!?! 

 My  ability to never stop being surprised and delighted by everything ,big or small  is a quality I love about myself  ....  and It has allowed me to see that I am so much more a creative - right -side- brain  person than I ever thought I was... better than any Myers Briggs assessment would tell me !  

Now I only have 38 to go... and  I have no  one holding me back.. I'm running my own show and  I actually know I will achieve this goal... I am excited and exhilarated thinking about it! 

This new found confidence is now ready to be applied to other aspects of my life! I'm not saying I'm not still feeling sad and sorry for myself at times, I am ..... but  I have Adele on  my play lists to help me thought that ... Coffee has allowed me to immerse myself in the world all by myself and without having to really try, but now I am ready for the scary stuff.. putting myself back on the dating scene... the thought of it runs shivers of terror down my spine.. but hey gotta start somewhere!! Will keep you posted on this one if there are any developments, a handsome barista perhaps, I don't think there is a shortage of those.... 

As  for coffee this week, the highlights again have  been the Pastel cups!!! This time at Hardware Societe.. I have a love love love of pastel cups... as seen in Proud Mary and also at Duchess of Spotswood too!! They just look so pretty and I feel so elegant drinking my coffee... ahhhh... I am going to find some, but it wont be the same drinking out of them at home...Ok so back to Hardware Societe. I walked there at lunch time, a 30 minute power walk round trip! The coffee was fabulous and soo cheap $3, seriously for a soy too.. pity it is on the other side of the city! The french inspired cafe is so inviting with warm yellow splashed everywhere and little touches that demonstrate they care about the little things... and I wished I could have stayed for lunch the food on other people tables looked so appetising, next visit  for sure. I might have to swap my coffee for a Pot of Tea, served with a tea cosie and all!  Lovely!

Kate out the front of Proud Mary
Very Happy with her coffee!!!!

I did make it back to Proud Mary on Saturday with Laura and Kate.. slightly under the weather  from a few too many vino's the night before.. I could still manage to get myself to order a coffee here.. normally a big no-no in my hangover recovery book... but how can you resist at one of the best places to drink coffee  in Melbourne! I don't regret it! It was so smooth and actually fixed my headache and gave me the caffeine kick that I needed to get through the day! We ate breakfast here as well which was the perfect hangover cure!The Hash browns are a must!!  The staff were attentive and friendly, and very helpful  and the noise that normally engulfs cafes on a Saturday was not even an issue!  I feel redeemed from my suggestion to come here after my last cafe suggestion backfired in February! 

Will be back here without a doubt! 

I also picked up some very helpful and pretty postcards  that explained all the different coffee brewing methods from French Press, to Syphon, Chemex and Espresso! They have dispelled a few  mysteries for me and I may one day actually order a Pour over...



A cup of Teal Goodness from the Duchess! 

On Monday I went to another home of Pastel Cups... Duchess of Spotswood, just a few short minutes from home and a diamond in what is a rough industrial area of Melbourne.. The barista wearing a very funky hat... (read my next blog all about hats!) served up a strong and sweet coffee in a wonderful Teal cup and pale blue saucer (and Darby had his in a pale pink cup! ) I keep meaning to come here to eat, as the reputation of the food produced here is pretty high and the anticipation is making me want it more... Monday morning is a perfect time to do it and escape the weekend traffic! We might even walk here to work off what could be a very decadent treat!

Ahh well that's it from the week.. I will be back to my regular  posts from now on!  

Until Next time... Lifes too short to drink crappy coffee... xxx

Monday at Mary's

I have been very slack lately with my writing, I could rattle off 101 excuses my number one has been focusing on my movie making skills! I have loved combining my passion for photo taking and music with my coffee drinking! I now just need to get a decent camera... although I must say my IPhone has done a pretty good job to date!

Some of these photos taken at Proud Mary I think are my best... Maybe it was just the environment to take them - all that Blue cup glory....

Darby and I walked into Proud Mary on a cold Monday afternoon to the soothing tones of Bad Moon Rising by Creedence, some might not automatically think of CCR as soothing, but it reminds me of my dad and puts me automatically at ease! At first gaze around the busy cafe I am instantly impressed by the Massive and Grand Blue (Synesso I'm guessing) coffee machine, it takes up a whole bench and is beyond words!

What I love here the most are the signature Blue cups.. they are simple but so different and really set this place apart from the rest. Darby and I managed to get a table overlooking the coffee machine and we both stared at it in wonder.. his wide eyes lighting up every time the Barista said "Coffee Up" ... he turned to me so innocently and said "Mum when I grow up I want to be a coffee maker!" Bless his heart... my eyes filled up with proud motherly tears!! He is going to be one hell of a barista one day!  Hopefully I don't take up a new hobby any day soon!   My coffee came and was pretty as a picture... I could have looked at it for hours.. but decided the best thing to do was to drink it! Mmmm heaven is all Ill say! Maybe I will use a massive cliche here and say I did 10 Hail Marys to wish every coffee I have is this good!

Proud Mary is an impressive place to eat and drink at! There is the usual exposed brick/concrete floor combo in a converted warehouse that I am becoming accustomed to, yet it doesn't feel too industrial or cold.. in any case it oozes with warmth! I keep coming back to the blue cups.. I seriously have to get over my major fetish and get some of my own!



All Gone... it was soo delightful!!

Every way to make a good coffee is demonstrated here, from the  single origins here plus interesting blends too, down to the clover/syphon/chemex etc methods of making ..... plus cold drip as well... The one that caught my eye was Velvet Underground.. next time I will be ballsy enough and just ask for it!   

 I really want to come back here on the weekend to eat, drink and soak up some more Mary vibes.... and I have a coffee date with my cousin Kate.. and after a let down in February I am out to impress this time so I think Proud Mary will be my top pick! Until next time xxx

Life is too short to drink crappy coffee .........





  





Coffee Machine Broken ?&*%#!

Day 2 of public transporting it and its still going well! No complaints yet! 

Darby and I trekked over to North Melbourne where we were meeting cousin Kate and Laura for a coffee. Kate has been a  tremendous supporter of my blog so far , so  as an out of towner she wanted to go to one of the coffee places I had written about. So after some research on Friday I decided upon a new place I had not heard of and  actually not on my MCR list that reportedly made very good coffee:  Maison Ama Lurra http://www.amalurra.com.au/ in Howard St, North Melbourne.

I should have been worried when we arrived. The owner had a very concerned look on his face and seemed reluctant to come and serve us. When we were greeted by the waitress we were told some VERY VERY bad news! I think she actually phrased it as interesting news not as devastating as I found it.  The coffee machine had broken down! OMG!!!

She obviously didn't have the same obsession for coffee as I did and I was greatly offended when she offered me the tea list.... As if!

The only coffee they  did have  available was filtered coffee called the Trifecta, Kate and I decided to give it a go! I don't think I have ever ordered a long black, so this would be an experience.  To be honest though it did not rock my world, nor did it have the effect I thought it would have- I always imagine after drinking long blacks you were left buzzing on a caffeine high! None of that buzzing felt here! 

The food was also interesting and certainly not for every ones taste and they may need to find their niche to get them off the ground, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt and come back and try their coffee, lets hope next time their machine is in top form! I might just call ahead to check!

Seven Seeds - 10 out of 10



I couldn't let Kate think I was terrible at picking my places for coffee and we were still in desperate need for a good cup of Java.  So we wandered down a few blocks  to a new favorite of mine  Seven Seeds http://www.sevenseeds.com.au/, surely that couldn't fail us and I knew they had a plethora of coffee machines! One specially there to make Take Aways too! Perfect! ...

Of the two times I have been, I have found Seven Seeds hard to locate, it really is tucked away in a side street and my map reading skills need a little work!!!!!


Of those times there it is always filled to the brim with people. Word of Mouth Advertisement really speaks volumes here with no signs needed out the front! They even have a very handy indoor bike parking, which seems in vogue for all the cool cafes i have been to lately! Might have to get myself a bike so I fit the bill!!



Soy Cappuccino - Perfecto





Finally a picture of me Enjoying my coffee!

Seven Seeds - hustle and bustle of Saturday morning

 We ordered our coffees and a biscuit for Darby and managed to snatch some vacant seats so we could enjoy the coffee experience there. From a quick head count it looked like there were about 4 or 5 Barista's making coffees, pretty extraordinary really. This place takes their coffee making very seriously. And we all enjoyed our coffees, I think I have converted Laura and Kate to come back.. I certainly will be.....

Laura and Kate sipping Seven Seeds

And so after a rocky start to the morning my coffee obsession continues...... Still 80 or so more to go.. but who's counting!
Until Next time, enjoy your coffee  xxx