Favourite Photo Friday - The Coffee Edition

I just had some random thought, (that happens frequently for me!)  that I am going to share some of my favourite photos on Fridays, nice ring to it hey? It will be a happy way for me to end the week and and an easy post for this photo loving gal! 

I love sharing! I have over 50,000 photos sitting in my IPhoto never being seen by anyone. It seems such a waste when I know I have captured so much joy in them. There are photos of every aspect and random event of my life. The good, the bad and the ugly, but all the same they are memories.

So this first week, it made perfect sense to share some of my favourite coffee photos. 

I have taken these over the past 12 months whilst doing my little coffee challenge.  It seemed only right to parade the  photos that really are the essence of why I started blogging. For those that don't know, last year I went on some caffeine fuelled mission to taste 100 of Melbourne's best coffees. I took this challenge by the balls, going to over 150 of Melbourne's best java houses,  hence my friends, that is how I became known as Java Jane.

I may have gone a little stir crazy, but you cant really blame me, I was in the midst of my first year of solo parenting and trying to find my feet, and establish myself as an independent woman. Something I hadn't done for 6 or so years, but this time I had a 3 year old in tow! Nothing easy about that.

This challenge kept me sane, when everything around me turned to crap. It kept me focused, and motivated when some days I didn't want to get out of bed. In no way do I regret it, because it opened up the door to blogging, I cant imagine my life before it, and the friendships I have formed, the beautiful insightful  women I have met, and the stories I have been able to share and read. 

So that crazy idea by my former partner that I should start blogging about my coffee drinking escapade, that was by far the smartest thing he ever said to me  and  the best decision I made ,   the drinking coffee part was just the icing on the cake!   

Coffee still plays a massive part in my everyday. It makes my days better, it lifts me up and soothes my soul. I cant put my finger on what it really does, but without it I wouldn't be the person I am. It helped me when I was down, it was my confidant, my shoulder to cry on, it was my Prozac,  pretty alright for a humble brown bean.

So here you go, enjoy some of my favourite photos I have taken of coffee that I have had the pleasure of drinking. 

(one day I will get a decent camera  - these were all taken on my iPhone!) 

Today I am linking up for FYBF over with the gorgeous Grace  over at With some Grace ...... 

 Until next time life is too short for crap coffee

My Window of Happiness

One of my favourite blogger's Fi over at My Mummy Daze came up with this gorgeous link up "Windows of Happiness".  She  started it while I was away, and as much as I had many things and moments to be happy about on my holiday, It was only until I arrived home that the true happiness in my life hit me, well more like came leaping and bounding towards me. 

So whilst I deliriously struggled with jet lag, I was also deliriously happy to be back with my little man. 

Our first morning together we slept in, and then we played silly games in bed where we go into the secret cave (under the covers) and tell each other funny stories  about super heroes and Paris and my holiday. Darby laughs until his tummy hurts, and I cant help but tear up, the emotions of my arrival home are still raw and it will take awhile for me not to tear up at the thought of being away for so long. Its all these simple moments that make me so happy.

We dressed, (Darby layered fashionably 3 of the t-shirts I brought back for him) and I looked in the cupboard for cereal, and the fridge for milk - Nope. I looked in the freezer for bread, no luck there either. I found some out of date breakfast biscuits at the back of the pantry, but I was scraping the barrel with these. After coming back to a house with no food, it seemed we were going to have to go out. Damn. (Secretly I didn't mind  at all!) 

And what a way to celebrate my return,  breakfast at one of my many favourite coffee shops close to home. I was desperate to have a decent coffee hit as well after not drinking much in 3 weeks, and I  needed the caffeine to keep that jet lag at bay. 

Yet it was the conversations we had over breakfast that made me happier. Darby and I had so much to catch up on. With only limited phone conversations and a couple of quick Skype sessions while I was away, We really hadn't spoken to each other in quite awhile.  We swapped stories about his adventures with his dad and grandparents and I told him all about Oxford, Mauritius and Paris. I even threw in some french greetings for good measure (never know when he is going to need to say thanks in French, I'm sure it will come in handy one day!)

We ate some yummy food, me, poached eggs on toast and him, porridge with rhubarb. It was delicious and better than anything I could have whipped up at home. Each time the waitress came over he would proudly exclaim, "My mum got this t-shirt in London - she came back on a plane last night, we went to pick her up at the airport" (I love how little kids over share with random people)

We enjoyed our little breakfast, my heart brimming full with happiness. 
I consider these simple moments in my life so so special, they lift me up and get me through the weeks.. 
So this has been a great start at trying to capture "My windows of Happiness"

Until Next time 

Life is too short for Crappy Coffee

I'm on a roll... some photos of a happier and healthier weekend..

After being laid up with bronchitis  last weekend and only venturing outside to go to the Doctor or to the Chemist, it was nice to just get out and about and feel relatively normal again.. Yes I still have a yucky cough and sniffles that most people want tend to veer away from, but I almost feel like me again! 

On Saturday I managed a little walk to my local village to pick up my new iPhone cover.. if that wasn't going to make me happy, nothing was.... I loved it!

Next I went to Seven Seeds, voted on all the best coffee lists in Melbourne for a bit of a treat after a crappy week.. Then it was jumping on the train to pick up Darby from my parents.. it was nice not having to worry about driving and just sit back and relax and enjoy the countryside! We do a swapsie half way! 

Darby was excited to see me... smother me in cuddles and tell me all the fun things he managed to do at Grandma and Grandpa's.. its amazing in just 3 short days he seemed to have matured and his little face looked so grown up.. I bet when I arrive back from my holiday in July he will be soo different! 

On Saturday night we caught up for dinner with Darby's dad.. It seems funny that the three of us to can go out to dinner together as a family.. but it somehow works.. from the outside we look like any other family enjoying a night out for a meal at the pub.. makes me try not to pigeon hole people when I observe them.. 
For a family that is not really a cohesive unit any more.. the dynamics still work and we laugh and have fun and can converse as normal.. We finish dinner and go our separate ways.. It can feel a little hollow sometimes when we say our goodbyes.. but I am used to it now and Darby is fine... we can be adults about it and friends... I still cant believe it really! 
When Darbs and I got home we got in our Jim jams, had some ice-cream and relaxed watching some old school Superman.. a perfect end to Saturday night! 

 


On Sunday I had the morning to myself.. I went for coffee and read the paper.. this was bliss.. I then had a quick look around the shops.. I really have blinkers on at the moment trying not to buy anything.. my mantra.. "I will be in London in 7 weeks.. I will be in London in 7 weeks".. this does work and keeps my money firmly in my wallet....

In the afternoon, Darby and I attended a charity event with my aunt and uncle.. Darbs loved having his face painted like Batman and he was super lucky to win a raffle.. a big tub of cars... Heaven for him and for me... I had a peaceful Sunday evening whilst he happily played with his new toys! Ahh!

I  am linking up for the first time with Lou - for Point and Shoot ... Her photos are exquisite.. very inspiring... and they are of Melbourne this week! So cool...

Until Next time.. Life is too short for crappy coffee.. 

Coffee.. Yes I still write about it!

Ok so when I started my blog back a year ago the purpose of it was to write all about the fabulous cafes I visited. I set myself  a mission.. to taste the top 100 Melbourne Coffees..Yes It was big crazy  challenge..but I had a game plan, a timeline, I trained like an Olympic athlete... working my way up slowly and then bang fuelled by caffeine I was on fire and heading towards the finish line. So OK I didn't get to the 100, 94 in fact ... I came close... and I trained really hard to get there!!  Somewhere along the line I discovered I liked writing about my life, my circumstances and of course about my other inspiration Darby.  But essentially my blog started as as way of reviewing my experience at each cafe I visited .. Lately life seems to have gotten in the way and I haven't been drinking any decent coffee at all therefore I havent really wanted to write about it.... What seemed like a regular activity was slowly becoming a weekend treat....

My new job is a factor, it is located on the outskirts of the city and away from the hustle and bustle of the coffee hub of the inner city.. I missed that..I had favorite coffee shops that I haven't been able to go to at all this year.. 
Yes I am the biggest coffee snob, well maybe not the biggest, but I certainly have high standards and if I order a coffee and it isn't any good.. it gets a big black cross and I dont go back! I am fair in most things in life.. but if I get a bad coffee.. I dont forgive and forget..  


I also think adding an extra work day to my week has really stretched my coffee tasting ability. Last year I had Mondays and Thursdays off to spend with Darby and often we would  organise things to do around coffee,  This list was the focal point of my year ... 

So on Saturday morning  I like to select a place to enjoy my first coffee of the weekend. It is quite  a lengthy and thought out process... I tend to go where I know I will have a rocking coffee.. 

This week  in the spirit of being an adventurer I had the urge to try somewhere new! So  I packed Darby up and set upon our little coffee adventure.. The exhilarating feeling of the unknown was back, that feeling that spurred me on all of 2011 was there again.. Like an old familiar friend welcoming me back with open arms..


I realized how much I missed that feeling.. getting in my car and letting my imagination and a big list drive me! 

Without setting myself that challenge this year, I have to use my own instincts or at least Twitter to find a new place. So today I headed to Reverence in Ascot Vale on the recommendation by the owner of Naked Espresso on Twitter.. my favourite city coffee shop! If they go there in their down time it must be good.. plus it is in my neighbourhood.. well only an 8 minute drive!
So Darb's, I mean Batman, landed in Ascot Vale and zoomed into Reverence.. Immediatley I loved the bright and open feel.. the gorgeous blue frangipanis on the table and the echoey dark wooden floors... And I really really loved the orange coffee cup my cappuccino came in.. (although I would have loved chocolate on top too.. but that's a trivial need!!) Darby as always befriended the wait staff.. and today especially in his batman mask! He looked so damn cute! One of the waiters took a shining to him as well and kept coming to talk to him..  Darby as always oozed the confidence I love so much (and wish I had) and by his own accord, went and ordered himself something!! The wait staff look over at me, I shrug my shoulders and nod my head!! Surerly he is not ordering the most extravagant meal on the menu! Within a few moments a little gingerbread man, sporting a very spunky black tie arrived at our table! Good choice Batman! My coffee arrived too, it was superb... and definately made with love! I will keep this place in the list in my head of places to go, and Im sure Ill be back for another adventure. On our way out, Darby turned to me and said " They like me mum, I think I have made some friends" and I think he was right!
If you are in the area go and check it out!

Also today make sure you pick up a copy of the Age's Coffee Army book .. I participated in this fun activity during last year and it sure does have the best coffees listed in Melbourne!! Keep it as your bible!!! Or even better if you are in Melbourne email me and I will take you to one of those places! I think out of the list there were 10 I hadnt been too! Scary!!!!

Until next time, life is too short  to drink crappy coffee...