Another cup of coffee



A week has passed and I haven't written.... how tardy of me... I have been drinking coffee this week , but not with the same vigour or necessity that I have been this year.. It is still essential to my daily routine remaining one of the fundamental pleasures of  my day, I just can't seem to write about it!

Maybe because I have had a sad week, another gentle man gone way  before their time. Another shock of the reality's of life and the sometimes really crappy and meaningless curve balls that it throws!  It does make me lose  that sense of invincibility, we are all fragile and every moment, day , week, month  is precious and we need to be mindful of that and live in the moment....and don't lose faith! 

I attended a "Happiness" seminar at work today and I took away all of these things... as well as being gentle and kind to ourselves, look out for each other , write down 3 blessings every day... even if it is that you survived another day.. and enjoy the time we have, by smiling, laughing and immersing your self in the things that you are good at and that make you happy!!  For me thats coffee drinking! (and on the odd occasion - writing!)

Looks just like me right?!?! In a cartoonish, glamorous kind of way!

In such an up and down week, I enjoyed coffee at places of comfort to me - Elevenses, The Corner Shop and Wee Jeannie - Plus a couple of newbies - The Truffula Seed (another one ticked off my list!) and A Pint of Milk  .... and then some on my Bendigo escape that were worth a mention as well - El Gordo and The Bendigo Corner Store. (see next blog post!)

First mention will go to the Truffula Seed... an Espresso bar  located in the Paris end of Collins St and nestled in the Shell house in Spring St ! The entry from Flinders lane was quite unique, I descended upon it from escalators above.. and it was a very very pretty site to see. The name of the cafe is inspired by the  Dr. Seuss book ‘The Lorax’, which is a story about the environment, industry and human nature... that explains that they run a sustainable no frills business, making sure to use ethically sourced beans from another one of my westie cafes "The Social Roasting Company"  and I'm guessing organic produce (and milk!). I was utterly mesmerised by the lit from within silhouettes that make up the coffee bench! If only i could get a replica and put it on my wall- check out my picture below and on their website!... It kind of reminds me of me... well  I'm not as delicate.. but I know it would inspire me to drink coffee everyday!  The coffee, with real chocolate sprinkles (a winner for me) was a the perfect warm anecdote on a very chilly Melbourne Afternoon! Why oh why does it have to be so far away! .....Ill come back here soon, if only to ask how I can get that picture!  

With Grandma!!

Next on the coffee of the week is a newbie (only open for a few weeks) .... The Pint of Milk.. in Williamstown (or Newport as the maps say!) ... Only about 3km from home, it is nice to add another one to the ever growing western suburbs  list! I have been here a couple of times and had lunch, this day with my mum who was down to visit. As you might have guessed the Pint of milk is an old milk bar fit out! Still selling bread and milk... and the odd mixed lolly bag  or two! The cafe is bright and open with  newly polished hardwood timber floors the only giveaway that this place hasn't been open for longer, soon they will  treaded on more and more and will have garner a authentic rustic feel (like the corner shop does). The food each time I have been here has been fresh and delicious! The coffee is also good, although I think they are still perfecting that.. but I'm guessing it wont be long, especially since using 5 senses beans!

Friday was a very draining and emotional day ... where coffee was pretty far from my mind! Although I did manage to get  an early one  from Omar and the marvellous coffee bird in Gardenvale...after Darby was dropped off with Grandpa Vic... I think I was inspired as Dave's dad gave me a wonderful and heartfelt surprise... A CD burned just for Java Jane.. with drumroll..... songs all about coffee.... It was a really touching thing to give me and it has been played in my car ever since.. Its magic to listen to artists such a KD Lang, Bob Dylan, Nat King Cole, Bill Haley  all singing about coffee!  It made a hard day feel a little easier and did give me that warm and fuzzy feeling that someone else in the universe is interested in what I am doing!

And on that note I will leave it there for today.. I will start my regular writing, curve balls and all from now on!! I am on the home straight... 38 cafes to go and I still have 28 weeks left of 2011!!

Until Next time... Life is too short to drink crappy coffee!!





PS: My newest craze in getting my life back to basics has been cooking my own bread, in the words of Nigella, there is nothing as satisfying as baking your own bread and their is some kind of whimsical nostalgia  that makes you feel very satisfied for all that hard work (well its not really that hard apart from a little kneading, which is more tension releasing and therapeutic than hard or annoying !!) ... and of course it tastes amazing straight from the oven with lashings of butter! I was amazed at just how simple and easy it is to do.. no bread maker required!  I just have to remember to not eat too much of it!!

You can leave your hat on!

     

I have recently noticed I have a fetish (and I think I may have started an obsession for Darby too!), maybe one greater than my love for coffee, well not quite, but its close! One I think I have always harboured, but this year its really reared its ugly head..(pardon the pun to come!)  Drum roll.. If you haven't guessed already ... yes my fetish is for HATS, mainly caps of the "Beatles era" kind!
 I'm guessing it is helped by the ridiculously cold Melbourne Weather, or quite possibly it is due to not having stepped foot  in a hairdressers in  waaayyy too long resulting in horrid regrowth and ahem..some nasty grey hairs, yikes I am getting old!!  Well maybe these at  least  explain my recent purchases of some rather fabulous Caps in which I am wearing every waking moment, except bed (well only on the odd occasion when I actually forget its on my head) and work (they really need to introduce them into the dress code!) And Besides, Winter is upon us and from what I remember most of our bodies heat is lost through our head... so they are an important and essential fashion accessory, right?  Oh and did I forget they look fabulously cool sipping on  soy cappuccinos! (as demonstrated above!)  
 Speaking of cool, I have been to some very cool places of late, so the 'Hat' adds that touch of mystery and edginess, that lets face it , without one,  I have none!

Jackson Dodds in all its glory

Waiting for our Table

First stop on my new Hat wearing  adventure is Jackson Dodd's in Preston. Now I'm not a regular to good old Preston, and I do admit that I got quite lost (again), thinking that I did know it better than I thought!

I found Jackson Dodds on a cold Sunday arvo... brimming with people, eager diners lining up to get a table! Darby and I joined that line... was it worth the wait! Hell Yes! The staff were gorgeous and looked after us every step of the way... We were seated outside next to the glorious heater.. mmm... I think I could actually smell my skin burning at one point.. ewww... but we were toasty!



My Loveheart!!

My coffee arrived swiftly and looked splendid... with a lovely Love heart atop! Darby turned to me in the most honest and heartbreakingly poignant thing when I took my first spoon full "Look Mum, your Heart is broken , It needs fixing" oh how he is spot on, but not in the sense I was thinking.. so damn innocent and so mature at the same time.. Bless Him..

I will store that memory away and hold it dear to my heart!

The coffee in itself was very soothing and just what I needed... We ordered some lunch to share and it was amazing! The yellowest egg yolks I had ever seen. Poached to Perfection.. If it wasn't so far away I would come back frequently (I think I find myself saying that alot these days!)

Jackson Dodds has a very cool vibe, relaxed and chilled and well pretty much awesome.. the kind of place hats seem like a good idea....

Dad and his flat white!

Oh and another very cute place I went (although I technically didn't have a coffee..but I wish I did) and where hats are a must  is in the very chilly town of Woodend..not technically on my list, but worthy of  a mention for a country destination: The Village Larder - they have a gorgeous logo of a very retro girl.. right up my alley and a blog as well.. check them out!! .. I joined my mum and dad for a coffee  here to pick up Darby from a weekend away galavanting in Bendigo... His babycino will be added to the years best and I managed to get a picture of my dad with his Flat White! He has drunk Flat white's since I have known him (a very long time!).. and I remember trying to make them for him when I was a kid, never getting the balance of coffee or milk just right.. but this one looks rather impressive!  

Stay tuned for more of my "hats" adventure.. plenty more to come!

Until Next time

Life is too short to drink crappy coffee xx



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 .........





  





Sunday in St Kilda



A lovely flower we discovered on our walk
around the back streets of St Kilda!



Darby and I set out on a Sunday morning quest to St Kilda.. First stop Miss Jackson... we played Sherlock Holmes and his buddy, whats his name... Watson ??? for quite some time, wandering around in circles... we were down a lane way in St Kilda, my Map telling me I was in the exact location the cafe was meant to be in, but all we could see were a car park with some dodgy looking characters and some flats that certainly didn't look like cafe material! In the true style of not giving up.. we soldiered on around the block and eventually found it! Not in a very hard place at all! Sometimes I hate my Maps application! 

We walked into Miss Jackson from the crisp morning and were welcomed instantly by warm friendly  staff and even  lovelier  warm open fire place! Bliss!

We were seated in our own secluded booth.. The staff were really attentive, even though it was a busy Sunday morning, but not manic or overcrowded like some cafes at this peak brunch time!  The building itself is beautifully renovated, keeping some of its original charm and is painted white all over with wooden contrasts. It is minimal yet still warm and inviting.

My coffee was what I needed to kick start the day, it was smooth and delicate but still packed a caffeine punch! (and they use All Press beans here).. Somewhere I would be back in a flash! (Also lovely when I read the MCR review afterwards that they commented on how warm and inviting the staff and cafe is...  I love consistency!!)

Miss Jackson... somewhere down the end of
the street we wandered around in circles!

My Coffee.. Darby's Babycino in the background!

 I wanted to get through another St Kilda haunt whilst there so I chose Il Fornaio http://www.ilfornaio.net.au/... I didn't know anything about it when I walked in so I was so surprised and delighted that I was served by one of my dessert idols, Phillipa Sibley..(she competed against Calum in Master Chef last year in the Snickers look-alike dessert immunity challenge..mmm) , I felt a rush similar to seeing a celebrity and it was  even better as she was lovely and commented on how much Darby looks like me! So Cute!! I shouldn't have been surprised though, we were in her restaurant so our odds were in our favour... it made me love her more that she was taking my soy cappuccino  order! I got a takeaway and it was splendid! The place was frantic.. so busy for a Sunday so I didn't get to really have a good look at the desserts on display (what this cafe is famous for!)! Definitely one to come and enjoy on a day off.. oh and the coffee was what I needed !They use St Ali beans so always a winner there!  

I still have a further 5 places to visit in St Kilda and after today's adventure I'm quite looking forward to getting there again .. Ill learn to let go of  my preconceived ideas (which really are never true) and just enjoy and hopefully be as pleasantly surprised again!

A look back at my Journey so far (a little movie!!)

Here are my first 50 or so cafes  of my Coffee Journey so far plus some pics of my year so far! Very amateur, but fun to put together!
   

Working on something different! Still coffee related though!

I have been working hard this week, drinking coffee of course.. but making something a little different to put on this page!! Ill post very soon!!! Its taking me longer than I anticipated!

I will also catch up on my last weeks antics!! i hate being a week behind!! Oh well sometimes Life just gets in the way

Until next time xx

Coldest May week in 20 odd years!! Someone say "Coffee"

I cant write too much for this post ... my fingers are soo chilly to even write this in my beyond Artic bedroom! Coffee has been my one saviour (apart from Darby Huggles) to warm me up on this ridiculously cold May week!!!  I know I'm onto a good thing  when I go to a cafe packed with people in the same boat as me: trying to escape this outrageous chill! Coffee drinking is the way forward people!  I'm cruising through the 50's thanks to this cold snap.... so my glass half full attitude is helping subside the bitterness that is an electricity bill that will be through the roof! (thanks to the power sucking , non heating heaters I have!)

My week starts off with coffee at 7am in Bay St Port Melbourne! A cute and cosy (that's what we like when its chilly outside)  no frills cafe. The staff, all guys wearing matching mats to um, well, me are cordial and friendly to  both Darby and I... my Soy Cappuccino is lovely and soothing, a perfect kick start to a Monday morning... Darby's babycino comes adorned with the letter Z, which impresses my own  Little Mr Z very much! The exposed brick and wooden furniture add to the warmness and the bikes suspended to the ceiling look pretty darn cool too!






Atomica coffee.. old style class



Next stop on the coffee train juggernaut is an old timer Atomica Caffe in Brunswick St... I tried to go to De Clieu, but I couldn't find it for ages (given the wrong address) and it was packed so full all the windows were steaming up out front (for a Monday arvo) ... will just add to the illusion and mystery when I do finally get myself there!  Atomica is one of the old kids on the block having been open for over 10 years, pretty impressive!  Take the Black and White check floors so old but still so classy!

My coffee was impressive and I will put this one up my sleeve if I can not think of anywhere to go... Plus my short wander down Brunswick St I discovered Zetta Florence a magnificent paper shop, could have looked here for hours, but with Darby wanting to touch everything too, I did a brief skim and was outta there in a few minutes, to be back soon, with a list of birthday wishes!

Last but certainly not least on my strategies on keeping warm this week have been my Elevenses coffee.. apart from my sadness that they are moving further away from me (to deliver amazing coffee and food to another part of town). They have been making the best coffee.... perfect to keep me warm on a chilly morning! Plus Ill have to keep warm by  going for a brisk walk to their new location.....
Until next time ......  

My gorgeous Elevenses cup

Not coffee related... but my other joy in life!

Thanks to Laura for making this short vid!! So  cute!

Royal Treatment

On a freezing May morning a brisk walk seemed like the right thing to do to warm things up ! I'm not really inspired to walk around a lake,oval or park.. I need to see and take in the environment around me, looking at a never ending dirt path bores me and  I  give up way too easy defeating the purpose of a walk  in the first place! I rugged myself up and headed to the other side of town - South Yarra... I parked on Chapel St and decided to walk the 1km to Windsor's Duke's Coffee Roasters http://www.dukescoffee.com.au/ and back! A little over 2kms was better than a half arsed attempt around the Tan! The walk was pleasant and over in an instant... and much more interesting! People still tumbling out of Revolver at 10am, looking shamefully off their faces.. made me giggle...   Thinking about  how hideous they must be feeling  and I was already at Dukes.  Walking in the place enveloped me with warmness and inviting staff. It  was packed for Saturday morning brunch, but that's to be expected these days!  I managed to perch myself up at the bar next to the wondrous MISTRAL coffee machine.  The waitresses were fresh and gorgeous and happily take my order with pizazz... the Barista's were also movie star handsome, chiseled features concentrating on making the perfect cup, gotta love the passion. Dukes have every kind of  coffee.. pour over, syphon and filtered.. and then just the regular kind of stuff I drink.

The food also looked marvelous... Banana Bread with Vanilla cream, banana and salted caramel nearly tipped me over the edge... with banana a delicacy these days, this is how Id like to consume mine! They also had an array of gorgeous sweet treats that I salivated over whilst waiting for my coffee, Pineapple Tart Tatin, peanut butter cookie's , the list goes on... alas I resisted all of these in favour of a soy cappuccino.  My coffee  had a dense bittersweet creama, I  tried to taste the flavours described .."Costa rica Lanca la lajas - from the foothills of Los Angeles, a clean coffee with notes of dark chocolate, strawberries and stone fruit.. Good Body.. sweet and creamy!" Wow  it perfectly described the coffee I drank (hopefully that is what I had!) 

I loved this place.. another weekday haunt if I can be bothered to do the drive! (next time I'm having that banana bread for sure)

On my walk back to the car  I bypassed Borders.. looking for some Emily Giffin books and who can  ignore a good sale (although sad that they are closing!) I found a EG book I did want for 60% off... I also  did consider buying ... 'Start Dreaming , start living', 'You're stronger than you think', and  'How to split up and stay in one piece' ... of course my better judgement told me these were a load of rubbish and I could get my positive psychology from somewhere else..  I was  much better off with my Emily chic lit!!!

Whilst over in that side of the city I just had to drop into Luxbite!! Having tasted their macaroons at Elevenses , I just had to get some for mum for mothers day.. I sat in and had a soy piccolo.  It was a perfect coffee.. so lovely and strong (using Toby's estate beans!) I picked 4 macaroons... salted caramel, white chocolate and raspberry, peanut butter and jelly and passion fruit for mum! Can I say I managed to get home  and then it was over red rover, Darby and I scoffed the lot! So easy as they are soo small and light ad downright delicious !

I was back there the next day to get actually get ones for my mum ... ironic though that I was given a Macaroon cookbook  for mothers day(the second one in less than a month!!) stay tuned for Java Jane's macaroons!!!

Oh and I think Luxbites motto is probably T-shirt material too!! (after my - Life is too short to drink crappy coffee get printed Ill be getting this one!)     Life is uncertain - Eat dessert first!!

  



Love the wedgwood saucer!!



On mothers day we caught up with the rest of the extended family for a coffee in  Flemington! We went to a favorite of my cousins called Made in Pin Oak Crescent ..she later told us she had donated all of our gorgeous Granny' teaspoons to the cafe (around 30 or so in total). This one is most likely hers served with my aunties Tea - The spoon is proudly from Eaglehawk, where I went to high School! Ill be going back just to see what I get next time. (The coffee was  good too!!)

Glad to be back online!

Until  Next time......

Check out the Eaglehawk symbol!

Hooray... Back online!!

After days of my blog being 'down'! I am happy to report I am back online and ready to write write and write about my latest coffee adventures!! (I've had some good ones!)

Maybe its not wanted to work as it and I are sad that Elevenses http://twitter.com/#!/Elevenses585  is moving... sniff sniff! Better for them (but sux for me!)  and I know they will make it work in a more central location, but I will sure miss them (and my daily walk with Janine!)! It will be an excuse to visit on my lunch breaks for my perfect coffee hit!!

I'm in a quandary now ...where to get my morning work day coffee???!!!!!!
Ill get back to you on that one!
Well will be back soon with some juicy posts on all things coffee (and food... mmm macaroons!) !! I have got my happy coffee vibe back!  
Until next time.. Life is too short to drink crappy coffee xx

Half a century...

Major Milestone achieved.... drum roll.......... I have reached 50 cafes! Halfway to my target of the Melbourne  Coffee Top 100!! I am amazed at myself for taking such a simple idea and  running with it.... who would have thought me, someone not at all educated in coffee, but with  an earnest  appreciation and devilish curiosity, now  drinking my way through Melbourne's best !! Even I am patting myself on the back!!

I certainly have a greater  lens now to what is around, and there are so many remarkable places that I am glad I am blogging because its all becoming a blur and as nostalgic and corny as it is  I want to be able to remember this journey  forever! 

Oh and one of the amusing things I have been labelled recently is a coffee snob (by some close friends just having a dig) when I don't order coffee at particular places! I find this very amusing!!!

I feel as though Life is too short to drink Crap coffee!! My new life motto - I just need to get it printed on a T-Shirt...(might get Darby a matching one but change coffee to babycinos!!!)

The Bar was raised for both Darbs and I with our coffee experience last Saturday! Out to visit a friend in Bentleigh was also a perfect opportunity to visit some cafes out that way... and to get to that number 5 0 ..

First stop was Bent Espresso in Bentleigh..A lovely cafe tucked off busy Centre rd. With red retro chairs and tables and a very laid back feel it was the perfect place to start the weekend! Darby's babycino was dressed to impress... he talked about the sparkles and giant marshmallow all day! Something so simple gave him the biggest thrill and also kept him entertained while I sat back to enjoy mine. My coffee was intense and strong , just how I like it, with subtleness from the nutty soy milk. Picture perfect really, it gave me the right amount of buzz to get myself going! They use Toby's Estate here so its always a winner!

What I loved most was the mural on the wall - (I'm guessing by a happy customer), it spanned the entire cafe wall, and felt as though we were in degraves st or a little lane way in the city!  The mural pays homage to their place in the Top 100!



I couldn't stop staring! My photos don't do it justice.. Go there and check it out!  



How gorgeous is this mural!



I look possessed here, must just

be the 2 coffee buzz (I promise I

didnt get stuck into the wine!)



Next stop after my visit with Nicole and Kailani, was The Artful Dodger, just over the railway line in Glenhuntly Rd, Elsternwick. The place was buzzing with people outside enjoying the sunshine... Darbs and I opted to sit inside and enjoy the ambiance - Led Zeppelins' "Whole Lotta Love" playing loud... Yeah Baby!! This was one sexy place... loved it.. would have loved it more in my twenties when a coffee could have turned into several bubbles..with an  array of  vinos on hand, this is the place to come if you are hungover and want to get on it the next day! Darby and I ordered some eggs and bacon.. they were greasy and yummy hit the spot in all the right ways... and my coffee was good and left me buzzing and delirious...Darby's babycino had a bit of a mishap on the way to the table.. an eager elbow swung around enthusiastically when the waiter brought it over resulting in milk and froth going everywhere. The staff were gorgeous and made him another one .. with a cute smiley face to match! They were so delightful to us and to Darbs! A winner! Might have to organise a boozy lunch there one day(not that they exist in my world any more!!). Here's to trying something new!  

On Sunday Laura and I (with Darbs too) went for a coffee at Maison Ama Lurra - the scene of the broken down coffee disaster of February! Well today the coffee machine was not broken and the coffee i had here was pretty darn good!!! Lucky!!!!

Here is just a recap of the top 50 I have been to so far! (in no particular order!) Plus a plethora more of cafes that I love that are not on the list .... Elevenses, Wee Jeannie etc

1. The Corner Shop
2. Le Chien
3. Duchess of Spotswood
4. Grounded House
5. Nosh @ Newport
6. Salford Lads Club
7. Social Roasting Company
8. Cafenatics
9. Auction Rooms
10. Di Bella Coffee Roasting
11. Cafe TRUTRACK
12. Dancing Goat Cafe
13. Shop 7 Coffee Alimentari
14. Eclipse coffee
15. Seven Seeds
16. Nabiha Cafe
17. Brother Baba Budan
18. Dead Man Espresso
19. Sensory Lab
20. St Ali
21. Journal Cafe
22. Cup of Truth
23. Switchboard Cafe
24. 65 Degrees Cafe
25. Toby's Espresso Bar
26. Miss Marmalade
27. Ray's Cafe
28. Gingerlee
29. Proud Mary
30. El Mirage
31. Pope Joan
32. New York Tomato
33. A Minor Place
34. The Brunswick East Project
35. Growers Espresso
36. Three Bags Full
37. Coffee Darling
38. Outpost
39. Market Lane cafe
40. Abbotsford Convent Bakery
41. Leroy Espresso
42. Penny Farthing Espresso
43. Foxy Brown
44. Monk Bodhi Dharma
45. Liar Liar
46. The Artful Dodger
47. Studio Movida
48. Omar and the marvellous coffee bird
49. The Mailing room
50. Bent Espresso