100..... more or less!! I have reached a goal!!!

Law enforced Latte!! 

Ok so I have been the slackest blogger of all time.. the point of having a blog is keeping it ever evolving and up to date, ideally posting a few times a week (so I have read on blogging etiquette!) ....  I have not been keeping up with this ... mmm Guilty as charged!!  I have been busy tasting coffee....so Im still keeping my 2011 coffee goal going and that's the main thing, I just have been hopeless at the writing about it ! Well I have been documenting my experiences.. just not here (shh... its a secret!)

My one and only Espresso
Market Lane Queen Vic

So I am not yet to reach the top of  my Melbourne Coffee Review 100 list.. but I have passed the a century of soy cappuccinos (and the odd latte, piccolo and espresso!) and many unique and  wonderful coffee experiences! I am certainly not  a coffee pro by any stretch... yet I feel as though I know a whole heck more about coffee than I did 6 months ago... (I know what a ristretto is and have even ordered one!!!) So I thought I would share my 100 list .... mainly so I  have documented in one place and can look back and wonder how I managed to drink that much caffeine in such a short time  and clock up plenty of kilometres along the way !!  No excuses not to write any more as I have just picked up a brand new Mac laptop computer.... expect to see a lot more posts and even maybe  a glimpse of me sipping lattes in a cafe near you soon! 

Until next time.. life is too short to drink crap coffee!

XXX 

Corner Shop - YarravilleDuchess of Spotswood - Spotswood

Salford Lads Club - Port Melbourne

Bent Espresso - Bentleigh

The Mailing Room - Canterbury

The Dispensary - Bendigo 

Omar and the Marvelours coffee bird - Gardenvale

Seven Seeds - Carlton

Cafenatics - Docklands

Social Roasting Company - Kensington
Auction Rooms - North Melbourne
Di Bella Coffee Roasting - North Melbourne
Seven: AM - Port Melbourne
Broadsheet cafe - Melbourne
Dancing Goat Cafe - Melbourne
Shop 7 Coffee Alimentari - Melbourne
Eclipse coffee - Melbourne 
Le Chien - Seddon
Nabiha cafe - Moonee Ponds
The Premises - Kensington
Pillar of Salt - Richmond
Pint of Milk - Newport
Nosh @ Newport - Newport 
Brother Baba Budan - Melbourne
Dead Man Espresso - South Melbourne
Mr Tulk - Melbourne
Grounded House - Kensington
Cafe Trutrack - North Melbourne
Sensory Lab - Melbourne
65 Degrees cafe- Melbourne
Postal Hall - Melbourne
TOby's Espresso Bar 
Miss Marmalade - Brunswick 
The Truffula Seed  - Melbourne
Tre Bichierri - Carlton North 
Mule Cafe - Brunswick
Jasper Coffee - Fitzroy 
Atomica Cafe - Fitzroy
Ray's - Brunswick
Gingerlee - Brunswick East 
Small Block - Brunswick East 
Proud Mary - Carlton 
El Mirage - Brunswick East
Pope Joan - Brunswick East
St Ali  - South Melbourne
Journal Cafe - Melbourne
Cup of Truth - Melbourne
Switchboard  cafe - Melbourne 
New York Tomato - Richmond
A Minor Place - Brunswick 
The Brunswick East Project - Brunswick East
Growers Espresso - Fitzroy North 
Three Bags Full - Abbotsford
Set Shot - St Kilda 
Il Fornaio - St Kilda
Coffee Darling - South Yarra
Miss Jackson - St Kilda
Outpost - South Yarra
Market Lane coffee - Prahran 
Dr Jekyll - St Kilda 
Abbotsford Convent Bakery - Abbottsford
Dukes Coffee - Windsor
Leroy Espresso - St Kilda 
Penny Farthing Espresso - Northcote
Foxy Brown - Northcote
Monk Bodhi Dharma - Balaclava
Caffe Romeo - Balwyn 
Las Chicas cafe - Balaclava
Liar Liar - Hawthorn
The Artful Dodger - Elsternwick 
Loco Coffee - Elsternwick
Jackson Dodds- Preston 
Studio Movida - Kew
Liasion - Melbourne
Balderdash - Port Melbourne
Elevenses - Melbourne
Campos Coffee - Carlton
Chez Dre- South Melbourne
De Clieu - Fitzroy 
Earl Canteen - Melbourne
The Farm Cafe - Collingwood
The Final Step - South Yarra
Friends of Mine - Richmond
The Hardware Societe - Melbourne 
Hausfrau Bakery - Yarraville
Wee Jeannie - Yarraville 
Market Lane - Queen Victoria Market
Kinfolk - Melbourne
The League of Honest Coffee - Melbourne
The Little Ox - Brighton 
Naked Espresso Bar - Melbourne 
Midali Espresso - Balaclava
Lux Bite - Toorak 
Maison Ama Lurra - North Melbourne
My Sister Says - Port Melbourne 
Roller Door - North Melbourne 
Wide Open Road  - Brunswick 
The Corner Store Cafe- Bendigo 
El Gordo - Bendigo
Ju Ju Espresso - Sydney 

I'll be back!!

After a long hiatus.. ha ha... it feels like it but its only just clocked over 2 weeks since I last wrote... I will be back soon! A very busy few weeks... a week of annual leave and of  harmony and bliss.. and then 3 days of the intense Sydney life at a conference! So I'm fatigued.. ... I have lots of great coffee to talk about..... so cant wait to write..
First stop I'm hoping to get to Naked Espresso tomorrow for some inspiration! YAY

If you cant write... just sing!!!

My writing has been so sporadic lately.. I have been drinking  my coffee and loving it .. but I haven't had the time to write .. or dare go into my ice box room! 5 minutes at my computer and I cannot feel my fingers, they become frozen solid! Maybe time to get myself a laptop! So here is just a quick one!

So I recently saw Bridesmaids... and felt a very deep, if not disturbing connection with Annie... who is continually stuffing things up in her life! Ahhh.... that is my life at the moment! So in tribute to that.... and to the words of classic Wilson Phillips.... here are the words to Hold On! (doing a good job of describing my  life right at this minute!!)

I know this pain
Why do lock yourself up in these chains?
No one can change your life except for you
Don't ever let anyone step all over you
Just open your heart and your mind
Is it really fair to feel this way inside?

Some day somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then, baby, are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry?
Don't you know
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day?
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day

You could sustain
Or are you comfortable with the pain?
You've got no one to blame for your unhappiness
You got yourself into your own mess
Lettin' your worries pass you by
Don't you think it's worth your time
To change your mind?

Some day somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then, baby, are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry?
Don't you know
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day?
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day

I know that there is pain
But you hold on for one more day
And you break free the chains
Yeah, I know that there is pain
But you hold on for one more day
And you break free
Break from the chains

Some day somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then, baby, are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry?
Don't you know
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day?
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day

Won't you tell me now?
Hold on for one more day
'Cause it's gonna go your way

Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can't you change it this time?

Make up your mind
Hold on
Hold on
Baby, hold on

Qui ne risque rien n'a rien (Nothing ventured, nothing gained)- Chez Dre

Now I'm not one to be  usually coming out with  French proverbs.... but  because we are in the same week as Bastille day, Frances National Day I thought I would scrub up on my French.

 I do admit I have a fondness  for wearing a splash of red, blue or white, even though I have not an ounce of French blood in me..... and I did not celebrate it with French food  as I am trying to keep my cholesterol and blood pressure down (drats) ... so why not pay homage to the French Language! 

I looked and looked for proverbs that  summed up how I am feeling right now... Cest La Vie (Live and let live), quite dramatic and not quite it,  or  Un malheur ne vient jamais seul - "When it rains it pours"- more on the money of how I  have felt of late.... overwhelmed by the everything around me... like a sinking ship.. never the less  seeing as my blog normally takes on a more happy, positive,  glass half full approach, I thought I  better be at least a little optimistic!! So I chose: Qui ne risque rien n'a rien (Nothing ventured, nothing gained) And to be honest, there have been things that  have gone my way of late, and from my own doing.... some that may lead me to dream that the bigger the risk you take the bigger the reward.  I have thrown caution to the wind and had courage I didn't think I had in me..Yay... I know when the I'm in a cloudy mood.. it doesn't take long for the sun to come out and shine again! (cue music from Annie the musical... "The sun'll come out ,Tomorrow, Bet your bottom dollar, That tomorrow There'll be sun! )
Oh and how bout  I get onto the coffee too... french themed of course!!  So there is a coffee reason behind all  my rambling! So onto coffee... this week it is from a very new and very chic  patisserie/boulangerie/café :  Chez Dre located in South Melbourne (Not on my list and relatively new only opening its doors in late April 2011)It was featured in the Age good Cafe Guide recently and awarded "three cups" and I can see why it does. Hidden down a lane way near the famous South Melbourne Market .. but with a gorgeous sign with gold letters leading the way. From the outside I imagined it was going to be small, but was pleasantly surprised to be welcomed into a large open space  with plenty of seating . Chez Dre oozes with sophistication and class... without being to over the top, I loved the patriotic vases with red blue and white flowers, a cute touch! (And the food too looks amazing!)

Our coffee was lovely too... using a blend especially roasted by Mailing Room, I was enchanted by my latte! A different choice  of drink for me... nothing like  a bit of a change to enliven the senses !  Silky and creamy, with a symbolic heart on top (my favorite latte art!) and a strong finish and perfect temperature to drink. I enjoyed every mouthful! Darby enjoyed every mouth full of his raspberry macaroon! (I had a few sneaky bites..) I was egging him on to get the salted caramel, but he opted for the fruity flavour! Bon Appetite!  I almost ordered a Baguette to completely fulfill my french experience, but resisted the urge!

Ill be making another visit here soon to  immerse myself in everything French and to devour a baguette, my only  decision  will be half or full.. mmmm ...
 

  

On another note.. Elevenses closed last week (sob sob) I was very sad to see them go.. I feel lost as to where to pick up my daily coffee.. so am testing out a few new places.. they are not the same... but at least Elevenses will be open soon, albeit a new name and new location! Even more reason to go for a morning/lunchtime walk! Naked Espresso Bar opens in August and I cannot wait to get there!

My divine Chez Dre Latte

In Progress

Where's it gone!

Next Port of Call for my coffee!!

I haven't really indulged in any coffee from my list this week (still stuck on 63)... I know I have it in the bag,  so I have relaxed a little, despite last week being pumped up to ramp it up!

Anyway I have just applied for annual leave for later this month and I plan to do one every day.... ! 12 days  to do 12 might be a tad ambitious... but if I can do half that it would be great! My "coffee" therapy over these colder months  is working a treat like Chicken Soup for the soul! Feeling distracted is one of the aims of this .. and its certainly doing that, and getting me out of the house and enjoying this up and down Melbourne  winter... instead of moping inside which I could easily be doing! ... and I have found myself a surprising area of  that is ticking all the boxes for me! (and for a place that I didn't rate their coffee highly)

Port Melbourne:

-Its close by.. only an 8 minute trip if the West gate is travelling well!

- Its close to the beach... even in the cold weather its nice to be close to the shore....

- I grew up familiar with the area and the shops and spent some part of my early 20's living here with my granny and my aunty.....

- It has many happy memories from so many chapters of my life  that its makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and a tad nostalgic! 

- One day I would like to get married here (the venue of my choice is located in Bay St)  ....... here's hoping that still may happen so I wont give the venue away!

 I was surprised by a few new places that have caught my eye here  (and they were featured in the recent  Age Good Cafe Guide!)  .... "My Sister Says" and Balderdash!

I visited " My Sister Says" first, on the recommendation of a work colleague living in the area... and when I arrived I knew I had found my  muse if I ever open my own cafe..  (opening a cafe is now on my Bucket list in my wildest craziest dreams) My Sisters says embodied all of the things I look for in a cafe... - warmness, friendly staff.. intimate yet inviting set up,  the best looking and tasting sweet baked goods and more importantly good coffee...  Darby and I drove there on a Saturday afternoon...  I was having a little meltdown and needed to get out of the house.. it may also have been my lack of sleep.. which I'm afraid I cant put down to parenting.. but the unusual new thing I'm doing... partying!!! .. I was feeling terribly tired and seedy and I had no one to blame except myself! I felt like I was Darby's 21 year old babysitter, allowing him to do whatever he wanted.. including ordering a sparkly cupcake!!! I probably shouldn't have ordered a coffee, but it did smell soo good, so I deliriously overlooked the fact I don't drink coffee "the morning after" and  ordered one! I probably hoped it would give me a kick, like the hours of sleep I was seriously lacking (and will never get back) ! I'm sure I had Hangover written all over me.. from my grey complexion to my bloodshot eyes... I'm not talking movie Hangover bad... but working towards it! Not really in any shape to drive machine  vehicles or look after children!

Gorgeous

Gone!



Cheese!!!!!



I got through the day...with myself in tact and a new favorite place to go!! Its not often you find some where you feel instantly at ease with! Next time I will go earlier in the day so I can taste the delicious looking food, and when I'm not feeling so darn terrible! 

On the Monday after, feeling alot better and with a few more hours of sleep up my sleeve, you could say I felt even fresh and invigorated again! I headed  back to Port Melbourne again, this time to "Balderdash" - directly across the street from  My Sister Says.... First thing I noticed in the window was an old typewriter.. with Balderdash written and its meaning, which was something along the lines of :

bal·der·dash[bawl-der-dash]   –noun

1. senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense.

2.

Obsolete . a muddled mixture of liquors.

So I'm not really sure what it means in the context of the cafe.. but it sure got me thinking! I'm sure this blog is no more than exaggerated talk or writing... with a sprinkle of nonsense.... and jumble of words...Anyway back to the coffee. Darby and I ordered, and I knew that we had a limited time today before Darbs started jumping around, so I was relieved when my coffee came quickly.. It was nice and warm and just what I needed.. The 5Senses blend they used was exceptional, creamy and strong and a great way to kick off the week! Will be back here soon... and my Port Melbourne Love affair can continue!!


By the time I post this... its nearly 2 weeks later... slack arse!! So I have managed to hit 64! We went to Cafe Loco in Elsternwick! The coffee was great albeit a takeaway.. but the highlight for Darby was the waiter with the electric Pink hair.... I'm sure he wondered how the hell he got it that colour! Anyway it was nice to cross one off my list... and I was left with the quote that connected with me...
"A person who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new"- eternal sunshine of spotless mind.

Until next time...

Red alert!!

Red Cap Action

I have noted previously my obsession for hats and I have a certain favorite red one that I can't seem to get off my head... Even going to the extreme of buying a back up replica in the awful event I lost the original!! My obsession has obviously rubbed off on my sidekick  Darby as well and when he spotted a red cap the other day, he just had to have it!! (lucky for me it was on sale!) The color red has been my "color" since my life change in 2010, becoming dispersed throughout my house in bits and pieces,from kitchen appliances, rugs, cushions. Even the wooden love heart that adorns my entry. I went to my friend google, to find out why this may be so.... psych analysis of myself with colors...."Red has more personal associations than any other color. Recognized as a stimulant, red is inherently exciting and the amount of red is directly related to the level of energy perceived. Red draws attention and a keen use of red as an accent can immediately focus attention on a particular element."How the color red affects us physically

• Increases enthusiasm
• Stimulates energy and can increase the blood pressure, respiration, heartbeat, and pulse rate
• Encourages action and confidence
• Provides a sense of protection from fears and anxiety

All sounds pretty reasonable to me and sums up how I feel (I can blame the color red on my energy.. not the amount of caffeine I am  consuming, and a good excuse to tell my Doctor next time my blood pressure is taken!) ... So you could say I was pretty excited when we walked into a Pillar of salt in Richmond, surrounded by all things red... heaven!! There were touches of it everywhere.. Including glamorous shining red cups (and Darby and I in  our little red hats!) The staff were so lovely!! Even happy enough to take a picture of us in our matching attire with the red cups. I do believe we looked incredibly dorky...or well just downright adorable! Kids and parents dressed alike never gets old, maybe weird though!!
 Pillar of Salt is not on my "100", so I didn't exactly tick one off my list,  but I'm positively sure that it will be in 2012's, so you could say I was before my time! (oh and I had read about it in the Age Good Cafe guide!)



Our Glam Drinks!



Our coffee experience, although short, was very sweet.. we indulged in a coconut raspberry slice that was eaten up in a flash! (From a quick glance the rest of the menu looked downright delicious as well) My coffee was lovely... Another cafe using 5 senses (they seem to be popping up everywhere and slowly becoming a real favorite of mine. My Soy cappuccino  had a  strong crema and a super smooth and luxurious finish! It was just what I needed as I was about to embark on a quick (yeah right) late afternoon shopping trip to Ikea to buy photo frames! Maybe coffee wasn't such a great idea...a shot of tequila may have made it more palatable!



Cheese... we look super cheesy in matching hats!




On my way out  I even managed to snag the last business card... coffee dust and all, very kind of the barista to give it to me!! Ill be back here soon for a little more red therapy!! After all its good for the soul!

Oh and I stayed true to my word.. I did manage a quick trip around hell (Ikea) out of there in 20 minutes.. has to be a record... and with a tired and grumpy Darby too!

Ahh.. Until next time... Life is too short to drink Crap coffee!  xxx



Red Cap Action and Sunshine
at the Corner Shop - yarraville!

A JavaJane coffee tour..... all aboard!!

 

It seems as though I have been  stalled at 62 cafes for a couple of weeks now.. so its time I get myself back out there and tasting new coffee and also crossing places off my Melbourne coffee review 100  list... With the recent release of the Age Good cafe guide , my eyes have been opened to a whole other spectrum of new places to visit (and drink from), whilst this is fantastic and the book is now constantly in my bad and already looking  well loved), it is also distracting me from my goal.... so I'm getting back on the horse ... so to speak and will start by getting around the suburbs!  I have to pick up the pace and get my momentum back . This is when my car (and a full tank of petrol) will prove very handy! I have exhausted all but one of the city cafes, so its out to the burbs I go (in burbs I really don't mean much further than Brunswick, Balaclava, or Fairfield!!)

I don't know whether it is just my new interest in everything coffee, but it seems to me there are alot of new "coffee houses" opening this year??!?!? I'm guessing they will need to make the Melbourne Coffee Review the top 150 to accommodate the talent and awesomeness of all these places!! (it wouldn't be fair to make a 'nearly made it' list)

Anyway.. back to coffee: Last weekend I took Uncle Paul on a Java Jane coffee adventure..... but I chose to stay close to home to showcase the joys of the little village that is  Yarraville (and proud home to Darby and I)! We wandered up and down the street, pointing out all the key landmarks.. the Butcher, the pub, the newsagent, the bookshops and the Sun Theatre and then I took him  to another favorite the Corner Shop (we were lucky enough to snag a table in prime time)... Luck was on our side for the day! We ordered some more frothy ones (cappuccinos) ... this time our coffee came with a different designs from our coffees the week before... Paul was very impressed with the coffee art and I think he now understands the pleasure that is my ritual daily coffee drinking! Our coffee as always was perfect.. I have a soft spot in my heart for the coffee here.. its always on song!

We had a spot of brunch there  and then descended on Footscray Kmart and Cole's to a) pick up a copy of Kung Fu Panda for Darby and b) pick up the ingredients for caramel slice for me!

I attempted to cook a caramel slice (in a pie tin!).... although it turned out well and tasted pretty darn good, it certainly wasn't without its dramas.. Although this is not a blog about food, sometimes the digression is worth it.. In this extreme case, I completely smoked out my apartment and suffocated everyone with  a burnt butter smell, it was streaming out  from my oven ....not a good look for someone trying to show  dessert making prowess ... and the smoke alarms didn't go off so that's even more to worry about.. anyway .. the end result was a delicious slice with not even a trace of smoke tainting it! Phew!!



My Smoke free Caramel Slice/tart



And on Sunday an unprecedented thing happened.... I had no coffee...OMG I cant remember the last time this has occurred (which scared me even more) ...  OK so the moral of this blog is "I'm back" on the coffee tasting bandwagon from now on.. no excuses!!!

Until next time, Life is too short to drink crappy coffee!

PS... check out some pictures from our "shoot" with Ochi-Innocente Photography. They are pretty cute if I do say so myself!!

A road trip to Bendigo.. and a visit to the "Fat one"

Don't I look hot!?!!



Bendigo put on  fabulous winter weather over the long weekend... for what was a dreary and heavy hearted week, this little bit of sunshine and dare I say it even a little warmth certainly lifted my spirits.. Darby and I were booked in for an early Saturday morning  "photo shoot"... so before I could have a camera near my face I needed a little coffee hit to wake me up and keep my smile bright!  I decided to go to a Bendigo newbie... "El Gordo"  bringing a little   coffee and culture to the lane ways of Bendigo...(I googled the name El Gordo as I was intrigued and to my surprise I found the meaning to be the " Fat one" in Spanish.. not referring to the size of any ones girth but actually the Annual Christmas Lottery draw!!! How bizarre... but certainly attention grabbing!)
 Darby and I found El Gordo nestled in Chancery lane way and in a rather small and cosy cafe.. mainly with tables in the outside walkway and from what I saw a very keen takeaway crowd.... People are catching on to the coffee craze that is Melbourne ! (although I only realised later on that it is only open every 4th Saturday.. so the extra business made sense!) Darbs and I took up a posse and ordered... only to find that's what everyone else had in mind at the same time.. so we ended up getting takeaway drinks as we were in a rush to meet our photographer! Next time I would like to sit back and absorb some more of this really cool little cafe... it makes me feel at home ahhhh... 

Reading a classic!

My own photography skills...
in a funky lane way in Bendigo
featuring graffiti of what Darby
thinks is a Pirate!!

In terms of the coffee.. it delivered.... smoky with a bittersweet crema but finished silky smooth! Yum!

So off we went to our little shoot... Darby feeling very special being the centre of attention (not that he's not used to that) and having to "say cheese" over and over... even coming up with some trademark poses that would put even Derek Zoolander to shame.. He nailed Blue steel, rocked Magnum and I'm sure he even created a few of his own.. including "shake your booty" pose and a very compelling rendition of "Jazz Hands"... he ain't my son for no reason!! Its in the Genes to love photo taking and to love posing for the other side of the camera!! Very excited to see my shots soon!!

After an exhausting morning.. it was nice to have some Rest and Recovery.. and what better way to do it with more coffee! Plus I wanted to take Uncle Paul for a Java Jane experience ! I don't know if I am making a big assumption but I am guessing that the coffee in the middle of the Northern Territory is nothing like Seven Seeds and the likes... (I could be wrong though!!) So we decided on the Bendigo Corner Store, a cafe I was impressed with last time in town.. and that's saying something as I was hopped up on pain killers and with another molar missing!



Paul and his frothy one!



Paul wanted one of the frothy ones, so I ordered two cappuccinos (see its in the genes) and a baby one for Darbs... as well as a caramel tart! The tart looked impressive and was tasted by all and gone in just a few bites! (I was given the challenge of cooking one like it the following weekend which I can report back on with mild success!)



The coffee arrived and Paul had not seen anything prettier, He didn't want to take a sip! I forget sometimes how much I take the look and feel of my coffee for granted.. something I definitely wont do in the future! (All part of my glass half full and smell the roses challenge!!) The coffee was great....... still somewhere  I will come and visit when I am in Bendigo! 

Oh and I cant wait to take Paul on a tour of some of my favorite coffee haunts next week!  I really am running my own Java Jane coffee adventures!

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



PS - Just a little tribute to Patrick... a cousin taken way too soon and in a way that makes me still shake my head and wonder why the world can be soo screwed up sometimes.... It really isn't fair!

This is me with him and his sister Julia Rose.. about 15 years ago... me with terribly short and red hair! I'm sure I thought I looked sophisticated and classy... This is what will be my memory of him.. a cheeky guy that liked to rib me... and did very well at it too!  Life is way too short.... and so damn crazy at times...

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!!