Birthday Breakfast at Pawpaw Cafe

Here's another cafe that opens early enough for us to have breakfast at on the way to work. Just across the road from the Foxy Bean, Pawpaw Cafe is a simple establishment. Simple tables, no decorations other than a fabulous painting done directly onto the wall of the cafe of an Asian beauty.  I loved the painting so much that I even inquired about the artist but apparently this is not their usual style and as this is painted directly onto the wall I guess I wont be acquiring something like it in the near future!! Shame.
We dropped in here for a birthday breakfast last week. The food is always good though who loves sprouts anymore?  They are on top of everything and we dislike them but a simple scrape  and they are gone. I was a little disappointed to find Kale mixed in with my nicely cooked mushrooms. Really, it's not that nice so to have so much in a dish just dominates everything else. Ah well, the mushrooms were good.
Campos coffee is served here so it's usually a good drop but for some reason they refuse to put lactose free milk on the menu, it's not that hard!
While I have a few minor grumbles about the food, for the most part it is good and I do love to sit by the huge opening windows and enjoy the start to a morning there. I even managed to spot a friend coming out of Foxy Bean the other day. Will we go back there? Yes, because it is consistently ok, it's on the way to the city and it opens early. 

Silly Season Gourmet Madness

Well this has been a productive week. It is definitely the silly season in our family with not only Christmas but 3 birthdays in 2 days! Josh's birthday on Dec 11 was also taken by our grandaughter, "the birthday stealer",  as she is known and Big Red's birthday is the following day.  I usually make birthday cakes for all 3 but this year there is a fabulous cake-baking girlfriend to take over the baking of Josh's cake and Little Miss wants a rainbow cake from the Cheescake Shop so I just had to make the obligatory Carrot Cake with an insane amount of cream cheese icing (coronary inducing I am sure) for the man of my life to take to work for morning tea (that's so we don't sit and eat it all ourselves - we have been known to do that!). 
I needed to put on my organisational hat as I had a week full of meetings, work to be done, 2 dinners out and a birthday breakfast to fit in.  On top of that I had seen a fabulous idea to replace the Gingerbread House - a Gingerbread box filled with gingerbread goodness. I decided to bake that for the dinner we were going to share on Friday night, it would suffice for a nibble with coffee plus some treats for the kids and I had done the Gingerbread House for Mid Winter Christmas with this same group of people so I didn't want to repeat it.
A whole day was allocated to cooking and yes, it did take me all day to cook the carrot cake, the Gingerbread box and goodies plus a batch of muesli. In the middle of all that I had to rush off to the gym to help take a class. I was shattered but satisfied by the end of the day.

I turned on the air conditioning so that I didn't expire in the humidity of the storm season and then started with the gingerbread as it needs time to rest in the fridge before working with it.  Once that was resting the oven went on and I started the Carrot Cake.  This recipe was gleaned from the cake shop around the corner from our business back in the 80's.  We paid for far too many slices of this cake in the years that the shop was there.  Eventually the shop closed and as a parting gift Gail gave us her recipe. It is the most delicious Carrot Cake I have ever made. Big Red rates me against his memory of Gail's cake (thanks Gail, however I think the bar moves higher each year) and apparently this year it was a little drier than usual. I'll aim for a more moist cake next year.....   
 Just in case you are interested here is the recipe for Gail's Carrot Cake. 
 

Cake                                                                                                                   Topping

125 gms butter                                                                                           1 cup Icing Sugar

2 tsp cinnamon                                                                                          1 cup butter (softened)

1 sml tsp salt                                                                                               1 cup cream cheese

2 baking powder                                                                                        Dash of vanilla

1 tsp dissolved baking soda

225gm tin crushed pineapple

125gm chopped walnuts

2 heaped cups of grated carrot

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 heaped cups of sugar

2 heaped cups of flour

To Make the Cake

1.     Turn on your oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

2.     Grease and flour your cake tin.

3.     Mix all ingredients except flour and sugar

4.     Add flour and sugar and mix together

5.     Pour into the prepared tin and place in oven for 1 hour.

6.     Once cooked turn out onto a cake cooler 

To Make the Icing

1.     Soften butter

2.     Blend in Icing Sugar, Cream Cheese and Vanilla

3.     Spread lavishly over the cake and sprinkle with whatever you love (walnuts, toasted coconut flakes, cranberries, finely grated lemon or lime rind.

Don't judge a book by it's cover......

We have been enduring storm season here in Brisbane and Saturday started grey and drizzling so there was going to be no outdoor activities happening in our house. We decided that we three would all head out for breakfast and so off we went to try out Bungalow in Hawthorne.  I had been there the day before for a coffee and loved it so had thought I'd treat the others to somewhere new. Unfortunately it was FULL and as it was raining the outdoor tables couldn't be used. Sad Face. However, there are plenty of cafes around the area so we kept on driving and ended up trying out Our Haus on Riding Road.
It was raining so we made a dash and once we were under cover I've got to admit that we looked at each other and wondered if it was worth stopping but the rain, well, that decided it really.  We chose a table in the outdoor covered area and discussed just what it is that makes a cafe so inviting because Our Haus just isn't (inviting, that is).  Cute name but nothing about the cafe reflects that at all though there are lots of disparate good bits. Really the space was only as good as the company and thankfully for me Big Red and George make for good breakfast companions.

We really did have a nice surprise when great breakfasts were delivered and decided that you shoudl never judge a book by it's cover.   I had the Sweet Potato Hash cake and it was delicious.  Big Red ordered the Savoury Mince since I refuse to cook it for him - ever! It was a stable meal during my childhood and I hated it then so there is no way I will cook it for my family.  George had the Eggs Benny and declared them to be good. We surprised the waiter by all ordering double shots of coffee in small cups - I think we all needed waking up. Breakfast and the coffees got a thumbs up all round the table for a delicious hearty breakfast.The meals came to the table quickly and the service was good.
Before we headed back to the car, we nipped next door to Cork Leather. My goodness, if you like something a little different and great quality then stop for a look. I've never seen anything like these products which really are all made from cork.  I could gladly have taken home a few of the bags, the boots, and the cutest baby shoes.

 

A Bungalow in the Burbs

I spied this cafe when I took a different route home. Situated on Hawthorne Road, Hawthorne, Bungalow 4171 (the postcode) has been beautifully renovated into a warm friendly cafe.
The food offerings in the cabinet looked delicious and yes, I succumbed to the Pineapple and Coconut Gluten Free cake.  The cake was beautiful, light and full of soft pineapple sitting on the background of coconut. The tables were served by a charming and welcoming team in striped butcher's aprons.
The decoration of the cafe is consistent and a pleasure to the eye (something not every cafe "gets"). Personally I like to sit in lovely surroundings and this place does it for me.  The green tones throughout were really nice and I loved the wall of flocked paper.
I choose an indoor seat but as I looked out the window I caught sight of a man sitting in the row of outdoor Adirondack chairs chatting to his dog as he sipped his piccolo. It made me want to head outdoors except I knew it was hot.
As I left, I passed the little nook with two cute chairs in it and then the wooden outdoor tables down the side of the cafe. So there was seating for all tastes. This cafe might just become a regular and I'll be heading back to try out their breakfast menu.

Bisoux for this breakfast spot

Bisoux is open earlyish (7.00am) so when we were on the hunt for a new breakfast experience we stopped by for a try and were not disappointed.  Situated in the little antique/ restaurant precinct in Woolloongabba it was a pleasant spot not too far from the main road into the city but far enough to provide a little peace before the day really began. 
The service here is unique. The waiter who served us was interested in what we wanted, happy to offer his opinion when asked and went out of his way to ensure we had everything we wanted with a little flamboyance on the side!
Our breakfast was tasty. The seeded mustard in the sauce gave our eggs an interesting twist, the food was presented well and the eggs, well they had to be free range, look at their gorgeous colour!
Coffee wasn't stand out, but it was ok for a morning start up.
We sat at a table on the side walk and enjoyed the eclectic and eccentric (yes, really) company of our fellow diners (and their dog).
I like this little spot just for it's name - Bisoux - kisses. 

 

Scully's Place - Disappointing

Sunday morning we decided to have breakfast out, just something simple. We dropped into Scully's place, a recently new offering on Stanley Street in East Brisbane. It's an impressive place, taking a corner spot, high visibility, loads of off road parking and huge covered eating areas which picked up the breeze on such a hot morning making it a pleasant spot to sit in.
Scully's Place is a deli, cafe. I didn't get to look around inside as I had a time constraint and it took forever to get our food.  In fact, the service was so poor that I had to leave before Big Red even got his food served.  Order at the counter and take your number to any table. I had ordered a bagel and that arrived in about 5 minutes.  I waited a bit but then decided to eat as it was going cold. Still no coffee. Finally saw coffee being made only to sit for a few minutes while several wait staff ran around.  Coffee arrives, the excessive layer of chocolate on my cappucino made it taste like a mocha (just saying!).  Ask the waitress for the rest of our food. "It wont be long", she tells me brightly (does not go and check). Coffees are drunk.  Finally get waitresses eye and ask for food again. "I'll just check", and off she goes. As we are sitting right next to the counter we can see her pick out the bacon and egg roll and pass it over for cooking.  She comes back out to us, "It won't be long, it's being cooked now".  By this time my time is up and I have to leave before Big Red even gets his food.  It did come eventually but we went out to have food together so we didn't really achieve our goal.
The place is great, it's on a main traffic route to town so it will get plenty of people stopping but if it doesn't smarten up it's service people wont be returning.  My observation of the servery / kitchen was that no one was in charge.  I think it may have been the barista's responsibility but seriously, the wait staff needed direction and it can't be given if attention is being paid to producing good quality coffee. I have to say the staff we encountered were all really pleasant, just leaderless. We weren't the only frustrated patrons that morning judging by comments on nearby tables. Come on Scully's, you need to manage things better than that.  I'll give you one more try but with such good eating spaces in the area nearby you will have to lift your serving standards considerably.
As for the food..... well the photo of part of the food cabinet says it all.  Plenty of delicious delectables.  Though I personally don't care for my food being served on enamel camping plates (used those when I was a kid), everything was clean and nicely presented. I will go back for a look inside but I wont be coaxed back just for a coffee.......

A Rival for my Local

WAIT UP! There's a new kid on the block and he's simple and smart (I'm not sure why but this place is definitely a boy).  I spied Keyhole Espresso as it's sign went up.  Great name, it begs a question.  It's just round the corner from my local, Blue Poppy, so I thought I'd better check out the competition. I was also captivated by the road sign announcing "fresh bagels daily"! I adore bagels but they are so hard to come by in Australia.  I like them simple with cream cheese and jam, they were on offer so I was a happy camper.  However they offered more than just plain bagels (they also do a gluten free option), and they do a variety of toppings too (there was meat in there for the lads).  They also serve desserts, today's offerings being Cherry Pie and Chocolate Cake.
I waited until after the morning work rush and headed on down there in the Vitara rather than be spotted in the more distinctive MX5. I felt like I was on a mission and I had to be careful not to be spotted by one of the many Blue Poppy locals.
Anyway, I LIKED this space. Outside there are umbrellas and a few seats and carparks (not many but then there is the roadside too). Inside there are a few small tables (not much space for newspaper readers who like to spread their paper out wide) and also some more relaxing chairs.  The space is not crammed with furniture, it's air conditioned, there's free wi-fi (could be a new writing spot...) and the staff are really pleasant, known to their already regulars by first name.
The coffee was well made, and the service was great. There was a little shortbread biscuit on my saucer (of course I didn't eat it) and there's a table with self service water and glasses. The place was fresh, clean and comfortable and provides me with a great local alternative especially when a bagel for breakfast beckons! This one is worth trying and especially convenient when traveling into the city on Richmond Road, Morningside.

The 10 Second Snog

THIS is the best bit of relationship advice I've ever heard and I thought I'd share it because this morning we had been driving for an hour before I realised we hadn't even kissed good morning.  Relationships go through good times and bad, life gets busy, we take things for granted. Sometimes that "buzz" just ain't there and this is a simple way to reinvigorate it. It takes particpation from both parties but just 10 seconds of your time.
Next time you exchange a kiss just count how long it takes. I can pretty much guarantee that unless you are in the first flush of love, it will be pretty quick.  There's the "wake up, rollover and squish lips" kiss, the "goodbye see you at the end of the day" kiss, the "hello honey I'm home" kiss, maybe a thank you kiss and finally a goodnight kiss. I'm pretty sure that most of those will be less than 10 seconds. I challenge you to count how long a normal kiss would be (withough giggling or deliberately stretching it out).
Didn't Einstein imply that if you want a different result you need to change what you are doing?  Well, if you want some more intimacy in your relationship then take a few seconds (literally) and give your partner a 10 second snog instead of the 2 second lip-glances that you most probably now exchange.  I bet your partner is surprised when you continue the kiss for 10 seconds. We have dissolved into laughter, gasped for air and well, generally enjoyed it!
So take the time to stop and deliberately kiss your partner. What's 10 seconds between friends?

Pony

This week we celebrated our wedding anniversary.  We both love our food so usually each year we pick a new restaurant to go to (that's a lot of restaurants we've been to over 35 years).  Pony had come highly recommended by someone "in the know" about city restaurants. It is in a beautiful location at Eagle Street Pier overlooking the river with the Story Bridge in the background.  We were fortunate to be shown to an inside table overlooking the river.  Fortunate because that night the humidity arrived in Brisbane and we had just had the hottest day in a long time.
The ambiance was sophisticated, quiet despite there being a party on the outside deck and just a little romantic, but that could have been because of who I was with.  The lights dimmed at just the right time (no it wasn't a power cut) and the food was great.
There were a couple of little things that let the experience down. We ordered olives as a starter and they were served in a pre-loved jar.  Now that's a great look at a vintage wedding or engagement but in a smart looking restaurant? Didn't work for me.  It looked like they had taken off the lid, drained the brine, tipped out a few olives and ripped the label off.  The olives were fine.  The second was our waitress. Nice girl, pleasant enough but in a restaurant where her peers were all smartly dressed she wore casual jeans and black sneakers - is that being picky? Oh yes, she also really didn't know what they did with the whey and wheat on the lamb plate and told us that of course the whey was poured over the wheat. It wasn't. I would have preferred being told that she would find out and come back to me. Minor detail but if you go out for a dining experience it is the little things that count. 
Enough of the niggles. The meal really was fantastic. I choose the Pork Belly and it looked delicate and pretty when it came out and it tasted good too.  He who I married 35 years ago ate the Lamb and it looked and smelt amazing. The chargrilled marinade was enough to make the mouth water but the texture of the pink lamb was perfect and melt-in-your-mouth. The plates didn't look like big helpings and they weren't but they were sufficient to fill us to just the point where we could still fit in a dessert and we didn't go home feeling over full.

I would go back to Pony just for the dessert.  My White Chocolate Parfait had nothing calorie free in it but oh my it was good.  The parfait was accompanied by a peanut butter crumble, dark chocolate ganache and a caramel sauce in just the right quantities.  Across the table was a German Chessecake with Marscapone and while the lovely gentleman liked his dessert, after the obligatory mouthful I was happy when he said he didn't need to share!

It pays to travel the Back Streets!

Here is a little beauty (as my Dad would say!). BackStreet Espresso is off the beaten track, literally, it is in a back street but that makes it no less significant. You can find it in Kenrose Street in Carina.  There is always a sign out on Creek Road so you shouldn't get lost.

I've been to this cafe 3 times now and each time I've been served a great cup of coffee. The last time I went I also sampled a GF Friand which came served with Ice Cream and Caramel sauce; decadent but yummy. Unfortunately I ate it all before I thought to take a pic.
There's a few good things about this cafe that make it worth going back to.
1. If you buy a small cup you can choose to have 1 or 2 shots and you are charged the same price. I like the choice without cost idea because some days are definitely 2 shot days.
2. The people there are just really nice
3. They have loads of seats and tables indoors and outdoors
4. They have a nice selection of nibbles
5. There are heaps of interesting photos on the walls

Definitely worth a try.

 

A purpose for each day.

I'm a bit of an all or nothing kind of person.  I realise that not everyone else works this way; it has it's unique set of challenges. I've just been project managing the refurbishment of the Princess Theatre which over the past month has demanded most waking hours and nearly every day, and I have loved every moment of it.  Now the project has come to an end and I have moved from high involvement, high motivation to, well, nothing much.  It highlights that for me, it's really important to have a reason to get up each morning and to define the purpose for my day.  If I can do that then I find that come the end of the day, I have a sense of satisfaction, I can reflect on what I have learned for the day (sometimes that might even be that I didn't do something very well and could try better next time) and I can reset the program for the following day. 

I started the Princess Project with an actual spreadsheet plan of what was to happen and when, it looked great on paper.  Alas, life doesn't always go according to plan and so I had to be flexible according to what was happening each day, who turned up (or didn't) and what I had money to do (or not).  We finished on time but not in the order that I had started out with on the plan. I learned to be flexible.

Actually I learned lots of things. From the painter I got encouragement about my painting skills and learned that you need a really good brush if you are going to do great "cutting in". From the tiler I learned that if you add a little detergent to water in a spray bottle and spray that on your silicone then it will come off cleanly instead of leaving that annoying smear that ends up getting mould under it.
From the carpenter I learned that, well let's just say I learned that I should leave carpentry to the experts! Most of all though I learned from my friend the Big E, that a willing heart and a cooperative spirit make working together a joyful thing.  I am thankful that he was on my team with his strong arms and shoulders to lift, pull, and carry all the stuff that was just too much for me.
So today I have purposed to write again since I have had no time to do that during the project.  Jodi Picoult wrote "You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page." In other words, you have to start somewhere. Who knows, today's writing might just give me tomorrow's purpose.

Carte Blanche

I went exploring with Nat the other day.  We were on our way out but we were both in need of a caffeine fix and she'd seen a sign, so we followed it and we found Carte Blanche espresso   tucked away in the back streets of Camp Hill, Abbott Street to be exact. What a great wee find.  This I have to say is a girlie cafe.  Everything is cute; small feminine furniture, design, colours, hairdresser out the back (complete with chandelier).  We had a simple brunch which was served on small wooden boards.  Goldilocks size; not too big, not too small.  The coffee was well made and the service came with a lovely smile and a freckle chocolate.

I loved the Jodie Picoult quote on the wall, "You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page." How true!   I can even imagine myself doing a little writing in this spot.  If I lived around the corner it would definitely be my "walk to" cafe for those days I wanted to catch up with a girlfriend or just chill on my own.  There's plenty of different spaces, inside, at the window, or outside, with different seating combinations. 

 

The Shortness of Sheets

This week I had my annual Melanoma check. The Doctor was lovely but VERY quietly spoken (how do I emphasis something that is quiet? Bold capitals implies shouting or a louder statement of fact, so do I write in teeny tiny font?). I felt like I was leaning into him all the time to catch what he was saying (and yes, my hearing is fine, though selective).  I was so close that when he stopped I nearly ran into him.  He was very polite but for some reason I felt like giggling, maybe I was just nervous, but situations like this are always a bit odd. Next he asked me to take a seat and then he said hello formally, and then he asked me to stand up and go and take my clothes off behind the screen. I felt we could have done without the preliminaries.  It was at that point that he handed me the lovely clean blue sheet and said, "just cover yourself with this".

I did as requested but came to a stumbling block with the sheet.  Now, while I'm not the slimmest model in the stable, I consider myself to be at least an average build so what the heck was I going to with a long skinny piece of blue cloth. I lay on my back and tried to adjust it just so, however if I put it long ways it covered from my ankles to just over my best bits on the top of me but exposed my sides.  If I put it sideways, it covered my best top bits but only a bit of my best bottom bits! I chose the longways option but had to suppress the rising giggle.

Seriously, do Doctors not walk into the examination room and just want to hoot with laughter? (This is the main reason I didn't become a Doctor - I laugh at inappropriate moments in life). I bet they see some really creative positioning of the blue sheet.  Maybe they have a photo book in the lunchroom of the "best of" positions of the sheet. Whatever, the case, I am sure I am not the only person challenged by the shortness of sheets.

Oh yes, my check was all good. If you haven't had a check lately, perhaps you should take the time to have one too and just maybe you should take your own sheet...

Desmond and Molly Jones - Connect the Dots

Ok, so I admit that sometimes I am a little slow......

I am working in at the Gabba currently managing a renovation project at the Princess Theatre. She is a beautiful old building, built in 1888, currently owned by Lifecity Church and seriously in need of a little love.  We want to make this beautiful building a more comfortable place for people coming into church but also to make it available for hire for events and ceremonies.  This will be a seriously lovely place for a wedding once the project is finished.  Everything we touch needs care and attention but it is a pleasure to see her come to life under the loving touch of the tradies we have contracted.  I am amazed at the skill and speed which these people do their jobs (time is money I guess).  The newly polished floor is truly a thing of beauty.  All the imperfections are still there but these floors now reflect all the experiences they have had worn into them over the years.

Anyway, I have digressed. I was talking about my slowness. Because I am working at the Gabba and because my day is starting at tradesmen's hours (6.45am), I am not having my coffee at my usual place.  Instead I have found a fabulous little spot called Desmond and Molly Jones, just around the corner from the Princess on 615 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba.  Once I have opened up the Princess for the morning and got everyone started I nip around there for a coffee.  It's a tiny wee shop front with a couple of outdoor tables and a couple of rooms out the back that work just fine if you want to stay and sit down to drink or eat.  There's always an interesting mix of people there, medical staff, patients (that's the one with the bandage around his head...?), back packers and well, tradies (that's me in my paint splattered everything).  I had a lovely cheary "hello you're back" the second time I walked in which added a certain sense of well being to my morning.  It's nice feeling the love from your barista. The food looks great and the fresh muffins smell wonderful but I have to admit that I have eaten nothing there. The coffee however was good and strong.  

Back again to my slowness. I was explaining to him who I live with just how fab this new coffee place was and how much I liked the name.  His instant reply was, "just like the song".  Totally blank expression on my face revealed I had NO IDEA what he was talking about so he burst into song.  Still, no idea why he was singing until he got to the appropriate words...... Oh dear! I am putting the lack of connection of the dots down to my mind being focused on other things but he who I live with wasn't so sure....  For those too young to understand, look up the Beatles song Obla di obla da.  Oh yes, and if you are passing, it's well worth stopping for.

Blackwork

I brought a book that caught my eye a couple of years ago.  After reading it once it sat on my shelf until recently when I decided I MUST do some of those projects, you know the ones that you will do one day. I finally decided today was the day and so I started, and finished.  I love the results! 

Blackwork is simply black stitching on a white background (or it can be white stitching on a black background - is that called white stitching?), it uses back stitch, running stitch and cross stitch, all simple, it's just the patterns that make it look so effective.  

What I liked so much about the blocks I did was that they were methodical and logical (well, I did have to unpick a couple of bits). These I would happily hang on my wall or give away.

The book I used, Made in France Blackwork, has simple instructions on how to create each stitch. If you are just learning to stitch, then buy fabric with a looser weave so that you can easily count the stitches.  That way you will not get so frustrated (possibly) with trying to learn something new and having to keep a track of counting.

I have been inspired to do more and have now started on a table runner.  I like this look because it is clean and fresh. It kind of goes with my minimalist approach to life....

100 Year Old Adventure Full of Belly Laughs

I can't wait to get to 100 if life is going to be as exciting as captured in the film The 100 year old man who climbed out the window and disappeared.  This is a seriously funny movie. We both loved it and so did the other 8 people in the theatre, I seriously don't know why the theatre wasn't full. Only the man at the other side of theatre never laughed out loud. The 6 ladies and us cracked up throughout the movie.Good belly laughs that had us still chuckling at dinner afterwards.

I tried some time ago to read the book of the same name but couldn't get past the first chapter.  I rarely give up on a book but that one just didn't hit the right note for me but the movie was an altogether different story.

The biggest lesson that I got from this movie was that you just don't know what impact your actions will have on others. Some of the circumstances in Alan's life impacted history. I wonder what impact my life will leave on the world I have lived in.  Will the ripples that I make on the water of life touch someone else and impact them in such a way that it changes the course of  history?  I hope so! That is why it is so important to do what you do with conviction and purpose.

I am at a strange change point in my life and some things that I do well just don't fill me with any excitement anymore, they seem purposeless and lacking life (even though they may be a means to make money) but other ideas make me sing and THAT is how I want to live my life.  It's not always easy and some of the decisions I am going to have to make to live in that purposeful place will possibly change the very way I live. I feel like ideas are germinating currently like this plant springing out of the mud and sand. I snapped this while on the beach at Cape Tribulation in North Queensland (a fabulous part of the world).

Don't get me wrong, I have moments of doubt and fear about what lies ahead in these uncharted waters.  I will need support from friends and family, and I will have to put my faith in God as I step out into the unknown. However, if  I don't step out then I'll never know what's there.....  Sort of like 100 year old Alan climbing out his window.

The Rabbit Hole

THIS cafe is a wonderful place for the gluten intolerant. REALLY! They have an amazing range of goodies, all oversized, but I'm not complaining. If you are nice then maybe you could share your helping.... or not.

The Rabbit Hole Cafe is just off the roundabout at Oatsen Skyline Drive in Seven Hills. It has indoor seating that is cosy and warm on a cool day and cool on a hot day.  One wintery morning when I was there, the next table was full of a committee of school mums having an hilarious morning together - I nearly asked if I could join in because I wasn't getting much writing done and their enthusiasm was magnetic. I hope their fund raiser raised heaps.  There are high and low tables outdoors at the front and the side.  The fake grass welcomes you inside and gives you that sense of coming home, and I just LOVE the Orla Kiely wallpaper.....

Today I took my friend Shaz to the Rabbit Hole for lunch.  We had the Macadamia Crusted Chicken Salad and it was yum and  the salad was massive; filled with loads of goodies.  The fact that the salad came with fries meant that I didn't have to order them so there was no guilt attached to eating them - I love that! Besides, today was the start of my being back at the gym.

Campos coffee is served here and I haven't had a bad cup on any visit. On a Saturday this place is jumping with neighbours and friends and you might be pushed to get a seat but it's worth a try.

Friendship

Friends are like fresh air which inhaled deeply makes your brain work better, your heart pump stronger and brings energy to your bones. I have a friend visiting this week and seriously we have not stopped talking.  That may be a girl thing but its also a chance for us both to recalibrate, check in and encourage.  There's nothing like a friend speaking into your life to make you pause and think about the honesty of their perspective of your situation.

When I develop a new friendship, I am entrusting that friend with the uniqueness of my life.  The more the relationship develops, the more permission I give to my friend to speak into my life.  That permission is implied rather than stated but there is a period of testing the waters; sharing deeper or more personal information, giving and receiving advice, honouring and respecting one another. Relationships are formed by trial and error and based on mutual trust.  We have to learn to be friends and friendships take effort.

I read a verse the other day that said " Love prospers when a fault is forgiven but dwelling on it separates close friends." We are never going to get it right all the time. We are going to hurt and misinterpret and find fault (if we want to go looking for it) but if we can learn to forgive those faults and hurts then we are going to build deeper relationships.

My relationship with Shaz has seen good times and bad.  We've lived life together (quite literally with our families in the same house for a few months - 4 adults, 7 kids - what were we thinking!!?), been involved in our kids lives, shared triumphs and disappointments, done church together, grown up together and we still like nothing better than a good talk to sort out our worlds. She accepts me, loves me and is not afraid to point out opportunities for me to view life differently and I love her for that.

We are called to love everyone but everyone will not be your friend.  We get to choose our friends. and your life is precious so choose wisely. Your life is a gift to be unwrapped with care and respect so if the friends you have chosen don't treat it that way then take responsibility for your life and share the gift with those who will enjoy the revelation of the you inside.

The Locale, New Lambton

While in Newcastle.... do as the locals do! I had some time to spare so soaked up some winter sun on a day forecast only for rain.  I found a fabulous big outdoor table at The Locale, in New Lambton, Newcastle and had a really good cup of coffee and a polenta orange cake to soak up the caffeine.

What a quirky place The Locale is. Rustic tables and interesting bits around the place but it had a nice bubble of mid morning conversation and some, like me had settled into their seats for a long time.  I was there for about 2 hours writing with the warm on my back. The staff were friendly, cheerful and helpful.  I was replenished with water and served with a smile.  I loved my time there and would go back.  One of the staff sat at the other end of my table and ate a late breakfast and it looked yum.  Definitely worth a try for food or just coffees.

Family

This week I have travelled to Newcastle for the wedding of one of my niece's.  I'm not sure why I always think it's such an effort to travel there because it really isn't!  The joy of going there is that I see all the stuff that I am missing but don't know I am missing.  I really miss my Dad.  He passed away the year I got married 34 years ago, so was never really part of my adult life but when I arrive at my brother's house it sometimes hits me how much he is like my dad.  He is the age I remember my Dad at most and he looks like him, talks like him (albeit with an aussie twang) and even sometimes calls me Toots which was the nick name only my Dad ever used for me. Sometimes I can feel quite undone by these moments.  The longing for my Dad in my life (& my Mum) has never gone away. I've got to say that I miss them and I am sad that my kids never knew my Dad because he was a great guy and he would have loved them to bits.

There's nothing quite the same as being around your siblings. I see it in my own kids when they get together. The good, bad and the ugly all makes up the sum total. It's the knowing what you know without the explanations. The ability to pick up a conversation without having to explain everything in between meetings. The looks and gestures that refresh memories. Add to this mix the aunties, uncles, cousins and inlaws and life gets interesting. Families are strange things but they sure do bring a richness to life.

Male Cleaning

I found this sign when I went to use the bathroom the other day when I was out. The bathroom door definitely had a female sign on it so this sign placed on the ground in front of the door intrigued me.  Is it so rare that a male is cleaning a toilet that it requires a sign?  Was there a male in the  female toilet cleaning himself therefore I should stay out?  Was the sign a declaration that demanded women should stand about and give a resounding clap when he exited the toilet? Perhaps this was just a good humored male cleaner whose wife had brought him a sign because she was proud of him?  Whatever the case, it made me chuckle but I didn't go in.

What is Your Default?

Last week my friend Hannah posted on her blog some great thoughts about the power of words.  She over heard someone else's negative words and was musing about the effect of our words when we speak to others. Yesterday I sat in church and heard a similar message. I was challenged about the whether or not I choose to listen to the negative default voices within me.  We all have "stuff" that happens to us in life, it is inevitable. The same thing might happen to a group of people and they can all react differently because they are all wired differently and therefore their reactions/responses will be different to circumstances and events. 

Our reactions to life events create pathways for us to follow in the future (if we choose), they become our default mindsets and sometimes it is difficult to see that those pathways may be created through negative circumstances, lack of understanding, or an inability to question the relevance or truth of the issue. The challenge is to search for the truth about your circumstances and your responses to those circumstances.  Is the default you choose actually the best response to your circumstance or is it what you have learned over time and have never questioned or held up for inspection in the light of truth?  The process might be easy or it might be hard.  It might not be pretty and possibly its messy but being able to make a true statement when in the past you have believed a lie is liberating. 

Here's a simple exercise; write down a few statements about yourself and check whether they are actually true of not. you might be surprised to see that even some of the fundamentals you believe are actually not true.  Start building some positive statements about your negative situations, write them down, say them out loud in the shower, believe them!

I was really sad this week to hear about the death of Robyn Williams.  The funny man and brilliant actor is no more.  We only saw the beautiful, wonderful bits of him and we loved them but in his private world he must having been facing some huge anguish. It has made me wonder what lies he believed about himself in order to choose the finality of death. I hope it makes me more careful about what I will believe in and the words I choose to speak into others' lives. 

Riverside Dining

I keep going back to The Jetty at Bulimba because it is such a great spot. My favourite seats are at the window bench. With the windows pushed back and the sun shades out it is the perfect spot for people watching; and plenty of people there are too. On the other side of the road is the ferry stop for the City Cat and for the cross river ferry to Teneriffe. Most of our friends who have visited will have come with us to this spot and possibly had a ferry ride too.

At the river end of the restaurant the doors open out onto a small outdoor area that has the feeling of sitting in your luxury cruiser. Looking over the water you can almost be forgiven for slipping into a beautiful cruising daydream.  There are also outdoor tables on the pavement at the front of the cafe.  From here you can witness the locals and their dogs (so many of them) as they are out on their daily constitutional.
You can buy a takeaway coffee or stop for  a full sit down meal. The barista is situated right by the front door so it is easy to grab and go, however I really like the food here so would normally chose to stay because there is always something tempting and just a little different.  This is a go to place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or like the last time we went, just to have a coffee mid afternoon on a Sunday as a final breather before the next week started. On that occasion, once we'd established ourselves in the sunshine at the window and we were sitting in the warm winter sun, we chose a cold drink instead. A nice Pino Gris for me and a Stella for Big Red (isn't that a girl's drink?).  And just as we'd been given our drinks the waiter, a lovely smiling Frenchman, walked in front of our window and served someone else a plate of hot olives. We caved in immediately and asked for a plate to share; they were just the little taste we needed to go with our drinks. Lovely conversation, nice drinks and nibbles, and warm sunshine were a perfect way to end our afternoon.
Today I was fortunate enough to get taken to The Jetty again!  This time for a late lunch. We decided to share some small plates but even now, 3 hours later, I realise they weren't so small......  A little more restraint is obviously required.  We shared the following; twice baked Pecorino souffle with mixed mushrooms and walnuts,  wagyu meatballs with olives, a tomato stew and Manchego cheese, scorched cauliflower with raisins, hommus and almonds, and some chips with aoli (I wonder who ordered those?). The flavours were not too strong but mixed well together making each mouthdul one to savour. Matched with a Pino Gris for me and a Peroni for Big Red we were satisfied, if very full,  diners. We will be back.  

Lucy Lacks Diamonds

I'm not into Sci Fi so I'm not sure why I went to see Lucy. Maybe it was Scarlett Johansson or maybe it was just that the shorts really did show the best bits..... Whatever it was I ended up disappointed.
Johansson was centre screen for most of the movie and I couldn't pull my eyes away from her amazing lips - maybe that's what distracted me from the excitement of the movie itself, perhaps I missed the exciting bits on the peripheral?

The story itself is thought provoking; the evil scientist devises a drug that stimulates Lucy to use more than the 10% of usual brain function.  However, as she uses more brain power the movie slips over the edge into the sci-fi realm.  Using more brain power shuts down her feelings and Johansson does a great job of being unable to access those. However, for me that's where the heart and soul flies out the window.

I walked away shaking my head asking why I ever thought it might be of interest but Big Red thought it sat in the OK category. There was plenty of unbelievable action and it all moved at a fast pace but the come away was pretty empty. So, if you are not into sci-fi then don't bother.

Whether or not you are into Sci-fi it is interesting to have a think about how much of your brain you are using. I have been reading on and off for over a year about detoxing you brain. This is fascinating stuff and a little deeper than Lucy.

A Weekend Getaway - Northern NSW

Sometimes you just need to get away. We had both had a busy couple of weeks, heads full of work and projects, and tempted to work around the house rather than unwinding. So, I checked out Wotif for special deals and found one in Kingscliff for 1 night. It's frustrating that so many motels/ hotels only allow bookings for 2 or more nights, it severely hampers my trip planning.  On the other hand I guess it gives me a chance to consider options I might not have come up with before......
However, this destination was not new to us, just a favourite. I'd found a well priced room at Mantra on Salt Beach so we piled into the car and away we went. We are both great packers having traveled lots with work so we don't have too much stuff to drag along with us.
While Kingscliff is in northern NSW, it is still only about 1.25 hours away from home. We arrived in the township just before lunch so took a wander through the Kingscliff Markets which are in the park right by the seaside. There was the usual mix of market stalls with fruit, veges and knick knacks but there were also a couple of great stalls there. The first one I loved had fabulous knitting, the best item being the Minion hat but seriously I am most probably too old to be wearing that! The converse knitted booties were also amazing and really sensible for little baby feet. The second stall I loved was filled with wonderful shells and driftwood and the owner had made some beautiful pieces with these. I was tempted to buy something there too but decided that the nautical theme would not fit anywhere in my house; spending crisis averted.

After the markets it was time to eat and we came across the Mockingbird Cafe just along the road from the markets.  The indoor and outdoor eating areas were split by the pathway.  I chose the long high table indoors so we could spread out the newspaper and have a good read. The menu was interesting but a little pricey and neither of us was particularly hungry so we chose a wonderful vegetable tart for $7 with a salad ($?). The salad was delicate and had a lovely tangy vinaigrette, a little bit of relish would have complemented the tart nicely.  The Pulled Pork burger was marched past us to another table and I have to say if I'd been hungry I could have been tempted, it looked wonderful and generous.
The service here was great with someone by our side as soon as we had sat down.  I ordered an Almond Milk Hot Chocolate and have to admit it was yummy.  It seems that NSW has not cottoned on to lactose free cows milk. I loved the atmosphere in here. The staff were happy, pleasant to each other and their clients, the kitchen was making happy noises in the background and the lighting was an amazing selection of old hanging lights.  This is somewhere I would go back to. 

There aren't many stores in Kingscliff (for which Big Red was truly thankful) but we both enjoyed going into  Boardwalk Books, a great store to while away time.  I always find something a little different when I go in there and this time was no exception.  I found a beautiful adult colouring in book with amazing illustrations.  Sounds a little different but a lovely gift for someone I know who is having a birthday this week..... 
After our stop off in the township it was only a couple of minutes drive to Mantra.  Our room was comfortable, clean, modern, peaceful and overlooked the lagoon pool and spa. I'm not sure why but every time I have stayed at Kingscliff I have relaxed within minutes of arriving, this time was no exception.  The beach is stunning, uncrowded, white sand for miles. It didn't take us long to get down to the sand for a good long walk. The swimming is good on a warm day with surf lifesavers on the beach near the hotel.  The water was about 20C degrees this time so a little cold for us to swim in but we did manage to take a plunge in the outdoor spa just as the day was coming to an end.

Meals can be eaten at the Mantra or in the little eatery precinct next door. We walked up and down and checked out all the menus and ended up eating Braised Lamb on roasted Kipfler potatoes for dinner at the Saltbar Beachbar and Bistro. Standard pub food was on offer including steaks, seafood and pasta.  The lamb was tasty but a little overcooked for our liking. However, the meal was pleasant enough and we had decided only to bring casual clothes so we comfortable eating at Saltbar.
On Sunday we got up early, had a lovely breakfast at Saltbean Espresso Bar. We had a seagull friend sitting expectantly on the fence which lead to a conversation about birds eyes and whether they blink or not - they do according to Google! And don't seagulls just have perfect red eyeliner around their eyes? Check it out next time you see one.  I just loved the coffee cups at Saltbean. They looked like cardboard cups but were porcelain and really nice to drink out of.  If you're interested I found some online.
After breakfast it was another beach walk, check out time and then on the road south to Cabarita for a little explore.  We needed another coffee by then so a stop at Kartel Espresso on the main road was essential. These guys are really into their coffee. Apart from the normal selection they also sell cold drip coffee and beans too.
Coffee in hand we then zipped down the road and stopped at the headland and took a walk up the stairs to the look out at Norris Point.  The view back towards Cabrita was stunning and showed the amazing sweep of sand the heads up towards Kingscliff.  There are a couple of nice chairs to sit and ponder on the way up but it is an easy walk there and back. I hadn't really thought about what we might see once we got to the top but there was a huge seating area filled with people on the lookout for whales.  Unfortunately they were too far out to see well but there was definitely movement in the water and the odd splash out in the distance. It was time for some R&R so we parked at the next lookout point and watched the sea, the back of our eyelids, and read for a while. Very pleasant.
Time to head home so we headed north again up to the Cabarita shops and stopped at the Stunned Mullet for a quick feed of fish and chips (hey, we were beside the seaside and my fish was grilled!) before heading back to the highway and home again.
We were both relaxed and had enjoyed fun, food and exercise. We must do this more often.....