At peace by the sea.

Have you ever read the book The Man whose Mother was a Pirate (...his mother was definitely not an ordinary woman)? Well, Big Red thinks that sums me up nicely.  I was brought up in the fishing village of Island Bay in Wellington, NZ.  True, there is always a breeze there (a gale by Brisbane standards) but there is such an amazing smell of sea.  The saltiness fills your lungs and the salt sticks to your skin and your hair - you really know you are by the sea.  Being by the water brings me to a state of equilibrium.  I love that moment when my senses recognise that the sea is not far away and I inhale deeply. But, I digress.

After a busy Sunday we headed out in the afternoon for a coffee by the sea at Manly.  I don't really want to tell you about this place because it is a bit of a special spot.  There are always people there but you can usually find a seat.  Cafe La Mer is situated at 570 Royal Esplanade, Manly. Drive through the gates and there is ample car parking.  The cafe itself holds no real appeal but the outside seating area is fabulous. There is a massive big tree shading the fenced deck area whose front sits high above the water with views over the marina.

If the tide is in and you have small children with you, or you feel inclined yourself, then ask for some bread from the kitchen and drop it into the water.  The water boils with fish (if it doesn't then don't throw in any more bread - litterbug!).  It is quite amazing how aggressive the little biters can be.  Last time we went  we took the grandies, got them all hyped about feeding the fish and then found it was low tide, most disappointing but not the cafe's fault.

The sweets didn't look so appetising on Sunday so Big Red resorted to a Muesli biscuit which was full of goodies including Cranberries and Goji berries (neither of which he likes but which seemed to disappear at a rapid rate).  The meal that we love to go here for is the Antioxidant Power Salad. It is so full of goodies. Usually we get it with the Chicken and then it is big enough to share. It is full of seeds, nuts, berries, beetroot and has a beautiful tangy dressing.

On Sunday our coffees were just fine. They now offer Lactose free milk as an option - thumbs up! Service is casual but efficient and staff were friendly. This is a great place to take visitors to Brisbane, the feel is relaxed, the marina beautiful and there is always something happening that you can watch. While Manly doesn't smell as briny as Island Bay, being near the water is enough.