Edinburgh Fringe Festival

We had booked this weekend a while ago. That doesn't mean that too much was planned other than time off and tickets to shows. However, we like the mix of random and organised. Last Friday we left Peterborough around 9am and on the way decided we should stop somewhere about half way for a good break, food and a walk, it's about a 5.5 hour journey to Glasgow.  The first stop was for food at Cross Lanes Organic Farm.  We had spied this place from the road last time we travelled home from Scotland.  It might be the location or it could have been the grass roof with the sheep grazing on it that caught our eye.  It's a great building; positioned for the sun, grass roof one side, glass roof the other, hay bale building with reed water filtering system and best of all great food and coffee. Not to be forgotten is the organic meats, food and cheeses - some of which we had to take to Scotland with us.

After replenishing we crossed the road and drove into Barnard Castle, yes, that's the name of the town but there is a castle, or was, there.  We love walking around castle ruins, getting an impression of the size and how people used to live. This one would have been cold to live in but with stunning views up and over the river (great for spotting the enemy I guess). The town itself was gorgeous, this is definitely a good stopping point for us on our journeys north and next time we will head to the Bowes Museum for a visit.

As soon as we hit the border we headed into the worst rain we've been in since a tropical downpour in Queensland but it cleared quickly and the drive through to Glasgow and our very welcoming family was easy from there.
The next day we were up early and off to Edinburgh with the family. We took the park and ride option as there is such limited parking in Edinburgh.  We drove to Edinburgh airport and caught the tram into the centre of town for £3 return. The full tram was a good indicator of the volume of people in the city. They were everywhere! We had booked 5 events for the day. 

The first would have to be the standout for it's passion and intensity. I, Elizabeth is a 90 minute monologue of the actual words of Elizabeth 1. Rebecca Vaughan was a totally convincing queen and so passionate that she even had tears and snot (not nice but appropriate to the performance). A totally WOW show and had the 4 of us captivated from start to finish. This was followed by a photographic exhibition then kiwi, Jane Ashton's musical Promise and Promiscuity - a totally captivating energetic one woman show for anyone who enjoys Jane Austen.

We needed sustenance after the show and found ourselves at a fabulous place for lunch,  56 North.  It just so happens that this place has the largest selection of gins in Scotland, over a hundred from all over the world. Three of us selected our gins, then our mixer (yes there was a range of tonics) and then our garnish. It was a delightful lunchtime sip and was accompanied by a beautiful Ploughams Platter, yum indeed!


Late afternoon we went to the Assembly Hall at Mound Place which is in itself a fascinating building, and there we watched 5 guys and 1 girl throw themselves all round the stage and up in the air in Traces.  Their strength and agility was amazing. great show for David who happened to pick the seat which was at the end of their mats and where he was sometimes accompanied by a catcher in case they misjudged their tumbles. We tried to find somewhere for dinner but everything was booked out, we hadn't thought that one through, so we had to make do with fish and chips in a tiny chippie. That meal lead up to our final show which was a Nina Simone tribute, Soul Sessions. I really enjoyed it because I loved the story interwoven with the songs but it wasn't everyone's cup of tea.  At the end of all that we took ourselves back to Glasgow the way we had come and got in around 11.30pm. All exhausted.

Day Two dawned sunny yet again, the predicted rain disappeared and we enjoyed another superb day wandering Edinburgh.  This time we had nothing booked but we had the gorgeous Annie (another intrepid Kiwi) instead of the Scottish cousins, to accompany us for the day.  We wanted to just see the sights and we did; a book festival, numerous street performers (my pick would be Simeon Baker, a young Aussie percussion guitarist), people people and more people, the smallest pub, the groovy 70's caravan, a pub with our name - too full to go in, a castle (actually THE castle), beautiful houses, tweed shops, gardens and balconies, fabulous spaces to sit, and great food.                                            

   We finished the day satisfied that we had seen enough to fill us up for a while to come.  We are in love with Edinburgh and will go back to continue the journey......

Mickle Pickle

I've driven past Mickle Pickle numerous times but I'm usually in the far lane and it's too difficult to cross over.  However this time I set out to stop so I was in the correct lane and pulled into the roomy carpark, necessary since this place fronts Wynnum Road at Tingalpa and not very often found.
I arrived early after my morning walk at the seaside so they were just getting ready to start up when I rocked up.  They took my order and explained they'd be a few minutes which was fine by me. This place is comfortable.  I was able to spread out the paper and read, the fake grass adds a touch of mirth to the grimness of Wynnum Road and the people were just, well, nice! Oh yes, and the coffee was worth waiting for.  If I lived in Tingalpa this would definitely be my local. I didn't eat this time around but this could be a good brekky spot after a weekend walk.

What's Happening in Wynnum?

What's happening in Wynnum? There's nearly more new coffee shops than residents. I was driving through the other morning after a fix at Dramanti and passed a new cafe,  Liquid Sanity at 138 Tingal Road.  We went back in for a visit on Saturday morning around 10.30am. 

This is a nicely placed cafe, visible from the road, freshly painted building, good access, nice Tolix tables & chairs, red lounge, window table and stools, the usual drink and food offerings, really pleasant staff, really weak coffee and no vibe. 

Jammy Goodness

This morning I had the good fortune to be invited out by Nat for a coffee at The Jam Pantry on it's opening day. Highly recommended by a friend who had been there for breakfast, we were looking forward to something a little special and we were not disappotined.
 The Jam Pantry has it all, a fabulous interior, great seating options (small, medium and large group arrangements), excellent food, great coffee and that certain je ne sais quoi.

Lactose free milk wasn't on offer so I ordered an Almond milk latte - recommended and delicious.  The coffee was strong, smooth and made just right.  We found out after talking with Nim (the owner) that this team are not novices and it shows - the place hums.  We arrived at 10am and there were plenty of other people both seated and coming and going in the 2 hours we were there. (Yes, 2 hours - we had a lot to talk about and reluctantly dragged ourselves away).  
At 11am Mary joined us and with no sign of conversation abating any time soon, we decided to order an early lunch.  It was a tough decision as there were plenty of options provided by the menu and the extras that were marked on the creative chalk board.
The food was fantastic, each mouthful had a lovely pop of flavour. Nat ordered the Zucchini and Cumin Fritters with poached eggs, crispy bacon, asparagus and beetroot relish. The colours on the dish were spectacular and I gladly had a mouthful of the relish which was rich and tangy all at once. I ordered a Toasted Sandwich on gluten free bread and got way more than expected. The slow cooked lamb was soft and succulent and was accompanied by haloumi, peach and onion. The combination of flavours was once again delightful and I enjoyed every mouthful.  Mary ordered Poached Eggs with crispy bacon and that's what she got. She declared the bacon yummy but realised that she should have been a little more adventurous - I think she'll be back to try some other menu tempters. 

Service was great, food delivered quickly, staff were attentive, and having a chat with Nims as we left was the icing on the cake. 
Oh yes, I forgot to mention the lovely jams and relishes that are for sale (hence the name), and the goodies in the cabinet which looked moreish, the lovely little room at the back, and the fabulously accommodating waitress who served us. I'll be back!!

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. 

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.......

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.

My Foxy Breakfast Date

Once a week Big Red and I try to go out for breakfast before work.  Its nice to make a date for breakfast and the Foxy Bean Cafe is one of our favorite places to go,  because it opens early and is on the way to work. Situated on the corner  of Potts St. and Stanley St. East just up the road from the Gabba, Foxy Bean Cafe is open for breakfast from 6.00am to 11.30am Monday  - Friday and 6.00am to 2.00pm Saturday & Sunday. They also have other offerings past these times and well into the night from Thursday to Sunday but we haven't been along for the evening experience. 

There are plenty of seating options; high tables, low tables, lounge chairs, outdoor seating undercover and a few outside seats at the front of the cafe. The decor is eclectic with feature painted walls, partially stripped tongue & groove boards, pressed metal on the walls, old leather couches and a strange lopsided birdcage (I forgot to photograph that one).

This week I had the Haloumi Hello; so YUM! The saltiness of the Haloumi, silkiness of the avocado and sweetness of the tomatoes produced a fresh tasting breakfast for me leaving me with a lovely clean palate.  This week Big Red had scrambled eggs with a side of bacon accompanied by a lovely relish. but he often comes here just to have the Bushman's Benny - good old fashioned mince with eggs benny on top. It is a massive breakfast by anyone's standards and sure to leave a hungry bloke full until lunchtime. Service was efficient and our meals arrived quickly.

Coffees arrived first so that we could enjoy while we waited for breakfast. Foxy Bean now serves lactose free milk. Another cafe with the thumbs up from me! The coffee has been consistent here but the flavour is nothing special.

We keep returning to the Foxy Bean, not just because it is open early (though that is a good reason for people who like early starts), but because we always have a really good food experience here. Well done Foxy Bean.

A Wynnum Morning Fix - Dramanti

A couple of times a week I like to go walking along Wynnum foreshore. This morning was spectacular. The water was calm, there was a slight breeze, and the sun shone like jewels on the water. What better way to start the day..... a few stretches and sit ups on the equipment as I walk around (that's for the benefit of Lisa, my trainer at Barbelles who isn't sure if I do anything when I have a day off from gym...).
When I've finished I always head to Dramanti just off Tingal Road by Pizza Hut. Tucked into the back of the carpark you might miss it if you don't have a good look.  They are open;
Mon - Fri 6.30am - 1.30pm
Sat - Sun 7am - 1pm

 We first came across Dragan in his Ann St shop in the city, just down the road from where Big Red works.  Dragan is a passionate coffee roaster and proud of his brew.  We usually have a bag of Dramanti coffee at home just in case the coffee urge hits. You'll find a great selection of the usual lunch fare.   The Wynnum store is coming into it's own.  I arrived there this morning to find that it has had a refit; the new shelving and layout looks great! The small outdoor area catches the sun and makes a nice place to sit on a cool day.

The staff are friendly, especially young smiley guy, and they make a consistent coffee. There are gluten free and gluten filled options, though at $4 a piece they aren't very generous.  I have to admit I have tasted a couple and they pass the niceness test.  They also have lactose free milk - thank you!

There is a good vibe in this place.  A great mix of people are there and they have provided excellent high tables along one wall to sit on and work at should you be free to move your office around with you!

Definitely worth a try if you are in the area.

My Morning Fix

Blue Poppy can be found at 32 Asquith St, Morningside QLD, in the middle of suburbia. That's what is special about it, I've even seen the neighbours in their PJ's getting a coffee! On Saturday and Sunday mornings they serve their amazing Blue Poppy Boigers. I've found Big Red there a few times having a sneaky chomp. We started going there before Nick owned the place but we keep going because he's there! Keep up the great work Nick.  We love that your business is growing and we are even prepared to wait in line for a coffee. Open from early till about 1.30pm.

I have one coffee a day. OK, on the weekends maybe I sometimes have two but, they have to be good. I can be pretty grumpy if I get a bad coffee, I feel ripped off! So I figure the 6km round trip from home to Blue Poppy is worth it.  We have on occasions walked there, yes it's true.  6km is a plesant journey and there are enough routes to choose gentle or substantial hills. The crew at Blue Poppy provide efficient service, the atmosphere is warm and cosy on a cold day, there are free newspapers to read, Jenga to play (the grandies love that), casual music and a good vibe.  Plus there is a newly revamped playground and dog run just around the corner for those who have energetic kids and pets.