The Hedges Coffee Shop

PE is known as "The Friendly City."  It has certainly lived up to its nickname in the last seven months that Lou and I have lived here.  Today's visit proved to be no exception as this week's crawlers and I ventured out to The Hedges Coffee Shop.  This shop is located at 151 Main Rd. (corner, 10th and Main) in Walmer.  We were warmly greeted by Nadia who helped us set up on the patio.  Joining me at Hedges was Fr. Dominic Griego. June Nash, Fran and Keith deBeer, and Beth Vieira. 

Fr. Dominic is celebrating the fifth anniversary of his ordination today.  He is of the Capuchin Franciscan Order.  There is really a connection between the Capuchins and cappuccino coffee.  (Maybe that's why Fr.'s eyes lit up when the megas with cream were served!)  Congratulations, Father Dominic! 

June's son, David, is married to the deBeer's daughter, Marie.  June told us as we entered the shop that she just figured out how to punctuate and capitalize in her text messages.  It is a happy day for those of you who regularly text with June.  There's no stopping her now!

As for the coffees, Fr. Dominic, June, Keith, and I all ordered mega cappuccinos, while Beth had a mega black coffee and Fran, a regluar black coffee.  Our barista, Juanette, informed us that Hedges uses Masterton's Blend 81 for all their coffee beverages.  Masterton's is a long time family owned local coffee roasting business.  Lou and I frequent their shop, and I'm sure to do a special blog posting on Masterton's "just now."  (in SA, "just now" means sometime later, whenever, etc-- a real communication issue for us at first!) 

Good coffee and good conversation was had all around.  I especially enjoyed the crash course I was given on African spiders.  Needless to say, when I got home I checked behind all the wall hangings looking for "flatties."  I found none, but knock on wood.  I'm sure if I ever do see one, you'll hear me all the way in the USA!!!

At the end of our visit I chatted with Hedges owner, Robby Brunette.  He showed me around the shop which includes two outside areas (a tea garden and a patio) and two dining rooms that have been recently refurbished..  Robby explained that in the late 1800s / early 1900s The Hedges Tea Garden was situated at a stop on the railway line coming from the harbor.  Robby has retained the Hedges name for historical interest.  He has acquired a number of great old photos of the original tea garden and patrons.  These photos are framed and hanging in one of the dining rooms.  Very cool touch...be sure to check them out when you go to Hedges for breakfast, lunch, or just a quick cup o' joe.

A tray of outrageously delicious looking food was being served as I was leaving.  Decisions, decisions....  gym?...omelet?...gym?...another cappuccino?...gym?...french toast?...  Okay, so the gym won out, but not by much!  Next time though.....

My thanks go out to Robby, Juanette, Nadia, the Hedges staff, and this week's crawlers.  You are all doing your part in helping to make PE "The Friendly City."

Two asides--

* Kevin (Charlene's boyfriend) - If you are reading this, get back to work on your own blog.  Mine is 

for fun...yours is for a grade!  Also, maybe you could give me some advice on how to keep the pics w/ the blog text from week to week....sounds like extra credit to me!

* Fr. Dominic - The author (Lizzy thinks) is Shusaku Endo.

Until next week,

Ellen



Meet the Owner
Robby Brunette







Meet the Barista
Juanette



This Week's Crawlers
Fr. Dominic, June, Fran, Keith, Beth









Deli on Main

I'm starting off today's posting by wishing a Happy 23rd Birthday to my son, Jeff.  He is presently a grad student at Georgia Tech studying aerospace engineering (Go Yellowjackets!).  Have a good one, Jeff, and we hope the surprise is delivered on time!

Jeff actually spent a few summers working as a barista at Heavenly Cup, a great coffee shop in Painted Post, NY.  So, should you ever find yourself in the Corning / Painted Post, NY area, stop in, have a coffee, and tell Doug, Gail, and the crew we said hi.

Okay, so back to the subject at hand...

This week's visit was to a coffee shop called Deli on Main.  It is in the 9th Ave. Shopping Plaza in the Walmer area of PE on the corner of 9th and Main Streets.  I was joined this morning by Beth Vieira, Fran de Beer, The Mona Lisa, and Ken Stewart.  Visiting this particular shop was Ken's suggestion.  Ken is the owner of a second hand book store called "Classics" located in the same shopping plaza.  I stopped in his shop a few weeks ago looking for a copy of The Gulag Archipelago and Ken was able to find it very quickly for me.  I have been looking for it forever.  I also picked up a Michener book titled On Sport.  (Michener was a fairly decent athlete and an avid sports fan...who knew???  Well, maybe my brother-in-law, Roger knew,,, but who else?)  Anyway, if you're looking for a hard-to-find or out-of-print book check out "Classics."

So, Deli on Main is a great place with a friendly and fun atmosphere, good service, and plenty of available parking.  It is a coffee shop that also sells refurbished antiques provided by "Crank designs."  These antiques aren't stodgy, dusty pieces but rather fun and fresh collectibles.  Jennifer Kerr, the owner, says that the shop's decor is always changing as the antiques are sold and replaced by others.  I have my eye on a few pieces there and I'm not even an antique fan.  (Love the abacus, Jennifer!).

The barista, Thabo (pronounced tah - bow), was very busy but he was able to chat for a minute and we got a nice pic of him preparing our Sumatran blend coffees.

Today, I was the only one who ordered cappuccino.  It was wonderful...large cup and lots of foam...it doesn't get any better than that!  The verdict on the regular coffees was a definite thumbs up!  Fran says that she won't be getting another cappuccino until after her son's wedding on March 19 (Congrats and Best Wishes to Paul and Theresa!!!).

Deli on Main serves breakfast and lunch.  They also cater any size gathering, event, or corporate function.  They are a one stop shop for all your coffee, food, and catering needs.  I haven't had a good Eggs Benedict in a while so I'll definitely be visiting again soon.  Beth, Fran, and Ken are sure to be return customers.

Thank you, Ken, for suggesting Deli on Main and thanks also to Jennifer who took the time to talk to me even though a major catering order was being prepped.

Until next week,

Ellen





Meet the Owner
Jennifer Kerr



.



Meet the Barista
Thabo



This Week's Crawlers
Ken, Ellen, The Mona Lisa, Fran, Beth



Shelly's Coffee Shop

For my first coffee shop visit I decided upon Shelly's Coffee Shop.  It is located in a residential neighborhood at 43 Circular Drive in the Charlo suburb about three and a half kilometers from our home.  I chose this shop because it seems as though I pass it every day on my way to somewhere else.  It is also relatively close to San Francesco RC Church.  After Mass on Friday morning, Feb 11, I set off with this week's fellow "crawlers," Gail Taverner, Beth Vieira, and Fran de Beer.  I met these ladies at San Francesco when we first moved here and they have made me feel very welcome.  I extended to them the invitation to join me on my maiden visit of "The Crawl" and they were only too happy to oblige.

Friday was a beautiful day with temps in the high 20s (Celsius, that is).  I just had to mention that to those of you who are freezing in the Northeastern U.S.  This certainly doesn't feel like February to me!!  Anyway....

Gail, Fran, and I ordered cappuccinos while Beth got her black coffee, no sugar.  Beth said her coffee was good and hot.  Gail, Fran, and I agreed that the cappuccinos were very creamy.  Fran is not a fan of overly creamy but that is just how I like it, except that means twenty extra minutes on the treadmill at the gym!

We met the owner, Michele Totton.  She's very welcoming and all smiles.  When we told her that we just came over from San Francesco she said she has been there for music trivia night, and her team won the last time!  Well, I took that as a challenge.  I'll see you at the next trivia night, Michele.... :)
Michele may join me one day as I continue my crawl.

We also had a chance to meet the barista, Thulie (pronounced toolee). 

Shelly's has been open since June, 2010.    It's a great little place with a tremendous breakfast and lunch menu.  The black and white decor inside is very tastefully done, comfortable and inviting.  We sat out on the deck because the weather was sooooo nice (sorry, I couldn't resist).  It is a place I will definitely return to with visitors and friends.  Thank you, Michele, for a great cappuccino and fun experience.

Ellen


Meet the Owner
Michele Totton







Meet the Barista
Thulie



This Week's Crawlers
Gail, Fran, Beth















Since Lou and I moved here in July, 2010 I've been asked by many people in the States to start a blog of some sort during our stay here in Port Elizabeth, SA...  Blog, me?  First of all, my computer skills are lacking and, secondly, what would I have to blog about?

Well, on our first two visits here in March and April, 2010 when Lou and I were being shown around the area by local residents we seemed to stop for coffee numerous times during the day.  I figured Lou and I must have looked mighty thirsty or in desperate need of a "pick-me-up."  Now that we are living here I have found that coffee shops abound in Port Elizabeth.  Everywhere I go, every turn I make (driving on the left...aaahhh...that's a whole different blog!), there seems to be a coffee shop luring me in for a cappuccino.  Whenever I ask someone how to get to a certain shopping center, butcher, fish market, florist, ... you guessed it...the directions are always given with a coffee shop as a point of reference.

So, now I have a starting place to introduce you to Port Elizabeth, SA (the locals call it PE and that is how I will refer to the city after this). 

Now, I usually take my coffee black with no sugar, however, I will probably order a cappuccino at the places I visit just because of the cool designs in the foam.  I'm planning to visit only one new shop a week so as not to risk gaining back the ten kilos I have lost since we've been here (that's 22 lbs for those of you who are as metrically challenged as I am).

And so the crawl begins.....

Ellen