The Shack Bistro and Sports Bar

There was nothing more exciting to me when I was teaching in NY than to wake up on a cold, blustery winter morning and find out that school was cancelled for the day due to outrageous amounts of snow that had fallen overnight.  An unexpected day off.....woohoo!!!  That same feeling of elation swept over me when I arrived at The Shack on Thursday for the Coffee Crawl.  Upon meeting The Shack's owner, Ingrid Saunders, she informed me that since Friday was a public holiday (making for a long weekend) things would be quite hectic at the shop on Thursday.  WHAT??? ...a public hiloday???... an unexpected day off???... a long weekend???? WOOHOO!!!!!  Well, that set the tone for this week's Crawl.

The Crawlers met Thursday morning at The Shack Bistro and Sports Bar.  As the name implies, The Shack is a coffee shop/bistro by day and a sports bar (to go to watch your favorite rugby/soccer/cricket teams) by night.  The bar side has been under the present management for about six months while the coffee shop side has been open for only six weeks.  The Shack is situated in the Lorraine Plaza (Gardens Shopping Centre) on Circular Drive in Lorraine.  I frequent the plaza (and drive past the new coffee shop) as it is where the Virgin Active gym is located.

The Shack has a relaxed atmosphere with a sublte African decor.  There is seating for approximately 50 people inside the shop where patrons are totally removed from the hectic pace of the plaza/parking lot.  There is also outside "sidewalk" seating for about 20 customers who enjoy people-watching.  The Shack features a daily breakfast special which includes a full English breakfast with free coffee.  The shop has a full lunch menu as well. 

Meet the Barista
Patience

LavAzza brand coffee beverages are prepared by barista Patience.  She certainly needed all that and then some as she filled orders of tea and coffee from Thursday's Crawlers, Margaret Zoetmulder, Colleen LeRoux, Fran de Beer, June Nash, Leanne Waller, Beth Vieira, Nomusa Nkomo, and Stella and Beryl Dawson, and Gail Darne.  My cappuccinos were excellent... I think I had three!  And Patience is a real sweetheart... she made us all feel like she was entertaining guests in her own home.  Thank you, Patience, you're awesome!   Camera-shy owner, Ingrid, stopped by the table a few times to make sure all was well and that we were enjoying ourselves.  Needless to say, considering the hospitality shown to us by the staff, The Shack is a definite return-to spot for me!




This Week's Crawlers
Gail, Fran, June, Stella, Nomusa, Beryl, Leanne,
Margaret, Beth, Colleen



So, as for the National Holiday.... Friday, Dec 16 was the Day of Reconciliation, and the "unofficial" start of the summer season in SA.  The Crawlers discussed the background of this holiday which is way too complicated to get involved in here, but if you're interested, google it.... fascinating stuff!  As the Il Divo Christmas CD played in the background we then got to talking about old age and being old.  With Thursday's Crawlers ages ranging from 20s to 80s there were certainly differing perspectives on the subject.  In the end we all agreed that we liked the quote stuck to Elaine's (my sis) fridge, "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?"

Speaking of age, I'd like to take this opportunity to send Happy Birthday wishes to my sisters, Carol in Millersville, PA (Dec 16) and Mary in Edinboro, PA (Dec 17).  Hope you both had fun on your special days.  A huge Happy Birthday #1 on Dec 19 to my beautiful granddaughter, Mia, in Cleveland, TN.  Can't wait to see you, your parents and brother next week!

So, what did Lou and I do on our unexpected day off?  We wasted the day away... which reminds me of another quote stuck to Elaine's fridge, "Time spent wasting is not wasted time."  That quote has become my mantra!

~Thank you to Ingrid and Patience for making the Crawlers feel quite at home.  Great coffee, too!

~MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!!!!

Until next week,

Ellen