Norma Jean's Coffee Shop

New coffee shops seem to be popping up all over PE.  Most of my recent posts are about those that have just opened in the past few months.  This week I figured it was about time I hit one of the more established places.

Norma Jean's Coffee Shop, conveniently located directly accross the street from Fruit and Veg at 18 Newton Street in Newton Park, has been in business for more years than manager Megan Smith can remember.  She just knows that her mother, owner Sheryl Smith, has operated the business for 5-6 years.  Prior to that, two shops, Norma Jean's and Marilyn's (see March, 2011 post), were owned and operated by the same person who obviously had a fascination with Norma Jean Mortenson Baker aka Marilyn Monroe.  Both places are decorated with famous photos of the legendary star and feature facts about her on their menus.  The businesses have both been sold to different owners but have retained the original shops' names.

I have heard a lot about Norma Jean's over the past two years and the shop has been on the "places to visit on the Crawl" list since the beginning.  For some reason or other is has always been usurped by another shop.  I guess I figured that since it's been around for so long it could wait.  (Let's face it... for as many new coffee shops that open in PE there are just as many that close down and we need to visit them before they do!)

So, just as with Marilyn Monroe's celebrity status, Norma Jean's has withstood the test of time... and for good reason.  It's a wonderful little coffee shop with a relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and great menu which includes incredible cakes not to mention one of the best cappuccinos I've had to date.  As a matter of fact, the Masterton's secret Norma Jean's blend cappuccino, prepped by barista Precious, was so good that I had another for the second round instead of my usual filter coffee, no cream, no sugar.

Meet the Manager
Megan Smith



Meet Our Waitress
Zimkitha



Meet the Barista
Precious

 

Norma Jean's offers a daily Tea Time Special from 2:00-4:30 which includes Cake and Cappuccino for R18.95.  What a deal!  We were there too early for that but I went ahead and ordered probably the best Apple Crumble I've had in my life to go along with the cappuccinos.  Delicious!!!
The shop also has Wed-Fri Breakfast and Lunch Specials as well.  Norma Jean's is open Mon-Fri, 7:30-5, and Sat 8-2.  So, after picking up your fruits and veggies at Fruit and Veg, stop across the street and take advantage of one of Norma Jean's Specials.  No need to worry about running over on your parking time limit!!!

540 minutes?!?

Photo credited to Mandy de Beer

Okay, so at a recent Crawl, I saw a placemat with a pic of someone who I mistook for the actress who played Samantha Stephens on the TV show, "Bewitched."  I couldn't think of the actress' name at the time and put it out of my mind.... no use losing sleep over it.  Well, Crawler Gail Darne did.... lose sleep, that is!  The first thing she said to me on Thursday morning was that it had been driving her crazy and, finally, she was awakened at 3:00 am that Crawl night with the "Bewitched " theme running through her head along with the actress' name.... Elizabeth Montgomery.  So, that got Gail and me started on a discussion of 60s sitcoms, "The Lucy Show," "Mister Ed," "Gilligan's Island," "My Three Sons," "The Beverly Hillbillies," and on and on and on.  This led to a brief mention of the recent death of another legend, Andy Griffith of "The Andy Griffith Show" fame.

This Week's Crawlers
Nomusa, Mandy, Fran, Beryl, Marilyn,
Stella, Gail, June, Beth

The rest of Thursday's Crawlers, Nomusa Nkomo, Fran and Mandy de Beer, Stella and Beryl Dawson, June Nash, Beth Vieira, were mostly unfamiliar with the shows so on we went to another topic, that being pumping gas (petrol).  In the States we pump our own gas so when I arrived here in 2010 and tried to do the same the station attendants looked at me as if I had ten heads!  Needless to say, I haven't pumped my own gas in two years!  The South Africans and Zimbabweans at the table had humorous stories of when they traveled abroad and were confounded when they had to pump their own gas.  That was good for a few laughs.  We went on then to a lengthy debate over the terminology of "traffic light" vs. "robot."  Ah, and the cultural exchange continues..............

~Thank you to Norma Jean's manager, Megan Smith. Tthe place was running quite smoothly... your mother
   would be proud!
~Thank you to the Norman Jean's staff, especially to our waitress, Zimkitha, and the barista, Precious.
~A belated Happy 40th Anniversary to Fran and Keith (July 1)....married all those years...... and to the
  same person!

Until next week,

Ellen