Beyond Beans

When I started the PE Coffee Crawl nearly two and a half years ago we averaged about 4-7 Crawlers on any given Crawl.  I never bothered to make reservations since most coffee shops can easily accommodate that size group (especially on a Thursday morning) with no advance notice.  However, over the years of Crawling, our average group size has continued to increase and is now approximately 12-15.  With this in mind I have recently taken to stopping in at the next Crawl venue a few days ahead to make a booking. Such was the case two weeks ago.  Crawler Leanne Waller had suggested we visit Beyond Beans, a new coffee shop she had discovered in her meanderings around town.  So, on Monday, July 8, I made a quick trip to Beyond Beans to book a table for "12-ish people" for Thursday, the 11th.

On Crawl Day, much to my surprise, and even more to the surprise of Beyond Beans' Manager, Rolynda Prince, we ended up almost doubling the "12-ish" estimate with 23 Crawlers on July 11. Occasionally over the years we've gotten a spike in our numbers (St. Pat's Day, of course, or some other holiday) but I usually see it coming.  This one, though, totally blindsided me!  Rolynda and the Beyond Beans staff dealt beautifully with our increased number....we were all served our beverages and food in a timely manner and with outstanding hospitality.  Kudos to all of you!

Meet the Manager
Rolynda Prince

Meet the Barista
Khanya

Beyond Beans' owner Julie Rathbone opened the coffee shop on January 21, 2013, and just recently brought manager Rolynda on board.  Excellent decision, Julie!

Beyond Beans is located at the corner of 2nd Ave. and Cape Rd. in Newton Park, and is accessed from the DisChem Wellness Centre parking lot.  The shop, which seats 40-45 customers, is open Mon-Fri, 7:30-4, Sat, 7:30-1, closed on Sunday.

This Week's Crawlers
Heather, Aiden, Maddy, Ralph, Colleen, Leanne, June, Keith, Fran,
Nomusa, Margaret Z., Gail, Beryl, Stella, Margaret M., Arthur,
Kerry-Ann, Billi-Jean, Margie, Lee, Beth

This week's Crawlers, newcomers Ralph, Kerry-Ann, Aiden, and Maddy Le Roux, and Margie and Billi-Jean Parker, along with veteran Crawlers, Colleen Le Roux, Lee Rodwell, Beth Vieira, Gail Darne, Margaret Zoetmulder, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, June and Cayle Nash, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Fran and Keith de Beer, Nomusa Nkomo,  Leanne Waller, Heather Anderson, were treated to a variety of teas, shakes, and Sumatran Romano blend coffees all prepared by barista Khanya.  The kitchen staff served up breakfasts that were a feast for the senses.  A few of us stayed long enough into the afternoon that we witnessed the lunch time rush customers enjoying the menu's mid-day meal selections.  Beyond Beans has only been open for six months yet it appears that business is booming......not a surprise considering its convenient location, open, airy, contemporary country atmosphere, quick, friendly service, and delicious food and beverages.  Beyond Beans is a relatively new coffee shop in PE that is well worth checking out!

At Thursday's Crawl we were fortunate to have joining us Colleen's guests and first time Crawlers, the Le Roux/Parker contingent, visiting from the States and elsewhere in South Africa.  It was a pleasure to share the morning with you all.  A truly amazing thing occurred as a result of their visit with us.  It just so happens that a friend of Billi-Jean's from years ago, who she's been attempting (with no success) to "find" for quite some time, is related to Crawler Beth Vieira!  Beth provided Billi-Jean with her friend's contact info.....and long, lost friends have been reunited!  Awesome!

Having our visitor, Billi-Jean, with us prompted yet another conversation topic at the table, that being the 1973 tennis Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby......Bobby.......Bobby...... Bobby Fischer.  Wrong... Fischer was the 1972-75 World Chess Champ.  After wracking our collective brains, finally Margie came up with Bobby Riggs who lost the Battle to Billie Jean King in three sets in a best of five match.  You go, girl!!!  We hear there are rumblings of a possible A. Murray/S. Williams Battle of the Sexes in the future.  I'd love to be courtside at that one!

So, after 100 plus Crawls, we're still welcoming newcomers, creating and re-creating friendships, discussing an endless list of topics, and enjoying amazing coffee along the way.  And the Crawl continues....

~Thank you to Rolynda, Khanya and the Beyond Beans staff!
~A special thank you to Aiden, Maddy and Cayle for bringing down the average age of the group on
  Thursday!
~Happy Anniversary to my handsome, loving, funny, intelligent husband, Lou - July 26
~Happy Birthday to Crawler Howard Nash - July 27

Until next week,

Ellen