Something Good

Last Thursday's Crawl took us yet again to the beachfront to a site that, for decades in the past, was a PE institution.  It closed for about seven years, then opened again just a few months ago to cater to tourists and PE beachgoers.  The newly reopened Something Good is located on Marine Drive in Summerstrand. Owner John Davies has renovated and redecorated the original building.  His passion for surfing serves as the inspiration for the shop's decor.  A picture collage of surfer dudes and the "old PE" beachfront adorns the walls and, if you look overhead, actual surfboards can be seen in the roof trusses.  The fun, beachy decor acts as a conversation piece for Something Good's customers.

Do you recognize any of these people?

Great surfing pics!

Thursday's Crawlers, Lee Rodwell, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Nicolette Hijmans, Gail Darne, and newcomers, Lee Gajjar, Moira Batty, and Pat Fields, sat at a ground level table overlooking the ocean.  There is also seating available on an upstairs undercover deck area.

This Week's Crawlers
Gail, Stella, Pat, Beryl, Arthur, Nicolette,
Margaret, Lee R., Moira, Lee G.

Something Good's head chef, Craig Joyce and Barista, Sivile, doubled as our waiters on Thursday morning.  Even amidst the continuous flow of customers, they jumped right into action serving us breakfast and Pavin coffee in a timely fashion and with a warm smile.

Meet the Head Chef
Craig Joyce

Meet the Barista
Sivile

The Crawlers who recall Something Good "back in the day" were all glad to see its return.  They remember that it wasn't a day at the beach without getting something good to eat at Something Good.  From what I hear around town, PE residents are also happy that the shop is up and running again.  So, the next time you're at the beachfront, stop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a snack and check out Something Good's new digs.  Hours of operation are: weekdays 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; weekends 7 a.m.-11 p.m.

Ground level seating

This week we welcomed three new Crawlers: Pat, Moira and Lee G.  Pat just happened upon our group while we were ordering coffee and we asked her to join us.  She immediately fit right in as though she'd been Crawling with us for years!  Also joining us on Thursday was Lee Rodwell's mother, Moira, who was visiting from Cape Town.  And lastly, coming along as a guest of Nicolette's, was Lee G. who was just interested in checking out what the Crawl was all about.  Welcome ladies.

Deck seating

View from the deck

After all the introductions were made we got to talking about Lee G.'s job as a reflexologist.  On the outline of a foot that I had drawn Lee showed us which parts of the body correspond (for treatment) to different areas of the foot.  Pretty interesting stuff.  Lee also talked about vitamin and mineral supplements that are helpful for joints.  It was then that I couldn't help but tell the story of how monkeys stole my son's (Jeff's) glucosamine and chondrointin supplements while we were in Malawi at Christmastime last year.  The monkeys actually sneaked into the bathroom area of Jeff's room at the lodge and proceeded to eat the tablets while sitting in the sink!  Those primates are going to have some healthy joints!!!

**A note to PE Coffee Crawl blog readers: Lou and I will be on vacation in Kenya for the next few weeks.
    The next official Crawl will be Sept. 12 with the blog post going up probably on Sept 17.

~Thank you to Something Good owner John Davies for resurrecting this PE institution!
~Thank you to Craig and Sivile for the awesome service
~Happy Birthday to my nephew, Joey, in Binghamton, NY - Sept 2
~Happy Labor Day Weekend to my family, friends, and blog readers in the U.S.A.  Enjoy your last
  unofficial weekend of the summer.

Until mid- September,

Ellen

Grass Roof

One of the first hikes Lou and I checked out when we moved to PE was the Sacramento Trail.  The trail lies within the Sardinia Bay Nature Reserve between Schoenmakerskop (Schoenies) and Sardinia Bay.  It's a nice, easy trail just minutes from our house on the Sardinia Bay side, and has become a relaxing way for us to spend a weekend morning/early afternoon.  We take our time starting at the Sardinia Bay parking lot and trek across the ridge to Schoenies.  On the return trip we usually take the beach route to enjoy the sand, surf, and the coves surrounded by rocky outcroppings.  The entire outing takes us about three hours.  On the hike we have with us fruit, trail mix and water but by the time we arrive back at our point of origin I feel like sitting and having something a little more substantial.  Now, if you start the trail at Schoenies, you can have post-hike refreshments at Sacramento (see June, 2011 post) which is just a stone's throw from the trail head. On the Sardinia Bay side, however, there's only a small concession stand in the parking lot.

A brand new place has recently sprung up, though, only a few minutes' drive from Sardinia Bay beach. Grass Roof Farm Stall and Coffee Shop, located on the corner of Seaview and Heron Roads in Sardinia Bay, opened for business at the beginning of August.  The first thing I noticed as I entered the grounds of Grass Roof is that there's really grass growing on the roof of this new building!  When I asked owner Nicky Charlewood about how she came up with the idea and, hence, the name, she said she wanted something new and different and it just came to her.  The grass roof is so cool and it ended up being a conversation topic amongst the Crawlers on Thursday.  We all wondered about the upkeep of the roof....watering, cutting, weeding.  Then, lo and behold, during the Crawl we got front row seat viewing of how they go about watering the roof.  As far as cutting goes, Nicky told me that the gardener just gets on the roof with a weed whacker every now and then.

Meet the Manager and the Owner
Simba and Nicky

The roof needs watering!

The second thing I noticed about Grass Roof was how sparkling clean the farm stall and coffee shop are and how extraordinarily friendly the staff is.  Manager, Simba, was so helpful in showing us everything that the farm stall and bakery have to offer and pointing us in the direction of the coffee shop.  The whole complex is way bigger than it appears to be from the road.  The coffee shop seats sixty people inside and at least that many outside on the terrace and on the lawn.  There is a kids' play area on the premises which makes for a wonderful setting for a Moms/tots play group.

The Grass Roof menu includes breakfast, lunch and daily bakery specials all made on-site.  Illy brand coffee is served up by Barista Robert.  Other beverages include a variety of teas, shakes and cold drinks.  Grass Roof hours are Tues-Sun, 8-5; closed on Monday.  Lou and I will definitely be stopping by after our next hike on the Sacramento Trail.

My cappuccino made with lots of love

Meet the Barista
Robert

Crawlers, Gail Darne, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Beth Vieira, Fran and Keith de Beer, June and Cayle Nash, Leanne and Luke Waller, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Lee Rodwell, Nicolette Hijmans, started off Thursday morning by browsing through the farm stall/bakery and making purchases.  Once seated with our coffee and tea served, we all faced a most difficult decision....which of the luscious cakes to order.  Many of us remembered that when the Crawl started back a few years ago there was the unofficial No-Food-On-The-Crawl-Rule which we all agreed went out the window when my son, Jeff, came to visit.  I guess we can blame him for any weight we've gained along the way.  I have to say that Thursday's choice was one of the hardest for me of all the Crawls to date since each of the freshly baked desserts looked equally tantalizing.  I ended up getting the Chocolate Eclair Cake which I now highly recommend.

This Week's Crawlers
Beryl, Lee, Nicolette, Margaret, Arthur,
Gail, Beth, June, Cayle, Fran, Stella, Leanne, Luke
not pictured - Keith

Yummy Chocolate Eclair Cake

Scones and Tea anyone?

While waiting for our cakes to be served we talked about the upcoming International Food Night.  I have been asked yet again to bake numerous "American Apple Pies."  They are usually quite a hit.  Only one problem.... Thanksgiving falls shortly after the Food Festival and I'm running low on Crisco.  Unfortunately, I don't have enough to make pies for both occasions.  What a conundrum I'm facing.  Guess I'll just have to pick the brains of the amazing bakery chefs at Grass Roof for alternate crust making methods!  Any suggestions from readers for making flaky pie crust sans Crisco is also welcomed....drop me a comment!

~Thank you to Nicky and the Grass Roof staff

Until next week,

Ellen

Borca Lorca

Two weeks ago as the Crawlers made our way to the Home Expo to watch the 2014 Regional Barista Championship we passed a brand new coffee shop located within the Moffett on Main Lifestyle Centre.  Borca Lorca was literally opening its doors for the first time as we passed by, so we stopped in for a quick chat with co-owner Tania Plakonouris.  Tania was excited to hear about the Coffee Crawl..... we made a booking to come visit her and her husband/co-owner, Ryan, at their new shop on Aug 8.  Time just flew by and before we knew it we were entering Borca Lorca yet again, though this time to enjoy the fresh, fun atmosphere and the delicious Sumatran French Romano coffee.

First off on Thursday our curiosity got the best of us and we just had to get the background of the name Borca Lorca.  Tania filled us in with the story of how her Portuguese father, Bruno, used to call her the Portuguese translation of "Crazy Mouth" when she was young.  Over the years the nickname stuck and now, Anglisized in the spelling, has become the name of her new coffee shop (where a subtle tribute to Tania's dad hangs).

Tribute to Tania's father

So with that out of the way, the Crawlers had a choice to make....sit at one of the awesome distressed style tables or in the colorful and invitingly comfortable looking lounge area.  The decision was easy as the weather on Thursday was cold and blustery, and everyone needed the cozy comfort of the couches and cushioned chairs in the lounge.

The lounge area

Meet the Co-Owner
Ryan Plakonouris

Once we were seated, co-owner Ryan came over to welcome us and to take our beverage orders.  We perused the menu while Umzi Wethu trained barista, Masixole, whipped up the cappuccinos and Americanos.  The menu consists of popular breakfast items as well as salads, sandwiches, wraps and noodle dishes prepared by another Umzi Wethu grad/chef, Melikhaya.  Also featured on the menu are pastries and artisan breads delivered fresh daily from PastryWorks (6th Ave and Villiers, Walmer).  Such a damp and gloomy day provided me with reason enough to order comfort food found in the form of a nice warm cinnamon bun.  Now, what could be better?...... comfortable, cheery surroundings, quick, pleasant service, excellent, excellent, yes, excellent coffee, tasty pastries.....and all shared with an amazing group of friends.

Meet the Barista
Masixole

Ryan and Tania Plakonouris have numerous years worth of experience in the hospitality industry, and it shows.  Though their shop, Borca Lorca, is brand spanking new, it operates smoothly and efficiently while making the comfort and satisfaction of the patrons their top priority.  Kudos to both of you!  All of Thursday's Crawlers, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Beth Vieira, Gail Darne, June and Cayle Nash, Fran and Keith de Beer, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Nicolette Hijmans, Lee Rodwell, loved your shop!  Borca Lorca is relatively close to where I live....I can see me becoming a regular!
Borca Lorca's hours coincide with the Moffett on Main hours: Mon-Sat, 9-5, Sun, 9-2.

This Week's Crawlers
Margaret, June, Stella, Beryl, Keith, Fran,
Gail, Beth, Lee, Nicolette, Arthur

These cinnamon buns were outstanding!

My all-time favorite pastry is "Cinnabon's" cinnamon bun.  In Borca Lorca's menu I noticed a cinnamon bun option in the pastry column, and ordered it.  Four other Crawlers followed suit.  While we feasted on the scrumptious pastry, Beth informed  us about new studies that show cinnamon's potential contribution to a healthy heart!  COOL!  The possibility of that being true coupled with a few extra hours at the gym might just counter the other effects of that extra large pastry I had just eaten.  In any case, when I got home from the Crawl on Thursday I checked the cinnamon/heart study online....yes, there's lots of info there!.....then went on to "like" the Atlanta-based company, "Cinnabon" (and Borca Lorca), on Facebook!

The pastry display

Crazy Mouth decor

While we ate and had our second and third rounds in the warmth and comfort of Borca Lorca, the storm raged outside.  We frittered away the morning discussing current events... Bill Clinton' trip to Africa (Pretoria on Crawl Day) and the destructive fire at the Nairobi airport (hope it's open for business at the end of the month when I plan to travel to Kenya!).....all the while the Borca Lorca staff was kept busy with a constant flow of customers.  Coffee shop news travels quickly!  Once the storm abated we wrapped up Crawl #109 with a conversation of how we all planned to spend the long holiday (Women's Day) weekend.

To PE Coffee Lovers- Borca Lorca is a new coffee shop in town well worth checking out!  See you there!

~Thank You and Best Wishes to Ryan and Tania!

Until next week,

Ellen

More Crazy Mouth Art....................

Coco Cafe

............... It's the official opening day of your brand new coffee shop.  Thirty minutes into the business day a group of nineteen boisterous people enter your shop moving tables and chairs together, wanting to check out nineteen different menu selections, and putting your new barista to the test by ordering not one, not two, but three rounds of coffee and espresso beverages.  In the midst of all of this mayhem, one member of the group is wielding a camera and notebook to take pics and notes, she says, in order to feature your shop in an internet article that people all over the world will read! ..............
Suddenly, someone pinches you, and you awaken, sweating and heart racing, from this business person's nightmare.  Whew!

Meet the Owners
Charmaine and Candice

Thursday morning this "nightmare" proved to be reality for Charmaine Ridden and her daughter, Candice Smith, as Crawlers, Dale  Mitchell, Lee Rodwell, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Fran and Keith de Beer, June and Cayle Nash, Leanne Waller, Gail Darne Margaret Zoetmulder, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, birthday girl Colleen LeRoux, Ralph LeRoux, Beth Vieira, Nicolette Hijmans,  newcomeer Glenda Adams and camera lady Ellen, arrived at Coco Cafe for the August 1 Crawl.

This Week's Crawlers
Arthur, Margaret M., Gail, Beth, Keith, Stella, Beryl, Dale,
Gail, Lee, Cayle, June, Leanne, Fran, Margaret Z., Nicolette, Ralph
not pictured - Glenda 

Coco Cafe, the name of which was inspired by the first initials of its owners, officially opened its doors for business on August 1.  Located at 196 Main Rd. in Walmer, it shares the 11th Ave/Main Rd. corner building space with The Pop Shoppe.  On the day of our visit workers were still putting the finishing touches on the cafe.  The full menu was not up and running yet, but a limited selection of breakfasts and cakes were available Thursday morning along with Carraro brand coffee and a variety of teas.  As the shop seats about sixty people (inside and outside combined) there was plenty of room for more customers, though the Crawlers pretty much took up the outside patio area in order to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Meet the Barista
Dokus

Okay, let's go through that "nightmare" scenario...... 1) Yes, nineteen Crawlers showed up but not all at once, plus a table for fifteen was already set; 2) The menu was limited, but what we did order got rave reviews...I can personally vouch for the carrot cake!; 3) Coco Cafe's barista, Dokus, passed with flying colors through three rounds of coffee/tea preparation; 4) The pics turned out nice especially the one of the very photogenic owners!  Wasn't so bad after all, was it, C and C?  Crisis averted and now people all over PE, not to mention potential visitors from the four corners of the globe, know about Coco Cafe!

Coco Cafe's hours are Mon-Fri, 9-5:30, Sat, 9-2, Super Saturday (first Sat of the month), 9-5, closed on Sunday.

To start off at the table I relayed greetings to all from Crawlers Nomusa and Les who were on vacation at Kruger National Park.  They will be traveling for the next few weeks and will be missed at the Crawl.  Also vacationing for a while will be Crawlers Margaret Z. and Colleen.  The rest of us will hold down the fort while you are away.  Enjoy your travels!

Speaking of travels, the Crawlers got to talking about their favorite places (and coffee shops) in and around Cape Town.  With all the new info I gathered from the Crawlers' input I'm looking forward to another trip to CT soon!  An interesting topic that came up then was the Zimbabwean elections that had just been held days before the Crawl.  We all watch the news, right?  Enough said!

So, after a few hours of chit chatting, coffee drinking, and shopping at The Pop Shoppe, the Crawlers left Charmaine and Candice with a lot to clean up but with nineteen people who will spread the word around PE about the newest coffee shop in town!

~Thank you and Best Wishes on your new business venture to Charmaine and Candice!
~Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law, Lillian, in Binghamton, NY - Aug 9
~Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law, Phil, in Millersville, PA - Aug 9
~Happy Birthday to my nephew, Jon, in Edinboro, PA - Aug 10

Until next week,

Ellen