Gio Caffe

After a few weeks of intense wind and chilly temps, Spring has sprung in PE.  We can finally shed our jackets and scarves!  And, what better way to spend a gorgeous Spring morning than coffee with friends at the beachfront.  Thursday's Crawlers, Margaret Zoetmulder, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Fran and Keith de Beer, June and Cayle Nash, Lee Rodwell, Nicolette Hijmans, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Les Baldwin, Nomusa Nkomo, Gail Darne, and first-timer Louise Adkins, met at Gio Caffe at Shark Rock on Marine Drive in Summerstrand.  This newly renovated cafe is bright and airy inside but we chose outside seating under shade so as to enjoy the wonderful weather and awesome ocean view.

Inside the newly renovated cafe

For those of you who haven't been to the Pier/Shark Rock in the past few months you'll be pleasantly surprised to see that the "sweets shop" that was quite the eyesore has been torn down and replaced with Gio Caffe's ocean view seating for 40-50 patrons....just in time for the beach season.

The view from Gio Caffe

Pavin cappuccino

Gio Caffe's manager, Venoo Pillay, and waiter, Bibas, bent over backwards to accommodate the Crawlers on Thursday, from pushing tables together to taking/serving our food/beverage orders quickly to making sure the numerous shade umbrellas were in the perfect spot for us, moving them around as the morning wore on.

Meet the Manager and our Waiter
Venoo and Bibas

Meet the barista
Mathew

As Gio Caffe is open every day from 8 a.m. until late the menu offers selections that suit their customers' tastes all day long.  Two feature items on the menu are the Pavin coffee, prepped by barista Mathew, and Gio's homemade gelato.  There were so many gelato flavors on Thursday that I couldn't make up my mind so I stuck with cappuccinos and Americanos, saving the gelato for a post-prandial peregrination some summer evening.  (Reminiscent of Italy, Liz?)

So many gelato flavors!

Gio Caffe is available for private functions and birthday parties, and offers platters and birthday cakes made to order.  Check out Gio Caffe on Facebook or find them at:  www.giocaffe.co.za

This Week's Crawlers
Keith, Arthur, Margaret M., Margaret Z., Beryl, Les, June,
Nomusa, Stella, Gail, Cayle, Fran, Louise, Lee
not pictured - Nicolette

The Crawlers weren't the only ones taking advantage of the beautiful weather on Thursday morning.  The beachfront was packed with people who appeared to have just come out of winter hibernation.  A guitar player/singer performed outside of the cafe as boaters and snorkelers enjoyed time on/in the ocean.  And, as if on cue, a pod of dolphins played just offshore entertaining all of us landlubbers.  Gio's Caffe was the perfect setting for an early Spring Coffee Crawl.  Loved it and will definitely be back for more!!!

~Thank you to Venoo, Bibas, and Mathew for all of your efforts
~Congrats to Nicolette on the birth of your granddaughter, Zoe - October 1
~A belated Happy Birthday wish to Cayle Nash whose first birthday was October 5

Until next week,

Ellen