Marilyn's - Crawl #5 Revisited

The Crawlers have spent the last two Crawls celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas.  For our December 12 and 19 Crawls we are winding down 2013 by continuing our Crawl Revisited Series.  Thursday, December 12, fifteen Crawlers, June Nash, Fran de Beer, Nomusa Nkomo, Margaret Zoetmulder, Dale Mitchell, Beth Vieira, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Sylvia Mynhardt, Colleen LeRoux, Lee Rodwell, Nicolette Hijmans, Heather Anderson, and first-time Crawlers, Graham Wood and Ken Heusinkveld, joined me at Marilyn's, 123 Villiers Rd. in Walmer.

This Week's Crawlers
Standing: Ken and Heather
Sitting: Nomusa, Fran, Colleen, Margaret, Nicolette, Beth,
Graham, Lee, Stella, June, Dale, Beryl, Sylvia

Marilyn's was the fifth coffee shop we visited back in 2011, and so much has changed at the shop since then.  New owner, Alan Fryer, and his new staff welcome patrons into the totally renovated shop.  The decor still features Marilyn Monroe but with updated artwork.  The old orange color scheme that locals associate with Marilyn's has been replaced with a more modern black/gray scheme that better compliments the photos/paintings of the mid-20th century celebrity.  I was especially drawn to the Marilyn Monroe umbrellas/"light shades"..... where do you get something like that?!?

Meet the Owner
Alan Fryer

Marilyn's revamped menu offers breakfast (served 8-12) and lunch selections, a variety of cakes, and most importantly, Illy brand coffee prepped by Thursday's barista Leisel (and other staff members).  The shop seats sixty-seventy customers in three intimate inside dining rooms, and twenty more patrons can enjoy the beautiful summer weather at outside shaded picnic-style tables.  Marilyn's is open seven days a week from 8-5.  There are a few parking spaces in front plus a large additional parking lot in the back.  If you haven't been to Marilyn's in a while stop in and check out its new menu and decor....you'll be glad you did!

Meet the Bsrista
Leisel

Outside seating

Just coming off of our December 5 Crawl when eight Crawlers "Christmas cracker whistled" their way through four Christmas carols, Thursday's Crawlers wanted to give it another shot.  Wow.....what a difference a week makes!  This week's whistlers sounded awesome....and with hardly any practice.  Great job, folks!

So with all the celebrating we've been doing it seems that Margaret Z. can't get enough.  So much so that she volunteered me, my husband and our house (!) to host a New Year's Eve party.  Lou and I will just be returning from our Christmas holiday in Namibia but I think I can pull something together.  I may need a little help from the Crawlers but if they're up for it, I'm game.  No promises on playing "Auld Lang Syne" on the pipes though!

~Thank you to Alan Fryer and the Marilyn's staff
~Happy Birthday to my granddaughter, Mia, in Cleveland, TN - December 19
~Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Until next time,

Ellen

Christmas Crawl 2013 at Borca Lorca

It was agreed upon by all the Crawlers months ago that this year's Christmas Crawl would take place on December 5.  We debated for weeks about the venue before deciding on Borca Lorca at the Moffett on Main Lifestyle Centre in Walmer.

We just visited Borca Lorca on August 8 of this year so the shop is not new for us nor is it an official "revisit."  However, we all loved it so much back in August and agreed that its fun and friendly atmosphere would provide the perfect setting for the 2013 Christmas Crawl.

Meet the Owner
Ryan Plakonouris

And perfect it was.  Borca Lorca's owners, Ryan and Tania Plakonouris, pulled out all the stops to make our December 5 visit especially festive.  They even put up with our Christmas cracker whistle antics.  Eight of our very talented (?) Crawlers whistled their way through "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," Good King Wenceslas," "O Come All Ye Faithful," and "Joy to the World."  The tunes started out pretty rough but, after a bit of practice, were actually somewhat recognizable.  Kudos to all of our "musicians."

Eight Whistling Crawlers
do-Lee, re-Leanne, mi-Stella, fa-Margaret Z.,
sol-Nomusa, la-Sylvia, ti-Colleen, do-Ann

The Christmas cracker whistles

Along with these favorite Christmas carols Thursday's Crawlers, Nomusa Nkomo, Celeste Hudson, Beth, Carl and Ann Vieira, Margaret Zoetmulder, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Colleen Le Roux, Stella and Beryl Dawson, June and Cayle Nash, Leanne Waller and her sons, Daniel and Luke, Sylvia Mynhardt, Nicolette Hijmans, Lee Rodwell, and first time Crawler, Shelley Floate, also enjoyed Sumatran coffee, breakfast, chocolates, and lots of holiday cheer!

This Week's Crawlers
Margaret Z., Colleen, Nomusa, Beryl, Stella, Margaret M., Celeste, Ann, Beth,
 newcomer Carl, Lee, Luke, Leanne, Cayle, June, Daniel, Sylvia, Nicolette, Arthur
not pictured - Shelley

Readers, be sure to check out my August, 2013 Borca Lorca post, and PE residents get yourselves to Borca Lorca for great food and coffee and awesome hospitality!

~Thank you, thank you, thank you to Ryan, Tania and the Borca Lorca staff... you are the reason we chose
   BL for our Christmas Crawl!!!
~Happy Birthday to Crawler Sylvia Mynhardt - December 14
~Happy Birthday to my sister, Carol, in Millersville, PA - December 16
~Happy Birthday to my sister, Mary, in Edinboro, PA - December 17

Until next week,

Ellen

3rd Annual Thanksgiving Coffee Crawl

Last Thursday, November 28, was Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., and hence, the day of our 3rd Annual Thanksgiving Coffee Crawl.  As has become tradition, the regular Crawlers and a few extra guests come to my home for pie and Masterton's coffee to celebrate the holiday.

This year Crawler Lee Rodwell came to my house on Wednesday (Thanksgiving Eve) for a pie baking marathon.  In ten hours we cranked out ten pies..... 4 pumpkin, 3 apple, 2 pecan, 1 mincemeat (and a whole ton of Oh Boy rolls!).  Then Lee went home and baked a carrot cake just in case there wasn't enough food for the 26 people who would be eating dessert on Thursday morning!

Thank you to Lee for all your help.  Thank you to June and Leanne for letting me borrow your coffee makers.  Thank you to all the Crawlers and guests for celebrating Thanksgiving with Lou and me.

Enjoy the pics everyone!

Until next week,

Ellen

The kitchen counter during the marathon

Pies all done!

Chervonne, Margaret, Lou, Vicki and Dale

Nomusa, Leanne and June

Beth and Deirdre

Clary, Les and Arthur

Margaret and Celeste

Lee, Nicolette and Lee

Eugene, Colleen, Elaine and Dale

Arthur, Margaret and Ellen

Gail, Stella and Sylvia
not pictured - Beryl