Rhubarb and Lime - Crawl #15 Revisited

Every Thursday I bring to the Crawl with me my camera and a notebook and pen.  By the end of each Crawl I have usually taken about 20 pics and a ton of chicken scratch notes.  When I get home from the Crawl I sometimes can't even decipher my own writing but somehow the pics and notes turn into my weekly blog post.  I always take more notes and pics than I use..... doodles, funny phrases, "not-suitable-for-blog-post" discussion topics.....many of these never find their way onto the blog.  I have kept all of my notes and pics since the first Crawl, and now when I look back to see which "Revisit" comes next I read through the post and my notes from our initial visit to that particular coffee shop.  Many things I'd forgotten...... special events, stories told by the Crawlers, new Crawlers joining our ranks, Crawlers moving and leaving our ranks, one-time visitors, celebrations, some (though few) serious moments, ridiculous pics that were never put on the blog.  I've realized that by saving three years of Crawl notes and pics I've unintentionally created a diary of my time here in PE.

Rhubarb and Lime's selection of cakes

Breakfast Specials

For our Crawl #15 on May 19, 2011, six of us visited Park Lane Cafe located at 7 Park Lane near St. George's Park.  Crawl regulars by that time Beth Vieira, Fran and Keith de Beer and I were joined by first time Crawlers Nomusa Nkomo and my son Jeff.  I had briefly met Nomusa at a church function and invited her to the Crawl not knowing if she'd take me up on the invite.  She showed up and now, three years later, Nomusa is a veteran Crawler, my tennis buddy and a dear friend.  As for my son Jeff, his first Crawl at Park Lane Cafe came the morning after a 30 hour trip from the States for a very unexpected visit (check out the pic on the May, 2011 Park Lane post...Jeff is looking way jet-lagged!).

The Park Lane Cafe Crawlers in May, 2011.
Keith, Fran, Beth, Jeff, Nomusa

Since our visit to Park Lane Cafe in May, 2011 the coffee shop has changed ownership, name, decor, menu and coffee brand.  Rhubarb and Lime opened as the new coffee shop at the 7 Park Lane address in September, 2012.  As a matter of fact, the Crawlers visited Rhubarb and Lime just two weeks after it opened for our Crawl #71 (see Rhubarb and Lime post, Sept 2012).  Owner Bergen Gill was just getting her business off the ground at that point and obviously now has had tremendous success.  When we visited in Sept, 2012 Bergen had redecorated and refurnished the shop and had a plan to put on the walls, in chalk, famous and philosophical quotes that she said she would change regularly.  True to her word the quotes are different every time I visit.  It was nice also to see that Bergen has stayed with her original choices in coffee brand and barista....Leeroy prepares a mean Truth Brand cappuccino!

Meet The Owner
Bergen Gill

Meet the Barista and our Waitress
Leeroy and Luisa

Wall philosophy

Lounge area

Rhubarb and Lime serves delicious food made from scratch.....breakfast  and cakes served all day and lunch served from noon.  Also, patrons can call 041 373 3186 for take-aways, platters, and daytime corporate catering.  The venue can be booked for after-hour functions for parties from 15-50 people.  Free WiFi is available to all customers.  Rhubarb and Lime hours Mon-Fri, 7:30-4; Sat, 8:30-2; closed on Sunday.

Leeroy's Truth Brand cappuccino

We were a noisy bunch on Thursday as we settled in for coffee, tea and cakes.  Joining me on Crawl Day were Stella (Ace) and Beryl Dawson, Gail Darne, Sylvia Mynhardt, Jenny Fowler, June Nash, Leanne Waller, Margaret Zoetmulder, Colleen LeRoux, Myrl Venter, Nomusa Nkomo, Beth Vieira, Lee Gajjar, Nicolette Hijmans, Elize Pretorius, Pierrette DeWinne, Janny Meierink, Monique Rooijackers, and first time Crawler Cathy Stewart.

This Week's Crawlers
Beryl, June, Stella, Jenny, Gail,
Myrl, Leanne, Sylvia, Beth, Cathy

More of Thursday's Crawlers
Pierrette, Janny, Margaret, Colleen, Nomusa,
Lee, Nicolette, Monique, Elize

During the course of our Rhubarb and Lime Revisit I picked up snippets of conversations ranging from the Olympics to grandparenthood to Broadway musicals to our most recent favorite book making the rounds at the Crawl, that being The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester.....great non-fiction read!  The bulk of my discussion, though, involved picking the brains of some of the more computer savvy Crawlers on how to add a few gadgets to my blog.  They made some good suggestions, ....so readers be on the lookout for some exciting extras in upcoming posts!......if I can figure out how to do it?!?


~Thank you to Bergen, Leeroy and Luisa
~Congratulations to my son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Maryanne, on the birth of their son
  Matthew - February 22

Until next week,

Ellen

Hear no evil, Speak no evil, See no evil

Really ladies?!?