The Hedges Coffee Shop - Crawl #3 Revisited

Last Thursday we continued the Crawl Revisited Series with a trip to The Hedges Coffee Shop, 151 Main Rd. in Walmer (corner of 10th and Main).  The Hedges has been in existence in PE in one form or another for over one hundred years.  When we visited the shop back in February, 2011 the owner at the time had decorated it with historic black and white photographs of PE.  Now, Shelley Strimling, the new owner since July 9, 2013, is busy acquiring "new" old photos/newspapers of PE to adorn the wall of The Hedges.  Since July Shelley has also been refurbishing the shop to give it a more up-to-date feel while still maintaining the ambience that PE residents have come to know and love about this historic shop.

Meet the Owner
Shelley Strimling

Old newspapers that adorn The Hedges' walls

Do you know any of these people?

The Hedges' ownership may have changed recently but the staff, including Juanette, barista Monica and chef Francis, has remained the same.  The Hedges' menu offers regular breakfast and lunch selections along with daily specials.  Also, every Wednesday chef Francis cooks up a full roast, plus dessert, served from 11:30-3 for R45.  In addition, if going out for Sunday lunch is your cup of tea, Shelley opens The Hedges on the second Sunday of each month (unless otherwise advertised) for a special Sunday Roast served from 11-3 for R65.  Live "soft" music makes this Sunday outing extra special.  This is a popular monthly event so remember to make a booking in advance.

Meet the Barista
Monica

Meet the Chef - Francis
(I promised I'd get her name
spelled correctly...the male version!)

Meet Staffmember Juanette

The Hedges has seating for eighty and is available for after hour private or corporate functions.  Off-site catering, platters, specialty cakes and breads, and daily home delivery of freshly cooked main meals rounds out everything that The Hedges has to offer.  For information on special orders, delivery and catering services, or to make a booking for Sunday lunch, email Shelley:  info@thehedges.co.za   Or call: 041 581 4407/084 600 4002.  Also check out their user friendly webpage:  www.thehedges.co.za

On these first few revisits that we've done the Crawlers have looked back at the "Crawler photo" from the original visits.  On February 24, 2011, our first visit to The Hedges, three new Crawlers, June Nash, Keith de Beer and Fr. Dominic Griego, joined our ranks.  Since then, June has become a regular, Keith joins us every now and then, and Fr. D has moved to Rome (and, I imagine, is having his fill of awesome cappuccinos in quaint Italian coffee shops.....so jealous).

Feb 24, 2011 Crawl  to The Hedges
Fr. Dominic, June, Fran, Keith, Beth

This Week's Crawlers
Margaret M., Beth, Arthur, Gail, Stella, Celeste, Nicolette, Leanne,
Beryl, June, Vicki, Lee, Sylvia, Nomusa, Margaret Z.

On last Thursday's Crawl, fifteen Crawlers, Beth Vieira, June Nash, Leanne Waller, Nicolette Hijmans, Celeste Hudson, Margaret Zoetmulder, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Lee Rodwell, Vicki Minnaar, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Gail Darne, Nomusa Nkomo, Sylvia Mynhardt, joined me for the revisit.  Back when we first started the Crawl we followed the No-Food-On-The-Crawl Rule, but that has long since gone by the wayside, and this past Thursday I think that just about everyone enjoyed breakfast or cake with their Masterton's coffees.  I had the French Toast which was by far the best I've had in PE... not too "eggy" and with just enough crispiness.  I gobbled it up so quickly that, unfortunately, I didn't get a pic.

With so many Crawlers at the table I usually only get in on the conversation at one end.  This week the Crawlers at my end were talking about Facebook and other social media, and how glad those of us past a "certain age" are to have finished with all of our stupid antics before the internet age.  After this discussion I wandered down to the other end of the table only to have Margaret Z. pawn some Bingo Night tickets off on me....should have stayed where I was.  Who knows, though.... I may win a couple thousand rand at Bingo next week....it could happen.

~Thank you to Shelley, Juanette, Monica and Francis

Until next week,

Ellen

Halloween at Barnacles

The day before last week's Halloween Crawl Lee Rodwell came over to my house to help me carve jack-o-lanterns.  This was her first time ever carving pumpkins and she did an amazing job!  I've never been much of an artist/sculptor so, despite my fifty-plus years of annual pumpkin carving experience, Lee's turned out way better than mine.  Kudos to Lee!  The pumpkin seeds I roasted Wednesday morning were delicious though.

Watch where you point that knife, Lee!

Lee and her first ever jack-o-lantern!

Lee's and my finished products

Thursday morning Lee and I arrived at Barnacles with our jack-o-lanterns to decorate the table for the Halloween Crawl.  I also brought along other decorations and themed napkins that I had Lou pick up in the States a few weeks earlier.  Crawlers June Nash, Leanne Waller, Nicolette Hijmans, Vicki Minnaar, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Lee Rodwell, Margaret Zoetmulder, Beth Vieira, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Sylvia Mynhardt, and my husband, Lou, arrived dressed either in black-and-orange or in costume to find the table decorated for what was, for most of them, their first Halloween celebration ever.

This Week's Crawlers
Margaret Z., Nicolette, Lee, Vicki, June, Lou, Leanne,
Beryl, Stella, Margaret M., Sylvia, Beth, Arthur

Meet the Barista
Sunette, pulling an enormous spider
 off of the coffee machine

Sir, there's a spider in my cappuccino.....

Barnacles, located at 1 Elizabeth Rd. in Seaview, proved to be the perfect venue for our Halloween Crawl.  Owner Lomo du Plessis and his wife/Barnacles' barista, Sunette, added witches, skeletons and pumpkins to the restaurant's nautical decor to create a spooky but fun atmosphere for the October 31 holiday.

Barnacles is actually a fully licensed, full-service restaurant with an expansive view of the Indian Ocean.  They offer separate menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and keep House of Coffee brand coffee beverages brewing all day.  The venue seats about 200 inside and outside combined.  The amount of seating available coupled with the authentic nautical decor and view make for a fabulous setting for a seaside wedding, family party or corporate function.  For details or to book your next event call 041 378 2058 or email Lomo at: blokwach@telkom.sa.net

Once monthly Barnacles features a live music night with food and drink specials offered all evening.  Sounds like a great way to spend a weekend night with friends!  For times and dates of these music night events check them out on Facebook:   Barnacles Seaview.
Barnacles' hours are Mon-Sat, 9-9 and Sun, 9-3.

It isn't Halloween without the candy

The Crawlers' first ever
candy corn
(goes really well with hot chocolate!)

Okay, so on Thursday we had jack-o-lanterns, decorations, and guests in costumes......but, when all is said and done, what really makes it Halloween is the candy.  I brought along to the Crawl pumpkin buckets full of trick-or-treat candy that totally went with our cappuccinos and Americanos.  I also brought with me some candy corn that Lou bought in the States.  None of the Crawlers had ever seen or tasted candy corn...... another first!  They all seemed to enjoy it.

Witches on a whale watch

After having our fill of candy and coffee the Crawlers spent some time staring out into the ocean trying to spot whales which only a week before were there in droves.  None were spotted but we all enjoyed the beautiful view and nice warm weather from the deck of Barnacles (and to think of all the Halloweens when I went trick-or-treating in the snow!!!).

I have to say that this Crawl will go down in the books as one of my most memorable Halloweens ever.....the year I introduced Halloween to my South African friends......thank you, Crawlers!!!!!

~Thank you to Lomo and Sunette for hosting our Halloween Crawl.
~Congratulations to Fran and Keith de Beer on the birth of their granddaughter - November 5
~Happy Birthday to our only on St. Pat's Day Crawler, Clary - November 6
~Happy Birthday to my niece, Julie, in Pittsburgh, PA - November 10

Until next week,

Ellen

More pics from our Halloween Crawl.....

Shall you fly first or shall I?

Three pumpkins and a spider walked into a bar..........

Deli on Main - Crawl #2 Revisited

Back in February, 2011 for Crawl #2 Beth Vieira, Fran de Beer and Ken Stewart joined me for coffee at Deli on Main located at 123 Main Rd. in the 9th Ave Shopping Centre, Walmer (see Feb, 2011 post).  In February 2012, one year after our visit, the ownership of Deli on Main changed hands and Heather Martens took over the business.  Now, for Crawl #118, Heather is still running the shop, and Deli on Main continues to be a popular hangout among coffee lovers in PE.  And popular for a reason.....the Masterton's cappuccinos and Americanos are extraordinary and served as they should be.....in hot cups.  Also, it was nice to see some cool  barista art that we haven't had in quite some time.  Kudos to barista Johnny!!!

Meet the Owner
Heather Martens

Chai Latte

Love my cappuccino!

Heather has done an amazing job in creating a fresh, modern look in the shop while maintaining a sit-back-and-relax atmosphere.  Booths, tables, lounge and patio seating are available for up to fifty patrons.  Fresh flowers strategically placed add a nice touch.

The Deli on Main menu includes breakfasts and lunches for eat-in or take-away.  The site is available for small functions, and Heather's business also offers off-site catering.  For take-aways or catering service info call 041 581 7316.  Deli on Main hours are Mon-Fri, 8-3:30, Sat, 8-2, closed on Sunday.  Free WiFi and various daily newspapers are available to all patrons.

Meet the Barista
Johnny

Now, I know that the Crawl is supposed to be all about the coffee but.....almost immediately after our waitress Sandisiwe took our orders, Hugh Hart, salesperson for Real Produce, popped into Deli on Main selling fresh blueberries.  Once everyone tasted a sample (or two) we just about bought out Hugh's whole stock....the blueberries were that good!  Real Produce is a home delivery business that supplies produce, meats, breads, dairy products and more to PE households direct from the farmer.  Crawlers Beth Vieira, Vicki Minnaar, Lee Rodwell, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Margaret Zoetmulder, Sylvia Mynhardt, Margaret Marshall, June Nash, Leanne Waller, Gail Darne, and first-time Crawler Celeste Hudson were impressed with Hugh's sales pitch and presentation, and the quality and price of his produce.  The Real Produce guys will quite possibly have some new deliveries on their next run into PE!  Readers- to request the list and prices of products from Real Produce, email them at:  tuan@realproduce.co.za     Definitely worth checking out!

Meet our Waitress
Sandi

So, with our blueberry buying bonanza over and done with, and our coffees delivered piping hot to the table, we got to talking about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  On the Crawl we have followed them through their wedding, pregnancy, birth of Prince George, and now, the young prince's Christening.  The pics happened to be on the front page of Thursday's newspapers provided at Deli on Main.  It was agreed, after passing around all of the various newspapers, that the Duchess never takes a bad pic.  I feel that way about the Crawlers as well.....they always look awesome in the group shot!  Don't you agree?

This Week's Crawlers
Margaret Z., Beth, Beryl, Gail, Sylvia,
Vicki, Margaret M., June, Stella, Celeste, Lee
not pictured - Leanne

Our conversation then turned to Sunday afternoon drives "back in the day."  Funny that regardless of our different cultures, countries, continents, we all have that same experience in common.  I mean, really, the exact same.  As I heard everyone telling of their Sunday afternoon drives when they were children it was as if they were describing my childhood Sunday afternoons in northwestern Pennsylvania.  We could have been in the same vehicle!  I was never a fan of these rides, but to each his own.

For the next Crawl, Oct 31, we will be putting aside the Crawl Revisited Series, and instead will be having a special Halloween Crawl at Barnacles in Seaview.  Come in costume, celebrate the occasion and enjoy some coffee with us!  Perhaps we'll even spot some whales!!!

~Thank you to Heather, Johnny, and Sandi
~Happy Birthday to Luke - October 29
~Happy Halloween to everyone! - October 31

Until next week,

Ellen

Windsor Coffee Shop - Crawl #1 (Shelly's) Revisited

It's been two years and eight months since I started the PE Coffee Crawl.  During that time the Crawlers have visited over 100 different coffee shops in and around PE.  I knew that eventually we would run out of new places to visit, though we are not quite there yet.  We still have a few shops on the docket that I'll post by the end of 2013.  In the meantime, the Crawlers and I will still be keeping our eyes out for new coffee shops that open or for ones that we've missed, and we have plans for the occasional Thursday morning road trip!

Over the course of the last 32 months some of the coffee shops I've written about have closed, some have moved to a different site, some have changed ownership, and some have changed their names, all the while a few have remained the same in every regard.  In light of this, and to keep PE residents and PECC readers up to date and informed, I'm launching, as of this post, the "Crawl Revisited Series."

So, where else to begin but back at Crawl #1.  Our maiden Crawl in Feb, 2011 was held at Shelly's, 43 Circular Drive in Charlo (see post).  About a year or so after our visit Shelly's closed.  Now, fast forward to August, 2013, and the new Windsor Coffee Shop (previously Shelly's) opened for business under the ownership of Kylee Nel.

Meet the Owner
Kylee Nel

Delicious Pavin cappuccino

The Windsor Coffee Shop is adjacent to the Windsor Play Park and Party Venue on Circular Drive, though the coffee shop is a separate entity with indoor and patio seating for 25.  There is also outdoor picnic table seating in the play park area for customers with young children.  The Windsor menu, available to both coffee shop and play park patrons, consists of quiches, wraps, toasted sandwiches, cakes, and the R30 Windsor Breakfast Special.  Beverages include delicious Pavin coffee prepared by barista Niki, Ceylon and Rooibos teas, hot chocolate, and a variety of cold drinks.  The shop's hours are Mon-Fri, 9-4 and weekends, 9-1.  Stop in soon and enjoy a quick bite to eat and some fabulous coffee at the recently opened Windsor Coffee Shop.....and for some fun pics check them out on Facebook!

Meet the Barista
Niki

Indoor seating

Patio seating

Of the 13 Crawlers at Windsor on Thursday only two of us (Beth Vieira and yours truly) were present at Shelly's for Crawl #1.  Two other Crawlers, Fran de Beer and Gail Taverner, joined us that day as well.  It was a first time visit, though, for Thursday's remaining Crawlers, Nomusa Nkomo, Vicki Minnaar, Lee Rodwell, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Sylvia Mynhardt, June Nash, Gail Darne, Nicolette Hijmans.

This Week's Crawlers
Gail, Beth, Margaret, Arthur, Nomusa, Lee, Nicolette,
Vicki, Beryl, June, Stella, Sylvia

Our first topic of conversation at the table was how the PE Coffee Crawl has evolved since Feb, 2011. We started with no history and no expectations.......four Crawlers, a few pics, a quick couple of paragraphs and no readers.  Wow....we've come a long way and are looking forward to what the Crawl Revisited Series will bring!

The rest of the morning was spent with each end of the long table engrossed in separate conversations.  While at one end, Nomusa told me later, they were "talking rubbish," the Crawlers at my end were discussing how best to use our God-given gifts and talents.  The tough part is recognizing them in ourselves.  During the course of this conversation my piano and bagpipe playing came up.  (No one who has heard me play the pipes would ever describe it as a gift or talent!!!)  Gail asked, then, how difficult it is to learn to read music.  I responded in turn by giving a 5-minute crash course in musical notation.  It's never too late to learn, Gail.  Now you just need to apply it!

So, there you have it.  I hope you have enjoyed the first installment of the Crawl Revisited Series.  The Crawlers and I welcome one and all to come along with us as we explore the PE coffee shops.......again.

~Thank you to Kylee and Niki for hosting our first Crawl Revisited
~Happy Birthday to Crawler Stella Dawson - October 25

Until next week,

Ellen