Every Thursday morning since I started this blog (14 weeks ago.....how time flies!) I've begun my day by making a pot of coffee and preparing with excited anticipation for what this week's crawl will bring. This past Thursday, however, I woke with a nagging headache, and also feeling very drowsy. Perhaps, a late Wednesday night dinner with friends including a few glasses of red wine, a couple of Irish coffees, and a Bailey's nightcap (for good measure) contributed to a less than enthusiastic start to Thursday. (Do ya think?!?). A nice creamy cappuccino at the crawl was about the last thing I wanted. But, the crawl must go on............... So with camera and notebook in hand I left the house and headed for Friends and Blends Coffee Bar. Then I remembered that Lou was supposed to (but forgot to) leave the GPS with me because I really didn't know where Friends and Blends was. I had seen the shop once a number of months ago while driving around lost and trying to find my way home. At that time I filed the shop's name into my mental Rol-o-dex and have never been able to find it since. Well, I know PE better now and I had a general idea of which direction to go. So, despite making a few wrong turns and totally losing my bearings once, I finally made it to my destination in the Walker Drive Centre in Sherwood. The Sherwood Nursery is close by, and word has it that there is an orchid show there this weekend. Count me in!!
Friends and Blends has been in operation for six and a half years under the ownership of Charles Muller. Charles was happy to host Thursday's coffee crawlers, Gail Taverner, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Fran deBeer, Beth Vieira, and June Nash. Though we all arrived in shifts, our waitress/barista, Chantelle, kept up with our orders quickly and with a smile. To keep things interesting, Friends and Blends changes the Masterton's blend they use on a daily basis. On Thursday we enjoyed a nice, strong Sweet Italian Blend. It was Americanos and Cappuccinos all around except for June who ordered a Red Cappuccino made with rooibos tea, and drizzled with honey. My cappuccino was excellent but my brain was screaming for a regular black coffee, no sugar, which is what I ordered for a second cup. It was exactly what I needed for a pick-me-up and, feeling much more chipper, I began to check out the shop.
The sidewalk tables and large doorway leading to the inside give the shop an open, airy feel while still maintaining that nice coffee shop atmosphere. The display case filled with baked goods was tempting... especially the lemon meringue pie! I'm sure to stop back there the next time my meringue flops!!! The menu has something for everyone's tastes, and includes an item quite new to me... a bacon and banana sandwich. I don't even know what to make of that, but from what I'm told, it's very common here. I'll have to get brave someday and try it. Friends and Blends also is hard core into advertising Coca Cola brand products. You have my vote there...and, yes.......... I've been blind tested and can tell the difference without fail. I'm sure I'll live to regret just saying that!!!!! (I saw what you were drinking on Friday night, Keith!!)
Discussion around the table was a debrief of the royal wedding which occurred two weeks ago. I guess last week we were all in shock over how really bad some of the royal guests looked, Beatrice, that we just skipped over it. The crawlers were not short on opinioins this week, though, and not one royal was spared...the good, the bad, the ugly. We were all in agreement, however, that the bride was stunning.
An interesting note-- Some of you regular coffee crawl blog readers may remember Prudie Brown, Fran's sister, who joined us for a few weeks. Well, she's back home from her visit safe and sound. She was so inspired by the PE Coffee Crawl that she started up a coffee crawl in her city of residence, Empangeni in Kwazulu-Natal Province. I'll be sure to get more details but there were twelve in attendance at Wednesday's Empangeni Coffee Crawl. Very cool, Prudie! Have fun and keep me posted on your adventures.
A thank you goes out to Charles Muller and staff.....and to my fellow crawlers who had to put up with me not being quite myself for a short while. I'll keep my Wednesday consumption in check this coming week and will make every attempt to get Thursday's posting up on time, Jackie :) !!!
Until next week,
Ellen
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| Meet the Owner Charles Muller |
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| Meet the Barista Chantelle |
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| This Week's Crawlers Fran, Beth, June, Gail, Stella, Beryl |
