Tag Archives: Perth

Mirage, I see

This is a blog for the coffee lovers! Thank you to guest blogger Pradeep Gurung for his coffee trekking and writing, he also took the photos (and he does know his stuff when it comes to coffee, we’ve tried it!)

Coffee crawling is what I like doing – and I do it whenever I get the chance. Whilst I do have my favourite cafes that I visit regularly, I check out new places to see how they match up. Two places stood out over the other on a recent crawl. They were: Brother Cafe; and Black Cherries Espresso Bar.

Brother Cafe is located in the suburb of Menora and has been open for only a few months. This place uses Toby’s Estate coffee, based in Sydney, which now has a roastery in Perth – meaning the beans don’t have to go through the shipping process it went through before. I’d never had a good experience of this coffee prior to my visit to this cafe, so I was hoping this place would change my opinion. And it did! Although I prefer a light roast profile, the espressos, in my two visits, were very pleasant.

Apart from the sexy coffee machine that they have, Kees van der Westen’s Mirage Veloce, the place has ample space inside and has a small alfresco area. They also have food on offer; and are open Monday to Saturday. An ideal place to stop to grab a cup of coffee on the way to work. A place worth visiting, I say.

Black Cherries Espresso Bar in Fremantle Markets was the place I always wanted to check out for a long time. And I did for the first time two weeks ago. Not only had they moved to the middle of the yard (they used to be in the corner) I noticed they also got themselves a new machine: Mirage Triplette Classic. Seeing that, I almost clapped in excitement. I’d never tried Dark Star Coffee prior to my visit there but read about it being a darker roast, something which I’m not a fan of. I ordered an espresso which was very fruity and sweet and none of the darker roast element was noticeable in the cup. I was content and left with a smile on my face. On my next visit I tried an espresso and a long black. This time I did find some bitter elements of the roast, which overcame the flavours of the espresso a bit, but it was still good. I sat at the bar and spent almost an hour and a half reading a book while sipping my second coffee. It’s amazing how serenity can be found in a place such as Fremantle Markets. The staff are very friendly and are happy to have a chat. The ambience of this place is quite amazing and you get a communal feeling that just makes you enjoy the coffee even more. A must visit, I say.

Brother 

Address: 300 Walcott Street, Menora WA Perth

Phone: 08 9272 5787

Black Cherries Espresso Bar

Address: Fremantle Markets, Stall Number ‘The Yard’, South Terrace and Henderson Street, Fremantle

Phone:  Timothy Lock 0413 735 196

About these ads

Text Shots, what?

Text Shots is an odd name for a cafe. But then this isn’t your standard cafe.

I only found Text Shots recently, and I live half a block from it!

Nearby Angove Street is well known for it’s good coffee shops, but this cafe is easily missed as it’s a few blocks down on Scarborough Beach Road. Text Shots is wedged between Nandos and some modern shops, opposite the big BP on Scarborough Beach Road.  It’s a neat simple layout of red and grey interior, local gig posters, photos of local regulars, magazines and menu’s are all you’ll find on the wall.

It’s called Text Shots because you can text them with your order (on 0448 874 687) and by the time you arrive they’ve usually made your coffee ready to go. No waiting in long lines to order then 10 minute waits for coffee… genius!

Plus unlike most ‘convenient coffee’  or ‘drive by’ cafes the coffee is actually amazing. They use 5 Senses coffee and every cup is made with love and attention. All the coffee goes into BioCups which seems to be better for the environment somehow (according to the writing on the boxes) and if you’re a coffee addict they sell ‘coffee cards’ for $20 (6 coffees!)… genius!

Free wireless and great staff also make this a favourite for me to do my lap-top work from time to time. The staff are just beautiful, friendly and hilarious. Sometimes it’s hard to find a great cafe with staff who aren’t ‘too cool’ to serve you. These guys are the bomb and keep the cafe in order even when it gets busy.

And the food is tops too.

I’m not going to go on about Text Shots much more.

Best to keep this post simple and to the point, because that’s what Text Shots is like.

Simple, logical and personal. I like!

Coffee bean artworks on the wall

Colouring in books for kids!

Photo wall of the regular customers and locals


Barefaced Stories

This post was written by Libby Klysz regular improviser with the Big Hoo Haa and now a regular listener of stories. You can hear Barefaced Stories at The Bird on the last Tuesday of every month or on RTR FM with Peter Barr each week. 

People who know me know that I love listening to stories. Especially stories about people’s lives. I love hearing about where people have come from and how that fits into today.

So Barefaced Stories is a pot underneath a rainbow for me: STORIES! Real stories! Lots of them!

The premise is simple: real people, telling real stories, without notes: just sharing their experiences with a group of people happy to listen.

It is one of the most engaging, entertaining and cathartic evenings currently on offer in P-Town. Where else do you go to hear real life escapades from journalists, explorers, lawyers, comedians and wrestlers- all in one sitting? You don’t have to be a trained performer to tell stories at Barefaced; some of the most fascinating and engaging tales have come from people with everyday jobs. It is a genuine privilege to listen to them all. Some are funny, some are sad, some are point blank ridiculous; but every story is entrancing in its own way. I have laughed till I cried. I’ve also just cried. I freaking love it, and get sucked in by the authenticity every time.

Every night is different as a new collection of people brave the mic and start talking for about six minutes on a loose theme. The line-up is a mix of predetermined storytellers and punters who have put their names in a hat.

Barefaced Stories is the brainchild of Andrea Gibbs and Kerry O’Sullivan. Hot on the heels of a successful pilot show during The Blue Room’s Summer Nights, this monthly show popped up at The Bird earlier this year. The capacity crowds during the recent Storytelling Battle are testament to the success of the show.

Barefaced Stories is on the last Tuesday of every month, at everyone’s favourite lounge room away from home: The Bird, 181 William St Northbridge. Doors at 7pm for an 8pm kick off. Entry is ten bucks, and worth every cent. For more details check www.barefaced.com.au

*Disclaimer: Yes, I have been known to tell the odd story at Barefaced Stories. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s the price I pay to listen to everyone else.

When: Last Tuesday of Every monht

Where:  The Bird, 181 William Street, Northbridge

Time:  8pm (doors open 7pm)

Website: www.barefaced.com.au


Tea anyone? Chapels on Whatley

This post has been written by Gab Barnes, student and self diagnosed tea addict of Perth.

I love tea.

Tea in all its forms, I’d say on average that I drink at least six cups a day. Some might say that that is too much, but I don’t care, as I probably have an addiction. And really, what’s better than being addicted to something so delicious, with no fat and heaps of antioxidants?

I’m yet to hear of a single fatality from overconsumption of tea. So for me, Chapels on Whatley is heaven.

Recent renovations have transformed it from a quirky store filled to the brim with Chinese antiques and various other China-related goods, to an amazing café ideal for tea lovers everywhere. At Chapels you pay $5.50 for tea, which gives you unlimited quantities in however many types of tea you care to drink. And they have quite a range!

My preference is Green, but they also have Black, White, Oolong, Flower and Pu-Erh. I have no idea what Pu-Erh tea is, so I’m excited to try it next time I go. Obviously they have coffee and an array of delicious foods for breakfast and ‘brunch’. I tried the Korean vegetable pancakes and they were extremely tasty.

On top of this, they still sell all the same products that they did before. Amazing candles, tables, crazy slipper things…there is a lot. Plus teapots and cups of all different shapes and sizes, and actual tea. Some time soon I hope to attend one of their tea tastings.

I am so proud of Perth for producing such an amazing café, most particularly one that serves so much of my favourite beverage, and with such style.

Where: 196 Whatley Crescent, Maylands 6051, opposite Maylands Train Station

Website: www.chapelsonwhatley.com.au/

Opening Hours: Open six days, 8.00am – 5.00pm, closed on Tuesday. To avoid disappointment book for breakfast on weekends.

Contact: 08 9272 7738


Love of Libraries

During my final year of high school I would spend countless hours on the third floor of the WA State Library. I would take a seat by the window and arrange my books in a uniform manner on the desk. I was ready for the hours of study ahead of me. Well at least I would look like I was studying hard, more often than not my mind would wander to what I was going to have for lunch or why the pigeon on the ledge looks like it only has one eye.

The state library is a lovely place to go for peace, quiet and books…lots of them. The internet is also freely available. You can hop on to an express terminal or make a booking if you need longer than 15 minutes. The library even offers a free wifi system that you can connect to. What I think is really cool is that even when the library is closed on public holidays, you will often find people lined outside with their laptops, frantically finishing essays or setting up Facebook events. How many places can offer you a free service even when they are closed?

I love that you can borrow books; all for FREE. It’s free to join if you are a WA resident, all you need is proof of identity and current residential address. You can take home a bunch of goodies and the only restraint is that you will have to return them at some point. So once you read the book you can give it back and it gets passed on to another punter. But what you get to keep is the story, the ideas or that little piece of information that you didn’t know before. Even if you manage to somehow get nothing from the items you borrowed, as long as you return them on time, it won’t cost you a thing.

If the state library is a little too far out of the way for you, maybe you can pop down to your local library? Just as good, only smaller.

Where: 25 Francis Street
Perth Cultural Centre, Perth (a short walk from Perth train station)

When: Monday – Thursday    9.00am – 8.00pm
Friday    9.00am – 5.30pm
Saturday – Sunday    10.00am – 5.30pm
Closed on all Public Holidays from July 1, 2009

Link: http://slwa.wa.gov.au/


Tag Perth With Love

If you love someone, you should tell them…

That’s why we thought we should find more ways to tell places in Perth that we love them.

And by ‘we’ we mean ‘you’ ;)

That’s why we will be sending out FREE tags that you can address to your favourite places in Perth with messages of why you like (love) them so much.

It could be your local cafe, a bar you can’t resist or a park bench you eat your lunch on.

We only have a limited number so follow these simple steps to get tagging.

_________________________________

1.Get a tag

Email perthiloveyou@gmail.com with your name, postal address and the number of tags you’d like (feel free to pass onto friends) and we’ll send them out to you.

2. Address with love

Write the place in Perth and why you love it on the tag.

3. Leave or share

You are welcome to leave it there for as long as it lasts, or if you want to share the love you can take a photo and send it to us to put up on the blog.

_________________________________

And just so you know…

This is really just for the love of it. We are not using this to promote  the ‘Perth, I Love You’ blog – the tags don’t have any link to this blog or any websites, just space for you to write your messages.

This idea came from one of our contributors – Ofa Fotu.

_________________________________

Want to be more involved?

Postage is expensive. So if you own a small shop, venue or place that can give out tags for free too please get in contact and we’ll send you a mini-stack of tags and list you on our blog so people can collect them from you.

:)


Old Love Presents

This is a guest article by Emma Zammit, who has recently moved to Perth from Sydney.

Perth, I love you.

I have only been living here for 7 months. After moving from the hustle and bustle that is Sydney, I was welcomed to Perth like a mate who has had a few beers. A lazy arm slung over my shoulder and a slurred “you are going to love it here”, and I do.

Moving to a new state is just as daunting as moving to a new country. You still need a street directory because every street is so foreign. You need to pick up the state lingo and language. There are different types of food to explore. Do you know that we don’t have cream cheese in Sydney…oh no wait. Yes we do.

In my exploration of Perth I have been fortunate to find little stores that have made my heart burst. One in particular was a little shop in Subiaco called Old Love.

Old Love to me represents Perth’s cool culture and what sets it apart from other states. It is a unique store whose owner has been collecting all types of things from the 50′s and 60′s such as books, beds, quilts, tea towels and postage stamps. Her love for all things vintage inspired her to open up her own store. From there she has turned the tea towles into cute little clutch bags, the postage stamps into necklaces, old records into ashtrays and much more.

Do yourself a favour and instead of buying your next present at Myer, pop into Old Love Presents instead and you will find someone a little treasure.

Where: Village Close,Denis Street, Subiaco

Phone: 08 9388 6668

Website: www.oldlovepresents.com


Annalakshmi

New-blog :) hooray! So… to welcome in the New Year we have our first guest blog from Bethan who started another Perth blog www.perthectday.com

Here you go…

When asked to come up with a place I love in Perth, I was torn. I’m new to the city and there’s lots I’ve yet to experience, so no doubt whatever I choose I’ll have new things soon I wish I could have written about.

Having said that, I’m pretty sure this place will forever have a soft spot with me, as it was my first evening meal out in the city and I love recommending it to people as it’s quite unique.

Annalakshmi, named after the Indian goddess of food, is in Barrack square, right by the Swan Bell Tower. We heard about it through my fiancés colleague (Thanks Mohit!) as we were still in trauma over the cost of everything (I thought London was the most expensive place to live, how wrong I was…) Hearing we were stuck eating sandwiches and pasta at our East Perth backpackers he suggested we go down as it’s ‘eat as you like and pay as you feel’. This sounded too good to be true, but it was perfect for our lean wallets and empty tummies.

When you arrive at this Indian restaurant, you’re greeted by a member of the team who are generally very welcoming, elderly ladies and gentlemen. You choose a (slightly rickety) table to sit at and are directed to the buffet to help yourself, but not take more than you need.

There are all manner of vegetarian delights on offer – lentils, vegetables, chickpeas, beans. Nothing is labelled, but doesn’t really need to be. Everything is mild to medium hot, veggie and tasty. What more do you need to know? It always reminds of the dinners given out at the Hare Krishna tent at Glastonbury festival. Happy times and good, filling food.

As a huge fan of Indian food, I always love a large selection. A few poppadums or some mango chutney wouldn’t go amiss, but I guess that misses the point of the place.

The philosophy of pay as you feel attracts all sorts of customers – curious tourists, big families, locals with a little and those with a lot. Because its an alcohol free environment there is none of the boorish behaviour that characterised late nights at the curry houses back home in Brick Lane, London. Everyone seems to respect the ethos of the place. We usually pay about $10, but others give much more and some pay with the few coins they have.

No matter what your donation, you get a warm smile and a thank you and leave with a little glow inside. There are lots of good people in the world, and some of them can definitely be found in Annalakshmi.

Where: Jetty No. 4, Barrack Street, Perth 6000

Open: Tuesday – Sunday (Closed all day on Mondays), Lunch: 12:00pm – 2:00pm (no lunch on Saturdays), Dinner: 6:30pm – 9:00pm

Website: www.annalakshmi.com.au

Bookings: Please call (08) 9221 3003 to make your booking

 


Little Willys

Like it’s name suggests… Little Willys is a cosy, gem of a coffee shop on William Street. It’s a recent opening, so new that the correct signage had only been put up recently. Before the “Little Willys” chalked sign, the old sign from a past business still hung in it’s place. I think it was an Italian eatery or something of the like.

Aside from the friendly, prompt service, the good coffee and the laid back music on offer, there’s something about this place that makes my heart fill with warmth and calm. Maybe it’s the herbs resting in recycled oil tins, the cool leaf thing that the barista signs your coffee with or the table by the window that lets you peek into the lives of those wandering by. I’m not sure what it is, perhaps you can pinpoint it for me if you ever visit.

People would stop in front the cafe with curiosity, scrutinize the menu and deliberate over whether they should stay or move along. I found myself willing them to come in, to stay. You won’t regret it, I thought.

So if you are ever near the corner of Aberdeen St and William St, you should discover Little Willys cafe. Little in name but not in nature.

Where: 267 William St, Northbridge

Open: Mon-Fri 6:00am-3:00pm


Charlies Corner (Cafe)

Our first proper post! Of many, many to come…

Place: Charlies Corner (Cafe), West Leederville

It seemed natural that the first post for this blog would be a cafe where a few of the contributors (and potential contributors) have spent many a morning coffee giggling and scheming – but which would still be relatively unknown to anyone who isn’t a local.

There are lots of amazing cafes that people have already recommended that we should post up here (and we most certainly will!) but this one gets our first mention because it’s so sweet, unexpected and hidden (!).

Charlies Corner Cafe is an old house converted into a cafe off the main road in West Leederville. It doesn’t go overboard on decor or style accessories – it’s just sunny tables and comfortable couches (an old lounge-room forms part of the cafe out the back).

Charlie himself is there whenever it’s open (if he’s not then the cafe closes when the whole family are on holiday) and will probably greet with you a big grin while you try to decide which savoury tart, fresh roll or cooked breakfast to eat that day. It’s a family affair with Charlies wife Maria just as much a part of the atmosphere (and often the magic touch to the meals that are prepared), his mum Rosa (who lives around the corner) also often around  – helping or chatting to cafe visitors and occasionally his daughter even comes in to give a hand.

I grew up in West Leederville and when I was a kid I remember this corner house has being the local sweets shop, deli or some other corner-store business but Charlies Corner is the one that’s stood the test the of time and the locals love it!

There are often families and kids running around  – there are toys floating around in the lounge area if you need to distract a toddler – and local kids artwork is placed on the wall of the cafe (the ultimate honour for an artist under 10).

(above) The feature wall of kids pictures

Charlie can tell you most of what’s going on in the suburb and when there’s a quiet break he’s more than happy to chat.

There are powerpoints for laptops (at the right tables) and free wireless if you ask for the password. If you want to book the couch room for meetings you can check in with Charlie to make sure it’s free – or just rock up and take your chances :) on a weekday it’s often available  anyway.

(above) the lounge area that’s often free and can be used for meetings too

On top of all of this it’s easy to find parking because it’s the backstreets of a quiet suburb and it’s also walking distance from West Leederville train station and Leederville/Subiaco train  station (bit of a longer walk).

If you’re not sure what you want ask Charlie to surprise you and he’ll come up with a suggestion. If you play your cards right and give him a big grin you might even get the occasional surprise lollie after your coffee, and if you become a regular you’ll practically feel part of the family.

There is a lot of love here, you’ll always feel good after being at Charlies.

(above) Charlie having a chat with regular Janice.

Charlies Corner

DESCRIPTION All day dine in breakfast from 8.30am daily – closing times vary (usually 2pm/4pm or 12noon – see below)

ADDRESS 58 St Leonards Avenue, Cnr Woolwich Street, West Leederville
OPENING HOURS

Open 7am – 2pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Open 7am – 12 midday, Saturday & Sunday

Closed – public holidays

LINKS There is a Facebook group started by a local across the road here.

CONTACT Phone 08 9388 8741        Email charliescorner@live.com.au

OTHER INFO Free wireless internet, meeting room (couches), outside tables, gourmet home-style food, all day breakfast, toys for kids available

MORE PICTURES

(above) yum!

(above) Food that’s good for the soul

(above) Outside tables – perfect on a sunny day

(above) Some of the food available – more that’s not on the menu is there as well (see above pictures)



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