Rowena Parade Corner Store - Richmond

My relationship with coffee has been given life once again! I'm back on the tools, pulling perfect shots and getting my rhythm back. Rowena Parade Corner Store has been one of my favourite spots in Melbourne for years. When I lived here previously I lived on Rowena Parade, I was here very often drinking coffee, eating delicious food and generally spending quality time here. It is a cafe for locals, we have people who come to us several times a day and we cover so many aspects of everyones day to day life that you simply cant resist being apart of the community here.

It's an inspiring time of year with finals footy and being in the heart of Richmond there is certainly a buzz in the air. Currently we are toying with the possibility of expanding our range of coffee available on site, ground to order and we are looking at having fresh roasted beans to take home as well. So the hunt is on, tasting and sampling different beans from various origins and seeing what will work well with what already works fabulously at Rowena Parade.

Recently we have expanded into stocking our own range of items for the grocery shelves. Home packed and labeled and hopefully you will see Theophani's smiling face spread across the shelves of the store very soon! A reminder of where the inspiration for quality, generosity and community really comes from around here.

Home!

22 months later and I've come all the way back home. Perth. Such a strange feeling to be coming home. It's one of those times where the thought crosses your mind, "I'm never going to experience this again." Nothing can replicate travelling and living overseas and finally coming home to that feeling. For those of you who know, I'll just sigh.

I'm greeted by my very excited family at the airport, My Mum, My Dad and My Sister all in one go which was strange enough as it is. Quickly whisked away to drive back with Mum to York. About an hour inland from Perth to a small town outside of the city to just slow down and ease myself back into civilisation. I am really grateful for this and especially for Mum's cooking! I've always claimed I make the second best poached eggs on toast and that is second to my Mum. Farm fresh eggs, first day back. It's great to be home.

We went out for lunch to The York Mill cafe and it all comes rushing back. Australian food, good coffee and one thing I had forgotten was how good our ice coffee's are! Mmmmm. Mum happens to be heading off to Italy herself this week (of course) and she has decided to start trying espresso's after her meals so she can be ready for them in Italy. Turns out she is not quite ready yet but I assure her, you haven't had an espresso until you've had it in Italy.

Soon I'll be heading back to Melbourne where it is all waiting for me. Back on the tools, I start work almost as soon as I arrive and I am so excited to be making great coffee, again.

Sorrento

When you arrive at a hostel you've booked online, you are never really expect it to be anything like the place I stayed in here. It was just so sweet. Mami Camilla! I arrived and was immediatley excited about it. Lemon trees in the garden, great outdoor seating to relax in. This hostel actually hosts a cooking school as well. The students live in the rooms and attend cooking school for 3 months and cook all day for the guests in the evening! Learning about traditional Italian cooking and gaining qualifications at the same time. They offer a placement in restaurants in Sorrento after the course is complete. Breakfast was to die for! 5euros for an array of food to choose, straight from a dedicated Italian kitchen. I really struck gold booking into this place.

When I checked in at reception, they informed me that my shared dormitary was actually full so they were going to have to book me into the private room for the weekend. At no extra charge. I mean, come on! This room had a balcony! Big huge outdoor chairs with cushions to relax in the shade during a European summer dream!

Sorrento itself was just as impressive, I was about a 10 minute walk from the centre square that was filled with cafe's, nightclubs, restaurants and those cute little shopping streets that I love to wander through. I ate here everyday and watched the wonderful human salad that passed me by. Beautiful people, gorgeous weather, delicious coffee, great atmosphere. I am so lucky to be here.

I spent a whole day on the beach again, which is a lot of stairs down to a winding road that leads to the water and 20euro beach chairs. This my friends, is where I tried the best Gnocchi ever to pass anyones lips before. Melted in my mouth!

My last few days I finally got sick. I'm surprised it took this long, after a month of travelling and staying in hostels breathing shared air and pushing yourself to fit as much into your day as you can, I was bound to catch a cold at some point. I was grateful to have my own space to get better and make sure I was well enough for my flight to Spain next! So I sacrificed my visit to Pompeii, which obviously I did not want to do and have since decided that I loved Sorrento so much that I will just have to come back and do the Pompeii trip next time. Perhaps, I need to do a cooking class as well?

Capri

Capri is like an escape. A little island of the coast of Napoli that you can reach by ferry all day long. I went in search of sun, food and relaxation. The further I go south the more I feel like I am on holiday instead of that I am travelling. Because I assure you they are two very different feelings.

I took time here to slow down, and to stop. I took in every smell and taste and really let myself relax. It is a beautiful little island. I took the cable car accross to the centre of the island and then walked all the way down to the beaches on the other side. Such a different sight again, to see pebbles on the beach! No sand. Blows the mind. All through Italy you pay to use the beaches. You can pay 20Euros or more just to get on to a beach, and then to find pebbles! However the view and the water and the sun are worth every last cent and more. I endured a whole day of such fabulous relaxation and had a traditional pizza for lunch. Napoli is where pizza was first made and there for I am on a strict pizza diet whilst I am here especially.

I leave for Sorrento next and I know it can only get better!

Roma

La Dolce Vita!

What an amazing city! Rome has everything all right there waiting for you to experience it. So much history and culture in an incredible city. I loved every moment here. I stayed for 3 days and I had the greatest pleasure of seeing the Pope on my first day there! How surreal! What a wonderful moment. Just sitting there with hundreds maybe thousands of priests at a blessing held at St Peters Basilica. Puts my entire life in perspective. I visited Fontana di Trevi which I must say was my favourite. It's a beautiful spot in the middle of some wonderful streets to sit and ponder where you are and how you got there. I hope to be back here one day and sit in the same spot to ponder all over again. I've added a few photos for you this time because it was such a visual experience for me I wanted to share that with you.