Standing Room Espresso

Yesterday we went back to the North Shore to Birkenhead where Mamma grew up. At the top end of Hinemoa Street (Highbury shops end) there is a little unsuspecting gem of a cafe. Its called Standing Room Espresso.

 Its a tiny little space hence the name, there are however seats. First up I must make note of the Cheese Scones. They were off the hook! Take a look for yourself.

 Potato Scones with caramelised onions and danish Feta. Mama was calling best ones she had ever eaten. I even got a try of the crust! It was good. I was looking round for more but all I saw was an empty plate.

They serve allpress coffee here and boy do they serve it well. I don't know what disappeared faster the scone or the coffee. A word of advice from my Mamma "If you come here DO NOT share the scone! It will leave you wanting that other half for the rest of the day".

At Standing Room Espresso they bake all food on site fresh daily, Id suggest you get in early to get into one of those scones- Do it Now!. I have no doubt we will be back again very soon.

The Shakey Isles

We went to meet Dadda for a coffee one day and met him at The Shakey Isles in Kingland. Wow! Pretty much as soon as I walked in the door with Mamma one of the staff walked over and gave me a cool Toy to play with! Its hard to fault somewhere when you are made to feel special and welcome straight off the bat!

Dadda had a coffee they serve Cafe L'affare Coffee here and Mamma had a Juice! I just had a great time playing with the toy and looking at all the pictures on the wall. The staff were amazing!

Check out the cool paintings on the wall and again the hanging lights! This was a bit of a coffee dash review as we were in and out so fast. I will endure to return to review in more depth soon............

Agnes Curran

Once a month I like to have catch up cuddles with my Aunty Lucy its usually in a cafe for coffee with Mamma and Dadda so I get to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. I'm overdue for a catch up with Aunty Lucy again so I though I'd best stop slacking and get the review up from the last time we caught up.
Agnes Curren is a great little spot, its always buzzing with people getting their fix of coffee and tasty treats from the cabinet.

We sat inside today there is a great communal table in the middle and we sat there. Its perfect for sticky beaking on peoples conversations without it being really obvious. Not that I understand what they are saying but I like to take a good look at whats going on! If its a sunny day you can sit out side in the court yard. Its in Ponsonby so there is a good chance someone will have their dog tied up outside to the little gate. I'm obsessed with dogs so this is a highlight for me.

The coffee must have been good as it was gone before I could take a photo! The food looked good too. Mamma spent allot of time pondering at the cabinet before she made a decision.

I've noticed that allot of cafes have interesting lights handing from the roof so I've decided to start adding photos of these as well.

Agnes Curran is on the corner of Ponsonby Road and Franklin Road (With the entrance up a small flight of steps on Franklin just back from the corner). So its busy but get in there and find a spot! There is loads of stuff to look at it almost feels like you are sitting at the kitchen table in an old farmhouse. Cosy and lots of good smells!

New reviews coming soon.........

Due to the inevitable growing up I have been doing lately  I haven't been posting much. I'm sitting on a few reviews so will post them soon! I have been moving into my own room now! I'm not alone though I have my roomies Sprocket Dog, Mrs Moo and The candlewick Monster to keep me company. New post up by tonight....... I pinky promise!

The Fridge

Lately I haven't been here as much as i did in utero. You see they do the best scrambled eggs and when Mamma was pregnant she was not aloud runny eggs so well cooked scrambled were all she could eat. At least once a week we would come here! Now that I'm no longer confined to her womb I can see what they are eating and drinking! I'm big enough to use a high chair now (with a cushion underneath me).

Apologies but I cannot show my face in fear that if Cafes see me coming they will lay on the service to get a good review. The high chair was great it was clean and comfy. The food looked good from what I could see disappearing down the oldie's mouths. No scrambled eggs for Mamma now as she can have them runny. They both had Eggs Benne on hash cakes and Coffee as always! They also use Supreme Coffee here and it wasn't looking too shabby but you can judge for yourself.

If you are bringing your whole posse they have a massive table too.

This place is also known for its pies.  They live in the warmer by the door.

You will find The Fridge in Kingsland, not the greatest for parking so ask the parking fairies to be kind if you are heading there.

Conch

My Mamma and Dadda have another love more deep than Coffee but its no where near as deep as their love for me. They love shiny black round things called records available in 2 sizes 12's and 7's. They magically hold tunes which they both cannot be without as they are "Vinyl Junkies and DJ's". Every morning from 8-10am you can hear my Dadda serving up "Beats for Breakfast" on KFM radio. I'm getting a little off track here (pun intended) but building a background as to why Conch is like a semi heaven for them and no doubt with their blood filling my veins for me too!

At the front of Conch Record store there is a place for them to also get their coffee fix. Saturdays are a treat to be had. Jimmy holds things down here in the weekend taking over from the weekly barista the lil Brazilian more famously known as Bobby Brazuka. Jimmy makes damn good coffee and will even slide you a free straw to suck on while Mamma and Dadda consume their coffee.

                                          This is Jimmy                                            

  This is the goody cabinet

 This is my favourite thing to look at apart from the goody cabinet when we sit inside.

Jimmy passes the coffee out the window when you sit outside

All the outside seats are painted and so cool!

When the coffee consuming is done. The lure of records becomes too strong for Mamma and Dadda so we venture into the record store where they take turns digging and passing me back and forth. 

I don't mind as one day those records will be mine! 

Check out the conch website here Conch

Hinemoa Street Organic Cafe

We don't get to the shore often. But this was worth the drive. Mamma was catching up with a friend who had returned from London on holiday so they met up in their old hood Birkenhead.
Ok so first impressions involved starring at the wall.They have great wallpaper its shiny and patterned great for little eyes to look at. Speaking of things to look at once again the tempting goodie cabinet in clear view.

The staff were really cool as we sat and waited for Mammas friend, attentive but not pestering "with when will we be ordering?". The menu looked good not that I can read but there was much discussion by the old's as to what they would choose.

I know what I would have ordered ... one of everything in that goodie cabinet. Luckily they had a cool light fitting for me to gaze my goodie wanting eyes at.

 They have a high chair that Mathilde tried out. It did the trick! Hinemoa Street Organic cafe serve Supreme Coffee too. A nice relaxed place to go mid week but I'm sure it gets packed with locals in the weekend. Worth the trip over the bridge and looking forward to going back for goodies one day soon.  They have a great toy box too!