The Year in Review

(AKA the best of the best)

27/12/2023

It's finally time to wrap up the year that was. I'm actually getting in early considering my first entry in my Nespresso notebook is dated 14/01/23.

I don't think I ever mentioned I was writing in a Nespresso notebook which I've had for a long time (no idea where from, but I definitely didn't buy it) and never used. I thought it was rather fitting, and it was around the time the idea first popped into my sleep deprived and depressed (at the time, of course it never truly goes away, but I digress) brain. I found the notebook and it all just clicked, and here we are a year later and many coffees consumed.



I actually filled my Nespresso book with reviews so I've had to crack open my Fantastic Beasts notebook my husband got me for my birthday. As you may have guessed from my photos, every single blog entry is first hand written and then typed up on my PC.

Let's get down to some numbers. I've reviewed a total of 27 cafes.

I went back through my last list and it turns out I only managed to review 9 out of the 10 on the list, but one of them closed down and moved before I had a chance. But meh, still a good effort and there were 7 extra off list cafes I reviews on top of my two lists. What can I say? I'm a busy mother and sometimes you've just got to say fuck it and move on.

Let's sort the wheat from the chaff.

12/01/2024

In my opinion the worst based off my ranking system:

With a ranking of 2 Proud Mamma, though they are now closed. Re-opened as Misha's Café who have a 3.5 ranking. From what I remember their flavour was a bit lackluster.

Dishonourable mentions go to: 

Caffe Strada, Café Tre Fontane (which pains me as I remember how good it tasted), and Laurent (Ivanhoe) all with a ranking of 2.5.

Honourable mentions go to:

The Coffee Club (Northland), Muse Ivanhoe, Degani Ivanhoe Plaza, Caffe Cherry Beans (Northland), Pinkie and Becca Foodstore all with a ranking of 4.5.

Now onto the winners:

With a ranking of 5 we have For Change Café Bellfield and surprisingly Darby's Café. I'm glad For Change Café ranked so highly given the important work they do with youth homelessness. Darby's Café is one that comes out of left field. It really isn't much to look at given it's really aimed at tradies, but they do make excellent coffee. Credit where credit is due.

You may wonder why there is today's date at the start of the rankings.

I had every intention of finishing this post on 27/12/23, but we were going on holiday the next day so I felt pushed for time, didn't get a chance while we were away (yes I took my journals with me), got busy with laundry and other cleaning or errands before going back to work, and lastly I have weaned myself down to half my dose of Zoloft as of 01/01/24. So I spend all of last weekend in bed fatigued, nauseated, headachy and just generally NQR from discontinuation syndrome. Look it up, it's a thing. A sucky sucky thing. But I'm over the worst of it and have just about stabilised on this dose.

The only problem is now I know there is a fairly strong chance of this happening again in a few weeks time when I cease it all together. I suppose I will at least have an idea of when it will hit.

This is me done with the blogging for now. I will keep journaling when I go for a coffee by myself but just for me.

Until next time...maybe...


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