Its been a really good few days here in Sydney.
I love the northern beaches area and the feel of a place like Manly on a Sunday morning is something pretty unique. Below are some pics from both the intensive and from my walk this morning.
This afternoon I head down to Wollongong to speak at a church service and then meet with the staff team of the Ozreach church before flying home at 11.00pm on Monday.
The intensive went well and people were again challenged to consider how they will live & lead as missionaries in a post-Christian world. We met in a cafe called table for 20 in the gay zone of the inner city. The cafe runs under the auspice of the Baptist Union of NSW. Also running out of the building are ‘Hope Street’ services which are directed by Mike Hircock, a top bloke and one of the Forge NSW guys.
As well having a great time with the Horsley family it was great to meet up with Eric & Leslie. I had an email from Leslie a couple of years back asking if I knew of any churches in Sydney on the northern beaches. I suggested Small boat and shortly after she and her husband moved from Texas to Oz and became a part of that church. We had never met until this weekend so it was good to put a face to another ‘net-friend’.
Below are some pics of the intensive and ‘Hope Street’
Upstairs
Art/furntiture exhibition
The intensive – Frosty speaking
Hope Street Services
I went for a walk this morning around Manly.
A humid 30 degree day in Sydney – plenty of people on the beach
And now for some coffee… How do you find a good coffee shop in a strange place?… Walk around – look for somewhere small that seems to take pride in what they do. See if there’s a crowd and wander in and give it a go. Barefoot were pretty good. They are a tiny shop with chopped off bits of log for chairs, an almost non-existant food menu (waffles or waffles with ice cream…) but pretty decent Toby’s Estate coffee. Its $2.50 for a flat white which is great value, but it only comes in one size – small! the people at the door are the queue, so I’m guessing its a fairly popular local haunt.
I sat at the window and read the paper for a while while knocking off two flat whites.
The inside of the cafe – that’s about as big as it gets! Room for 10 at a push. Very cosy, but it gives it that ‘popular’ feel.
The Manly markets in The Corso – ok this is purely for you honey!
Local art…
Watched a bit of cricket on the way back up Sydney Rd – Parammatta v Manly…
For those who are into buildings – here is the home of Smallboatbigsea – the old Manly Baptist Church.
And as a final word – do not buy a Nokia E65 for its camera capabilities! This phone has much about it that is good, but the camera is a dodgy piece of crap if I ever saw one.
Another way to find a good coffee shop is to look for bicycles outside. Looks like Barefoot fits the criteria.
Ya Toby’s is good stuff – for the East Coast. Doesn’t get close to what we have over here now though!
I guarantee St. Ali’s is as good as anywhere in the world. Mark knows his stuff. Course Mel isn’t really east coast is it?
rev
hey i think that is my head in the photo of the intensive….. was great to meet you BTW, wish i had a little more time to hang around and chat.
Mark is good indeed – I’ve been drinking some of the St Ali coffee over here at ‘Ristretto’.
Very nice stuff.
you should taste it straight from the roaster with their top quality barristas mmmmmmmmmmmm
Had a ristretto of his kenyan last week, man that is some smooth beautiful stuff.
rev
Are you guys that full on about coffee – am I missing something here? Gotta be, I reckon.No offence Grendel.
I really am – no offence taken. Some people just don’t have faith in the bean. . .
For he came unto them saying: “Be ye like the humble coffee bean, unpretentious but full of promise, and with a hint of elderflower” So the disciples went forth and spoke to everyone they met of the bean and the caffeine within it.
Mark, if you grew up in Southern California, where the epitome of gourmet coffee was starbucks, you might understand. But coffee is my favorite drink, by a mile. I have had more kidney stones than I can count, and I still drink atleast one coffee everyday. I have learned to appreciate the subtle differences in origin, roast and preparation. I am no where near the coffee snob that Grendel is, but that is only because I am poor white trash.
I think it is like wine. I always hated wine, no point in it. But then when staying with a semi wealthy cousin in Scotland, I experienced good wine, chosen with the right foods, and I loved it. I experienced what wine was supposed to be like. Unfortunately, I can usually only afford box wine, and haven’t yet perfected the water to wine trick.
rev
Rev – the cost of being a wine snob is why I became a coffee snob – a kilo of brilliant green beans can be had for as little as $8 and yields about 40-50 cups. Plus you have the enjoyment that comes from roasting it yourself.
I still love wine though. If you ever perfect the transmutation let me know. I might have to revise my theological position somewhat.
Grendel – I openly declare this day – I am a coffee atheist, well – would that be acoffee? How or would, or how and would you convert me? How can I become a member of the bean? Could this void in my life be filled by the power of the bean?
Rev, you might have Starbucks in California but I love the look of those West Coast beaches – reminds me of a Beach Boy’s song.
Yeah, they are pretty nice, till you fill them with hundreds of thousands of the most obnoxious, loud, and self absorbed people in the world. I will take the beaches at Wilsons Prom, or off the great ocean road any day.
rev
…just passed by after googling “smallboatbigsea”. I can nearly smell that Sydney coffee!
Peace & blessings
J