The Silver Bodgie and I have been cafeing a bit this morning on our ever continuing quest to find and appreciate the best in Cafe food coffee ambience service and price. We started out this morning with a visit to GARDEN COURT BRASSERIE in the CHATEAU ON THE PARK where Canterbury Grownups Activities Group will be having there 3rd Coffee Plus Chat Gathering tomorrow at 103am. The Silver Bodgie and I saw the area they may reserve for us and looked at food choices. We left there to visit two new cafes for us. for our Thursday Walkers to enjoy this week. We went first of all to new modern enticingly dessert Cafe JUST DESSERTS at 33 Wordsworth St Sydenham. A huge selection of food and coffees and seating for 40 with a lovely fire greeted us as well as parking for twelve cars outside.
The Silver Bodgie and I continued on to SILVAN GALLERY & CAFE AT 320 SELWYN St. Spreydon by Brougham Expressway. Here we sampled there lovely coffee and a cheese scone. total cost $6.50 cents.This cafe seats about 40 and has lots of photos and paintings on its walls as well as its old furniture. So a decision has to be made for our Thursday Cafe. Carpe Diem Dr L.

On the recommendation of Floosie and Winelover The Silver Bodgie and I visited Cafe Kudos out in Birmingham Drive this morning And again Just Desserts at 33 Wordsworth St in Sydenham and Crisp Cafe & Bar out in Fendalton on the cnr of Ilam & Clyde Rds. Along the way we discovered too World Barista Champion Carl Saras new Cafe and Roastery "Crafted Coffee Company "in Blenheim Rd/Dalgety St cnr. Riccarton and Vanilla Bean 376 Lincoln Rd by railway line. Canterbury Grownups Activities Group are seeking an anchor venue and Floosies and Jans advice/recommendations were explored to see if they fitted the criteria Gups members agreed on together.Needless to say I am in coffee detox tonight.all coffeed out.!

One of Christchurchs hidden gems is the idyllic village of Heathcote Valley with its quaint cottages, cherry & fruit orchards anf flowers and Historic Valley Inn pub. But its latest place is CAFE RHOMBUS in Station Rd. This picturesque street with Upshots Coffee Roastery next door and boutique gift shop is the meetingplace of locals and walkers alike. I enjoyed my visit with 12 friends and sat on the deck outside with its Plastic tent surrounds and enjoyed my UPSHOTS Coffee Latte and Custard Rectangle Delight. YUMMY! This is a MUST DO.!

Hey DrL - you properly know this but I had a surprise last week when I ventured into Ballantynes.
Upstairs (past the cafe) there's a tea room - the Dilmah tea house.

I guess it's been there for ages.. well, it's been a while since I've been there. A wide range of teas. $3 a cup. There is a menu with recommended teas too.

(Thought I'd mention it in case any of your readers are tea drinkers.)

There's a pdf menu file to download at:
http://www.ballantynes.com/Information/1255

By the way - had a nosh up with the missus at the cafe at Portstone garden Center last sunday... a very pleasant sunday in deed.

Thanks Beachbum, Its a while since I,ve been in there. The Silver Bodgie, Desi & I will have to check it out. Glad you liked PORTSTONE Brian & Sharon are great hosts.

Desi & I and Onyx7 and his daughter enjoyed the ambience coffee and scrummy food at GROUND FLOOR CAFE 47 RICCARTON ROAD Last Thursday with 6 others after our 45 minute walk.Cheers, DrL.

The Silver Bodgie and I heard about a new cafe today and after slapping on the Brylcream we give the Harley a run out to Ferry Rd to sample "The Catering Belle" at 390 Ferry Rd.The two belles who own it were once at iconic "In Italia" working together.Watch this space.!

30 of our A Slice Of Heritage Walks Group Friends inc. two Grownups walking friends enjoyed the ambience coffee and food this morning at The Botanic Gardens Cafe in Christchurch. Cape Diem. Desi & DrL.

Desi & I enjoyed the warmth, ambience coffee plus Pizza Muffin for breakfast with our latte and cappuchino at iconic ADDINGTON COFFEE COMPANY By Wise Street/Lincoln Rd cnr. after collecting for over an hour in the chilly morning air at The Private Boxes on the Old King Edward Barracks site in downtown CHRISTCHURCH for THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS &PARKINSONS SOCIETY of Canterburys ANNUAL CARNATION Day appeal.

Desi & I are off out for breakfast tomorrow to SILVAN CAFE & GALLERY in Selwyn Street with 19 friends of ours in My Saturday Tramping/Walking Group THE A-TEAM FIFTY SOMETHINGS AND A BIT Walkers. We,ll give you a progress report later as we are expecting to walk to THE DAFFODILS and a few other hidden gems including historic Addington Cemetery and on THE WRITERS WALKWAY in Addington.

My thoughts are with all of you

Needless to say we didnt get out for breakfast. It has been a time of supporting each other,looking after our neighbours and cherishing our families and each other.. Whilst aftershocks are continuing and we feel them from my first floor apartment we are very lucky when not far from us serious structural damage has ocurred.We are staying put today expecting the winds etc.