A Little chocolate every day...

Chocolate is, let's face it, far more reliable than a man." - Miranda Ingram

Well, the Gothic ended but life did not.  The lovely couple we fellowship with rang earlier in the week in a bit of a flap. She thought she might be in labour with her first bub ~ 2 weeks early.  What did I think?  Only one thing to do really; go round, hold her hand [metaphorically] & say if I thought she needed the ambulance ~ which she did.

The day we did the cats we stopped in to visit the new family.  Such a gorgeous little boy!  I just love a brand new baby: the clean baby smell, the downy softness of their tiny head, the trusting look in bright little eyes.  He is totally adorable. *sigh*  Maybe I need grandkids ~ though none of mine are showing signs of that happening any time soon!  Meanwhile I shall borrow other people's children.

From babies to kittens then, feeling decidedly peckish, on to the Black Cat at Latrobe Terrace. Despite its name the Black Cat is a bookshop, the most delightful sort of bookshop where one can find good coffee  & good food as well as a good read.  We sat on the outside deck sipping cold drinks & eating vegetarian pizza & side salad.  Now Paddington is a part of Brisbane I like very much indeed.  It reminds me of Darlinghurst/Glebe as it used to be when I prowled round Sydney: rather tatty, decidedly eccentric & full of interesting little shops run by interesting people who, if you are polite & play your cards right, will chat to you all day about all sorts of interesting things. And because it is like that the food is simple but good, the pizza base a nice tangy pesto, the salad with a crunch of chick~peas & a vinaigrette dressing.  Just as well I didn't have my girls.  They don't like chick~peas.

And of course the absolute crown to a busy & rather exhausting day, & the raison d'etre for being in Paddington in the first place, is Monty's.  I raved about this last year.  Siano & I had promised ourselves a return trip & this time came prepared.  When it comes to chocolate Monty's is as close to heaven as you'll get.  Their hot chocolate is rich, dark & not at all sweet.  Absolutely chocolate perfection.  The hot chocolate comes with a little dish of chocolates to sample ~ a truly brilliant idea because having sampled it is almost impossible to resist buying.  The lovely girl who served us is brilliant at what she does & knows that allowing people to sample she is almost always assured of a sale.  We tried the praline almonds ~ & bought.  We tried the salted liquid caramel balls ~& didn't.  Gorgeous but way, way too rich to eat more than one & very sweet.  I bought Rocky Road because I have Rocky Road aficionados. Liddy raves about Max Brenner's but honestly, Brenner's has nothing on Monty's.  Their hot chocolate is too sweet for one thing & not as thick & decadent for another.  Plus it is right in at Southbank & always, always incredibly busy which means you are queuing for absolute ages. I've tried their Belgian waffles & truffles & in my humble opinion it is hugely over~rated for the sort of money you are expected to fork over.  Monty's is heaps better value for money & the chocolate is much, much better.  No, it's not as easy & convenient to get to but definitely well worth the trip.  I am seriously considering a GPS just so I can find this place on my own! Oh, & if you what a chocoholics droolfest try their blog. Oh. My.

Oh, & the reason for  the lack of recent photos : Liddy borrowed my camera chord just before she went away & now I can't find it at all. Liiiiiddyyyyy, where is my chord?