Monday, March 24, 2008

Hospitality beyond compare.

Mar. 9th

I relaxed excessively today. Jonno makes his own great espresso from a Gaggia brand machine, and I sipped my cafe latte under the shade of the orange tree at "Cafe Stone." Having only moved in for 4 nights at this point in time, Jonno and Suze are already in love with their house (incidentally I am, too), and it already has the feel of a home, something more than walls and a roof - this is probably through the Herculean efforts they put in the week before.

I drove to the beach at St. Kilda for lunch at the "London" and had their "famous" Chicken Parma (a somewhat Aussiefied version of chicken parmesan – think an Italian-type theme but served with chips (fries) and more meat, lots more meat). I had a Campari on the rocks – a drink I have been curious about since Bill Murray had it in "The Life Aquatic." It is sweet, and something I have never tasted before, good for a summer day, also Italian. I like anything Italian. Anyway, they were not lying about the Parma, it deserves the "famous" moniker, but Hell, Melbourne has killer food; I would not have expected less.

Jonno took me to the second best coffee in Melbourne; the best of course being served at 34 Parsons St. That night we had another barbie; I cooked butternut squash and zucchini to great acclaim. Met Frank Stone, Jonno’s dad, and he asked me to speak about my ocean row to his rowers at their end-of-the-season dinner. I was honored by his request and most certainly will. Life continues to be good.

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