Back to work tomorrow

I'm lucky to work alongside schools in as much as I get school holidays off (mostly). But today is the day before work, when all the freedom comes to an end, and the daily routine changes. I will be getting up a couple of hours earlier each day, going to bed a couple of hours earlier each day and instead of being wherever I want and doing whatever I want, I will be where I'm supposed to be, doing what I need to do. To be honest, although it sounds bad on paper, I'm pretty lucky to have a job I love to do, so it's not exactly back to the grindstone for me.

 I wonder why it's called the Yellow Door Cafe?

Plenty of outdoor seating makes this area a great summer hangout, though it was bit cold for that today.

However, on my last day off, I was even luckier as my wife also had the day off, and with our best friends we went out for lunch to Albert Park Village. This is really a great place to eat, drink and hang out with short walks to Albert Park, Gasworks Park, and the Bay when you've finished pigging out. I wanted to go to the Dundas Place Cafe, but it was packed out, so we went to a place called Yellow Door, and weren't disappointed. Funnily enough, I've noticed in Melbourne that generally speaking, if an area has a great cafe, then most of the other cafes nearby are usually pretty good too. I suppose someone sets the standards so the others have to keep up, or at least stay close. We had 4 different breakfasts and we were all happy with our meals. The coffee was Grifffiths, and though it wasn't the best I've had, it was still full of body and without deep bitterness.

In fact, earlier in the week, I was here with Caroline and we went to a different cafe (which wasn't open today) and had one of the best coffees I've had in Melbourne. The Combi Coffee Espresso Window looks a bit quirky, and inside it is pretty minimal, but if you try it out, you'll be rewarded with an amazing coffee. My long black held its crema (I take a long time over my coffee), and the flavour oozed a great combination of sweetness and acidity.

 Doesn't look much? Amazing coffee inside.

Next to the cafe, if you want al fresco, you can sit in the combi garage.

Albert Park Village is a chilled out place to hang out on a nice day (or even a not so nice day), drinking coffee, good eating and people watching. From the green there is the dominating view of the Biltmore Apartments, with local historic interest, and to the side even an open air chess board, just in case someone like myself fancies a busman's holiday!

 The big colonnaded building behind this has an interesting history.

 Open air chess

Chess by the green. Across the road, the grey building in the centre is the Biltmore Apartments.