infinity sourdough

Years ago, when we lived in Elizabeth Bay, we'd walk about a kilometre and past six or seven cafes to get to our favourites on Victoria st. It's funny when I 'have a coffee' with my grandmother. She literally thinks we sit down to 'have a coffee.' Drinking a coffee doesn't take long once it's cool enough to drink.

Having a coffee is more than the syrupy crema and the little jitters from a hit of caffiene. For us 'having a coffee' has always been about being in the moment and usually on the street. There's nothing worse than a cafe with no atmosphere (oh - apart from a cafe with crap coffee!)

In the years before children we used to sit in cafes for at least four hours on the weekend. We'd read the paper from the front page to the back. We'd have a conversation... and finish it. We'd work on the crossword together. (Mind you we didn't have iphones then). On Victoria street there's so much to take in - the wealth, the poverty, the beautiful people, the dogs, the light on the church tower, the trees changing the shades of their leaves throughout the year.

Those days are well and truly behind us. We are lucky to have a good ten minute coffee these days (fair enough - cafe's aren't the funnest of places for children.) And, of course, we do love our kids. It's just that things have changed.

One of the icons of Victoria street, Infinity Sourdough - remember I mentioned their bread? - has opened a sister shop in Manly tucked behind the Corso. I like to go there on the days when B has preschool. It's a small shopfront which makes it perfectly atmospheric especially because there's always a steady stream of customers (for bread & take-aways mostly) but some, like me, are doing their best to remember what long and luxurious coffees used to be like.