cafe: Mr Herbert's / Doubleview

cafe: Mr Herbert's / Doubleview

Our little -- as the website says -- unassuming café. Loved by locals... Locals in tight tights, straight from the gym, perhaps :-)

A dozen customers and it's crowded. Another sign of hipster cred: we are definitely the oldest people there. By twenty years or more. On the bright side, there is a cushion to soften the milk crate that is my seat :-)

Definitely hipster. The cheerful barista has tatts and an interesting "sheep bouffant" hair style. Very limited choice of "cake", all healthy, our "fig & fennel bread" is delicious. With plenty of butter.

We sit under shade umbrellas outside -- there's very little choice -- on a perfect day for sitting outside. Watching a few dogs share the space with their owners. No trees nearby, I wonder where the dogs would pee. Then found out. I am definitely not watching, oh no, not watching the young women who had possibly just finished a session at the gym.

It's all very pleasant. Surprisingly peaceful, considering the close and crowded parking.

Rated three out of three: We would definitely visit again. With caveats: In pleasant weather. Not on a day when I want a solid sugar caramel slice. This is a café which offers and really provides a healthy -- and tasty -- approach to food.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them." … Robert Jarvik

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

Heart-Shaped Box / Joe Hill

Heart-Shaped Box

by Joe Hill

fantasy,horror

copyright 2007

half-read in March 2019

rated 5/10: readable but only if there's nothing else

… (note re bias: I don't see much point in fantasy horror)

I have just finished an excellent book by Joe Hill. Okay, I think, let's try another. And, while I'm there, a third. Unfortunately I do not appreciate fantasy horror.

I mean, what's the point? There's a supernatural villain which can do anything, anything at all. So it sets its sights on scaring, threatening, injuring and ultimately destroying the characters. The only limit to what it can do is in the author's imagination.

For some reason I am expecting that, in the next chapter, the Blue Bird of Happiness will fly in the window and spit acid rain all over the main character. I mean, why not ?

Why does this particular ghost torment with freezing and fire ? After all, the haunt began with suicide by slashing of the wrists. Why not create a suitable revenge theme and haunt with a slow death of a thousand cuts ?

The ghost is evil but understandable, it was his daughter driven to suicide. I can't particularly sympathise with the main character, he is the one who drove the girl to suicide. That leaves the current girlfriend as a sweet but brainless object as sympathy as she is tormented by ghostly "friendly fire".

Okay, if you enjoy fantasy horror, this book is well written. Slow buildup to inescapable horror, possibly leading to a vaguely logical final bid for safety. If that is your thing, add a few points to my rating.

Or go off and read Joe Hill's better -- vaguely SF -- book. It has a plot, a point and a solid basis of "fact" upon which all the horror is logically constructed.

Half way, I stop reading. I will not even open the third book.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them." … Robert Jarvik

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)

cafe: Freddie Strudels / Perth

cafe: Freddie Strudels, Perth

We're organising printing of a running shirt. Exit the print shop -- and see a small cafe next door. Cafe? Coffee? Just what we need :-)

Strudels? This is a small, neat, modern cafe run by Asians. Three more Asians relaxing, snacking, by the front window. Strudels?! With us, the cafe is now half full. We order coffees and the smallest "cake", a custard horn or somesuch name.

Out back is the kitchen. We guess that that is the source of strudels and other traditional European delights. (Yes, Asian cook.) The cafe, we decide, is just to round out a food catering business.

Cheerful, friendly service. We are offered a free biscuit, fresh from the oven. Very nice. Our custard horn arrives.

It is delicious! Fresh crispy pastry, crumbles as we bite it. Aaahhhh... Mmmmm... Wow :-) Absolutely delicious.

We can buy a custard horn at our local fresh food market. A horn which tastes okay. A horn which is baked to be stored, delivered, displayed, eaten within a day or three. Designed to not shatter during delivery.

The Freddie custard horn is designed -- baked -- to be eaten soon. Within hours. Fresh, delicious, melt in the mouth  delicious. Can I say it again? Delicious:-)

I hope that we will be back. It's nowhere near our usual haunts. We hope that we will be back. Perhaps to buy a Freddie actual Strudel. I'm already looking forward to it.

Three out of three: we enjoyed the visit, we hope to be back

===

22feb20: We go back.

This time, it's deliberate. We're looking for a coffee outing, we select Freddie Strudels. Drive past a couple of better-known names, they are too crowded and... we're just not interested.

Friendly and cheerful waiter. Coffee: strong, delicious. Shared apple strudel: absolutely delicious, crisp sweet pastry, just enough apple and custard(?) filling, yummm :-)

Still rated as 3 out of three: worth visiting again.

Oh, and they sell just a few jars of honey. An uncle's hobby, we're told. I buy a jar... rather expensive but... I'm always looking for crystallised honey, it stays on the bread. I doubt that it was deliberate, I buy the one jar of honey which has crystallised.

====    Dr Nick Lethbridge  /  Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
===

"I think and think, for months, for years. Ninety-nine times the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right." … Einstein
===

dying for you to read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au :-)
====
   

soldier / julie kagawa

soldier

(talon saga 3)

by julie kagawa

chicklit, subadult, fantasy

copyright 2016

read in march 2019

rated 8/10: really quite good

06jun24:

I read this again, having forgotten most of it. And I enjoyed it again.

But that ending...

Disaster, yes. But...how else to move forward?

The hero and heroine have declared their eternal and mutual love -- what a mistake. It's like saying, well, nothing worse can happen. Ha!

[spoiler ahead] I still need to read the next book but -- the final ending -- leaves room for a new (and just as challenging) love interest. Bring it on :-)

====

07jun24: Oh, almost forgot: The publisher is "Harlequin Teen" -- and the story is definitely what I class as "subadult" -- teen, in fact.

There is a surprising amount of strong violence.  Even more threats of violence. (it's a war of extermination between dragons and humans) But the plot is straightforward -- not simple but the most complex threat is of betrayal. And the plans are simple and amazingly successful. Exciting and good fun, in fact.

Also: I must read up on the real Chicago Library.  This book finds something amazing underneath it. And the same Library played a significant role in a book in a separate series. It must be an interesting building :-) 

the heroine is torn between two lovers, it takes her half of book to say, i love you. then it takes another half to say it again. aaahhh shucks.

she is young, beautiful, heroic, torn by guilt for having to kick baddie butt. one hero spends a lot of time raking his fingers through his artfully tangled hair. the other is reserved, cool, smouldering beneath the surface. both are incredibly loyal, incredibly tough. what's not to like?

in fact, i like it all :-)

after heroic plans, life threatening adventures and gosh that was lucky escapes, the heroic group wins through... or do they?

right near the end is something that surprises -- shocks -- me. i am devestated. did that really happen?!  i need to search the web for a hint, did that really happen?

ridiculous! this is lightweight chicklit for teenage girls, with dragons. absolute fluff. read, smile, forget... wrong. i care for the characters, i support their aims. i need to know if that disaster is real... or not.

and that's how good this book is.

i must get the next in the continuing series.

====    Dr Nick Lethbridge  /  Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
===

"I think and think, for months, for years. Ninety-nine times the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right." … Einstein
===

dying for you to read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au :-)
====
   

The Fireman / Joe Hill

The Fireman

by Joe Hill

science fiction

copyright 2016

read in March 2019

rated 9/10: really really good

science fiction with character and complexity. the what-if that drives the story is simple, its impact is enormous. the what-if remains central yet the story is about our society's response. yes, "our" society; this is a near-future apocalypse.

not even "near future". what if this disaster were to strike *today* ? this book charts the apocalypse. with both societal and personal detail. it does it well.

in the first half the book occasionally drags. every action is described in detail. for a while i was wishing it would just hurry up... but it is never boring. just detailed.

about half a dozen times there is line such as, but it was three months before he spoke again. in a story where a lot happens, this forecast is annoying. a minor quibble.

 there's a reference to that ultimately miserable book, the road. this book offers a far more positive view of people in a destroyed world. (despite the sting in the tail.)

the theme is apocalyptic. death is everywhere. yet this book is enjoyable: tense, fascinating, violent, warm. really really good.

====    Dr Nick Lethbridge  /  Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
===

"I think and think, for months, for years. Ninety-nine times the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right." … Einstein
===

dying for you to read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au :-)
====
   

Small Gods / Terry Pratchett

Small Gods

(Discworld #13)

by Terry Pratchett

fantasy, humour

copyright 1992

re-read in March 2019

rated 9/10: really, really good

One of the best of the Discworld books... in my opinion... as of now. Perhaps other Discworld books will also strike me as the best ever ? Right now -- having read Small Gods for the third or fourth time -- I believe that it is really, really good.

Of course if unthinking belief in a specific religion is an essential part of your life... this book may cause you to question all of your beliefs. Or it may simply cause you to laugh out loud at the author's misunderstandings. The book is very harsh in its views on the more demanding religions.

At the same time, there is adventure. There is a lot of humour. Best of all -- there are good characters. The hero, in particular, is likeable. He thinks, eventually. He has some form of final success. (I never enjoy Rincewind's eternal losing. This character has a more positive destiny.)

Other characters are overdrawn -- as usual in Discworld. Some remind me of the style of Life of Brian. That's good :-) Some Discworld stalwarts appear but they are not yet completely and boringly defined. Pratchett has clearly defined Discworld, it is not yet typecast in stone.

It's all a lot of fun. It's a serious poke at religions which have lost their basic beliefs. It also points the finger of awareness at gods which have lost their humanity. The book is very funny. It's a great story with a very satisfying conclusion.

One of the best of the Discworld books.

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them." … Robert Jarvik

===

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au/ :-)