Olivers Cafe Mooloolaba

For the first review I thought I would go to a coffee shop that I hadn’t tried yet. Maybe I should have waited.

Price: $4 for a large takeaway skinny cappuccino

Presentation: 3/5 – It had all the basics. Takeaway cup, chocolate on top, no mess on the sides. Didn’t rock my socks, but it was sufficient.

Atmosphere: 4/5 – Compared to the rest of the places on Mooloolaba, this one had a very low-key casual vibe about it. The music was maybe a little bit loud, as I had to repeat my order to the waitress (she didn’t hear me the first time). Bonus points for being a pet-friendly cafe; as a dog lover I definitely appreciated the gesture. Dogs are limited to sitting around the outside tables with their owners, but one of the staff members brought out a water bowl for a dog laying down, which I thought was pretty great. The seating area outside felt (and looked) a little bit chaotic though.

Service: 3/5 – Maybe a little harsh, and could be pushed up to 3.5. The waitress was nice, but she thought it was a good idea to refill the not-empty straw jar while making my coffee. Huh? But again, nothing to rock my socks off and it was sufficient service.

The taste: 1/5 – The most important part of the whole review, and what determined if I will be buying coffee there again. Put simply, I won’t. The waitress asked if I wanted any sugar (I have one teaspoon with my coffee), but when I got back to the office it was pretty clear she had forgotten to add any. The coffee was bitter, and I didn’t enjoy it. The proof was the fact that I found I had left almost half of my coffee in the cup when I looked at it an hour later in the office. There just wasn’t enough there to make me want to keep drinking it.

Overall score: 11/20

Oliver’s Cafe
Unit 116, 57 The Esplanade Esp, Mooloolaba

No related posts.

I decided I would share my hunt for the best coffee with you, and will be reviewing the various places around Mooloolaba. I should emphasise that I am in no means a coffee connoisseur; my experience is limited to “did it taste good – Y/N”. I will be also rating the atmosphere of the place, the service I get, the price and the presentation of the coffee. I’m a cappuccino lover, so there’s plenty of room there for great presentation. If I get handed something with milk dripping down the side, I’ll let you know. I’ll also be gushing if I get handed a coffee with various decorative pattens on the top. Also, all of my coffees will be takeaways, since I don’t really have the time to sit down and enjoy the coffee there; I need to get back to work!

If there’s anything else you think I should be including, please let me know. Otherwise, onwards with the reviews!

No related posts.

January

• Big Day Out
• My niece singing P!nk’s “So What” – SO cute!
• Australia Day at the beach with friends

February

• Review of my knee as it had been two months since the surgery

March

• First event working with Ravesafe, SoundWave
• Interesting article about Forensic Science in the court room

April

• Bought a new video camera in preparation for the USA trip
• Became impatient with the USA trip – I just wanted to go already!

May

• This entire month is just full of posts about the USA trip (with more to come as I finish blogging it all)

June

Completely blank – I didn’t realise I knew how to keep my mouth shut!!

July

• The ByePhone challenge, where I managed to go a week without my iPhone

August

• Went to Sydney for the City 2 Surf

September

• Reflected on a year passing since I had first injured my knee
• Climbed Mt Coolum
• Started a challenge with friends to lose weight (this challenge is continuing during 2010 too)
• Wrote a wish list for music at my funeral
• Got extremely angry at someone who will remain anonymous

October

• First round of the weight lost challenge was completed

November

Another month of silence!! I guess I was too busy working on my videos and blog posts from the US trip back in May.

December

• I won the second round of the weight loss challenge
• Saw Green Day at one of the best concerts ever
• Attended a fantastic staff Christmas Party in Sydney
• And to wind up the year, I got engaged to my boyfriend (now fiance) of 10 years

What a year! It felt like I did so much, and had a few stand out moments there. Bring on 2010!

No related posts.

The entire month I only wrote one post – a blog about my new years resolutions for 2008.

February

Midway through the month, I wrote about receiving an ipod Classic for my birthday, and how it indicated I was becoming more of a geek. Later, after a discussion with one of my TAFE teacher I began to see how I wanted my future to progress. Excited, I wrote a post about it. Looking back now I’ve already encountered a hurdle, but it will only serve to slow me down rather than change the path entirely.

At the very end of the month I wrote about discovering I suffered from mild scoliosis, and began receiving regular chiropractic treatments to alleviate my resulting neck problems caused by the curve in my spine.

March

A quiet month – I didn’t have a single blog entry.

April

The lack of attention to my blog continued throughout April, with only two posts. Excited about our trip to America, I wrote about everything I wanted to purchase prior to heading overseas. The second post was a carry on from the shopping list, with an analysis of what kind of luggage would be suitable. I should mention that up until buying a new luggage case this year, the only thing I had was a small bag with wheels my mum had given to me.

May

Only one post. Mat, Amy, Pauline and I headed into inner Brisbane to witness the Brisbane Zombie Walk, an annual event where people dress as zombies, walk the streets then party hard. Perhaps I’ll enter in the walk in 2009 instead of being a spectator!

June

No posts

July

Around this time Mat and I decided to join the gym. He lasted for about 4 sessions, while I continued going by myself. While exercising I would listen to my ipod, and people watch. I found it fascinating, and blogged about it accordingly. I also started scouting for a mini laptop to think about purchasing, and bought some new x-trainers. Around July, I really started getting into Twitter, and the daily spamming of my blog with my twitter updates began.

August

Continuing with my research into which mini laptop/netbook would be suitable for me, I decided I would try installing Ubuntu as a secondary OS on my work laptop. What an experience!! After a few months my laptop had problems logging into Ubuntu, so I uninstalled it and never got around to reinstalling it.

A few days later I wrote about being absolutely disgusted over the treatment of a 7 year old child, and my major news for the month, getting an iphone. August must have been the month for new things, because we also bought a new couch, completely filling the main room of our tiny unit in the process.

A few weeks later I got my iphone, and after loading the wordpress app immediately posted a blog entry, as well as testing the photo posting ability. The following day we lost our netball semi final, but thankfully got a second chance at making the grand final due to being second place on the ladder.

Later in the month, Mat and I headed up to Rainbow Beach for the day. We relaxed, had a picnic lunch, I did a bit of photography and we caught up with a friend. Being 8 months into the year, I posted an update to my new years resolutions, and to round up the month, I wrote about the corporate box seats to a QLD Roar match my sister scored, using my iphone to control the tivo, and playing in the Superleague Mixed B Grand Final.

September

The beginning of my health woes. I injured my knee, and met with a completely unprofessional doctor (who didn’t accurately diagnose the issue at all). Obviously bored and desperate for something to post, I wrote about my work computer’s desktop and the program/wallpaper etc I had implemented. Funnily enough, it still pretty much looks the same today give or take a few icons.

Becoming more and more in love with my iphone by the minute, I installed a program called “igotchi” (out of boredom and curiosity I would say), and posted a review. I can only assume I saw the following site on digg or twitter, but I also posted the world statistics of where the last name of “O’Brien” is most common.

From there, my blog tended to become all about my knee injury. By then I had met with another doctor who had promptly sent me for an MRI scan, for which I wrote an overview of everything that had happened with regards to my knee up to that date. It was after that scan I learnt I would be needing a knee reconstruction.

Finally something that wasn’t knee related, I wrote of some additions to my Aunty Sue’s vocabulary list. To explain, Aunty Sue tends to say a word that sounds similar to what she’s actually trying to say, with hilarious results. E.g. too-sami (Aunty Sue’s word) instead of tsunami.

To round up the month, I vented on my blog about being a hormonal female. I’m pretty sure a lot of women can relate to that feeling!

October

To start the month off, I wrote about a pending meeting with the surgeon to organise my knee reconstruction, included some links on what kind of operation I’d be having, and the exercises I had to do in the meantime to try and get some movement back into my knee.

For a change, and something that WASN’T about my knee, I wrote about a day out in Brisbane that Mat and I had. Given I’m from the Sunshine Coast I tend not to really like cities much, although that day I had to disagree. It ended up being quite fun!

Going back to my knee, I blogged my meeting with the surgeon, and the result of the past 4 weeks with the physio. I then turned to technology, and posted about the differences between mystar and the Tivo.

November

Starting off the month, I reflected on whether we as citizens lacked interest in Australian political music. After that, I went quiet for a while and left the blog to the daily twitter update/spam (I’ve discovered I tend to write a helluva lot on twitter during the day!!), then wrote about iGala and the ability to send friends pictures of your holiday over the web direct to a digital photo frame.

In the space of a few days I included a copy of an email I received from Football Federation Australia regarding an article stating the A-League was in crisis, and a video of an interview with Dave Grohl from 2001. I found that video seriously hilarious, and still laughing watching the video now.

It then got back down to business about my knee. My surgery date was set, and I began to research into the phases of recovery after ACL reconstructions. Finally, at the end of the month I began the countdown until the actual day of the operation (can you tell I was excited).

December

The final month of the year! It started with my pre-admission appointment, and the discovery that the doctor I’d complained about back in September had fronted the medical board for unprofessional conduct. Finally, I was admitted into hospital and had my knee reconstruction, keeping a diary in the process. From there, I documented daily about the first week of my recovery, including the pains and emotional turmoil I felt from being almost totally dependent on someone else (Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

Finally, the excitement about Christmas started began. I posted about finding (what I think it may be) the perfect present for my sister Amy, tormenting her by including a cryptic picture of the item in question (I still haven’t even had a chance to get the gift to her). A Christmas video popped up of some of my friends and family doing an elf dance, and I linked to some Australian Christmas Carols that I’d found in the itunes store.

The topics then returned to my knee, and health in general. I was pointed in the direction of a site where you could rate doctors, which I promptly used to post a negative review of the doctor I’d met who’d fronted the medical board, as well as a positive review for the doctor I’d had after that. It was also time for my 2nd week recovery review, including a picture of my new scars.

Finally, to round up the year I revisited my resolutions I’d made in January, finding I’d only managed to complete 5/10. Dismal!!

No related posts.

This is where I eat humble pie, I didn’t get all of them done.

The last thing I wrote about the list was about how easy it was going to be. If only I could take that back. It was a combination of overdoing it combined with laziness that let me down this year. But I actually thought I would be writing this post noting that I hadn’t achieved any of them, so I’m stoked to see that I have done some!

So without further ado, here is my review of my 2007 New Years Resolutions.

No. 1 – give up chocolate for one month – COMPLETED

This is something I would have actually expected to fail, but I tackled it over the hardest time of the year. Easter. It was a major struggle, and with people egging me on to break it it got even harder. But I shocked myself, and lasted the full 30 days. I wrote updates on day 11 and day 21 but looking back neglected to mention once the fast was over. From memory, I ate chocolate at 7am the next morning *grin*. I learnt a valuable lesson this year, that if I really put my mind to it I can accomplish anything. I love chocolate, and this was a huge task for me.

No. 2 – go to Adelaide – COMPLETED

This was pretty much a cheat one. When I wrote the resolution this trip was already planned, and flights booked. But hey, I did it! And I even ate a meat pie floaty – YUK. But I met a mate of mine from online, Joel, for the first time who showed me some of the sights of the main bit of Adelaide in the hour that we had between his uni and work. I then showed my sister the sites I had seen. I think it’s pretty evident that laziness was starting to set in when I wrote this AMAZING post about Adelaide.

No. 3 – re-enroll in TAFE – COMPLETED

This was another huge one for me. This year I re-enrolled in the Diploma of Justice at CSIT and got my 200 hours required to join the QLD Police Service. Next up is my first aid certificate, and a few other things, then I can join. But I am still looking at going to Uni first and getting my Bachelor of Applied Science with a major in forensics before joining the police service, since it will show my true passion and area of direction. I’ve been advised that if I get that before joining the police, they’ll recognise my prior study and look towards increasing it and paying for more tuition. Sounds great to me! 2009 will most likely be the year I’ll get stuck into the next phase of my education.

No. 4 – Lose 3kg – NOT COMPLETE

Yeah yeah, don’t really want to go into much depth here. Rather than lose weight, I put on. Hence towards the end of the year I have joined up with an official dieting regime, and have so far lost 1.5kg again. Next year not so sure I’ll make it a resolution, but it’s definately going to be something I’m focusing on. I have learnt this year that it’s my eating that is letting me down, since I play netball, do karate (only just started, it has replaced the personal training sessions we used to do) and walk my dog most mornings. Fitness isn’t an issue.

No 5. – Make a different meal with my George Foreman Roaster at least once per month – NOT COMPLETE

I gave this a bloody great shot. I made a different roast every month for the first 4 months, but then it just got difficult. I wasn’t cooking at home as much, and there was only limited selections at the grocery store so it wasn’t like I could make something “different” every month. But truly, I let myself down by first missing a month, then losing motivation with this one altogether. My lack of cooking at home was also a major contribution to the failure of resolution no. 4.

6. Get rid of one credit card - NOT COMPLETE

Still have the same number as last year, but this will all be sorted next year. This one is a keeper.

7. Get a spray tan – NOT COMPLETE 

Whoops, hadn’t really thought about this one to be honest. Will keep this one for next year, and make it a reward for myself when I finally kick all the kilos that I’m aiming to. 

8. Go on the Vomitron - COMPLETE 

Yep, did this one early on in the year. I posted my Youtube video of it, which has gained a small amount of attention. My favourite comments are “fake” (if I was going to fake a video it sure as hell would be better quality than that) and “This is by far the worst camera work ever seen on youtube” (that’s pretty damn hilarious). Over 28,000 views though – woah.

9. Go camping with Amy and Pauline – NOT COMPLETE

This one sort of goes into the “didn’t think of it, didn’t organise it and forgot about it” category. I think we asked them once but they already had plans that weekend, and I didn’t revisit it. Whoops.

10. Clean out our dresser drawers and throw out all clothes that I haven’t worn in ages, or have holes etc etc – COMPLETE

I did this back in May and it was really refreshing to get rid of so many clothes. 3 bags full, and Mat’s clothing copped it too. Except I seem to have gained some more clothes during the year. I think I need to toss them all and start again, it’s hard to find something that isn’t damaged in some way anymore. I need to become girly and actually enjoy shopping I think (yeah right, like that’s gonna happen).

11. Go to the dentist – NOT COMPLETE

This will be a repeat for next year, I really need to get this done. And while I was aware of it the whole year, I was too big a wuss.

12. Walk in the relay for life – NOT COMPLETE

I was sooo close. Started organising a team, just never got the fundraising under way and since you had to raise at least $100 per person by the time I was ready it was too late, it would have been far too hard. I don’t think I’ll do it next year, but I will still keep it in mind for years to come. I might ask mum if I can join her bank team and just participate rather than have to organise the whole team.

So 5/12 isn’t sooo bad, just under 50%. Next year I will be getting 100% again, I’m determined.

No related posts.