I admit it: I am highly addicted to going to cafes. Always have been. It comes with the territory. You see:

1) They’re such a great atmosphere to write in!

Cafes are the best place to go and tap away on your computer for an hour or two. I love to do both work in cafes and write personal bits. My faithful laptop often accompanies me (although at a healthy distance away from any liquids.)

What better place to soak up inspiration than amongst the chatter and life of your thriving, local cafe? Often, I have been inspired to write stories simply because of what happens when I’m at a cafe. It’s a legitimate form of “people watching”, something I love to do when travelling!

2) There’s yummy things around…

Such as the smell of freshly made coffee and exotic teas most people don’t stock in their kitchen cabinet.

I can never make coffee as frothy, as lovely as my local (good) cafe. In saying that, not all coffee is created equal and this is something that any coffee lover is well aware of.

3) You never know who you might chat to…

You often just bump into friends – old, close or acquitences you hardly know – or make new friends. To me, cafes are a highly inspiring atmosphere to just “soak” up life, to think, to write, to observe, to smell a cacophony of competing wafting smells, to eat and drink and be tempted by the cakes counter and just to revive in a new atmosphere.

4) Writers: for inspiration!

Cafes are a secret weapon of inspiration for me. There’s conversations happening all around you, so many dynamics and interesting things happening that it usually leads to leaving with some form of inspiration you didn’t have going there. That could come from something you read, something you eat or drink or observe. Or it could come in visual form, as was the case with me and Cafe Go.

I’ve been going to Cafe Go for years. I used to work only a five minute walk from it so – happily – that was my “local” haunt for coffees. I certainly never minded doing an office coffee run at Cafe Go.

I love the vibrant, busy atmosphere and really respect the amazing staff who are constantly just so busy but always give excellent customer service. The menu is ever changing and the choices experimental but always knocking it on the head.

I went there just last week with fellow Stories of Geelong editor and good friend Mari before she jetted overseas.

I love the style of this place and wanted to show you

Highly recommend visiting this cafe if you haven’t been.

On this visit, I was really drawn in by the eclectic style and direction of this long standing cafes.

For instance, I love this mirror and frames arrangements. Hanging empty frames look so cool and can also be so functional too!

And here’s another beautiful hanging frame. I love the contrast of a gold, gilded looking frame with a simple black clock face. This is found outside, in the shady courtyard area.

Speaking of courtyards, here’s the light filled but protected courtyard. It’s good to sit in all year round! (As I can testify.) Don’t you just love the smattering of vibrant red chairs around?

There are so many quirky little touches to this cafe but one I particularly adore is this terrarium.

After visiting Cafe Go (and admittedly being a regular for many years) I now have this idea that coffee shops and cafes should do more than just give us our caffeine fix, they should also inspire us…