The Seagulls Are Circling... Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine!
the gibson
352 Stafford Road, Stafford, Brisbane, QLD 4053
Ph: (07) 3179 0900
Web: www.thegibson.com.au
'Out at Coffee'
7th September 2024
When ‘The Gibson’ was suggested as this week’s coffee venue, Stephen and I had no idea what to expect. After all, it’s a Sports Club and not the type of place a group of middle-aged gay guys would usually hang out for their caffeine fix. But spontaneity and adventure are the hallmarks of being ‘out at coffee!’, so we head over to Stafford on Brisbane’s northside.
From the outside, ‘The Gibson’ oozes colonial homestead and it’s an urban oasis behind the Stafford Shopping Centre. A white rainbow shaped sign arches over the pathway welcoming you to the club, and as you walk towards the entrance, lush, well-maintained lawns either side give some clue to its previous role as a bowls club. But as you walk through the redeveloped club’s doors, any link to the past is lost with clean, modern décor.
We meet Lee, Pete and our good friend Steve. We head out to the alfresco dining area, where we order coffee and share slices of strawberry cheesecake.
Steve ends up getting chocolate brownie after first considering Chicken Parmigiana as a breakfast option… clearly a sign his body clock is still shot from his latest long-haul flight to Paris as an airline steward.
Lee joined Steve as a passenger on that flight from Perth to the French capital, while Pete dog sat Coco at home.
Flying standby, Lee didn’t get a boarding pass until 30mins before take-off. It meant he had to run to the gate, while using his phone to book his travel insurance ... I can feel the stress just typing that sentence, but Lee is, after all, our multi-tasking travel organiser and he had it all under control!
The flight was the last before the Paralympics opening ceremony and they said the atmosphere on board was electric.
During their short stay in Paris, they explored Versailles Palace, the Eiffel Tower, and a gay themed restaurant with a very versatile menu… I can only imagine what the 'Soixante-neuf' option would look like on a plate!!
We always joke that Lee and Pete are the seagulls of our group. But this week Stephen was a serious contender for the title!
When the cheesecakes are served, it looks like artificial cream is on the side, but after further scrutiny, we realise it’s ice cream.
This minor detail causes our table to erupt into shrieks of excitement and everyone grabs a fork and starts to tuck in.
It’s like the famous scene in ‘Finding Nemo’, where a flock of hungry seagulls’ chase Nemo and Dory along the boardwalk screeching; mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!
When I look over to Lee, Pete, and Steve, all I can see is their heads bobbing up and down as they peck away at the cakes.
And as for Stephen, he’s so quick off his perch, he’s swooped in and devoured two thirds of our share slice in the time it’s taken me to grab my fork and blink. And all he can say is, ‘I can’t help myself! … I can’t help myself!’
The whole scenario is hilarious!
And the valuable lesson for me; despite what Stephen may say about our budget and not being bothered about eating, if I want a look in, I need to order two serves for us both to enjoy!
‘The Gibson’ is a great hub for the Stafford community and it was a welcoming space for us to catchup over coffee for; fun, friendship and laughter! … and good cheesecake with ice cream!
There’s no Coco this week to give us a timely bark to get going, but the urge for a second caffeine fix sees us all head back to Lee and Pete’s for another coffee round, more sweet treats and to give their pampered pooch a pat.
I love sharing our coffee escapades with you, so please help me share the joy of coffee and friendships. Like, follow and share the ‘Out at Coffee’ Facebook page. And if you have suggestions for a great coffee venue in or around Brisbane, please drop us a line via the Contact page, we’d love to add it to our caffeine calendar.
Allan
I'm proud to state that all content on this Blog is written by me and all photos are originals taken by our group.