Today was good despite my throbbing head. I took some of Lison’s French Doliprane, so hopefully I will be put out of my misery by the time I finish writing this post.

I did my “trial” at Clipper Cafe today. Went in around 10:30 and stayed til 3, and I’m supposed to go back to talk to my would-be manager around 6pm, which seems like a good sign. Like in my first ceramics class, they put me right to work. Of the three servers/floor staff working the front, one is the baristo and the other two simultaneously act as servers, food runners, and cashiers. I belong to the latter category. It’s all very fast-paced, but since the place is small, the system works out really well.

Clipper is unmatched in its “cool factor”. It may seem bold to assert since Glebe Point Road is lined with trendy cafes, but I believe Clipper is THE single coolest cafe around. My would-be coworkers, at least the ones I met today, are vintage-T-shirt-wearing twenty-somethings who work quickly and efficiently but remain cool and collected all the while. The front doors stay open, allowing sunlight to reflect off the white stucco and onto the unusual wall hangings, including a pair of full-sized bicycles and a blown-up photograph of kangaroo silhouettes in the mist. The kitchen, through two swinging doors behind the register/baristo stakeout, is essentially outside. I don’t know what they do when it rains.

The customers match the atmosphere. They come in wearing fashionably ripped skinny jeans with boots and red lipstick, asking for flat white coffees and mango-banana smoothies. Some are uni students, some are just Glebe residents. All are very polite and even though they don’t tip in this country, I can say I’ve picked up more than one empty dish with a “thank you” napkin carefully placed on top.

I would be getting $17 an hour (remember, no tips here in Australia). I would get to wear whatever I wanted to work. But most importantly, the coolest, bestest thing about this job is that I would get to eat the food for free. Today I sampled a smoothie and ciabatta panini. Should they hire me, I plan to get to know everything on the menu, if you know what I mean.

While we’re on the topic of food…Magdalena took the housemates of 3 Creek to the Polish restaurant on Glebe Point Road the other night. Lots of pierogis (maybe you know them as perogies?), sausage, sauerkraut, and bonding time. When we got back, Jake gave Vitor a haircut in the kitchen while the rest of us, admittedly tipsy, watched intently, hypnotized.

Casey came in Wednesday morning. I was surprised to see she had already gone on a run by the time I got back from class. She fought off her jetlag long enough for us to make it to the Opera House and eat gelato, and go into Newtown the next day for Thai, but not long enough for us to go out on the town. Oh well. She will be back.

I may have a cold, but at least the weather is improving. It’s been sunny and in the 60’s and I can see Spring just around the corner.