By Suburb

Sometimes in life, we have experiences that make us want to go and find the things that previously brought us joy and kick them in the shins for being so horrible by comparison. Eating breakfast at 8 Days Cafe is one of those things. Even now, hours later, I am curled up on the couch, crying at the inadequacy of all other areas of my life.

Cleverly named for its location on the corner, The Corner Store is not really a store at all, but a cafe cum restaurant that serves food. Which is lucky because obviously if it was a dress shop or a primary school I would have had a very challenging time indeed thinking of anything to say about the breakfast it serves.

The problem with Hobart is that people are quick to tell you there is nothing to do there. Well, I say ‘Bah!’ to those people. Bah! Scratch the surface and not only is there enough to do to keep you flat stick for at least a week (granted, you’ll need a car), but there is a surprising amount of cafes, restaurants, and bars, particularly in Salamanca and North Hobart (or NoHo, as I now know it).

Northcote is one of those places that blissfully avoids the gross generalisations that come with the hefty responsibility of being a suburb in Melbourne. It's not known for anything outlandish. There are no offensive buildings, no party bus tours, no infamous boy bands got their beginnings at the local town hall. It's just a nice place that people know about, but don't know about. Kind of like Penny Farthing Espresso.

Camberwell has long been a place of excitement and joy for me. In the early 2000s, I was drawn to its huge Sportsgirl and Chocolate Box. Now I go there to poke around the market and never turn right anywhere. And to eat breakfast, obviously, because Camberwell is making a serious run for Breakfast Suburb of the Year 2012. Or it would be, if that was an actual thing and not an award I just made up now.