Caffeine hit

There is something incredibly comforting about morning rituals. I walk to my local cafe each morning (via the local shop to pick up the papers) and order the same skim cappuccino. I usually have the same cheerful chat with the barista and waitress before wandering back home to enjoy the cereal, coffee and a quick scan of the headlines. Newtown is full of cafes, and I have certainly done the rounds, but I really think Cafe ism is one of the best. The coffee is smooth and not bitter and the staff are warm and welcoming without being intrusive. It's the perfect local haunt and the ideal start to the day.

Gould-fingered

Just wandered into my local second-hand book store, Goulds, in King Street, Newtown, on the lookout for some vintage art books for my sister Wendy. Found some fabulous prints of Sisley and Turner (she's into landscapes). If you've never been to Goulds, you should. It's a wonderfully disorganised cavern of chaos with literary treasures waiting to be discovered. Just don't go there with a plan ... instead go expecting to discover something - a new author, an old favourite, or perhaps a 1960s Marxist classic - it's all there. Just not where you expect to find them. If there is a system, it's not one I have ever managed to decipher.

Floral tribute

As I journey into this world of blogging, it has occurred to me that it's important not to lose the personal touch even as you communicate with a wider audience. Hand-written notes, bunches of flowers and little thank-you presents mean even more in an age when everything is texted, or emailed, or Facebooked ...

I visit one of my clients, Flowers By Teresa, regularly and I love picking up a pretty bunch of flowers and taking it home for either me, my partner, or a close friend. I know it sounds a little corny, but really it's the simple old-fashioned gestures that still mean so much.