Kookaburra
noun - an Australian kingfisher, Dacelo gigas, having a loud, harsh cry that resembles laughter.
proper noun - An Aussie-American espresso bar and pie shop based in St. Augustine, FL.
I pride myself on being able to follow (and give) directions. In fact, back in the day, before GPS caused humankind en masse to lose their collective sense of direction, I was the prime navigator on all family car trips. Whether it was following the highlighted route on a AAA TripTik or unfurling a giant map from the passenger seat without blocking the driver’s view, no one plotted alternate routes to avoid construction and rush hour traffic than me. I was Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea, rolled into one. That is; until today.
My first planned stop today was the Nocatee location of Kookaburra Coffee. Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps all led me to the exact same place; the parking lot of Flagler Hospital. In small letters on the plaza entrance sign, I could see (written in a dramatic, hard to read font) Kookaburra Coffee. I was hoping this wouldn’t turn out to be like when you find a Starbuck’s within a department store. Yeah the sell coffee, but your options are limited, and they won’t let you use your rewards app. So I parked and walked into the main entrance of this version of Flagler Hospital and sure enough, Kookaburra Coffee had a suite number and everything. This was not looking good. Rather than use the lobby entrance, I pivoted on my right foot (with rhythmic precision I might add) pulled a 180 and walk back outside. I followed a concrete path around the outer edge of the building towards the general direction of the coffee shop. I rounded the corner to what was the side (could have been the back or alternate front) of the building and there was the Aussie-American Kookaburra Coffee. Now I could go back to my car, drive around, and park in a spot with a bird on it (apparently an artist’s rendition of a Kookaburra but confusingly similar to those Maternity or Parent with Young Child parking signs) before grabbing my backpack and walking in.
Once inside, I ordered a large drip coffee with a splash of cream and sat down to write. Based on the foot traffic and tables (inside and outside) filled with students and others with laptops and tablets, it appears, at first glance, that like any other coffee shop. Turns out that might not be the case. Apparently they sell some kind of Lunch Pies on top of you basic pastries. Options are Veggie Coconut Curry, Thai Chicken Chili, Traditional Meat Pie, and Shepherd’s Pie. Not exactly my cup of tea. I think I will stick to scones and muffins. I know this was a short post but the extra time it took to find the place put the kibosh on any further adventures. It was time to go home and play co-op Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order with my eldest daughter. Now that is what I call a win win.