So you’re fresh from your Christmas holidays with the crisp white pages of 2010 to unfold. Your desk is eerily vacant and suspended in time from the last joyous hours of 2009. You’re back into the daily grind till the cooling days of Autumn brings Easter (with more festivities). You also know what’ll help you along the days is coffee. Bitter, sweet, luscious and hot. And if you’re lucky enough to work in West Perth and be in need of the bean, there may be a little (coffee) house right up your alley (literally).

Pony Express O is a coffee house in reverse. Like me, you could be forgiven to think you’ve come through the rear, or heaven forbid, behind the bar. But you’d be wrong. If you’re trying to be smart and go on the other side of the bar, you’ll be faced with another expresso machine. Clearly the function of this coffee house is bring you to the steamy face of coffee. You get to see the extraction as clearly as the barista. This used to be the Ashton Stables, the building is now heritage listed. The space has been transformed. Art hangs from the walls, high airy ceilings upon to a faux-grassed lane-way under umbrellas. The only equine link is the rib-nudging name, Pony Express O. Get it. Hah Hah.

The brain-child of Garret of Blink in South Fremantle,  it carries some of those elements. Smart use of space, clear access to expresso machines, a funky coin payment system and above all else, fine coffee. Crema is his choice of bean. Get to know it. It’s the new Fiori. His attitude is casual, inquisitive and friendly. It’s a communal joint, where you’ll see regulars popping in, picking up conversations where they left off, and others lounging about reading books and eating their lunches. There is a bring-your-own-lunch policy here. Pony Express O plays its cards well, limited sweet pickings in favour of BYO. Bring your books too or read the paper, and use the foot massager. Yes that’s right. A foot massager.

Pony Express O

21 Mayfair Street West Perth

It was time again to brave the elements, don on your cold weather gear and grapple with artistic expression on the side of Perth buildings. V.30 saw the introduction of alphabet board inspired by fridge magnets and cool 3D modeling over cars and bikes kodus to Daniel. Just like fridge magnets you only have the 26 letters of which to play with, so you have to be a little creative. Aside from that again, we had curious onlookers this time mainly cleaners disposing garbage a few more random people and an overzelous security gurad. It’s kind of cool meeting new people projecting having only linked up in the virtual world of facebook or blogosphere.

All in all the night carried a sub polar chill (thanks to a strong easterly), so crowds kept to huddled circles jittering to keep warm. Those energetic enough provided the artistic inspiration, a few cool displays from randoms and well familiar faces. A pity, the site’s lighting was a little too dark so most photos are blurred, but some on tripods fared well. I could have used my newest lens addition (Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM) if only it wasn’t 1 day late. Till next projections, we’ll have to wait. A big thanks to Jerrem for facilitaing this event once again.