Koko Black take 2

I haven't been there in months, and then within weeks I've had two visits to Koko Black - believe me I'm not complaining!

This time I opted for the walnut brownie served with hot chocolate sauce and vanilla bean icecream.  The presentation at Koko Black is always gorgeous and as someone who eats first with their eyes, it is always a delight when such a plate is placed before me.  The brownie was rich, yet surprisingly crumbly, so the hot chocolate sauce was lovely with it.  In fact the hot chocolate sauce was delicious on the brownie, with the vanilla ice-cream or just by itself.  It is lucky we were with friends or I might have been tempted to lick out the little pot it came in, as it is I probably took a layer of china off with my spoon.

After the chocolate overload of our last visit, I decided to forgo the hot chocolate as a drink and instead chose a pot of tea.  It really was the perfect match for my brownie and meant I didn't end up in the same diabetic coma as last time.

We had been to a BBQ earlier in the day and S was stuffed so he just ordered a cappuccino.  However in true Koko Black style, even the coffee came with chocolate in the form of a small cup of chocolate shavings to scatter over the top.  He said it was delicious.

Koko Black is definitely not for every day, but it is the perfect place for leisurely indulgence with friends - the kind of indulgence that means I will be doing my power walks this week!

Koko Black

I went quite off chocolate for Easter.  I know, what terrible timing.  There was chocolate everywhere and for some reason I didn't feel like eating it.  Luckily I have my mojo back which meant I could really enjoy a visit to Koko Black for a catch up with a friend.

We were lucky enough to score the comfy couches (my only complaint with Koko Black is that due to its size there are very limited couches) and settled in for a great catch up.  I love that about Koko Black, you rarely feel rushed by the staff, even after you have finished your delicious treats, they continue to refill your water glass and make you feel welcome.  It is only if there is a line of people glaring at you to move that you really feel you must leave.

Diabetics and those on a diet, look away now because I chose the chocolate cake plate and while I offered it to the boys to taste, I ate pretty much all of it. 

A tiny intense chocolate cake, a swirl of velvety chocolate mousse and two shortbreads garnished with a swoosh of chocolate emblazoned with nuts.  The plate looks small, but  believe me, it is plenty!  Everything was delicious, the mousse was particularly delicious when piled on the shortbread - its silky texture contrasting with the crisp biscuit. 

Worried that I wasn't ingesting quite enough calories in one go, I washed it down with a hazelnut hot chocolate.  We sat, talked and ate.  It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon

You never know till you ask...

There is that old saying, you never know till you ask.  Well the last few weeks have certainly proved that to me.

As I've written about before, this October I'm organising a charity dance event, Rock your Frock to raise funds for ovarian cancer research.  I'm hoping it is going to be a great night, there will be plenty of good music, lots of dancing, I'm planning a fun activity or two, plus there is the chance that there will be men in dresses.  And you always know that the minute a man puts on a skirt, it is going to be a good night.

As the weeks have passed, the planning has gone on and it has started to come together.

However the most amazing thing has happened - free stuff has started rolling in.  I just asked people and the next thing I knew, I got the venue for free, the sound and lighting equipment for free, and all of a sudden it meant that every dollar that comes in the door can go straight to charity.

But the generosity that has really knocked my socks off has been the prizes, oh my goodness the prizes.  I was hoping to be able to gather a few prizes together so that I could have a raffle, or maybe even a silent auction.  I really hoped that some of the dance schools who were attending would donate a prize, and they sure did - at last count 4 dance schools have confirmed prizes and I think there might be one or two more still to come.  Spurred on I started asking around ... and then the prizes really started rolling in!

There is the gorgeous handbag, the flowers, the jewellery, chocolates from Koko Black, a massage, tickets to The Stomp, HP donated 2 (!!!) photo printers and an X-box!  To be honest, it is all slightly overwhelming and completely humbling.

A month out from the event, I'm getting so excited, surely with this much goodwill we are guaranteed a fantastic night.

If you are Canberra based, or will be in Canberra that weekend, do come along.  The details are:

Rock your Frock - the Frocktober Dance Party
Saturday 15 October 2011
7pm - late
German Harmonie Club, Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah
Cost $10, tickets at the door with all proceeds to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

Free Stuff

Do you know what is even better than ice-cream and a movie? FREE ice-cream and a FREE movie!

Today I've been truly spoilt. It started with the opening of a new gelato bar where they gave free scoops to everyone. I had a scoop of delicious blackberry gelato.

Then tonight, Mister M took me to Koko Black where he had a chocolate ice-cream martini and I had a blood orange sorbet martini. It was so very good. Deliciously sweet with the piquant edge of an orange, complemented by chocolate wafers. Mmmmm.

Then we headed to the movies with tickets Mister M's lovely girlfriend, Gorgeous A, had given us a few weeks ago as a surprise present. We saw "Wild Target" and it is fab. That brilliant dry, dark English humour had the whole cinema laughing aloud.

What a particularly excellent day, filled with freebies.

A special afternoon tea

People in Canberra and Melbourne will know Koko Black. It is a haven of chocolaty goodness. Filled with all sorts of wonderful concoctions made of chocolate (unlike the Lindt cafe they don't even try to pretend to serve savory food) set in elegant and comfortable surroundings.

It is a great location for a catch up, so much nicer than the ubiquitous "coffee". Today, I met up with my friend S. She was my early mentor and we have been friends ever since. Koko Black is our normal meeting place as both of us love the excuse for an indulgence.

The photo is my afternoon tea: hazelnut hot chocolate, silken chocolate and raspberry tart and a raspberry thing that was like whipped aerated raspberry coulis. I must admit it was much richer than I'm used to and I am feeling just slightly that I overdid it, but it sure was enjoyable to over-do!