New Release: Cafe Reflections Book
Café Reflections on Christchurch City
Cafes and Life in Christchurch CBD 1975 – 2011
What was life like in Christchurch’s Central City before the earthquake on 22 February 2011?
Deb Donnell has grown up and worked in the CBD for most of her life. On 4 September 1975 her parents bought Adcocks Jewellers in 281 High Street and changed the name to Donnell Jewellers. Some of Deb’s earliest memories are about the central city, coming into town to visit her father at work, or spending holidays helping her mother in the office.
Pre-Order Now for 2012 Release
In those early years, she has happy to be paid for the small jobs she did with 99 Flake ice creams from Woolworths or hand made chocolates from Mary Grays. As a teenager, her first official after school job was working as a sales assistant in their second store, Deyells Jewellers, located at 225B High Street.
After leaving school, Deb chose to pursue careers away from the jewellery industry, but always kept helping out in the family business in some capacity. Easy enough because most places she worked were either within the Central City, or within a short walking distance from it.
In 2005 Deb began to work full time in the jewellery store, and two years later, decided to record her memories and reflections on life in the city. She began to visit cafes in her lunch breaks and write.
These were always intended to be more of a guide book rather than a memoir. In 2010 Deb began to collate her café reflections and select the best of them for a printed publication. The Canterbury Earthquake on Donnell Jewellers’ 35th birthday gave her added incentive to carry her camera and photograph the streets of the CBD for the book.
On 22 February 2011, Deb’s beloved CBD community was destroyed at 12:51pm when the Christchurch Earthquake struck. Once out of immediate danger, and able to think about the impact of the devastating disaster on her years of hard work, Deb had a huge AHA! moment.
Her book had just become a important record of historical significance.
In the past few months, she has been revising the text, updating information on what has happened to the businesses, cafes and people that she has written about during her reflections. She has also had many memories triggered as she has networked with people who are also grieving for the community destroyed in February.
About The Book:
Café Reflections on Christchurch City
- This 200 page book is more than just a photo essay. It is a journey down memory lane. Take your time to read each reflection at your leisure.
- The 20 Café Reflections are intimate slices of Christchurch Central City life, interspersed with supporting photographs.
- Each Café Reflection is hand written at the cafe and has been revised and updated prior to publication.
- The cafe location serves as a trigger for memories about the area, including familiar people and businesses which are shared by many Cantabrians.
List of cafes that were writing venues:
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Coffee Culture, High Street
Madras Cafe & Books, Madras Street
- The Globe Cafe, High Street
- Devine Cafe, Cashel Street
- Cinnamon Cafe, Tuam Street
- Java Coffee House, Cnr Lichfield & High Street
- Muffin Break – The Crossing
- Contemporary Lounge, Ballantynes
- In Italia, Guttery Centre, Cashel Mall
- The Daily Grind, Cashel Mall (above The Bog Irish Bar and beside The Vault)
- Bangalore Polo Club, The Strip, Oxford Terrace
- Coffee Corner, The Arts Centre
- The Coffee Smiths, Durham Street
- Bean Scene, Armagh Street
- Coffee-Lovers Cafe, New Regent Street
- Seasons, Cathedral Junction
- Cathedral Cafe, ChristChurch Cathedral
- Mancinis on Hereford
- The Boardroom, Hereford Street
- Coffee Culture, High Street
- Coffee Club, Hereford Street
ISBN 978-0-9582780-1-0
Published by Keswin Publishing Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand
RRP NZ$49.95
A portion of the profits will be donated to an earthquake charity.
To read a small sample from the book, click HERE.
Pre-Order The Book Now
Pre-Order Now for 2012 Release
As at 20 November 2011, Café Reflections on Christchurch City: Cafes and Life in Christchurch CBD 1975-2011 is going through final edit. It will go to print in early 2012 and be released soon after.
Because this is being produced by a Christchurch CBD publishing company that has been severely impacted by the earthquake, we would appreciate your committed pre-order, with a NZ$20 deposit. This will help us to pay for the printing costs and get this book released.
To register your commitment to purchasing a copy, please fill out the form below, or send your contact details to:
Keswin Publishing Ltd
P O Box 21-138
Edgeware
Christchurch 8143
When you fill out the form below, you will be given the option to help assist with printing costs, by paying a $20 deposit. This will definitely secure your copy. We do appreciate your commitment and financial support at this pre-launch stage.
Thanks!
Deb Donnell
Author
Café Reflections on Christchurch City: Cafes and Life in Christchurch CBD 1975-2011
Please note that the deposit of NZ$20 is optional.
However, this will ensure that you get a copy from the first print run, release date early 2012.
Details on how to pay the deposit online will be sent after you click the “Sign Up” Button.
Deb Donnell and Keswin Publishing Ltd appreciate your support with helping bring this book into printed form for your offline enjoyment.
