Questions and Answers with Dr Pat

Thanks Muscles for the invitation - here's my five cents worth:


1. What's your real name, do you have a nickname & how old are you?
My Real name is Patrick Sloane but my superhero name is Trico-matic Ecstatic Dreamweaver

2. Where were you born and where do you live now and how was that journey?
I was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and I moved to Melbourne to join the theatre - which I did successfully for a number of years, studying at St Martins Youth Arts Centre in South Yarra, and then studying theatre at La Trobe University - but it didnt pay the rent so I got into hospitality - working for five years at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne, then a further five years at the fabled Marchetti's Latin Restaurant - working my way up to Sommelier / Beverage manager - then I worked for Salvatore from St Ali fame for a couple of years as Sommelier / Operational Controller / Trouble Shooter - before opening my first cafe at Melbourne Uni in 2002 - and the rest they say is history... 

3. Describe your idea of relaxation for us...
Chillin out with the family, hanging with the kids, roasting some coffee, spending some man time drinking some beers and watching St Kilda lose at the footy once again...

4. What was the last moview you watched? And; what will be the next?
The English anti-terrorist movie, Cleanskins - super movie well acted, and great storyline - watched that one tonight

Next movie is likely to be nay of the super hero movies which are previewing shortly...

5. What do you do for a crust?
I own Foxy Brown Espresso Bar and Cafe in Northcote - we were recently listed in The Age Good Cafe Guide top 300 cafes and The Age Coffee Army top 100 coffee destinations...

6. How did you find Crema Coffee Forum?
Searching online and there it was!

7. Favourite musician/artist or two?
Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull - I'm sure there's more recent these are my stable favourites

8. With what fictional/historical character do you most identify?
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky - always seemed to be writing about himself and to my mind he's the greatest writer of all time - one day I'd like to emulate his eminence ...

9. Do you have any mottos, sayings, or quotes to live by?
Harden the @#$$ up! along with suck it up princess! - I think we just have to play with the cards that we're given and live with the results of our actions, whilst hopefully always thinking one step ahead

10. What has been the best advice you've been given regarding coffee?
I'd say its a quote from my Sommelier days - one of the country's pre-eminent wine importers and show judges once said to me that my palate and tasting experiences are as valid as anyone else's - and that I needed to 'back my palate'

11. How do you take your coffee?
Any way it comes - often as a latte or a flat white, often as an espresso or a pour-over coffee, or as a cold drip or stovetop, or from my Atomic which is something else entirely...

12. What made you take coffee a step further than most people you know?
Going to really great coffee places and realising that their coffee was better than what I could produce at the time - and also realising that my palate was developed enough to tell the difference, and by not being afraid to innovate and to lead by example until I got the desired result - combined with an uncompromising attitude that does not accept second best as a suitable result...

13. What