The Ink Shot archive
From 7 May 2012 until 7 December 2021 The Ink Shot was the blog of Marcus Baumgart, an itinerant café writer, designer of buildings, animal-lover and day-by-day battling creative. This blog celebrates the practice of writing in cafés, writing fiction and non-fiction and being creative in general.
Marcus struggles to motivate without the happy white noise of lively conversation and hissing espresso machines.
Another faraway cafe: Florence
Couldn't resist sharing this one. I did some sketching from this table, in the Piazza della Signoria, looking past the Palazzo Vecchio. Good times.
Cafés far away but close to my heart
Winter is coming to Melbourne, and the heart strays back to cafés I have known in far off places. This pasticceria is in Amalfi, just south of Positano, where i lingered for a short time. This shot was taken just as the proprietor was setting out the chairs in the piazza.
Why share this? Well, I was looking through my photos and just had the urge to share, as I am filled with longing - I do so wish I was there right now.
A new pen or two for 2014: Caran d'Ache
Ecridor Chevron Mini Ball Pen
I recently travelled to Hong Kong, where I was lucky enough to find a shop selling Caran d'Ache pens and pencils for 50% off the retail price. Of course, I helped myself to a new precious, an Ecridor Type 55 silver plated/rhodium coated ballpoint pen. Upon returning to Australia, having whetted my appetite for Caran d'Ache, I wandered down to Pen City on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne and followed up on my holiday purchase with a new Ecridor Chevron Mini Ball Pen (pictured). I bought this to use with a small leather-sleeved Rhodia notebook I purchased from a leather craft shop in Soho in Hong Kong. Travel may broaden the mind, but it also expands the hoard of treasures in the pencil case.