There’s something about going out for breakfast that always makes me feel like I’ve stolen away for a little vacation.

I love getting up while most folks are still in bed, driving through early morning sunshine, and finding a just-right table angled perfectly for people watching.

That’s just what my friend and I did one morning in Australia. The sun was GLORIOUS, the skies brilliant blue with wonderful breezes blowing inland off the Gold Coast.

We secured a spot at Milan on Main, a splendid little Italian Cafe in Main Beach, Queensland, and ordered coffee. Delighting in the palm trees and tropical flowers blooming lusciously, we visited happily, content to chat and observe passers by before perusing the menu.

I started with a delectable cocktail of fruit juices: passion fruit, strawberry, mango and I know not what. It was wonderfully refreshing.

My friend and I happily plotted out our day as we sipped our drinks, choosing the beach we wanted to sun ourselves on and the park we wanted to hike through later that afternoon.

Soon our meals arrived and we eagerly tucked in.

My friend had a fluffy omelette stuffed with ham and cheese and served with buttery rye toast.

I had a smoked trout crepe filled to bursting with tender trout, spinach and tart feta cheese and topped with an avocado and tomato salsa. The proverbial cherry on top was a decadent balsamic reduction that both surprised and entranced me. We both agreed that the oh-so-rich reduction took our breakfasts from delicious to absolutely fantastic.

We lingered long over our meals and coffee, visiting contentedly as we savored every last morsel.

At last it was time to leave and begin our adventures on the sublime Gold Coast.

What is your favorite thing to eat when you go out for breakfast?