Last week was one of the busiest of the year as I was in KZN from Wednesday covering the Loeries. We also celebrated our 12th anniversary with high tea at the Oyster Box before heading home on Tuesday this week. It’s a bumper edition packed with pics so get that scrolling finger ready…
Wednesday, 21 August 2019: Slow Lounge CT, Spur meal in KZN
Slow lounging, Cape Town! The top pic of macarons and the Mango plane are from Husband’s trip to join me once the Loeries were over on Sunday, the bottom two on the left were my snaps from my Wednesday morning flight.Durban, check! Following a morning flight, I landed in the KZN heat with my colleague Angie. See the view from out hotel room at the Garden Court South Beach, as well as my strawberry milkshake and cheddamelt schnitzel special in the Spur downstairs, to start our stay on the right note.
Thursday, 22 August 2019: Loeries Masterclasses at the Durban ICC
Keeping it classy at the Masterclasses! Our Loeries fun always starts with the morning and afternoon masterclasses held at the Durban ICC. Click here to read my overview of the Game/Dion Wired ‘What do CMOs really want’ morning masterclass and here for my overview of the UN Women-Dove afternoon masterclass.
Friday, 23 August 2019: DStv Seminar of Creativity, first Loeries award night
Some of my Friday highlights included the view from our hotel room, on the 15th floor of the hotel, as well as Manuel Borde’s presentation at the Loeries’ DStv Seminar of Creativity, and bumping into Loeries CEO Andrew Human. Click here to read my overview of Borde’s presentation in full, here for more on Africans being creative sharks and here for more on checking stereotypes in the industry.Scenes from the Friday night Loeries ceremony, as well as the cheddamelt schnitzel meal we shared on Saturday, with a Bar-One shake each.
Saturday, 24 August 2019: Annual Brand SA brunch, second Loeries award night
Saturday started off with the annual Brand South Africa brunch at California Dreaming. See my strong cappuccino and the pool outside our hotel room.Looking windswept but happy at the Brand SA brunch at California Dreaming.A few social pics from the Brand SA brunch, networking with the industry before the second awards night…Red carpeting! See our outfits from Friday night at the Loeries at the Durban ICC in the top row and Saturday night on the bottom row.
Sunday, 25 August 2019: 12th wedding anniversary at the Oyster Box Hotel
Thank you, Oyster Box! Having seen off Angie and welcomed Husband at the airport, we were shuttled to the Oyster Box Hotel, where stayed in the King Willow Suite and walked in to find a special anniversary balloon and plate of sweet treats to celebrate.Hello, Oyster Box! See duckies on the lawn, us as snapped in the lift, the below-ground private dining area and Skabenga saying ‘hi’.Some of the lovely Oyster Box scenery, from the spiral staircase to the movie theatre.Our B Harmonised massage in the Spa at the Oyster Box is one of the best I’ve had, as it didn’t leave me feeling sore and knotted the next day. See Husband relaxing in the indoor jacuzzi as well as my flute of fizz, the hammam steam room and a private ‘relax space’ for two. All the words are coming to my full review on Bizcommunity soon…In my happy place, having a coffee and soaking up the view post-massage on the balcony of our Oyster Box Hotel suite.We strolled along the Umhlanga Promenade to take in that golden stretch of sand.Happy anniversary to us! We were delighted to find a table at La Spiagga a little further down the main promenade that night. See my Kahlua coffee shake, Husband’s glass of red, and the gnocchi piccante we wolfed down.Oyster Box bliss! See the main pool all lit up at night, and view of the ‘hidden’ pool’ outside the Spa.
Monday, 26 August 2019: High tea at the Oyster Box Hotel
Our first-morning pickings from the Oyster Box Hotel’s breakfast buffet featured oysters and salmon for him, as well as bircher muesli, chocolate milk and a waffle with all the toppings for me.The CL2 cocktail (coconut milk, lavender and litchi) with stunning striped sea and sky beyond, as well as iconic red-and-white lighthouse and Oyster Box Hotel striped pool umbrellas. Love!High tea is served! See some of the tea options, as well as stacks of savouries for those with a little less of a sweet tooth than me.See blue macarons, our reserved table and some of the delicious cakes – there was even a sushi station for Husband to feast from.Husband, caught sipping tea with pinkie finger extended.Pool time! After we’d had a nap to digest some of that delicious high tea, we spent time at the main pool. It was bliss!Swimming in the main pool at sunset was pure magic.Husband ended our anniversary with a cigar and brandy in the Chukka Bar downstairs at the Oyster Box Hotel. We laughed at the ‘rules of the inn’!
Tuesday, 27 August 2019: King Shaka Slow Lounge
Oyster Box breakfast, take two. For me, a strong cappuccino, mini pastries and delicious single egg benedict. Husband ended up with a proper cooked breakfast this time, including bacon and even curry.Vehicles seen in and around the Oyster Box Hotel – the Merc top-left served as our shuttle from the airport to the hotel.Once we’d checked out of the Oyster Box Hotel (sob), we took another walk along the pier and main promenade in Umhlanga.King Shaka Slow Lounging! Once we had checked in our bags for our flight home, we made our way to the Slow Lounge in King Shaka airport. See some of the lovely snacks on offer.Home time! See us on the plane home, as well as THE view out the window and Husband’s view when he stepped into the cockpit to chat to the flight crew after we’d safely landed.
That’s all, folks! Here’s to a warm and restful week ahead. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our meals, spa treatment and accommodation at the Oyster Box Hotel were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
This past week has been busier than usual as I’ve been in Durban covering the Loeries Awards for work since Wednesday. But lots happened before then…
Friday, 16 August 2019: Bus station walkies
When I got off the bus from work last Friday, all the male members of the household were at the MyCiti station to greet me. Bertie was a very good boy on his walkies while Bassie stayed home with her granny.He (Bertie, not Hubcap) stopped to sniff at things and rustle in the shrubbery along the walkway, but didn’t bark at anyone or anything – a different doggie to the shouter on car trips!
Saturday, 17 August 2019: Roadtrip to Paarl, to Eat at Perdeberg
We breakfasted at Reload, Flamingo Vlei on Saturday and sampled their ‘breakfast bun’ special. Husband had a flat white with his, I went for the peppermint-choc latte.We had an open road on our way to Paarl to review the winter ‘chef’s special trio’ at the new ‘Eat at Perdeberg’ restaurant.It was perfect weather for sitting outside, so sit outside we did. See the main Perdeberg Cellar building, as well as their grape juice bottles, my strawberry shake and the wines Husband sampled.Some of the deliciousness of Eat at Perdeberg – see the bobotie springrolls, served samoosa-style with the most delicious homemade chilli, tomato, coriander and ginger jam; the braai boxes for two; their strawberry shake, the chef’s trio special of oxtail, venson pie and chicken curry with veg and chips on the side; and Husband’s glass of red. Read all the words in my review on Bizcommunity!Husband looking pleased with the lay of the land at our Eat @ Perdeberg table.We passed such pretty scenery on our way home from Eat at Perdeberg – field of sunny yellow canola, cows grazing and more.Later that afternoon we visited the beach. We called these pics ‘calm before the storm’ – see the waves crashing on the rocks in the background! Husband also had his customary weekend dip in the sea.By Saturday evening we were a little peckish again so see the Otomi (chilli con carne, coriander, spiced yoghurt) pizza we shared at Col’cacchio, Seaside Village. Also see the sunset over the sea.
Sunday, 18 August 2019: Bica brekkie, Burger King lupper and sleepy dogs
Breakfast is served! This is what we ordered from Cafe Bica in Bayside Mall on Sunday morning. See Hubcap’s chorizo-egg croissant, as well as my banana pancakes and one of our flat whites.Hubcap and baby dogs napping in various spots around the house.Mum was a little under-the-weather on Sunday, so we opted for Burger King takeaways for lupper. See our extra-long chilli cheese burgers and cans of ‘coffee Coke’.
Tuesday, 20 August 2019: Tribe coffee break, family dinner at Rocomama’s
I met Husband for a quick coffee at Tribe, across the road from my offices on Tuesday. See our nice strong flat whites.Gords was in town for the night on Tuesday, so we dined at Rocomama’s. Spec also drove through for the ‘family dins’.Hubcap and Dad enjoying themselves at Rocomama’s.
That’s all, folks! Watch for my ‘Loeries pics’ update this coming Friday and click here to recap my full Eat at Perdeberg review on Bizcommunity. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our meals at Eat at Perdeberg were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
Last weekend we had many foodie celebrations as we celebrated both my parents’ birthdays, as you’ll see from the pics below…
Thursday, 8 August 2019: Winter high tea at the Table Bay Hotel
We were invited to review the new winter high tea menu at the Table Bay Hotel, so ventured off to the V&A Waterfront after work was done for the day on Thursday. See lots of happy faces and lovely sights.High tea, served in style! See our flutes of bubbly and scones and savouries, all this before we visited the main buffet table!Tea is served! After sniffing away at lovely scented options I had a pot of the Pink Flamingo tea. Also see some fruity surprise treats – read all the words of my review on Bizcommunity to find out what they really are!Seal mascots and a further course of tea-time treats meant we left with even bigger smiles on our faces. Highly recommended.
Friday, 9 August 2019: Women’s Day breakfast at Wimpy
Last Friday was the Women’s Day public holiday so we made full use of the opportunity to sleep in late and brunch at Wimpy. See my Bar-One waffle with regular Wimpy coffee, as well as Husband’s streaky bacon breakfast.After a day of napping and reading, we ventured out for lupper at Colala in Table View, See Husband’s chicken kadai curry and my sweet-and-sour chicken.Sweet doglets snuggling up to their dad that evening.
Saturday, 10 August 2019: Hart Bakery breakfast, Dad’s 69th birthday lupper at Yo Eastern Fusion
Breakfast is served! We started the official weekend with breakfast at The Hart in Melkbos. See Husband’s large cappuccino and chorizo rosti, as well as my single cappuccino and single bacon benedict.We ventured out for a coffee-time treat later that afternoon, as Husband spotted a new addition on the Entertainer app: ‘Simple Bru Coffee’ in Reef Surf shop, just off Marine Circle. He had a flat white while I enjoyed the vanilla latte, both served with bite of rusk.Happy birthday to you! Saturday was Dad’s birthday, so we went for a joint early dins at Yo Eastern Fusion to celebrate. See various cocktails, happy faces and foodies.Some of the deliciousness – Mum’s Tom Yum soup, my satay chicken and chocolate spring rolls, and assorted cocktails, from left to right in the upper-right photo: Call me A Cab, Blue Hawaii, Mermaid’s Orgasm and Pina Colada.More scenes from our Saturday feast – cocktail happiness; Dad’s sweet-and-sour prawns top-right; Mum’s assorted appetizer starter of crumbed mushrooms, crunchy calamari, chicken satay and vegetable spring rolls; and Husband’s seafood fried noodles.What’s a birthday celebration without cake?! We popped in at Woolworths for this yummy white chocolate, caramel fudge cake and munched away at sunset at home.
Sunday, 11 August 2019: Breakfast at On the Rocks, Hout Bay roadtrip
We treated ourselves to breakfast at On the Rocks on Sunday. See the chandelier glowing brightly as well as Husband’s ‘Jonkershuijs’ breakfast bottom-left, full of pork belly, avo and poached egg, as well as my Hash bowl packed with potatoes, asparagus and poached eggs.The takeaway coffee hatch next to On the Rocks is also a lovely spot to explore.Winter in Table View, as personified by this scene outside the Ons Huisie parking lot.Next stop, Hout Bay! The weather was a tad chilly but just right for a road trip. I thoroughly enjoyed my slap chips with tartare sauce from Mariner’s Wharf and we walked around looking at the seals and gulls.I was still full from my slap chip session so stuck with a cappuccino while Husband sampled the seafood curry at the Mariner’s Wharf restaurant upstairs. The slogan in the window frame says, “Our windows are cleaned regularly. If dirty, curse the seagulls or blame the weather.”
Tuesday, 13 August 2019: Mum’s 65th birthday dins at Petisco’s
Happy birthday to you! Tuesday was Mum’s birthday so we celebrated at a local favourite after work – Petiscos. See my Lindt chocolate Flake shake, as well as Husband’leaning in’ for the photo bottom-left, Dad’s full chicken cafreal bottom-right, and Mum’s birthday surprise shooter with a sparkler. The whole restaurant sang to her!
That’s all, folks! Tune in for next week’s update a day later than usual, as I’ll be in Durban covering the Loeries in the usual Friday blogging slot.
Click here to recap my full Table Bay high tea review on Bizcommunity and here for the SodaStream coverage I mentioned last week. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our high teas at the Table Bay Hotel were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
This past week was filled with work fun and lots of family time, as you’ll see from the pics below…
Thursday, 1 August 2019: Sampling Cavalli’s winter menu and Cremello white blend
I attended a media lunch to celebrate Cavalli’s Cremello white blend wine on Thursday afternoon. Views as seen from the deck at Cavalli. It’s gorgeous!Some of the delicious food. See my enormous bowl of cauliflower chive risotto topped with a parmesan crisp top-left, starter tortellini served with vichysoisse, pumpkin seeds and tomato ragu top-right, the springbok loin was another win, paired with fermented garlic mash, bok choi and celeriac puree with the Warlord red wine in the middle, and a selection of dessert friandes on the bottom. Yum!Liquid refreshment on offer at Cavalli…Some of the lovely sights at Cavalli, which means ‘horse’ in Italian.This is a cremello (blonde) horse. Fancy Boy lives in the stables at Cavalli and celebrated his 13th birthday on the day of our visit!
Friday, 2 August 2019: Silly sleepy dog
Teehee. Bertie sitting and sleeping in funny positions on Friday evening, after tiring himself out yapping and snapping at the garden sprinklers. See his completely vertical back leg and wide-open eyes yet fast-asleep face.
Saturday, 3 August 2019: Good Thyme Cafe brek, braai at Husband’s parents
We breakfasted at the new Good Thyme Cafe at Stodels in Milnerton on Saturday morning. See my apple-cinnamon oats and Husband’s spicy chorizo potato rosti with an extra egg, lots of rocket and Sriracha Hollandaise sauce.We’d not braaied at Husband’s parents house in a while, so that’s where we were on Saturday afternoon. See some of the food and Bassie exploring the garden in one of her warm jerseys.Precious doglets at their other Granny-Grampa’s house that evening.Tabasco was unimpressed that this bag of movie popcorn shared her name.
Sunday, 4 August 2019: News Cafe brek, Flamingo Vlei dog walkies
We breakfasted at News Cafe, Marine Circle on Sunday morning and were in time for the earlybird English breakfast special.We stopped at Bread and Butter for a quick cafe mocha while running weekend errands that afternoon.We also stopped at Driftwood Cafe for a late-lunch on Sunday. See my pink strawberry shake and toasted chicken mayo, as well as Husband’s Castle Lite draught with the chicken curry special.Scenes from our walkies with the doggies around Flamingo Vlei last Sunday afternoon. Love the one bottom-right of Bassie saying ‘Come Mom, it’s this way.”Picture perfect view of the Vlei, about 1.5km’s walk from home.Two exhausted doglets snuggled on various couches post-walkies.
Tuesday, 6 August 2019: Panarotti’s pizza special post-work
Tuesday night is the pasta and pizza special at Panarotti’s, so we ventured forth after work that evening. In addition to the pizzas, see all the milkshakes! That’s a Bar-One shake for me, lime for Dad, banana for Husband and a Sprite Zero for Mum.
Wednesday, 7 August 2019: SodaStream’s City Sightseeing red bus tour
After briefly checking in at the office on Wednesday morning, I dashed to Tasha’s at the V&A Waterfront, where I was meeting a media group for our morning excursion. See my steaming-hot blueberry muffin (they’re not on the menu, just ask!)City Sightseeing bus tour, anyone? This was another media event, for the launch of SodaStream’s new sustaianle bottles – we also sampled their non-alcoholic pina colada and pink mojito flavours. More on Bizcommunity soon!A bunch of the attendees posing on top of Signal Hill in the freezing wind.Signal Hill, as seen from the SodaStream Red Bus tour, for the launch of their new sustainable bottles.Look at that view! Cape Town, as seen from Signal Hill on the City Sightseeing red bus tour.
That’s all, folks! Click here to recap my full Cavalli review on Bizcommunity and watch for my SodaStream coverage soon. We hope you’re having a wonderfully restful long weekend. 🙂
*Disclaimer: My meal at Cavalli and City Sightseeing red bus tour were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
This past weekend we ate winter-warming food and tried to fit in a spot of relaxing, as you’ll see from the pics below…
Saturday, 13 July 2019: Ou Meul Bakkery brekkie and Balducci lupper
We started our weekend with breakfast at Ou Meul Bakkery in Willowbridge last Saturday. See my red-velvet latte.See our breakfast bowls and happy faces.Bright bunches of wild flowers on display in the eating area of the Willowbridge market.Our sun-dappled garden that afternoon. Not seen: Bertie running around like a wild thing trying to bite the sprinklers and becoming sopping wet in the process!We were invited to review the new winter lunch specials at Balducci’s in the V&A Waterfront that afternoon. See my Amarula Colada shake and Husband’s salt-and-pepper squid starter.For mains, we went for the gnocchi carbonara and lamb shank respectively. Click here for my full, wordy review on Bizcommunity.We were full to the gills by then, but couldn’t pass on dessert. See my ‘white Lindt chocolate’ cheesecake slice, and Husband’s ‘white Nile chocolate martini’.As seen during our post-meal walkies around the Waterfront. Note Husband’s one-leg-up ‘pirate pose’ as we stood near the pirate ship.Palm trees at Woodbridge Island at sunset, as seen on our way home that evening, always make for a pretty photo.Table Mountain standing guard in the background.Low-flying birdies over the water at sunset, just past Dolphin Beach.
Sunday, 14 July 2019: Breakfast at Kauai, Eden on the Bay
We met Husband’s parents for breakfast at Kauai in Eden on the Bay on Sunday morning. Chilly air meant long sleeves and scarves all round…
Tuesday, 16 July 2019: R59 pizzas at Panarotti’s
When I got home from work on Tuesday, Mum quickly whipped up a batch of crumpets and served them piping hot, with syrup and coffee. Yum!On Tuesday night we ventured out to Panarotti’s at Table Bay Mall for their R59 pizza special. See our four different pizzas here as well as a Belgian waffle to end the meal.Dad and me, enjoying our Amarula hot chocolate and Nutella mikshake accordingly.
Wednesday, 17 July 2019: Briyani and doggy jerseys
Wednesday was another cold one, as you can see here, with Bassie wearing her jersey. It was a briyani dins night, with flavoured milk to ease some of the burn.
Thursday, 18 July 2019: Bizcommunity’s 67 minutes for Mandela Day CSI outreach at Manenberg Primary School
A bit of rain didn’t stop the team’s 67 Minutes for Mandela Day activities. We delivered sweet treats and bookmarks to all the kiddies of Manenberg Primary School, and read to 70 learners from the grade 1 and 2 classes. Also see the pretty birdie painted on one of the exterior classroom walls, and our quick team pizza lunch at Ashley’s Family Restaurant post-event. Team pics snapped by Gail and Bardo.
That’s all, folks! Click here to recap my Balducci review on Bizcommunity. We hope you have a warm, restful weekend ahead.
*Disclaimer: Our meal at Balducci was part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
This past week has been another busy one packed with events and delicious food, as you’ll see from the snaps below…
Thursday, 20 June 2019: Kantar’s ‘Innovation for Growth’ workshop
Last Thursday, I attended Kantar’s ‘Innovation for Growth’ workshop, at their photogenic offices on the Foreshore. Click here for a reminder of my event overview article.
Friday, 21 June 2019: Orange sky before the storm
A line of orange clouds last Friday, before an enormous storm that evening.Cold weather means lots of cold doggies snuggling up under blankies. And watching the rain from between the curtains.
Saturday, 22 June 2019: Munching at Trecastelli and Colala on Marine Circle
See our breakfast at Trecastelli on Marine Circle last Saturday morning. Flat whites and the cooked breakfast for Husband (it’s not on the menu but quite a popular choice), while I had the cappuccino-croissant special.I was in dire need of a coffee refill when we were at the Mall later that afternoon. Nothing a R10 dirty chai latte from Xpresso can’t fix!On Saturday afternoon we popped into Colala on Marine Circle for an early dins – they serve Asian fusion food, so you can have sushi and a creamy curry like Husband, or chicken cashew nut with egg fried rice like me. They also serve milkshakes like this caramel one, yay and bonus, they’re on the Entertainer app – we’ll be back!
Sunday, 23 June 2019: Reload Leadville breakfast
Sunday was a ‘Reload Leadville’ kind of morning, so we popped in for breakfast. See my mashed avo bagel and peppermint-choc latte, as well as Husband’s ‘trim’ mince, cheese and onion omelette. We also gret numerous happy doggies having walkies with their owners.Coffee on our pretty new coffee side table.Homemade creme caramel for dessert at Mum’s on Sunday. Yum!Sweet, sleepy doglets as seen throughout the week.
Wednesday, 26 June 2019: Pasta Ripiena master class at 95@Parks
On Wednesday, I attended a ‘pasta ripiena’ master class at 95 at Parks, where chef Giorgio Nava shared tips and techniques to make his legendary stuffed pasta dishes. Mum came along too! See her with chef Nava, as well as the delightful setting.I also had my pic snapped with Chef Nava, of course! See the delicious cheese we snacked on, the cosy setting, our first course of spinach and butternut ravioli, and the deep-fried Pasta Montenara.The master class in action! Chef Giorgio Nava, with his two ‘helpers’, Giovanna and Jonas. All three showed us various aspects of the filled pasta creation process.See the pasta ripiena menu, on offer until end-July, as well as the pea-and-ham cappelletti, pineapple sorbet (this is the answer to where pineapple belongs in the Italian kitchen – certainly not on pizza). Also see our espresso and cappuccino to end the meal. Click here for my official review on Biz, as well as to download Chef Nava’s pasta recipes from the master class!
Thursday, 27 June 2019: Surprise 50th office birthday party
We surprised our CEO with a birthday party a day early on Thursday. See some of the decorations and snacks.Happy birthday! See Andre in white, just to the left of the gold ’50’ balloons, with the rest of team Biz gathered around.We had pots of delicious Thai curry and rice, as well as stacks of sweet treats – always doughnuts for Andre – to celebrate.
That’s all folks! I’m taking a few days’ leave next week for a ‘digital detox’ of sorts, see you for next Friday’s update. 🙂
Last weekend we were treated to a winter stay at Abalone House, Paternoster. Reuben’s is no longer the on-site restaurant, but our meals were just as good – if not better – than on our last visit…
Friday, 31 May 2019: Creative Mornings Cape Town at AAA School
I started my Friday at the May 2019 edition of Creative Mornings Cape Town, featuring Ashley Dowds. See the delicious coffee and doughnut treat, and watch for my overview of his talk on Bizcommunity next week!
Saturday, 1 June 2019: Roadtrip to Abalone House, Paternoster
We started our weekend with breakfast at Woolworth’s in Table Bay Mall. See my croissant French toast and vanilla-cinnamon cappuccino, as well as Husband’s enormous chilli egg omelette.Our misty, 100-minute roadtrip was enjoyable, bar three ‘stop-go’ sections, but we were happy to see our destination at the curve of the road – the always-lovely Abalone House, Paternoster.Nothing warms the cockles of the heart more than sitting in a little bit of wintery sunshine, with welcome drinks on the deck. Lovely flutes of bubbly!Spot the husband amongst the Tretchikoffs! He’s printed a few of these over his career as it’s a popular choice in the local design industry, so had to snap a few pics.Abalone House just shouts ‘Winter comfort’ to me – probably because of all the fireplaces, well-stocked bookshelves and cute in-room rubber duckies! Also see the gorgeous but laughably cold pool – we’ll have to return in Summer to try it out.We noticed signs for the Crayfish Wharf for the first time on this visit to Paternoster, so drove down to explore. It’s a lovely spot when the mist lifts!To the beach! The weather seemed to be getting worse, so we took a chance in walking down to the beach. It was too misty for more than a few quick snaps, so we hurried back to Abalone House to jump into the Jacuzzi.Teehee! I call this ‘the cat of Paternoster’. This kitty in the window watched us on our way to and from the beach.Also meet the kitties of Abalone House! Chelsea rushed over to greet us and even Toffee gave a meow of remembrance once we entered our room – the exact same one as last time. The kitties loved the under-carpet heating!You’ll find me in the Jacuzzi… The rooftop Jacuzzi seemed to heat up much faster than on our previous visit, so we spent much of our afternoon there, gazing across the bay when the mist allowed. Also see Husband having a final steamy dip after dinner in the bottom-left pic.Dinner is served! See the excitement on my face at the delicious, fresh rolls that appeared while we were deciding on our orders from the menu. We each went with a starter and main from the menu for the night: The ‘three-cheese soup with bacon and red pepper’ for me, and crispy pork belly with spicy croquet and pineapple chutney, ginger-infused honey jus as my main, while Husband enjoyed the chili-salt squid starter with crisp paper vegetable salad, lime mayo and nuac cham starter followed by the char-grilled fillet mignon with cauliflower puree, baby carrots, potato fondant and green peppercorn emulsion. A truly delicious meal, my only disappointment was the firm shake of the head response when I asked about milkshakes, as I had a delicious strawberry one last time – oh well, the #MilkshakeQueen will return!The best of our ‘gown shots’ from this stay.
Sunday, 2 June 2019: Morning massages and breakfast buffets
Breakfast’s the best meal of the day, especially if you have yours at Abalone House! See the buffet table spread, Bloody Mary station, where guests are encouraged to fix their own, Terbodore cappuccinos and our Eggs Benedicts – parma ham for me, salmon for Husband. Yum!Husband heading off to the Spa building for his 30-minute Majestic Awakening head-neck-and-shoulders massage.Another gorgeous Tretchikoff inside the Spa building. I paged through magazines and enjoyed the citrussy scents while waiting for Husband as he enjoyed our complimentary massage. I’d been struggling with a pinched nerve in my shoulder that week so didn’t want to risk further pain – luckily, Husband said it was soothing and just what he needed to face the week ahead.Quality time with the sweet doglets that afternoon, once we were back home safe and sound. Both seen getting TLC from their Grandpa here.
That’s all, folks! We hope your weekend is warm and filled with good food. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our accommodation and meals at Abalone House were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
You may remember I promised a longer post than usual this week – you’re in luck, here it is! Scroll through for highlights from our midweek break at the Blue Gum Country Estate in Stanford and more…
Friday, 24 May 2019: Commodore conferences and half-price cocktails
My Friday started with a first – while I’ve attended hundreds, this was my first time speaking at a conference! I popped into the office while it was still dark out, then went on to the Commodore Hotel at the Waterfront for the Content Marketing conference.We celebrated the start of the weekend and my much longed-for leave at Catch22 that evening. Bonus? Half-price cocktails before 6pm! See my colourful ‘Catch23’, as well as the seafood curry Husband and Dad both ordered, Mum’s sushi and my buccaneer beef burger.But first, cocktails! See Mum with her Bloody Mary, Dad with his Long Island Ice Tea, Husband with his Beeracuda (tequila, lime, sundried orange and a Corona beer). Cheers!
Saturday, 25 May 2019: Bean Authentic breakfast and bee stings
We had a long Saturday ahead as Husband needed to spend some time in the office, so we lined our tummies with breakfast at Bean Authentic in Monte Vista as we still had an Entertainer voucher to redeem. See the lovely strong flat white served in glass mugs, as well as my Ferrero Rocher mocha and Parmesan-crusted toastie filled with bacon, jalapenos, feta and spicy mayo. Husband had the bacon, cheese and sundried tomato egglets on avo.The whole family popped in for a braai later that afternoon – also see Bertie’s slightly swollen lip from a bee sting. The swelling went down soon after I snapped this.
Sunday, 26 May 2019: Kauai and Eden on the Bay beach walks
Spec had slept over on Saturday night so joined us for breakfast at Kauai at Eden on the Bay. The boys’ mom also popped in for a cuppa tea and avo on toast. Proof we were all there.We had a short post-breakfast stroll along Eden on the Bay, as Husband wanted to wet his feet.
Monday, 27 May 2019: Nutella hot chocolate and banoffee waffle at Panarotti’s
Husband went to work on Monday but I was already on leave, so joined my parents for a late breakfast at Panarotti’s in Table Bay Mall. My Nutella hot chocolate and ‘Bellissima Banoffee Belgian waffle’ were lovely!
Tuesday, 28 May 2019: Roadtrip to Stanford, night at Blue Gum Country Estate
It was a real treat to sleep in late on Tuesday but still rise in time for the earlybird English breakfast special at News Cafe. Tomatoes were well cooked and flat whites strong, as you can see here.Roadtrip time! We made our customary stop at the Sir Lowry’s Pass lookout point. Husband was impressed with neither the elevation nor the gustiness of the wind. See a much more wind-swept version of this pic here, from when we visited Old Mac Daddy in Elgin.Some of the pretty sights we saw along the way. Sheep, various cows and even Carpaccio, the solo springbokkie. So cute!Looks like Husband is sharing a joke with this spotted horsey. Neigh!A few pics of the setting, at Blue Gum Country Estate, 10km from Stanford. It was peaceful, quiet and cold – too cold for a dip in the pool, alas.We felt we were well and truly out in the country while gazing at the view from our private balcony.Gorgeous view looking out from our balcony.Some of the pretty sights on our quick ride for supplies along Queen Victoria Street in the heart of Stanford.We stopped in at Raka Wine Farm for a quick winetasting, too, and stocked up on specialty snacks. Yum!Dinner is served! Not much is open in Stanford on a Tuesday night as Winter approaches, so we dined at Blue Gum’s own Barke restaurant. We had the place to ourselves.The Milkshake Queen in action! Couldn’t resist the ultra-chocolatey milkshake with my dins.See Husband enjoying a glass of red at the fireplace and his two-course dinner of fillet steak and creme caramel with sorbet. I went for the toasted chicken-mayo with stacks of chips. Just the thing when paired with a chocolate shake!The standard gownie shot – with our pre-bed milk treats purchased in town. Toffee Caramel for me, Banana for Husband.
Wednesday, 29 May 2019: Milkshakes in Hermanus
Good morning? It sure is! For me, it doesn’t get much better than a freshy brewed coffee with a view like this…Breakfast, my favourite meal of the day! See the fireplace – a different one to where we sat the previous evening – as well as the lovely continental buffet table and Husband’s hot breakfast order.Why did we go to Stanford? This picture, snapped by Husband just before we left Blue Gum Country Estate on Wednesday morning, says it all.We also rode out to see the lovely trails along the Stanford river before starting the long trip home. Next time we’ll stay longer, so we can fit in a river cruise.The MIlkshake Queen strikes again! We took a slight detour on the way home to take advantage of the sunny weather in Hermanus. See my coffee shake and Husband’s cappuccino at Burgundy’s.We also stopped at the Winelands 1-Stop once we were nearly home, to redeem our free Wimpy burger meal for the quarter – thanks eBucks! All this and we only paid for the drinks. This time the milkshake (banana) is Husband’s. The granadilla-mint slush is a must.
That’s all, folks! May your weekend be relaxing. 🙂 Looking for more?Click here for my full review of our stay at Blue Gum Country Estate on Bizcommunity, and tune in for my next update next week – same time, same place. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our bed and breakfast at Blue Gum Country Estate in Stanford were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
Last weekend was cold and rainy – perfect for a weekend away in Franschhoek! But first, we had some family celebrating to do…
Friday, 12 April 2019: Father-in-law’s birthday dins at Portalia
Saturday was Husband’s father’s 76th birthday, so we all joined him at Portalia last Friday evening to celebrate. See the fairy lights in the outside seating area, proof we were all there, the dads having a drink together, my dad’s flambeed chorizo meal and some of our pizzas, and my Amarula coffee.See the boys’ end-of-evening whisky dom pedros.The weather was quite wintery when we got home that evening so we snuggled with the little doggies and noticed a rainbow just after sunrise the next morning.
Saturday, 13 April 2019: Lunch at Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s Terra del Capo, night stay at Akademie Street Boutique Hotel
We started our Saturday with breakfast at Mugg & Bean in Bayside Mall. See my peanut-butter latte and avo-rainbow slaw toast, as well as Husband’s egg-and-bacon toast, Coke Zero and cafe crema.Next stop, Husband treated us to a couple’s massage at Aiyara Thai Spa in Eden on the Bay. We were prodded and pummeled with Tiger Balm for a good 45-minutes, to ease the stresses of the first quarter of the year.Next, road trip! We stopped at Anthonij Rupert Wyne on the very outskirts of Franschhoek’s main road on our way into town for lunch. Once our appointment was ticked off at the gate we parked and made our way into the tasting area, all decked out for Easter.See Terra del Capo’s fresh-out-the-oven breads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar in upcycled Protea wine bottles, Husband’s Franschhoek trout and smoked salmon antipasti dishes, and the ‘digestifs’ trolley with cocktail options.Mmm. My sweet-potato gnocchi with hazelnuts, pancetta and Tallegio cheese was the highlight of the meal at Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s Terra del Capo, as one of the handful of warm dishes on the summer menu.We’re yet to sample the high tea at Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s Terra del Capo, but if the desserts are anything to go by, they’re a must! See my cappuccino – Terbodore’s hazelnut blend, with a sweet iced bunny biscuit, as well as the berry-topped chocolate torte and the mini ‘crossover cake’ – a mix of cheesecake and carrot cake. We just managed to finish these between the two of us.Cheers! There was a roaring fire blazing in the upstairs wine-tasting room, a quaint car waiting down below, and delicious wines to imbibe. Click here for my full review on Bizcommunity!Home for the night – Akademie Street Boutique Hotel in Franschhoek. Perfect for a winter stay, scroll through to see why!Some of the eye-catching things in and around Akademie Street Boutique Hotel. That’s Husband with a Bluetooth-activated gramophone, so you power your choice of songs from your phone. The ‘Africa’ art bottom right comprises booklike paper folds.Views of windows, from windows and the cute hand-drawn map from Akademie Street Boutique Hotel.The main pool – bottom-left – has a jacuzzi at one end. Also see the private pool and jacuzzi outside out cottage’s suites in the top-left and bottom-right. Consider us two waterbabies delighted!We stayed in Gelatenheid A. Some of the sections of our suite: See the wall of books and mirrors, freestanding bath tub and heated towel rails – not used, balcony as seen from the hot tub and bed at the centre of the suite.One of my favourite labels ever: “Come quickly, I am tasting the stars.” This MCC Brut was a lovely welcome treat – thank you Akademie Street!There’s nothing nicer than hot-tubbing when it’s bucketing down outside. As the barrel-shaped hot tub is wood-fired, we were happy and toasty all afternoon.As sunset started to streak the sky, we reluctantly got out of the hot tub for a spot of exploring.The gardens are quiet and filled with pretty things, like these statues and wooden works of art. Take a stroll around the grounds, weather permitting!See Husband strolling down from our suite to the Orangerie area for pre-dinner drinks, snacks and games. He also played the piano for a while.For dins, we walked down to the Elephant & Barrel Village Pub on main road around 7pm. I had a delicious coffee shake, Husband had a Castle Lite draught, and as we were still so full from our lunch at Terra del Capo, we shared the potato wedges with sour cream, guacomole and curry mayo. Yum!Lol! This night’s stay featured straw sun hats in the standard gownie photo. See four of the numerous attempts at this photo.Our full bellies and the sound of rain outside meant we slept very well that night.
Sunday, 14 April 2019: Doggy beach walks at Kreeftebaai
Scenes from breakfast on Sunday morning. See the pastry selection, platter of fruits, granola, yoghurt, smoothies and honey on each table, as well as the Le Creuset coffee carafe and our hot orders – eggs benedict with bacon for Husband and pancakes with bacon and honey for me.Husband walking with an umbrella to our checkout on Sunday morning. See the nice sign at the empty bicycle rack – “I don’t ride a bike to add days to my life, I ride a bike to add life to my days.”Terbodore coffee’s Big Dog Cafe was closed as we made our way out of Franschhoek on Sunday, but the Terbo Truck looked inviting – will try stop in on our next visit!We took the doglets for nice long walkies at the beach that afternoon. See Bertie and his dad in the sea while Bassie steered me toward the safety of the dunes.More beach walkies at Kreeftebaai.
That’s all, folks! We hope you’re having a relaxing Easter long weekend. 🙂 Click here for my full review of our lunch experience at Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s Terra del Capo on Bizcommunity, with my review of Akademie Street Boutique Hotel to follow soon. Tune in for my next update next week – same time, same place. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our meals and accommodation at Anthonij Rupert’s Terra del Capo and Akademie Street Boutique Hotel were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
Last weekend we lunched at Belthazar at the V&A Waterfront. We also celebrated little Bassie’s 12th birthday on Monday, as you’ll see from the pics below…
Saturday, 30 March 2019: Succulent steak lunch at Belthazar
Mmm. It was a Pulp Kitchen breakfast kind of morning on Saturday as we were in Willowbridge Centre. See our flat whites as well as my coffee-dipped French toast and Husband’s ‘Mexican standoff’ mince on toast, with a poached egg rather than the scrambled standard.Next stop, Belthazar at the V&A Waterfront for lunch. See Husband’s wine with a handy tag explaining exactly what he was imbibing, as this is the largest ‘by-the-glass’ wine bar in the world, offering 250 options. Also see the lovely view across to a cloud-covered Table Mountain.Husband opted for the Belthazar-style avocado Ritz starter. See the bright pops of colour. He said it tasted just as good as it looked.Husband starting on that starter. Also see the lovely ‘bread board’ complete with sausage in Napoletana sauce, Husband’s Madagascan green peppercorn-topped saucy flambeed steak, his side of baked potato and creamed spinach, and my steak roll with hand-cut chips. All lip-smackingly good!See Husband’s glass of red book-ended by my delicious Kahlua dom pedro. Highly recommended as a drink or dessert!A Waterfront view not often seen: Eye-catching staircase up to the castle-like Somerset Hospital.Cupcakes galore! We popped in at my Uncle Al’s house that evening, just up the road in West Beach, to celebrate his retirement. There were yummy cupcakes everywhere we looked!The full family contingent, celebrating Uncle Al’s retirement.Pretty skies when we left Uncle Al’s for our own home that evening.We celebrated little Bassie’s birthday with the cupcakes we took home from uncle Al’s, as well as a new box of baked goods from our local Spar during the week. Also see our pretty ‘housewarming sunflowers’.
Sunday, 31 March 2019: Cup & Cake breakfast and sunny skies
We started our Sunday with breakfast at Cup & Cake in Eden on the Bay. See my three cinnamon-sugar pancakes and butterscotch latte, as well as Husband’s Eggs-purtly done (bread with Marmite, avo spread and poached egg). Yum!View of clouds over the mountains while out and about that afternoon.Mum made pork steaks with various veggies for our Sunday lupper.
Monday, 1 April 2019: Bassie’s 12th birthday
Various stages of Bassie’s birthday celebration – snuggling under duvets and on blankets with her brother, and eyeing the cupcake I ate in her honour.The standard family birthday shot, with the birthday girl trying not to pose under the birthday hat. Happy 12th birthday, Bassie!
That’s all, folks! Click here for my full review of our lunch experience at Belthazar on Bizcommunity and tune in for my next update next week – same time, same place 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our meals and drinks at Belthazar were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
Ramblings, rumblings and random ruminations, version ii. Also reviews, recommendations and alliteration. Based on living the good life in the fairest Cape. Eating is my favourite pastime. Updated weekly
Rambling Litchii 