Bikram yoga at MyUtopia, moustache biscuits and selfies with dogs

Last week I started attending the digital marketing live sessions at Red & Yellow, which run into early next year. Start scrolling below to see a few snaps from the first two classes below as well as other work-related moments and lots of snaps of the doggies…

Thursday, 9 November 2017: Futures Cape Town and Digital Marketing LIVE at Red & Yellow

Last Thursday was a very busy one for me. I started off in the office, then spent the first bit of the afternoon at the Inner City Ideas Cartel (ICIC), where I covered a bit of the WGSN Futures Cape Town session. Click here if you want to read my coverage on Biz.

Talk over, I Ubered to Red & Yellow School in Salt River. The digital marketing LIVE lessons are streamed over the internet if you can’t be on campus on time – 15:30 to 17:30 on Thursdays. Snacks and study aids at the ready!

Each week, a different digital marketing lecturer shares words of wisdom with us. Up first was Rob Stokes, who started Quirk agency (now Mirum). You can just see the back of my head on the left.

Saturday, 11 November 2017: Village Place breakfast and The World According to Bertie

“I moustache you a question,” teehee. Husband ordered a large cappuccino at the Village Place Cafe on Saturday morning, so his accompanying biscuit was suitably supersized, too.

See my regular size cappuccino and biscuit on the left, banting flapjacks topped with yoghurt and berries on the right, and Husband’s mince on toast topped with eggs in the middle.

We helped Husband’s dad get around the new Table Bay Mall in a wheelchair we lent from the mall security later that morning.

I noticed the cappuccino-donut combo special while we were doing groceries at Checkers later that afternoon and had to give it a try. What I got didn’t look quite like what was in the poster (see difference in pics) but it was still delicious and very good value for money.

We opted against the usual braai as Husband’s dad was limited in his movement, so started with veggie soup, followed by a shared peri-chicken gatsby and chocolate mousse tubs for dessert. Bassie and Bertie got to lick the tubs once we were done with them, as you can see.

Husband and his dad went for walkies down the street later that afternoon. Bertie watched.

Little Miss Bass enjoyed her visit, despite wearing her sad face in this photo.

Look at the title of the book Husband’s mum was reading!

Sunday, 12 November 2017: Chocolate-pecan pie and pink clouds

We Sunday-breakfasted at Greens in Plattekloof Village. You can just see us in Husband’s snap of the interior of the restaurant, reflected in the mirror.

To eat: Husband’s mushroom-spinach eggs benedict on the left, my toasted salami, mozzarella and olives on the right.

We had ordered a slice of chocolate-pecan pie to take home from Greens, and I heated it and ate with cream for my early-afternoon treat.

Pretty streaky pink clouds at Mum’s that evening.

Monday, 13 November 2017: Office birthday cake and evening doggie selfies

Monday was an office birthday cake day as it had been Cheryl’s birthday over the weekend. It looks like I took severely tiny slices of milk tart and carrot cake here!

I snapped a selfie with Bertie while recuperating from the work day that evening.

Wednesday, 22 November 2017: MyUptopia yoga and food review

On Wednesday afternoon, My colleague Shan and I reviewed MyUtopia near the Waterfront’s Express Bikram yoga class followed by a late lunch at the in-studio Nourish Cafe. My full wordy review will be on Biz soon, but you can get an idea of the experience here. See the foresty heated room you stretch and sweat in, and two of the yummy smoothies…

There’s fruit-flavoured water and the bathrooms are stocked with everything you may need – shampoo and body wash in the shower, cotton balls and deodorant and lockers to stash your clothes in, and even a ‘blow dry bar’ so you can have your ‘hair did’ before you venture back to the office. T’was a lovely experience.

Our late lunch was also worth writing home about. See the foam art in our cappuccinos, my toasted bacon, brie and pepperdew and Shan’s chicken wrap – both with the best beetroot crisps we’ve tasted! Thanks to Shanny for the pics as my devices were otherwise occupied at the time.

Thursday, 16 November 2017: Another afternoon at Red & Yellow

The second lesson was presented by Rob Stokes’ wife, Nikki Cockcroft. You can just see her through the glass. She’s really amazing, having been CEO at Primedia Online, taken Woolworths digital and more.

That’s all, folks! Hope you have a restful weekend.

Christmas in July, the Quarterdeck buffet and Yo Yoga’s 21-day challenge

It was another working weekend for Husband but the good news is, we’re about to see the last of them (and his stint as Marvin) as he’s back on normal shifts! Celebrate with us! But first, scroll through our latest favourite moments of the week below…

Friday, 14 July 2017: Christmas in July and the Quarterdeck buffet

Our Entertainment committee rustled up a very festive ‘Christmas in July’ table to enjoy after our monthly staff meeting on Friday. Look at all the food and drink, you’d swear it was snowing outside with jingle bells a-ringing.

We even dressed to theme!

How very ‘Western Christmassy’ – a mug of hot chocolate and choc-chip cookie.

Remember I attended the IMC a few weeks ago? Well, I won a dinner for two at the Quarterdeck Restaurant in GrandWest Casino for my tweeting during the event (yay). That’s where we dined last Friday evening. It’s just like a buffet on a sea-going ship, so go prepared with an empty belly! The doors only open at 7pm but we were early eager beavers, clearly.

Behold the colourful mini salad bowls. You could also create your own, but I went with one of these as a pre-starter.

Many plates later, it was time for dessert! The choices take up a whole side of the ‘ship’ restaurant (that’s the one inside GrandWest Casino, not the pirate ship in the parking lot) – boy, was it hard to choose what to add to our plates. See the waffle station, the mini desserts, the ice cream counter with all sorts of toppings and Husband’s caramelly ice cream bowl.

My first dessert plate – a red velvet waffle topped with toffee and chocolate sauce, mini Astros and tiny marshmallows; a fudgey chocolate cake slice; a profiterole; a soft pink coconut marshmallow; and mini tiramisu.

Saturday, 15 July 2017: Italian Club gnocchi

T’was a cold day. I spent much of it reading and sorting our taxes while Husband was at work. Note to self: A creamy coffee and salted caramel nuts make such a good snack while reading!

As it was such a cold Saturday, the moment Husband was done with work we headed off to the Italian Club for bowls of gnocchi bolognese. Perfect winter comfort food, especially with a coffee shake or glass or red, depending on your preferences.

Sunday, 16 July 2017: More local Italian treats

I went for a quick treat with Mum and Dad at the newly opened Trescatelli on Blouberg beach front Sunday morning. It was packed! And no wonder, with the cannoli so fresh and crisp, the coffees strong and the cafe crema, a lovely coffee ice cream blend. Yum!

Mum had also whipped up a batch of these chocolate-rose water delights when we went over for lupper. They had a lovely Turkish Delight taste.

The doggies snuggled up under a blanket on the couch for most of the evening.

Tuesday, 18 July 2017: Mandela Day posing

Tuesday was Mandela Day, so a few of us dressed in Madiba-themed clothes at work and posed for a ‘Madiba shuffle’ Boomerang and pic. We also encouraged donations to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

Thursday, 20 July 2017: Yo Yoga Cape Town’s 21-day yoga challenge

My colleague Ilse joined me for Yo Yoga’s 21-day yoga challenge on Thursday morning, where I bumped into another conference friend, Jenna – read all about the challenge here. We survived 40 minutes of bikram yoga in 45’C heat!

A few pics of our time in the studio. That’s me tweeting away before we got down to business.

Post-yoga treats – Vita Coco coconut water and all sorts of Superfood snacks – even dark chocolate! Mmm.

Weather on the way back to the office after the yoga session – cloudy and cold!

That’s all, folks! Stay well and warm. 🙂