End-of-year work lunches at Cape Point Vineyards and Fat Cactus

We’re so close now that I can almost taste the holidays. Here’s what we’ve been getting up to while waiting…

Friday, 2 December 2016: Bizcommunity’s end-of-year lunch at Cape Point Vineyards, Noordhoek

We were so lucky with the weather last Friday, as our end-of-year office party was being held at Cape Point Vineyard in Noordhoek. What a gorgeous venue! The inside is simply beautiful but the outside area is a clear winner as you have views across to the Noordhoek beach.

Look at that delicious food! The top shot is the snacky platters brought to the table for all to share, then you can see what I opted for from the choices per lunch course: my beef carpaccio starter, rib-eye mains with tomatoes still on the vine and a caramel-macadamia nut cheesecake dessert. So delicious.

I spent lots of time laughing with my colleague Jess, who moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg earlier this year.

Team shot! Lots of happy faces.

Saturday, 3 December 2016: Breakfast at Company’s Garden, weekend beach walkies and paella at Espana

Saturday was our last full day with Husband’s parents as they were making the long trek back to Joburg the next day, so we decided on breakfast at Company’s Garden in town. Three of us went for cappuccinos, one had a coke, and three went for the eggs benedict while one tried something new: the apple-berry crumble. So yummy, as you’ll see below.

The before and mid. No picture of after as the bowl was clean.

Bellies full, we wandered around the gardens looking at all the squirrels and pigeons and plants. I also tested out this egg chair, and a squirrel darted back and forth in front of me.

Husband joined me for this shot.

Next up, a beach visit. Good shot of how the doggies go in different directions at the beach. All the while scrambling over rocks and dipping feeties in the sea.

Both looking happy, caught mid-scramble.

The three males – Husband, his dad and Bertie in a calmer-than-usual moment.

These are two very happy doggies after beach walkies.

For our final dins with Husband’s parents we ate at a firm family favourite, Espana in Burgundy Estate. Here is Husband demonstrating the outside and almost blending in with the decor inside.

To eat, we all went for the paella and all ate every morsel. My father-in-law also opted for their cinnamon-sugar pancakes. A lovely night.

The sunset over Table Mountain and the sea from Burgundy Estate is always a treat.

Sunday, 4 December 2016: Greens breakfast and 2016 Christmas trees

Parents safely on the long road back home, we stopped in at Greens in Plattekloof Village for breakfast. I had the waffle with caramel, banana and icecream, while Husband had the mushroom-spinach benedict. That’s my cappuccino and his breakfast Cola.

Amongst some weekend admin I also admired the pretty Christmas tree in a local nursery on the left, put up my own tree that evening and helped Mum decorate hers when we went for dins that eve.

Monday 5 to Thursday, 8 December 2016: Final team lunch at Fat Cactus

T’was the birthday of one of my colleagues on Friday and as she’d taken the day off we didn’t get to celebrate with her at our end-of-year. She brought in all sorts of deliciousness on Monday so we ‘cheers-ed’ her belatedly then.

We took a break from our desks for a few minutes of sunshine and spotted a little green chameleon trotting along. See how very green he is!

Thursday was our final team lunch of the year. We went across to the Fat Cactus and were back at our desks just over an our later. I went for the pulled-pork soft tacos and espresso shake.

It’s another two weeks of work, then Husband’s brother comes down to stay with us for a few weeks over the Christmas break. Exciting times! 🙂