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.
We had yet another day off work this week as it was national voting day on Wednesday – the last public holiday for a while, so we made the most of the chance to relax…
Saturday, 4 May 2019: Braai at Husband’s parents
We decided on a little bit of a road trip for our Saturday breakfast, eventualy ending up at Melkbos Kitchen. The coffee was delicious, as was the food. See Husband’s salmon-eggs benedict, as well as my bacon-egg buttie.The doggies enjoyed running around and taking in their other granny’s garden, as their last visit was the day we moved – Bertie’s birthday, on 1 March.Results of all the braai-ing effort.
Sunday, 5 May 2019: Kauai breakfast and honeyed lupper
We wanted something on the healthier side of the street for Sunday breakfast, so went to Kauai at Eden on the Bay. See the lovely view as well as my almond oat pot and Husband’s Mexican egg bowl. Not pictured: Our strong flat white coffees.Mum made a delicious honey-mustard chicken meal for Sunday lupper, as we still have lots of honey from our bee hive removal. Click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about.Mini doughnuts for dessert!A beautiful sky at sunset, as seen from home.
Tuesday, 7 May 2019: French toast breakfast treat
I worked from home on Tuesday as I had a very late night of work the night before so opted to skip the commute into the office. Added bonus: homemade French toast with bacon, syrup and honey, made by Mum.
Wednesday, 8 May 2019: Voting day in South Africa
We slept in a little later than normal then headed to Wimpy at Bayside Mall for breakfast. See Husband winking without his streaky bacon breakfast (plus cheese griller), and me with my regular Wimpy coffee and Bar-one waffle.We kept an eye on the queues outside the voting stations all day, then decided on lunch at the Italian Club before making our mark. See the ribs and chips, red wine, gnocchi bolognaise and my coffee shake.A group ‘thumfie’ as proof that we all eventually made our mark that afternoon.Sweet, sleepy doglets as snapped throughout the week.
That’s all, folks! Tune in next week – same time, same place for my next update…
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.
Most of our eating out last weekend was due to the 2-for-1 vouchers offered by the Entertainer App – plus, the usual R495 registration fee is free if you’re using FNB’s Banking App and earn eBucks! See some of the treats we sampled below…
Thursday, 10 January 2019: Mid-week dins at Doodles
Last Thursday evening we had just downloaded the Entertainer app for free through the FNB banking app, so decided to try it out on a local dins. We used a ‘2-for-1 mains’ voucher at Doodles – so we paid for Husband’s linefish – the angelfish served with veggies and tartare sauce – while my Cajun chicken pizza was free. Also see Husband’s glass of red, as well as his Orange Fanta and my caramel shake. A very good dins!
Friday, 11 January 2019: Work-from-home treats
I worked from home last Friday, so treated myself to the following mid-morning snack – a cup of ‘cinnamon bun’-flavoured Hug in a Mug instant cappuccino, and a pack of Hot Fudge Sundae-flavoured Pop Tarts. Yum!
Saturday, 12 January 2019: Artideli breakfast, El Barrio cocktails, CTFM family dins
We breakfasted at Artideli in Melkbosstrand on Saturday morning. See Husband’s mince-and-egg-on-toast and my caramel- and banana-filled pancake. Not pictured – our Peacocks cappuccinos, as they were already finished. Not on Entertainer app.Pretty clouds in the sky looking across from Blouberg to Table Mountain that afternoon.We stopped in at El Barrio for our Saturday afternoon treat. We shared a portion of the jalapeno poppers, with the margarita el muerte for me and the pink mask cocktail (El Jimador, strawberries, coconut water and Malibu) for Husband. Not on Entertainer app. (Yet).The margarita la muerte (death) with Olmeca black, blackberry liqueur, tamarind and black salt rim. Just look at it. Very tasty and top marks for presentation, but taste-wise I think the pineapple-habanero version I sampled the week before is the clear winner! Click here for a reminder.After a brief nap at home, it was time for dins with Husband’s parents. See the view from our table at CTFM in Seaside Village, Big Bay, just before sunset.Husband had the East Coast potjie, presented as such.See my chicken schnitzel with chips and pepper sauce, one of our free meals for using the Entertainer app again.Lol! None of us have our ‘photo faces’ ready for this photo.Sun setting over the mountain as we finished our dins. Beautiful!We only noticed the pretty lights strung up outside CTFM on our way out.
Sunday, 13 January 2019: Pink Olive breakfast, Village Place mini cakes
We used the Entertainer app again on Sunday, this time on a 2-for-1 breakfast voucher at the Pink Olive in Stark Ayres Nursery. See the pretty decor as well as one of our flat whites, my French toast with cream cheese, bananas and syrup (free, as it was the cheaper of the two meals we ordered) as well as Husband’s standard weekend breakfast: the egg- and mince-topped toast.A sunflower-themed long table outside the Pink Olive, waiting for its party to arrive.Husband standing ankle-deep in the sea that afternoon.I barely even dipped my toes as the sea was so cold, but that ‘beachy smell’ was amazing!Our Sunday afternoon treat was a shared red velvet cheesecake (mini cake) and coffee shake at Village Place Cafe. Not on Entertainer app.Little Miss Bassie decided to travel in the backseat with her brother for a change, while on our way to her grandparents. She seemed in awe of his big, lolling tongue.Mum made a sunny pineapple mousse for dessert after lupper on Sunday.
That’s all, folks! Have a delicious, relaxing weekend. 🙂
This past week has been wonderful as we’re over the ‘eat eat eat’ Christmas week of the annual December-January break, yet we still had lots of fun times before we start the new work year next week…
Thursday, 27 December 2018: Rocomama’s ribs and shakes
We started last Thursday at The Daily in Big Bay. Queues were long so we just had a coffee to start the day – the condensed milky ‘tin cup’ for me, with the now off-menu tasting tray for Husband.And so, next stop was Cup & Cake in Eden on the Bay for actual food – the three cinnamon-sugar pancakes at R20 for me, while Husband had the hashbrown-mushroom stack.Following a quiet day of rest, we met my parents at the new cashless Rocomama’s in Parklands for an early dins that afternoon. See the order sheets, chilli-cheese fries, BBQ pork ribs and current specials.Milkshake mouths! Mine was espresso, the boys each had a creme brulee, and Mum had a Sprite Zero instead.Dessert much, much later that evening – a fruit-mince pie and coffee in reindeer mug.Bassie thought the mince pie was for her. She had one of her Christmas biscuits instead.
Friday, 28 December 2018: Enormous burgers at the NOB, Tyger Falls waterfront
Various stages of home-cooked breakfast – French toast with bacon and coffee for me, full fry-up for Husband, and hopeful doglets as always.We saw on Facebook that The NOB (No Ordinary Burger) of food truck fame has opened a permanent eatery at the Tyger Falls waterfront, so headed that way for last Friday’s lunch. See the enormous burgers and views. Hand for size.We needed to walk off some of that food before making our way home. Luckily the Tyger Falls waterfront is beautiful and easy to walk all the way around. It’s also surrounded by birdies, like this duck on the pier.
Saturday, 29 December 2018: Breakfast toasties at Reload
Reload is a good breakfast choice as it’s close to home, surrounded by greenery and we enjoy their coffee.Our Saturday breakfast at Reload in Parklands comprised a ‘bacon-egg-cheese toasty’ on brown and flat white each. Coke Zero and Tabasco sauce for Husband.Bellies full, we spent quality time at home with the doglets last Saturday morning. Such cuties!We needed long, cool drinks after completing the Woodbridge Island-Lagoon Beach and back walk on Saturday afternoon. See Husband’s Bloody Mary and my Key Lime Pie shake at the Beach Tavern.Beautiful blue mountain and glassy sea rolling in, later that afternoon.
Sunday, 30 December 2018: Sea swims and summery lupper
Husband coming up for air during a rock pool explore after a home breakfast on Sunday morning.Mum put together delicious summery plates for our Sunday lupper.
Monday, 31 December 2018: New Year’s Eve in Langebaan
We so enjoyed our swim at Shark Bay in Langebaan last Christmas that we did so again with Husband’s family these holidays.Sea swimming! Shark Bay is a magical spot between the lagoon and the open sea, as you can walk out almost to the other end of the inlet before you’re beneath the ‘waves’. We had a wonderful morning splashing about.One of the best things I saw in Shark Bay – this doggie calmly going out for a paddle with his family.Swim done, we took a cool cruise through town in search of lunch.Pearly’s is a popular spot but they had a table for us, so that’s where we lunched. See Husband’s Thai fish curry top-right, the butter-chicken special bottom-left and my coffee shake bottom-right.Er’rybody eating at Pearly’s! See Husband with his Thai fish curry, Spec and Father-in-Law with the butter-chicken special, Mother-in-Law with her snoek quesidilla special and me with the toasted chicken, chips and coffee shake. Various beers and wines for the rest. We left for home soon after and had a quiet evening in, with the doggies.
Tuesday, 1 January 2019: Happy New Year!
Loved this on the wall of Seattle Coffee in Exclusive Books at Table Bay Mall, when we stopped in for Husband to have a New Year’s Day espresso con panna.We spent the day easing into the new year with a family braai at home with my parents, and more quality time with Bassie and Bertie. It was a scorcher, so they were happy to cool down under the fans.
Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Rocomama’s burgers and chilli-cheese fries
We had breakfast at Woolworth’s W Cafe in Table Bay Mall on Wednesday. See Husband’s flat white, Coke Zero and chorizo bowl, as well as my honey-nut latte and cakey coconut loaf with espresso cream.After some reading under the fan, we were ready for food again. We had so enjoyed our burgers at Rocomama’s the previous week that we were there again for an early dins on Wednesday, this week. Also see my Belgian chocolate shake and our shared portion of chilli-cheese fries. Yum!
That’s all, folks! We’ve had a lovely, lazy break and luckily there’s a full weekend to go before we hit the office. Here’s to a super successful 2019!
Last weekend we celebrated my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary – luckily it was a long weekend, as there were many parts to the celebrations!
Saturday, 22 September 2018: Ruby anniversary breakfast at 12 Apostles, dins at NinetyOne in Sea Point
The long weekend started off on a very special note, as we had booked for the buffet breakfast at Azure restaurant at the 12 Apostles Hotel. It was such a beautiful sunny day!T’was a bit chilly so no-one sat outside, but just look at that view! Heart-eyed emojis everywhere.Ching ching! We had flutes of bubbly, cappuccinos, oysters, pastries, fruits, yoghurts, cold meats and cheese – and that’s before the hot breakfast.Mum and Husband went for the eggs benedict-style breakfast, while Dad and I ordered the waffles. They come with sliced syrupy banana, diced apple and creme fraiche but I topped mine with marshmallows, nuts and mini M&Ms instead.The beautiful roses on each table, jars of sweeties to take home with you and the dry-ice anniversary surprise that arrived at the table once we were all full-to-bursting. Beautiful!My Sugar in Sea Point is one of few specialist chocolate shops that offers ruby chocolate – the ‘fourth chocolate’ after milk, white and dark, it’s the first official ‘new chocolate’ in 80 years. It’s made from a specific cocoa bean that gives it that fruity pink flavour and colour you can see top right. As it was my parents’ ruby anniversary, ruby chocolate seemed fitting, so we stopped in to make the purchase.As we were in the area, we stopped at NinetyOne on Main Road, Sea Point for an early dins before making the long trip back to Table View. See me with my cup of masala chai, the pretty decor inside, and our curries – the butter chicken and chicken korma are divine, especially with a side of paratha naan (with a sweet, desiccated coconut filling.)Teehee. Bertie rested his head on my shoulder when we watched some telly that evening. So cute. Bassie was just out of the shot.
Sunday, 23 September 2018: Trecastelli breakfast, ruby anniversary tea
We treated Spec to breakfast at Trecastelli on the beachfront on Sunday morning, as he’d slept over at ours. See some of the decor, the cooked breakfast (not yet on the menu) that the boys enjoyed, and some berry tarts cooling in the fridge.The rarely-spotted Husband-ordering-dessert – he went up to the deli counter before our breakfasts arrived, ordered a cannoli, and promptly topped it with chili sauce. He declared it delicious. Also see my R40 ‘latte and Nutella cornetto’ breakfast, yum.Teehee. The doglets both looked embarrassed to be caught sitting so close together on the couch that morning. So cute.As it was the actual day of my parents’ anniversary on Sunday, the whole family was invited over for afternoon tea. Mum put on a delicious spread of mini sandwiches, crackers, cheese, spreads, homemade scones with jam and cream and an amazing peppermint-crisp tart. Drooling at the memory!Toasting the lovely couple with assorted flutes of bubbly, wine and even cups of coffee.
Monday, 24 September 2018: Heritage Day breakfast, Cosy Bay swim, Jamaica Me Crazy cocktails
Bertie and his Father-dad had a nice lie-in to kick off their public holiday.We started our Heritage Day activities with a home-cooked breakfast at Husband’s parents’ house. See various stages of the fry-up, flowers and Bertie grinning.Later that morning, we made our way through town – fitting for Heritage Day, the SA flag was still beautifully displayed on the side of the infamous building at the end of Long Street.Next stop – Cosy Bay, where I soaked up some sun while Husband had a swim in the sea – you can just see him in his wetsuit in the pic on the bottom right.Later that afternoon, we drove out to Jamaica Me Crazy – Husband had a Fokkof Lager (hence his pose), and I had a Volcano cocktail, which is a blend of strawberry daquiri and pina colada. I tucked the cocktail umbrella behind my ear, as you do.For our last stop of the day, we went on to Barristers in Newlands. Husband had their bangers-and-mash pub lunch, while I tried the nacho skins (potato skins with typical nacho toppings). So good, especially with a large mug of coffee shake!
That’s all, folks! It’s set to finally feel summery towards the end of this coming weekend, we can’t wait. 🙂
We’ve been having quite a bit of work done around the house lately and with all the much-needed rain finally bucketing down the doggies have been quite on edge, as you’ll see from the snaps below…
Friday, 22 June 2018: Cooped up as house is painted
I worked from home on Friday as I had stacks to do to finish off our Cannes Lions coverage, so skipping the commute to the office was a plus – and as it was international’bring your dog to work day’, I brought the work to them, as I kept an eye on the doglets while we had various walls painted. They weren’t too happy about watching me work, but spent quality time on the couch with their dad once he got home that evening.
Saturday, 23 June 2018: Perfect winter food, gnocchi bolognese at the Italian Club
We had lots of mall-admin things on the agenda for Saturday, so we started off with a Wimpy breakfast. See Husband’s extra large cappuccino, my regular Wimpy coffee, his streaky bacon with extra cheese griller and my flapjacks with fruit salad.Bassie couldn’t decide whether to be excited to be confined in a room with us, while other parts of the house were painted, or to be Very Sad that she wasn’t free to run around outside. This is her in Very Sad mode.Who’s a pretty boy, then? Bertie spent the time staring at himself in the mirror, just like this. Such a handsome fellow!My Saturday afternoon pick-me-up cappuccino while wandering the aisles at Makro.When the sky is white and the wind is cold, my belly thinks of just one thing – gnocchi bolognese. So that’s what we had for dins at the Italian Club and oh my goodness, it was delicious! See my coffee shake and Husband’s glass of red.
Sunday, 24 June 2018: Tin cup coffee, roast chicken and potatoes
Sunday morning breakfast at The Daily in Seaside Village was all about tin cups (espresso with condensed milk), anchovy toast, savoury muffins and eggs florentine with a side of bacon. Yum.We heard, ‘Hey!’ Looked up and there were my parents! They joined our table and both the boys enjoyed the coffee tasting tray – a triple-shot cappuccino, mini tin cup and mini con panna (with cream).More comfort food for lupper at Mum’s that evening – roast chicken, veg and potatoes with gravy. My best!Jelly + custard + cream + sponge cake = trifle at Mum’s that evening.
Thursday, 28 June 2018: Office birthday doughnuts
Doughnuts! It was the man who built Bizcommunity’s birthday on Thursday, so he treated us to these delicious doughnuts and muffins. Just what we needed!
That’s all, folks! There’s more wet weather and housework on the cards this weekend but we’ll do what we can to enjoy the small moments in between that make us smile.
Last week Tuesday was a public holiday – May Day is Worker’s Day in SA so we had a day off work to do as our hearts desired, as you’ll see below…
Tuesday, 1 May 2018: Worker’s Day dins at Italian Club
When we finally got up, we went for a Cup & Cake breakfast in Seaside Village. See Husband’s eggs benedict and my ‘Eggs-purtly done’ – health bread smeared with cream cheese, Marmite and avo paste, topped with eggs any way you like – I went for hard boiled. Also see Husband’s ‘Quortado’ (variation on cortado, espresso with milk.)We bumped into my parents when we stopped for a few chores at The Daily Cafe in Eden on the Bay, so the menfolk each had an espresso con panna.We stopped for a snap at the ‘Lekker by die see’ mosaic on our way out of Eden on the Bay.The palm trees and blue skies outside GrandWest Casino – we stopped in to watch the Avengers: Infinity War movie. Brother-in-law Spec joined us.We were starving by the time the movie ended so decided on the Italian Club for dins, as t’was a chilly Winter’s eve. We both went for the gnocchi bolognese, mmm!Ahh. Gorgeous sunset over Table Mountain on our way home.My precious model children. They didn’t mind being huddled up close for once, as it was a chilly night.
Friday, 4 May 2018: Sunrise from the office window
Early morning sunrise over Lion’s Head, as seen from our offices in Woodstock.
Saturday, 5 May 2018: Bread & Butter breakfast, Woodbridge Island walk, Panama Jacks lunch
We had a Bread & Butter breakfast – the setting is just so quaint and cosy, with lots of cakes to drool over while telling yourself to order something healthier.Husband succeeded in going for something healthier, with the salmon scrambled eggs, while I didn’t go so far as to have cake but had a chocolate-peanut butter smoothie bowl instead. Basically ice cream with nuts and bananas but hey, it was on the breakfast menu. Also see my cappuccino and Husband’s double flat-white.We hadn’t done our ‘Woodbridge Island to Lagoon Beach and back’ walk in a while, so when we realised we had enough time, we were wearing caps and the weather was on our side, so do the walk we did. Once complete, we stopped at Ilha at Woodbridge Island for a liquid treat – draught beer for Husband and coffee shake for me.We were meeting Husband’s parents for lunch at Panama Jack’s new location, inside the cruise passenger terminal at the harbour. It’s lovely.We recommend sitting at the outside tables as you get a clear view over the harbour if there aren’t any ships waiting to dock. The inside roof is still pinned with flags, as in Panama Jack’s former location.The food was fantastic. See the large house salad we shared top left, Husband’s angelfish Thai curry top right, Mother-in-Law’s fettuccini marinara bottom left and the duck with hoisin sauce bottom right – Father-in-Law and I both ordered this. We left not a speck of rice between us.
Sunday, 6 May 2018: Ice cream on the beach
For Sunday breakfast, we stopped in at Cafe Lacomia at our Builder’s Warehouse. See my tall cafe mocha, Husband’s cafe latte, his mince on toast and my toasted chicken mayo with chips. Hit the spot.Book + coffee + dog = happy despite the winter chill.The waves and clouds came together as the perfect ‘photo corner curliques’.Sunday afternoon. should be all about strawberry swirled flake-tipped ice cream on the beach, Table Mountain in the background and clouds perfectly fluffed to cotton wool. proportions.
That’s all, folks! Winter is definitely in the air so keep warm 🙂
I took a few days off from work this week and soaked up some much-needed me-time…
Friday, 27 October 2017: Greek working lunch at Maria’s in Dunkley Square
I had a working-lunch meeting last Friday afternoon. We walked down to Maria’s in Dunkley Square – loved how the foam heart remained long after the coffee was gone. You can just see the slice of kataifi I ate, too.
Saturday, 28 October 2017: The Daily Cafe’s birthday special
Last weekend was the second birthday of The Daily Cafe in Big Bay’s Seaside Village. They treated customers to a birthday special – R70 for eggs benedict or florentine, along with a flute of orange juice or bubbly, and a cappuccino. It was a very good deal!Orange-y scenes from our breakfast at The Daily.The colours were blindingly bright at Eden on the Bay that afternoon!We also did a few long-arm beach photos. Love the expressions on Husband’s face.We treated ourselves to a late-lunch at Moyo at Eden. See Husband sipping his Long Island Ice Tea and his lamb shank linguine, as well as my dukka-spiced burger and pina colada.We presented Bertie with his newest chew-toy as he’s a good dog. What a happy boy.
Sunday, 29 October 2017: Bread and Butter breakfast, ice creams at Eden on the Bay
We decided on breakfast at Bread and Butter on Sunday. I had a cappuccino while Husband had his customary Cola to begin…Husband asked for his salmon eggs benedict on a plate as things slide off of the usual breadboard. Also see my bacon-banana flapjack/crumpet stack.We stopped in at Eden again on Sunday, for an afternoon ice cream treat. My windswept hair should be a giveaway that this was not an easy task. Wind in hair, hair in ice cream. Oof. Lovely, though.You also pose here with your ice cream, if you’re anything like me. Tis a sad size comparison.
Monday, 30 October 2017: Cruffins at Black Forest Cafe
Ahhh. Coffee. Book. Couch. Dogs. That’s how I spent the bulk of my Monday and Tuesday, relaxing and activating my brain’s ‘screensaver’ mode.Little Bassie is just the cutest. Love that face! She’s showing off her balancing skills here, perched atop the back of the couch.Mum and dad treated me to morning tea at the Black Forest Cafe, just up the street. The cappuccino was strong, the coffee shake chocolate-y, and the mood happy.These are the cruffins (croissant + muffin) we chose from. Mmm.
Tuesday, 31 October 2017: Milky Lane waffles, W Cafe coffees, Halloween dins
If you’re ever at a loss for what to do on a Tuesday and have R36 standing by, take advantage of Milky Lane’s special – two plain waffles topped with ice cream blobs and all the syrups. For R36! We also shared a mint milkshake.After a spot of window shopping we stopped at the W Cafe in Woolers for a coffee pick-me-up. I had a short vanilla-cinnamon while the parents had regular cappuccinos.Mother-in-law loves a themed table, so invited us for dins on Tuesday evening. See various Halloween-y things.The doggies were eager to get involved in all the food activities. See the marshmallow ‘spiders’ atop my jelly-mousse dessert.
Wednesday, 1 November 2017: Team lunch at La Bottega
After a morning of playing catch-up at my desk on all I’d missed from two days of leave, it was time for our department team lunch. We Ubered to La Bottega on Sir Lowry’s Road. That’s my Nutella-banana shake you see.Milkshake up close, open views across Woodstock from the deck and my beef burger on sweet potato slice ‘bun’, with cheese and avo. Very yum!We put Angie’s selfie stick to good use. This was about the best of the various attempts. Crying-with-laughter face.
Thursday, 2 November 2017: Office birthday cake and orchids
My lovely colleague Clarina brought in an assortment of cakes to celebrate her recent birthday. She does not look 40! And look at the fake orchid on my desk, with Angie’s real one just visible behind it. Office things.
That’s all, folks! I’ll show you the DIY project I also completed during my days off in next week’s blog post. 🙂
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. 🙂
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 