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.
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.
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. 🙂
We’ve been back at work for a week already so it seems very long ago that we were living the last week of our Summer staycation, even though it was just last week. Of course it whizzed by in a blur of sunshine, sea swims and sunset-gazing…
Thursday, 3 January 2019: Reload Flamingo Vlei breakfast, afternoon at Blouberg beach
We met my parents for breakfast at the Reload in Flamingo Vlei last Thursday morning. See our various-sized flat whites, Dad’s basic breakfast, Husband’s ‘trim’ omelette, and the avo bagels Mum and I enjoyed.That afternoon, we set up a shady spot with beach umbrella, towels and books, then Husband headed off for his sea swim. His dad joined us a little later to test the water, too.Husband diving into the deep blue sea at Bloubergstrand.Candyfloss-coloured sky that night.
It had been quite windy the past few days so we couldn’t do a doggy beach walk, as Bassie hates having sand blown into her eyes. Conditions looked good when we woke up on Friday so we set off for a nice long doggy beach walk first thing at Kreeftebaai. Success!Husband and boy dog in and around the ocean.Post-doggy beach walk we’d worked up quite an appetite. We’d not been to our local Wimpy in a while, so that’s where we breakfasted last Friday. See our coffees as well as Husband’s streaky bacon breakfast with extra cheese griller, and my breakfast waffle. Yes, we finished it all.Treats later that afternoon – a coconutty Cafe Capri and ‘Devil Wears Black’ cocktail at Saint’s in Eden on the Bay, followed by a shared, crispy-based Nikita takeaway pizza from Portalia. Just right!
Saturday, 5 January 2019: End-of-holiday meal at El Barrio
We met Husband’s mum at McPherson’s on Saturday morning, as his dad was out cycling. My plate of toast, bacon and eggs bottom-right cost just R25!Our full table of breakfast things.We decided on EL Barrio at Eden on the Bay as the place we’d celebrate the end of a Summer holiday well spent. See my delicious pineapple-habanero margarita and Husband’s ‘Mexican flag’ shooters. Ole!The food was delicious, too. See our taco bowls – the chicken for Husband, pork for me.
Sunday. 6 January 2019: Village Place breakfast, make your own chicken burgers
Sunday morning saw us having our last breakfast of the holiday, at Village Place Cafe in West Coast Village. See our flat whites as well as Husband’s eggy breakfast and my muesli jar.We made our own chicken burgers for lupper at Mum’s that afternoon. Yum!The sweet doglets in sleepy mode. Yes, that’s Bertie watching the Christopher Robin/Winnie the Pooh movie bottom-left. He loved it.
That’s all, folks! We hope you have a delicious weekend ahead 🙂
This past weekend was Father’s Day, and this week the 2018 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity award week in full, so it’s been a super busy time, as you’ll see from the snaps below.
We went car crazy with the dads and took in not just one car museum but two, visiting the Wijnland Auto Museum before our appointment at the Franschhoek Motor Museum, followed by lunch in Franschhoek town itself…
Friday, 15 June 2018: A work farewell
Friday was a dear colleague’s last day working with us so we went for an early team dins. See some of the snacks in office, my latte and shared slice of cheesecake at Derry’s on Carlyle in Vredehoek, and a group shot.
Saturday, 16 June 2018: News Cafe and Moyo eats and treats
It was a ‘News Cafe breakfast special’ kind of Saturday, see my early-bird English and cappuccino, as well as Husband’s flat white and bacon eggs benedict.It was very wintery weather so we decided on the Moyo pulled-lamb linguine for an early dins. I had a vanilla latte, Husband had a Castle draught and we also splurged on a set of the Chief of Greatness ‘communal shooters’ – Skyy infusions vanilla vodka, roasted hazelnut extracts and Cape Velvet chocolate liqueur.
Sunday, 17 June 2018: Father’s Day at the Franschhoek Motor Museum and Tuk-Tuk Microbrewery
Bertie boy waiting for his dad to open his eyes so he could welcome him to Father’s Day with a big lick.Oh, my heart! Little Miss Bass having a Father’s Day snuggle with her dad.For Sunday breakfast, we stopped in at Village Place Cafe. See Husband’s eggy mince-on-toast, my berry-banana banting flapjacks and large caramel cappuccino – also the sweet mini cakes we spied, will have to go with enough belly-room for one next time!The sun shone through the streaky clouds, making for the prettiest Sunday roadtrip sky.Our first stop in convoy was the Wijnland Auto Museum in Paarl, on the way to Franschhoek. We saw it all, from the delightfully old…To the very new! Not sure which road is wide-enough to accommodate this rocket-car, it’s quite something.Ahh, Franschhoek! It’s one of the most beautiful spots in the country, especially in winter when they skies are grey, mountains blue and grass finally green from the much-needed rains.We got to the Franshhoek Motor Museum bang on time, boarded the tram from the parking lot and were ready to take in even more motor vehicles in the greenest surrounds.The Franschhoek Motor Museum’s entry area features this bright, Chapman’s Peak-inspired artwork.Wine and art go well together, clearly. Some of the goods for sale in the Franschhoek Motor Museum’s main hall.We were told at reception to make the ‘Food truck hall’ our first stop, and we’re nothing if not good at following orders. See the queue for Terbodore coffee, a bowl of truffle-mayo fries and more.Next, we paused to watch a few cars go around the track. Some real beauts.Several cars were whizzed around the track at a leisurely pace, but the big halls are the main attraction. Just took at these old beauties!Each vehicle on display at the Franschhoek Motor Museum is worth a second look.A quaint, glass-cased collection of model cars.By then there was more then one rumbling tum, so we high-tailed it to Tuk-tuk Microbrewery in the heart of Franschhoek for some grub.Tucking into Tuk-tuk food. See the bowl of salty chips we shared, two of the ‘dogs’ on special – a Mexican and a chorizo, as well as my chicken chimichangas and the fish tostado.We also strolled along the main street and stopped in at Leeu House right beside Tuk-Tuk for the dads to take photos next to Madiba and Gandhi. Plus, chocolates!Precious doglets under a blanket on their Granny’s couch, much later that evening.
Wednesday, 20 June 2018: Family dins at Bossa with Gords
Cannes Lions is one of the busiest, most stressful work weeks of the year, so I was fortified by headphones, coffee, and Kit-Kats that magically appeared on my desk. 😉How beautiful! The dam at Mellish Welbeloond reflected the sunset sky when we drove past on Wednesday evening for family dinner at Bossa in Burgundy Estate.This is what (some of us) came for – Stone-baked base pizza, burgers, beer and shakes. Yum!Happy snaps of the family in eating mode. Gords was clearly down from Joburg for a visit, too.See my mochaccino, as well as assorted burgers and pizzas. We finished everything between us, not a jot needed to be taken home in a doggy bag.Gords’ view of the table. My happy Cape Town family! ❤
That’s all folks! Hope you have a restful, relaxing weekend ahead 🙂
This past week took an age to get through. Perhaps because we’re finally in February and January’s always the longest month, what with transitioning back into ‘work mode’ after the end-of-year break.
Here’s what we’ve been up to since my last update…
Friday, 26 January 2018: Meltwater webinar presentation
Look at me, looking nervous/excited/relieved with Philippa Dods, Meltwater’s amazing marketing coordinator for India, Middle East & Africa last Friday, after a successful PR webinar presentation. No need for FOMO if you missed it, just click on this link to the recording so you can catch-up!
Saturday, 27 January 2018: Sweet treats at Sweet Loaf, brotherly dins at Catch22
We started our weekend at Wimpy in Bayside as we had a few weekend admin chores to do while there. And surprise, soon after we ordered my parents also ended up there for breakfast! I enjoyed my regular Wimpy coffee and toasted cheese on a stick. Husband had the streaky bacon breakfast with extra cheesegriller (as did Dad), while Mum went for the avo-toast. A good start to the day!We also did some motorbike-gear pricing at Sable Square and stopped at Sweet Loaf for a quick treat – everything sells for R11, whether you want a cappuccino, can of Cola, mini-cake load or palm-size pie.Aww! Little Miss Bassie was such a happy girl when we popped in at her grandparents’ house that evening for some tech assistance.Bertie was also eager to share his affection with his dad. Big licks!Spec was spending the night with us so after a quick unpack at our house we headed off to Catch22 for dins. See Husband enjoying his glass of red top-left, my gingerbread latte top-right, Spec with his Amstel bottom-left, and Husband and me in front of the tropical paradise painting outside bottom-right. T’was so bright, we needed to wear sunnies.And the food? Oh boy was it good! See group photo top-left, full table of food bottom-left, that day’s specials in the middle my buccaneer beef burger topped with bacon and cheese top-right and Husband’s baby kingklip with veg bottom-right. Spec went for the linefish with calamari special. All delicious!Later that evening we walked down the beach to see the kite-surfing competition in action – it was suitably windy!
Sunday, 28 January 2018: Husband’s family birthday lunch at Bossa
The little ones were happy to pose with me on the couch as my coffee was in a doggy-patterned mug so they felt right at home. As they should, as they were at home. Teehee.For the first time in many years, we all live in the same city so could do a combined birthday lunch for Husband. See the eisbein with roast veg with parents shared top-left, the pizza me and father-in-law ate top-right, dad’s strong flat white bottom-left (and he had a Black Label draught before that, so his placemat was accurate), with a full family shot bottom right.Once we’d had time to digest lunch, we stopped off at Husband’s favourite sea-swimming hole for his weekly dunk.We stopped in at Table Bay Mall for a spot of birthday shopping and a treat in the form of Milky Lane ice creams, mmm! Husband’s is plain vanilla with caramel topping and assorted syrups, mine is the berry-meringue whizzer.
Monday, 29 January 2018: Husband’s 38th birthday
Here’s the first batch of ‘kisses with the birthday hat’ photos. The doggies were keen to join in but seemed shy once we started taking the pics.These are our attempts while sitting on the couch. If i was licking Bertie’s head in the bottom-left pic (I’m not, I’m blowing Husband a kiss but Bertie angled himself in such a way that it looks like Bass is licking my hand, I’m licking Bertie’s head and he’s licking his dad’s chin.) Crying with laughter!
Tuesday, 30 January 2018: Office donuts and owlie mugs
When clients cancel Tuesday meetings and send through apology donuts (from Dunking Donuts, else they’d be ‘doughnuts’), we share. Also, meet my new hipster owl office mug – disinterested deer has bitten the dust.T’was also the day I did a video interview in the Barclays Rise space in the Woodstock Exchange. I’ll share the link to that interview next week. For now, see the interesting surrounds.
Wednesday, 31 January 2018: Waffles on a stick at the Big Bay Summer Market
It’s been a while since the last ‘I love Big Bay’ food and craft market, usually held at the Big Bay Lifesaving Club at Eden on the Bay on the last Wednesday of every month. It was a very windy day so we didn’t stay very long.Various shots of me with my waffle on a stick, also see my potato wedges topped with paprika and parmesan top-left. Yum!Look at the choices! All were fresh and chocolate-y but I went for the ‘Astronaut’, as it was covered in mini-Astros and looked like an edible Christmas tree. Yum.
Thursday, 1 February 2018: #NespressoOnIce pop-up shop at work
The NespressoOnIce truck is conducting a road trip across the country and stopped in at our office on Thursday afternoon. We were thrilled to try a few of the iced coffee options as it was a very hot day.
It feels like we’ve been celebrating it for months already (well, we have been), but last Friday was finally our 10th wedding anniversary. Though we both worked on the day, we had the opportunity to spend the weekend in sun-drenched Tulbagh – what a treat it was, as you’ll see below…
Saturday, 26 August 2017: Roadrip to Tulbagh and Oakhurst Olives
A roadtrip selfie is a must, especially if you’re passing bright canola fields just before the start of Spring, as we did…The crops of canola appear out of nowhere and are so very pretty, it’s like someone spilled bright yellow below and blue above.The first stop on our schedule was Oakhurst Olives, just a little bit out of town and well worth a visit. We did olive oil shots (yes really – quite the experience!) We also dipped the most delicious bits of freshly baked bread into it and smeared a tasty olive tapanade on the rest. You can buy all their products right there, so we did.Once you’ve climbed the stairs you marvel at the view outside.If you have the time, take a little wander around the property. There are lilies and ponies and not-so-wild horses roaming the grounds.Like this guy! He came running over to say hi when he saw us. Such a friendly horsey. Loved having his nose and neck rubbed. The dark one in the bottom right wasn’t quite as keen.Next stop, check in at the Tulbagh Heritage Boutique Hotel. There were beautiful Proteas everywhere we looked, and just look at those rooms! A ginormous royal bed, bright fluffy gowns that put the usual scratchy white ones hotels offer to shame, and the fireplace downstairs in the restaurant.Some of the outside scenes. The stairway up to our room, a quaint water feature, big chilly pool, and the bar that was packed to sardine levels just before dins that evening with McGregor-Mayweather preamble.First up at the hotel, lunch! We seated ourselves beneath the shade of the tree on the terrace where Husband enjoyed a BBQ chicken butterflied burger while I made a go at the ‘Schuster’ (there’s a pizza on my terrace) – crispy based with rocket, peppadews, feta, avo and slices of biltong, it was enormous – we took the rest up to our room to snack on later.I had ample opportunity for coffee with a view here. See the Olive Terrace below our room, an inviting bench and the must-dunk rusks in our room.Late-afternoon is just the right time to take a quick tour of the town, as the setting sun gives the light a magical quality.A walking tour of Historic Church Street is highly recommended. There are guided tours, but we ventured out on our own and had a wonderful time reading up on the various beautiful old homesteads and appealing coffee shops.The cemetery is peaceful and sunny if you’re not freaked out by things like that.The botanical gardens grounds were open so we soaked up some sunshine, and also popped in to the Paddagang to see their interesting decor.Tulbagh really is an undiscovered gem of a town. Everyone greets you in the streets and you see sights like this almost every which way you turn your head.We were back in time to watch the sun set from our balcony.The rooms are bright, airy and beautifully decorated. Plus, little bite-size nougat treats are left on your pillow! Such a nice touch.We sampled some truly delicious dishes for dinner in the completely booked out Olive Terrace restaurant that evening. See my Frangelico Hazelnut Mochaccino, the Cape Malay Lamb curry Husband enjoyed with sambals and popadoms, while I went for the spicy Mexican bean soup with nachos and guacamole, and ended off with the coffee creme brulee and an unpictured whisky dom pedro for Husband. No wonder this has been voted the top restaurant in Tulbagh on TripAdvisor for three years running!Tummies purring, we stepped outside again to see the blue-lit tree after dins and took our customary ‘gownie snap’ once we’d settled in for the night.
Sunday, 27 August 2017: Breakfast at the Olive Terrace, ziplining with Ceres Zipslide Adventures
Breakfast! Yes, this was to be our third meal at the Olive Terrace, and we were the only ones to brave sitting outdoors as there was a slight chill. The cappuccinos were strong and the food just what we were after – the homemade granola was sweet rolled oats baked in local vanilla and honey, topped with toasted seeds and fruit from the Tulbagh region, as well as thick, unsweetened Greek yoghurt with a side jar of honey to drizzle to your heart’s content. Being a benedict-man, Husband went for the eggs royale, served on sweetcorn-pumpkin fritters. Yum!After a quick checkout it was time for a very short roadtrip. Fields of pink blossoms lined the way into Ceres.Just 20 minutes later we were harnessed, helmeted and ready to zip our way through the Ceres valley with Ceres Zipslide Adventures! Quite the different experience to when I first went ziplining along the Acrobranch obstacle course earlier this year, click here for a reminder…This is a screenshot of the Ceres valley ziplining area from one of the videos Husband filmed.Wheeee! Off I go! You zip across 1.4km over 8 different sections. It’s a wonderfully exhilarating activity, definitely a reason to add Ceres to your Cape travel itinerary.There are fields and hills and vales and peaks to explore as you slowly make your way home again – thanks for a wonderful time, Tulbagh!
*Disclaimer: Obviously our meals and accommodation at Oakhurst Olives, Ceres Zipslide Adventures and the Tulbagh Boutique Heritage Hotel were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally. Watch for my official review on Biz!
The irony – in my last post I mentioned Husband was done being Marvin, but he went on to work all weekend and late most of this week – it’s now been 17 days straight! At least we’ve finally reached the weekend, and both have an extra few days off thereafter. Here are a few of our favourite moments from this very busy week…
Friday, 21 July 2017: Celebratory dinner at Moyo
We ventured out to Moyo at Eden on the Bay to celebrate the change in Husband’s work shifts. It was too cold to sit outside so we headed indoors, where I had a Madagascan cold coffee drink (served with tot of Amarula). We were also served complimentary sherry and Moroccan breads with spicy dip, very nice!The purple lighting bouncing off the metal tables was pretty.Our meals: The chicken and date tagine for me, the lamb shank for Husband.
Saturday, 22 July 2017: Early morning doggie moments
Bassie was happy to spend a few hours sleeping in with me on Saturday morning as it was rainy and we were having a new front door installed.We headed out for a quick breakfast before Husband had to be in the office so ended up at Cubana. That’s me pouring hot milk into my coffee and Husband sipping a flute of orange juice as these come free with certain orders, like their spicy ‘eggs benedict’ – not on English muffin but polenta cakes. It’s a huge portion, we really could have shared! All this for R100, including tip.Bassie trotted all around her other grandparents’ property that evening when we had the weekly braai.
Sunday, 23 July 2017: Lacomia breakfast and hidden-centre cupcakes
When you need to make some Builder’s Warehouse purchases first thing on a Sunday as Husband needs to get back to the office ASAP, you pop in at Cafe Lacomia for your breakfast. That’s Husband’s Cola, my cappuccino and sunnies.We were in for a real treat when we go to Mum’s that evening and bit into these freshly made cupcakes with chocolate-y surprise!
Tuesday, 25 July 2017: Meet my fox dog
Teehee. Couldn’t resist having a photo taken as proof of just how much my boy doggie resembles the clever fox on my jerkin.
Wednesday, 26 July 2017: Cannes Lions Cape Town and Stepbrothers’ team lunch
Wednesday was the day of the Cape Town version of our Cannes Lions feedback session. It was held at Ster-Kinekor at the Waterfront first thing – note the pretty sunrise and art on the walls outside the movies theatre.We manned the registration desk, grabbed a tub of popcorn and sat back to watch the presentations by our roving reporter and SA’s Cape Town-based judges. Click here to read my overview.It was also the day of our next team lunch. We headed out to Stepbrothers near Cape Quarter and had the most amazing Italian meal. That’s my cappuccino and pan of very round gnocchi with pizza strips to mop up that sauce. Trust me, I did!
Thursday, 27 July 2017: Impressive office birthday cakes
In addition to being my brother-in-law’s birthday, Thursday was also the birthday of one of the lovely ladies in the office, so she spoiled us with cake. Look at these amazingly delicious ones.I had to wolf down that cake fast as next on the agenda was the media launch of the Say Cheese fair, coming to the Italian Club later this year.Top left – the cheese samples we started with, bottom left – Arancini di mozzarella in a spicy tomato sauce, top right – a blue-cheese-broccoli soup and bottom right – one of the largest bowls of gnocchi in cheese sauce I’ve seen in my life. Yes I had gnocchi twice in two days.We ate and we ate, that’s only the half of it. Just look at all that cheesy deliciousness! Seen here: mozarella boccini top left, feta-beetroot-rocket pizza top right, baked Brie topped with bacon and thyme bottom left and haloumi-chickpea-pomegranate avo bottom right. Full description on Biz soon.
That’s all, folks! Time to unplug, unwind and destress.
Husband worked last weekend so we weren’t out and about quite as much as normal but we still had a few delicious moments, as you’ll see below…
Wednesday, 10 May 2017: Good Food & Wine Show 2017 media launch
Loved this selection of pics the Good Food & Wine Show posted on Twitter (those are my pics of the non-Black Insomnia coffee at the start of the first row and the cake slices end of second row, eee). Really a lovely media experience, and you can read my event feedback here for more of what to expect from the show.A handful of the prettiest moments I snapped at the Table Bay Hotel event, all linked to that amazing rainbow cake and world’s strongest Black Insomnia coffee.
Saturday, 13 May 2017: Reload latte and Saint’s burgers
On Saturday Husband left for work then I joined dad for a coffee at the nearest Reload as we were treating mum to a pre-Mother’s Day mani and pedi just down the road. Just look at his lovely mustard-y hot dog and the clever Table Mountain design in my choc-mint latte.We set off for Saint’s in Eden on the Bay once Husband got home that eve. That’s my Pink Dragon cocktail and Husband’s TNT boozy shake (whisky and salted caramel, so good); as well as his ‘Free Bird’ chicken burger with onion rings and ‘green salad’; my ‘Smoke on the Water’ chorizo-and-pork burger with sweet potato fries and the beginning of the sunset. I still had a bit of work to do that evening so this was a welcome break.That doesn’t mean we set off straight for home, though. Bellies full and smiles on faces as it was a gorgeous sunny afternoon.
Sunday, 14 May 2017: Mother’s Day breakfast at News Cafe, doggy TLC and beach walks
We had Mother’s Day breakfast bright and early on Sunday to beat the crowds at News Cafe (though Husband had already left for work, so it was just the three of us). Then later in the day we took pizzas along for lupper as moms shouldn’t cook on Mother’s Day.Food and coffee down gullets we went for a quick ride along the beachfront before heading home. Love how peaceful it was!Bertie was displaying his couch back-sitting skills on Sunday but also spent some quality time with his current bear, Tiger.Bassie preferred to spend quality time with me as it was Mother’s Day. Aww, bless.We went for a quick walk along the beach in Kleinbaai once Husband was done with work for the day.
Monday, 15 May 2017: Office cake and post-work half-price curry
Mmm. We had cake in the office this week as two birthdays were celebrated. This creamy choc cake with strawberry on top sure chased away the Monday blues!While it doesn’t feel like it’s officially Winter yet in the Cape, winter specials have started popping up on all the menus again. This here is a forkful of the Monday half-price chicken curry special at Eden on the Bay’s Inside – I went for the butter chicken. We’ve been enjoying this special for years (click here for a reminder).
Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 May 2017: Samra conference at Protea Hotel, Stellenbosch
I was lucky enough to attend the annual two-day Samra (South African Marketing Research Association) conference in Stellenbosch earlier this week. Such a pretty town.View directly out the window of the Protea Hotel’s conference room – little wonder they drew the curtains during sessions!Conference food is always a treat. Note some of the fresh morning pastries top left, Thursday creme brulee dessert top right, Wednesday brownies dessert bottom left and pretty table settings bottom right.My Thursday morning pre-conference cuppa was delightful, especially as I got to gaze at this view.
That’s all, folks. We attended the funeral of Husband’s aunt Sybil earlier today and have his brother Spec staying with us this weekend, so expect a few family-themed pics in the next update. Cheerio!
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 