This past week I’ve had my annual ‘Cannes Lions cold’, and it was also Father’s Day and the Youth Day public holiday (though I worked throughout), as you’ll see from the pics below…
Tuesday, 11 June 2019: Spark Media’s Roots 2019 launch
Last Tuesday, I attended Spark Media’s Roots2019 research launch at the River Club. See some of the intriguing displays made from Lego – behind glass so they wouldn’t be messed with (and snacks, meant for eating!)
Thursday, 13 June 2019: Sunrise over Woodstock
I had a super-early start at the office last Thursday, and remembered to pause to catch the sunrise out the window.
Friday, 14 June 2019: Syrupy crumpets and sunsets
Mmm! When I worked from home last Friday, Mum whipped up a quick batch of crumpets – best enjoyed with tea and syrup, yum.Pretty as a picture sunset caught in the phone wires, as seen from our lounge that evening.
Saturday, 15 June 2019: Beef roast and potatoes, Weber-style
We decided on a slightly different breakfast on Saturday, at Primi on Marine Circle – see our coffees (flat white cappuccino for Husband, Mocha Forte for me), as well as our breakfasts – the berry pretty super protein bowl for me, the full Primi Power for him. Pricy but filling (I brought half of mine home for the next day).As it was a long weekend and we’d be having a special Father’s Day lunch with all the parents the next day, Spec slept over at ours on Saturday night. Husband Webered a roast beef, Mum supplied the potatoes and peas – dinner, sorted!
Sunday, 16 June 2019: Father’s Day lunch at the Italian Club
We arrived at the Italian Club at the same time as Husband’s parents, so took a few snaps outside before heading into the big hall for lunch.The inside was festively decked with balloons and crisp white tablecloths and chair covers.Look at all those drinks! The craft beers were handed to all the menfolk on entry, with the mini gins waiting on the tables.Cheers! We brought our own bottle of bubbly along with us, to toast all the dads at the table.Me with our dads. Lots of love!Buffeting! Finally, the tables were ready for us so we queued up for all the Italian food you can imagine. See some of the selections here.Some of the desserts on offer. I may or may not have eaten all of this.I’ve been to the Italian Club so many times, yet never been out the back to see the view of the mountain. It’s lovely!Sweet little Bassie warming herself in front of the fire that evening.
Monday, 17 June 2019: Youth Day public holiday
As it was a public holiday on Monday, we slept in a bit then headed to The Daily at Seaside Village in Big Bay for breakfast, once I’d done some work. See Husbands tasting tray coffees, my Tin Cup and our breakfasts.See my thick, puffy jacket (Winter is truly here), as well as close-ups of the food – my banana-caramel waffle pop and Husband’s full brekkie (he saw another plate go past with those sausages and promptly changed his order, teehee). This was my only outing for the day.
Tuesday, 18 June 2019: Wintery work-from-home lunch
I worked from home again on Tuesday and stopped for a quick soup-with-toasteds break. Just what I needed!Teehee! So many funny faces. Snapped when we had curry takeaways at Mum’s on Tuesday evening – Gords was in town for business again so stayed the night with us.Various sleepy doglets, snapped trying to stay warm throughout the week.
That’s all, folks! I’m looking forward to switching off completely this weekend and recovering from this cold. May your weekend be warm and relaxing, too.
Last week was an exceptionally busy one on the homefront as we had two visitors from Joburg: My aunty Jenny stayed with my parents for the week, while Gords stayed on our side of the property for a night, plus it was Mother’s Day…
Saturday, 11 May 2019: La Rocca breakfast, Petisco’s dins
We slept in quite late on Saturday as my One Show work only ended at 5am. First stop was La Rocca in Canal Walk for breakfast. See my tiramisu latte, toasted sandwich and chips drenched in hot prego sauce. Hubcap went for the rib egg benedict and a cream-topped cappuccino.Beautiful view across to Table Mountain from Blouberg beach that afternoon.On Saturday evening we went to Petisco’s for dins. They were completely fully booked but we were happy to eat at the bar. See Husband and Dad with their wine and catemba (wine + Coke) respectively, my coffee shake with Amarula, a well-peppered portion of chicken xai xai and the menfolk with their pre-meal Jagermeister shots.Sleepy doglets on the couch that evening.
Sunday, 12 May 2019: Mother’s Day breakfast at Village Place Cafe
We decided on Village Place in West Coast Village for Mother’s Day breakfast as it’s a fairly central meeting point for all except Spec, who drove through from Fish Hoek side to join us. See some of the lovely breakfast things we ate.Hubcapsicum with our mums.Proof that the others were all there, and see my dirty chai latte and low-carb banana-berry flapjack stack. Yum!Various snaps of Mother’s Day unfolding in Mum’s lounge that evening. Such sweet doglets.
Tuesday, 14 May 2019: Evening braai at home with all the parents, Aunty Jenny and Gords
Aunty Jenny arrived at my parents’ side of the house for the week (she’s just left, at the time of publishing this), while Gords headed over with Husband’s parents after work on Tuesday. T’was a simple braai of wors rolls and Mum’s legendary potato salad, with lots of laughs and our pretty coloured lights.More scenes from the braai. Was a lovely change of weeknight routine!Husband snapped everyone busy with post-braai coffee in our lounge that evening. I say ‘everyone’ but only my parents and I had coffee.Sweet little Bassie having a nap once Husband’s parents left and the others retired to their rooms.
Wednesday, 15 May 2019: Work-from-home treats
It was a treat to work from home on Wednesday, as I got to skip the commute and start from bed.Dad provided almond croissants as tea time treats from Limnos Bakery in Table Bay Mall when I worked from home on Wednesday.
Thursday, 16 May 2019: Digital Agency Showcase at Red & Yellow School
The sun was only just rising when I got off the MyCiti bus in Woodstock on Thursday morning.After a short stint in the office, I attended the second ever digital agency showcase at Red & Yellow School on Thursday, where work from some of SA’s top digital agencies was featured. Click here and here for my coverage so far.
That’s all, folks! We hope the weekend ahead is filled with all that makes you happy. 🙂
Last weekend was chilly yet sunny – some would say Spring is here, but the weather at the moment is anything but. Grey, misty and drizzly, with bursts of sunshine now and then, it feels like we’re back at the start of winter. Let’s look back at the sunshine instead…
Friday, 31 August 2018: Bizcommunity and Cinemark’s Cannes Lions feedback session
Some of the scenes from the Cape Town version of the Bizcommunity and Cinemark feedback from Cannes Lions morning – see Proteas and French flags alike at the food table to depict a taste of France (Cannes) in SA; as well as some of my favourite moments from the presentations of the morning. Click here for a more comprehensive overview.Proof I was there! Networking with a lovely attendee from Doctors Without Borders – her boss bought her a ticket to attend the event as a birthday present.
Saturday, 1 September 2018: Spring Day braai at the in-laws
Beautiful palm tree-lined street in Melkbosstrand, and just look at the cute little bench.We got to Damhuis in Melkbosstrand just as they were opening on Saturday morning, so that’s where we breakfasted. See our cappuccinos with tiny rusks to dunk; as well as my scone topped with jam, whipped cream and grated cheese; and Husband’s banting bacon eggs benedict served on a mushroom.Bertie was in the Spring spirit later that morning, merrily sniffing flowers in the garden. Such a sweet boy.Beautiful crashing waves and view of Table Mountain at one of Husband’s favourite swimming spots that afternoon.Lol! Pictures on the right are there to see if you’re paying attention – it’s my caramel treat milkshake and husband’s beer, obviously. This is outside at Doodles on the beachfront in the early afternoon. Just lovely.Later that day, we headed to my parents-in-law’s house for an evening braai.Pretty flowers blossoming at my in-laws’ house.Little Miss Bassie did a heckin’ explore of the long grass in the garden. What a cutie!Bertie boy sitting patiently on the couch while we braai.Sweet little Bassie wanted to see all the foodies on the table. Teehee at her facial expression.Some of the foodies Bassie was interested in – assorted braai meats, salads and chocolate mousse for dessert. Yum!Aww. Bassie having a moment with her father-dad.Such pretty clouds above!
Sunday, 2 September 2018: Brotherly breakfast at the Pink Olive
Spec slept over at ours that night, so we breakfasted at the Pink Olive the next morning. Big smiles once our coffees were downed.The Pink Olive should be called the Blue Olive with this decor, really. See our coffees, the boys’ ‘bacon banting basket’ breakfasts (yes, Husband’s second banting brekkie of the weekend) and my toasted chicken mayo with red onions and gherkins. Yum!
Monday, 3 September 2018: Sunrise from the bus window
Sunrise on Monday morning, as seen from the bus window on my commute to work.
Wednesday, 6 September 2018: I always feel like somebody’s watching me
This is how the doggies stare at me when I’m trying to work. That’s when they’re not jostling for spots on my lap, of course.
That’s all, folks. Keep warm and dry this weekend!
Loeries 2018 is done and dusted but no need for FOMO: if you missed all the fun you can scroll through my pics below. This is a super bumper edition post as it also includes pics of our stay at the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga last Sunday night. So make sure you have a hot drink at hand, your scrolling finger is ready and go, go, go!
Wednesday, 15 August 2018: Fly to Durban, lunch at the Versailles restaurant
Once I’d checked in at the airport on Wednesday morning I had time for a quick coffee and to snap the sunrise before meeting up with my colleague Angie for our flight to Durban. Good way to start the trip!Once we landed at King Shaka Airport, adjusted to the humidity and found our hire car, we made our way to the Blue Waters Hotel on the Snell Parade. After checking in, we had time for lunch in the hotel’s Versailles restaurant before sorting out some work in our room. See the lovely setting, as well as my berry-topped cheesecake and strawberry milkshake. Angie went for the fish and chips with veggies and said it was delicious.We were so busy working in the evenings that we didn’t leave our room, alas. These are various snaps of room service meals we ordered over our stay at the Blue Waters. Those snack baskets are lovely, the chips are delicious, the hot chocolate has real chocolate melted into the pot and that club sandwich could easily feed two!
Thursday, 16 August 2018: Moderating the Women in Marketing: Africa masterclass
We woke bright and early for our first big day on Thursday – see my ‘The future is female’ tee from Foschini, so fitting for the themes we covered on the day. Also see various stages of breakfast at the Versailles restaurant in the Blue Waters hotel, and the enormous tree guarding the Durban ICC, just five minutes from our hotel.My Loeries fun kicked off with something different – I moderated the Women in Marketing: Africa launch masterclass. Click here for an overview of the topics discussed, if you missed it.Probably one of the most delicious moments of the Loeries – stopping on a swing to try the chocolate-chilli ‘spicecream’ by Robertsons.More about Thursday. Luckily all the Loeries events are held at the Durban ICC, so once you’ve registered it’s pretty easy to find your way around. See the registration desk, where we were pleasantly surprised to be told we were VIPs for the week. Also see me with Loeries CEO Andrew Human, and the lovely Nkgabi Motsau of Think Creative Hub – I’ve interviewed her a few times over the phone and email, so it was wonderful to bump into each other. Also see Angie and me enjoying our ‘spicecreams’ on the Instagram ‘head in the clouds’ swings when the seminar was finally over.
Friday, 17 August 2018: DStv Seminar of Creativity and Loerie Awards night one
Stages of sunrise as seen from our room, and breakfast downstairs in the restaurant.A few of our Friday highlights – it was time for the DStv Seminar of Creativity, so we made sure to have a filling breakfast in the hotel before heading back to the Convention Centre (this is part two). It was ‘build-you-own-bunnychow for lunch – with authentic Durban curry, so these were fantastically hot. Also see the Convention Centre all lit up for the first awards show that night. We rushed back to our hotel room to change out of our casual outfits, then were ready for lights, camera, action!A few more snaps from Friday night’s Loeries award ceremony at the Durban ICC. See me with Slo, who now works at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris. I met HER when I first covered the Loeries in Durban a good four years ago, and see Angie and me in all our Foschini finery.Our posed snap from Gallo, on the red carpet with the Loeries and this year’s Wakanda-themed picture prettiers.The award nights flew by in a whizz as we were tweeting, posting to Instagram and making articles live as the nights went on. No wonder we were exhausted by the time we got back to our room!
Saturday, 18 August 2018: Brand SA VIP Brunch and Loerie Awards night two
Saturday morning was the Brand South Africa VIP Brunch, held at California Dreaming on the beachfront. We were happy to sit and watch Durban life go by on the promenade beyond, while sipping away and munching on delicious snacks.After a strong cappuccino we were ready to fit in some networking, too!Saturday night version of the official Loeries red carpet team snap – this time in our own clothing with Foschini accessories (love that neckpiece!)More from the Saturday night red carpet! See me with the big gold loerie, Angie and I at the logo wall and saying hi to Nkanyezi Masango of King James Group (they did really well on the night!)Husband also kept me in the loop of how things were going back at home on Saturday. See the doglets snuggled together on the couch, cheersing his mom’s birthday, and breakfast with my parents. Also see Bassie, very interested in his dessert.
Sunday, 19 August 2018: A night at the Oyster Box Hotel
Husband also sent me snaps of his early morning at the Cape Town airport, where he waited for his flight to join me for a night. See the Cape Town Slow Lounge, his Kulula flight and view from the window.Husband found the ‘loo with a view’ in the Cape Town Slow lounge hilarious!Angie safely dropped off for her flight home and Husband collected for part two of my time in KZN, we hopped into an Uber and headed to Umhlanga. See some of the sights along the way.Ahh, the Oyster Box. We loved everything we saw when we first arrived, including resident kitty Skabenga who let me pet him as he napped on a couch.The main reception area is just gorgeous, with ornate red carpets, glass, mirrors and orchids everywhere you look.If cakes are your thing, don’t miss high tea at the Oyster Box. We had a huge dinner to come so gave it a miss, but there’s also a slightly smaller ‘evening indulgence’ option if you have a spot of space left after those curries. We didn’t, sadly. Will have to return for it!Our room was a pink, red and white delight. See the robes in the bathroom, the red-and-white lighthouse in walking distance and enticing private balcony.Cheers! We clinked drinks once we’d had time to unpack and get over the gorgeousness of the view from our balcony.It’s not a proper seaside stay if Husband hasn’t had a dip in the sea, so we trotted along the beach to the pier and of course he dunked himself in the Umhlanga waters – my first time on the KZN beachfront too, despite having arrived in Durban on the Wednesday! Note cute ‘sand brush’ for when returning from beach to hotel.We even spotted a vervet monkey wandering the grounds!Sunset from our balcony.Don’t forget to explore the upstairs floor of the Oyster Box – we found the Clock Tower Room, host to a selection of toy soldiers, as well as the movie theatre stocked with sweets and soft blankets. Lots to do if the weather keeps you indoors!A lovely nautical corner of the Oyster Box.That night, we sampled the curry buffet in the Ocean Terrace. Proper review of the curries to come on Biz, and see my very chocolatey shake – with striped paper straw, of course.All the colours deepen at the Oyster Box at night. We were quite exhausted after dins and ready for bed.Wow, the Oyster Box room fairies went all out in our absence, decking the bed with towel swans, rose petals, chocolates and gowns. Here’s the resulting gown pic.To a Capetonian, this is absolute heaven due to water restrictions in the province. The staff had sprinked more rose petals all around the edge of the super-large tub, and even left us scented candles. Bliss!
Monday, 20 August 2018: The Oyster Box breakfast buffet and King Shaka Airport Slow Lounge
The breakfast buffet spread is simply unbeatable. Look at all those cheeses, and you could eat oysters to your heart’s content! I think Husband stopped at 14.Also see Husband’s Oysters Mornay bottom right, a selection of the cereals, the full breakfast menu and the pancake I topped with chocolate syrup, cream, banana slices and mini Astros. That’s how you do breakfast! And then…The spa at the Oyster Box is open to guests, so we headed straight there after breakfast to spend some quiet time digesting and erasing some of the past weeks’ stresses.I can’t tell you how relaxing it was the spend the morning hopping between this jacuzzi-like plunge pool and the Turkish hammam steam room. We left feeling ten times better than when we arrived. Us waterbabies could have easily spent the day there!We spent a little time at the main pool (there’s another close to the spa) before it was time to check out. I can see why this is a firm Umhlanga favourite!More shots of the gorgeous pool. See how we both bravely got in (that’s me in the bottom left shot) – and what a wonderful spot it is, to take your morning coffee.We had enough time to spare before our flight to visit the Slow Lounge at King Shaka Airport – my first time. See the curry that made Husband’s eyes light up, the chocolate croissant and cappuccino that made me happy, and various other snacks.Another snap of the Slow Lounge, and the British Airways plane that brought us home.
That’s all, folks! Hope my snaps did our whirlwind stay justice. We’ve both been a bit ill this past week, so it will probably be a quiet weekend on our side. Enjoy yours!
*Disclaimer: Our Loeries’ outfits and accessories were sponsored by Foschini, while meals and accommodation at the Oyster Box Hotel were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
Last weekend saw us in Stellenbosch, where we had the most wonderful time. I’ll let the pictures do the talking so you can see for yourself…
Saturday, 4 August 2018: Lunch at Majeka House’s M Bar, chocolate pairing at Waterford Estate
We had some weekend admin to sort out first thing, so Saturday’s breakfast was enjoyed at W Cafe in Woolworths, Table Bay Mall. See Husband’s eggs benedict and flat white, with my poached pear-topped French toast and vanilla-cinnamon cappuccino. Yum.What’s a road trip without caffeine? We ended up with a cafe mocha for me and a Coke Zero for Husband, and enjoyed watching the scenery become all woodsy the closer we got to Stellenbosch.What a welcome! When you see that tree in the middle of the road, you know you’re in whisper distance of Majeka House. Also see one of the quirky pig ornaments (they’re everywhere at Majeka House), and the herbal infusion from Majeka’s own herb garden, served in the prettiest floral cups.The M Bar at Majeka House is beautiful, with gold touches and pops of royal blue everywhere. There was a toasty fire blazing inside, but we opted to eat out in the elements, amongst the unusual cacti.Our lunch choices from the Majeka Menu. We opted for just a main each – the line fish for Husband and the pasta for me, with the vanilla creme brulee for dessert.There were no burgers in stock and the menu was quite seafood-heavy, so I the coriander-chilli-broccoli-bocconcini pasta was my best bet, especially when paired with a gingery rose martini. Also see husband’s asparagus and the linefish – Cape breem on the day, cooked to perfection, as well as the vanilla creme brulee topped with a cookie and paired with a cappuccino.Strong, rich coffee, a crisp breeze, bird song and blues and greens everywhere you look. That’s Majeka House!Bellies full, it was time to explore our room! We were in one of two with access to a private (very cold) pool. Also see the pretty pink and grey birdy theme, even on the glass doors on the bathroom.I won’t tell you how many takes we took at getting it to look like I was wrapped up in the flamingo birdy. 🙂See the beautiful but chilly pool. The base is striped and would be good for a few laps! I didn’t brave it much more than this, alas. The coffee was much needed, and even that didn’t do the trick so we decided it was time for a quick explore of the local wine farms. What a good idea!Waterford Estate is like something an artist imagined and brought to life with a magic paintbrush.You just can’t go wrong with visiting a wine farm in the Western Cape, but Waterford Estate has a special touch. From the game viewing vehicle to the pretty trees…To the classy country setting with lights and log fires everywhere you look…To the chocolate-wine pairing, which is complementary if you’re staying at Majeka House. Waterford Estate was actually the first local wine farm to offer a chocolate-wine pairing, and we can see why it’s been such a success. The chocolates are specially crafted and can only be bought at the Estate. We highly recommend this activity if you’re visiting Stellenbosch!But the best part, for us? The tiny fruit dotted on trees in rows and rows across the estate. They were sweet and seedless, and left our fingers orange-scented.Dornier is on the same road as Waterford Estate, so we stopped in for a quick visit – see why I say you can’t go wrong with visiting a wine farm in the Western Cape?Some of the things we saw while travelling those semi-rural roads of Stellenbosch.Juice and dessert! We’d just returned to our room when there was a knock on our door in the early evening, and we were presented with fresh, spicy juice and a yummy berry-chocolate panna cotta.Later that evening we made use of the fitness centre and the steam room, sauna, indoor pool and jacuzzi. This is bliss!This was the best option from our standard gown photo shoot. I promise. Not seen: Just how fluffy and soft and warm they were.Night time! See the sky at sunset and how the Majeka House archways light up once the moon rises.
Sunday, 5 August 2018: Breakfast buffet at Makaron
The moment Husband’s eyes were open on Sunday morning, it was time for breakfast in Makaron. See the hot breakfast menu, some of the treats to choose from the continental buffet, and tea equipment.This little piggy guarded the breakfast buffet.The seating arrangements at Makaron restaurant in Majeka House are quite something. Look at these fancy chairs!We had bowl after bowl of beautiful assortment of food. See our strong coffees served with hot milk, clusters of honeyed muesli with nuts and yoghurt, the American pancakes with hot, jammy blueberries and Husband’s full breakfast including tomato, mushrooms and sausages.Suspicious Bassie, once we were safely home again that afternoon.Bertie having a snuggle with his dad.
Monday, 6 August 2018: Sunrise in Woodstock
The most beautiful citrus-streaky sunrise when I got off the MyCiti bus at Woodstock Station on Monday morning.
That’s all, folks! We hope you have a relaxing weekend ahead. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our meals and accommodation at Majeka House and Waterford Estate were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
Last weekend was another sunny one, as you’ll see from the short sleeves in the pics below…
Wednesday, 18 July 2018: Unboxing diversity with Kantar Millward Brown
I attended an interesting morning presentation on ‘Unboxing stereotypes in advertising’ at Kantar Millward Brown’s offices on the Foreshore on Mandela Day. Make sure you read my overview if you missed it.
Friday, 20 July 2018: Joining the Tribe Coffee early birds, Wikimania Cape Sun conferencing
Last Friday I walked across the road to Tribe Coffee Roasters the moment I had put my bag at my desk, as a colleague told me about their earlybird special – any coffee ordered before 9am is R15. My large flat white was delicious and worked a charm!Later that morning I attended the Wikimania conference press briefing, on the 32nd floor of the Cape Sun Hotel, only to bump into my cousin Luke, who is a reporter for the Weekend Argus. Read my coverage of the event if you missed it.Almost birds-eye view of the Cape Town CBD hugged by Table Mountain on our way down the lift, once the event was over.
Saturday, 21 July 2018: Flapjacks and doughnuts at Table Bay Mall, Portuguese chicken Petiscos dins
Husband had to work on Saturday so we grabbed a quick breakfast together at Table Bay Mall’s Mugg & Bean before parting ways for the day. See my cappuccino with chocolate biscuit and stack of choc-chip flapjacks. Husband had a ‘serious cappuccino’ and the bacon and egg on toast.Soon after Husband left for the office, my parents arrived at the Mall – just in time for a teatime treat! See Mum and me mid-laugh with our chai lattes at Dunkin Donuts.Dad’s treat of cappuccino and doughnut topped with white frosting and sprinkles.The doglets were most curious about my leftover flapjack later that afternoon.We decided on Petiscos for dins that evening as we both adore their chicken fillet xai xai. I also had a Lindt choc flake shake, while Husband had a glass of the house red.
Sunday, 22 July 2018: Jason Bakery brekkie and spotting the Red Devil steam train
We woke to ‘road trip weather’ on Sunday, so off to Jason Bakery Bardough in Green Point we went. See the skull made of corks; dark charcoal-looking rolls; white chocolate, raspberry and almond croissants; and my flat white.See the interesting decor, pigs-ear type biscuit that accompanies the coffee and Husband’s rocket, mushroom, bacon, egg and cheese-filled ‘breakfast toastie’.Beautiful coastline on the winding route home!We stopped along the way to peer over the edge at the crashing waves below.We were in the Kloof Nek side of Cape Town that afternoon so stopped in for a very brief walk around one of the walking trails. It’s so green and gorgeous.Husband exploring Roundhouse, at the bottom edge of the walk we were on. Lovely hint of the sea in the distance.Eagle-eyed Husband noticed the Red Devil was on the train tracks in the Cape Town harbour when we passed, so of course we took a detour to have a closer look.Proof that it really is the Red Devil and not just any random red steam train.Husband had a dunk in the sea slightly further up the coast from his usual spot that afternoon.
Thursday, 26 July 2018: Sunrise in Woodstock
We left for work a little earlier than usual on Thursday so the sun was just beginning to rise when I reached the Woodstock MyCiti station.
That’s all, folks! Gasp, have just realised that while I glugged down copious cups of coffee, there was a severe lack of milkshakes on the menu. Just one! I will have to make amends 😉 May your weekend be restful and restorative.
Last Friday’s weather was just the wintery perfection required to review the new winter menu at Anthonij Rupert Wyne’s Terra del Capo, and we had the most wonderful night away at the Peninsula All-Suite Hotel in Sea Point…
Friday, 11 May 2018: Winter antipasti menu at Terra del Capo
After a quick few hours in the office it was time to Uber to the Radisson Blu Hotel at the Waterfront to meet the shuttle taking us to Anthonij Rupert Wyne in Franschhoek. We sipped flutes of bubbly amongst all the blue and green shades.The hour-plus trip out of the CBD into the winelands soothed us into a relaxed state of excitement, if there’s such a thing, and before we knew it, we were making our way down the driveway and into the tasting room area…Look at that loveliness! View of the wintery outside, bread board with porcini truffle butter, carrot arancini, and grapefruit salad.Just look at the way those colours sing – each bite was bursting with flavour, too. This is just a small sample of the four antipasti courses. Crisp veggies, creamy dips, salty meat and warm cheesy bites. Yum!And then, dessert. See various stages of devouring the chocolate cream tart with tiramisu macaron and capuccino, as well as bowl of citrus and the potent, fruity L’Ormarins digestif.Presented with bottles of the Pinot Grigiot and the Sangiovese wines we’d enjoyed over lunch, we happily posed outside the impressive doors before heading back onto the shuttle. Most of us were lulled to sleep by the slow rain that fell as we made our way back through the traffic. “Magies vol, ogies toe!”
Saturday, 12 May 2018: Pre-Mother’s Day breakfast and checking in to Sea Point’s Peninsula Hotel
We decided on a pre-Mother’s Day breakfast at News Cafe with both sets of parents. See all parties present and accounted for, as well as various forms of eggy breakfast.I also had some pre-Mother’s Day snuggles with the doglets as would only see them again the following day. Such cuties!Next stop, Sea Point! The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel towers above the Queens Beach corner of Sea Point, and is impressive from any angle.A quick explore of The Peninsula’s grounds revealed a pool out back, this one ‘slightly heated’; as well as classy navy decor; views of Lion’s Head; and the poolside dining options.Various snaps shot between the foyer and our room – see Husband attempting the ‘Star Wars mirror finger-click’ move, also the striped awning and Pacman-walled games room.And then! Our suite! The colour scheme was bright and just screamed ‘holiday’, while the complimentary bottle of MCC and view of the sea and the private jacuzzi instantly reset our buttons.We’re both Aquarian water babies, so after an intense sport massage carried out in our suite, we spent absolute hours in the jacuzzi – we had a dip at sunset, another after dinner, and one more before checkout the next morning. Bliss!Is there anything prettier than the sun setting over the sea? (No, there’s not.)View from our room of the sea-facing main (cold) pool below.Next stop, dins! This is the stylishly renovated Sunset Restaurant, warmly situated in the belly of the Peninsula Hotel. See the moreish farm-style bread, my ultra-chocolatey milkshake, Husband’s pan-seared Norwegian salmon mains and my chicken ballantine. This really hit the spot after all that soaking in the jacuzzi!Dessert! See my strong cappuccino and ‘death by chocolate’ ganache-y mousse bomb with espresso-creamy centre; as well as Husband’s lemon tart and Irish coffee. Perfect end to the meal.See the craft gin and brandy trolleys rolled out at dins, and the Faces Bar and Strolla restaurant outside areas, popular with walk-ins from the beach front. We took a quick stroll outside but it was cold and dark, so the warmth of our suite beckoned.This time, we posed the ‘hotel gown photo’ in the lounge. That carpet was so fluffy!
Sunday, 13 May 2018: Oreo sugarcones from the Dairy Den
The next morning, I opened the curtains and saw just what I’d been hoping for – a pastel pink, cloud-streaked sky over softly crashing waves. Insert heart-eyes emoji!View from our balcony after we’d woken enough to wish our moms happy Mother’s Day over the phone, then a quick coffee in room… and another at the jacuzzi. Best!And then, breakfast! We saw the buffet winding all around the extremities of the Sunset Restaurant and found ourselves drawn in again. See the sheet of honeycomb hiding various cold meats, cheese and fruits, as well as waffles with strawberries in syrup and super crispy bacon.More breakfast! Assorted juices; cold meats, fruits and cheeses; the egg and omelette station; and Husband’s plate, including kipper.And just like that, our time at the Peninsula was over. Keen to extend the ‘holiday’ feel of the weekend, you can just see Husband almost out at sea here on the right, exploring the rocks at the Sea Point Contact after our speedy check out.Then it was just a hop, skip and a jump to the Dairy Den on Main Road, where I’d heard about the wonderful ice cream specials and ‘Doh!’nuts. Still full from breakfast I didn’t have space to try a doh!nut too (sob), so will have to return! See various stages of eating my ice cream on the Sea Point promenade.The ice cream is worth the distance! After much deliberation I decided on the half-and-half – chocolate swirled with strawberry, served with a chocolatey biscuit in the hundreds-and-thousands-dipped Oreo sugarcone.Husband decided on fish and chips from Snoekies at Eden on the Bay for Mother’s Day lupper at my mum’s, all enjoyed (especially me with my vinegar-soaked chip roll).Mum and I had both just read the ‘Me Before You’ trilogy by Jojo Moyes, so we watched the movie with assorted snacks for Mother’s Day. Such a good idea!
Tuesday, 15 May 2018: 2OceansVibeRadio segment recording, family wors rolls
On Tuesday afternoon, my colleague Angie and I recorded our first-ever live monthly radio show segment on 2OceansVibeRadio.com, with host Nadia Hearn. Will add a link to the podcast of the show soon! Look at the cosy co-working office space they record from in Cartel House in Loop Street.Radio show bits done, we stopped in at the Cafe du Cap coffee shop downstairs in the Cartel House building for a quick treat while waiting out the traffic. The iced latte isn’t on the menu, but they will whip one up for you if you ask. T’was just what we needed!Our friend Gords was down from Joburg on business for a few days so we hosted the whole family for a wors-roll dins once all were done with work. Spec drove up from Fish Hoek, slept over and left before 6am the next morning for work. Lots of laughs were had!Precious doglets spent some quality time with their granny and grampa on the couch that evening.
That’s all, folks! Click here for my full wordy review of the Terra del Capo experience on Bizcommunity, and keep an eye out for the Peninsula All-Suite Hotel review, coming soon. Here’s to another relaxing weekend ahead…
*Disclaimer: Our meals and accommodation at Anthonij Rupert’s Terra del Capo and The Peninsula were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
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 🙂
Last week was really busy and quite chilly but filled with happy, delicious moments, too…
Wednesday, 4 April 2018: Autumn Risotto Pop-Up Experience at 95 Keerom and Gords’ visit
I’d been invited to review the Autumn Risotto Pop-Up Experience at 95 Keerom on Wednesday afternoon, so of course I accepted the offer. Each bowl was delicious, especially accompanied by Steenberg Wines’ finest.The food and the drink. Yes, I ate all this. Click through for details and full descriptions in my official review on Bizcommunity.Gords, one of Husband’s oldest friends from our Joburg days, was in Cape Town on business on Wednesday so we jumped at the chance to see him at Husband’s parents’ house. See various happy moments below – yes, the doggies were there, too.Husband’s Mum cooked up haggis, chilli con carne, potatoes and various veg in honour of Gords’ visit. See how thrilled Bertie was to greet Gords, also see my Mum with Bassie (my parents popped in for a quick visit, too).
Friday, 6 April 2018: Doggies warming themselves at the fire
The doggies warming themselves at the fire last Friday evening.Sleepy sweethearts.Precious little Bassie peeping out from under her blankie.
Saturday, 7 April 2018: Coffee-filled breakfast at The Daily
The Daily at Seaside Village in Big Bay had revamped its menu so we went for a quick taste. As it was first thing in the morning, we started with coffee! See various shots of Husband’s ‘con panna’ (espresso topped with cream) and my latte.To eat we went with old favourites – toasted chicken mayo in white for me, eggs florentine for Husband. See shots of how they were served on the left and after we’d doctored them with sauces on the right.After a fair deal of weekend admin we decided on an early dinner at The Orient in Eden on the Bay that evening. See various hand rolls, sashimi and maki consumed by Husband, and my cashew chicken dish bottom left.
Sunday, 8 April 2018: Coffee at Reload, breakfast at Tables at Nitida, liquid treats at Pakalolo
We were up earlier than necessary on Sunday so stopped for a fancy coffee treat first thing. The outside seating area at Reload in Parklands is inviting.See my peppermint-chocolate latte and various weekend newspapers. Sunday morning bliss.As we’d not seen them the day before, we met Husband’s parents at Tables at Nitida for breakfast. It’s such a pretty spot!Love the mosaic tables at Tables (lol) – also see my Milo shake;, the general ‘bacon-eggs-mushrooms-tomato’ brekkie ordered by Husband’s parents; my brioche French toast with jar of scrumptious caramelised bananas and nuts; and Husband’s Italian-style chorizo-pepper-feta-spring onion open-faced omelette. No wonder their tagline is ‘For the love of food!’Tables at Nitida always makes us feel welcome. “May all who enter as guests leave as friends.”After we’d ‘left as friends’, we stopped in at Klein Rosboom for a look around. The entry table is just so pretty. Insert heart-eyes emoji.Some of the lovely sights at Klein Roosboom. We found ‘die hang gat’, where you can sit in a swing chair while tasting wine. Such fun!You can see us peeking into another of the tasting room ‘caves’ at Klein Roosboom in the mirror here.Much later that afternoon, after lots of manual labour in the garden, we stopped in at Pakalolo on the beachfront for a liquid treat. It was a frosty Castle Light draught for Husband and raspberry virgin daquiri for me. Delicious!You can just make out Husband behind my virgin raspberry daquiri here. Lol.Ahh. That’s how you spend a Sunday afternoon. Sipping daquiris and staring at sea views.Mum outdid herself with homemade gnocchi and a crunchy salad for lupper that eve.
Wednesday, 11 April 2018: Overcast fiery skies at night
Overcast sunset sky at night…
Thursday, 12 April 2018: ‘Feel better’ pastries from Trescatelli Bakery
Cloud-flecked sunrise sky in the morning.There was a bus strike on Thursday and I wasn’t feeling 100% so worked from home that day. Day made when my parents popped in with delicious pastries! See huge mug of coffee with chocolate and vanilla-cream cannoli from Trescatelli Bakery here. Mmm.
As promised, this is a bumper update as I have two weeks’ worth of pics from our recent 10th anniversary break in Zanzibar to share with you…
Monday, 11 September 2017: Fly SAA from Cape Town to JHB
First stop, the airport. Having packed our bags and checked we had everything we needed – I left Husband’s passport in the scanner for our last overseas trip, and will never do that again! Check-in was easy so we had breakfast at Primi overlooking the flight deck. And then we were off!By the time we reached our first hotel of the trip – the City Lodge at Johannesburg’s main airport it was a sunny, summery afternoon. We dropped off our bags in our room and decamped to the pool area for a while. Just blissful!The moment we found out we’d need to spend the night in Joburg we decided we would have a special dinner at Lucio’s in Blackheath – they make gnocchi piccante, which is a bolognaise sauce with cream, brandy, chillies and lime. Too delicious for words. We also invited Gords as it was close to his birthday and we’d not seen him in ages. It was a lovely evening.
Tuesday, 12 to Tuesday, 19 September: Week at Azanzi Beach Hotel, Zanzibar
We needed to be at the airport at 5am for the Zanzibar flight so checked out of our hotel around 4:30am then trundled across the walkway into the main airport building. Check-in was another breeze, so we were pleased to find the Mugg & Bean open and ready to serve coffee, cookies and proper breakfast things for Husband. Then we were off again – up, up and away!Having made sense of the chaos of the Zanzibar airport – meaning we found the correct forms, filled them in, made our way through passport control, located our bags, found our travel guide, paid 1$ USD to use the bathroom – we were ready to survive the roads to our resort in Matemwe on the island’s north-east coast, about 45 minutes from the airport. We saw many sights on the way, but mostly lush greenery as we passed the various spice farms and bright bunches of fruit and clothing for sale in the small towns we passed. Transport is very expensive in Zanzibar, so we didn’t leave the resort much.Zanzibar is palm tree central. There are leafy trees everywhere you look.Our resort was sunny, with thatched rooves nestled between palm trees – and you could walk right through, on to the beach.The jambo juice cocktail, presented with a cold facecloth once you’ve checked into Azanzi, was about the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. It’s a mix of coconut milk, pineapple juice and strawberry juice. Husband enjoyed the local Safari beers, I downed bottles of Stoney tangawizi (ginger beer) and Husband enjoyed the local wines with dinner.The rooms are bright and airy, cleaned each morning and sprayed and ‘netted’ each evening to ensure a bug-free stay. Our suite was upstairs so we had a balcony with view of the bright bouganvilleas and palm trees to gaze at.The mosquito-netted beds are very pretty and make you feel relaxed and peaceful and protected (though you still need to take your full course of malaria pills just in case. We are almost done with ours).Some of the pretty bouganvillea blooms. There were pinks, oranges and reds, which were quite spectacular from the balcony.The pool is gorgeous, partially shaded as it flows beneath the upstairs dining area. We spent lots of time wading in these waters.
The rest of this travel diary is grouped by events and things to do rather than running chronologically, as you’ll see…
Wake early to catch the sunrise
Matemwe beach is an excellent spot from which to catch the sunrise. We climbed up into the massage hut on the beach for these, so very different to the sunset shots below.
Sip chilled, fruity drinks at (and in) the pool
It’s always a good time for a drink in Zanzibar. Local soft drinks, beers, wines and more are part of the all-inclusive package and the Fanta Orange tasted just delicious there.Cocktails are not included in the package, but we couldn’t resist a pina colada IN the pool! 🙂I was thrilled to find that the jambo juice I’d loved so much on our arrival is also one of the cocktails on the bar menu.
Be active – play or watch sports – or rest in a hammock
When it was just too hot and windy to sit outside, we stepped indoors to play a few games of pool. Oh how we laughed and laughed at my ‘excellent’ skills 😉We happened to have our SA shirts with us, so tuned into the rugby match against NZ. Some say this was not a wise move. This is us sipping Colas in the resort lounge.Azanzi Beach Hotel is the ultimate spot for relaxation, with hammocks and comfy seats everywhere you look. Take a few novels and magazines with you, or just let your eyes switch into screensaver mode for a while and feel your worries slip away.
Take a sunset cruise at Nungwi
This was one of the highlights of our holiday. We were transported in an air-conditioned vehicle to Nungwi on the island’s north coast, the best spot to catch the sunset. After Husband had a quick dip in the sea we set off towards the horizon, with more drinks and fresh fruit midway. We were at sea from 4pm to just after 6pm.It’s clear to see why Nungwi is so popular with tourists – calm, clear blue water, lots of resorts to choose from and the best view of the sunset.Aww. Love this boy, and the sunset, and the sea so much! ❤Husband spent some time in the water, of course, saying ‘hi’ to starfish and the like, and the sunset was truly spectacular.Boats. Sunset. Sea.
Snorkelling, beach walks and sunning ourselves
Or you could take a stroll along the beach in Matemwe – everyone will greet you, ask for your name and where you’re from. There’s lots to see as most of the fishing takes place right before of your eyes.We spent the bulk of our time in, on or gazing at the sea. It was an unbelievable shade and temperature, I can’t describe how warm and calm it is!Make sure you’re both facing the right direction when you take your beach photos or you may end up with a sequence like this. Lol.Me in my shortie wetsuit with flippers (snorkel and mask not pictured), Husband at the map of Mnemba Island on the Scubafish boat, us before hopping in to swim with the dolphins and the clear, calm turquoise sea.Morning of snorkelling under the sun over with, it was time for a BBQ lunch at nearby Muyuni beach. We ate fresh chicken and tuna steaks with tiramisu for dessert, swam in the warm sea and napped in hammocks. That’s what being on holiday’s all about. That’s also the only meal we had away from our resort.
Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at Azanzi Beach Hotel
Breakfast! The best meal of the day, or the most important, say some. At Azanzi it was usually a buffet offering with eggs as you like them, crispy bacon and other assorted delights – chocolatey pastries, honeyed croissants, chicken or pork sausages, curry, noodles, French toast, pancakes, cheeses and cold meats, cereals with yoghurt and fresh fruit, juices and coffees… sure to get your day off to the right start!We had many a good cup of coffee at Azanzi. See the breakfast pot, which usually provided three full cups, as well as coffee from our balcony and below, over the pool.Lunch! The food at Azanzi Beach is really delicious and if you’ve taken the all-inclusive/full board offering, it’s all covered before you get there. We looked forward to our three meals a day and often had more than one course at each. This is lunch on the beach – a chicken curry for Husband and a bacon-banana toasted panini for me.Just a handful of the food pics I took when we were at Azanzi Beach Hotel. We ate everything from pork loins to prawn skewers, butternut-orange soup and octopus pili pili to green bananas in coconut sauce. All lip-smackingly good.There’s a weekly special beach BBQ/braai dinner buffet – such a treat! Tables are set up on the beach, with many salad type starters, a chef ready to toss potatoes, chicken, tuna, calamari, prawns and crayfish on the grill and sides of delicious oxtail soup and sweet-and-sour brinjals. For dessert, a choice of white chocolate tart, creme caramel and fruit salad left everybody smiling and singing along to the live music.There was lots of wildlife to befriend, too. See the birdies that joined us at breakfast, Zanzikat or Chewie, who often visited our room, and another kitty that was sitting with a monkey on the beach at Nungwi. We also saw little goats and skinny cows.Wash, rinse, repeat the above, and following a bumpy ride back to the airport, we were finally on our way home a full week after the journey began. Until next time!
That’s all, folks! We’re looking forward to spending quality time with the doglets this weekend. 🙂
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 