Last weekend we had many foodie celebrations as we celebrated both my parents’ birthdays, as you’ll see from the pics below…
Thursday, 8 August 2019: Winter high tea at the Table Bay Hotel
We were invited to review the new winter high tea menu at the Table Bay Hotel, so ventured off to the V&A Waterfront after work was done for the day on Thursday. See lots of happy faces and lovely sights.High tea, served in style! See our flutes of bubbly and scones and savouries, all this before we visited the main buffet table!Tea is served! After sniffing away at lovely scented options I had a pot of the Pink Flamingo tea. Also see some fruity surprise treats – read all the words of my review on Bizcommunity to find out what they really are!Seal mascots and a further course of tea-time treats meant we left with even bigger smiles on our faces. Highly recommended.
Friday, 9 August 2019: Women’s Day breakfast at Wimpy
Last Friday was the Women’s Day public holiday so we made full use of the opportunity to sleep in late and brunch at Wimpy. See my Bar-One waffle with regular Wimpy coffee, as well as Husband’s streaky bacon breakfast.After a day of napping and reading, we ventured out for lupper at Colala in Table View, See Husband’s chicken kadai curry and my sweet-and-sour chicken.Sweet doglets snuggling up to their dad that evening.
Saturday, 10 August 2019: Hart Bakery breakfast, Dad’s 69th birthday lupper at Yo Eastern Fusion
Breakfast is served! We started the official weekend with breakfast at The Hart in Melkbos. See Husband’s large cappuccino and chorizo rosti, as well as my single cappuccino and single bacon benedict.We ventured out for a coffee-time treat later that afternoon, as Husband spotted a new addition on the Entertainer app: ‘Simple Bru Coffee’ in Reef Surf shop, just off Marine Circle. He had a flat white while I enjoyed the vanilla latte, both served with bite of rusk.Happy birthday to you! Saturday was Dad’s birthday, so we went for a joint early dins at Yo Eastern Fusion to celebrate. See various cocktails, happy faces and foodies.Some of the deliciousness – Mum’s Tom Yum soup, my satay chicken and chocolate spring rolls, and assorted cocktails, from left to right in the upper-right photo: Call me A Cab, Blue Hawaii, Mermaid’s Orgasm and Pina Colada.More scenes from our Saturday feast – cocktail happiness; Dad’s sweet-and-sour prawns top-right; Mum’s assorted appetizer starter of crumbed mushrooms, crunchy calamari, chicken satay and vegetable spring rolls; and Husband’s seafood fried noodles.What’s a birthday celebration without cake?! We popped in at Woolworths for this yummy white chocolate, caramel fudge cake and munched away at sunset at home.
Sunday, 11 August 2019: Breakfast at On the Rocks, Hout Bay roadtrip
We treated ourselves to breakfast at On the Rocks on Sunday. See the chandelier glowing brightly as well as Husband’s ‘Jonkershuijs’ breakfast bottom-left, full of pork belly, avo and poached egg, as well as my Hash bowl packed with potatoes, asparagus and poached eggs.The takeaway coffee hatch next to On the Rocks is also a lovely spot to explore.Winter in Table View, as personified by this scene outside the Ons Huisie parking lot.Next stop, Hout Bay! The weather was a tad chilly but just right for a road trip. I thoroughly enjoyed my slap chips with tartare sauce from Mariner’s Wharf and we walked around looking at the seals and gulls.I was still full from my slap chip session so stuck with a cappuccino while Husband sampled the seafood curry at the Mariner’s Wharf restaurant upstairs. The slogan in the window frame says, “Our windows are cleaned regularly. If dirty, curse the seagulls or blame the weather.”
Tuesday, 13 August 2019: Mum’s 65th birthday dins at Petisco’s
Happy birthday to you! Tuesday was Mum’s birthday so we celebrated at a local favourite after work – Petiscos. See my Lindt chocolate Flake shake, as well as Husband’leaning in’ for the photo bottom-left, Dad’s full chicken cafreal bottom-right, and Mum’s birthday surprise shooter with a sparkler. The whole restaurant sang to her!
That’s all, folks! Tune in for next week’s update a day later than usual, as I’ll be in Durban covering the Loeries in the usual Friday blogging slot.
Click here to recap my full Table Bay high tea review on Bizcommunity and here for the SodaStream coverage I mentioned last week. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our high teas at the Table Bay Hotel were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
You may remember I promised a longer post than usual this week – you’re in luck, here it is! Scroll through for highlights from our midweek break at the Blue Gum Country Estate in Stanford and more…
Friday, 24 May 2019: Commodore conferences and half-price cocktails
My Friday started with a first – while I’ve attended hundreds, this was my first time speaking at a conference! I popped into the office while it was still dark out, then went on to the Commodore Hotel at the Waterfront for the Content Marketing conference.We celebrated the start of the weekend and my much longed-for leave at Catch22 that evening. Bonus? Half-price cocktails before 6pm! See my colourful ‘Catch23’, as well as the seafood curry Husband and Dad both ordered, Mum’s sushi and my buccaneer beef burger.But first, cocktails! See Mum with her Bloody Mary, Dad with his Long Island Ice Tea, Husband with his Beeracuda (tequila, lime, sundried orange and a Corona beer). Cheers!
Saturday, 25 May 2019: Bean Authentic breakfast and bee stings
We had a long Saturday ahead as Husband needed to spend some time in the office, so we lined our tummies with breakfast at Bean Authentic in Monte Vista as we still had an Entertainer voucher to redeem. See the lovely strong flat white served in glass mugs, as well as my Ferrero Rocher mocha and Parmesan-crusted toastie filled with bacon, jalapenos, feta and spicy mayo. Husband had the bacon, cheese and sundried tomato egglets on avo.The whole family popped in for a braai later that afternoon – also see Bertie’s slightly swollen lip from a bee sting. The swelling went down soon after I snapped this.
Sunday, 26 May 2019: Kauai and Eden on the Bay beach walks
Spec had slept over on Saturday night so joined us for breakfast at Kauai at Eden on the Bay. The boys’ mom also popped in for a cuppa tea and avo on toast. Proof we were all there.We had a short post-breakfast stroll along Eden on the Bay, as Husband wanted to wet his feet.
Monday, 27 May 2019: Nutella hot chocolate and banoffee waffle at Panarotti’s
Husband went to work on Monday but I was already on leave, so joined my parents for a late breakfast at Panarotti’s in Table Bay Mall. My Nutella hot chocolate and ‘Bellissima Banoffee Belgian waffle’ were lovely!
Tuesday, 28 May 2019: Roadtrip to Stanford, night at Blue Gum Country Estate
It was a real treat to sleep in late on Tuesday but still rise in time for the earlybird English breakfast special at News Cafe. Tomatoes were well cooked and flat whites strong, as you can see here.Roadtrip time! We made our customary stop at the Sir Lowry’s Pass lookout point. Husband was impressed with neither the elevation nor the gustiness of the wind. See a much more wind-swept version of this pic here, from when we visited Old Mac Daddy in Elgin.Some of the pretty sights we saw along the way. Sheep, various cows and even Carpaccio, the solo springbokkie. So cute!Looks like Husband is sharing a joke with this spotted horsey. Neigh!A few pics of the setting, at Blue Gum Country Estate, 10km from Stanford. It was peaceful, quiet and cold – too cold for a dip in the pool, alas.We felt we were well and truly out in the country while gazing at the view from our private balcony.Gorgeous view looking out from our balcony.Some of the pretty sights on our quick ride for supplies along Queen Victoria Street in the heart of Stanford.We stopped in at Raka Wine Farm for a quick winetasting, too, and stocked up on specialty snacks. Yum!Dinner is served! Not much is open in Stanford on a Tuesday night as Winter approaches, so we dined at Blue Gum’s own Barke restaurant. We had the place to ourselves.The Milkshake Queen in action! Couldn’t resist the ultra-chocolatey milkshake with my dins.See Husband enjoying a glass of red at the fireplace and his two-course dinner of fillet steak and creme caramel with sorbet. I went for the toasted chicken-mayo with stacks of chips. Just the thing when paired with a chocolate shake!The standard gownie shot – with our pre-bed milk treats purchased in town. Toffee Caramel for me, Banana for Husband.
Wednesday, 29 May 2019: Milkshakes in Hermanus
Good morning? It sure is! For me, it doesn’t get much better than a freshy brewed coffee with a view like this…Breakfast, my favourite meal of the day! See the fireplace – a different one to where we sat the previous evening – as well as the lovely continental buffet table and Husband’s hot breakfast order.Why did we go to Stanford? This picture, snapped by Husband just before we left Blue Gum Country Estate on Wednesday morning, says it all.We also rode out to see the lovely trails along the Stanford river before starting the long trip home. Next time we’ll stay longer, so we can fit in a river cruise.The MIlkshake Queen strikes again! We took a slight detour on the way home to take advantage of the sunny weather in Hermanus. See my coffee shake and Husband’s cappuccino at Burgundy’s.We also stopped at the Winelands 1-Stop once we were nearly home, to redeem our free Wimpy burger meal for the quarter – thanks eBucks! All this and we only paid for the drinks. This time the milkshake (banana) is Husband’s. The granadilla-mint slush is a must.
That’s all, folks! May your weekend be relaxing. 🙂 Looking for more?Click here for my full review of our stay at Blue Gum Country Estate on Bizcommunity, and tune in for my next update next week – same time, same place. 🙂
*Disclaimer: Our bed and breakfast at Blue Gum Country Estate in Stanford were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
We had yet another day off work this week as it was national voting day on Wednesday – the last public holiday for a while, so we made the most of the chance to relax…
Saturday, 4 May 2019: Braai at Husband’s parents
We decided on a little bit of a road trip for our Saturday breakfast, eventualy ending up at Melkbos Kitchen. The coffee was delicious, as was the food. See Husband’s salmon-eggs benedict, as well as my bacon-egg buttie.The doggies enjoyed running around and taking in their other granny’s garden, as their last visit was the day we moved – Bertie’s birthday, on 1 March.Results of all the braai-ing effort.
Sunday, 5 May 2019: Kauai breakfast and honeyed lupper
We wanted something on the healthier side of the street for Sunday breakfast, so went to Kauai at Eden on the Bay. See the lovely view as well as my almond oat pot and Husband’s Mexican egg bowl. Not pictured: Our strong flat white coffees.Mum made a delicious honey-mustard chicken meal for Sunday lupper, as we still have lots of honey from our bee hive removal. Click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about.Mini doughnuts for dessert!A beautiful sky at sunset, as seen from home.
Tuesday, 7 May 2019: French toast breakfast treat
I worked from home on Tuesday as I had a very late night of work the night before so opted to skip the commute into the office. Added bonus: homemade French toast with bacon, syrup and honey, made by Mum.
Wednesday, 8 May 2019: Voting day in South Africa
We slept in a little later than normal then headed to Wimpy at Bayside Mall for breakfast. See Husband winking without his streaky bacon breakfast (plus cheese griller), and me with my regular Wimpy coffee and Bar-one waffle.We kept an eye on the queues outside the voting stations all day, then decided on lunch at the Italian Club before making our mark. See the ribs and chips, red wine, gnocchi bolognaise and my coffee shake.A group ‘thumfie’ as proof that we all eventually made our mark that afternoon.Sweet, sleepy doglets as snapped throughout the week.
That’s all, folks! Tune in next week – same time, same place for my next update…
This past weekend, Husband’s parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary…
Friday, 26 April 2019: Lauren Beukes’ Creative Mornings talk at AAA School
Last Friday, I attended Lauren Beukes’ Creative Mornings talk for April, held at the AAA School in Long Street. See the lovely setting, and delicious morning treats. Click here for my overview of Beukes’ talk on Bizcommunity.Look at the lovely, fresh drip coffee we got to sample before the talk began. Clay Pigeon is opening later this year.And these doughnuts! Driven in fresh from Worcester for the monthly Creative Morning talks.The monthly Creative Morning talks are now held at the AAA School in Long Street. What a wonderful setting!Love this, posted on one of the internal walls at the AAA School on Long Street. “We don’t make mistakes, we master them.”
Saturday, 27 April 2019: Avengers Endgame at GrandWest Casino, cocktails at Catch22
We tried something different for breakfast on Saturday – Bean Authentic Coffee Roasters in Monte Vista, as found on the Entertainer app. See Husband’s cheddar-and-bacon ‘egglets’.Also at Bean Authentic – this delicious bacon, jalapeno, bacon, feta, cheddar and spicy mayo toastie.We watched Avengers: Endgame at GrandWest Casino on Saturday afternoon. As you can see, we splurged on the biggest box of popcorn we’d ever seen, especially as it was Avengers: Endgame themed. We did finish it, as the movie is three hours’ long…Next stop, Catch22 for some post-movie cocktails. The view is just gorgeous.Husband, busy with his Ol’ Spice mojito, featuring spiced rum, lime, mint, ginger, pineapple and soda.I went for the ‘Lava Me Long Time’. Served in a tiki glass, it’s a delicious blend of rum, coconut, lemongrass, lime, basil, blueberry and cranberry. The ice cubes mean there’s a little less in the glass than you think – that’s a good thing!
Sunday, 28 April 2019: Ruby anniversary lunch at Brass Bell
Husband’s parents were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary last weekend, so invited us for a celebratory meal at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay.Full family shot, Spec attended, as well as Janet and Phil – we sat upstairs in the enclosed area, with a view of the wild ocean below.Oysters! Husband’s Mum ordered a portion for the table.See Husband enjoying some oysters and me with my Amarula Colada cocktail. Yum!My Amarula Colada again, a watchful gull statue along with some food – my beef burger and chips, and one of the fishy options.The happy couple, with their eldest and me.The tide pool at Brass Bell was flat and so inviting, if you ignored the nip in the air…Husband got into the tide pool behind me here, as we headed back towards St James’ side. Note my coffee as the weather got cold, fast once the sun vanished behind the mountain.
Wednesday, 1 May 2019: Sick Husband and Rocomama’s treats on Workers’ Day
Intercare Parklands was our first stop on Wednesday, as Husband woke up Very Ill – he even came home early from work the day before. Diagnosis: Full-blown influenza. Lucky I had the flu shot the previous week. So far, so good. We didn’t wait long, but coffee in the waiting area is always a good idea.Husband having a nap that afternoon.We had a Workers’ Day afternoon treat at Rocomama’s later that afternoon. See my espresso shake – yes, my second milkshake of the day, as I also had a peanut butter-toffee shake at Wimpy after Hubcapsicum’s doc visit (I got to order an adventurous drink as I’d already had a coffee at the doctor earlier) – as well as the chicken burger Husband and Mum opted for, and Dad with his Bud in a bottle.Mum and me at the Rocomama’s star wall.The doglets relaxing in the lounge at various stages of the week. They know this is home!
That’s all, folks! Husband is on the mend but we’ll take things easy, just in case. Here’s to a relaxing weekend ahead, filled with delicious moments.
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 🙂
You know Winter is well and truly here if my weekly highlights include supporting our local rugby team, UniMil (Milnerton) at Theo Marais Park…
Saturday, 30 June 2018: Sweetloaf’s R11 treats and rooting for local rugby
It was a Village Place Cafe kind of day on Saturday, so Husband had the mince on toast topped with eggs while I had the sweetcorn fritter breakfast stack. Also see our cappuccinos.A little later in the day we were at Sable Square where I can’t resist a treat from Sweetloaf, as everything costs just R11 – whether it’s a cold drink, cappuccino, pastry or mini pie you’re after.Couldn’t help snapping this oil spill in a parking lot on Saturday. Such pretty rainbow colours.We decided to pop into Theo Marais Sportsground for a little rugby atmosphere on Saturday afternoon and to support the UniMil (Union Milnerton) main team against rivals Tygerberg. I was thrilled to see the NOB (No Ordinary Burger) food truck as their burgers are delicious! We shared a chili cheese burger at half-time.We were only there for the main game at 4pm but some fans had watched the action all afternoon.Husband opted for a bottle of Carling Black Label purchased on the premises while I sipped from a flask of coffee we brewed at home.T’was all overcast and gloomy by the time we headed back home following a close game – final score 32-36, we just won!The doglets warding off the winter chill in front of the fire that evening.
Sunday, 1 July 2018: Limnos breakfasts and Wimpy shakes
We tried the breakfasts at Limnos Bakers in the Table Bay Mall on Sunday. See our cappuccinos, my custard croissant and Husband’s mince on toast topped with eggs (again).We decided on Wimpy shakes for our Sunday afternoon treat. A plain vanilla for Husband and the toffee-peanut butter for me.Little Miss was chilly so wore her pajamas/tracksuit to her Granny’s house. Bertie wore his too but kept lifting it off his back so we let him run loose.I always feel like somebody’s watching me… Sweet little girl sitting warm and snug.A sleepy boy on the couch at home again, later that evening.
Monday, 2 July 2018: Breakfast at All in the Kitchen
I had taken a day’s leave on Monday so started the week off on the right note with breakfast at All in the Kitchen with my parents. Love their food and drink and wise words on the wall!Mum and me with our croissants and flat whites in the corner.It was a truly chilly day with rain showers on and off so I spent lots of time with my hands around mugs of hot drinks and in finger-less mittens.
That’s all, folks! It looks set to be a warmer weekend than usual for a Cape winter, so enjoy the sunshine 🙂
We’ve been having quite a bit of work done around the house lately and with all the much-needed rain finally bucketing down the doggies have been quite on edge, as you’ll see from the snaps below…
Friday, 22 June 2018: Cooped up as house is painted
I worked from home on Friday as I had stacks to do to finish off our Cannes Lions coverage, so skipping the commute to the office was a plus – and as it was international’bring your dog to work day’, I brought the work to them, as I kept an eye on the doglets while we had various walls painted. They weren’t too happy about watching me work, but spent quality time on the couch with their dad once he got home that evening.
Saturday, 23 June 2018: Perfect winter food, gnocchi bolognese at the Italian Club
We had lots of mall-admin things on the agenda for Saturday, so we started off with a Wimpy breakfast. See Husband’s extra large cappuccino, my regular Wimpy coffee, his streaky bacon with extra cheese griller and my flapjacks with fruit salad.Bassie couldn’t decide whether to be excited to be confined in a room with us, while other parts of the house were painted, or to be Very Sad that she wasn’t free to run around outside. This is her in Very Sad mode.Who’s a pretty boy, then? Bertie spent the time staring at himself in the mirror, just like this. Such a handsome fellow!My Saturday afternoon pick-me-up cappuccino while wandering the aisles at Makro.When the sky is white and the wind is cold, my belly thinks of just one thing – gnocchi bolognese. So that’s what we had for dins at the Italian Club and oh my goodness, it was delicious! See my coffee shake and Husband’s glass of red.
Sunday, 24 June 2018: Tin cup coffee, roast chicken and potatoes
Sunday morning breakfast at The Daily in Seaside Village was all about tin cups (espresso with condensed milk), anchovy toast, savoury muffins and eggs florentine with a side of bacon. Yum.We heard, ‘Hey!’ Looked up and there were my parents! They joined our table and both the boys enjoyed the coffee tasting tray – a triple-shot cappuccino, mini tin cup and mini con panna (with cream).More comfort food for lupper at Mum’s that evening – roast chicken, veg and potatoes with gravy. My best!Jelly + custard + cream + sponge cake = trifle at Mum’s that evening.
Thursday, 28 June 2018: Office birthday doughnuts
Doughnuts! It was the man who built Bizcommunity’s birthday on Thursday, so he treated us to these delicious doughnuts and muffins. Just what we needed!
That’s all, folks! There’s more wet weather and housework on the cards this weekend but we’ll do what we can to enjoy the small moments in between that make us smile.
This past weekend we were in Franschhoek as you’ll see from the snaps below – it was so difficult to trim them down to these favourites!
If you’re heading that way, we definitely recommend stopping in at the Wijnland Auto Museum and Butterfly World, and explore the lovely lemony Franschhoek Country House (FCH) and Monneaux…
Wednesday, 16 May 2018: Sunset dins at Doodles on the beachfront
We had a sneaky mid-week dinner out at Doodles and were in awe at the sunset, as seen from various angles.
Friday, 18 May 2018: Meltwater #BizBreakfast at Park Inn Radisson
I rarely get to attend events with colleagues, so it was a treat to spend part of last Friday morning with one of my favourite coworkers. Once we’d gone up 10 floors by lift at the Park Inn Radisson we stepped onto the balcony to admire the view, and what a view it was!More of the balcony views, also the delicious breakfast snacks and the excellent presentation itself on social storytelling – click here for my full overview if you missed it on Bizcommunity.We had time for a quick post-event catch-up session with industry friends before heading back to the office.
Saturday, 19 May 2018: Stop at Wijnland Auto Museum, stay at Franschhoek Country House, dine at Monneaux
A sweet moment with Bertie boy before we started all our weekend activities. Love that dog!First stop – collect parents to drop off at the airport. Once they’d checked in for their flight to Joburg, we had time for a quick breakfast at the Wimpy with views of the runway. See various coffees and the flapjacks with cream and fruit salad.Next, tim for our weekend away, and what’s a road trip without snacks? It was a cold, grey day so hot drinks were in order. This is a mochaccino and British ‘chocky bickies’ from when we dropped off the doglets at their GrannyGrampa for the night.We stopped in at the Wijnland Auto Museum (not the main Franschhoek Motor museum you’re thinking of). It’s filled with rusted relics and shiny new vehicles alike. Bonus: You don’t need to make an appointment ahead of time!The grounded airplane was the main attraction for Husband – he’d seen it from the main road outside and we had to do a capital U-turn to go back and find the entrance. See how he climbed all the way through into the cockpit – you’re allowed to do so.Autumnal scenes on the road into Franschhoek town.You’re bound to see the wine tram when you’re in and around Franschhoek. We saw various versions of it in various locations on our way into town and even waved at the happy travelers from the pool later that evening. It’s still on our Franschhoek bucket list!It was the weekend of the Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF) so there were book-lovers around every drizzly corner and queues at all the eateries and markets, we felt quite lucky to be staying slightly out of the main hustle and bustle of town. Will tackle the FLF another time!Franschhoek Country House holds all the lemons and French country charm you could ever want. It’s like a painting.It’s hard to miss Franschhoek Country House from the Huguenot Main Road, just look for lemon with touches of turquoise and you’re there! There are lemons everywhere you look, from the trees to bowls in every room – even the restaurant powder room – it’s really a delicious sight.The space we stayed in was just gorgeous. Look at those old-school high ceilings, the plentiful fruit bowl, and even the candlesticks next to the not-to-be-used bath tub.The doorbell chimed and we were presented with the most wonderful welcome plate of food fresh from Monneaux, along with flutes of bubbly to ease into ‘weekend away’ mode. It certainly did the trick!Fountains fountains everywhere. Note Husband examining them far off in the distance.Despite the chill in the air we braved the cold pool, as that makes the slightly heated pool seem a little warmer than it is. Also see the poolside table with the most delicious lemonade, garnished with mint leaves and cucumber slices. So yum!We’d been told it was ‘happy hour’ on selected beverages until 5pm – add in pretzels and salty peanuts, also the Royal Wedding on TV and we were there like bears.Sunset over the mountain from various angles, made even more delicious with a cup of coffee and rusk from our room.M is for Monneaux! The on-site restaurant is definitely worth a visit, whether you’re staying at Franschhoek Country House or further up the road. See here the baked camembert salad, the spicy mussels and the lamb on gnocchi. All the words coming to my full review on Bizcommunity!Cheers to dinner at Monneaux! Our table was strewn with white rose petals – we’d seen them being plucked while enjoying our swim earlier that evening. Also see the smoked octopus in dashi stock from the Petit Assiette menu, and the linefish mains topped with a prawn.Don’t mind if I do take a sip or two… just some of the lovely wines we sampled while dining at Monneaux, all from the Franschhoek valley.Dessert! See the sorbets with meringue discs; chef’s creme caramel with flecks of vanilla; a delicious cappuccino; the apple tart tatin with blue cheese compote; and the end-of-meal dense chocolate truffles.The little nighttime luxuries at Franschhoek Country House are so sweet. These range from the ‘I need some me time’ message on the door hanger to a tiny chocolate left on the pillow with the next day’s weather forecast; and slippers left at the turned-down bed. Of course, we also lit the fire and spent a while in front of its warmth – though there’s also underfloor heating, so you may well find yourself sitting on the floor (out of choice)!This is the selection of ‘gownie shots’ I have to work with. Not easy to come by as gowns are only available by special request from reception, and by the time we took the snaps Husband was done with posing nicely and smiling on demand. Lol!
Sunday, 20 May 2018: FCH breakfast buffet; visit the animals at Butterfly World
Taking in that ‘just been rained on’ view with a quick coffee brewed in the room before heading down for breakfast.What a breakfast spread! See various cold meats and cheeses, freshly cut fruits, yoghurts, and cereals – I couldn’t resist a scoop of the bright pink Strawberry Pops!From the hot breakfast menu, we opted for filter coffee and the waffle with bananas, bacon and berries (me); and glasses of juice with the eggs benedict, topped with both spinach and folded ham (husband). Also, look at the tiny bite-size croissant!Taking a slow stroll back to our room. Note Husband is in long pants and covered shoes during the day here, a rare sighting that tells you it was pretty darn chilly.Once we’d checked out, we couldn’t resist this road that whispered, “Follow me…”We made what we thought would be a quick detour to see the Butterfly World tropical garden, but there’s so much more than that on the grounds that we stayed a good two hours. See Husband enjoying a plate of curry and rice while it drizzled.There’s lots of lush greenery and birdies flitting around along with the butterflies. Also, many interesting take-away trinkets to look at.We braved the rain (there are clear umbrellas to collect before stepping outside) and you can just see the butterflies drying out.While the butterflies were lovely, they flitted around so fast we couldn’t take any pics. There are so many sweet rescued animals all around though that before you realise it, you’ve spent hours wandering around in awe at nature.Look at the little critters! Some were friendly, some were shy, all were precious. We have a video of the birdie scratching it’s way over Husband’s arm and then leaping scarily at my shiny phone.
That’s all, folks! Hope you have a relaxing weekend. Cheers!
*Disclaimer: Our meals and accommodation at Franschhoek Country House and Monneaux were part of our review package. All else came from our own pockets. All enjoyed equally.
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.
We’ve successfully ticked off the first work week of the year, so there are fewer pics to scroll through than over the past few weeks, alas…
Friday, 5 January 2018: Wimpy brekkie, doggy beach walk and litchi milkshake at Black Forest Cafe
A final Wimpy breakfast for the holiday – see my super-large Wimpy coffee and croissant, with Husband’s streaky bacon breakfast plus cheese griller.That’s the happy face of Bassie after beach walkies.Bertie singing a happy song about his beach walkies.And Bassie again. Aww!Bertie biscuit had some quiet time on the couch post-walkies.Little Miss Bassie also napping on the couch after beach walkies, with her ears flapped up.That’s a litchi milkshake topped with sprinkles for me and a small butter-toffee for Husband, to mark our last ‘work day of leave’ together.
Saturday, 6 January 2018: Breakfast at Brocka, swimming in Blouberg
We stopped in at the newly opened Brocka in Canal Walk last Saturday morning. They’re the ultimate in fast-food – even if you order from a table, your food and drink is served takeaway style.I spy Table Mountain.It was another beach-weather day. Here is Husband, literally ‘testing the water’ at the beach.Gazing at his favourite swimming hole.
Sunday, 7 January 2018: Sunday lunch at Bossa, final holiday treat at Saint’s
My parents were attending an event on Sunday afternoon so we met them for lunch a little earlier than usual at Bossa in Burgundy Estate. The food was fast and delicious – we’ll be back!Teehee. Love the faces they pulled!Final treat of the weekend before my return to work was an afternoon at Saint’s, Eden on the Bay – Husband went for a Toblerone cocktail, I had the Cafe Capri (latte with chocolate and coconut). Delicious!
Wednesday, 10 January 2018: Mid-week dins at the in-laws
As we’d not seen Husband’s parents last weekend, we popped in after work on Wednesday evening for dins. The doglets came with, as you can see.
That’s all folks, have a happy 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 