Ode to the Pig - upcoming event

This addition to the series of places south of Jo’burg city is something I am yet visit. When I heard about it, it immediately got my attention.

It’s a new pop up restaurant concept on the tranquil Heversham Park Farm in Walkerville. The Free Range Food Co offers free range meat in Ode’s to the meat that will be the feature of the day. Everything is sourced from the farm and products are from animals that are slow raised without hormones or growth accelerators, just as nature intended it. Eating like our great-grandparents used to.

This Sunday the 15^th September, it’s a pork feast. With dishes like crispy cider roast pork belly squares, cream of garden pea and mint soup, BBQ short ribs, orange and thyme stuffed roast pork, spring lemon squares with fresh berries and meringues and craft beer from Darling Brew.

The four coarse feast is laid out al fresco style, in the centre of a long table along the banks of the farm lake with the ambiance provided by the beautiful farm its animals.

Hearing about this event my mouth was watering and I had a longing for a slow Sunday free range lunch, I unfortunately won’t be able make this one, but if you don’t yet have plans you can book a spot at the table at R465 per person. If you would rather picnic with your family a spot and hamper is available for four (2 adults & 2 children) at R850.

Both options include the four-course feast and unlimited craft beer, fruit juices, and wines.

Contact Free Range Food Co on (079) 177 2716 or email thefreerangefoodco@gmail.com or on their facebook page

Here is just another idea shared for you to live a beautiful life to the fullest :) 
If you do go please comment here and let us know how the afternoon was.

It's Spring Chickens, Eat Seeds!

A seedy solution to snacking :)

I have been rather busy with all sorts over the last few months that I have neglected to blog... guilty as charged. Something else that I have been neglecting is eating properly. Sometimes skipping more than one meal in a day. With being on the run a lot of the time, I don't sit down to eat... or even make a snack for the road. As a result, my energy levels were rather none existent, and yip, I got sick!

I know, not good! buuut..... On one of my run about days I stopped in at an ex colleague and friend who now owns this fabulous growing company, Nu Seed, and I was reminded about a tasty, healthy, pop-in-my-bag, and pop-in-my-mouth snack that they make! Really Sensible Snacks.

These neat little boxes have 6 packets in each with a combination of mixes. They are super healthy and very tasty. My favourite mixes are the choco-berry which has little bits of Belgian chocolate as well as the tropical mix, the fruit and coconut combo is a real winner. My hubby, was pleasantly when he hesitantly tried some.

With it being spring and summer on the way, health snacks are on my shopping list, and these are on top of the list.

Other than being great for 'on the go', they can add some "wowee" to other healthy meals like plain yoghurt and salads.

So next time you are at Pick n Pay or Dischem, grab a box (R45)... or chat to me, I'm sure I can hook you up ;)

Recent Event - decor for 'Chocolate takes the Cake'

What fun to have been part of an event that combined two of my favourite things, coffee & chocolate and to top it off... being able to do the marketing and stand design for the most ambitious 20 year old I know.

After spending some time with Megan Visser, owner of ‘Chocolate takes the Cake’, I got some insight into her style and passion for what she does. Her passion for making good, high quality Belgian chocolate delicacies and baked goods made with fresh farm ingredients comes through in the taste. It was with this insight that we got working on a design concept for her brand and her stand at the Coffee & Chocolate Expo held at Monte Casino.

Megan lives in the country and loves the beauty and tranquillity as well as values the quality of life that it brings. Thus, her non compromising take on using only the best Belgian chocolate and fresh farm ingredients which she sources from the farms in her community.

We really tried to convey this in her stand as it would be her first exposure to potential corporate clients. The expo was a real success on all fronts, her stand was always buzzing and she pretty much sold out, even after having her team bake into all hours of the night to keep up with the demand. She made some good contacts, got great exposure and had fun all the while.

Here are some pics of the expo. There are more on my my facebook page:

She also does custom cakes and baking for parties. Like her facebook page for regular updates or contact her on 0847445219.

Taichipan Restaurant - The Beautiful South Series

I would have never had tried this one if it wasn't for recommendations... and I am sure glad that I did! Take the recommendations of some of my friends too, try Taichipan for yourself.

I had a hankering for sushi and hubby wanted something more along the Thai flavours, so this place was a great suggestion. The name, we realised, tells you exactly the kind of food they serve. Thai-Chinese-Japanese. We went online to see their menu (see the menu here) Not only did the great selection grab our attention, but the prices are brilliant. Good prices for sushi can go so wrong... but not in this case!! 

It was a chilly winter evening and the little restaurant that seats no more than 40 people was rather empty, but from the orders that went past us to the front counter we figured that many people in and around the Glenvista area had opted for takeaways. 
The decor is clean, Asian simplistic with white, green and black colour blocking. Not very cosy for a winter date night... but the food and company made up for it.
Here are some of the pics I snapped with my phone...

If you are brave enough to weather the cold pop in, or wait for a hot summer night, there is place to sit outside in the Glenvista Shopping Centre, 188 Bellairs Drive, or do as most seem to do, call in for a take away. 011 432 6636. 

Market at Arts on Main

Here is another blogpost to add to the many, I'm sure that are written about this trendy spot full of 'foodie' meals, drinks, art and clothing in the arty Maboneng Precinct, Jozi City. Here is a link to a blog with some great pics and the link to their facebook page:
facebook page -MarketOnMain
Maboneng precinct blog

All I will say, if you have not yet added this experience to your life, in the spirit of living a beautiful event filled life... take a trip into town this Sunday for lunch. (try the mushroom paella if you like exotic mushies!) The market is only open on Sundays and once a month on a Thursday night, there is quite a bit to do in the Maboneng Precinct during the week too.

This blog entry doesn't quite qualify for my series on places south of Jozi, but it is only 20 minutes from my home in Bracken, so I decided to slip it in there ;)

Some pics, hoping to capture the vibe... camera shots never do it justice...

This hottie bought me a coffee... so I let him take me home ;)

Aldeia Portuguese Restaurant - The Beautiful South Series

Old wooden box suitcases, country bicycles, wine barrels, chandeliers, country kitchen decor, crystal chandeliers, luxury couches, large candelabra, rose petals and delicious Portuguese food are some of my favourite things. Aldeia Portuguese Restaurant in Brackenhurst has it all.

Yes, I am featuring another Portuguese restaurant and I can assure you that it won’t be the last. The beautiful south is quite well known for its authentic Portuguese restaurants. This one is quite new, so if you haven’t yet had a meal here, here is a great new place for you to try.

The first time I went was with my hubby for a romantic date night, we were totally amazed at how this very unassuming place from the outside, was so beautiful inside. The decor was right up my alley with a very rustic, country chabby chick, romantic feel. Rumour has it that everything in the place can be bought if you really fancy it... shop while you eat! The detail of the decor is what captured my attention, down to the antique brush and mirror on the wash table by the basin. It is a feast for the eyes, not just the tummy.

The food is priced relatively well with the average starter around R45 and the seafood dishes at about R100. We have been there a few times with family and friends since our first visit and have always had a good meal. They service has been known to be quite slow on a busy night.

There is a kiddies room available and is on the one side, so if you do prefer a romantic dinner away from the noise of children ask to be seated closer to the bar and you won’t even know that they are there.

They have a ‘dining room’ that can seat about 10 and can be closed off for a special event. So next time you want to turn a family dinner into a bit of an event, call them to book your table in this room. Otherwise find them at Cnr Vermooten and Atmore, on the upper level in the Brackenvilla Center contact number is 011 025 5812

Two Trees Bakery, kiddies playground and country craftmarket

This was one of the places that inspired me to blog a series about places south of Jo'burg City that are worth a visit and that make the South beautiful by their existence.

Two Trees Bakery, situated at the foot of the Thaba Koppies, 101 Mulbarton Drive, is really more than just a bakery. Firstly, they are an amazing bakery... the chocolate brownies are delish... soft, dense, moist and chewy. Yum! They have fresh breads everyday, they even bring their rye in from windmills in Germany.

Then as a coffee shop, Todd the owner was telling me that they have recently started bringing in their own coffee from the South of Congo, a single origin that they have worked on to get an amazing roast and as a result, my double espresso americano was tops! They are looking to go to Ruanda to source more beans, I look forward to the  flavours to come. They sell beans and grind and they even have decaf done through the water process, so there are no chemicals (this might make my preggy friends happy)

Another big attraction to Two Trees is the adventure playground with all the high ropes, 'foefie' slides and swings. They are busy building a three story tree-house... it's high!

An upcoming attraction next to the playground is the crafters market which has new management and a renovated vibe.It launches this Saturday 1st June and the 1st of every month onwards. I wish them all the best with the market and pray that it becomes one of those markets that rivals the best.

I took the boys there on a quiet weekday afternoon, so Levi and Nate had the playground pretty much to themselves... my mom and I sat under half in the warm sun and under the bluegums and listened to the wind rustle in the high tree tops. What a great mid week reprieve.  Here are some pics I took that afternoon.
For more pics  and regular updates on what is coming out the oven
go to and 'like' their facebook page

Amazing coffee and delish treats

T

My little 3 year old balancing along 

A morning or afternoon out to Two Trees can really be a beautiful experience...

Henley on Klip - the Beautiful South

I'm not too sure if this spot can even fall into "the new south", but it is close enough... only 20 minutes from Glenvista / Mulbarton along the R59. So I have decided that I will feature it in my series of blog posts on places to go, 'South of Jo'burg City'.

Henley on Klip is one of the prettiest rural-urban places that I have been to. It has many little public spots to access the Klipriver (the public library and the bridge off Regatta Rd) as well as a few cute spots to have a meal and buy some crafts, gifts or antiques.

It was my hubby's birthday recently and to celebrate I took him out to Henley for the day.

Our first stop was lunch at Ducks Country House, 32 Mitchellbank drive. We love tapa's type eating and started off by sharing a delish Mediterranean platter and then a very yummy chicken and brown onion pie. (it was so yummy, I got stuck in before taking a pic)
The food was more than enough, the juice glasses were huge and the prices really reasonable.

We decided to skip the coffee and go to another spot that we drove past on the way into Henley. But before leaving we took a walk to the waters edge, took some time out and sat on the bench under the trees overlooking the river, which really is a main feature of this beautiful venue. For more about Duck venue, restaurant and theater click here for website

As I mentioned, on the way to Ducks I saw this other little spot called etc Cafe & Deli at the Kliphouse Quarters, Shillingford Rd. We had never been so we decided to go pop in for our post lunch coffee. From the moment you pull into the yard you experience the beauty of the country decor. The row of birdcages particularly caught me eye, I have been looking for some to put in my garden too.


When we were walking into the restaurant, we went through the shop and I recognized the decor from a friend's blog, 'Just Darling' (click here), check it out for some more pics and her experience (and some other great posts). We enjoy similar experiences, so I knew it would be a good spot to stay. We had good double espresso's in a cosy spot by the crackling fire, a great way to end and afternoon out to celebrate the life of my precious husband.

Below are some pics from views that were feasts for my eyes. see their web for more

This candy stand got my attention

There you have it, a bit of Henley on Klip, I encourage you to take the drive... have a beautiful day, because life is an event... Live it beautifully!

Authentic Portuguese Restaurant in the Beautiful South

I spent a lot of my childhood in Portuguese restaurants, although a very South African family, my dad is a little Portuguese in the head, so we only ate in Portuguese restaurants. It really is a cuisine I know well.
There is quite a large contingent of Portuguese and Mozambican people in the South of Johannesburg, as a result there are a few authentic places to get a meal that was cooked by 'mamma' in the kitchen- or at least it tastes like it.

My favourite place to get a good authentic meal is A Churrasqueira Restaurant which means ‘a variety of foods’ and this is exactly what is cooked up for many expats from Mozambique and Portugal. The owners Victor and Jackie are hands on and it is evident in the consistently good meals that come out of their kitchen. We often take friends there to introduce them to the place and we are always impressed with the quality of their food.

A Churrasqueira Restaurant can be found at 122 Main Street, Rosettenville and although it is in the old South, there are always friendly and effective car guards outside.  It is recommended that you book, they can get really packed, especially on those special days. so... Call them on 0114354095

The food is delish and really well priced.  Their 1/4 chicken and 10 prawns combo at R79 is one of our regular favourites.

Here are a snaps I took from our mothers day meal:

Well presented and yummy meals at great prices.

There is always a great vibe and good facilities for kiddies.

baby girl 1st Birthday - Ballerina Bella

Bella, the Ballerina of the Ball

Isabella was a long awaited gift, so the celebration of her 1st Birthday was a very special day.
Her amazing mommy, who is an incredible graphic designer too, went all out to make it a beautiful day for everyone... for the birthday girl and everyone who had been praying for this family to grow.

Everyone was well catered for, two things that I especially liked and would suggest it for kiddies parties is:

• the blend of 'girl' and 'boy' colours, especially if there is a god mix of boys and girls
• empty party packs, to fill from a candy table is great as the kiddies / parents can choose their favourite candy. Having a candy table adds to to decor and festive settings.

It was a special day. Happy Birthday Isabella, here's to many more.

The Beautiful South - French Country inspired Miss Grace Restaurant

I have been so excited to share this newly discovered spot...

Although I have been to the Wedding venue, Thornbirds, and Dr Athens is my family GP, I had never been to Miss Grace. A gorgeous restaurant established in November 2012 and run by Jeanette, daughter, Nicole and son, Johnny Athens.

This family run business is one of those beautifully quaint places that make the South Beautiful.

The decor is the gorgeous French country feel that is popular at the moment, yet it doesn't feel like it was put together out of a ‘trendy cheap home store’ catalogue  The owners at Miss Grace really have tastefully put the elements together with such style while keeping a cosy feel. Me, having grown up on a small holding only 3 plots away from this newly discovered spot also probably adds to my delight in its discovery.

I couldn't stop snapping pics (see them below), there are just so many pretty spaces created throughout the venue. There is a cosy couch by the fire with tables to sit at inside, outside under cover and in the sun, all without feeling too spread out or cramped. We opted for a leather couch outside. Levi was at a friend but Nate was with us and enjoyed the gated off grassy area by the jungle gym.

Hubby and I both ordered the Portuguese Style trinchado, cubes of beef in sauce, served with hand cut chips (R60), and ordered a side of veggies (R16) to share. It was very tasty and a substantial portion. We had a cup of coffee to end the meal. The coffee was a bit weak, but for those who know, I do prefer my coffee with a bit more body.

So with stronger coffee and possibly free wifi, it could potentially become my favourite spot to have meetings, coffee dates, and mentoring sessions. So, see you there!

Miss Grace  is open Tuesday to Friday from 07:30 to 17:00 and weekends from 08:00 to 17:00. It is is licensed and is situated at Thornbirds Plot 152, R550, Kliprivier Road, Eikenhof. For more information visit www.missgrace.co.za or contact 011 948 6001 or 079 526 0348.

Living an eventful life

The yummiest Choc milkshakes... and a playground

Steve really enjoys a good milkshake, he orders them often, but they are often 'not up to scratch', so when we find a place that makes good ones, it is a treat. Even more so if it's somewhere we the kiddies can enjoy... so our current regular milkshake spot is Wendy's Cafe at Sharondale Nursery. Levi has taken a liking to 'shlokict miwkshakes' too and I must admit so have I.

The double thick chocolate milkshakes, kiddies play area and beautiful surroundings keep us coming back. 

This place is by no means new to the Beautiful South, if you haven't been there before, try it out, if you have I'm sure you are a regular.

Sharondale Nursery is on Swartkoppies in Brackendowns.

Life is an Event, Live Beautifully!

Southern Belle Inn the Beautiful South.

 I have always been attracted to the idea of being able to play golf, my hubby is getting back into so I decided to itch where it scratched so to speak and join him that the Bell’s Inn driving range down the road from our home.

It was quite fun, I’m not much good at it, but enjoyable never the less... hacking and all. We were there with some friends and afterwards we had a drink on the deck overlooking the valley. The sun was setting, such a beautiful sight as the golden rays settled on the koppies ahead of us, saturating the green tones. I thought to myself, “wow, the south is such a really beautiful place.” At the same moment, my friend Abby commented on the beauty of the moment. I was reminded how it’s these mini events that make the memories that make life beautiful.

The views overlook The Eye of Africa Golf estate across the river. Just  30 minute drive  from Sandton.

The following day, I was chatting to another friend about a great little coffee spot in the south and we shared some of our favourite places for outings... it made me replay the memory from the previous day and I felt ‘proudly south’.

The ‘south’ for some reason has a rather dubious reputation, which in one way is a blessing as it has kept rapid development at bay and the quaint places thriving. We love living here.

So in the spirit of living a beautiful event filled life, I’m on a mission to discover the new and revisit the old, and just appreciate some of the gems that make the beautiful south, beautiful.

I’ll certainly be sharing about them as I go along...

Life's and EVENT, Live Beautifully!

Autumn Picnic - Practically Beautiful

 I love picnics, especially ones in autumn in Jo'burg. The sun is warm and the air is fresh. The colours mostly green with beautiful warm tones as the leaves turn to reds, oranges and yellows.

But there are a few things that make eating out of  a cooler bag and on a blanket a bit awkward. Firstly, knowing that we have to carry everything we'll need. Then, the uneven surfaces makes prepping a challenge, the dirty dishes afterwards or trying the wrap any left overs to take back home.

So after a fun but awkward picnic recently, I decided to do things a little differently to make the next one comfy, easy, affordable with not too many leftovers, and a beautiful picnic it was.

Here are some of the things I tried and worked well, with the goal of packing light:

• Portion out into little containers hot choc with sugar and creamer
• Soup and bread is ideal for an autumn picnic, a wholesome meal all in a flask.
• Pre-cut your bread and take a little blob of butter in a mini container
• Individual pudding in sealed containers, are fun and practical. I had fun making autumn coloured jelly and custard.
• keeping in mind that the surface is often not stable, include mini trays or boards to work on, better yet if the double up as plates

Having said all that it's the little extras that make it all that more beautiful, like a mini arrangement, garnishing and little luxuries - one of my best is mini mallows. 

and in pictures...

Life is an EVENT, Live Beautifully!