Archives - Minkys

Brahman Hills

Loren

-

25/03/2019

The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is one of our favourite areas to explore in South Africa. This beautiful countryside is known for it’s tree lined roads, lush green pastures with cattle, rolling hills, winding roads and a selection of delicious eateries and hidden gems. We have been very lucky to have visited this area countless times. Each time we visit, we hope to find new places we haven’t been to before. On a recent visit, we discovered the beautiful Brahman Hills.

Getting to Brahman Hills

Brahman Hills is a short four hour drive from Johannesburg. The drive is very simple too. All you do is take the N3 towards Durban and carry on straight until Nottingham Road turn off. As you turn off the highway, Brahman Hills is right there! What I love about the location is that once you get off the highway, you don’t have to drive for miles. This makes Brahman Hills a perfect stopover on a drive to Durban.

Brahman Hills

Don’t let the thought of the highway being so close by scare you. As you drive through the main gate into Brahman Hills, another world welcomes you. A world where the only sounds are of nature and wildlife. The property is inside the Blue Crane Nature Reserve, so you will be greeted by a herd or two of Zebra, buck and impala and the very famous Brahman Cows.

Brahman Hills has a hotel as well as self catering cottages. The hotel has 30 rooms and 12 self catering cottages. While the hotel itself looks beautiful we never got a chance to see inside as we stayed in a self catering cottage.

The facilities include two restaurants, a beautiful spa and two multipurpose eventing facilities which are both perfect for a wedding or conference. A little interesting fact is that Brahman Hills is so popular for weddings, there is a wedding booked for every weekend of the year.

Each self catering cottage is beautifully designed and decorated and comes with a fully stocked kitchen, en suite bathroom, a braai area and the one thing we absolutely loved during our stay at Brahman Hils, a jacuzzi. We’ve never experienced anything more beautiful than sitting in a jacuzzi, watching the sun go down in front of us and waiting for some Zebra to stroll past us.

The Food at Brahman Hills

Brahman Hills has two restaurants on the premises to choose from. There is Brahman Café and 89 on Copper. So even though we stayed in a self catering cottage, we had breakfast at Brahman Café and dinner at 89 on Copper.

Breakfast at Brahman Café

Brahman Café is the family-friendly restaurant situated at the hotel. Here you will have breakfast and a la carte lunch and dinner. Both mornings we woke up excitedly and rushed for breakfast in the café. The breakfasts did not disappoint and together with our delicious breakfasts, we enjoyed panoramic views of the beautiful countryside.

Dinner at 89 on Copper

89 on Copper is situated underneath the hotel in the old but very cozy wine cellar. This restaurant is more of a premium dining option. We enjoyed a 3 course dinner here and the food was rustic and beautifully presented. For starters we each had a tomato and basil soup, for mains we had beef jalapavoh and for dessert we enjoyed dark chocolate brownies with mint and honey ice cream.

Dining underground in a converted wine cellar added to the whole experience and definitely made it a dinner to remember. There are no windows but there is a gorgeous array of different level hanging light, wall light boxes and candles. This made it incredibly and utterly romantic!

The Spa

A little interesting fact about the Spa at Brahman Hills is that it was once home to Winks Green and her Racing Patients. If you are wondering who Winks was, she was the go-to healer of horses from far and wide. Now the space is home to the Spa which is made up of 8 treatment rooms, a dedicated manicure and pedicure room, a tranquility lounge and a champagne, coffee and chocolate bar.

I was lucky to have a spa treatment during our stay at Brahman Hills and I must say that a day spent being pampered in the country side with a backdrop of picturesque views will definitely be hard to beat in the future!

Have you been to the Midlands before?

For more information on Brahman Hills, please go to:

www.brahmanhills.co.za

*disclaimer – I was invited to stay as a guest of Brahman Hills

♥

The lowdown on Schwarzkopf BC Fibre Clinix

Loren

-

20/03/2019

0

The lowdown on Schwarzkopf BC Fibre Clinix

I take real good care of my hair. Well at least I try to. I use salon quality products, like Schwarzkopf. I try not to use any unnecessary hair products like hair spray or dry shampoo. I use my hair iron maybe once a month. I let my hair air dry so I don’t have to use the hair dryer. And lastly, I apply a treatment/hair mask once a week. So even if I do say so myself, my long blonde hair is in very good nick.

The other day when an email landed in my inbox from Schwarzkopf with an invitation to come try out the new BC Fibre Clinix, I jumped for joy, literally. I love trying new beauty things, especially when it comes to hair things, and I knew my hair was in for a treat! There’s nothing wrong with an extra bit of TLC, is there?

What is the new BC Fibre Clinix?

The new BC Fibre Clinix is Schwarzkopf Professional’s most powerful repair performance ever! It uses triple Bonding and C21 Technology within BC Fibre Clinix, and combined with a new range of hyper-customisable Boosters, this allows hairdressers to create bespoke, tailor- made salon services for their clients. In other words it’s a personalized and customized hair treatment for your specific hair type combating your specific hair issues.

How does it work?

CLEANSE with BC Fibre Clinix Tribond Shampoo – This is a gentle, yet effective cleansing shampoo for all hair types that prepares the hair structure for a personalised BC Fibre Clinix Treatment.
TREAT with BC Fibre Clinix Tribond Treatment for coarse or fine hair – a choice of two BC Fibre Clinix treatments that connect the inner hair bond for improved resilience and strength, whilst the outer hair structure is sealed for better manageability and shine.
BOOST with a choice of BC Fibre Clinix Boosters – developed with BC Bonacure’s unique concentrated skincare-inspired technology, each BC Fibre Clinix Booster is mixed with the relevant BC Fibre Clinix Tribond Treatment to create customized care that targets inner and outer hair damage for specific hair needs:

BC Fibre Clinix Collagen Volume Booster for fine hair
BC Fibre Clinix pH 4.5 Color Booster for coloured hair
BC Fibre Clinix Hyaluronic Moisture Booster for normal to dry/curly hair
BC Fibre Clinix Keratin Smooth Booster for unmanageable hair
BC Fibre Clinix Peptide Repair Rescue Booster for damaged hair

How long does the treatment last?

The treatment will last for up to 60 days if you maintain the effects of the BC Fibre Clinix by using a BC Bonacure at home care range.

My before and after …

The whole procedure took about two hours from start to finish and I was left with the most perfect hair. My hair felt and looked absolutely amazing, like I had just spent hours in the hair salon. It is two weeks later and my hair is still so luscious, soft and shiny!

I think the before and after photographs will speak for themselves …

The treatment can cost between R360 and R550 at a Schwarzkopf salon depending on the length of your hair

♥

Forti Grill and Bar in Times Square is a must visit

Loren

-

18/03/2019

0

Forti Grill and Bar in Times Square is a must visit

Last weekend we had the absolute pleasure of wining and dining at Forti Grill and Bar in Pretoria’s very own Times Square. Forti is a contemporary Italian restaurant in a fine dining environment. If you are a regular reader of Minkys, you will know that I have a very special place in my heart for Italian restaurants of all kinds and a need to try each and everyone of them. I can finally tick Forti off my “must visit Italian restaurants” list and add it to my list of “favourite Italian restaurants” now that I have visited and absolutely loved Forti.

The name Forti …

Forti is named after its owner and chef, Fortunato Mazzone. Fortunato (aka Forti) is a fifth generation Italian restaurateur so is definitely no stranger to the industry. He used to own Ritrovo in Waterkloof, which was known as the area’s best high-end Italian restaurant, as well as the BICCCS coffee shop brand and the late night Pretoria hang out, Priva.

We arrived at Forti at lunch time. We walked in and were absolutely wowed by the restaurant decor and it’s eclectic mix of art. It felt like we were walking into the trendiest restaurant/bar in New York – that’s how beautiful everything is.

What did we eat …

After a long while browsing the very extensive menu, we finally decided on what to order. We shared the mushroom risotto for a starter, and for mains Claude had the steak special and I had one of Forti’s signature dishes “Prawns of my Father”. This prawns dish is prepared using a family recipe inspired by Forti’s dad. The prawns are baked in the oven with champagne, garlic and butter, and served with Parmesan rice. I give this dish a whopping 15 out of 10 because it is simply delicious! The prawns were perfectly flavoured and the creamy Parmesan rice was something I had never tasted before and am now craving a few days later!

And last but not least, we shared the Bigne for dessert. This was profiterole with cream pasticcere and a cleansing sorbet on the side. This dessert was absolutely superb. The profiterole’s were perfect!

The restaurant …

During our meal, Forti came to say hello and offered to take us on a grand tour of the restaurant. The restaurant has an outside area that is as big as the inside. There is an on-site butcher shop, a walk in humidor for cigar aficionados, two private rooms where one doubles as the wine cellar and a state of the art modern kitchen. All of this left us totally impressed. But what impressed me even more though is the quality of everything in this restaurant, especially the food. All the meat is organic and grass-fed, fish is sourced from ethical producers and the pasta is all homemade made on a pasta-line. I also loved ALL the colour Le Creuset in the kitchen … It somehow reminded me of my kitchen (I love Le Creuset!).

We left Forti feeling satisfied, full and happy. This restaurant is truly special – from the absolutely delicious food, to the restaurant decor and even Forti himself. Forti is so charming, friendly and hospitable, it felt like we had known him for years. This has me thinking if perhaps we were a regular at Ritrovo when we were young (note to self: ask my parents!).

Thank you to Forti and the wonderful team for a truly special Sunday lunch. We already planning the next special occasion here because we cannot wait to return!

♥

A few changes I made for a healthier lifestyle

Loren

-

11/03/2019

1

A few changes I made for a healthier lifestyle

I am in no way a health freak but since June last year, after receiving a little health scare from my doctor, I have implemented a few lifestyle changes that have made a noticeable difference. Not only do I feel better, and suffer from less headaches but I also feel more energetic. An added bonus to all of this is I have also lost 4.7 kg’s. As much as I would like to wait before I publish this post so I can give you a round number of 5 kg’s, there is no better time than now to share some healthy lifestyle inspo with you. I didn’t do anything drastic, like cut out food groups and starve myself. Instead, I still enjoy delicious food and yummy things, but I made the following lifestyle changes that are now permanent habits:

I walk everyday

My goal is to do a minimum of 10 000 steps a day. Even if I do a 30 minute workout, I still make sure I do a total of 10 000 steps. Thankfully I live in a complex so I am able to go for walks all the time, even at night after dinner I go for a stroll! I’ll even walk on the spot for 10 minutes at a time every so often just to add to my daily steps! I also do the ParkRun every Saturday morning which I love! The ParkRun sets a positive tone for the week ahead which makes me feel so good and ready to tackle anything!

I sip on green tea throughout the day

Green tea is known to be the healthiest beverage on the planet. So I consciously choose to sip it throughout the day. Not only does this add to my daily intake of water which is great but I am also reaping the benefits of green tea. The one thing I must say though is I don’t drink plain green tea. I just cannot stand the taste! So I drink all different flavours like mint green tea or apple and pear green tea. I did a blog post on my favourite flavoured green teas, which you can read here.

I choose fresh fruit over sugary or salty snacks

I have always always loved fruit, so this change isn’t such a biggie for me. When I was small I would only eat fruit and not normal food. I keep a variety of fresh fruit in my fridge to always reach for when I need a snack and I get peckish. From fresh grapes to apples and even pawpaw. My favourite though is watermelon, mangoes, peaches, litchis – yip, all the summer fruits. In the good old days (before June last year) I would always want something sweet after a meal, so I would either have ice cream or a chocolate. Now I have fresh fruit!

I halved the sugar in my coffee

I went from putting 2 teaspoons of sugar in my morning coffee to now putting half a teaspoon of sugar. I like my coffee a bit sweet so I don’t know if I will ever be able to have no sugar at all, but for now this little adjustment makes a big difference.

I eat a lot more vegetables

I make a conscious effort now to eat at least two vegetables with every meal. So for breakfast I will have a green smoothie using spinach and celery. For lunch I will try have a nice juicy salad or leftovers from the night before with at least two vegetables on the side. And supper the same thing. I just feel so much better knowing I’m feeding my body with a variety of nutrients from all the vegetables and not just putting food in my mouth that doesn’t do my body any good.

I still indulge but I don’t over indulge

What is life all about if you can’t enjoy yourself and indulge here and there. I still love my food and life is way too short to refuse delicious things. I love my chocolate, my pasta and I love my desserts so I still choose to indulge but I won’t over indulge and eat it all like I have never seen food before (like the good old days). I can definitely say, it is all about balance because it really is!

♥

Neapolitan pizza – what is it? where can I get it?

Loren

-

06/03/2019

1

Neapolitan pizza – what is it? where can I get it?

The first time I had a Neapolitan pizza was in Italy (obviously). What I noticed about this style of pizza is how different it is to what we are used to. What are we used to though? We’re used to complicated pizza with so many toppings that the actual pizza is hidden! We are also used to very thick bases that are able to hold all the toppings!

So if this is your first time hearing the words “Neapolitan Pizza“, let me tell you everything you need to know – from what is it to which restaurants make it in South Africa …

WHAT IS NEAPOLITAN PIZZA?

Neapolitan pizza is a type of pizza that originates from Naples, Italy. This style of pizza is a very simple pizza. It is prepared with simple, fresh ingredients using a basic dough, raw tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Traditionally, there should be no fancy toppings.

The biggest difference between this style of pizza and the normal pizza we eat everyday is that Neapolitan pizza has a very thin crust at the base with dough that puffs up around the sides giving it a very airy crust. I must say, it is delicious!

WHICH RESTAURANTS MAKE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA IN SOUTH AFRICA?

– Coalition Pizza in Johannesburg

Coalition offers Johannesburgers an original authentic Neapolitan Pizza experience. The menu offers a choice of either CLASSIC PIZZA which is with crushed tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese or PIZZA BIANCA which has no tomato.

I have been to Coalition just once and I had the margherita with extra burrata cheese which was absolutely delicious. Words won’t do this pizza justice so let the photo above do all the talking. I love that the base of the pizza is paper thin and the crust is thick and crispy.

I will be returning to try their other pizzas on the menu, so head to my Instagram if you want to see more droolworthy photos of delicious pizza!

For more information visit: www.coalitionpizza.co.za

– Ice Dream Land in Plettenberg Bay

I’m in two minds about sharing this place with you because Ice Dream Land is an absolute hidden gem just outside of Plett on the Airport Road and I don’t want to let this secret out. The owner of Ice Dream Land, Marco, makes all the cheese, gelato and even yoghurts. You can buy all of these products at the restaurant’s deli. The pizza’s are topped with Marco’s fresh homemade mozzarella cheese and guess what, it is utterly delicious! The pizza is definitely the most authentically Italian pizza I have had since Italy. It is just melt in your mouth amazing! The menu offers a selection of different pizzas, panini, caprese salads and even cold meat and cheese platters.

Marco also makes gelato which is also the best I have also had since Italy. There is a big selection of flavours to choose from so having to choose just one or two is a bit difficult … That’s why be like me and choose five to share with everyone at your table.

For more info visit their Facebook page

https://www.instagram.com/p/BslEEkinx-b/

– Bocca in Cape Town

Bocca is a new Italian spot on Cape Town’s famous Bree Street that is devoted to one particular dish: Neapolitan Pizza. What makes this new restaurant a little different is that it is a contemporary Italian restaurant with a modern twist.

I haven’t eaten at Bocca yet but it is at the top of my list for when I visit Cape Town this year. Unfortunately I can’t report back on the pizzas (just yet!) but I can tell you that the menu is exciting! The Foresta pizza, with wild mushrooms, rosemary mascarpone, parmesan shavings and truffle drizzle, has definitely caught my eye!

For more information visit: www.bocca.co.za

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuLwVnTBW03/

HAVE YOU TRIED A NEAPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA YET?

♥

My South Africa travel bucket list

Loren

-

19/02/2019

2

I am very lucky to be able to say I have explored a lot of our beautiful country South Africa. Even though I have explored a lot, there is still so much I haven’t seen. I have visited little towns and game reserves and I have stayed at different hotels along the way. But this year I thought I would do something different and put together a bucket list of places I haven’t explored yet and am dying to. So that hopefully by the end of 2019 I can tick off a few of the places and feel like I have achieved in the travel department!

So here is a round up of where I want go and what I want to see in South Africa this year:

Explore Robertson and stay at The Robertson Small Hotel

The one town at the very top of my bucket list is Robertson. Robertson is a quaint country town in the Western Cape about 1.5 hours from Cape Town. This little town is famous for its wine farms, offers some exciting leisurely activities and just looks SO cozy. You know how I love cozy little towns so it’s no wonder Robertson is at the top of my bucket list. I would also love to stay at The Robertson Small Hotel in Robertson. This hotel just oozes luxuriousness. And from all the photos on Instagram, it was definitely love at first sight. Ever since my favourite food blogger, Bianca Davies, said this hotel is “one of my favourite places on earth”, I have been dying to visit!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjboFGJFPZH/

Float over the Magalies River Valley in Bill Harrop’s Hot Air Balloon

I think this is something on everyone’s bucket list, isn’t it? But this has been on my bucket list for the longest time and I just have to make it happen this year. Just imagine how absolutely beautiful it must be to float into the air and fly over the Magalies River Valley. I also love that this happens just at sunrise so not only will you witness gorgeous views but also a magical sunrise!

PS: If you have the Entertainer App, you get 15% off a Hot Air Balloon Ride for one person.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Btiep2LDc2U/

Spot the Big 5 in Welgevonden Game Reserve

The one game reserve I have yet to visit in South Africa is Welgevonden Game Reserve. This malaria free game reserve is home to the Big 5 and is apparently amazing! One of the safari lodges in this game reserve that has also caught my attention is Mhondro Safari Lodge. Why? Because the elephants come up to the swimming pool area to drink water and for this to happen while I’m having a swim would be a dream come true!

Let this photo do all the talking:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Btvn3ukjBXc/

Wake up at Majeka House in Stellenbosch

Everything about Majeka House looks incredible! From the actual hotel to the Spa and the restaurant Makaron, I want to experience the magic of it all. One of my favourite travel and food bloggers, Tahlia from Too Much Loveliness says this hotel is one of her favourite hotels and she has literally been all over! She also says Makaron is one of her favourite restaurants and she definitely knows her food!

I mean is this room with a flamingo accent wall not exquisite?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtiA6RxB2rL/

Stay in a luxury treetop lodge

Just picture the scene: waking up in a treehouse overlooking a green lush forest and sipping on your morning coffee! This sounds magical doesn’t it? This is what it would be like to stay at Tsala Treetop Lodge just outside of Plettenberg Bay. I just have to tick this off the bucket list and say I have stayed in a luxury treehouse. I mean I wasn’t one of those lucky kids that had a treehouse in their garden, so as an adult now, this is the closest I will get to that childhood fun. Ha!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsXJ4CbHeS-/

♥

Non-cheesey things to do for Valentine’s Day

Lifestyle

Loren

-

08/02/2019

0

Non-cheesey things to do for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a week away. As much as we look forward to declaring our love for each other on this day, we don’t like overdoing it because every day should be Valentine’s Day. Wink wink! So on that note, we do like to do something special, but we try keep the cheesy levels down. This means we skip the candlelight dinner, roses and boxes of chocolate and instead we try plan something fun and exciting!

So here are a few things to do for Valentine’s Day that are not cheesy, at all:

1. TAKE A COOKING CLASS TOGETHER

Valentine’s Day can be an opportunity to do something fun, exciting and different, like for example a cooking class. The lovely team behind Voilà Cooking Club reached out to me and invited my partner and I to their first cooking class of 2019 which is happening next weekend. I am definitely going to take them up on their offer because this is the perfect Valentine’s Day date idea that is definitely not cheesy at all. I love the idea of getting busy in the kitchen, making something delicious while sipping on wine, and knowing we’ll have a three course meal to sit down to and enjoy after.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtOnZTKnK9f/

2. BOOK A SPONTANEOUS TRIP

The best kind of trips are the spontaneous ones that come together at the very last minute. If you are living in Cape Town, go up the West Coast to Paternoster for a night or two. Or if you are in Johannesburg, take a drive out to either the Midlands (read a blog post on the Midlands here) or take a drive to Dullstroom (read a blog post on Dullstroom here). Whatever it is though, getting out of the city and creating special memories is what I love most about going away!

3. PLAY AN ESCAPE GAME LIKE HINTHUNT

I think this is a perfect idea for Valentine’s Day – it’s not romantic at all and it may test your relationship … Just a little bit! Ha!

HintHunt is the first live, interactive escape game concept in South Africa. Although I haven’t tried it yet, I can imagine it to be a lot of fun! The game is designed to put the mind to the test as participants work together as a group to find hidden clues, solve tricky riddles and unlock mysterious puzzles. The best part is, this all has to be done in 60 minutes in order to escape.

For more information visit www.hinthunt.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdI5HhhuJj/

4. WATCH ALL YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIES

This is one of our favourite things to do because we feel SO relaxed after! We dedicate a whole entire weekend (or even just a Sunday) to staying in bed and watching all our favourite movies! Because I am the hostess with the mostess, I make sure we have all the food and snacks on the ready so we have no excuse to get out of bed. There is nothing better than a day doing absolutely nothing but just relaxing, and this is one of those days!

5. BE A TOURIST IN YOUR CITY

The best way to see the city you live in is from the top of an open top bus like the City Sightseeing bus. You will be a tourist for the day but you will see sights you did not even know existed in the city you live in! You will also spend quality time with you precious one. Yip, you will be killing two birds with one stone! We have done this hop on hop off bus tour in Cape Town countless times and it is just the best! We are planning to do it in Johannesburg soon too and I cannot wait!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BscuM1FI1YY/

Happy Valentine’s Day ♥

My top 3 safari experiences in South Africa

Loren

-

05/02/2019

0

My top 3 safari experiences in South Africa

South Africa is synonymous with safaris. Our beautiful country has so many game reserves offering the very best safari experiences. I have been very fortunate to have visited a lot of these game reserves so I thought I would share my top three in a blog post. Hopefully this will inspire you to visit at least one of them and experience it all for yourself.

1. THANDA SAFARI

WHERE:

Thanda Safari is situated in the north of Hluhluwe in Kwa-Zulu Natal, which is about a three hour drive from Durban Airport. Set within a 14 000 hectare private game reserve, Thanda is home to the Big 5.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THANDA:

We stayed at Thanda Tented Camp which is 14 luxury safari tents each with a private sun deck, en-suite canvas bathroom and an outdoor shower. The phrase “glamping” is the perfect description because it was definitely glamorous and ultra luxurious.

The food at Thanda was exceptional. We indulged in huge breakfast spreads, afternoon high tea and a gourmet braai under the stars.

We were taken on two game drives a day and on each game drive we saw the most amazing sightings! One of my highlights though was being taken up close to two cheetahs. This was incredible because I had never seen cheetah’s so up close before! I also loved how knowledgeable our ranger and tracker was. This took the whole experience to another level because we were taught so many new and interesting things.

I also loved our sundowner sessions on the afternoon game drives. We would stop in the middle of the bush and set up a little bar with some snacks. It was a little scary not knowing what animal was lurking just around the corner but at the same time, we felt so safe in our guides hands!

Click here for the full blog post

2. SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

WHERE:

Shamwari is located in Eastern Cape and is about an hours drive from Port Elizabeth. What I love most about the location is that it’s very near to the Garden Route. So if you’re looking for a safari holiday with some beach side bliss afterwards, Shamwari is just the place.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT SHAMWARI:

Shamwari has a special place in my heart. We made such special memories here that I will treasure forever. We stayed in Long Lee Manor which is an Edwardian Manor House. I loved the contrast of driving out the gates of the colonial style lodge and into the game reserve where wild animals are roaming.

The whole experience at Shamwari is amazing! Our room was ultra luxurious, the service was much more than five star and the game drives were so exciting! We were treated like royalty because nothing was too much.

My favourite sighting at Shamwari was watching a herd of elephants put on a trumpet show. The sounds and atmosphere was just exhilarating!

Click here for the full blog post

3. JOCK SAFARI LODGE

WHERE:

Jock Safari Lodge is situated in the Kruger National Park which is one of Africa’s biggest game reserves. Kruger Park is a haven for nature lovers as it is home to the Big 5, a diverse bird life and flora and fauna. Jock Safari Lodge is near both Malelane Gate and Skukuza Gate, so getting here isn’t a mission at all.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT JOCK SAFARI LODGE:

We visit the Kruger Park every year for our annual family trip which clearly means we love the Kruger Park. A lot! So to stay in an ultra luxurious lodge in the heart of the Kruger Park was truly something special.

We stayed at the Main Jock Lodge which has 12 individually thatched rooms with plunge pools, outdoor showers and a deck overlooking the riverbed. What I loved about staying at Jock is going on game drives and going off road through the concession to spot animals. We drove over trees and through dry river beds and it was just so exciting!

We also went on a wilderness walk which was a first for us in the Kruger Park. We spotted giraffe and buffalo while on foot and it was such a great experience.

Everything about our stay at Jock was just brilliant! The food, the service, the accommodation and the game drives! I cant wait to return to this magical place in the heart of Kruger soon.

Click here for the full blog post

♥

My goals for 2019

Lifestyle

Loren

-

30/01/2019

1

It feels like just the other day I was putting my 2018 goals together and now, here I am, doing my 2019 goals. The years are just flying by at an alarmingly fast rate and before we knew it, it’s going to be 2020. Yip, scary thought!

While I was putting my 2019 goals together, I thought I would share five of them with you. These five goals may inspire you to set for yourself or if not, hopefully they will motivate you in one way or another.

Continue being active

Last year I really turned over a new leaf and became so much more active. You can read more about in this post but let’s just say I am no longer a couch potato. This year I want to keep this going. I want to do more walks and go on more hikes. I also want to try do a minimum of 10 000 steps a day, every day!

Read 20 books

Last year I was glued to my Kindle and I read 15 books throughout the year. This year I want to try push myself just a little bit and read 20 books. I’m already on book 3 for the year which is quite good going. I just love the feeling of knowing I have a good book waiting for me to escape into at the end of a busy day. I look so forward to reading what’s going to happen next. If you have any brilliant book recommendations, comment below and I’ll check them out!

Create more beautiful content

This isn’t much of a goal because I already have such beautiful content lined up for the year but I have intentionally written it down to remind myself. Because I love creating content – I love taking photos and I love writing a story – I will feel like I’m definitely achieving one of my goals.

Unglue my phone from my hand

I often get asked if my phone is glued to my hand because it’s always in my hand! I’m not ashamed to admit that I live on my phone! Yip, I do! If I’m not on Instagram, then I’m scrolling through Twitter or Facebook or I’m on Google looking up something interesting. This year I want to literally remove the glue between my phone and my hand and unplug from my phone for a few hours a day!

Share the love

This year I want to share the love with all of my favourite bloggers. We work so hard to create the most beautiful content for our readers and not enough credit is given to! I want to comment more, engage more and just share the love. With this in mind, I will be sharing blog posts on all my favourite bloggers – from my favourite food bloggers to travel bloggers and even beauty bloggers.

What are your goals for 2019?

♥

Looking back on 2018

Lifestyle

Loren

-

28/01/2019

0

2018 was quite a year – although it was an exciting one, it was also quite difficult. There were a lot of highs and a few hurdles. But all in all, when I look back at my photos, it is evident that I had an absolutely wonderful year!

I turned 30

In January I celebrated my 30th birthday in Cape Town with my special friends and family. It was a week of utter indulgence as we sipped on so much wine and bubbly and ate at all my favourite restaurants. We also spent a night up the West Coast in Paternoster which was so beautiful.

Turning 30 last year made me realize one thing and that is that life is worth living, nothing more and nothing less. I didn’t feel sad about it but rather excited because it made me want to get out and do more! Time is not on our side, but life is, so live it and make your dreams come true. Yip, that’s my motto 😉

I travelled to Italy

I always said to myself that the year I turn 30 I will take myself to Italy and I did just that! Claude and I spent the first half of the year planning the whole trip and I’m not sure what was more fun – planning the trip or the actual trip. I can sit for hours googling everything for an upcoming trip because I just love it! We went to Rome, Florence and Venice. Search “Italy” in the search bar on my blog for all the posts on our trip. There will be more posts on Italy planned for this year, so stay tuned!

One thing I also realized in 2018 was that if you don’t make your own dreams come true, no one will do it for you. My dream was to visit to Italy, and I made it happen.

I worked hard on Minkys

2018 was an incredible year for my blog. I worked really hard on it, because as you know, I love my blog. I love the whole process of creating beautiful content and inspiring my readers with it. I love taking photographs and I love telling a story. All the hard work paid off, because my blog grew a lot! I gained more readers, more opportunities and more followers on my social media channels. And, I reached 7 000 followers on Instagram. I know it’s not all about the numbers, but whoop whoop!

I became more active and “healthier”

In June I joined Discovery Vitality. With this came a whole new lifestyle change because, on the Vitality program, you are “forced” to be active to meet those weekly fitness goals. Before I joined Vitality, I was the laziest person – I had no incentive to get up and go for a walk/run. I was a couch potato through and through Now, eight months later I am a completely different person! I now wake up bright and early on a Saturday morning to do the 5km ParkRun, which I look forward to all week. I go for walks everyday AND I can run for 30 minutes straight on the treadmill. It’s little things like this that makes me so proud of myself because I have come a long way. I also make much healthier decisions now when it comes to meal time and I try eat as much vegetables as I can everyday!

I discovered my love for wine

I used to drink wine because, well, it’s wine. But this all changed last year when I started to appreciate the whole experience of drinking wine. From choosing a wine to go with our meal, to enjoying the tastings and just savoring it, I discovered there is more to wine than just glugging it down. Ha!

♥

Book Club: What I’ve been reading from Sophie Kinsella

Book Club

Loren

-

10/12/2018

0

Sophie Kinsella is currently my absolute favourite author. I have devoured her books one after the other and so I thought I should share my three favourite books of hers that I have read this year. Her books are so hilarious that I actually find myself LOL’ing. Yip, laughing out loud. Often my boyfriend will ask whats so funny because I will literally LOL out of nowhere. So in no particular order, here are three books I’ve recently read of Sophie Kinsella that you should read too! Also, they are perfect for your summer reads these holidays as they’re easy reading, light-hearted and hilarious chic-lit!

• THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS

The story is about Samantha, who is a 20-something workaholic lawyer. She is so career driven that she has put her whole life into this job to try become partner. One day she discovers she has made the biggest mistake of her life which will cost the firm millions of dollars. So she quickly decides to run as far away from the firm as possible! She gets onto a train and gets off at a town in the middle of nowhere. After having the biggest meltdown, she rings the door bell of a random house in this town to ask where exactly she is and it just so happens that she now starts working as a maid for this very rich family. The family know nothing about Sam’s true identity and Sam knows nothing about being a maid! Soon Sam meets the gardener … And that’s all I’ll be saying about the story line. I honestly loved this book and laughed out loud from the very beginning. As a lawyer myself, I know what it’s like to dedicate your whole life to a law firm. I know what it’s like to spend a birthday in the office until late at night and that’s exactly what happens to Sam. So in the end Sam has to revalue her life and figure out what is important and what isn’t. And without giving away too much, love wins! 🙂

• CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET

Emma is clumsy, silly and awkward. At only 25, Emma has been through many jobs. She lives with her best friend Lissy and has a boyfriend that she thinks is almost too perfect! Emma has a lot of secrets and some of her secrets are really funny, like one she’s hiding from her boyfriend where she actually weighs 128 pounds and not 118 pounds. She just so happens to share all of these secrets with a handsome stranger that is sitting next to her on a flight when the plane goes through turbulence. She starts panicking andblurting out every single secret of hers. This handsome strangers, Jack Harper, turns out to be her new boss. The story gets funnier and funnier with every page you turn. After finishing this book by Sophie Kinsella, I knew I needed more. This was a light and funny romance and just so easy to read. I like reading her books just before I go to bed because they leave you feeling happy! Just a little warning though, Emma can be a bit irritating, but in a hilarious way!

• SURPRISE ME

Sylvie and Dan are about to celebrate their ten year anniversary when they get news from the doctor that their health is so good, that statistically they may have another sixty eight years of marriage together. They both freak out at this and think sixty eight years is a long time! So they both decide that to keep their marriage exciting they must start surprising each other! The surprises are rather fun until Sylvie discovers something she shouldn’t have … And this is when it starts to get interesting! Just like the other two books I have chatted about, this was SO funny! I love how the story explored romance and love after marriage and kids. And I also loved the plot twist at the end 🙂

♥

A quick stop in Matjiesfontein

Loren

-

04/12/2018

0

Matjiesfontein is a tiny little town on the N1, about 236 km’s from Cape Town. When I say tiny, I mean tiny. Picture two streets separated by a railway line. Yip, that is tiny! We stopped over in Matjiesfontein for an hour or so on our journey from Pretoria to Cape Town on Rovos Rail (read more here and here), so I thought this little town is worthy of its own blog post. As you drive into Matjiesfontein, you feel like you have stepped back in time. The town has so much history and is filled with so much character and charm! It is no wonder the whole town is a national monument. Most of the buildings on Matjiesfontein were established in the late 1800’s.

Where to stay in Matjiesfontein?

The Milner Hotel was completed during the time of the Anglo-Boer War by James Logan in 1899. The hotel was also used as a Field Hospital during this time. Nowadays, The Lord Milner Hotel is a fully functioning hotel. I happened to walk inside and look around and it is evident that the hotel has a certain old-world charm to it. I cannot wait to return for a nights stay and experience one of its many ghost stories!

What to do in Matjiesfontein?

Walk down Matjiesfontein’s only road and pop into the farm stall and coffee shop for some local South African treats.
Visit the Transport Museum and admire the impressive collection of vintage cars, bicycles and old steam trains.
Visit the Marie Rawdon Museum which boasts a collection of Victorian memorabilia.
Hop onto the Old Red London Bus and enjoy a tour of the town. The tour is a quick 10 minutes … That’s how small the town is!
Pop into Laird’s Arms and enjoy a delicious lunch of fresh Karoo lamb.

Have you visited Matjiesfontein before?

♥

MINKYS

Minkys

Minkys

Getting to Brahman Hills

Brahman Hills

The Food at Brahman Hills

Breakfast at Brahman Café

Dinner at 89 on Copper

The Spa

Have you been to the Midlands before?

What is the new BC Fibre Clinix?

How does it work?

How long does the treatment last?

My before and after …

The name Forti …

What did we eat …

The restaurant …

I walk everyday

I sip on green tea throughout the day

I choose fresh fruit over sugary or salty snacks

I halved the sugar in my coffee

I eat a lot more vegetables

I still indulge but I don’t over indulge

WHAT IS NEAPOLITAN PIZZA?

WHICH RESTAURANTS MAKE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA IN SOUTH AFRICA?

– Coalition Pizza in Johannesburg

– Ice Dream Land in Plettenberg Bay

– Bocca in Cape Town

Explore Robertson and stay at The Robertson Small Hotel

Float over the Magalies River Valley in Bill Harrop’s Hot Air Balloon

Spot the Big 5 in Welgevonden Game Reserve

Wake up at Majeka House in Stellenbosch

Stay in a luxury treetop lodge

1. TAKE A COOKING CLASS TOGETHER

2. BOOK A SPONTANEOUS TRIP

3. PLAY AN ESCAPE GAME LIKE HINTHUNT

4. WATCH ALL YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIES

5. BE A TOURIST IN YOUR CITY

1. THANDA SAFARI

WHERE:

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THANDA:

2. SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE

WHERE:

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT SHAMWARI:

3. JOCK SAFARI LODGE

WHERE:

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT JOCK SAFARI LODGE:

Continue being active

Read 20 books

Create more beautiful content

Unglue my phone from my hand

Share the love

What are your goals for 2019?

I turned 30

I travelled to Italy

I worked hard on Minkys

I became more active and “healthier”

I discovered my love for wine

• THE UNDOMESTIC GODDESS

• CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET

• SURPRISE ME

Where to stay in Matjiesfontein?

What to do in Matjiesfontein?

Have you visited Matjiesfontein before?

MINKYS