in case you were wondering

7:00am – The boyfriend’s alarm goes off. I wake up, but I don’t get out of bed until about 7:30am. For a half an hour or so, while my eyes open up slowly and adjust to the light, I switch on my phone. I check for any emails, as well as Instagram and Twitter. During this time I am planning in my head what I am going to have for breakfast. All I want is something extra delicious and a perfect cup of coffee.

7:30am – Hop out of bed. Make the bed. Wash my face and brush my teeth. I let Dooey out of his cage (his cage is big, no need to panic at the word “cage”) so he can roam around and think he is boss during the day. I go to the kitchen, put the kettle on and prepare Dooey’s breakfast. I’ll cut up some spinach, some herbs and some pawpaw. He likes a variety you know … He’s the bunny of a foodie. Ha! By the way, have you read 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Having a Pet Bunny?

7:45am – I make coffee and sit with Dooey while he has his breakfast. He is just the cutest thing when he eats. His little chin looks like a washing machine when he chews. While I watch this show, I sip my coffee, plan my day in my head and browse through my to do list to see what I have in store.

8:15am – I make myself breakfast. Today I made peanut butter and sliced banana on wholewheat toast, again. Gosh, if only I can describe this deliciousness but I can’t. It’s like having a milkshake for breakfast. If I don’t know what to have, then I normally opt for one of these. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, I take it very seriously 🙂

8:45am – Have a shower. Depending on where I am headed for the day, I’ll put on the appropriate outfit. If I have a meeting, or some law work to do, I get very smartly dressed. I’ll wear jeans and a cute top for an event/launch. If its to run some errands, then its a tracksuit and tackies day. Or if I don’t have to be anywhere, then its a half tracksuit / half pyjamas and slippers. Today I am headed to the media launch of Jamie’s Italian which is only at 12. So I put my gown on and will get ready a bit later.

9:15am – I make a cup of apple and pear flavoured green tea (addicted to this stuff). Sit down at my desk and start working. I go through all my emails, do a bit of bullet journaling, work on my blog, do some social media stuff. I like to sip on a healthy hot beverage while I work. It makes me feel, ummm, healthy.

10:45am – I start getting ready for the event right about now. I do my hair and make up and put on my outfit.

12pm – Arrive at Jamie’s Italian media launch. We were given a personal tour of the restaurant. We made dessert milkshakes with Head Chef Shane and we had lunch. I had a bowl of the oh so famous mussel linguini for lunch. Yum!

3:15pm – Meet a friend to discuss a little something exciting in the pipeline for 2017.

4:30pm – Arrive home. I make a cup of rooibos tea because I am still too full from lunch. Back to my desk to do a few important things and send out some emails. Oh and I snack on a mango. I can’t get enough of mangos this season!

5:30pm – The boyfriend gets home from work.

5:45pm – We go for a 30 minute walk around the area and soak up all the fresh air we can! The best thing about our daily walks is having the opportunity to talk about our day. No phones, no TV, only us and the fresh air.

6:30pm – Get ready for dinner. We go to our local sushi spot for a quick dinner.

9pm – Home. Exhausted.

9:30pm – Bath. Make chamomile tea. Bed time.

10:30pm – Z z z z z!

♥

Call them what you like, but New Year’s resolutions or goals set the tone for the year ahead. They ensure you consciously review your lifestyle and make any necessary changes and adjustments to it. I am not one for new years resolutions, but where I can make the most of my life, I will. To me, new years resolutions shouldn’t be set in stone, but should rather be goals and aspirations for a better you that you work towards.

Here are a few of my goals for 2017…

Start a Weekly/Monthly Newsletter 

I love the idea of a newsletter – giving your readers a little more insight without a lengthy blog post. But the question is how often would you like to receive a newsletter and what would you like to see in them?

Eat More Vegetables

Vegetables. The word we all hated growing up. Ha! I do eat vegetables but not enough. There I said it.

My favourite veggies are sweet potato roasted whole in the oven where the skin becomes crispy and extra sweet. Then I love cauliflower and broccoli – yip I do! Some pumpkin and butternut are delicious too.

Bullet Journal

When I was small I bought myself a little notepad which I tried to turn into an organised journal. I didn’t have much to put in it, except “school” every day as well as sleepovers and get togethers with my friends. I treasured this little notepad and decorated it with koki-pens and highlighters. This notepad made me feel so mature. Ha!

Today I have a proper organised journal from Macaroon which is my little pride and joy. It doesn’t need decorating and personalising as it is so perfect already. My intentions this year is to be a lot more organised, aware of my daily tasks and become more conscious of my time and how I spend it. When there is so much to do in a day and 24 hours isn’t enough time, you need to be very organised! So I have started “bullet journaling” and let me tell you, that after a week, it is such fun.

A bullet journal is a a to-do list, sketchbook, notebook and diary, all in one. You will find more info here.

Drink More Herbal Teas

I drink coffee in the morning and only if I really need to then again in the afternoon. But now I want to drink more herbal tea. They have such wonderful health benefits and are so good for us. So what have I done to ensure this goal happens? Well I made a tea counter in my kitchen (next to the coffee counter). I bought a few glass canisters and put different teas in each. There is a canister for rooibos tea, chamomile tea, my absolute favourite apple and pear flavoured green tea, and one for peppermint tea. I find that making the selection easily accessible and visible to the eye will help a lot!

Catch Vitamin D Rays, Everyday

We’re always at our desk. And if we not at our desk then we’re at a coffee shop, in our car or in our homes on the couch. Vitamin D is so important for us and we don’t get enough of it. I’m not saying we must spend hours tanning, but rather go outside for 10 minutes a day. Vitamin D fights depression and ensures healthy bones, especially when you’re older. So I plan to head out for a bit of fresh air every so often with the intention of soaking up all the Vitamin D.

These are just a few of my 2017 goals.

How are you planning to make the best of your life in 2017?

♥

2016 – you are already a distant memory to most, but to me you’re not. You were an exciting year where I got to explore, travel, and watch Minkys grow. I explored more of our beautiful South Africa, from the Kruger National Park to the Garden Route and Cape Town. I fuelled my wanderlust and travelled to the Seychelles and Hong Kong. I ate some some very delicious food. I met some amazing people. And I managed to showcase all of this on Minkys.

So, in no particular order, here is a roundup of my best (posts) of 2016 …

The Ultimate Travel Guide to the Seychelles

The Cosiest Coffee Spots in Cape Town

What’s For Breakfast – Some Delicious Ideas

Reebok Classics – Love Them or Hate Them, But Here is how to Style Them

Plettenberg Bay’s Secret Hideout: Kurland Hotel

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Having a Pet Bunny 

Getting Lost in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town

In 2016 …

♥ I got to do what I love and that is explore the very best South Africa has to offer. From travelling up the West Coast (the Little Town of Darling), as well as Plettenberg Bay and the Kruger Park, just to name a few.

♥ I reached over 1 000 Instagram followers. If you have been following me for some time you will know I take extra pride in my Instagram account. And its definitely working as I have received a lot of feedback and compliments on my feed 🙂 Follow me at: @minkys.co.za

♥ My blog grew in more ways than one. Which makes me so god dam happy because you know how much hard work running a blog is.

♥ I visited Hong Kong for the umpteenth time, which felt like the first time. There will a blog post coming up on this soon.

♥ I felt truly happy doing the things I love. And thats whats important!

Happy New Year everyone. Here is to an exciting and wonderful 2017!

♥

Since forever, I have been obsessed with all miniature things. They are both cute and fascinating. From miniature perfume bottles to miniature ornaments, and everything in-between, I would gather up quite a collection. I love how something so small is so intricately detailed and has so much sentimental meaning.

When an emailed landed in my inbox from Mini Me Memorables asking if I would like a mini me memorable, with an example of me attached, I didn’t hesitate for a second. And this is what they sent me …

Mini Me Memorables create the perfect memory, as you can see.

They captured me being an attorney with the judges hammer (I love!) and little Dooey the bunny (I love even more!). This little figurine is so darn cute and I am 150% obsessed with it. With over 100’s of different and rare torso’s, heads, legs, hair pieces and accessories to choose from, you too can create a perfect mini memory.

They make a unique and perfect gift for birthdays, weddings and Christmas stocking fillers!

i’m sharing the love …

If you would love to create your own mini me memory, head to MiniMeMemorables.co.za right now.
I have a 10% discount code for all my lovely readers (valid until the end of December 2016).
Just use the following code on checkout: MINKYS

Don’t you think they make the ultimate christmas stocking filler?

♥

DATE NIGHT:

noun. informal.
A prearranged occasion on which an established couple, especially one with children,
go for a night out together.

In my house, date night is either a Thursday night or a Saturday night. Friday night is spent at home doing absolutely nothing. We get take aways, watch TV, spend time with Dooey and go to bed before the clock strikes 9. A Thursday night or a Saturday is a little different though. We make an effort to go somewhere exciting or do something fun.

I have put together a list of date night ideas that we enjoy and some worth a try.

♥ GAMES NIGHT: To some its called “bored games” but to me board games are so much fun. With a bottle of wine, some snacks and a round of friends, it could possibly be the most fun you’ll have in a while. 30 Seconds still tops my list of the best board games and now Rummikub With a Twist is a close second.

♥ GET CREATIVE: This is something a little different to the ordinary, but grab your better half and head to the nearest spot that offers ceramic painting and mosaic-ing. It is so much fun! Le bf and I have done it before at Color Cafe and we each painted our own coffee mug. I can’t wait to return and make a mosaic something for our home.

♥ POWER HOUR LUNCH: You can also have a date day. I know it doesn’t sound as good as “date night” but spending quality time with your loved one can be called anything. If time is of the essence and all you want to do is enjoy a good meal with your better half, then I suggest heading to Four Seasons The Westcliff in your lunch break and indulging in their Hour of Power Business Lunch (more info in this post). It will be the best hour of your life and you can thank me later 🙂

♥ HAVE A PICNIC: The most clichéd of cliché date ideas, but still one of my favourites. Grab a picnic basket, some of your favourite snacks, a bottle wine and take a drive out somewhere you have never been before. Or go to a park in the afternoon, in time for when everyone walks their pooches. We try do this often. But only because there is a park near us and on Sunday afternoons it is full of the most cutest dogs.

♥ BOUNCE: Bounce can be described as one giant indoor trampoline. You can read more about it here but let me just tell you, it is soooo much fun! And good exercise … Bonus! 🙂 We visited Bounce last year and felt like real kids again, bouncing around non stop. The best part is you don’t get tired. You just want to carry on and on. *Makes mental note to go again before the end of the year*.

♥ COOK TOGETHER: Yes, eating out is fabulous. But so is eating in! Especially when you make it fun! And by fun, I mean be totally hands on. Make homemade cocktails, homemade pasta, homemade dessert and ensure everything requires both of your specialities! And don’t forget to play some music 🙂

♥ STAYCATION: We all need a good escape to clear our minds but not all of us can just hop on a plane and do that. Book somewhere close by for a night away and you’ll feel refreshed, rejuvenated and romanced when you return. If you live in Joburg or Cape Town, here are a few ideas:

Johannesburg:

Urban Retreat: Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa

Night of Ultimate Luxury: Palazzo Hotel

Country Retreat: Valley Lodge and Spa

Cape Town:

Winelands Escape: Franschhoek Boutique Hotel

City Escape: Cellars-Hohenort

♥ ESCAPE ROOM: This is like a puzzle room where you have to think together and work as a team to escape. We haven’t done this yet but I have heard how fun it is! Visit the website here or Google escape room to find one near you.

♥

P.S. Comment below with other ideas and I’ll be sure to add them into this post.

Grab yourself a cup of tea and a snack.
Here is everything I have been reading, loving, doing, eating and enjoying …

The Girls by Emma Cline

I am a few pages away from finishing The Girls by Emma Cline. Let me just say briefly (as I will do a whole review in my next Book Club segment), this book is a little weird. Its enjoyable and fascinating but the characters are a bit creepy and the story line is haunting and destructively dark. Without saying too much, if you’re looking for a good summer read, this is it. Its edgy, exciting and a real page turner.

Lets hope the ending will be a goodie. Stay tuned for the next Book Club post … 🙂

Have you read The Girls?

Rose Gold Sandals

I was on the lookout for a beautiful pair of sandals for summer and found these beauty’s on Spree for R299 if I am not mistaken (it was quite a few weeks ago). They are so comfortable, so beautiful and I love the rose gold! Rose gold is the latest trend, so these sandals are just ultra trendy. Ha!

They look beautiful with jeans, a pair of leggings, shorts or a summer dress.

They’re definitely my go-to summer shoe! If you’re in the market for a new pair of summer sandals, head to Spree – they have such a big selection.

INOAR

I featured INOAR in my Current Beauty Favourites post recently. And now I have super exciting news to share with you. INOAR is now listed on PETA as a cruelty free company. Doesn’t this make you happy? I know it makes me happy.

And now for even more exciting news … INOAR is now available at all Sorbet Dry Bars. So every time you visit my Sorbet Dry Bar for a blow wave, you can choose INOAR as your shampoo and conditioner.

News like this is definitely worth sharing … Ha!

Strawberry Cupcake Green Tea

Me and my flavoured green tea variants … I just cannot get enough of them.

I recently found a new favourite. Green Tea Strawberry Cupcake by Lipton. It has a sweet flavour, but not too sweet, and a subtle green tea flavour. The Strawberry Cupcake flavour definitely enhances the green tea flavour but together its a perfect taste.

Available from Checkers.

Oh-Lief Natural Lip Balm

Winter is over and my lips are still so dry. But so dry! I have tried just about everything, from Vaseline to bees wax lip ice and now I am trying this Oh-Lief Natural Lip Balm in Roman Chamomile.

So far so good, my lips are feeling a lot more nourished. But I am having to apply it like every 5 minutes though, as it feels like it wipes off so quickly. Let’s see how it will do. Hopefully I’ll feature this goodie in a current favourites post if it does the trick.

Glow

Cadbury South Africa were so kind to deliver a hamper of my favourite chocolate, Glow (every chocolate is my favourite). I love that Glow makes for the perfect gift, especially now, at this time of the year. Glow is a magnificently packaged gift, consisting of luxurious pralines wrapped in delicious Cadbury Chocolate. They are melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness!

Available at most retailers.

Kiehl’s Facial Scrub

Yes, this is my boyfriends, but I love it too and have claimed it as mine. The Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Scrub works like magic! I don’t use this product every day, but just on the days when I feel my skin needs a little extra wake up call. It is a wonderful scrub that gets deep down into your pores without being too harsh. Its a product that leaves your skin feeling “clean” and refreshed.

Lindt Strawberry Intense

I have almost always considered myself a chocoholic, through and through. Give me any kind and I will devour it in seconds … Well not that fast, but you know what I mean. I recently tried the new Strawberry Intense from Lindt and my, oh my! It is the perfect amount of strawberry flavour for a dark chocolate. And after a small piece, you’re definitely wanting more.

Have you tried this?

♥

Meet little Dooey, the cutest and sweetest indoor bunny. Dooey has been featured before on the blog (in this post) as well as on my Instagram quite a lot. But its time I share more about little Dooey and what it is like having a pet rabbit.

Why?

The reason we got a rabbit is quite simple. We wanted a pet, but because we live in a top floor apartment without a garden, getting a dog is too cruel. We don’t like cats. A fish tank is dull. A bird/parrot makes too much noise. And a bearded dragon is way too scary. So after doing all the necessary research, we decided on a rabbit. Well I like to call him a bunny as it sounds cuter than a rabbit. And it is the best decision we have ever made.

Dooey brings so much happiness to our lives, he is entertaining in a bunny kind of way. He is naughty, cheeky, mischievous and a little busy body. He loves the camera, loves his food, and I think he loves his dad just a little bit more than he loves me (more on that later).
When we were doing all our research, we kept reading how rabbits make the most wonderful indoor pets. We also read that the more love you give them, the more love they give back. When we brought Dooey home, we were a little scared and thought what are we going to do with this grey fur ball? But after the first day, it was just pure love and happiness.

Having an indoor pet rabbit is not very common here in South Africa as compared to the UK and Europe.

So if you’re wondering what it is like here, here are 5 things you didn’t know …

1. RABBITS LITTER TRAIN THEMSELVES

When we told our friends and family we got a rabbit, the first thing everyone said is “ooh but rabbits stink“. Let me tell you straight, they don’t stink at all. Just like a normal pet, with regular cleaning, everything is under control. And also, they litter train themselves. So they poop and peep in a litter box just like a cat. They do about their business without making a mess at all.  The litter box is filled with eco cat litter at the bottom and then hay at the top, so it hardly ever ever smells.

Dooey is a clean freak. He has two litter boxes. One inside his cage and one outside his cage for when he is roaming around the apartment during the day. You will never find him making a mess anywhere but inside his litter boxes. And he keeps his cage spotless too.

Dooey is also very shy. When he goes about his business in his litter boxes, he always faces the wall. He gets embarrassed if we watching him.

As one would on the toilet 😉

2. RABBITS EAT A LOT

Rabbits eat a lot. A lot of hay, some pellets and a little bit of greens. The reason rabbits eat a lot is to ensure their digestive system doesn’t stop working. Scary thought? Yip.

Hay is the most important and they need to have access to unlimited fresh hay. They have to eat at least their body size in hay per day. Then they’re allowed 2 tablespoons of pellets, a cup or two of greens and then a treat or two.

Dooey’s favourite snacks include spinach, paw paw, apple, carrots and now he is loving watermelon too. Every night when we eat dinner, we have to prepare a small plate of treats for Dooey too, otherwise he gets cross and won’t come out of his cage. Once or twice he has stomped, which means he was very cross.

As they say, a family that eat dinner together, stay together! Ha!

3. RABBITS CAN ROAM YOUR HOME

Rabbits can live cage free in your home. That means they can hop around and make your home their home. As long as your home is rabbit proofed, it will be okay 🙂 You will have to keep an eye on him in the beginning as they like to chew a few wires, the corner of the couch, the wooden furniture and any shoes lying around. But no stress, thats what a puppy would do too 🙂

Dooey has a cage which he uses during the day when he takes his afternoon nap or to sleep in at night. The rest of the time he has free reign over the apartment. His cage is always open so he can hop in and out as he pleases. He also knows not to go into the bedrooms as well as into the kitchen.

Rabbits are clever little creatures. 

4. RABBITS LIKE TO CUDDLE

Like I said above, the more you love your rabbit, the more he will love you. That means they need a lot of attention and care, just like a dog or a cat. Rabbits also like to cuddle. And they also like to kiss you. They use their little tongue to lick you and this means they’re kissing you.

Dooey likes to cuddle his dad, and only his dad. He’ll jump on his dads lap and get all cozy while he’s being patted. I, on the other hand, get a lot of kisses. He’ll jump onto the couch next to me, and start licking my hand or my face if I am lying down. He’ll also lie right next to me.

Dooey also likes to be close to you. When I am working at my desk, he’ll lean against my feet, or he’ll sit staring at me until I look at him and make a fuss of him.

Now you can see why we love this little fur ball.

5. RABBITS DO A HAPPY DANCE

When a rabbit is happy, they do a jump and twist movement called a Binky. It the honestly the most adorable and heartwarming thing to see.

When Dooey did his first Binky we didn’t know what was going on and had to Google the movements he was making.

Now that we know its binkies, it is the highlight of having a pet bunny.

It is the sweetest thing ever!

*MWA*

Dooey is a Netherland Dwarf bunny, in case you were wondering 🙂

If you’d like to see more photos of this naughty little fur ball, follow Minkys on Instagram – www.instagram.com/minkys.co.za

♥