Travel | Bliss up the West Coast

Pack some snacks and make yourself comfy, because this is a long post!

Few road trips beat a leisurely drive along the West Coast. You're spoilt for views of field of flowers, sea views and long stretches of farmland either side of you. Not much farther along the road through Veldrif, you'll find Rocherpan. Tucked away and so rustic you'd almost miss it. Or you might actually miss it and drive halfway to Namibia like I did.
Pro tip: when someone gives you very specific directions, turn off your lame John Mayer mix CD and actually listen.

Photo: Alfred for The Good Holiday

Once you arrive at the reserve, you're confused. You expected rustic, which it is. But not to the point of camping. You'll find yourself quite impressed by how modern and chic the facilities are. I'll be honest. I did not expect such comfortable accommodation. The chalets are simple, clean and comfortable and they all face the breathtaking view of the water. And that little body of water houses a massive flock of bright pink flamingos that gracefully wade along the edges each morning and evening. The architect of these adorable eco-cabins is Justin Cooke from Architecture Co-Op. He did a fantastic job of ensuring they blended seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, while also using environmentally friendly materials. The cabins functions almost entirely off the grid with solar water heaters, gas stoves, and solar panels. You can't really ask for much more.

Photo: Alfred from Vuurtoring

The reason I went along on this trip was to play stylist and part-time model for CapeNature's latest online campaign. Our mornings started at 5am to get our shots of the flamingos and other bird life. I've never been a big nature person, and I was (embarrassingly) the cliched city girl asking an absurd amount of questions on the possibility of being carried away in the night by snakes and spiders.
Rocherpan actually shifted my narrow perspective somewhat, and I relaxed into nature and stopped fussing and worrying enough to really enjoy it. And you're actually forced to. The day moves at a slow pace after a bright and early sunrise, inviting you to come in after a morning of bird spotting, to a big breakfast fry up, and then to take to the balcony with a good book for the rest of the morning. I slipped on a comfy long dress and sandals and moved through the day at my leisure.

Photo: Alfred for The Good Holiday

Photo: Alfred for The Good Holiday

You can find the sandals (you'll see them when you scroll a little further down) HERE and a similar dress, even more perfect for lazy lounging HERE. I love finding cheap and cheerful holiday outfits from Mr Price!

Once the weather had warmed up enough, we made for the beach. We had kilometres of uninterrupted coastline at our disposal and after some beach reading, strolling and posing, we set up a picnic which was well oiled with some amazing wine from Avontuur.

The next day started much the same and I can officially be considered "outdoorsy". After spying on those long legged pink birds, we had a go at some biking through the reserve. Initially I'd wanted to go for a trail run - but after discovering it was snake 'mating season', I decided that I wanted to be off the ground.

The next evening we decided to put together a massive feast of a braai, and whip out the really good wines. Avontuur had spoiled us again with a selection of their finest wines. After our feast we ended up roasting marshmallows, all the while clinking our glasses and laughing very late into the evening. We then extended our evening into the early hours of the morning to do some star gazing. And when you are so far away from city lights, you get to see the best views our galaxy has to offer.

Photo: Alfred for The Good Holiday

Photo: Alfred for The Good Holiday

I hadn't expected to be won over by rustic cabins, environmentally conscious and nature-crazed hosts, bird watching and the general tranquility of the surrounds (I am a city girl, 100%), but to be honest, I will definitely be back Rocherpan. You're a total gem and when I need a break from the madness of city life, I couldn't think of anything better than a weekend with you.

Photo: Alfred for The Good Holiday

To get the full experience, check out the video we worked on all week - shot and edited by the phenomenal Dee Lourens from The Good Holiday. She was assisted by some of the best action and nature photographers in the biz, Alfred from Vuurtoring and Louise from Green Girls in Africa (Check her blog post on Rocherpan for a beautifully detailed post on the inner workings of this clever eco-friendly hideaway!). Go show them some love - I promise you'll find yourself inspired!

Travel | Stellenbosch Valley Part 1

I was part of a lucky bunch of travel and lifestyle bloggers who were invited to spend two days sampling the finest fares of the breathtaking Stellenbosch Valley. Too often when plotting a day out in the winelands, I head for the regular tourist spots and better-known wine farms. I forget about old gems and don't take the time to scout out new places to try. So it suits me very well to join in on these trips, because then when it is my turn to plan a day out, I look like a total pro/wine snob among my family and friends. And now I get to share these secret spots with you too!

We started our day at JC Le Roux - which is incredibly well known. But not for what it should be. You're probably thinking of sweet, sparkling wines from your youth and thats about it. But what you don't know is that they do one killer brunch, and that they have a range of MCC's that will knock your socks off. (For those who don't know this: MCC stands for Method Cap Classique and is what would be called Champagne if it were made in that region in France.)

 I went for the stacked french toast with bacon ice cream. Yes. Bacon ice cream. I have become a vegetarian since the new year, but looking back on 2015, I'd be lying if I didn't mention this as one of the best brunch meals of my life. The rest of the group swooned over their Eggs Benedict as well, so thats another option to try when I head back. With spinach of course.

We then went into the most beautiful private tasting room, via a very luxe looking bar area. We were then guided through the gorgeous range of bubbly by our wonderful host, and each MCC was paired with flavoured and stuffed olives of all sorts.

After we'd picked our favourites and made some purchases, we got to have a go at sabrage. Mike from the Life of Mike blog valiantly volunteered as tribute and thankfully did not decapitate himself or anyone else.

Next on our day-drinking adventure was Stellenbrau brewery. Not many people know this about me, but I love beer. It rivals wine in my opinion. Savage, I know. I thoroughly enjoy beer, and I thoroughly enjoy the confused and amused looks I get when this petite dork orders a pint of craft beer at the bar, instead of a spritzer.

The boys at Stellenbrau treated us to a brewery tour, followed by a tasting. I could quite happily set up my bed inside a brewery. I actually quite enjoy the smell of the hops brewing. I find it soothing for some reason. That sounds like something an alcoholic would say isn't it? Oh well.

I'd highly recommend a stopover at this place. It boasts a gorgeous setting, chilled vibe and great craft beer.

For a late lunch and another tasting we pulled in at Middelvlei Wine Estate. I was not expecting to have so much fun at this rustic family-run estate. But when we were divided into teams and charged with blending our own wine, I was delighted by the challenge! We huddled and schemed and used every beaker and pipette they'd supply us with (to look like we knew what we were doing obviously) and settled on the winning combination. We then labelled our wine with a number only and then it was put out for the teams and other patrons present to test an vote for the number they liked best. To be able to tell you that our team won might be one of the happiest announcements I've made on this blog. I am also deadly serious when I say that I am adding winemaker to my CV.

This incredibly entertaining afternoon ended with a good old fashioned bore braai, complete with homemade potato salad, braaibroodtjies and delicious wors and chops. Their mantra being that homemade, authentic boerekos is what they do best. They aren't interested in fancy. The folks at Middelvlei are all about simple, wholesome food and quality time spent with family and friends.

Finally it was time to relax after an incredibly tough day of eating and drinking. So we checked into our spectacular suites at Wedgeview and then made our way to their in-house spa for a massage.

My impression of Wedgeview shall be expressed in my best "Janice from Friends voice":

"OH. MY. GAAAAAWD!!! "

Let me break it down for you...

The location: Its nothing short of divine, with mountain and vineyard views for days. And for the adventurous, plenty of trail running/ mountain biking or for the less energetic (me), leisurely strolling to be done through the property. There is also a stunning pool area to cool down in during the warm summer months.

The spa:  It is just heavenly. With professional and lovely staff - its a cherry-on-top addition to an already wonderful place to relax in the winelands.

The accommodation: No expense has been spared to create luxurious suites with every amenity you could hope for. Everything about the room lends itself to relaxation and tranquility. Shelves were packed with books and the balcony begged to be used for reading next to a fresh cup of coffee in the morning, or for romantic sundowners with a glass of bubbly.

The staff: An interesting situation here. The place is Dutch owned (by a rather famous ex-cricket captain no less), and Dutch hotel students intern on rotation every few months. Dutch people are not ugly. With one staff member looking like a clone of Leonardo Di Caprio circa 2006, and the rest looking like yet-to-be discovered male models, the girls in our group and I were a mess. All I could muster was a goofy grin and I blushed my way through every interaction with one of them. Real smooth Leigh. Real smooth.

The food: As I mentioned before, it is Dutch owned. So cheese. Good cheese. Great cheese. Lots of amazing food featuring said cheese. Phenomenal brandy. A rich and delicious dinner accompanied by the above-mentioned interns playing the piano. Oh yes, the good looking interns play piano. Did I not mention that?

Wedge view was such a treat and I'll certainly be back again for a stay in the Stellenbosch Valley.



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Your H&M shopping list

H&M launches this weekend on the 17th of October. The store is staying open until midnight on Saturday and Sunday to allow you to shop up a storm.

They also have their products listed online - you can't shop online just yet, but it is still great to peruse all the clothes and homeware and make a little wishlist. I am so happy that the price point is on par with everywhere else I've been - and in the last year I've racked up a few H&M hauls in London, Chicago and Singapore. So I am thrilled we aren't being penalised with import duties and ripped off like some other foreign retailers have done.

I got to attend the media event last night where we were allowed to do some shopping. I picked up basics mostly and I plan to go back when the Balmain for H&M collection launches in November. They have also recently launched a beauty line which is getting great reviews abroad, so I'll be stalking that situation here.

I thought I'd put together a little post to give you some shopping ideas and to get an idea of the price point. Here are some of my favourites from the stock in store at the moment.

R749

R499

R349

R499

R899

R499

R399

R349

R229

R749

R399

R399

Travel | Discovering Helderberg

Just before we left for Bali I got whisked off with a group of top local bloggers for a little jaunt in the Helderberg winelands. Our itinerary was jam packed. Two days of jetting between wine farms, sampling everything they had to offer. It was tough, but someone had to do it. And for my dearest  readers, and also because day-drinking is fun, I found myself enjoying some of the Helderberg's finest tipple at 9am. As one does.

DAY ONE

Our first stop was Peter Faulke wines. Owned by the same guy who has a worldwide sock empire, there has been no pen spared in the layout of this farm. From the ornate and beautiful bar area inside, to the fabulous patio area overlooking the vineyards. They claim bragging rights to being the only farm open until 7pm which makes them a perfect spot to go for sundowners or to end off a day of wine tasting. Their cheese and charcuterie platters are second to none and a perfect compliment to a beautiful sunset and some fabulous wines. Their Blanc de Noir was a firm favourite with the group and perfect for the coming summer.

Next up we visited Longridge. This farm is incredibly impressive in that it manages to use almost everything and produce no waste. From their vineyards to their veggie gardens, they are very focused on all-natural methods. They even have some Nguni cows grazing in the vineyards. So they packed us city kids into the back of a tractor to take a tour. I loved every second until I was coerced into dodging cows and their mounds of cow poop for a photo op (side-eyes in your direction Natalie. You can see the results of her efforts here).
Back at the ranch, or cellar should I say, we were treated to a food and wine pairing - which for R65 is a bargain. It was the best combination of sweets and savouries and made for a wonderful afternoon of learning about the Longridge wines. I ended up walking away with a case of their Emily Chardonnay Pinot Noir - it is definitely my choice for some "summer water" this year.

Avontuur was our last wine farm on the agenda for Day One. I am actually pretty familiar with the farm as my family is quite into horse racing and Avontuur owners, The Taberer family, are one of the biggest names in the game with their champion stallion Var. If Var was able to rap, he'd be banging out 50Cent's "Have a baby by me, baby, be a millionaire" all day long. And he wouldn't even be joking.

We got a tour of the paddocks and met a few foals. When asked if we wanted to climb in to say hello, like the daddy's girl I am, I jumped at the chance. My dad and I seem to have the part of our brains missing that logically see horses as somewhat dangerous, and we are always climbing into paddocks to go and give them a pat and a kiss on the nose.

After playing in the paddocks, we were treated to a tasting with winemaker-in-chief, Jan Van Rooyen, who had spent much of his day learning blogger jargon and gave us a good giggle by throwing in as many references to our digital world as he could. My favourite of the Avontuur stable was the bubbly (see what I did there? Stable? Geddit?). Crisp and delicious. Could bathe in the stuff.

We arrived after dark at Country Guesthouse, which was our digs for the night and their restaurant on the property is the well-known 96 Winery Road. I loved my countryside style cottage with a killer view of Table Mountain and patio looking over the farm.
I was so hungry by dinnertime, thanks to all that vino, that I didn't snap many photos. But you'll need to try out 96 Winery Road for yourself. Think hearty meals of perfectly done steak and juicy burgers. Or a satisfying risotto. And the pork belly....oh the pork belly.
It is the type of place I would bring my dad/brother/husband to because the portions are man-size and the prices are reasonable (even cheap by city standards). The vibe is relaxed and the service is friendly. I'll definitely be back with the family for some comfort food and great wine.

DAY TWO

We got cracking early and after shovelling down a fantastic breakfast of french toast at the guesthouse, we moved on to Ken Forrester vineyards. The weather was quite gloomy so we sat inside the cellar. I actually love being surrounded by the barrels and the smells of a cellar when wine tasting. It feels so authentic and intimate. Which it certainly turned out to be, as Mr Ken Forrester himself showed up and joined us. Along with the family dogs. It was by far the most wonderful setting I've been lucky enough to find myself in. Having the owner of the farm passionately tell you about each wine, the farm and upcoming projects, as well as personal anecdotes. It made for a very special experience. I loved the wines, but I got very excited when he produced a plate of Waygu biltong. I hopped straight up and dashed to the till to buy a packet or 3 to take home. It was THE best biltong I have ever had.

Waterkloof was our next stop. We were taken on a tour of the vineyards and got a very in-depth lesson in bio-dynamic farming. The farm is very big into using what nature gave them and they have immense respect for the land they work on and the surrounding area. The fynbos surrounding the vineyards makes for a photographers dream. Every angle is postcard perfect.
What you really want to go to Waterkloof for though, is that restaurant. Encased in glass and sitting atop a hill so that you don't miss a drop of that view, you are treated to a feast to they eyes and tastebuds. French inspired (due to a rather dashing French chef), every dish was a work of art. It is pricey, but a must-try in the winelands and perfect for a celebration. I'll be back for a special occasion for sure.

Our last stop on our tour was Lourensford. I had been looking forward to this one the most because I am a giant child and was really looking forward to getting sweets with my wine. We did the turkish delight wine pairing and it was every bit as fabulous as I'd hoped. I also discovered that Lourensford now roasts coffee, makes chocolate, has a weekend market and a brewery on the farm. So basically you'd need a weekend just exploring all of those.

Photo by Natalie Roos, Tales of  Mermaid

It was a great two days where I met some fantastic humans. Our little group of dorks actually gelled so well that we're doing another tour next week! So keep your eyes on the blog for another look into what you can get up to just 40 mins away from the mother city.