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.

Chicago Part 1

I have finally sorted through my travel photos and have been dying to share my adventures in the USA with you. So here it goes.

We landed at JFK earlier than expected (nicely done SAA - the direct flight from Jhb is a winner. No more 7 hour lay overs in Dubai/Heathrow/wherever) so we managed to grab an earlier connecting flight to Chicago, giving us almost the whole day there, as opposed to only arriving in the evening like we'd originally planned.
Once we arrived in Chi-town, and stepped out of the cab, we were greeted by clouds, thick mist and an icy breeze straight off of Lake Michigan. This was also when we realised we had under-packed for this kind of weather. Poor Dave didn't even have closed shoes in his suitcase. *Note to self: all future Chicago trips must be in July.

Undeterred, we layered up as best we could and went exploring. Our hotel was right off Magnificent Mile so we simply had to choose between left or right, and go walking. Being somewhat over-excited and maybe a little jet lagged, we decided to walk all the way down to see the famous Cloud Gate, more famously known as "The Bean". Of course, we went weaving in and out of shops and a Starbucks or two on the way. (I even managed to find a Rebecca Minkhoff handbag on sale at Nordstrom Rack - within hours of touchdown, so I was incredibly chuffed with myself. I'll show you some of the goodies I picked up on my travels in a another post, promise.)

"The Bean" as far as must-see landmarks go, is fantastic. It is huge, and while completely unexpected, it fits in with its surroundings seamlessly. From one side you have the incredible cityscape as a backdrop, and from the other side, the lush Millennium Park. The entire area was crawling with tourists, but we managed a few decent snaps of the famous oversized sweet. Nothing climbing on a table with a selfie stick can't manage ;)

After we'd taken in enough of the park, we decided to brave the icy breeze and walk back toward our hotel along the river. This made us turn almost blue with cold, but it was worth it, just to take in some of the unforgettable architecture that Chicago is so famous for. Each skyscraper is more impressive than the last, until you reach Trump Tower, one of the tallest of the bunch. We couldn't see the top tier through the dense mist, but what from what we could see, we loved. And we crossed fingers and toes the weather would clear up so that we could see it, in all it's glory, on a clear day.

Considering that we'd obviously burnt a million calories walking so much in the chilly weather, we figured that we'd earned our dinner, so we went straight for the deep dish! Conveniently situated right next door to our hotel, we had a quick shower and change to warm up, and then skipped over to Gino's East. There are a few famous deep dish pizza spots to try in Chicago, but we settled for proximity and convenience. 

We went for the cheese and pepperoni medium size, to share. Well. We managed a slice and a bit each. Maybe it was being so tired from the long haul flight, or we are giant wusses, but we didn't stand a chance. To be honest, I prefer NYC style - the whole extra-thick pie crust and masses of marinara sauce aren't really my thing. And it really is just too much food. But I'll let the photos tell you the rest.

*Photos are all with my iPhone. It was far to cold to take out my camera.

Life via iPhone

Clockwise from top left: Wine tasting at De Grendel; Coffee with sprinkles - as it should be; Healthy Saturday morning green smoothies and chock-nan pancakes (my new speciality); Cupcakes and chai lattes for breakfast at the CY Market

It has been a while since I did one of these posts. Mostly because I think I was all Instagram'd out after our Thailand trip. And I think I am still suffering with the remnants of some post-paradise blues.  On top of that, being on the butt-end of the fashion industry (manufacturing, importing and such) means we've hit crazy season. Hence I've had to be very selective when it comes to dashing out to events and launches. That doesn't mean that I don't have tons to share with you though. I have some beautiful sunnies coming up tomorrow, a facial to end all facials and so much more.

Clockwise from top left: Sun worshipping with my little bug; The best smile from Vida my little fat squirrel; Sibling selfie at The Fray concert; My ever-inspiring gym.

On the personal side, I've had a great few weeks of very laid back weekends. Life is all about balance so they say, and I've been bouncing between my beloved SWEAT classes, yoga and running - and balancing it out with some very yummy new discoveries. My favourite being our new hole in the wall, Yo Meatball on Roeland Street. Its tiny, uncomplicated and ruddy delicious. You simply order your meatballs, your sauce and your side - and everything is one price, R55. If you go, have the chicken meatballs smothered in a creamy basil pesto sauce, with sweet potato mash. It is comfort food at its finest.

Shameless selfie while trying new Revlon lippy; A fun little vest I found in Thailand; Margaritas from Zapata with sour worms, why don't all margarita jugs come with these? ; My Forever21 shopping spree that started at the launch, and has not stopped yet.

I had a bit of a cold this past week so my weekend was spent buried in a book. I finally got around to reading Gone Girl and I pretty much read for 48 hours straight. With the movie having already being released, I needed to get it done before I heard any spoilers - and my mind, well she was blown. I don't think I have been this excited for a movie in ages. I hope they do this incredible book justice. I read somewhere we'll be seeing Ben Affleck's junk, so the movie already has that going for it.

The week ahead brings a few challenges, some exciting launches and potential collaborations. I am also in the process of redecorating at home so I'm up to my ears in projects. Just the way I like it.

So happy Monday, get to that grind - even if that means just making it to the coffee machine.
xx
Leigh

The week in Instagram

Seeing as I didn't get around to last week's post, and now that life is becoming a blur of launches, functions and general summer merriment, I'll be sharing the whole week, and I promise I'll try and take more, and better quality pictures. I often forget and end up doing a slap dash picture of a venue, or shovel my food before I can snap away.

The past week has been busy and wonderful and also not so wonderful at the same time. We tried out a good few restaurants that have been on our hit list for a while. First off was On A Roll in Mowbray where I had my first ever cream soda float. I have had 3 since then. I can't believe I have survived 30 years without one of these. I'll be making up for lost time for the rest of this summer!
The hotdogs were pretty good - nothing comes close to a hotdog in America though. They just know how to do hotdogs.
Next up were Goloso Pizzaria and Lucky Fish and Chips. These are both walking distance from our apartment and we're making a point of trying out every single place to eat within a 500m radius from us. We'd tried Goloso's pasta restaurant over the road and we love it, and the pizza was even better. Posticino has some serious competition. And having a great fish and chip shop nearby is always a winner - but it is even better when it is a quality one that is part of the Harbour House group of restaurants. Score for Sea Point!
The last one was NV-80 Bar and Grill which opened a few weeks ago in the Checkers centre. The space is gorgeous and the food was lovely. I can highly recommend the baby kingklip and the lemon posset for dessert.

In between all of this, we had Valentine's day spoils and plenty of ice cream thanks to the heatwave - so I have my work cut out for me at the gym this week! And speaking of Valentine's day, we spent it on Clifton 4th beach with our friends, and it was one of my favorite Valentine's days yet - it really doesn't need to be about heart shaped boxes of candy and staring into each other's eyes reciting poetraaaaay. It was well spent with a nice mix of alone time, and time with people we love.

To counter all the junk and eating out, we ordered an Oscar Juicer from Yuppiechef and it has become a favorite in our kitchen, second only to my beloved Nespresso machine. I've found tons of wonderful juice recipes online and will share them all in a post soon. I have found energy boosters, skin boosters, immune system boosters and more. I have already noticed a difference in my skin thanks to all the nutrients we're packing in daily.

I am also contemplating having my wrist tattoo updated. Currently I have 3 little stars on my left wrist, and I do love them but they're fading and blurring slightly, and I have fallen in love with a crescent moon tattoo I saw online. The symbolism appeals to me and I adore the simplicity as well. I'd love to know if any of you have tattoos and the stories behind them - talk to me in the comments section!

Have a wonderful week pretty people.

xx
Leigh

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Happy 2014

Happy New Year my wonderful readers. I am so excited to get back into routine with regular posts and updates on all things pretty.
As utterly cliched as it may be, what would the first post of the new year be without sharing some resolutions?

I am kicking off the year by doing a little juicing detox, as inspired by Talya Goldberg and Fiona Stander of Juice Revolution. This is the year I really listen to my body. I figured I'll come out of my 30's the way I go in to them and it is time to make a habit of making better choices.

I am also making a long bucket list of things to see, places to eat, and I intend to fill my summer weekends being a tourist in my own town. You can't complain about having a lack of things to do in Cape Town. From paddle-boarding, to hiking, to wine pairings, to gourmet burger joints popping up everywhere - there are endless things to delight you. I'll be sharing the bucket list with you guys soon.

I am going to run more. A lot more. I loved the feeling as I crossed the finish line at the Two Oceans Half Marathon last year, and this year I am going to shave at least 20 minutes off my time.

I am going to be slapping on a lot more sunscreen. I've been trying out Environ's new spray RAD sunscreen and loving it! It saved me from going pink in the Zambian sun on our trip to Victoria Falls so I can tell you the stuff works!

I am going to spend more money on experiences instead of things. Weekends away over a pair of shoes . Boat trips and road trips instead of binge online shopping sprees. Last year we went away to Stellenbosch for just one evening and we came home so relaxed and refreshed. It is amazing what a mini-break does for the soul and mind. So Stanford, Paternoster, Greyton and Fransschoek are the first on my list of places to spend a weekend.

I am going to spend more time giving back. I have been inspired by friends who do so much for their local community and give back as much as they can afford to. Its not always about money either, it is also about time. This year I'll do a dress collecting drive again (last time I managed to round up over 120) for a charity helping matric girls get the ball of their dreams. I also want to find out more about being a Big Sister. I think the idea of being a positive influence and being able to encourage and guide a young girl would be wonderful. We take for granted the love, and positive encouragement we've had from our families. We know ambition, strength, moral grounding and ideals by looking to our mothers - and so many children have none of that influence in their lives. A child's mirror is the face of their parents, and when yours aren't looking back at you with love, affection, admiration and encouragement and expecting you to amount to nothing - how can you be expected to think otherwise. No one is rooting for them to succeed. So this year I want to be someone's cheerleader and role model, and maybe, just maybe, change the course of their life.

So there you have it, nothing unattainable, no extreme resolutions that are impossible to keep. Just ever so slightly improving on the year before. And if we all try to do a little bit better, I think thats just enough.

Happy 2014 everyone. Thank you for reading Pretty Mint!
xx

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The weekend in Instagram - Bastille Edition

Another year, another great Bastille weekend. With a false start on the Friday night at The Elephant & Barrel which ended in the early hours of Saturday morning, we struggled a little on Saturday.
We took it easy in the morning and eventually pulled ourselves together to go an attack some wine in the marquee. It was not meant to be however, because when you're pushing 30, a hangover is not sorted out with a "hair of the dog" approach like it was in the younger years. The marquee ended up being too much for us seeing as we felt like the walking dead and we settled on a more civilized dinner and steered clear of any after-parties.

The bonus of getting out of hand on the wrong day was, that instead of being hungover on Sunday, we felt great and proceeded to go wine tasting at La Motte and then for a very nice lunch at Moreson like mature adults.
While we had a great party, this year was also meant to be about trying out new places to eat and drink. So here are the new discoveries:

French Connection
A gorgeous little French Bistro with life-alteringly good creamy mussels and fillet mignon.

Sacred Ground
Great coffee, a pastry selection to die for as well as delish gourmet sandwiches.

Salmon Bar
We've been meaning to try them out for years, and we are so glad we did. The Patagonian squid and their famous chili and lime salmon noodles were divine.

Deluxe Coffee Works
Hidden away in the same square as Reuben's, you'll find the best coffee to be had in Franschhoek. You'll also find the coolest baristas in Franschhoek too.

Bread & Wine
This little gem at Moreson wine estate serves up a mean risotto and charcuterie platter. But if you are going to try anything, try the Miss Molly bubbly.

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