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

Life via iPhone

I've been pretty quiet on Instagram lately, and on social media in general. Sometimes its nice to step back and just be in the present, without needing to document it or share it with anyone other than who you're with.
Its been one of those weeks. A week about the people I love - catching up with friends, celebrating babies born, sending love and prayers to those having a rough time and mourning life lost. The older I get, the more I realise how little matters more than your loved ones. People, health and travel are my priorities, more than stuff, and the superficial bits I get caught up with. Life is short. So damn short.

On a lighter note, I've been working damn hard at getting fit again. I missed feeling healthy. We leave for Thailand next week so the pressure is on. My surgery meant 6 weeks away from the gym, so it has been tough getting back into the swing of things. I've entered a 10km and 21km run to keep me motivated to train and get out on the road for a trot.

But... seeing as life really is all about balance, I may or may not have rewarded myself with my favourite biscuits in the world. In case you don't know how to properly eat TimTams, allow me to explain:

Step 1: make a cup of tea (not coffee, only tea).
Step 2: Take a Tim Tam and bit off a corner on one end.
Step 3: Bite a corner off the other end, but on the opposite side.
Step 4: Suck some tea diagonally through your biscuit for a few seconds.
Step 5: Shovel this melt-in-your-mouth gooey mess into your face.
Step 6: Repeat until the packet is empty and all your feelings have been eaten.

Let me know what you think. (please note that if you don't love these, we can't be friends. Ever.)

On a different note, I've been to some fabulous launches lately. Sadly some I can't tell you much about yet, but one I can brag about is the Shwarzkopf Bonacure re-launch event at StyleBar. It was sinfully decadent with all of the sweets and treats lurking everywhere, and a good amount of bubbly too. We learnt all about the ranges' fabulous new packaging and all of the amazing new properties to make them even better for your hair. I've been a Bonacure girl for about 4 years now, because no other brand takes care of my butchered-by-peroxide hair better. The leave in conditioners are your future BFF, trust me on this one.

I was given a luxurious treatment and blow-out while my own personal hair guru, Claudia, gave me some solid advice on the products I should be using. Then to top off an afternoon of luxury, I was gifted all the products that she recommended! I'll share these very soon. But for now I can confirm that my hair is so incredibly soft and shiny, and considering I've just had highlights, there is not a dry, unhappy hair on my head.

Thanks for being such generous hosts StyleBar. Your salon is impossibly chic and your team of stylists are incredible. You'll be seeing me again very soon!
They have branches just about everywhere so if you're looking for a new home for your locks, check them out.

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Life via iPhone

The past week kicked off with a quiz night with some of my Twitter and blogger friends. I meeting some of my favourite internet friends in real life and then having the best time because I already knew they were fabulous humans. Our quiz team name was #BunnyClub and we didn't come last - and one of our best rounds was sport! No one believes me, especially my husband, but I swear it really was.

The rest of the week was spent primping and prepping for a long weekend in Durban for the Vodacom Durban July. I had the nails done in Gelish at Dante Wellness Spa and was suitably thrilled at the result. I am not the biggest fan of nail art so a feature nail is as bold as I get. I also got the perfect glow with a new product I'm trying out called Tan Organic. I'll tell you more about it later this week. Then I picked up a dress I could barely breathe in from YDE and was just about done.

 Once in Durban, I set about making Dave fall in love with it - as I was born there and I still love it so much. So we did Oyster Box for tea, the beachfront, Umhlanga promenade, Moses Mabida Stadium, cocktails and dinner on Florida Road, Gateway shopping centre and of course, we filled up on curries, bunny chow and ice cream. (FYI - the subj a seed, vanilla bean and rose syrup milkshake at The Oyster Box is the best thing I have ever had. Promise me you'll have one when you go.)

My attempts at selling Durban were going so well, until nature stepped in. I hadn't quite prepped Dave for the abundance of monkeys that quite regularly drop in for a shopping spree in your fridge, or assume you'd ordered those macarons to share. Then there were the fairly large lizards the scuttle about the beachfront and promenade. Us Cape Town city slickers aren't used to much more than a fat rat or healthy sized roach....so this was an education.

Our day at the races was wonderful. We did pretty darn poorly on our bets, but we thoroughly loved the atmosphere in our Sibaya hospitality tent and we made the most of the endless food and drinks on offer. We had a big table of great friends and were very jolly by the time we left, despite our awful luck with the ponies.

On Sunday my aunt alerted us to the fact that we'd made the Sunday Tribune newspaper, so that was a cherry on top to a wonderful day out. A big thanks to Sun International and Sibaya Hotel and Casino for being the most amazing hosts.

Durban was great, and the races were fun - but my highlight has to be catching up with my family. My heart was happy and sad at the same time. Happy and delighted to see them, and yet sad because I realised I don't get to see them enough. I don't get to see them more than once a year, and yet once we are in the same room, we can yack for days and plough through tea or wine like nobody's business. Now to plot another trip as soon as I possibly can....

Life via Iphone

The past week involved plenty of road tripping, quality time with friends and also making new ones.
It also involved a lot of coffee because it has been busy! And with a few life changing decisions being thrown into the mix, I managed to do a Vida E Caffe tour of Cape Town, pulling in for a comforting chai latte at every turn.

Top left and bottom right photos by Livvy Russollilo

The past weekend was heavenly as we spent a night in Citrusdal, cosying up with plenty of wine around a fire and enjoying some amazing company. The resort was tucked away in the mountains and each chalet was equipped with a jacuzzi on the deck. It made for the perfect winter getaway. Nothing beats quality time with great friends and while the boys managed to turn civilised card games into a drunken stupor, us girls managed to catch up and have a good skinner in the tub.

Top right image borrowed from Natasha of Raising Men

While spending time with old friends is perfection, making new friends is such a warm, fuzzy feeling. The wonderful people at The Cullinan Hotel generously hosted myself, Natasha from Raising Men, and Candice from Gorgeous Blog for dinner and a wine tasting. The sommelier was one of the most charismatic people I've ever met and the food was to die for. I ate like a total guts and didn't get to the waffle station, so I fully intend to head back for a breakfast date soon. You may not think to eat out at a hotel if you're not staying there, but the Star Bar is idyllic for drinks, and the Peach Tree restaurant is wonderful. The service is outstanding and the chefs proudly assisted us in choosing each meal.

Enough about the food, what I really went for was to meet some of the people I consider friends online. I suppose Twitter and blogging can end up being like online dating in a sense.  After endless chatting on Twitter, 'favouriting' tweets and commenting on blog posts, we decided we liked each other enough to meet face-to-face. And lucky for us, no disaster date story - it felt like old girlfriends catching up and chatting away about the blogging industry, love, marriage and kids - and everything in-between.

Thanks again to Garry Reed and The Cullinan for hosting us, and spoiling us with such thoughtful gifts.

Life via iPhone

The long weekend kicked off in style with a girls night in at the Fire & Ice Hotel. The gorgeous team from Panache Communications hosted a truly decadent evening of pampering and spoils. The girls I had the pleasure of spending the evening with were Kayli-Vee of Gypsy Feet, Bailey of Vanilla Blonde, Karisa of Love Affair Cape Town, Clouds of And Lollipops, Anja form Glitz and Grammar and Fran from Open Wardrobe.

We arrived to a massive goodie bag filled with spoils from Fake Bake, Hey Gorgeous, Rhebokskloof, FoxBox as well as the most lovely little set of pj's from Poppy Devine.
After settling in, we were taken up to the pool deck for mani's and pedi's by the amazing ladies from FoxBox. They are a mobile nail salon specialising in corporate and private pamper parties. I love this idea - especially for corporates. As an ex-cubicle-farm-animal myself, I would have preferred a mani in my lunch hour rather than the standard issue of branded pens and towels that corporates so love to hand out as 'gifts' to say thanks to employees. No thanks, give me a manicure any day!

Our dinner was supplied by The Office and the bubbly flowed in abundance thanks to Rhebokskloof. We were then totally freaked out by magician and mentalist Larry Soffer. If you get the chance to see this man in action, I highly recommend you do.

The next day we hit up the Women's Lifestyle Expo for a media brunch and had the chance to preview the stands and take in some talks from leading experts in all things pertaining to a woman's life. But I'll do a post on all of that soon.

The next big event for the long weekend was the Two Oceans Half Marathon. The bubbly binge on Thursday night didn't help my cause much and all hopes for a better time than last year were quickly dashed. We finished at least, and had a great time - but next year we'll make better life decisions. Drinking before a running event, especially after the age of 30, is not such a great idea.

Thank goodness Elizabeth Arden had delivered their new Ceramide foaming mask and replenishing serum, so I managed to restore my skin to some extent. My legs however….well there is nothing much than can be done about my limp for now.

The rest of the weekend was spent taking in the gorgeous sights along the peninsula. Between promenade walks, boozy lunches in Noordhoek and a leisurely drive along the Atlantic, we really got to squeeze every drop out of the extended weekend. With views and Easter eggs a plenty, it was the perfect mini-holiday.

(FYI promenade regulars - there are two stands offering freshly squeezed juices now. Nothing better than starting your day with a green juice after your run/walk. Go check it out and support small business!)

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The week in Instagram

This past week has been a busy one. We kicked the weekend off a few days early with the Eminem Rapture concert. We got warmed up at El Burro first with a bit of their famous fish tacos and some tequila before making our way to the stadium. We then watched who I can only assume was Fat Bastard from Austin Powers heave and hock his away around the stage, apparently rapping. I really hope that guy travels with his own cardiologist in his entourage. Thankfully fatty grew tired quickly and left the DJ to get the crowd going before Slim came on stage. And then our minds were blown completely. I have never seen such energy from start to finish - the man is brilliant.

On Thursday Dave and I got cracking on using our Entertainer voucher book and went for supper at Yindees - I hadn't been in years, but damn they still make a great Pad Thai. Go check it out - and Wakaberry is just up the road for some dessert ;-)

I had a friend convince me to leave my side of the boerie curtain and try out a place called Boere Sjiek on Friday afternoon for coffee and cake. I have to say I was very impressed. It is a decor and function venue with some gorgeous bits and bobs to buy - but the main event was their Oreo cheesecake. Actually the selection was insane and everything looked amazing, but I was hugely happy with my Oreo cheesecake and chai cappuccino.

Spoils of the week included finally opening the Jimmy Choo fragrance Dave got me for Valentines Day and treating myself to some striped pumps from Mr P - which you can find out more about in a post about them here.

This week includes a few launches, some boozy lunches and plenty of work. I found a day job that I think I would rock at - so join me in holding thumbs and crossing toes that the brand in question agrees with me!

xx
Leigh

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The weekend in Instagram

This weekend was definitely of the asian persuasion! It was all about sushi, thai food and more thai food. Which is ironic as we're busy finalising plans on a trip to Thailand later this year. So I'll see all the calories as dietary acclimatization for the upcoming holiday.

Erawan in Durbanville is a real shining star out that side of the world, as there aren't many great dining options. It is some of the best Thai food you'll have anywhere and it was a perfect spot for our girl's night. If you go, try the coconut rice.

The next evening we celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday at Sawadee - which I have been dying to try for a while now. It certainly did not disappoint, with the best duck spring rolls I've ever had. We also shared a tempura calamari starter that was so satisfyingly light and crispy, with a wonderful sweet chili sauce. I had the pad thai and Dave had the honey chicken and we were both delighted with our choices.

On Saturday we kicked off the day with a serious run to get our Two Oceans training going. It was the perfect opportunity to refuel our tired bodies at Sea Point's new health food destination, Nü. I tried the D-Tox green juice which was filled with all kinds of goodness such as spinach, celery, cucumber, ginger, apple and lemon and Dave and I both had the Hearti wrap which was packed with roasted butternut, feta, greens, sprouts, sesame seeds and a yummy red onion relish.

Nuri was our last stop on our asian food binge this weekend - as ever it never disappoints. This was followed by a nice walk along the prom with some great friends, and a stop for some frozen yogurt.
I was totally spoilt with a belated Christmas pressie and am obsessed with the macaron shaped ring box!

I also had to add in a picture of my beloved pooch, Vida. We took her to the puppy parlour for a summer cut. I had no idea this meant such a close shave! She looks utterly ridiculous, but I have to say she is much happier with less hair in this heat. Just look at that smiling face!

This week brings all kinds of changes and challenges - 2014 is set to be the year I make hard and fast decisions on my career, and also my physical and mental health. This week is going to be one of those weeks where some of those decisions will be made. Wish me luck!

xx
Leigh

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