Wise Words..

If only it were so easy..

Quote taken from http://aubreyroad.blogspot.co.uk/

The Secret Garden...

Feeling rather traumatised from my house-sitting duties - the goldfish died on my watch and my sister was a little mad - I decided to seek solace in Norwich's "Secret Garden", before having to face the tears of my niece, and of course the wrath of my sister.

I cannot believe I have never been before, it is stunning and these pictures just don't do it justice!

 

It is so pretty. So quiet. So quaint. So hidden, and so worth the £2.00 donation - if the sun ever decided to shine, it would most definitely be where I would vanish to, a perfect corner of tranquility and calm. 

The sister returned, and she was as expected, mad.  It would appear not only did the fish die under my care, but the plants weren't too perky either - although I maintain that it was some sort of freak fish accident and nothing to do with me. I'm just thankful the rabbit survived the ordeal of the older sister looking after the house. Somehow I don't think I will be invited to stay again!.

The Schatzi...

My darling friend Jenny, with whom I scrubbed hotel rooms with in the Swiss Alps, shared many a giggle and schnapps with, fiiiiinally made it to London and we were reunited after a long 18 months apart. I should give the girl a break - she has been living in New Zealand ever since we left the mountain, so it’s not the easiest of commutes for her - but the selfish in me has missed her and her infectious smile a lot. It was amazing to catch up with her and give her a whistle stop tour of London; although her and her partner were nursing small headaches from the night before and I am certain weren't quite as excited about seeing the sights as me, especially when the heavens opened true British style!!! In the end I decided the only way to nurse them back to full health was the hare of the dog, which sadly backfired on me...  Much fun and frivolity was had, memories old were shared and memories new were made. It was a great day with my dear Jenny Schatzi.

 

 

 

End of Season Madness in Wengernalp...

 

 

 

 

 

Dodging the rain, seeing the sights, distracting her from her headache... x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All things bright and beautiful....

It is no secret that I am a magpie. Anything pretty and sparkly will always catch my eye and this can be quite problematic as I am sure you can imagine.

Current fascination (obsession) is this fabulous bangle which is from the Carat range, as stocked by Tombland Jewellers , the only stockists of Carat in East Anglia!

Its the spitting image of a stunning diamond bangle which I have been seriously lusting after for a long time, but as Carat's stones are "laboratory grown diamond simulants" it is a fraction of the price.  Carat's aim is to create stunning pieces that people will wear and enjoy - to not have to keep hidden in the safe under lock and key.  I have my eyes on several pieces currently... The magpis is relishing!
 

For obvious reasons Carat won't share their magic secret, quite frankly, who cares... If it looks this good!!!

Jubilee Fun...

As the country united to celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee, I found myself at Blickling Hall for a wee jaunt around the house and gardens with some very special friends.  Of course, being England, we were graced with lots of lovly rain and dark, grey skies, but that was not to mess with our jovial spirits, especially with the promise of a good old fashioned Sunday Roast and lovely red wine at the Wiveton Bell.

Here is a peek of our day....

Oooooooops!

Oh dear. 

I am rapidly turning into the worst "blogger" of all time!!! (although I don't actually class myself as a blogger at all)  Firstly, there is the small matter of never updating said blog, and secondly, my blog's "identity crisis"... which quite frankly, is nearing catostrophic disaster levels... Perhaps thats slightly melodramatic of me, and I'm sure if I stopped neglecting it so much it might just bounce back to life!

In Cape Town the upkeep was quite easy.  There were pretty pictures to take, stories to tell, mostly everything was still novel and my days weren't as governed by routine... Although routine is good - routine pays the bills!  My routine is especially good as I work with great friends and get to play with pretty jewellery all day long. It is great for the magpie within.

Its a hard job, but someone has to do it...!!! Carat Ring, stocked at Tombland Jewellers.. 

Life continues to plod along in sleepy Norwich. Worryingly, I have only been back for 2 months, yet it feels a lot longer.  Days are spent working, daydreaming, pondering, seeing friends and playing with the exploding population of babies I find myself surrounded by. Thank goodness for my friends who all decided it was time to grow up - I get to relish in the nice parts of the baby boom.

There are a lot of decisions to be made.. Some are glaringly obvious, some are a little more fuzzy. Taking a giant leap of faith into the unknown is never an easy task, especially for one who ponders and wonders "what if..." as frequently as I.  As the adventure unfolds I will endeavour to become decisive and assertive, and of course, share the results.

Exploring The Winelands...

Long overdue once again, but finally, here is the tale of my last adventure in Cape Town before returning home to the good old land of blighty...

I managed to persuade The Boy to take me to Franschhoek - one of the few places I had yet to discover. The sun was finally shining again, and there was a spring in our step as we ventured out of Cape Town to head deep into the winelands. Nestled amongst the mountains, Franshhoek translated, quite literally means "French Quarter". Famous for its fabulous wines, gourmet feasts, stunning views and it's pretty town centre, I was most excited about the day ahead.  It was also a good distraction from being sad about leaving.

By sheer chance we drove past a wine farm that I had been desperately trying to remember the name of, one which caught my eye when I first arrived to Cape Town, but I typically misplaced the piece of paper on which I had jotted the address down!!!  Deciding it was too early for lunch, we popped into the centre of Franschhoek itself... It lived up to it's reputation of being a pretty, bustling town, full of weekend markets, cafes and all things lovely. After a quick stroll, I couldn't contain my excitement and wanted to get back to what I was sure was going to be a pretty special wine farm... and it didn't disappoint.

Maison is a boutique vineyard, with it's first crops being produced in 2008. Mainly producing Chenin Blanc and Shiraz, they also have small quantities of Chardonnay (which was surprisingly good, as a non-chardonnay drinker!),  Viognier, Port, Straw Wine (Dessert wine) and Cap Classique. Their Shiraz is possibly one of the nicest wines I have ever drank, and I could happily have bought a case or two if I were not returning home!!!  The farm exudes style, minimalistic chic and comfort - and so it should with Chris Weylandt at the helm, famous in SA for his furniture store Weylandts.

Inside Maison...

We decided to explore a couple of other wine farms Backsberg, which sadly was closed for a wedding, and Vrede en Lust, where we managed to have lunch outside after admiring the wonderful views.  As you can see, they were pretty spectacular, and it was a great second last day in Cape Town.  Whilst it distracted me temporarily from my impending departure, it gave me a heavy heart knowing I soon would no longer have al this on my doorstep...

Backsberg & Vrede en Lust.. Pretty Pretty!!!

Holy Moly!!!

Long time, no see... I seem to have neglected my blog for far too long now, but I have had an excuse!

Unbeknown to my family back in the UK, I decided after a lot of consideration to come home.  Afterall, I had a newborn niece yet to meet, I urgently needed to start working after a rather expensive trip home in March, Cape Town was starting to get a little too nippy for me (inside, that is!) and The Boy needs to concentrate on his empire, and I am quite a distraction (low boredom threshold!) so with mixed emotions, it seemed like the best thing to do. 

So, all my news to write about was that I was coming home, and I could hardly declare it on here when my darling, wannabe, Inspector Detective Mother and her daily question time reads it. Of course, it is all conducted with love, but when you are trying to keep a secret, she is not the easiest person to hide from. I have been likened to a Jack Russell in the past - I now know where I get it from.

I had a gorgeous last weekend in Cape Town - that will be a seperate post - and all too soon it was time to leave once again. Quite the gypsy I have become of late., bloody boys!  Naturally the day I left the country, Cape Town had a week of glorious weather.

Whilst it is fabulous to be home, to be around my wonderful friends & family and to have home comforts such as central heating, it is also quite a strange transitional period again. I find myself somewhat bedless and sofa surfing seems to be the way forward for now. My back is so thrilled!!!  Who knows what this summer will bring and where I will be at the end of the year. I have a summer to figure out where and what I want to do and to be proactive in getting there, and whilst doing all of that, I intend on enjoying every minute of it with those I love.

Friday Frolics...

Friday afternoon saw us visit one of my favourite spots in Cape Town - Camps Bay. The sun was shining, we had the urge for pizza with a view, so what better excuse?!

Nestled under the Twelve Apostles with perfect views of Lions Head, Camps Bay is affluent and chic, trendy and buzzing, but perhaps most importantly for me - it's sheltered. None of that pesky wind which howls on our part of the west coast!!!

I love going to Camps Bay. I could sit and people watch for hours, or gaze wistfully into estate agent windows, dreaming of a day that I too may own a stunning white house in the cliffs.

Pretty girls and models, tanned and taut males, families, tourists and locals - everyone adorns the wide and sandy beaches or fills the street cafes, bars and restaurants relaxed and happy, basking in that wonderful Camps Bay feeling.  It is a must visit if your ever in the Western Cape and if your local, but haven't been for a while, I urge you to get back down there. Its marvellous for the soul! 

Catching The Last of Summer...

Here in Cape Town, Autumn has finally set it. For those of you who don't know, myself and the weather in Cape Town has what I would decidedly call a Love / Hate relationship!!!

The wind continues to blow, but now it's a little fresher, the sun still shines, but it's rays don't warm as deep as they used to.  Being a typical English Girl, I am quite the sun-seeker, so as soon as I see the sun and can't hear the wind, I race to the beach and drag the boy along with me. 

Here is a little peek into our Monday walk on the beach. The boy doesn't like having his picture taken - so getting this was quite a feat!!!

Big Bay, Blouberg, Cape Town

Nice Day for a Wedding...

Wow.

I have always wondered if the post-wedding blues were fact or fiction. Now I know what many of you have long known, they are indeed fact.   The ironic thing is, I wasn't even the bride!!!!!

The Boy's Sister's Wedding was amaaaaaaazing.... I feel so lucky and blessed to have been included in their special day and to play such a huge part in the run up to it.  What was great was how much creative input I was allowed...of course, that is me putting it politely!  The inner control & organisational freak in me took over and I pretty much ran the show as I wanted. Thank goodness the bride had total faith in me and my ideas, and had no time to organise her wedding herself!  Without wanting to boast, it didn't look too shabby at all!!!  I had fantastic help on the day itself in the form of my partner in crime, Mandy, who was a stunning and elegant bridesmaid and helped me realise my vision with no quibble whatsoever.

Mine & Mandy's Creation - No Florist in Sight!!

Sadly, as we got out of the car, the heavens opened and there was a downpour of rain. Thankfully it cleared for long enough to have some pictures taken at the venue with the sweetest and most fun photographers. Check them out http://www.bandepix.co.za/  If you are based in Cape Town I totally recommend them to shoot your big day.

The speech was as nerve-wracking as expected, but I heard a few laughs, the bride shed a tear, and I was told it was very "Me". I think thats a compliment! After that I don't really recall so much. The night flew by and the double vodkas and my arch nemesis (Tequila) appeared to flow a little too freely.  I've heard my DIY photo-booth props were a roaring success and I cannot wait to see the pictures of those in use. Also I am told I made the Bride's Father-in-law's night, when I told him he was sexy on the dance floor!!!  Someone.  Please ban tequila from circulation.

And the bride. What a beautiful vision she was, like a little doll. She looked absolutely stunning, I don't know what else I can say... Other than how much she deserved to have her big day and I am so thankful that we made it happen.

So, I wish the beautiful bride and her groom nothing but the best for their future and know that their marriage will be one filled with love and laughter!!!  Congratulations!!!

How Time Flies...

Oh My.. How quickly time flies. The trip home just flew by, and my darling newborn niece arrived one hour after my plane had taken off to head back to Cape Town. Sixteen days late, she just did not want to come out! I think Heartbroken pretty much sums up how I feel about missing her arrival, especially as her birth was the sole reason I went home! I am so proud of my "little" sister who was amazingly calm in the run up to the birth and just makes the best Mother ever.  It was so great to be home and to spend some lovely, if not limited, time with my family and best friends, just wish I got to see more of them all.  The food was fine, the shops were tempting, the internet fast, there were new series of my favourite shows, and the sun even shone - Some would say I was spoilt!!!

Love Our Post Boxes...

Me & My Best Friend...

Lusting After a Red Bag... I resisted!

Back in Cape Town it's been a manic few days, planning The Boy's, sister's "Kitchen Tea" which myself & her cousin arranged, fufilling our Bridesmaids duties with joy. We don't have "Kitchen Tea's" in the UK, but if and when I do get married, I am SO having one! Its basically an afternoon Tea, with the bride getting lots of cute little presents for the home - tea towels, wooden spoons, glasses etc - although this bride got kitchenwares AND lots of sexy lingerie!!!  I'm not one for the stereotypical Hen Night, so this is a great way to have a more civilised get together with all the ladies rather than enduring the pain that may otherwise occur.  I spent a day trying to perfect my sister's Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffles and also her White Chocolate & Lemon Truffles... The blood, sweat and tears were worth it as they were the perfect treat for it - phew!

We had the event at the nicest cafe,  Our Place, which is exactly the sort of place I would both like to own as my own cafe (one day...) and take style inspiration from for my home. Soft greys, whites, antique mirrors, beautiful chandeliers and a garden full of big leafy trees, adorned with twinkling fairy lights and wooden hearts. Stunning.  The evening was spent at a great restaurant in Greenpoint, called Beefcakes... Both bride and Mother were initially...sceptical & concerned..... However, once there, they loved it!  We were an "Unofficial" Hen Party, thank goodness. Some of the less well-behaved brides were kinda crazy!!!!!!

So, only 4 days until the wedding, which is going to be a wonderful and beautiful masterpiece... How do I know this? Because yours truly (and The Boy's Mother) have spent many an hour plotting and planning the whole thing.  Its going to be a little manic and stressful I fear, but only because I am such a perfectionist, and the wedding is over Easter Weekend - no room for errors as they cannot be corrected when the world is on holiday!!! 

Must dash as I am busy cutting out moustaches and such like for the "photo-booth" corner I decided to make... Next stop, placenames... No rest for the wicked!!!!



Home Sweet Home...

There is nothing like waking up in your own bed... Especially after a mammoth journey to get to it.

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a terrible flyer. Terrible.

Tuesday saw me attempt to get home back to good old Blighty, just as Cape Town's sun returned, and England's freaky Winter heat wave ended.. I should've taken this as the first sign I should stay put!

Sufficiently anxious and tearful, I sat in the boarding lounge waiting to once again torture myself with what I can only describe (in my eyes) as a necessary evil... only to be jolted out of my daydream, by an announcement that the flight was delayed due to "Essential engineering works" which needed to be completed before we could take-off.

Whaaaaaaat?!?!

As a terrible flyer, all sorts of thoughts started going through my head... All rational quickly disappeared, leaving a highly strung and even more anxious & tearful person in its place.  A dear little bird sacrificed his life to cause such disruption, jamming the landing gear, thus rendering the plane unsafe. Brilliant. Several hours later, after being told it was repaired & they were just waiting for "sign-off from Dubai", we were informed that they actually needed a new part to be flown down from Johannesburg (But they just told us it was repaired?!) and that it would not be taking off until the next day. Luckily they found me, and a few other London bound passengers, seats on a direct flight to London that night, although I didn't feel so lucky when the Captain announced that breakfast service may be interrupted due to turbulence. As someone who is pretty much petrified of turbulence (yes, I know I am perfectly safe) that was all that was needed to ensure I had a sleepless night ahead. 

Touch down felt pretty amazing after all I had endured to reach my destination. I could even forgive the cold, grey weather. We trundled through customs towards the baggage claim. You know it - everyone who had suffered at the hands of the little birdy had to suffer a little more, not one of our cases had been loaded onto the aircraft. Did I mention it was cold in London? That my coat was in my case?!  That bird is one angry ghost!!!

Anyway. Two days later, case and owner have been reacquainted and all can breathe a sigh of relief. Lets just hope the journey back to Cape Town is a little less eventful. Thats how I prefer it.  Now, off to find my brolly....

Pinterest...

The addiction to Pinterest has taken hold, just like my friend told me it would. She warned me. I didn't heed her advice, and to be honest, I'm SO glad I didn't!!!

Pinterest has overtaken the need to log into Facebook and Twitter throughout the day to spy on my world. Now I feel anxious if I can't log into Pinterest to re-pin all the pretty, beautiful, inspirational things. It is far more satisfying!!!

Two passages caught my eye today. Beautifully written, very true & very thought provoking.

http://wilderandnorthinspirations.tumblr.com/post/14788010400

http://samsanator.tumblr.com/post/2497748018/savagehipster-so-true-this-is-a-beautiful

Check out Pinterest if you haven't already - I promise you, you are in for a treat.

Whats not to love about creating an online scrapbook and sharing it with others around the world?!

http://pinterest.com/nickinooo/

The Week in Pictures...

The Week in Pictures...Pt 2.

Put Your Hands in The Air.....

Hands up...

How many of you are "wannabe's"?   I don't mean in the "I want to be famous" sense, I mean in the "I want to be...." well, anything sense.

I am a wannabe.  It is both a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because so many things excite me.  A blessing because I refuse to let myself fall into the mundane traps that so many people wake up and find themselves in A blessing because I want to aim high and achieve great things,  I want to see and do it all. I don't want to be "normal".

It is also a curse. A curse because as a wannabe you always want to be something, do something, go somewhere - you focus on everything that you're not.  There is often the feeling of  restlessness, like something is missing, yet you're not sure of what or how to fill the void.  I am not happy just being, yet with so many things to choose from, where does one start?!  What do I want to be?

The missing ingredient in a "wannabe's" life is contentment.  Something which I think few people genuinely have. The pros and cons of being content deserves a separate entry altogether, and one that I cannot possibly touch upon without speaking to my best friend - possibly one of life's most content. She inspires and brings sunshine to my world on a daily basis.

Things on my Current "Wannabe" List...

I want to be successful. I want to be well travelled. I want to be interesting. I want to be clever. I want to be respected. I want to make a difference. I want to help. I want to be motivated. I want to be funny. I want to be near my loved ones. I want to be excited. I want to be cool.

I don't want to feel lost.

Maybe I want to be content....  I'll keep you posted!!!

Lions Head...

So, the all new, all dancing trainers which I purchased in a motivational bid to get fit have been used twice. That's right. Twice. I don't like to talk about one occasion - let's just say the hate-hate relationship with running continues, beautiful beach or not.  The second occasion was to climb Lions Head, which looked like a breeze in comparison with the climb up Table Mountain I encountered on my first trip to the Cape.

So new & shiny.. So eager!

The dusty trail soon turned into a bumpy, rocky, steep incline. The boy marched ahead, only pausing for breath when to shout at me to catch up. The energetic excitement the shiny sneakers and I shared at the bottom of the hill soon started to fade, but we rounded a corner and the view over Camps Bay gave a much needed lift. I managed to block out the impatient yells directed at my weary legs and marched on, only having a slight wobble when confronted with chains in the rock face and the realisation I would have to use them to scramble up.  The boy had a wobble of his own on the descent when a Cape Cobra (read "deadly") slithered across the path in front of him. Thankfully my bad eyesight saved me from sharing this moment.

Ready to collapse.. What a view!

Now I am a firm believer that any pain inflicted on oneself through physical exertion must be rewarded in some way. Climbing in 30 degree heat, irrespective of an amazing view, most certainly falls into the "Reward Yourself" category, so I decided the reward should be lunch at the Loading Bay in De Waterkant. We rocked up, sweaty, dusty, hot and starved, very eager to feast, but as soon as my eyes swept the room all hunger pangs disappeared as I saw the trendy, creative clientele. Even the staff were super cool.  Obviously such things don't bother a starved boy who hates anything and anyone that can be defined as "hipster", but finally I find a place I would like to frequent, and I look like this? A dishevelled English girl who's Mulberry is no doubt fake.. it's not!

Luckily for all concerned, we sat, ordered, and ate and all thoughts of  being a failure evaporated as I relished in the fare before me and rejoiced in the climb I just completed.

Just your average Apple Juice...

Cape Town is too pretty not to explore and trample on, so the trainers and I will be going on another adventure, soon I hope. I will just have to be more prepared for the feast which will no doubt follow it.

Anyone For Ice Cream....?

Big Bay's answer to "Mr Whippy"...

Year of The Dragon..

Hello Year of The Dragon... The start of this new year sees my little feet stomping on a different continent - AFRICA! Times are a changing, as Hagrid once said to a young Harry Potter... And ain't that the truth. Cape Town. Wow. What a wonderful city, a vibrant city, a beautiful city...Yet so full of contradiction. For everything I coo over and marvel at, there is always something I see which equally fills me with a deep sadness. Poverty is ever present and I often feel overwhelmed and so helpless by it. It is sometimes difficult to comprehend the extent of the situation  whilst  appreciating all the beauty that Cape Town has to offer. Things keeping me busy: - Being so close to the beach.  It is wonderful to feel the fresh sea air, watch the kite surfers do acrobatics on the waves and know that when the wind disappears (sadly with summer) it will be time instead to watch the surfers bob up and down, waiting to catch the perfect wave.  *Must remember to wear spectacles for uninterupted viewing pleasure!  - Being an uber organised wedding planner extraordinaire.Ok, fine...a slight exaggeration, but what fun to be allowed to stalk wedding blogs, dissect wedding magazines, and help materialise them into real life without being a wannabe bride. The organisational control freak insde me is in heaven!!!  - Helping Cape Town lose One Ton of Fat.  Enough said. - Obsessing over www.wearingittoday.co.uk   Literally, I love this lady. I want to be this lady. Everyone should follow this site religiously. That said however, I am reminded of the traumatic loss of a pair of Topshop trousers which appeared on her site, promptly selling out, thus leaving me trouserless and heartbroken. Maybe you shouldn't follow her site after all... - Deciding if I should spend £60.00 more to travel on a direct 11 hour flight with 23kg luggage allowance, or a 20 hour flight with 30kg luggage allowance. Fear of flying vs an awful lot of clothing to pack... it's a dilema and actually one I need to address quickly.  - Miscellaneous Items include:  Trying to decide how else to keep myself busy, finding a yoga or Pilates class, deciding what my dream career is, missing home, trying not to eat too many naughty things (Steers chippies), working out how to keep up with Gossip Girl (love the Van de Walts - thank you!) and deciding on random tourist adventures. I am like a broken record - "when can we go here?", "I want to do this..." You would think he would want a quiet life and just agree......!!!