G-Zis was Here

G-Zis was here.
Well, at Assembly.

Well, he turned my ear-drums into mush and then he decided to go ahead and try convert me to christianity.
Not that I have a problem with that at all, but you can definitely agree that most of the club was rather surprised to hear a blasting of baby-jesus music coming from the overhead speakers, heck! I think even the bloke that was fixing the speaking was shocked for a second.
But then came the bass.

The entire club went crazy with a break that actually has a similar sound to more European dub but hey, I didn't see anyone complaining! The sound was quite intense, and most of the people in the audience, myself included, as was my group of mates, were jumping wildly in the air, sloshing drinks... EVERYWHERE!
It was like a vodka-lime-water shower.
Mmmm... Vodka lime!

Here's a sound clip from last night for those of you that decided not to attend SYNW student night at the assembly and missed out.
Daddy Warbucks also just brought it all home in the end, making up for how bloody packed the club was.

This is a bio taken directly from their spot on The Assembly website as possible SYNW regulars..

"G-Zis is the DJ duo of Alex Fourie and Adriaan Louw. Already established in their own rights - Fourie as the keyboardist/trumpeter of Afrikaans indie band Foto Na Dans, and Louw as a prolific music photographer - G-Zis was formed as an outlet for their eclectic musical tastes for symphonic/melodic electro. Making their debut as the featured act of See You Next Wednesday in May 2011, G-Zis is set to ascend through the ranks as a DJ duo comfortable in any scene".

http://soundcloud.com/g-zis/xmas-rave-sokkie-mix

That song just pumped my up, I'm still a bit delicate, but I'm already getting ready for another SYNW.

The Dollhouse Clothing

Dollhouse Clothing is an indepedently owned company that is simply beautiful!
The clothes are all sold online then you go to a cutesy out of the way warehouse to go fetch them.

The whole idea of this company that I find so incredible, is that each and every article of clothing is done to uniquely express the creator, no two pieces are alike in any way, the highly vantage and hipsetr styled clothes are all the rage and absolutely cater for all shapes and sizes.
One thing that I absolutely adore is that all of the clothes are fairly cheap!
For a flattering pair of high waisted jeans that are perfect for all occassions, especially during Cape Towns hormonal and indecisive weather, something that can be warm with a nice cardi or cut off top, you can't go wrong.
Have a look at some of their latest range:

This is perfect for the more daytime, chilled and somewhat stylish look. BUT
This can also work for going out, you know how Bold prints are in fashion.

This is what I meant by the clothes are for every occasion. Owing to me being a simple girl, for me this is perfect. I Love just slouching around, but fashionably slouching around and then it being comfortable to go out in is perfect.

This for me is absolutely divine! The delicate floral pattern and heeled brogues are definitely in fashion at the moment, with many foreign fashion houses choosing to use pastel and simplistic colour palettes.














Finally... Just something cute and summery!
I love how the model pulls this off.

I really hope that you enjoyed this brief look at the Dollhouse Clothing.
Go have a look at some of their other collections at http://www.thedollhousect.blogspot.com/

Rafikis - more than the local watering hole

Rafikis in long street is one heck of a great place to stop over at. Literally I am not kidding you, every single time I go there, I either see mates from years ago, most of which are highly successful or complete bums, or I end up making some incredible new friends.

Located on Kloof, you can't miss this gem of a bar, restaurant and all of the bits in between that you never, ever want to talk about again.

I decided to ditch the diet and have a snack that included the onion rings off of their very basic, but still practical menu. They were fan-bloody-tastic!

The batter around those suckers is so perfect, it's as though they took a majestic cape and covered themselves whilst listening to opera. I'm getting that metaphorical guys... But don't turn down the burgers either whilst a nice draught is at your side.

So I did the cheeky girlfriend thing and decided to have a few bites from people around me, say I wasn't hungry anymore, and when his food came... Well it became my food at that point.

With their special drinks and BURGER specials on a Tuesday night, I had a great time making tipsy comments at people poker skills and had a great time on the balcony, overlooking the CBD.

It's a definite for a chilled night out with friends, and the budget is also worth it, not a cash strapping venue in the slightest. Go Rafs!

Beat the Heat - Drink cocktails!

These are some drink recipes that are perfect for any party or get-together: Cheap, and tasty.

Home-made Sangria:

What you'll need is a bottle, or two, of white whine. I tend to lean towards the Drostyhof white, it's cheap and not dry like most white wines. But you can also use red wine, that's the more accepted version.
Some cut up fruit, I usually do 2-3 granny smith apples, 2 nectarines, a pear and some pineapple. Chuck some cherries in also!
Leave the fruit to soak in the wine for about an hour or two, and then add half a bottle of lemonade or Sprite.

Ta dah! Home-made Sangria.

Mojito:

You'll need some clear rum, mint, sugar, lime, soda water.

• 2-3 oz Light Rum
• Juice of 1 Lime (1 oz)                  <-- Approximately what you'll need for one drink, so do the math.
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 2-4 Mint Sprigs
• Soda Water 

 Lightly muddle the mint and sugar with a splash of soda water in a mixing glass until the sugar dissolve and you smell the mint
Squeeze the lime into the glass, add rum and shake with ice.
Strain over cracked ice in a highball glass.
Top with soda water, garnish with mint sprig and serve!

 Mai Tai: 


You'll need: light rum, lime juice, orange curacao, orgeat syrup, dark rum and a glazed cherry for garnish.
This one'll be a bit more costly than the others to buy the ingredients but worth it. Oh yes it is!

Pour all the ingredients except the dark rum into a shaker with ice cubes.
Shake well.
Strain into anold fashioned glass half filled with ice.
Top with the dark rum.
Garnish with the cherry.

 
So I hope that some of these will be at the next braai or night out with the ladies/lads.
A tip:

Vodka and whiskey have the least calories in a drink but reduce fitness.
Beer will add carbs but not make you loose fitnesss. Good for the boys!

Paulaner Brauhaus

Going to Paulaner Brauhaus during the week is definitely something that every Cape Town resident should invest in, the authentic German atmosphere creates a feeling of home for many of the foreigners situated in the Cape as well as create a perfect home for beer-lovers and enthusiasts.

 

Located at the V&A Waterfront, by the Clock Tower, the Brauhaus supplies everything gemrna that see in the movies, from home made giant pretzels to self-brewed beer on the premises, you can expect a fantastic night of sing-alongs and drunken promises.
I, personally am not the biggest beer drinker but from the multitude of my friends that don't stop raving about the taste special, where you get to sample some 6 local and foreign beers before getting to choose your preference. I did however, indulge in the schnitzel, the pretzel and the pork rack that were all equally delicious, but not when you're trying to maintain a healthy life-style.
Paulaner is a lot of fun, I had a great time and I look forward to their 'Oktoberfect' where drunk Germans around Cape Town join with those that want to sing and dance to German rock and folk music.

All and all, a great place to spend some time with friends.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop has got to be one of my favorite places to go and get some essentials, the constant smells spilling from the shop onto the outside porch is simply heavenly and I do so enjoy the open mosturiser that you can have a quick glance at.
I went ad decided to treat myself to some well-earned hand moisturizer that will showcase my signature strawberry scent. I tend try and find different and unique smells to wear as I simply cannot wear the generic stuff off the counter if everyone else is.
The pint-sized hand lotion is strawberry adorable and is half finished, already a hit with the boyfriend as he prefers nice smelling but not too heavy on the nose.

You can get this sweet little thing for a decent price and for a nice bargain, you can even try and have a look at their summer 50% discount sale.

My little tip: I buy the Strawberry home fragrance, only R50 and then use that as perfume, only one or two drops and you're sorted for the whole day. Those of you who are reading this and who know me, you'll attest to how perfect it is, subtle and so delightfully delicious smelling.

Mungo and Jemima in Long Street

Mungo and Jemima on Long Street is the perfect place to skip away to on the pretense of a coffee break.
Along the right hand side of the road, it's easy to miss this little gem, but when you're like me and you're on a mission to find a perfect summer cozzie, you will go out of your way to find those spots.
I walked into to the (thankfully) airconditioned little shop and immediately noticed that the theme from them for this summer is that subtle clothing is all the rage, with delicate pastels and some interesting hair pieces, you can find some day/night outfits all in one go.
Whilst I oh, so infatuated by these outfits browsed, something quite colorful caught my eye, a charming one piece that had some gold embellishments and a chain to join the low cut front together.
Now normally nothing screams "Persian nightclub owner" like a gold chain across a red top, but this whole costume screamed, oh rather showed class and elegance.

With a peacock motif the outfit really does just call to me, and lo and behold, I am now carrying a signature Mungo and Jemima bag with the promises of a beach day.

When I turned around towards the back of the store, I saw some cute hairbands that had a 1920's flair to them, the hipster inspired to need to add to everything excessively didn't stop here, yet these pieces are cute and detached, perfet for a variety of outfits and bound to be beautiful all on their own.

My personal favorite being the little silver, sparkly bow.

All and all, the shop is well priced for the quality of clothes that it provides, but don't hope for it to be something that won't empty that little purse of yours.
I love the clothes, love the designers and I will most certainly make it a go-to spot for my summer shopping must-haves.

Dizzy's in Camps Bay

Found in a corner in Camps Bay, Dizzy's is a gem in the rough. A haven for students, consisting of a Tuesday Night Karaoke special where a R20 entrance fee can help you (with the aid of reasonably priced drinks) remove all inhibitions and you can sing that old Madonna song you buried away with the old microphone/hairbrush.

The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, with a cosy pizza oven in plain view and some naturalistic décor design that creates a great vibe, you’ll find yourself in the watering hole of the student, and Camps Bay resident with new friends made after the first beer.

Owing to Camps Bays nightlife going more up market, and thus more expensive, Dizzy's is a perfect night out for those on a budget that want a good meal and a drink with mates.  You can expect to find an average Draught costing R20 and their famous thin-base pizzas from an upwards of R60 per. 

All and all, located just behind the Pick ‘N Pay on Victoria Road in Camps Bay, I’m going to give it a 7/10  rating for a great atmosphere, well priced and delicious food and position. On a Student Budget, an 8+/10  for well priced entertainment in relation to location and the night you’ll have. Even if just seen as that delightful sundowner spot…

Half Price Movies at Sterkinekor

So last week this time, I missioned to Sterkinekor in Cavendish for half-price movies, a lovely date night with the boyfriend that both saved cash, and we could both easily pay for ourselves.
Tintin was the only movie in that we both wanted to see, the fight over Ghost Protocol (The new Mission Impossible) and what else was there couldn't be decided, so Tintin it was!

Even with our half price discount, movies are getting more and more expensive, I remember when yo could simply pay a cool R20 and that would sort you out, no questions asked. SO these half price deals are far and few, so do please take advantage of them when you can.

To be fair, the movie was decent, with incredible animation and the large tub of popcorn shared between the two of us and another friend quickly disappeared, with little flakes of salt and vinegar being all that was left.

In this problematic economy., where money isn't a right anymore, or a privilege even... It's the simple things that count. And half priced movies was definitely cheap, fun, and will definitely be repeated.

SYNW at The Assembly

The Assembly in Harrington street has now become a home for the hipsters.
Not that there's a problem with that at all, it's merely an aired observation that gone are the days where Harrington street was know to be fairly dodgy and so was the notion of hanging out around Castle Bar.
But now owing to the popularity of these areas, they have picked up in clientele and have shown themselves to be more about appeasing the masses and opening crepe shops.. and stuff.

Castle bar was the opening venue for the three of us, a long lost ex-Rondebosch Boy friend of ours loitered outside, the line at Assembly was evidence that everything hadn't really begun yet.  So we contented ourselves to getting a cheap glass of red and a  gifted shot, all going straight down the hatchet and preparing our central nervous systems for what was to come!
When we finally tore ourselves from that pool table that invited you into the darker lair of Castle Bar, we went straight into the line at Assembly. We got in, smooth, quickly and had the entertainment of watching a few youngsters get bounced. (next year maybe?)
That's one thing that I love about the Assembly, they keep to the good 'ol fashioned 18+ rule.


Paying only our R10 for ladies on student night, we made our way up a construction site set of stairs and made a beeline for the bar, wet our lips and headed straight to the dancefloor.

The music was unbelievable, stomping hipsters doing that crazy dubstep dance that makes you look like you;re having a seizure, and those that look like they spent waaaaaaay too much time on a rocking horse as a child.
The music was pretty amazing the whole night, a great vibe of people and not too many pervs, so friends were happy and the lucky hook-up for one assured us that "she still got it." Whatever the hell, "it" is.
When G-Zis took center stage, the whole crowd welcomed him with a roar somewhat akin to a million lions that were very very growly. Okay, so I can't come up with a great metaphor, I've got a picture of a lion on my phone and well, the connection between loud and powerful ended up linking at a growling lion.The "wub wub wub wub wuuuuuuuubbbbb" that was deafening was coming from massive speakers, and we.went.crazy!

The whole night was insane, you really just can't get much better than a night like that with the ladies, we all like to get down and party and tonight was NO exception. To those of you that were there, you'll understand how insane it was, I do hope to see you all next week? Entourage in tow.

Cafe Caprice

Caprice is a beautiful venue to find some space to have a few cocktails with some of your girlfriends.
I went there the other night to try out something different, the weather is Cape Town is particularly hormonal, so I was waiting for perfect summer-sun beach weather to peruse the long list of drinks presented to me on a menu.
The food there is also not too shabby, the delicious burgers causing a lot of heartache between our hearts and our waistlines, but nevertheless, we told out waistline to "shut it, " however politely, and indulged in some well made and filling burgers that went very nicely with the cocktails for an evening meal.
The other girls and I have long been waiting to do a culmination of drinks, gossip and fashion night, most of the time we tend to do each thing on its own and unfortunately we still do have to do it.
The cocktails themselves are so delicious that we had sparsely any time to stop and speak, and to be blunt most of us ended up relying on our sober friend for a lift home, her flu medication being our savior.

 

The never ending stream of bare-chested hunks that happened to be sitting beside us, as well as walk along the beachfront was the cause for much giggling, and the eventual nudge that resulted in a phone number, yes! Through the eventual colorful display of leftover Mojitos, Cosmo's, and Strawberry Daiquiris, I can definitely conclude that for the price and taste of these drinks, in relation to the amount of eye-candy and vibe, Caprice is perfect for students, and for ladies that wish to do a Girls Night Out.

Cafe Mozart in Church Street

Cafe Mozart.
On a cute little corner, one can walk past the antique market littered with jeweled (fake) delights and the ever so often pearled comb, to walk up to the picketed enclosure surrounding Cafe Mozart in Church Street, just down from Long Street.
For a simple price, R35 for a small, and R40 for a large salad take-away from the buffet, or R45 to sit down in this idyllic little restaurant surrounded by trees. 

I decided that as a once off, I would stay and do a sit down lunch. I was highly impressed, the fact that I managed to find a quaint little table outside was apparently like striking for oil in the middle of your backyard, it just doesn't happen and I was watched by hungry customers lining up to find their own venue.
Walking inside and loading up my plate was a lot of fun, I personally love clean and healthy food that tastes divine, and I wasn't left waiting, the buffet supplied a various selection of garden and roast vegetable salad with my favorite being any that involved Avo and a little bit of grilled chicken.
They also have a nice selection of sandwiches and some basic lunchtime essentials to ensure that you and your friends are wholeheartedly appeased.Walking back outside in the sun, a friendly waitress took my drinks order and I sat quietly eating my healthy and inexpensive lunch, along with my cappuccino in hand.
My friend across from me, a lady that shares my foodie ideas, also did the salad and can concur that it will soon be our little hangout spot, our lunch date venue (when we can get in) and our 'salad place.'



I liked the cute venue and the food was delicious, simple and for the price, the quality was great.
Definitely somewhere I would go again, but you need to get there quite earlier to avoid disappointment and to ensure that you get a table, but the take-away option is fantastic, so either way a nice meal is guaranteed.

Beluga, the sushi and more

During the week, I like to keep things low key and tend to go to some of the most beautiful restaurants in Cape Town with a delightful gaggle of beauties that I call my girlfriends.
Last night was no exception and as soon as we walked into Beluga, (Near the Victoria Junction hotel) we felt an air of sophistication, class and our eyes wandered over the 3D menus that were in front of us.

Sitting outside is a must, it's beautiful and very relaxing in a quite gated community styled area, only you and some offices abandoned long ago by their staff.
Service was excellent with our rather nice (and cute) waiter Anthony happy to reel off a memorised list of the most delicious starters, mains and the eventual deserts, pausing to stop and give a personal opinion that was most helpful, and definitely used as a guideline.
I started with my favorite, sushi, the Tuna Crunch.Without a doubt it is the reason for my being!
A tuna California Roll with a delicious battered and crispy covering, as well as a dollop of japanese mayo that blows the senses away.
Even though it wasn't their half price sushi special from noon to 7pm, it was still a great price for the 8 pieces that would have cost an exceptional amount anywhere else.

Then I had a main of miso-styled Kingklip on a bed of crushed potatoes, and salad. I found the fish to be simply exceptional and owing to my penchant for the Kingklip, it being my favorite dish at any restaurant, I wholeheartedly endorse the beauty of the flavour and style of cooking with flair that engulfs you.


All and all, I think that after I then had the desert of white Lindt chocolate beignets, I will never be able to eat chocolate elswhere ever again.


Meal was delicious,prices were perfect, service was fantastic and the atmosphere was perfect for a Girls Night Out.

The Dollhouse Clothing

The Dollhouse Clothing

Dollhouse Clothig is an indepedently owned company that is simply beautiful!
The clothes are all sold online then you go to a cutesy out of the way warehouse to go fetch them.

The whole idea of this company that I find so incredible, is that each and every article of clothing is done to uniquely express the creator, no two pieces are alike in any way, the highly vantage and hipsetr styled clothes are all the rage and absolutely cater for all shapes and sizes.
One thing that I absolutely adore is that all of the clothes are fairly cheap!
For a flattering pair of high waisted jeans that are perfect for all occassions, especially during Cape Towns hormonal and indecisive weather, something that can be warm with a nice cardi or cut off top, you can't go wrong.
Have a look at some of their latest range:

This is perfect for the more daytime, chilled and somewhat stylish look. BUT
This can also work for going out, you know how Bold prints are in fashion.

This is what I meant by the clothes are for every occasion. Owing to me being a simple girl, for me this is perfect. I Love just slouching around, but fashionably slouching around and then it being comfortable to go out in is perfect.

This for me is absolutely divine! The delicate floral pattern and heeled brogues are definitely in fashion at the moment, with many foreign fashion houses choosing to use pastel and simplistic colour palettes.














Finally... Just something cute and summery!
I love how the model pulls this off.

I really hope that you enjoyed this brief look at the Dollhouse Clothing.
Go have a look at some of their other collections at http://www.thedollhousect.blogspot.com/

The Antiques Market in Church Street

The antique market on the corner of Church Street and Long Street made an exceptional appearance this morning! I don't usually go and see whats there, sort of glance by, but I stopped today and saw the most divine faux gold locket.

I absolutely adore a good bargain, I saw this locket that had a beautiful art nouveau styled embellishment that when opened, contained a glittered interior, very gentle however for you to put that picture of your loved one.
Only R90, and I'm currently saving up for it to be my 'welcome to the new year present!'

I personally love a beautiful accessory like that, something that's understated and simply that can pull of a plain LBD or a summery floral acquisition.

Straight after that, I walked right past "MeMeMe" another beautiful boutique that showcases local designers, and even though they were still closed, I saw this bag, oh this beautiful bag!
Brown leather with a blue leather trim around the side pockets and straps. Gold studded embellishments on the straps make the bag in my personal opinion, absolutely beautiful.
This bag, however, costs R2200, but to be honest, what is not worth the wait if you save up for it and have something that divine?

Blue Rock

Blue Rock is a quarry that was long ago pumped full of water and left to the amusement and in the hands of kitesurfers, wakeboarders and adrenaline junkies for them to unite and create an incredible area where for a R35 entrance fee you can make your way down a dusty road to paradise.
A few friends and myself decided to make it our weekend mission, the venue itself being a smooth 45 minutes out of Cape Town towards Somerset West

But when we got there it was simply fantastic! Even though you may pay R200 for rental of a wakeboard for about 2 hours, I can absolutely guarantee it was worth it.
The 'cable' runs on a pulley system that tows you around the quarry, as you feel the slack and tensing of the cable you learn to tune yourself into the various hurdles and obstacles, such as those too weak to hold on, and have a blast.
I tried my hand at the knee boarding, and lo and behold! I bailed. Absolutely miserably, but thanks to my supportive posse, after a few more shouts I managed to make half a circuit before succumbing to the pressure and heading back to the relaxing braai area where multiple bottles of beer had been cracked open.

There is also a place where you can go and order some very basic things, a toasted sandwich or a burger, and a delicious selection o ice-cream is also at your beck and call.

I'm going to say that I had a wonderful time with friends and the price I paid was well worth the short escape!

The Old Biscuit Mill

So... On Saturday I decided to take a little tour of the Biscuit Mill, family was down from Johannesburg and so they wanted to go to a truly Capetonian venue.. Biscuit Mill it is then!
As we struggled to find parking, the hordes has already flocked to where the delicious smells hailed, and it was all we could do to not sprint through the front gates and into the main area.

 

First we went to the Mushroom Kebabs, an assortment of mushrooms on a sticks that are coated with an oil marinade and put on a little braai until they reach delicious perfection! The next stop was to the Macaroons, which was a bit of a task owing to the multitude of people, but these little elbows of mine were a perfect match for the crowd and 4 Macaroons (vanilla, coffee and x2 chocolate) later, my wallet was only R20 lighter and we were on our way again to the smoothie bar.
Anything from mango and orange to a pomegranate smoothie that will have you crying out for more, we had to use all of our willpower to pull ourselves away and then head across to where there was a crowd around a ginormous paella pan that could have fed an entire infantry!
The paella, as you may have now immediately understood, was divine.

The Old Biscuit Mill does not only have food however, if you exit the main food area, you come across a tent that is the housing for a vast collection of vintage and locally designed clothing (being a definite source of some of my wardrobe) and  some little bits and pieces.
The NEW chocolate factory that shows you all the info on how and why they do things to chocolate to make it as delicious as it is...

The Biscuit Mill has something for everyone, food, drink, good conversation, clothing, everything.
I try to go there whenever I can and for as long as I can, just beware that there are likely a few thousand other people thinking exactly the same thing.

Pickwicks in Long Street

When you walk into Mr Pickwicks in Long Street, you immediately feel an edge.
The bright yellow exterior points to an out of place black opening, the door leads to a narrow entry way and well, a small sense of claustrophobia is experienced, this all during my last lunch break, but as soon as you get over the various assortment of chars and sardine sized lower level, you immediately go to the shining display, which houses pastries as well as an assortment of other goodies.
BUT WAIT!
That is merely the beginning for my sense of smell, the menu handed to me as I climbed up to the higher level of the establishment, a beautiful view of Long Street, I saw to my amazement, the vast collection of milkshakes!
Everything from liquour milkshakes, laced with amarula and heaven knows what other higher level prcent alcohol, to the plain double thick chocolate, or cookies and cream. I decided to be a bit naughty and be experimental, with a 600ml Amarula milkshake, and a few pieces of oreo thrown into the mix.
That first sip... Disbelief.
The second... An epiphany.
The third sip being my taste buds having gone to heaven, reluctant to come back, regardless of my constant attempts to bring myself back to reality.

Even though this restaurant has milkshakes that are so reputable people drive for miles to get them, one can be very very certain that an experience like this is highly affordable and highly enjoyable, this being the first in a multitude of trips to Pickwicks that I will make over the course of life.
Don't expect to be treated like a princess though! The staff are direct and to the point, an admirable trait, but the burgers, milkshakes and assorted other goodies don't just pas you by, be prepared and be happy.
Dear readers, I do hope you enjoy!