Win tickets to Style Society Pop Up Boutique

This is the first competition I am hosting on my blog and it's an amazing one. If you're a fashionista like me then you know how important it is to know what the latest fashion trends are, what's in and what's out and what colours you should be rocking this season.

Style Society, a leading voice for fashion, has brought the global concept of Pop Up Boutiques to Cape Town. This innovative way to shop has been experienced in fashion capitals from Milan to São Paulo. This travelling store creates a fun and sexy environment for fashionista's to meet and interact with local and international designers and purchase their products. Not only do you get to experience fashion at its best, you are also exposed to leading hair and make up stylists who I am sure wont mind sharing some of their secrets.

Details:

Pop Up Boutique
3rd December 2011
Fire & Ice Hotel
09h30 - 17h00
Tickets available at Computicket at R50 each and includes a welcome drink and a fabulous gift bag.


Competition Details:
I will be giving away 2 free tickets to one lucky person a week for the next 5 weeks. All you have to do is

1. "Like" this post 
2.  Tell me what's your favourite fashion accessory by commenting below.


If you don't have any of the social profiles enabling you to comment then choose "Name/URL" and use your Twitter or Facebook URL :)
Entries will be randomly selected. Weekly draw takes place each Friday. One entry per person. Entries will not be counted twice over multiple weeks. Winners must be located in Cape Town.

Indulge in luxury cosmetics with GlamBox

The latest fashion and beauty craze that has taken South Africa by storm is being brought to girls all over by GlamBox. GlamBox allows you to try out luxury cosmetic samples before making a decision to purchase.
I received my first GlamBox last month and I was extremely impressed. I signed up for a 3 month subscription and hoped that my second box would not disappoint me.

I received my October GlamBox today and with much joy and excitement I ripped open the packaging to see what awaited me.

The October GlamBox contained:

• Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules which helps strengthens the skins barriers against the visible signs of time.
• Catrice Kajal Designer Eye-liner Pencil which offers endless creative possibilities for great eye make-up styles thanks to its smooth texture and soft Smokey Eye Applicator. I received a full size eye-liner.
• Skin Science Rejuvenating Enzyme Exfoliator that contains fruit enzymes and PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica that lifts and peels away old dry skin.
• Hugo Boss Orange Fragrance that's inspired my multiple expressions that characterise modern femininity.
• SoyLites Massage Candle which 100% natural moisturising and therapeutic benefits to the skin.
• Rimmel Glam'Eyes Day2Night Mascara which contains two sections, top cap for Length and volume cap for plump lashes. This was a full size product and is also new which means we are one of the firsts to have this product.

I was definitely not disappointed. GlamBox has been living up to their standard by providing amazing products for us girls to try out. What's more amazing however is that each month I have received at least one full size product! This month I received 2 full size products. Thank you GlamBox!!

Visit www.glambox.co.za and sign up for your monthly subscription and receive the hottest cosmetics that are out there as well as beauty tips and trends.

Coldplay shoots Paradise Music Video in South Africa

Listening to the new Coldplay single "Paradise" which will feature in the new album Mylo Xyloto made me remember that I forgot to tell you guys about my amazing experience at the Coldpay concert in Cape Town. Seeing that it was a few weeks ago and that thousands of people have been speaking about it I am certain you aren't keen on hearing me go on about how epic the entire experience was! For a girl who used to fantasize about Chris Martin, you can only imagine how thrilled I was to be there!
Nevertheless, their single "Paradise" from Mylo Xyloto is really amazing. 

Check out the Paradise Music Video shot in South Africa:

Here are some pictures from the shoot:

Overnight Hoerikwaggo Hiking Trail

I spent this past weekend doing something that was out of the ordinary for me. I braved my fears for aching legs and sore feet and decided to do the overnight Hoerikwaggo Trail.

There are many Table Mountain hiking trails, some more strenuous than the others. Luckily for me the Hoerikwaggo Trail was one of the easier ones. The hike begins at the bottom of Orange Kloof which is close to Hout Bay. You start of by embarking on a trail which leads you to the beginning of Constantia Nek. From there its about a 3-4 hour hike to the dams where the overnight accomodation is.

We spent the night in a fully equipped house that was in-between the first and second dam. The house has hot showers, cosy beds and full self catering facilities which made it extremely comfortable. The houses on top of the mountain sleep close to 16 people comfortably. 

This makes it perfect for a big group of friends of family to spend a weekend amongst the wonders of nature but still have the comfort of being at home without roughing it out. What's more amazing is that the park rangers drive up all your stuff to the houses for you. So you can bring along your bedding and meat to braai.

The view from the houses are simply breathtaking. You have a panoramic view of Cape Town in front of you....

and a majestic view of the mountains and dams behind you.

If I wasn't so unfit I am certain I would of enjoyed this even better.

P.S. There isn't electricity up there so you may be stuck for entertainment. Luckily we had little Gabriel Bestbier with us who spent his time singing, dancing and telling the most fascinating stories ever!! This hike wouldn't have been the same without him.

High Tea at the One&Only

Customs of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal.

Since then this custom travelled all over the world and ladies (and men) from all cultures have been indulging in afternoon teas. The elite however fancied the name "High Tea." High Tea's usually compromised of delicacies which accompanied their tea.

There are many establishments that offer High Tea's in Cape Town. This weekend we decided to dine like the Bourgeoisie and settled for High Tea at the prestigious One&Only Hotel and Spa. For R145 a person you are not only guaranteed a variety of treats but treatment that's usually reserved for the royals.

The selection of treats were endless. Just a few things included:

• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Mini Cheesecakes
• Dark Chocolate Mousse
• Marble Cake
• Biscotti
• Choc Chip Cookies
• French Nougat
• Chocolate Toffees
• Chicken Pies
• Biltong Quiche
• Granadilla Tart
• Caramel Éclairs
• Fruit Cups
• Chocolate and Cinnamon Cups
• Scones

If you feel like spoiling yourself, then why not gather a bunch of ladies and book for a High Tea at the One&Only Hotel in Cape Town.

Madame Zingara Makes Magic Happen

Madame Zingara’s Theatre of Dreams, the Grande Dame of burlesque, is a unique dinner cirque spectacular which enchants, captivates and inspires all who pass through her stained glass doors and enter her magical world.

(picture sourced here)

The Make Magic Happen experience dates back to 2001 when Madame Zingara was just a whimsical restaurant in the heart of the Mother City. 10 years later this globally recognised phenomena provides breathtaking entertainment all over South Africa as a travelling dinner theatre.

The stage and dining area is housed under a magical tent that is a splitting replica of a typical burlesque theatre. There are many different attractions to see such as the Motown diva's, Mongolian princesses, Roller Skate acts, a Caribbean Rapper, Ukrainian gymnasts, and tons more! Even the waiters and waitresses are all dressed up as some character.

 

Outside the tent has surprises for all types of visitors. There is just so much to see; an old pink car hidden behind some crates, a tarot card reader, a rustic bar, a giant florescent heart and a gorgeous piano just added the final touch to a magnificent and spectacular set up.
The food was pretty amazing too. We were spoilt with a 4 course meal.

Tomato and Carrot drinking soup, pastry topped with tomato and creme, bread sticks, pepperdew dip, marinated olives, cashew nuts and lettuce.

Mushroom Ravioli topped with rocket

(Silly me forgot to take a picture. Picture sourced here)

I had the Norwegian Salmon with a Wasabi mash and drizzled with olive oil

Jacques had the famous Beef fillet with Chili Chocolate sauce

Lime Tart, Chocolate Springrolls, Vanilla ice cream

I highly recommend visiting Madame Zingaras Theatre of Dreams. The surprises that await you are endless! Remember to dress up, take loads of pictures and have insane amounts of fun!

Val d'Or Guest Estate Franschhoek

I spent the past weekend in Franschhoek. My family and I stayed at the luxurious 4* Val d'Or Guest Estate. The estate was absolutely breathtaking. This newly renovated boutique Guest House is set on 35 hectares of vineyards nestled in the foothills of the Western Cape's magnificent Franschhoek mountains.

Each suite  has its own patio offering different views of the swimming pool, landscaped gardens, ornamental dams and surrounding mountains. We spent the afternoons lazing by the pool and taking in the beauty that surrounded us. 

Val d'Or's affiliated restaurant, Chez d'Or, was located in the heart of the Franschhoek Bijoux Square. We indulged in a gourmet 3 course lunch on Saturday. The menu was amazing and classy and complimented the estate perfectly.

Spiced Calamari, Beetroot, Cumin Yoghurt with Coriander Pesto

Smoked Salmon Salad

Kingklip, mash, seasonal vegetables with a lemongrass sauce

Beef Ribeye, caramilsed onions, spinach and fries

Malva pudding with custard

The estate and restaurant had a Parisian flair and we felt like true elites as we dined and rested in style. I highly recommend visiting the Val d'Or Guest Estate and the Chez d'Or Bistro. Whether its for a weekend or a day visit, these two establishments will make sure you leave feeling like a king or queen.

Best surprise from RSA Web

RSA Web provides a full range of hosting and connectivity services and is also one of the cheapest providers of ADSL line rentals. This geeky company recently celebrated their ten year anniversary and decided to spoil their fans with some pretty cool prizes. Some even won free ADSL and web hosting for the rest of their lives.

Surprisingly these tweets were lost somewhere in my news feed and I wasn't informed about their birthday celebrations. However much to my luck I randomly saw this tweet last week:

I decided to give it a shot and try my best to get a cool RSA Web T Shirt that everyone is always bragging about. So I replied to them saying:

And a few minutes later I received a reply from them. I was extremely excited. Not only does everyone love getting stuff delivered to them, geeky stuff for a geeky girl is even better.

This morning the office door bell rang and there stood a delivery man. We are always getting stuff delivered in this office, printer cartridges, coffee beans, stationery (you know all the boring stuff). But this morning was special. This morning I received my awesome gift from RSA Web. A cool T shirt (not those sucky promotional ones that doubles as a dress), a badge, lanyard and stationery. Everyone knows I love presents and now RSA Web knows it too.


Thanks guys for making my day.

Bitchy Bingo at Beefackes

Last night we decided to celebrate little Ellies birthday at Beefcakes...

For those who don’t know what Beefcakes is, it’s a restaurant located in the gay suburbs of Cape Town. It’s the “beefiest burger bar in town.” This wildly entertaining 50’s American style diner hosts a variety of events ranging from comedy evenings, drag shows to Bitchy Bingo evenings.

We decided to try out this fun place by booking for a Bitchy Bingo evening. The restaurant has an amazing, fun and retro ambience. It’s decorated with pink flamingo wallpaper, loads of disco balls, bling and pink feathers. The tables have some funky hats and feather scarves for the attendees to play dress up; which I thought was flipping cool. There were a majority of females with a handful of men, which I found surprising

.

The waiters are all hunks of note. Their perfectly chiselled jawlines, tight 6 packs and gorgeous smiles definitely lifted our spirits and made the evening more entertaining. Our waiter, Jason was extremely friendly and made all the girls blush.

The food was amazing and had some awesome names such as the Love Me Long Time Wrap and Chillie on a Willy Burger.

The Bingo was hosted by Princess Pop who is Beefcakes local drag queen. He/She was such a delight. Princess Pop made the Bingo extremely worthwhile. 

Some of the prizes up for grabs were a couples massage vouchers (which little Ellie won), wine and ummm vibrating rings for your “you know what.” Ellie was so stoked that she won the couples massage voucher. Her expression and smile oozed excitement!!

It was such an awesome experience. Loads of laughter, screams and giggles. I highly recommend Beefcakes to anyone who is looking for some clean (with a hint of naughty) fun!  Bitchy Bingo is soon to be a regular thang!!