n a J / c e D 5 1 0 2 / 4 1 20 sue 19 Is
Taste | Create | Discover
ED’S NOTE
“Even though she was a grown woman, she believed in elves and santa claus and flying reindeer and sacks with an endless capacity for toys. Furthermore, she believed that believing in these things was the chief reason that she had more fun in life than others.” And there we have it, the year is over! Or if you’re reading this in January then the next year is only just beginning. This last issue is our bumper December and January Issue. It’s been a wonderful year, and we decided to include our Top 5 lists of the year. We’ve been blessed this year and it was so hard to come up with a top 5! If you made our list then thank you for making my year so special. What has been your favourite part of the year? And also what is your goal for the new year? Thank you for being a part of the Flat White world. Here’s to a new year and a wonderful new journey into the culinary, creative and beautiful world. Please feel free to contact me if you’d like to contribute articles or whether you’d like to advertise in an upcoming magazine. We’d love to get to know you and to shamelessly promote your company! Yours in Coffee, Christine christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com www.flatwhiteconcepts.com www.theflatwhiteblog.wordpress.com
@FW_Concepts www.facebook.com/FlatWhiteConcepts www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
Contents
TASTE
Top 5 Coffee Shops Top 5 Restaurants Top 5 Foodies Recipe: Coffee Cookies Recipe: Trout Rainbow Salad
CREATE
Vineyard Oval Market Top 5 Creatives #flatwhitemeetup
DISCOVER
One Life to Live the Crystal Life Top 5 Discoveries Studio 2 Pilates The Entertainer Journey Through Dance Earthathon Book Review:
COMPETITIONS Win Win Win!
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
TASTE
My top 5 coffee shops I have been to a lot of coffee shops this year. It’s really just my favourite thing to do. I wish this was a top 10 list, or top 20. Cape Town is just bursting with new coffee shops every day. These are the top five that made an impression on me... mischu - 85A Regent Road, Sea Point I love this place and I can’t say it enough. They have so much passion for what they do and it shows in everything they do. Also, they quite possibly do one of the best cappuccinos I have ever tasted. We were luckily enough to hold our very first bloggers event here and they went out of their way to make sure everything ran smoothly. Oh and they do amazing cake. Amazing! Bootlegger - 39 - 41 Regent Road, Sea Point Another great coffee shop in Sea Point and very popular amongst all the Capetonians. It’s very busy so if you go in a big group, make sure to book. They do great coffee, and their beans taste incredible in home plungers. Great food, awesome coffee and a very sociable and creative vibe. At night it opens up into a bar so it really offers the best of both worlds. Common Ground Cafe - 23 Milner Road, Rondebosch I always take overseas visitors to the Common Ground Cafe because their coffee is great, the food is excellent and very affordable and they offer one of the most amazing views of Table Mountain. Directly in front of the Common it’s a great place to go for lunch and then walk around the 2.5km common to walk off all the cake you’ve just consumed. Great place to show off Cape Town. Deluxe Coffeeworks - 25 Church Street, CBD I love the coffee at Deluxe. Every time I go I have to walk away with a few bags of beans for homes. Often coffee tastes amazing at coffee shops but the beans don’t taste good at home. Deluxe tastes great, and it’s one of the most affordable bags of beans to buy. The coffee shop is very creative and offers itself as a great source of inspiration when you’re getting your caffeine fix. Truth Coffee - 36 Buitenkant Street, CBD Set up in Steampunk style, this coffee shop is something you will never forget. It’s very mechanical, creative and interesting. Not only that but they also do an amazing cup of coffee. I’ve never had a bad cup and, trust me, I have visited a lot this year, and in the summer time they offer the most amazing iced coffee. A very popular place and for very good reason.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
TASTE Our NEW Coffee Academy Officially Open! We offer the following exciting courses: • Team building • Beginners Workshop • Start your own coffee shop • One on One training
Kindly contact us for more information: www.mischu.co.za | info@mischu.co.za | Issue 19 85awww.flatwhiteconcepts.com Regent Road, Sea Point
TASTE
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
TASTE
My top 5 restaurants I went to a lot of amazing restaurants this year so it was hard to whittle it down to just five. The ones I chose were the ones that offered more than just food, but also an experience. Thanks to these five for making 2014 a delicious one... Cafe Blanc de Noir - Brenaissance Wine & Stud Estate, Stellenbosch This is my top spot to go for pizza and wine (plus they do a pizza and wine pairing which I highly recommend). It’s a beautiful venue and the perfect place to sit and enjoy a very long lazy afternoon with friends. Nobody knows how to do pizza quite like these guys. To make things better they also do incredible coffees and desserts. What more can you want? Salushi - 25 Protea Road, Claremont I’m so lucky that my favourite sushi restaurant is in walking distance to where I live. I love this place. Great vibe, lovely staff and incredible sushi. I hear they do a lot of other great things but everytime I go I can’t help but get the sushi. My favourite (of which I talk about constantly) is the Princes Prawn Kisses. Prawn and rice wrapped in avocado and topped with sweet chilli sauce. I Love My Laundry - 59 Buitengracht Street, Heritage Square Yes, they do laundry. But they also do food, and wine and sell lots of creative goodies. We were lucky enough to attend one of their Fondue Thursdays which involved a three type fondue evening of oil, cheese and chocolate. Our host, Clayton, was wonderful and made the whole experience a lot of fun. If you’re looking for an evening that you won’t forget, I highly recommend this. Kyoto Garden Sushi - 11 Kloof Nek Road, Tamboerskloof What a beautiful place. Serene and calming, you’ll walk away feeling so much more relaxed. The food is quite possibly some of the best Japanese cuisine I have ever tasted. We had no idea what to order so the owner indulged us in a lot of different tastings. My taste buds had never experienced something like this before. The food is quite simply, exquisite. Sevruga - Shop 4, Quay 5, V & A Waterfront I’m a huge fan of the Caviar group and battled when deciding whether to put Sevruga or Beluga in my top five. In the end I chose Sevruga only because I love the setting of the Waterfront, especially on a beautiful summers evening. They do the most amazing and affordable sushi platters. These are the guys that are responsible in showing me the light when it comes to how good sashimi should be.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
My top 5 foodies
TASTE
It’s been so much fun getting to know all the foodies that dot the Twitter and Facebook world. They keep me drooling with their photos and their comments and I absolutely love them. They introduce me to new foods, remind me of old ones. I love them because they think about food as much as I do. Here are just a few that I have had the pleasure of ‘meeting’. Candice Bresler @AGorgeousLifeSA Twitter bio: Food, travel and lifestyle writer | Proud Capetonian | Newbie runner | Aspiring domestic goddess | Works in PR, happily.
Anina Meyer @AninasRecipes Twitter bio: Creator of recipes. Developer of my destiny. Everyday cook turned pro blogger. Owner of Aninas Kitchen.
Tahlia Hamilton @2muchloveliness Twitter bio: For all the little things that add up to damn near perfect. for the love of great food, amazing cocktails, and happy moments. It’s lovely to meet you xxx
Carey Erasmus @Bitsofcarey Twitter bio: Food Consultant | Recipe Developer | Food Stylist | Social Media | Food Blog | Butter & Bacon Lover | Oddball
Meg Pascoe @MegPascoe Twitter bio: Curious. Food befok. Owns @CounterLove. Maker of the best brownies on earth. Curves in all the right places. Music is my boyfriend. Flippy Cup champ.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
The most exclusive coffee in the world Full range of 100% Wild Organic Kopi Luwak.
Coffee Travel Kit
ONLY R2,960, including delivery
• 1 x Aeropress • 1 x Tin with Aeropress filters (350) • 1 x Porlex stainless steel hand grinder with ceramic burrs • 2 x Enamel Kopi Luwak SA mugs • 1 x 22g Wild Kopi Luwak beans (Storage tin with leather strap which can be replaced with any beans) • Certificate of authenticity from Mandialing Estate Sumatra • Grinding and brewing guide • Story of Wild Kopi Luwak
All neatly packed in a hand crafted leather bag designed and manufactured exclusively for Kopi Luwak SA by Colony Design info@kopiluwaksouthafrica.co.za • www.kopiluwaksouthafrica.co.za www.facebook.com/KopiLuwakSouthAfrica
TASTE
COFFEE COOKIES Method:
Makes 30 double cookies.
Ingredients:
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and mix until crumbly texture.
• 2 cups flour • ¼ teaspoon baking soda • A pinch of salt • 125 gr softened butter • 1 cup sugar • 50 ml instant coffee, dissolved in 20 ml boiling water • ½ cup golden syrup • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence • 2 cups icing sugar • 80 gr softened butter • 1 teaspoon of instant coffee dissolved in 2 teaspoons boiling water
In another mixing bowl mix together the sugar, coffee, syrup and vanilla essence. Add this to the flour mixture and combine until you have a manageable dough. Press with cookie press into prepared baking tray, and bake for 8 – 10 min on 180 degrees Celsius. To make the frosting, combine the icing sugar with butter and dissolved coffee, mix until fluffy. Let cookies cool down before you ice. By Anina’s Recipes www.aninas-recipes.com
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
TASTE
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
TASTE
WIN A CASE OF TWO OCEANS PINOT GRIGIO! SEE OUR COMPETITIONS PAGE FOR MORE
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
TASTE
Trout Rainbow Salad and Asian Dressing
The newly released 2014 Two Oceans Pinot Grigio • Handful salted peanuts is a delightful, crisp wine, perfect for enjoying as • 1 Tbsp each of chopped fresh mint and basil (or the days get warmer. This light, aromatic and very coriander) food-friendly wine is ideal for sipping on a warm summer’s day before joining friends for a meal of For the Dressing grilled fish, roast chicken, Mediterranean dishes or charcuterie platters and fresh bread. • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger • Juice 2 limes Try this grilled trout with rainbow salad and Asian • 2 Tbsp honey dressing recipe, created by well-known foodie Sa• 1-2 Tbsp soy sauce rah Graham. • 2 tsp sesame oil • 1-2 tsp fish sauce (mix together and adjust according to taste, can RECIPE easily be doubled) Serves 2 Preparation time 10 minutes WHAT TO DO Cooking time 30 minutes
WHAT YOU’LL NEED • 2 x 150 g trout fillets • 1 Tbsp honey • 1 Tbsp soy sauce • 1 Tbsp lime juice • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
For the Salad • 2 cup shredded red cabbage • 1/2 cup shredded fennel • 1 cup grated carrot • 2 apples or pears, grated • Handful fresh sprouts
1. Prepare the salad ingredients in a food processor and add to a large mixing bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently, making sure the salad ingredients are well coated. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.
WHAT TO DO 1. Preheat the oven to 220C. Place the fish fillets in an ovenproof dish and drizzle over the honey, soy sauce and lime juice. Scatter over the grated ginger and grill for about 8 minutes for medium/cooked through or until the flesh flakes easily with a fork. 2. While the fish cooks, prepare the salad and then serve immediately.
Enjoy with a glass of Two Oceans Pinot Grigio www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
CREATE It’s the place to be every Wednesday Night On October 1 the Vineyard Oval in Oakdale Road, Claremont saw its first ever Wednesday night market. The organiser, Antonio is a passionate businessman that seeks to make this one of the most popular suburban week markets Cape Town has ever seen. His connection to South African cricket enabled him to secure this amazing venue, even during cricket season, on Wednesday evenings. The Vineyard Oval Wednesday Nite market is a food and craft market attracting all ages down to the market for a sundowner or Wednesday Night Dinner. As soon as the gates opened the market has become the spot for families to come down and enjoy a beautiful evening under the Claremont mountains while being relaxed knowing their kids can play safely within the gated grounds and on children’s play area which includes a jumping castle. If guests would like to bring their furry-children, this is also welcome but leashes are a must.
food trucks like Lotus Food Truck; celebrity food stalls like Cass Abrahams Malay as well as Pete Goff’s Kitchen Cowboys. Each week the variety of craft and tap beers has increased as well as the beautiful wines and bubblies on sale. There is ample seating place but for families who want to be closer to their children a picnic blanket is a must. As the season heads into summer you will be able to leave your jumpers at home but the market encourages their guests to bring along a jumper, your sunglasses and a picnic blanket. In this way you stay comfortable and stay longer into the evening. Safe parking is located along the streets of Claremont but it is advised to remember to park only in legal parking spaces as Claremont’s traffic cops definitely do their job well. Keep up to date with all that is happening by following the Vineyard Oval Wedneday Nite Market online on facebook.com/VineyardOvalMarket as well as Twitter and Instagram @VineyardOvalMkt
The ambiance is just spot on, each week the market either has Live Music or a DJ keeps the foot Photos by fb.com/AdrianShieldsPhoto tapping music going throughout the evening. The Article by fb.com/Ragandbonebrand market boasts over 50 vendors including superb
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 17
CREATE
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
CREATE
My top 5 creatives What I love about doing this magazine is all the cool people I get to meet. This year I have come across the most amazing and talented creatives. There are so many people I wanted to include but these are the top five that have inspired me the most this year... Meghan Maconochie I have totally fallen in love with Meghan’s artwork. She creates the most beautiful images from pencil shavings! I cannot even begin to imagine how hard this must be, especially the intricate ones. I follower her images on Instagram on a daily basis. You can find her account at MEGHANMACONOCHIE. Teacher by day, artist by night. I really hope that soon this changes to just ‘Artist’. @MeghsMaconochie Schwarzie™ A sister made brand, created by Astrid and Karen Schwarz. I love these guys because they make happy creations! They create jewellery, stationery and decor and it’s so easy to spot one of their designs. Everything they do shouts HAPPY, and they love to sprinkle confetti over all their work. Not only that, but they’re lovely people to hang around with! Celebrate with Schwarzie™! @SchwarzieTM Cupcake Mummy I’ve been following Cupcake Mummy all year (following, not stalking!). I was smitten after reading her Twitter profile: ‘Tattooed sailormum to a boy Fysh, bipolar vegan aspie with candyfloss pink hair, cupcake obsessed hedgehog owner, book reading tea lover, blogger, puddle jumping camera slave’. Yeah, she’s cool. And she does the most amazing drawings! @cupcakemummy Chicken and Wolf I fell in love with these guys instantly based firstly on their name, then their logo and then their humour. Chicken and Wolf are involved in research, branding and dialogue and the perfect place to go if you want to develop your brand. I had the pleasure of meeting all three team members this year, and thankfully found that they love coffee as much as me! Great company. @Chicken_Wolf Nifty250 This company has grown from strength to strength this year and they totally deserve it. Nifty250 prints and delivers your Instagram pictures. They basically bring your photos to life. They have a great social media presence and take such great interest in all their clients. They are responsible for a few Christmas gifts this year from me actually. These guys are super cool. @Nifty250_ www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
CREATE
Fudge for all occasions: Gifting Weddings Corporate Events
www.fudgery.co.za Call 082 429 5291 or email angeline@fudgery.co.za Follow us on Facebook: Angelfoods.Fudgery www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
CREATE
#flatwhitemeetup
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
CREATE Since starting my own business I have attended quite a few networking meetings and each time I have come back inspired. Then one day, sitting at dinner with a glass (or two) of wine, I came up with the crazy idea of starting up my own. Something that I could possibly hold once or twice a year and always with a similar theme: ‘Do what you love’. After all, that’s why I delved into the scary world of entrepreneurship, to finally do what I want to do in life. Work takes up a huge portion of your life, so being happy during those hours is vital. And so, on the 8th November, at one of my favourite coffee shops in Cape Town, I had my first #flatwhitemeetup.
also admired the way they approach their business through social media. I love the look and feel of their products and how accessible they are to the public. They also offer a very personal approach to their brand which is something I believe strongly in. And so, I asked Paul to please come talk to our guests and thank goodness he said yes. Paul is one of those natural speakers who talks with ease and makes everyone feel comfortable. He took us through the NoMu story and answered any questions we might have. I asked him what the bestselling product is at the moment, and the answer I wasn’t surprised to hear was the Skinny Hot Chocolate, a staple in my cupboard.
I decided to hold at mischu, a lovely little coffee shop in Sea Point, because firstly they make quite possibly the best coffees and secondly because I have always loved the passion that they have for what they do. It was important to me that I have my meetup here. Mikhael, the lovely co-founder of mischu, luckily agreed. We sent out the invites via Twitter and Facebook and soon enough all 25 seats were taken.
After the talk we all got stuck into some delicious cake provided by mischu as well as some vegan cupcakes by Cupcake Richard. After all, what’s a party without cake? I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who was able to join us on the day and a very big thank you to both mischu and NoMu for making it all possible. Also a massive shout out to all our amazing sponsors who helped create awesome goodie bags for everyone to take home as well as some fantastic prizes for the day. I really appreciate all the effort that you went through for making sure the day was a success.
It’s always so strange and exciting to meet the people behind the Twitter handles and Facebook profiles. Especially people that have supported me throughout my Flat White Concepts adventure. We all laughed at how well we ‘knew’ each other despite not having met at all. Networking is hugely important. It doesn’t have to mean that you go home with twenty business Another thing that was important to me was that cards and potential clients. To me, networking goes the speaker I invited was someone that I admired. beyond that. It means putting a face to a name, It was only natural for me to ask Paul Raphaely showing a personality, and walking away feeling infrom NoMu to talk because I have been a massive spired and motivated to keep doing what you love. fan of this brand for a very long time. Of course I have been using their spices and drinking their Here’s to the next one! hot chocolate for years, but other than that I have
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
CREATE
I would like to thank the following sponsors:
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
One Night to Live the Crystal Life Do you have a bucket list? A things to do before you die list? If you do then you have to put this on it, and try get it ticked off as soon as possible. Staying at Crystal Towers was an amazing experience and just the most wonderful place to enjoy Cape Town in all its splendor. This also makes a great present to give to someone, or of course a present to yourself which I would personally recommend. Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa, part of the African Pride Hotels group, has an amazing offer on at the moment. It is called One Night To Live The Crystal Life and includes one nights accommodation at the hotel, a romantic turndown, a three course meal at the Towers Restaurant for dinner and a buffet breakfast. We were absolutely blown away by this hotel. The staff were so attentive and friendly and made you feel incredibly special and pampered. I fell in love with our room, which offered the most gorgeous views of Cape Town and a bed so comfortable I thought I might never be able to leave it.
DISCOVER I highly recommend trying the Towers Restaurant. We had the most incredible three course meal, and despite barely being able to walk from fullness we didn’t want it to end. For our starter I enjoyed the Goats Cheese, which included smoked eggplant, balsamic reduction, tomato chutney, apricot and walnuts. It was delicious and beautifully presented. Warren chose the Pork Belly which came with balsamic lentils, celeriac, apple and mustard jam and horseradish jus. As a main I chose the Venison which came with sweet potato, mange tout, asparagus, beetroot, baby carrots and venison jus. I could easily have this every night. My meat was so tender. Warren went for the Salmon main which came with asparagus, pea puree, yuzu and grapefruit chutney, edamame beans and orange gastrique. It was excellent and once again so wonderfully presented. It looked like art on a plate. We were so full that we decided to share dessert. We chose the Chocolate Mud Pie which came with granadilla, orange Swiss roll, chocolate fondant and vanilla ice cream. That fondant was to die for and I could easily eat this for a dessert every night. Along with a glass of champagne we toasted and dined liked kings and queens. After a beautiful nights sleep we went for our buffet breakfast. The selection is very big, so much so that I wished I was staying another night so that I could wake up again and try the things I was just too full to eat. There is definitely something for all tastes on offer at the table. A big thank you to Executive Chef, Terrence Ford, for designing this amazing menu. The hotel has a beautiful spa area, where you can enjoy some complimentary facilities such as the steam room, sauna and outdoor pool. They also offer some great treatments including a Floatation Therapy, a Middle Eastern Mud Ritual in the Rasul Chamber and various massages and body treatments to suit your needs. I walked away from Crystal Towers feeling like a different person and that was only from one night. I would love to go back and spend even more time. It’s a gorgeous hotel. They get it just right. By Christine Bernard Photos by Warren Bernard - www.flatwhiteimages.com www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
My top 5 discoveries No matter how many places I visit it seems there are more than pop up all the time. Cape Town is literally bursting with places to visit. Weekends away, days out, experiences. It has them all. I feel blessed to be living here. Here are some of my top 5 picks... De Hoop Nature Reserve Ahh.. when you need to just get away from it all. De Hoop Nature Reserve will make you finally feel what it’s like to relax. With wide open spaces and incredible views all around you will want to stay forever. I loved it here. We stayed in a big self-catering cottage, but there are options of smaller rooms or tents. www.dehoopcollection.co.za The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa The most beautiful 5 star hotel overlooking the Twelve Apostles mountain range and set by the beach. It is one of the most amazing and indulgent evenings I have ever had. The staff are so attentive, the food incredible and quite frankly you will never want to leave their rooms! Definitely should be on your things to do before you die list. www.12apostleshotel.com Dunstone Winery Estate I love this place because when you get there you feel as if are miles away from the city. It feels so far removed from city life and yet it’s only about a 40 minute drive. Gorgeous place. We were lucky enough to enjoy a three course meal and sample some (okay a lot) of their amazing wine. www.dunstone.co.za Spier I’m not quite sure how any Valentine’s day is going to top the one I had this year. We enjoyed the most amazing picnic, with a huge selection of foods and a bottle of champagne, while watching ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ on the outside screen when the sun went down. Spier is by far one of the most romantic places I have been to. www.spier.co.za Crystal Towers A great way to end the year. We spent the night at Crystal Towers as part of their One Night To Live The Crystal Life promotion. This included a one nights stay, a three course meal and a buffet breakfast. It was absolutely incredible and I was so blown away by this hotel and their attention to detail. They made us feel so special and we walked away so relaxed and refreshed. www.africanpridehotels.com www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
Benefits of Pilates 1. Improves muscle tone and definition 2. Addresses postural problems 3. Improves both strength and flexibility 4. Complements other forms of exercise 5. Improves balance, coordination and circulation 6. Relieves pain and tension
Benefits of Yoga I’m a runner. So my natural body alignment and flexibility has gone a bit out of whack over the years. I was lucky enough to meet the lovely Dianne who told me about her studio, Studio 2 Pilates. She offers pilates, yoga and barre classes on a daily basis in her gorgeous studio in Claremont. Catering for women of all ages and fitness levels she encouraged me to come give it a try, despite my protests of inflexibility. So this morning I found myself taking part in one of the Pilates classes and although I was a bit nervous Dianne put me at ease. I absolutely loved the class and my body felt better than it had in a long time. It made me realise just how little attention I really give to all the individual parts of my body and how important it is to focus on aligning your body correctly. I’d like to keep going to see how my body changes in response to the classes. The classes are kept small and Dianne is able to give you the attention you need to make sure you are doing everything correctly. If you’d like to find out more please visit her website on www.pilatescape. co.za. Come for a class, you’ll probably find me on the mat!
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Lowers stress Improves quality of sleep Improves balance and stability Improves muscle tone and strength Improves your posture Improves energy levels Increases flexibility
What is Barre? No matter what your preferred type of exercise, it is very important to have a balanced training program that includes work on muscular fitness, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, core strength and balance. Fortunately, Pilates & Yoga incorporate most of these aspects very thoroughly. However, there is one area that Pilates & Yoga do not focus on quite as much as the others – cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. Studio 2 Barre is designed to address this gap by combining the principles of Pilates with intense cardio training. It still promises a detailed workout, focusing on alignment and correct form while getting the heart rate up and leaving you with a healthy glow throughout the class.
By Christine Bernard www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
Come on, who doesn’t like a good deal? Especially when there are just so many places to go to. That’s the great thing about The Entertainer, it encourages you to see and experience all the amazing places in your city. So what is The Entertainer? It all started in 2001 and is the leading provider of buy one get one free incentives across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. In South Africa it has been around for three years and has seen incredible growth each year. Personally it has become a part of my life and something that I use literally on a weekly basis. I’m perhaps a bit ‘Entertainer’ obsessed but what foodie wouldn’t be? It is available in book form and app form and divided into the following sections: Fine Dining Gold | Fine Dining Silver | Up Market Bars | Family & Casual Restaurants | Cafes & Nightspots | Sports, Pleasure & Leisure | Spas | Beauty Hair & Nails | Healthy & Fitness. The app is fantastic because you have your phone with you most of the time and so every time you go somewhere you can search to see what places are offering specials in that specific area. I have been introduced to some amazing places that I might never had known about had it not been for The Entertainer. The best part is that each place gives you three buy one get one free specials to use, so if you really like a place you can go again and get the same deal. Or you can bring your friends along. Places allow for a maximum of four vouches to be used at one time. Trust me, your friends and family will love you. It extends far greater than restaurants though and I even used it with a group of friends to get a buy one get one free deal off a quad biking experience. We saved so much by making use of this special. Next year they are even introducing some buy one get one free deals on accommodations which I will definitely be making use of. If you are someone that enjoys making the most of their city than this is definitely for you. I had the pleasure of meeting some of the people behind this awesome company in Cape Town and their passion and excitement for the brand is obvious. I absolutely love standing behind brands that have such a love for what they do. Go and visit www.theentertainerme.com for more details and join me on this incredible entertaining journey.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
Journey Through Dance I look around at the other faces in the circle - expressions of wonder, anticipation; excitement and uncertainty meet my gaze as I greet everyone with the deep eye contact that brings our energies together. We are six woman all meeting to enjoy another intriguing evening, exploring our own unique journey into dance.
alise the deep change the gift of the dance has given them. I see deeper more genuine smiles; a softer, gentler manner and a deeper vulnerability in everyone. There is a common joy and lightness around us all.
With Leigh as our trusted facilitator, we have gathered to journey into our own landscapes and discover the essence of our feminine power. As the music begins, I immediately feel the rhythm coaxing my body into a free and unfolding form that reveals deep secrets my inner wisdom wishes to share.
Having entered the class feeling uncomfortable in my body, stuck in my emotions and frustrated in my own reality, I leave with a lightness and joy. I have danced it all out and come away connected to my own deep spirit that can move and ride through any external challenge. I feel deep gratitude for the gift of dance and being able to explore and release the ‘stuckness’ through guided creative movement.
2 hours whiz by, as six brave woman dance their deep feminine energy out to the changing rhythms that Leigh has so eloquently put together for us. Each specifically chosen song brings out a unique feminine essence that I was not aware I held. I let go to the music and let my body unfold. As I pay attention and listen, it tells me a story that reveals my own powerful feminine spirit and potential. With the help of guided meditation, I am able to delve deep into my own psyche and spirit in a safe, fun, invigorating and playful manner.
**This is my Journey through Dance story. Leigh holds a beautiful space for people to come together to dance as their heart desires. Through her guidance, each class allows you to explore your own spirit and connection to the theme of the night. She provides a beautiful space in which you feel safe and free to explore and let go, moving in any way the body needs to express itself. For a deeply healing, invigorating and unique way of connecting to your inner voice and spirit I would definitely recommend Journey through Dance. Be prepared for the joy to unfold.
As the class comes to a close and the six beautiful By Tracey Joubert woman meet again to share their experiences, I www.journeythroughdance.co.za take time to see each one. In that moment, I re-
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
Brookside Admin Brackenfell Expert Bookkeepers and Tax Practitioners 021 - 828 2119 www.brookside.co.za Debby@Brookside.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
Photo by @justme_Soo
Run anywhere. One team, one planet. I came across Earthathon through twitter, where I was constantly seeing tweets saying things like ‘I just added 5 miles to #earthathon’, etc. I was intriqued and clicked on the link, which in turn took me to this amazing website. Earthathon is a 25,000 mile relay run. All you have to do is tweet your run in miles or kilometers to #earthathon and it gets logged. The aim is simply to motivate more people to run and to create a running community around the world. I emailed Dave Spencer, the founder of Earthathon, to tell me more about this amazing project of his: It has been my goal since discovering the joy of running about 4 years ago, to share, motivate and encourage others to run also. I had started a twitter account earlier this year, @GoRunHappy, and I would tweet about running from time to time and sometimes just re-tweet other people’s running accomplishments.
The idea of #earthathon just sort of happened. One night while running, I was thinking about what motivates me to run. I had been running everyday on a “runstreak” for many days in a row, but in truth, I was actually needing a little motivation myself. So I asked myself, “Why am I running?” And I didn’t have a good answer. Of course I thought of things like, for better health, fitness, to de-stress, etc. But those things aren’t what motivates me. So I realized that what motivates me is having something big that I am working towards, some sort of goal. Usually that would be a marathon or half marathon. But I didn’t have anything on the horizon. No races coming up. Nothing really big to train for. I could not afford to participate in the races I had signed up for in previous years. I knew that if I had a marathon or half marathon booked, even if it was a year away, it would motivate me to get out and run, building up my mileage in anticipation
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER of that event. I would simply answer the “Why am I a tweet using the hashtag #earthathon. I tried to running?” question with “Because I have a big race explain what my idea was in a few tweets aimed at coming up.” trying to get some other people to join me in the relay. The next night I ran leg 2 of the relay. And I preSo I knew I needed something big to motivate me. pared myself to run the entire relay alone. Now it is And every day I had been running so many miles, day #54 of the relay, and if I was running it alone I but for what? What was I running for? What was would have ran only about 200-miles so far against I training for? So I thought about taking my “run- that 25,000-mile goal, but thanks to some awestreak” miles and adding them all up to see how far some runners that had the courage to go out on a I had ran. Then I thought about setting a goal dis- limb with me during that first week, we have now tance and trying to reach that goal. Sounded kind grown to approximately 145 runners and have ran of fun. So I thought about setting a big goal. Liv- over 7,250-miles so far. I couldn’t be more pleased ing on the west coast of the United States I thought by the success of this relay. The people that are on about running across the country, like Forrest Gump the team are amazing and we continue to have supposedly did. But then I thought even bigger... new runners joining daily. I consider many of these “wouldn’t it be cool to be able to say that I had ‘ran runners to be my friends already, and in a relatively around the world’ “. short period of time we have established our own #earthathon running community on Twitter. After that run, I looked up the earth’s circumference, and it was approximately 24,900+/- miles The future of #earthathon is still unknown. I hope and after some quick math I quickly discovered that it continues, but it does take a lot of work to keep I would be running for years and years to reach this up with. I have a great big spreadsheet that I use goal. I almost dropped it right there... but it would to keep a tally of all of the running, walking, hikbe such a major running accomplishment! ing, etc. You can read my ideas about the future of #earthathon on the website at earthathonrelay. So I thought about it again on my next run and de- com/news. cided it would be so cool to run around the world in a virtual relay race with other runners from around By Dave Spencer the world, so the night of September 17, 2014 I ran @earthathon the first leg of what would become the 25,000mile EARTHATHON RELAY and on twitter I sent out Photos taken from www.earthathonrelay.com
Photo by @shanks324
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
Photo by @ericaspellman
DISCOVER
A MAN CALLED OVE - FREDRIK BACKMAN Carpe Librum: Seize the Book! Dear Bibliophiles
lated from Swedish, but has not lost its humour or charm in the process. Well done, you, Henning Koch (the guy who did the translating)!
There comes a time in every reader’s life, even if it’s only once, when they come across a character that they wish was real. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it is just magic. I wish Ove was real. I wish he lived on my street and inspected my rubbish bins. Trust me, you want to get to know Ove. And to do so, you must read A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. The book is trans-
Ove is grumpy. He’s anti-social. He’s rude. He’s a pain in the ass. He is absolutely delightful! Ove believes in right and wrong. He believes in his love for his wife. He believes in the principal of the matter. He believes in Saab. He believes that most people are complete imbeciles. He believes in telling them so. Part of what makes Ove such a compelling character is his unwavering integrity
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER and honesty, and his refusal to apologise in any way for who he is. He may not be nice, but he is a thoroughly good human. These characteristics seem to me to be so rare, that they make me feel nostalgic in a weird way. I love Ove because he is perfectly imperfect. He is a genius creation by Backman who introduced Ove to the world in his blog (which is in Swedish, of course). Apparently, over 1000 of Backman’s readers voted for him to write a novel about Ove. Here it is. And it is a triumph! I can certainly understand why people were dying to know more about Ove, and would have voted for the book, too, had I been following Backman’s blog and able to read Swedish. Maybe I did in a parallel universe?
is this project he is preparing?”, you ask. Pfft. I’ll never tell. Unfortunately (or at least he thinks so), he keeps being interrupted by his idiot neighbours who keep ruining his plans and delaying him. With each interruption, Ove gets drawn further and further into the haphazard, disorganised, warm and caring world of his neighbours. Even though they’re idiots.
The book is tender without being mushy; it’s funny without being irreverent; it’s sad without self-pity. After I’d finished it, I felt this little glow of joy in my solar plexus. Reading A Man called Ove is not just entertainment; it is a life experience. Buy it for everyone you know (including yourself) for reading Ove has lost his job. The idiots at his company have over the festive season! decided that at his age, he should “slow down”. Ove thinks they’re stupid. Nevertheless, he finds P.S. Another gift recommendation is The Miniaturhimself, on a Tuesday morning, no longer having ist by Jessie Burton. something to get up for. So, Ove is preparing a new project, and he is preparing for it in his charac- By Lisa Wiebesiek teristic careful, methodical, thorough way. “What
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
Time to win some competitions! All competitions must be entered by 15 January 2015
1
Win a ‘One Night To Live the Crystal Life’ experience at Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa. Price is for two and includes a three course meal, accommodation for one night, a romantic turndown and breakfast. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Crystal Towers www.africanpridehotels.com
2
Win two Hug in a Mug’s To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Mug www.flatwhiteconcepts.com
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
3
Win a 1 month membership to The Sports Science Insitute of SA This fantastic prize includes a comprehensive fitness assessment and personalised training programme. Prize value R1492. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: SSISA jknight@ssisa.com | www.ssisa.com
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
4
Win a Copy of Jamie’s Comfort Food: The Ultimate Weekend Cookbook Jamie’s cookbook for 2014 is all about those wonderful comforting dishes closest to your heart. It’s about food that makes you feel safe, secure, excited and happy. Dishes are inspired by everything from childhood memories to the seasons, taking into account all those guilty pleasures and lots of good mood food. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Penguin Books
5
Win a CASE OF TWO OCEANS PINOT GRIGIO To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Two Oceans Pinot Grigio Visit the website on www.twooceanswines.com/za/ or follow the Twitter and Facebook page on @TwoOceansWine or www.facebook.com/twooceanswines
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
6
Win a 1 x Value Red & White Mixed Case from Wine Web – This includes 6 bottles, 3 red and 3 white and includes delivery. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Wine www.wineweb.co.za
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
7
Win a J.C. Le Roux La Vallée gift pack
DISCOVER
To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: J.C. Le Roux J.C. Le Roux La Vallée dazzles in limited edition festive season gift pack Toast the festive season with the elegant demi-sec Méthode Cap Classique, J.C. Le Roux La Vallée, now available in a stylish golden gift pack. With a beautiful design that echoes the signature soft tones of this palate pleasing Cap Classique, the alluring J.C. Le Roux La Vallée gift pack will definitely set the tone for dazzling celebrations. The creamy, buttery character of J.C. Le Roux La Vallée, which is made in the time-honoured French tradition of secondary bottle fermentation whereby the delicate bubbles are created and captured in the bottle, pair superbly with sweet holiday indulgences. Enjoy with cream cheese cupcakes or homemade caramel marshmallows for a divine festive table treat, but remember to ensure that your La Vallée is well-chilled before serving. The J.C. Le Roux La Vallée festive season gift pack is available nationwide at leading retailers at about R80. Visit www.jcleroux.co.za, www.facebook.com/HouseofJCLeRoux or @HouseofJCLeroux on Instagram. Be part of the conversation on Twitter @JCLeRoux
8
Win a sushi making course valued at R700 from Salushi A sushi making class for 2 (value R700). Class includes basic sushi making skills (california rolls, maki and fashion sandwiches). Get to enjoy the fruits of what you’ve crafted together with complimentary portion salmon roses and 2 carafes Doolhof Sauvignon Blanc. Duration 60 minutes. Valid weekdays between 11am and 12h00. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Salushi www.salushi.co.za
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
DISCOVER
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
THE END
Do you want to advertise with us? Email Christine on christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com Go on.. all the cool kids are doing it.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19