February 2015 Issue 20
ED’S NOTE
“And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien It’s the month of love. So this month I wanted to share with you the two new members of Flat White Concepts and our biggest cheerleaders. Introducing Arthur P. Bernard and his sidekick Bean.
Yep, I’m in love. It’s amazing how much happier animals can make you. Our front cover is part of our {Life of Bean} series, and it is, of course, the Coffee Bean. We’re excited to bring you the first issue of 2015. It’s already been a great year! We were lucky enough to stay at the gorgeous Vindoux Tree House Farm and even luckier to be able to offer you a chance to stay their yourself. Great memories were made here. We have also rebranded and relaunched our website. I see great things for us as we taste, create and discover! I’d love to hear about any exciting things that are happening in your love. Pop me an email! 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
@FW_Concepts www.facebook.com/FlatWhiteConcepts www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
Contents
TASTE
Recipe: Giant Israeli couscous salad with peas, smoked bacon and parmesan Restaurants/Cafes I loved this January Recipe: Bacon and Halloumi Salad Make your Valentine’s Day declaration sparkle with J.C. Le Roux La Fleurette Cupcake Richard Cake Shop
CREATE
Adeleé Bezuidenhout Ekaya Hello Prety
DISCOVER
Vindoux Tree House Guest Lodge The Entertainer My Quad Biking experience A Tourist in my own city A Munich Adventure Book Review: The Woman Who Stole My Life
COMPETITIONS www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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Giant Israeli couscous salad with peas, smoked bacon and parmesan Salad:
Cook the couscous as per the packet instructions. Rinse and drain thoroughly before spreading out onto a wooden board or tray to dry off for about 10 minutes. Blanch the peas in boiling, salted wa1 cup Israeli couscous ter for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of 2 cups petit pois peas ice water to stop the cooking process and to retain 125g smoked back bacon, cut into lardons the vibrant, green colour. Drain once more and set 30g parmesan shavings 4 soft boiled eggs, optional a handful of fresh mint aside. and flat leaf parsley, chopped baby rocket and Heat a drop of olive oil in a pan and fry the bacon beetroot leaves (micro herbs). lardons until the edges start to colour and brown. Cook longer for crispy bacon. Drain on paper towelling. Boil the eggs to your liking, peel and cut into halves. For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together to form an emulsion. 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice To assemble the salad, place the couscous, peas, a pinch of castor sugar bacon, parmesan and herbs in a bowl. Pour over 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard a generous pinch of salt the dressing and toss through lightly. Decant onto and pepper to taste a serving platter and top with the soft boiled eggs.
Dressing:
Finish with a few extra shavings of parmesan. This type of salad is best served at room temperature.
Meet Di.. Hello there, I’m Di, an ex-fashion designer, turned food enthusiast and avid cook. At 36 I hung up my fashionable hat, tied on my kitchen apron and started on a new culinary journey. Welcome to my kitchen, a creative gathering place where meals are shared with family and friends, celebrating life and nurturing our connectivity. Food, to me, is relational and pivotal to the way in which I express love, care and hospitality. Currently I spend most of my time developing recipes and teaching group cooking classes. My food philosophy is relatively uncomplicated with inspiration being drawn from diverse global food trends and seasonal produce. www.bibbyskitchenat36.com www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
TASTE
Restaurants/Cafes I loved this January.. Tribe Cafe 112 112 Buitengracht Street 072 736 6142 www.tribecoffee.co.za/cafes/
The Food Barn Deli Noordhoek Farm Village, Noordhoek Main Road, Noordhoek 021 - 789 1966 www.thefoodbarn.co.za
The Fat Cactus 5 Park Road, Gardens 021 – 422 5022 www.fatcactus.co.za
Blowfish Restaurant 1 Marine Drive, Tableview 021 – 56 5464 www.blowfishrestaurant.co.za
Latitude 33 165 Bree Street, Cape Town 021 – 424 9857 www.lat33.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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Restaurants/Cafes I loved this January.. Cafe Nood The Quadrant Square, Wildnerness Road, Claremont 021 – 671 4475 www.cafenood.co.za
Osumo Upper Level, Canal Walk Mall, Century Boulevard, Century City 021 – 552 3299 www.osumo.co.za
Seasons Restaurant Diemersfontein Wine & Country Estate, Wellington 021 – 864 5050 www.diemersfontein.co.za
Peaches & Cream 135 Main Road, Paarl 021 – 863 0940 www.peachesandcreampaarl.co.za
The Goatshed Fairview Cheese and Wine Farm, Suid Agter Paarl Road 021 – 863 3609 www.goatshed.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
TASTE
BACON AND HALLOUMI SALAD This salad is officially my New Favourite Thing. Yes, it’s January, so that means resolutions and commitments and fresh starts – no surprises here – as mine also includes ‘being healthier’. It seems it is such a constant for me, it should hardly count as a resolution – more like a ‘constant goal’.
perfectly. Totally down with this idea of ‘diet food’ so far.
This is not a recipe – more a suggested collection of ingredients. I’ve recently discovered (and promptly became obsessed with) halloumi. Not going to lie – it’s a weird cheese. It squeaks on your teeth if you (Although, let’s be honest here – is anyone really eat it ‘raw’ – but once sliced and fried in salted butter, it becomes magical. Added to a salad of mixed as healthy as they’d like to be?) leaves, herbs and spinach, along with crispy bacon After trying vegan for a few weeks, the plan is pieces, tomatoes – and hell, let’s add some feta too now to commit to banting and the Real Meal Rev- – it really is a winner of a salad. It’s particularly deolution. Yes, I’m confused, and yes – I don’t know licious with a Caesar dressing, but will happily be good friends with whatever dressing you choose. what to eat. So, I’m trying it all to see what works for me. Banting looks a little too good to be true – By Candice Bresler the recipes look delicious – and this salad adheres www.agorgeouslife.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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 www.flatwhiteconcepts.com || Issue 19 20 85awww.flatwhiteconcepts.com Regent Road, SeaIssuePoint
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WIN! See our competitions page for more details
Make your Valentine’s Day declaration sparkle with J.C. Le Roux La Fleurette Don’t be at a loss for words to declare your love this Valentine’s Day – make your lady love’s heart melt with one of four limited edition J.C. Le Roux La Fleurette gift packs, each bearing a heartfelt message of affection.
Muscat. Add an extra romantic twist and pair La Fleurette with decadent strawberries dipped in chocolate for the ultimate seduction, or simply serve on its own in beautiful flutes.
Make your Valentine’s heart sparkle and toast your This beautifully designed gift packaging, available in a love with J.C. Le Roux La Fleurette. The special, limcharcoal or pearl finish, is perfect for spoiling her with ited gift pack is available nationwide at about R57. uplifting bubbly and four different ways of expressing your feelings and proclaiming your love. Stay up to date with all the latest news from The House of J.C. Le Roux: The lively, salmon pink La Fleurette entices all the senses with its delightful melange of sweet, fruity fla- Website: www.jcleroux.co.za, vours with hints of strawberry, plum and tropical fruit. Facebook: HouseofJCLeRoux This exuberant bubbly perfectly balances freshness Instagram: @HouseofJCLeroux and sweetness with its playful palate of strawberry Twitter: @JCLeRoux. and sensual plum flavours followed by the richness of www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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Meet Wida, from the Cupcake Richard Cake Shop I have heard so much about the Cupcake Richard Cake Shop, I even asked them to deliver some of their cakes to my bloggers event last year. They were such a huge hit that by the time I went to get one for myself they were all gone. So I called Wida Foster, the lady behind it all, and asked if we could meet for coffee....
What is your best selling cake?
Describe Cupcake Richard Cake Shop
We bake by order and require a minimum of twelve cupcakes or one layer cake per order. With an order of twelve cupcakes, we can bake a maximum of two flavours. Orders can be placed by email or telephonically. Our cakes are also available at The Book Lounge in Cape Town, on certain Saturdays and at different markets throughout the year. We frequently send updates of where the cakes will be available through social our media channels.
Cupcake Richard Cake Shop is an online cake shop where we strive to bake gluten free and vegan cake that’s also delicious for all cake lovers. We currently bake by order and also stock certain stores and markets. How did it all come about? As someone who has had to go through the tedious process of an elimination diet, to identify an allergy, I realised that there weren’t many options for cake lovers. I also believe that it might be easier to stick to an allergen free or vegan diet if the food selection is still fun, exciting and delicious, even if certain ingredients are restricted. In my ideal world, nobody should be denied cake! I see you’re environmentally friendly This is our only home. We want to be kind to it and play an active part in preserving it and the creatures we share it with. It’s important to us to be responsible about the things we create. Our cake packaging is 100% recyclable. We also try to encourage our customers to keep the cake boxes and repurpose them, and we specifically use sturdy packaging for this reason. All spoons that accompany our cake are locally manufactured by a small family owned business. They are made from recyclable plastic and we also encourage this recycling by offering a dozen free little cakes for every one hundred spoons collected and returned to us. Once we receive the spoons back, we recycle them ourselves.
Oh no, tough question! At the moment, Lemon or Coconut are light and refreshing options for summer, but Chocolate is always good. Where can people buy your cakes?
Tell me about your Tiger Postcards One of the things I am proudest of, so far, is our Tiger Postcard Project. This project was inspired by the World Wildlife Fund's "Cards for Tigers" initiative. We love being able to give back and have been blown away by the response. Five of South Africa's amazingly talented artists were willing to each supply us with work to create a set of postcards. The only request was that the work should include our favourite large, stripy cats. The following artists were kind enough to participate: Kirsten Beets, Maria Lebedeva, Wonder Meyer, Elsabe Milandri and Andrew Sutherland. All proceeds go towards tiger conservation and we are very excited about being able to help in some small way. What does 2015 have in store for you? I am very excited to be developing more recipes and the prospect of doing baking kits soon. We are also looking for a suitable space for a physical shop in Cape Town which is very exciting. Wida Foster info@cupcakerichard.com Website: www.cupcakerichard.com
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE
Meet AdeleĂŠ Bezuidenhout
strategy. Yes, Facebook changed it's algorithm but we found that it still works. You just need to work harder to create content that's actually engaging. Having a real following of people who are interWonder Women Media ested in your business is key - quality over quanWe provide SMEs with an effective social media tity always. The same applies to your content. presence that is unique and tailor-made to their business. We aim to be the social media agen- 2015 Expectations cy that takes South African SMEs to the leading edge. After getting to know your business we de- 2015 looks to be a year of rapid growth for most sign a social media strategy that is tailor-made SMEs especially in the digital space. Businesses to your business. We create conversations with who don't adopt a strategy that works for them your online following, influences and prospects in 2015 will struggle. Social media will be, more to build meaningful, long-term relationship. Final- so than ever, focused on creating engagement ly, we continue to analyze and build your online with your community. With all the channels like presence as effectively as possible. As your online Facebook and Instagram honing in on "spammy" content, creating content that is engaging and community grows, so does your business. building a "cult-like" community will be the only way to succeed. Above all else, consistency is key. The Beginning Consistently create good content and consistently While I was studying Marketing and Psychology foster your community. at the University of Stellenbosch I fell in love with social media. Social media to me is the sweet-spot Favourite Coffee Shops between the two fields. It is about understanding the motivations and needs of your customers and Too many actually. We are a virtual team because engaging with them in the correct manner. I took we believe in the power of working where you my final year at University and started practicing want to. Working out of different spaces allows my social media skills. I've always been a bit of a your creative juices to flow easier. As such I have risk taker so after graduation I decided to jump my fav spots all around Cape Town depending on into the business. 3 years later we've helped over where I find myself. These are Mischu (Seapoint), Chelsea Cafe & Bean (Somerset West), Knead Bak200 small businesses. ery (Kloof Street) and Basic Bistro (Stellenbosch). 2014 Lessons AdelĂŠ Bezuidenhout In 2014 visual content quickly overtook the news Founder & Social Media Superhero feeds. With tools like Canva making image crea- www.wonderwomen.media tion accessible and easy for small businesses, visuals are now the center of most SME's content
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE
We chat to the awesome team behind Ekaya, the new renting alternative in Cape Town. Tell me more about Ekaya
of finding places, property owners are enjoying more security for their investments and our inI often joke that starting Ekaya was an easier al- vestors are incredibly supportive of our vision. ternative to trying to find a great place to rent but that's not that far from the truth. We've all What can others do if they'd like to get involved? rented at some time or another and it's a ghastly business on both sides of the coin (for tenants We're enormously grateful to everyone who uses and property owners). We set out to bring a little Ekaya and tells their friends about it. Whether innovation to this space and along the way we've your looking for a place or looking for a tenant, discovered just how massive an opportunity we come and give us a go! have on our hands. If there are fellow coffee lovers out there who're interested in a new adventure with a hot, young How long has the company been running? company - we're always looking for new talent to Ruark, Rudolf and I have been working together bring into the fold. for 2 years but Ekaya as we know it today just What are your hopes for 2015? celebrated it's first birthday! What has the response been like so far?
We want to entrench ourselves as a major player in South Africa this year. 2014 was a building year The response has been phenomenal from all for us and we want to capitalize on all that hard quarters. Tenants love our awesome new way work to take Ekaya to the next level. www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE One word to describe each team member? Ruark - Master-sherpa Rudolf - Weapons-grade Justin - Vision-wrangler How much coffee do you all drink? Some might say - too much (if there was such a thing). The day has simply not begun until the first cup. One day, when we have big fancy offices, I hope to name (& theme) various rooms after all the coffee places that have helped us conceive this company. Deluxe, Superette, Rosetta, Origin, etc. Your favourite coffee shop in Cape Town? Rosetta in Woodstock Exchange has to take the cake. Not only is their coffee insanely good but the passion behind the brand comes through in every cup. www.ekaya.com
ABOUT
from www.ekaya.com Founded in 2013 and based in Cape Town, South Africa, Ekaya is a young and ambitious technology startup out to make the world of renting better by building products that create trust and delight in the property rental space. Founded by Justin R. Melville (CEO), Ruark Ferreira (COO) and Rudolf Vavruch (CTO), the trio are highly experienced and accomplished designers, builders and growers of Internet things. Ekaya graduated from the Summer 2014 88mph Accelerator Program (powered by Google, Samsung and Microsoft) and has attracted more than R2M in investment from leading tech entrepreneurs and angel investors. Launched in July 2014, Ekaya's flagship product (Ekaya. com) makes it simple and secure for Property Owners to find great tenants and easy for tenants to find great properties with quality landlords on their phone, tablet or desktop. We've been named one of the top technology startups in Africa and continue to blaze a trail in the nascent Silicon Cape startup community.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE
We meet the lovely team behind Hello Pretty In a few sentences, describe Hello Pretty
available in South Africa, and being made by South Africans. The creativity of our designers is Hello Pretty is South Africa's largest designer mar- world-class, and the quality of what's available to ketplace. We're a platform for designers to be able us from them is as good as, and better than, what to sell their creations online at very little cost. We people are buying from overseas. work hard to market our designers, and they all Besides Hello Pretty being our own passion, benefit from one another's marketing too. we're very proud of how much revenue we've put straight into South African small businesses. How did Hello Pretty start and why? It was first started and built by Sam and Scott. There were a lot of reasons to do this, though one of the thoughts at the front of our needs analysis was that South Africans have a real problem ordering anything from overseas. Between customs and the post office, you'll either never receive your parcel, or you'll have to pay more in customs than the thing cost you in the first place.
Team-wise there are four of us. Three founders, Scott, Sam and Adeline, and there's Lee who was our intern and we couldn't bare to part with and is now a vital part of the team. Tell me about the name and logo? (which I love by the way)
Thank you! We are very sentimental about our Most people weren't aware that the things that logo. It was designed by a branding expert (in our they were trying to order from overseas were humble opinion!) called Warrick Guest who at the www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE time ran his own digital agency. Sam came up with Everything is explained on our Sell page - http:// the name. She put together a list of options, and hellopretty.co.za/sell - and the application form is there too. that was the winner. I see you have a man version, tell me more about Hello Man (and thank you for making my shopJewellery, by quite a long stretch. In second place, ping for men easier) leather goods. Buying online is still fairly new to most South Africans and with those items they Hee hee :-) Pleased to help! We had feedback that don't have to be concerned about if something fits, even though there were heaps of super things for instance, and it's easier to get a good sense of for men, they didn't identify with the brand and the quality of what you're buying. weren't that comfortable shopping on the site. What would you say sells the most?
What must interested sellers do?
Hello Man is essentially a curated and skinned version of Hello Pretty. Everyone's shops are managed They should apply! We are friendly folks and love from the Hello Pretty side, and designers can tick a hearing from designers :) We manually go through checkbox to flag a product as male-interest and it'll each and every seller application personally to automatically show on Hello Man. make sure that the things are a good fit for the site, And of course, as you say, gift shopping for guys is and not straight-up imports. more often than not a nightmarishly difficult task. Their photographs are also important. We have to So a lot of girlfriends and wives are using the site keep the tone of the site up. If someone's product for that purpose and avoiding a good amount of is good but their photos aren't quite right, we give stress by doing so! guidance on how to take better photos.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE Coffee anyone? Yes. Yes yes yes! Scott in particular is something of a coffee snob and makes a point of researching what coffee shops are best wherever he goes, be it Paris or Pofadder. He drinks espresso solely and is quite scientific about it. About a year and a half ago he began making his own cold brew which he hopes to sell when he's made enough time for production. He uses a Rok espresso maker (http://www. yuppiechef.com/rok.htm?id=10741&name=RokHand-Powered-Espresso-Maker R1 999 on YuppieChef) and Baratza grinder. And a number of tools that are a bit of the mystery to everyone else!
We've broken our favourites down by four of the major cities. They are: • Cape Town: Loading Bay, Bootleggers, Shift Coffee, Field office, Truth HQ, Raw espresso bar, Rosetta, Hard pressed cafe • Joburg: Bean There, Father Coffee, Warm and Glad, The Whippet • Durban: Savior Coffee Company, Corner Cafe
• Bloemfontein: Marmelade - cool gift shop too, with lots of things they sell also available on Hello As a result of all of this he's turned into the girls' Pretty personal coffee slave, and makes us lattes and eswww.hellopretty.co.za pressos. When we're out together and working from a cof- Photos by The Dollie House fee shop (which we do often), you'll find Adeline https://dolliehouse.wordpress.com/about/ with a flat white, Lee with a cappuccino, Sam with a latte and Scott deep in thought with an espresso.
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
CREATE
some cool things you can buy.... yeah, these are coffee related (of course)... visit www.hellopretty.co.za
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
DISCOVER
The day we discovered Heaven... Vindoux Tree House Guest Farm & Spa www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19
I was very excited to finally visit the beautiful Vindoux Tree House Guest Farm & Spa in Tulbagh. Only 90 minutes from Cape Town it makes for the perfect getaway because once you arrive you feel so far removed from the busy city life. I won’t lie, when I left I felt an overwhelming desire to cry. I kept wondering, I need to find a way to LIVE here. That’s how a holiday should be, you should walk away from it feeling sad - then you know it was good! And oh boy, was it good. Vindoux (meaning sweet wine) is a family run guest farm and is home to the only luxury tree houses in the Western Cape. You can choose between the luxury romantic tree houses, the honeymoon suite, the luxury self-catering tree lodge or their fully equipped self-catering cottages. We stayed in the gorgeous luxury self-catering tree lodge, which has three bedrooms (two of which are ensuite), an open plan kitchen and living room and an enclosed private garden with braai area and pool. The dining room has roll up floor to ceiling blinds which once open offer the most incredible views of the Saronsberg Mountains. We would start each day with a cup of coffee while we stared at the mountain range and the open vineyards. It was by far the best way to start off each day, and one that I will never forget. The lodge was rustic, luxurious and welcoming. We spent lazy afternoons in the pool and long evenings by the braai area. The area itself offers a lot in terms of activities. Wine by Bike Vindoux also offers a half day and full day bike hire where you can cycle to the nearby wine farms. I wasn’t too sure if this was the best idea ever or the worse one, but I knew for sure that we had to try it! Not only had I not been on a bike in over five years but now I was going to do it after drinking some wine! Needless to say we only managed two wine farms. What a fun experience. We first stopped off at Saronsberg and enjoyed a delicious wine tasting experience. We probably spent a bit too long tasting the wines here but it was just so much fun and the wine was excellent. After that we pedaled to the next wine farm and ended up at Twee Jonge Gezellen where we sampled some delicious champagne. The ride back was mostly downhill and with the wind pushing us I think we freewheeled the rest of the way home, giddy as can be. I highly recommend doing this!
Waterfall Hike On the first day we decided to take a hike up to the waterfall. We popped into town to get our permits (only R10 each) and drove to the start of the hike. It was a quick drive and a quick hike, so it’s perfect for all abilities. You can stay at the bottom and wade in the rock pools or venture further up and see the waterfall up close. We arrived on a 39 degree day so I chose to lie in the rock pools with a cold drink and a happy heart. And if hiking is your thing there are other hiking trails around the area, so be sure to speak to reception for all the options. Horse Riding While the boys got the fire ready (secret code for ‘drink beer’) the girls decided to go horseriding. I hadn’t been on a horse in over ten years so as you can imagine, I was a bit nervous. When we arrived at Horse About Trails all my doubts disappeared. Our guide, John, and his son were incredible with the horses and it was obvious that they have huge love and respect for these amazing creatures. They showed us exactly what to do and instilled in us a feeling of safety. We took the novice ride and went for an hour and a half trail through vineyards, fynbos, forests and wheat fields. The view of the Witzenberg Mountains is incredible and by the end of the ride I was eager to sign up for more. A big thank you to our amazing guides and to my gorgeous horse, Tata Ma Chance! I never knew it would be so easy to fall in love with a horse. Visit www.horseabout.co.za to find out more. Spa Vindoux has a beautiful Day Spa on site with a lot of treatments to choose from. Warren and I chose the Back, Neck and Scalp message, and our friends chose the Couples Massage. Hello there relaxation! Overall, our stay at Vindoux was unforgettable. I’ve walked away with a bucket load of memories, more wine for my wine rack, beautiful photos and a sense of calmness. I am already booking to go back this year. Make sure you do to! By Christine Bernard Photos by Warren Bernard (www.flatwhiteimages.com) www.vindoux.com
DISCOVER
DISCOVER 3G
9:30 AM
Entertainer Cape Town Mobile Product 2015
M RE CAPE TOWN
30-09-1052 - CT
Over 1,150 Buy One Get One Free offers for dining and leisure in Cape Town and hotel stays across Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Buy your Mobile Product or Book at theentertainerafrica.com
DINE MORE
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Middle East | Africa | Asia | Europe
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 19 20
DISCOVER The Entertainer Cape Town 2015 Launches with New Merchants and More Value
Over 900 Buy One Get One Free offers can save you ZAR 800,000 in 2015
Cape Town, 5th January 2015: The Entertainer is proud to announce the launch of the Entertainer Cape Town 2015, with over 900 Buy One Get One Free offers for the best restaurants, nightspots, leisure, attractions and salons in Cape Town. Offering customers up to ZAR 800,000 in savings, the Entertainer Cape Town 2015 is the biggest and best yet.
with Entertainer customers – offering convenient access to offers, a simple redemption process, location-based search and even a savings tracker.
The Entertainer Cape Town 2015 includes up to ZAR 800,000 worth of savings and customers who buy before December 31, 2014 will receive a special discount through the website, saving them even more! When purchased online, the EnterFeaturing hundreds of Buy One Get One Free of- tainer Cape Town 2015 book currently costs ZAR fers for fine dining, casual dining, cafés, night- 395 and the Entertainer Cape Town 2015 mobile spots, leisure activities, spas and fitness, the En- product costs just ZAR 345. tertainer Cape Town 2015 gives customers a host of options. Exciting new merchants include Moyo, “We have had such a positive response to the App Pinnacle Point Golf Course, La Boheme, Basilico, from our customers and we want more people to Mondiall, The Cape Wheel, Rhebokskloof Res- enjoy the convenience of searching for and retaurant, Cheyne’s, Dunes Restaurant and Big Easy deeming offers on their phones, so this year we’ve Restaurant & Wine Bar. Hundreds of popular mer- given the BEST price on our App,” said Donna Benchants are back for 2015 including De Grendel, ton, founder and CEO of the Entertainer. “With Barristers, Sotano, City Grill, Salero, Jonkershuis, over 300 merchants the Entertainer Cape Town Ratanga Junction, Ginkgo Spa, Blues, Tasca, Aq- 2015 is our best yet, offering customers amazing uila Private Game Reserve, The Lookout Deck and savings and unbeatable value for money.” many more. The Entertainer’s full range of 51 printed and moEvery Entertainer Cape Town 2015 includes a com- bile products provide buy one get one free offers plimentary copy of the Entertainer Travel 2015, to the best restaurants, activities, attractions, spas which features over 250 ‘Buy One Room Night and hotels across 40 destinations throughout AfGet One Free’ offers at leading 4 and 5 star hotels rica, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Indian and resorts across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Ocean. Three products are available in South AfAsia and the Indian Ocean. Participating partners rica – the Entertainer Cape Town, Entertainer Joinclude well-established hotel brands such as Fair- hannesburg & Pretoria and Entertainer Durban. mont, InterContinental, Marriott, Radisson, Out- You can buy the Entertainer 2015 products online rigger and many more. at www.theentertainerafrica.com or through the Entertainer App, available for iOS, Android, BlackCustomers can choose between a printed book berry 10 and Windows phones. or the Entertainer App, which was launched last year. With over 350,000 downloads to date, the For more information contact Mike Rich Entertainer App has proved extremely popular 021 - 680 5307 | miker@theentertainerafrica.com www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
DISCOVER
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
DISCOVER I’m very excited to tell you all about my quad biking self. I’m a bit hard on myself, I admit, but I wanted experience, because it was a bit of an emotional to prove that I could do it. one for me. Let me take you back a few months first so you understand where I’m coming from. We arrived on a sweltering hot Friday morning and met with our guide Steve Wheeler. Immediately So a few months ago I went away with a group of I felt at ease. Steve was incredibly sweet and affriends and we all decided to try our hand at quad ter telling him how nervous I was he assured me biking. They had all done it before and assured me I would be in good hands. It was also only going it was easy and that I’d love it. I was scared. I’m to be him, myself and Warren so I didn’t have to not exactly great at extreme escapade type things. worry about holding anyone back. He explained Heck, I’m not even that good at driving a normal how the bikes worked and let me give it a try. So car, so I was obviously a little unsure about doing far so good. Then off we went. It was pretty scary in this. But I’m always up for a challenge and I do love the beginning and yes of course I drove into a bush adventure so I decided to give it a go. When we right as we started. But instead of yelling at me arrived the guy gave us a quick (and I emphasise and telling me I couldn’t do it, he assured me that the word quick!) demonstration on what to do and I just needed to stay calm, keep in control of the then made us all get on and try go for a ride around bike and keep trying. He said not everyone gets the the corner. When it was my turn I got on and im- feel of it at the start but that I would eventually get mediately drove straight into the bush. Ah, typi- the hang of it. He told me to follow his trail exactly cal. I waved nervously at my friends, took a deep as he knew the path inside and out and knew how breath and decided to try again. But before I could to handle it. So I followed him and soon I found do so the guy said to me, ‘no, you cannot do this myself going through the beautiful vineyards with so you’ll have to ride with me’. Well that was great. ease. The view was incredible and once I underI thought he was going to help me and show me stood how to handle the bike I felt as if I could relax where I went wrong. But no. So all my friends got and enjoy myself. The entire experience ended up their own bikes and I had to share with the instruc- being a great one. Firstly because the journey itself tor, who was not exactly the friendliest guy. Nor is worth it for the view and secondly because I had was I too impressed with having to get so up close done something I had set my mind to. I felt exhilaand personal with him. I held on for dear life and rated. went for the drive. I honestly could not have done it without the guidI walked away from that experience so disappoint- ance of Steve and if I ever had to go quad biking ed, and also incredibly embarrassed. Why could again I would make sure it was with him! He told everyone do it except me? What the heck (replace me that they also do a two hour ride which includes heck with relevant swear words) was wrong with a picnic half way. Yeah, that sounds like something I me? could get used to. I wonder how good I’d ride after a glass of wine? And so I decided to try again. I’m not an idiot, I could surely do it? Also if you’re into horse riding then this is the place to go. They have lots of horse riding options, some This time I decided not to go to the same place, of of which include wine tasting and sundowners. I’d which I will be kind enough not to name. Instead love to give this a go. I caught a glimpse of some of I booked for myself and Warren to go on an hour the horses at the estate and they are magnificent. long quad biking experience at the Rhebokskloof Wine Estate in Paarl which we booked through Visit www.horsetrails-sa.co.za Wine Valley Horse Trails. I was pretty nervous, if I WIN A QUAD BIKE EXPERIENCE FOR TWO. failed again I knew I would be disappointed in my- SEE THE COMPETITIONS PAGE FOR DETAILS www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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A tourist in my own city...
I cannot believe it has taken me so long to do the City Sightseeing Hop on and Hop Off bus tour. I see the red buses all the time and always say to myself that one day I must give it a try. I guess you always see it as something the tourists do so you don’t put it as a priority. Well, you should. Being a tourist in your own city makes you realise just how much you take for granted on a daily basis and just how beautiful our city really is.
Town? You probably don’t know as much as you think you do. Trust me. I found the information so interesting.
From the Two Oceans Aquarium the stops along the way were the Clock Tower, the ICC, Long Street, Jewel Africa, Table Mountain Cableway, Camps Bay, President Hotel, Sea Point, Winchester Mansions Hotel, Green Point and then back to the Aquarium. They stopped at Table Mountain There are various tour options. Today we chose for awhile for those wanting to quickly use the the Red City Tour. We started off at The Waterfront bathroom or get some refreshments. where the first bus leaves from the Two Oceans Aquarium. We climbed to the top and found a This was the best way to start my day and cerseat near the back, settling in for what became tainly the best way to see Cape Town. I’m already an incredible morning. The sun was shining, our eagerly planning my next tours. cameras were out and we made our way through the city. The route is designed so that you can get By Christine Bernard off at any of the stops, spend some time in the Photos by Warren Bernard area, and then hop back onto the next bus at your own leisure. Or you can just stay on and see all the The Tours: sights without getting off. If you do this the tour is around an hour and a half. You’re given a timeta- Red City Tour to Table Mountain - 12 Bus Stops ble so that you can easily plan your journey. They also provide you with headphones and there is Blue Mini Peninsula Tour - 14 Bus Stops commentary along the way. Think you know Cape www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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Purple Wine Tour (free with the Blue Tour) - 3 Bus Stops. Here you can stop off at Groot Constantia, Eagle’s Nest and Beau Constantia to do some wine tasting or have some lunch.
Night Tour Experience the famous Atlantic Ocean sunsets from Signal Hill. Order a Snack Pack or Picnic Hamper to go with.
Guided Imizamo Yethu Township Walking Tour Operates daily, duration 40 minutes, after completion you will be accompanied back to the next Blue Tour Bus.
Bus and Chopper Catch a bus and then hop into a helicopter which will take you 2000ft above sea level for a bird’s eye view of the Mother City.
Guided City Walking Tour 11am - Historic City Tour 3pm - Bo-Kaap Walk 4.15pm - Sunset on Lion’s Head Walk
www.citysightseeing.co.za
Township Tour Langa and Gugulethu Stop at Mzoli’s Meat Restaurant for a drink or lunch. Vintage Sidecar Experience Enjoy unique views of Cape Town from a vintage sidecar driven by a professional tour guide/driver. Canal Cruise From/to V&A Waterfront. www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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Brookside Admin Brackenfell Expert Bookkeepers and Tax Practitioners 021 - 828 2119 www.brookside.co.za Debby@Brookside.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
A Munich Adventure
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Before our great adventure I knew very little about Munich. I knew about the beer, the beer halls and that castle to do with the swan. My dad has traveled and seen a very large chunk of the world. He is my travel super star. Whenever I’m going somewhere he will pull up a google map and point out his favourite museum, food stand, restaurant, gallery etc. from memory going back thirty years… or more! But don’t tell him I told you it could be more than thirty! With our joint love of traveling we have started an informal kind of competition. We have this giant book with 101 places in the world to see before you die. When we bought this book about eight years ago my dad was the clear winner. I have slowly been catching up. One of those 101 places is the Neuschwanstein Castle just outside of Munich. I have been dreaming of visiting this castle for about eight years now. This was the reason I was visiting Munich. George was visiting for the beer. Munich blew us away – it is so much more than great beer and a swan castle. The city is so cool! It is friendly and busy and one of the happiest German cities I have had the pleasure of visiting! Munich is kind, strangers smile and the beer is really, really good and the food portions are huge and we were happy all the time!
amazing and I have a separate blog post just dedicated to the great food we ate in Munich! German food is seriously substantial and you always receive a giant portion. It’s a good idea to mix in snacks for lunch with a hearty German dinner, otherwise you will be permanently sleepy and full stomached! When we weren’t eating German food we were eating amazing ice creams and pizza! We ate ice cream whenever we could despite the fact that we were bundled up in coats and wrapped in scarves.
German Beer You can’t eat German food without German beer. If you’re looking for a European adventure I would I’m pretty sure there is a law somewhere that says recommend a direct flight to Munich via Lufthansa. that! If you’re a beer lightweight I would recomIf you’re Cape Townians like us you will be delighted to learn that you can reach Munich directly in just 11 hours – and bargain flights can be found! From Munich, Europe is your oyster – explore more of Germany or alternatively head over to Switzerland, France, Belgium or the Netherlands! Some of my top moments of Munich: Amazing German Food (of course I’m going to start with the food!) Munich for us was the most “German” of our German destinations! The food was traditional and
mend a Radler which is simply a mix of beer and sprite which is really delicious!
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DISCOVER There are six dominant breweries in Munich, namely Hofbräuhaus, Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, Augustinerbräu, Löwenbräu and Spaten. We tried to drink as many of these as we could, but due to limited time (and not being as drinking fit as I was in my early days as a student) we couldn’t try them all. Some highlights included: Paulaner Hefeweizen Dunkel - Delicious, with typical characteristics of a weissbeer all there and a rich, dark colour. Nose is light but typically “Weiss”.
gets lit up at night turning it into a little fairy tale. After a fabulous German dinner I would recommend a slow walk around Marienplatz with someone you love in one hand. Day trip to the Neuschwanstein Castle The Neuschwanstein Castle is mind blowing. If you’re in Munich and don’t squeeze in a day trip
Hacker-Pschorr edelhell vom holzfass (prime lager from a wooden barrel) – Very clean, as I suspect all Munich beers are. There is a slight Parmesan or mature cheddar scent on the nose followed by crisp, subtle flavours with something like liquer cherries to it. The experience of beer pouring out of a proper wooden barrel is just amazing if you’ve never tried it before! Augustiner Dunkel – This beer had a very creamy head. Taste-wise it was the lightest dunkel I tried, but still retains a more metallic tang than the helles beers of Munich. It’s colour was somewhere between an amber ale and a black IPA. It was almost whiskey brown, for lack of a better word. Augustiner weissbeer – A mild weiss, very well balanced. A very, very tasty beer with the characteristic fruit (bananas and pineapples) flavours on the nose following through on the palate and accompanied by slightly burnt butterscotch taste.
you’re making a serious mistake. Here’s the catch about The Neuschwanstein Castle that nobody told you. The Castle is way more beautiful inside than outside! I know right! Difficult to believe, but trust me – It’s amazing!
As you can see, I’ve not listed any of the Helles (Pale lagers) or Pils beers, both styles that the Germans are famous for. That’s because the quality of the light lagers that I had at any establishment and from any brewery was so good that it was honestly impossible for me to pick a favourite. I tried one from each of the six breweries with the exception of Spaten, and all of them were amazing.
Where we stayed
Walk through Marienplatz at night
To read the full article visit: www.toomuchloveliness.com
We stayed at Hotel Hauser which is a little, old fashioned three star hotel which was very central and really close to an underground stop. It was only a couple of minutes’ walk to the Brandhorst Museum and our favourite ice cream stop was just up the road!
Munich is a very romantic city, especially in the winter when everyone is cuddled close or lingering By Tahlia Hamilton and George Cooper in warm restaurants for an extra drink. Marienplatz www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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“What I am looking for is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written story that makes me laugh and even think about things a little differently. No one, and I mean no one, does this better than Marian Keyes.”
Just saying. What I am looking for is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written story that makes me laugh and even think about things a little differently. No Dear Bibliophiles one, and I mean no one, does this better than As you know, I read a lot. What you may not know Marian Keyes. is that I read a lot for my job. What I read as part of making my living is unfailingly serious, heavy, I love Marian Keyes. I really do. I think if we met even heart-breaking (don’t tell the other academ- we’d be great friends and hang out all the time eatics) stuff about gender-based violence and pov- ing bananas1, laughing raucously, and saying ‘feck’ erty and HIV&AIDS. And so, sometimes when I’m a lot. My loyal and mildly stalker-like admiration selecting what I’m going to read for pleasure, I’m for Ms Keyes began when my sister (so many good not looking for great literature. I’m also not look- book stories start with her) recommended Sushi ing for absolute nonsense with bad grammar and for Beginners which I’ve read countless times. It’s questionable messaging regarding what can and the book that I recommend people begin their cannot be considered ‘healthy’ relationships – I’m Marian Keyes journey with - like I do Persuasion thinking here of Mills & Boon, and don’t even get for those new to Jane Austen. The Woman Who me started on 50 Shades of Grey. Those books are Stole My Life (TWWSML) was published in South disturbing on so many levels. None of which, by Africa in November 2014. When I saw it, I said to the way, have anything to do with actual BDSM. myself, “Self”, I said, “That is exactly the kind of Carpe Librum: Seize the Book!
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DISCOVER delicious treat you need for your December/Janu- TWWSML is interesting – I learned a lot about the ary break after a rather trying year”. I had high ex- publishing world, the self-help publishing world in particular, about neurological disorders, and about pectations. I was not disappointed. lady chinos. The book is funny is Keyes’ signature Stella Sweeney, an accidental self-help writer, is way – candid and wry and self-deprecating. In the back in Dublin and not too happy about it. This was book, Keyes gently pokes fun at various charactermost certainly not the kind of triumphant return istics of modern society – how we’re all obsessed from New York that she’d been hoping for. In fact, with over-achieving but can never achieve enough, the only part of her life that she seems to have and our ideas of what perfect should look like. With been able to rebuild since she got back is a wall TWWSML, Keyes has once again shown how she of Jaffa Cakes which she is steadily eating her way transcended the now endangered genre of chick through. Stella’s writer’s block is the least of her lit to bring us smart stories about real women to worries. Her clothes no longer fit (on account of all whom we can relate. Make a cup of tea, get some the Jaffa Cakes), her ex-husband seems to be go- chocolate biscuits (our shocking lack of Jaffa Cakes ing through the world’s most bizarre mid-life crisis in South Africa should really be addressed at the (Why couldn’t he just buy an over-priced sports car highest levels as a matter of urgency), and enjoy. like everyone else?), her daughter appears to be content to just be content (the horror!), and her 1 A reference to an essay in her collection of writings Unson has developed a very unhealthy (in Stella’s der the Duvet – highly recommended. The one book of hers that I’m iffy about is The Brightest Star in The Sky. opinion) obsession with yoga (Shouldn’t he be out Didn’t love it. drinking with his mates?). By Lisa Wiebesiek
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Time to win some competitions! All competitions must be entered by 25 February 2015
1 Win THE ENTERTAINER 2015 APP The Entertainer’s full range of 51 printed and mobile products provide buy one get one free offers to the best restaurants, activities, attractions, spas and hotels across 40 destinations throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Indian Ocean. Three products are available in South Africa – the Entertainer Cape Town, Entertainer Johannesburg & Pretoria and Entertainer Durban. You can buy the Entertainer 2015 products online at www.theentertainerafrica.com or through the Entertainer App, available for iOS, Android, Blackberry 10 and Windows phones.
To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Entertainer www.theentertainerafrica.com
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Win two Hug in a Mug’s To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Mug www.flatwhiteconcepts.com
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Win THIS GORGEOUS OBiKWA picnic hamper Venture out on a Valentine’s Day Picnic with OBiKWA Pinotage Rosé. Surprise your Valentine with a perfect picnic backpack and blushing OBiKWA Pinotage Rosé. An easy drinking varietal wine, this refreshingly dry Rosé will ensure your day of love runs as effortlessly as your love. Whether you’re under the stars, enjoying a moonlit picnic or lazing on a sun-drenched beach, OBiKWA Pinotage Rosé will set the tone for your day of romance. Love and life are journeys worth celebrating, so go on stick your neck out and let OBiKWA make your Valentine’s Day with an adventurous giveaway. There is a picnic backpack complete with all the utensils you’ll need including a bottle of Pinotage Rosé up for grabs for 1 lucky OBiKWA fan. The OBiKWA range of quality, pocket friendly varietal wines wines with a different variety for every day of the week are available at leading outlets country-wide.
To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: OBiKWA For more information visit www.obikwa.com, join the OBiKWA tribe on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @ObikwaWines.
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Win a one hour quad biking experience for two Based on the beautiful Rhebokskloof Wine Estate in Paarl, South Africa, the quad bikes complement the horse trails, by allowing guests to enjoy the same views and nature experience, as the horse riders do. Like the horse trails, the quad bikes are led by an experienced guide. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Quad Biking www.horsetrails-sa.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 20
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TWO LUCKY READERS CAN WIN A J.C. Le Roux La Fleurette Valentine’s Day gift pack To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: J.C. Le Roux www.jcleroux.co.za
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WIN TWO FREE GROUP CLASSES WITH STUDIO 2 PILATES To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Studio2Pilates 1 Milldene Avenue, Claremont, Cape Town www.pilatescape.co.za
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WIN TWO NIGHTS AT VINDOUX TREE HOUSE GUEST FARM, for four people Prize is for four people for two nights in the Tree House. Excludes public holidays and subject to availablity. Includes a R100 spa voucher per person and a half day cycle hire. To enter please email: christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your details. Subject: Vindoux www.vindoux.com
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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
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THE END
Do you want to advertise with us? Email Christine on christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com Go on.. all the cool kids are doing it.
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