Meet the man behind the COFFEE monsters...
Stefan Kuhnigk
APRIL 2016 Issue 33
ED’S NOTE
Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race. H. G. Wells
The mornings are getting darker and colder. My jeans and jackets are slowly coming out of the closet. The shorts and dresses are getting a final wave goodbye. I’m always excited at this time of the year. I love the rain and the ease of which I can drink coffee all day. Of course, a few months in and I’m complaining and wishing summer would hurry up. But for now, I’m happy... and I’m making the most of it. Blankets, books and delicious hot foods and drinks. What’s your favourite part about winter? Grab a cup of coffee, snuggle up and enjoy our April issue! If you want to get involved in Flat White Magazine, through articles or advertising, please contact me. We’d love to welcome you to the Flat White family! With love, laughter and a lot of coffee. Christine www.flatwhiteconcepts.com
@FW_Concepts
Word of the Month
Gruntle Definition To put in good humour. Examples The hour-long wait at the restaurant irked us, but once we were seated, we were soon gruntled by an amiable waiter. www.merriam-webster.com
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Photo Credit: Donna Lewis
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BETTY BLUE BISTRO Before our little trip to Hermanus I sent out a tweet asking if anyone had any suggestions on where to go or what to do. I immediately got a reply saying that I MUST try Betty Blue Bistro. Now, my mom’s name is Liz but the whole family calls her Betty, so we had a good laugh at this. It was just after breakfast and we were heading out into town to do some sightseeing when I stumbled across Betty Blue Bistro. Of course, I just had to go in. I was immediately in a good mood - the cafe was light and friendly, a bright ray of sunshine on our day. Sadly we had already eaten, which was a pity because the meals that were coming past me looked delicious. They were also some of the most beautifully presented dishes I had ever seen. Instead, we ordered coffees - Americano for me, Flat White for hubby, Cappuccino for parents. Oh it was all just too wonderful. I’m wondreing if I could start a petition to get them to open up a branch near my house? I spoke to the owner who said that they use Euro Caffe Coffee beans and that they believe strongly in the power of the barista! I was only in Hermanus for two days and did not have the time to visit again. But I know that it will be the first place I visit upon my return! If you’re in the area - please visit them - and be prepared for a wash of happiness to come over you! 126 Main Road, Hermanus. www.bettybluebistrohermanus.com
My coffee
Betty at Betty’s
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First Base Pizza There’s a hot new pizza spot in Cape Town that you seriously need to make a plan to visit! First Base Pizza is the newest addition to the already popular chain of Col’Cacchio Pizzerias and we are very happy to report that the food is delicious, the prices are good and the service is friendly.
and comfortable seating throughout. The atmosphere is super relaxed making it the perfect spot to enjoy a meal with the whole family. We popped in for an early Saturday lunch date and we really enjoyed ourselves. From start to finish, the process was a total breeze. Friendly faces greeted us at the door, explained how the ordering system worked and then we were good to go. We loved that we had free reign over what was going in to our meal. With over 40 pizza and salad toppings to choose from, we got to pick and choose until we had created exactly what we wanted, exactly how we wanted it.
First Base opened up their first store late last year and is situated in the Paddocks Shopping Centre in Milnerton. First Base is the first of its kind in Cape Town and is designed around a “fast-casual” concept. This means that you get to enjoy freshly prepared, high quality food at a much faster pace. They have created a space that works for you by taking away the unnecessary frills and delays, and they have made it their The menu offers a craft your own pizza or salad option where you get to choose everything from mission to focus on the important stuff. the base you would like to your sauce, toppings, The restaurant boasts fresh and modern décor cheese and dressing preferences. There are with pops of bright orange, fresh green plants also a few signature pizza and salad options to
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TASTE choose from for those days when you’re not feeling all that creative. We opted to create our own and ordered 2 pizzas. The first one was a regular base with spicy tomato sauce, chourico, feta, olives and avo with a coriander dressing (R85) and the second was a regular base with spicy tomato sauce, beef meatballs, peppers, sweetcorn and peppadews with a coriander dressing (R85). Both were bang on the money. Light and crispy and full of flavour. First Base is all about creating your very own version of YUM and we can’t wait for more branches to open up. High five to a tasty, cheerful and chilled lunch. We left with full and happy bellies! By Robynne at Lopville Living www.lopvilleliving.com
Visit: Shop 23, The Paddocks Shopping Centre, Grand National Blvd & Race Course Road, Milnerton, Cape Town Open: Monday to Sunday 10am – 10pm Tel: 021 - 555 4448 www.firstbase.pizza
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TASTE FOUR INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE Lusciously creamy peanut butter mousse made with coconut cream, peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Could there possibly be an easier dessert? Just 4 ingredients, one bowl and a balloon whisk? These voluptuously whipped puds should take exactly 40 seconds to make, if you refrain from intermittently dipping your fingers into the bowl for a taste! Thankfully these mousse pots also lean towards indulgently healthy. It’s gluten, dairy, and refined sugar-free, without the popcorn of course, which is an optional extra! Useful to bear in mind is that healthy doesn’t necessarily mean calorie-free. Rather, the calories in this dessert include good-for-you nutritional value. This principle is somehow lost on my always-starving teenagers. Once food has been labelled ‘healthy’ all limits and restrictions are lifted and continuous grazing is the order of the day.
wonders combined with the peanut butter. So the next time you’re in a fix or looking for a last minute dinner party dessert, why not try this simple mousse? I’ve piled on caramel popcorn as I simply couldn’t resist the massive Christmas candy canisters lining the shelves at Woolies. These white centred puffs with a crunchy caramel exterior create the most sensational contrast to the creamy peanut butter mousses.
These peanut butter mousse desserts happened by default, as many unlikely kitchen success stories tend to. As a responsible adult I’m constantly reminding my girls that Readers are leaders. New note to self – pay closer attention to words of advice and instruction. Last week I opened a tin of coconut cream in place of lite coconut milk. An easy mistake to make with a store cupboard crammed full of coconut products. Clearly reading the label would’ve helped. As no respectable cook likes to waste, my next random thought was peanut butter. I know, a little odd right? In actual fact, no matter what the question, the answer should always be peanut butter!
Ingredients
Anyhow, this is how we ended up with the peanut butter mousse. Sweetened with honey or maple syrup and gently flavoured with vanilla, this is my most delicious mistake I’ve made in a while. I also added a pinch of salt which does
A quick note on the method. For best results, refrigerate the coconut cream for several hours. It definitely helps to thicken the consistency. As it’s quite rich, I recommend a dainty portion size. Bibby’s Kitchen @ Thirty Six www.bibbyskitchenat36.com Serves 4.
• 400g tin coconut cream • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter • 2 – 3 tablespoons honey (depending of how sweet you like it) • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract • Pinch of salt
Method Scoop the coconut cream off the top and discard any of the water that remains at the bottom of the tin. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined and creamy. Pour into serving glasses or small shot glasses. Refrigerate until firm. Serves as is or with roughly crumbed caramel popcorn or roasted nuts.
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4 splendid streets for coffee in CT What do you collect? Here at We Do Coffee we collect coffee shops, and every now and then we need to organise our ever-growing collection. The truth is that pretty much wherever you go in central Cape Town you won’t be far from a gem of a coffee shop, independent and quirky, with artisan coffee and lipsmacking snacks. In fact, you’d be surprised at some of the random places where coffee shops pop up. However, we have found some streets to be so crowded with great choices they have developed their own style. You could spend your entire day walking up and down these streets and still want to come back for more. Behold our top four. And if you have one to add, don’t you hold back now, tell us in the comments section below.
popular they look like a nightclub at breakfast time, new places keep on sprouting. The area is growing a reputation for serving good coffee and honest, healthy fare. The common ethos is to aim for homegrown, preservative free, herbs-in-pots kind of thing. Whole foods, farm-to-table, these are the phrases you will hear.
Get in on the action at the Gardens side of Bree Street. This section is cute, cottagey and colourful, very Notting Hill. You have Sexy Food just across Buitensingel Street, a paragon of vegan virtue. Move across to Little Saint’s freerange egg frittata or Olami’s Meditteranean mezze, Culture Club Cheese or Bacon on Bree – self-explanatory but you get more than the Very urgent note: The importance of diverging name. The Nunnery is more of a dinner situaas a life skill cannot be emphasised enough! tion so check it out for later. While you are exploring, keep your eyes open for things in the side streets. We’d be upset if you missed a treasure hidden there that was just up your…erm… alley.
Bree Street So hot right now. Bree Street. Full of life, yet accessible, it stands out with an anything goes mentality. All ages, colours, world views and genders rush here to commune at one or other little venue. Slap bang in the city’s financial centre, Bree is also da business for suits having a meeting or a break.
Pushing forward as all great explorers do, you pass Palma with its relaxed vibe, then Frank’s and Jason’s, both with people hanging off the fittings they are so packed. Latitude 33 also pumps and it has a cool boutique upstairs AND Although some places, such as Jason’s, are so it serves Origin coffee which in our opinion www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
TASTE is a massive draw. Further down you hit palmfringed Issi, which serves Mischu’s Isabella blend – humungous draw – opposite is classic Clark’s Bar and Dining Room and The Bird Cafe with its delish salads. As you mosey down, you’ll come across inventive places that aren’t technically coffee shops so cannot officially be placed in our collection. (But we can’t resist a quick digression because they are good targets for a lunch or evening onslaught: Bocca with its heavenly stretchy pizza dough,Tiger Burger Bar that smelled unbelievably of smoky, meaty yumness, Elixir for fresh-pressed juice, Charanga for a sophisticated eve of Peru-Asian fusion, La Parada for tapas and a night scene, Iyo Burgers – artisan and good). We passed Heritage Square and saw an interesting-looking sign saying Chef’s Warehouse with a canteen and deli. Then there’s a stretch of not very much and then you see Orinoco, another Peruvian stop. Finally, you end with a beauty: Hard-pressed Cafe, one of our ultimate faves and quite possibly the place to start.
To be sure, go in and browse… but keep moving; you still need to discover Yours Truly, Manna with its lovely breads and our other love, Liquorice and Lime, that cleverly chose to get its coffee from Baseline, right at the top of Kloof Street before it turns into Bellevue and heads up to Table Mountain.
Kloof Street
Buitenkant Street
We love you long time. Well established as a top trendy spot for people-watching and shopping, Kloof Street is chock-full of hipsters, housepeople, teenagers, tourists and students. You’ve got to walk this way. Park in the Lifestyle Centre and walk down and then up because street parking is a disaster. We heart Molten Toffee, an artisan coffee shop down towards the bottom of the street, moving up through a bevy of restaurants, sushi bars, pizza and pasta joints, boutiques and antique shops.
The Oscar goes to Buitenkant Street in the category of dive that got refurbished. Anchored at one end by the famous Castle, this road is laden with history. Truth and Haas are the smash hits that make it legit but it’s still rough enough around the edges to be thrilling for us middle-class folks wandering down from suburban safety.
On your way back, let yourself be a little bit distracted in the Lifestyle Centre: there’s the Wellness Centre and a nice wine shop and boutiques, notably Alexandra Hojer, but also Oh So Boho.
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Taking a liberty and going off-road via Barrack Street into Harrington, you’ll uncover Field Office, the Bank with Mischu’s coffee stand and Chop Chop for solids. Round the corner one way you’ll run into New York Bagel; the other, Lefty’s Dive Bar. Charly’s Bakery, yes the one with its own TV show, is seconds away, a block behind. Back on Buitenkant, stop half way where it crosses Roeland and stick your nose into the Book Lounge, housed in a lovely historic building. Come out and look left on Roeland Street – there’s the Blend, a New York-style coffee shop with some cool character. Keep going up, past the Kimberley Hotel, up, up and oops – another liberty – at the other end of Buitenkant, before it meanders into suburban territory, there’s a detour into Roodehek Street which gives you the the kind-of-but-not-so secret Mucky Mary’s and Deluxe Coffee.
Long street
Running the gamut of boho chic to downright skanky, this street is crucial for tourists but also needs a good going over a few times a year for locals. Start at the foreshore side with Brownies and Downies, a brilliant initiative that gives special needs adults a chance to shine while serving Truth coffee. Make your way up the road slowly, taking in the grunge, olden-day buildings, the tourist markets, tattoo shops, vintage clothes shops, bookshops and bars. Along the way you will find two diamonds shining on the side of the road, Langham House Coffees and Kamili Coffee. Both of them make truly memorable coffee.
On your travels you will pass some cool ideas for a night out, some maybe a bit too edgy depending on your age and station, and others maybe perfect. We also rate RCaffe and Lola’s, which both create atmospheric surroundings and tasty food. Now you’re at the top of Long Street. Well done on a hard day’s work. Go and have a coffee. By the Wedocoffee girls www.wedocoffee.co.za
The mother street! Long street has been a home for arty little places selling all kinds of things
See next page for an interview with the girls behind this blog!
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The girls behind the blog
Coffee and Tea
Coffee Girl: I’m a currently ‘retired’ psychologist blessed with three children who drive me crazy. A travel junkie (in my dreams), I wouldn’t live anywhere but Cape Town. I firmly believe that coffee and chocolate can solve almost anything. I’m guilty of occasionally shaming Tea Girl for loving tea but am working on it.
Coffee Girl: I drink at least two cups first thing in the morning in order to function, then a cup midmorning and another cup in the afternoon that I can actually enjoy. Because we live in the City Bowl we are close to many gems that we pop into often. We’d have to say we have at least three locals: Truth, Haas and Mischu’s coffee stand at the Bank, 175 Harrington Street. We try to get an Origin coffee whenever we can and luckily quite a few places in town use their coffee!
Tea Girl: Writer, editor and always plotting to travel, I’m a mom of two boys who always block their ears when I sing. For much of the day I am actually in Paris. I adore Cape Town’s coffee shops, and get a kick out of finding new spots. Although I love artisan coffee, my comfort drink is tea and I Tea Girl: Coffee makes me totally hyper. Somedon’t care what Coffee Girl says about that. times I only have tea. If I’m at a legit coffee place I will definitely savour a flat white or two and then be manic for hours. The start We were part of a group of friends who regularly met to catch up over coffee. The day came when we realised that we’d been going to the same place for a year. At the same time Cape Town had been sprouting funky artisan roasters all over the place and we were missing all of them. We challenged each other to suggest a new coffee spot every week. Doing that, we discovered loads of other exciting things about Cape Town and the people in it. We knew we had to write about these adventures and so We Do Coffee was born.
Origin Coffee in Hudson Street has some fabulous tea selections and they serve them gorgeously. Also Tribe Coffee (we’ve been to the shop in Buitengracht Street) has great tea choices: Turkish Apple Tea, yum! When I’m Jason not with Coffee Girl Photo Credit: McNamara I like to get a tea from Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour in Woodstock. There’s also O’ways’Tea Cafe in Claremont, which I am dying to try. Think I’ll drag Coffee Girl there soon… www.wedocoffee.co.za
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We find out more about this deliciou Take me through the Biltong Board Concept...
to make an effort and look for genuine products and went meet the producers. The more products I tried, the more I realised that the industry had been completely corrupted by the The Biltong Board concept was born about 2 market leaders and the diversity of product out years ago after tasting one of the most deli- here was worth being known to a widder pubcious Biltong I have had the chance to come lic. The Biltong Board was born. across. I realised back then that generic biltong that you buy off the shelf are in fact of very In January we launched our platform where pour quality and often over priced. I decided biltong lovers can subscribe and get to know to do some research and realised that the in- this huge diversity of product that SA has to dustry was held by a handful of company that offer. After 2,5 months of activity we are surowned a majority of the market share and thus prised and really happy of the enthusiasm the most of the key retail outlets. This makes it dif- Biltong have been generating, we are reaching ficult for smaller producers to penetrate the 6000Likes on Facebook and everyday we count market and for customers to find affordable, new members to the club. good quality Biltong products. I then decided www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
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us new concept, The Biltong Board... What's in the box? Each box comes with 4 different types of Biltong products. The selection varies each month and includes beef/games biltong, dry wors, snapsticks, chips, nuggets and much more. We offer over 100 types of biltong and each month this list gets bigger. In the box you will also find toothpicks, a fresh pouch (to pack your biltong when on the go), a menu, a user guide and a free branded chopping in your first box. We offer three package: 1 month at R350, 3 months at R330/month and 6 months at R300/month. We want our product to remain as affordable as possible. Each month the box get delivered nationwide to our subscribers door. An additional delivery fee can be payable by the customer depending on his location.
Where do you source your products from and what makes your biltong different? Our products are sourced nationwide. The only thing that matter for us is taste, all our biltong are fresh, ready to eat and come from all over South Africa. We like to think that our subscribers travel SA from home in tasting our products.
Visit www.biltongboard.com to choose your delicious package!
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Meet the man behind the monsters...
Stefan Kuhnigk
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create The Concept
Other Work
I was in a meeting and I spilled coffee. The whole cup. Okay... half of it. It landed all over my work and formed a stain whilch looked a lot like a monster. At least for me it did. After the meeting I took it with me, let it dry and went on drawing the outlines. And suddenly I had created my first coffeemonster.
I work full time as a copywriter in a ad-agency. Drawing coffeemonsters is just a hobby that has become widely popular with both the local and the international market. It is not at all my main source of income but rather a way to earn some good pocket money and having fun while doing it. It’s like a rollercoaster ride. Sometimes it feels like it’s all slowing down but then it suddenly just catapults me into the next dimension. There are, however, times when I do think “What if I quit and just create monsters I studied comminication design and have always all day...” had an interest in art and drawing. I’ve always loved the ‘fun’ element that creativity brings. I was always very into my carttons - and always had a fascination with comics like Asterix & Obelix or Clever & Smart. Art is cool, but I do it I hope to release "the coffeemonsters book" because I like it. It is good for the soul and I like (kickstarter-funded) on May 28th and to hopemaking people happy through it. I also love do- fully present the monsters at an exhibition in ing a lot of other creative things such as singing, Hamburg at the exact same time. There are a few other exhibitions planned and I think the making music or surfing. monsters will hang somewhere in Germany for the rest of the year. Other plans might be to travel a little and visit cafés around Europe to make destination-café-coffeemonsters. That Generally, I just figure it out from the spill that would be a great thing. I would also love to I make. But today, I’m not kidding, I made the learn a little more about coffee and being a bafirst more "planned" monster as a test for fu- rista. To gain some more insight into the coffee ture development. I took a pen and filled it with world.
Art and Creativity
2016 Plans
The Process
coffee. I tried to draw with the blot already made to give it an additional edge. It’s a work in progress. But it’s fun to play around.
Coffee
How much coffee do I drink in a day? It depends. Sometimes none. But that’s usually because the day before I had ten! Most of the time it is one My monsters are available on shirts, mugs and coffee in the morning after I get to work and a other accessories. You can buy them on socie- second one in the afternoon when the lunch is ty6.com/thecoffeemonsters but I really appre- kicking in and I need to stay awake. ciate the people who come to me for a personalized print or even an original. They can have www.thecoffeemonsters.com a look at thecoffeemonsters.com and browse.
Merchandise
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Developing Better Habits In the hopes of developing better habits (both as a writer and a regular person), I decided to do a little self-improvement experiment during the month of July.
probably need all of that recovery time, but I thought once the pain and sleep inducing medications wore off, I’d at least be able to write a little bit. I kept looking forward to not being in pain because of my tonsils, but also because I’d Mainly because I believed my habits were pret- have a large chunk of time off from work. Time. ty terrible. I was going to be blessed with it and I was so happy. If this is something you can identify with, I’d love to hear what your habits are and how you go about changing them.
But time is a fickle beast.
This is roughly how it went for me and why I I found this out in the 17 days I was recovering. I kept counting down the days as though returnwanted to change them in the first place. ing to school was the worst thing in the world. I got the idea from a number of places: my old- I wouldn’t have my time anymore. Or I’d go er brother, Josh, who is a wealth of knowledge back to a regular working guy, teaching, going when it comes to productivity, (he draws a lot to the gym, and writing when I was able. The from Brian Johnson) as well as Jerry Seinfeld, more I counted down and dreaded my return and authors such as Mur Lafferty and Joanna the more I lost time (obviously). And though its Penn who talk about their habits on Podcasts something I can’t really put into words here and like I Should be Writing, and The Creative Penn, now, I knew it wasn’t just about time but it was about the way I was viewing time, and I needed respectively. to make a change. The idea is that you pick one habit that you’d like to change or work on. Make it small and at- So I gave myself 4 goals to accomplish during tainable. If you want to write more and you’re the month of July after I was done with my surnot writing anything at all at the moment, don’t gery and back at work. The rules were this: put set your goal to write 3,000 words a day. That is an X through each day of the calendar where too big of a jump. Instead start small and try to you succeed in the goal/habit you set for yourself. Never miss a day. If you do, never miss 2 accomplish the goals you set for yourself. days in a row. I had to get my tonsils out in June and would be taking two weeks off from work. I knew I would This is something Jerry Seinfeld did early in his www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
create career. He told himself he needed to write a joke every day. His goal was feasible and measurable. It began with a word and ended with some sort of punctuation.
My four goals were:
chunks of time on my phone and not really accomplishing anything. I wanted to start mediating to be more mindful of where I was at all times and also to have better piece of mind. My sleep patterns were affecting me. 3. Do yoga every day I want to be more flexible and work on different breathing techniques. 4. Read one chapter of a book every day I needed to pair this with my writing so I could nourish my brain with more writing fuel. In general I need to read more.
1. Write at least 100 words a day
I am not totally proud to say that I did miss 2 days in a row for some things :( But it was a really fun exercise and I find myself more aware, more alert, on my phone less, and writing and reading more. I’d like to say the X trick had a lot to do with it. Getting myself to strike a line through a day does something for me, I think.
To keep up with the worlds inside my head and also because I SHOULD BE WRITING – attainable A breakdown of 31 days in July: and not such a big jump from my days of not writing anything. I always thought I’d need to sit 1. Write 100 words: down and pump out a chapter and because that was always such a discouraging thought I never 30/31 – Missed two days in a row? No. got around to it at all! Sheesh! 2. Meditate every day (headspace.com) That was the big one. I found I was spending so much of my days thinking, waking up tired and going to bed awake. I was on my phone a lot because I’d get messages right when I was about to go to bed (because of the time difference between Korea and most of my friends and family back home). I also am a little OCD and wanted to respond to messages as soon I got them so they would clear. Before I knew it I was spending large
2. Read one chapter: 27/31 – Missed two days in a row? Yes, x1. 3. Yoga with Adriene: 24/31 – Missed two days in a row? Yes, x2. 4. Meditate: 20/31 – Missed two days in a row? Yes, x2.
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The biggest things I took away from this little experiment:
could crush the forms and poses she didn’t pressure me to. It was okay to be imperfect and human.
3. Breathing exercises can make you more mindful and connect you to things around you more intimately (not to mention make But saying you don’t have enough time is just an you a better writer). excuse to yourself. If you want to do things, like write, and make time for important things, you When I focused on my breath or got to a place will. Every great writer, artist, and athlete has. where I just sat and observed things without trying to change them, I found myself more re2. It’s not about being perfect. laxed and almost all of my problems with falling asleep went away. I did 30 days of yoga with Adriene, and I really loved her approach to yoga, that is: non-judg- 4. Being on my phone is such a waste of mental (because I’m pretty lousy at yoga), en- time. couraging, and down-to-earth. Even though she 1. Time is amorphous
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create I set aside times of the day where I would specifically be on my phone so I could respond to things and other times I just put it away and didn’t look at it. Still, I need to get better at this.
think I’m going to continue the meditation, read at least one chapter, and change my yoga slot to studying Korean for at least 15 minutes a day. As far as writing goes, I think its time to bump it up to 500 words since I was reaching that goal most There are so many little pieces of the day where days anyway. Though if I had started off with that you can get things done. Whether I was on the goal I think I would have felt discouraged and not train, bus, on my lunch break, or waking up early been able to achieve the goals I set for myself. before school, I could put an X through my calendar for one of the things, and free time up later By Job Merkel in my day. www.jamerkel.com It’s not always about the result. When I first started mediating using headspace.com I almost always immediately wanted to get something out of it. I automatically wanted answers or better sleeping habits or to be as calm and as wise as the Dalai Lama but it wasn’t at all reasonable. Instead, it was better to focus on the journey and unlock things day by day, rather than have them all at once. Being mindful and aware is not only for you. Another thing I picked up from meditating is that these practices aren’t only good for you, but for those around you. Being a whole person can have a positive effect for the people you interact with on a daily basis.
Set not only a goal, but also a purpose. Why did you show up to yoga mat today? Why are you sitting on a couch for 20 minutes with your eyes closed focusing on your breathing? Find out your purpose by asking the important questions: what do I want out of this, how can this help me, how can this help those around me? It can something as simple as I want to smile more. Having said all that, I think I’ve only scratched the surface. My habits are better because I have a regular schedule now, but they’ve still got a long way to go. Time to set some for the next month. I
Job Merkel is a writer from a small town in Maryland, United States. He grew up on a farm with four brothers and four sisters where they spent their time playing together, running around with no shoes and doing chores. He would often escape to fictional worlds, created in his mind, wishing for powers that would take him away from his ordinary existence. Unfortunatey, he never got those powers, but some of his characters did...
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Small art for big people Vin d’Easel was created by Christine and Warren Bernard, a husband and wife team. Together they joined forces to create a project that’s all about art, photography, and having a bit of fun.
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They wanted to produce artwork that didn’t cost a fortune and that was small enough to display anywhere in the house or office. Great gift ideas for others or even yourself!
Get yours now! Visit www.vindeasel.com
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FREE FALL’IN AW16 – NEW SEASON LAUNCH
Zando’s exclusive brand offering gets you autumn ready This season Zando.co.za invites you to celebrate your fashion individuality - with a pinch of off-the-runway panache! Autumn Winter 16’s sheer fashion variation has a little something for everyone, leaving nothing to be desired. Clean Cut Perfection “Transparency was the hard-hitting inspiration for Free Fall’in this AW16. I wanted the aesthetic to be clean and simple but not ‘clinical’, allowing the autumnal colours to pop against the white background. We used supporting props that screamed urban chic with a modern flare.” Zeane Singer- Zando Fashion Editor As winners of the Best Customer Service Award 2014, the Best Shopping Process Award 2014 and as runners up for the Best eCommerce Store Award in 2015, we at Zando strive for business excellence. Zando is the ultimate online shopping portal that offers fashion, home and beauty all under one virtual roof. Zando takes the latest high fashion runway trends and sources the best readyto-wear interpretations, ensuring that you have the latest fashion at your fingertips. Shop the best local and international brands and pay with your credit card, or via EFT, cash on delivery, in-store, or using eBucks. If you buy something and it doesn’t fit, no worries because Zando offers free returns within 14 days. Shop Zando Here: www.zando.co.za Twitter: zando_co_za Instagram: zando.co.za Facebook: zando.co.za www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
create
www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
create
How to be Creative!
Fashion designers and writers. Photographers and chefs. Movie directors and artists to name but a few. They all have something in common and are driven by a certain desire. The desire to create. Without them (particularly the talented ones) the world would be less exciting, less colourful and just less enjoyable in general. We constantly benefit from what these guys produce. If you have never been moved or never experienced an ounce of pleasure from eating a good meal, watching a brilliant movie,
seeing an amazing piece of art or hearing your favourite song, you should probably get your pulse checked. Creativity is all around. It can be found in the most unexpected places and the most unlikely candidates. I can guarantee that even you, the reader, are from a creative background. Your parents did after all create you did they not? But seriously, I believe that there is a measurable amount of creativeness in us all. It may
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create be more difficult to expose in some, but it’s still there. Think I’m wrong? Just cast your mind back to when you were a child and think of all the tools you had at your disposal back then. Crayons? Lego blocks? Paints and plasticine? All of the above? You could create anything you desired, no matter how ridiculous it seemed. And it was always fun. Remember? So what happened then? Why did we change? As we grew up, did our reservoir of imagination dry up? And what do we blame? Perhaps technology for replacing the art supplies with Playstations and DVD players. Is this technology the virtual anesthetic that has numbed our sense of creativity? You may think so. But these inventions are after all, the product of countless engineers and designers who are in themselves one of the greatest creative forces to be reckoned with. It’s what I like to call, a creative paradox. Sadly, I’m afraid that the only person that you can blame, is yourself.
don Ramsay (hopefully minus his vulgar descriptive use of the English language). So how do you start the process? Find the things in life that you love and expand on that. Obtain inspiration from those who have succeeded in doing what you want to do. Get yourself a camera, a musical instrument, heck, even a pen and paper and create something. Anything. Share your creation with others, and if they laugh at what you have done, feel enlightened that you have brought comedy into someone’s life. As a writer and photographer, I can honestly say that a unique satisfaction comes from taking the perfect picture or writing a really good article that nothing else on earth can replicate. So put the remote down, get off your sofa and make something today. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or intricate. All it took for me in this instance was a fork and a piece of fruit. Opportunity is everywhere.
By Warren Bernard We have all heard the term ‘You are what you www.flatwhiteimages.com eat’ right? Well, I believe that this can be expanded to something more along the lines of ‘You are what you surround yourself with’. Everything in existence transmits a certain kind of energy, and ultimately it is now becoming a proven fact that whatever you have around you, can and will be absorbed by you. Think about it – you are what you eat… For dinner tonight, I can choose to absorb an oily, deep fried bucket of chicken. Or I could absorb a tossed salad. Two different foods. Two different energies. Two different results to my body. On a more relevant note, I cannot believe how many times I have entered a book shop, art gallery or music store and left feeling like a completely different person. I have come to realize that this is because inspiration can be absorbed too and this can be used to fuel the creativity within. Inspiration is the fertilizer that helps your creative garden grow! Surround yourself with enough of this and eventually, even the most boring and mundane among us can be transformed into a Picasso, a Mozart or a Gor-
"Standing still is the fastest way of moving backwards in a rapidly changing world. Imagination is the highest kite one can fly" - Lauren Bacall.
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DISCOVER
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DISCOVER PICNICS AND DUCKS AT VERGENOEGD I’ve discovered my new favourite place in Cape Town and I’m so excited to share it with you. Vergenoegd Wine Estate in Stellenbosch is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for a relaxing day out with friends or family. They offer picnics, a harvest lunch, blending experiences (wine, olive oil, coffee or tea blending) as well as wine tastings. We went for the Running Duck picnic which came with a quiche, ciabatta, and included a selection of seasonal produce including locally sourced cheese, nuts and meats. This came with a 750ml bottle of water as well as a bottle of the Runner Duck Wine. We were seated under the trees and our picnic basket was beautifully laid out for us on the table. Everything was indivudally packaged and a lot of attention had been given to each item of food. It was absolutely delicious and paired perfectly with the wine. The staff were so friendly and seemed to go out of their way to make sure that we had a good experience. Then, at 3.30pm exactly - as was promised, we were able to enjoy the duck parade. Quite possibly the hightlight of my year so far. I giggled like a child as they ducks waddled past me and I gained a newfound love for these hilarious little creatures. (See next page for more information on the duck parade!) I would love to come again and try out a blending experience too. The website says it best: Food is a gateway to the senses, intricately linked to our experiences and memories, shaping our culture and bringing us together to eat, talk and share. At Vergenoegd we have selected some of the world’s most evocative food ingredients – wine, coffee, tea and olive oil – to shape experiences around for our visitors. Educational, sensory and unhurried, these blending experiences focus on the marriage of ingredients – threading together history, technical skill, sensory response and sheer enjoyment to give visitors a snapshot of something original – something they have created themselves. At the end of the experience, each person’s unique blend will be packaged and personalized for them – to take home – and even to re-order in the future, as every custom blend is stored into our library. www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
DISCOVER The Runner Duck Parade Taken from www.vergenoegd.co.za This waddling workforce is essential to the farm’s pest-control, consuming a startling amount of snails and bugs on their daily patrols. The ducks are also a big part of why Vergenoegd proudly carries WWF biodiversity certification. We utilize between 700 to 800 Runner Ducks at the Vergenoegd farm to assist in the control of the snail and pest population in our vineyards, a practice we have been refining since 1984. We have a basic research and breeding program in place to keep our workforce of ducks productive, healthy and happy, and intrigued guests can take a tour of the duck pens and “breeding room” with Denzel, our duck farmer. Come and cheer the ducks on their way then stay a while and let us help you unfold the full Vergenoegd experience. Parade: 9.45am | 3.30pm daily. Vergenoegd Wine Estate, Faure, Baden Powell Drive, Stellenbosch
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DISCOVER
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DISCOVER
The small-scale approach for new dads
Preparing for the days leading up to baby’s arrival were well planned and organized. We knew what we needed, what the process was going to be and felt quite calm at the fact that we had done our homework. Speed things up a bit and here we are, in the car, driving home from the hospital at 30kms per hour. My first challenge was getting baby into the car seat and actually fastening her in We were home – Now what? correctly. (Best advice: get to know that car seat back to front beforehand – My wife did ask me Tip #1: Check the nappy – We had fed baby, to do this…several times) burped her and pretty much checked all the boxes but baby was still not happy, after a short On a morning that was probably around a cool while we realized we had forgotten to check her 25 degrees, I found myself in a pool on my own nappy. Once changed, baby passed out immedisweat, not sure whether to have the aircon on ately. #Winning or the windows open? In the end I couldn’t decide and drove home in what felt like a moving Tip #2: Get a heater – I can’t express how efsauna. fective a simple, fan heater is. Heat the room before bath time and baby will just lie there, Leaving the hospital with our new little addition enjoying the warmth, never mind the sweat is quite an overwhelming feeling. No more nurs- dripping from my forehead, as long as baby is es on hand 24 hours a day, you can pretty much happy…that’s all that matters right? say, shit just got super real! Tip #3: Relax – Everything is going to be just The feeling of closing the front door once we fine. We tend to be on edge most of the time had arrived home safely can probably be com- in the beginning…this feeling does go away, I pared to winning a challenge on The Amazing think! Or maybe I’ve just become accustomed Race. to it!? www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
DISCOVER Tip #4: Accept help – Family and friends will pop over with delicious dishes of their favourite offerings. Trust me, not having to worry about dinner makes life a lot easier. They will also offer to hang your washing, do the dishes and take out the trash. Accept with open arms – they genuinely want to help. *** In my pursuit to get some solid advice for new dads, I chatted to Robyn Lawrenson, Deputy Editor at Your Pregnancy Magazine. Check out Robyn’s 5 tips below:
Don’t expect her to want to even think about the prospect of sex for the first 6-8 weeks. It’s not safe or recommended, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be intimate in other ways. Give her hugs every day, kiss her, write her notes, tell her you love her, and what a good job she’s doing. These little forms of affection go a long way in boosting her confidence and ensuring you stay close during the first few weeks.
Speak to your employer about your paternity leave. In SA, according to labour law, fathers are
only permitted three days of paternity leave. So, plan for this in advance so that you can accumulate some leave while your wife is still pregnant. This way, you can at least spend the first week Communicate. When baby arrives, mom is go- together. ing to feel like a slave to him/her. The breastThere you have it, now go forth and be awesome!
feeding, changing, soothing, swaddling, rocking, cleaning and preparation never end, and this can overwhelm even the most seasoned mothers in the first few weeks. Listen to her, ask her how she feels, and do everything you can to make her journey a little easier.
Go on a date. Even if it’s just a two-hour dinner,
Where to stay in Hermanus!
it’s important to have time away from baby (who you’ve left with a trusted person) to focus on each other. And, try not to talk about the baby while you’re out!
Find your own way to bond with baby. Make
bath time, Daddy time. A great way for dads to bond with baby is by taking one job and completely making it your own. This is your special time, and your special job. Plus, it gives mom time to rest / have a shower / watch a rerun of Friends. Etc.
ABOUT ME
My name is Don. I am a husband, proud father, working in the advertising & marketing world. Former part-time feature writer for youth and lifestyle Durban publication, Eish Magazine! www.thedonfather.co.za www.facebook.com/thedonfathersa
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win
Time to win some competitions! Winners announced 28 April 2016
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Comp 1
win
WIN A BLENDING EXPERIENCE AND A VINEYARD PLATTER FOR TWO AT VERGENOEGD WINE ESTATE HOW TO ENTER: Email your full details to christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with the subject line: ‘Vergenoegd’ Entries close: 28 April
Vergenoegd Wine Estate www.vergenoegd.co.za We are the first stop on the Stellenbosch Wine Route. We offer unique blending experiences, history, artisanal picnics, birdwatching and we love kids! #visitVergenoegd
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Comp 2
WIN
WIN THIS GORGEOUS ESSIE COLLECTION PLUS A BAG FROM ZANDO
DETAILS: Whether you’re feeling luxe or low-key, your aprés-ski ensemble will be completed to perfection with this collection of six wintery wonderland shades. Seductive reds and pretty pastels get metallic allure from iconic platinum to a fiery jet black. It’s a tightly edited collection sure to melt hearts - and winter’s chill. HOW TO ENTER: Email christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com with your full details to stand a chance to win. Entries close 28 April
Zando www.zando.co.za Founded in 2012, we quickly grew to the number one online fashion destination in SA - and we’re still growing. We are dedicated to bringing the freshest fashion to South Africa, and we want more awesome people on the team. www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
Comp 3
WIN
WIN A BILTONG BOARD BOX WORTH R400 HOW TO ENTER: Simply sign up to their newsletter. visit www.biltongboard.com and fill in your email address on the pop up window on the home page. Your details will the go into the draw. Simple as that! Entries close end April.
Biltong Board - www.biltongboard.com It all started on a Sunday afternoon at a local market. After sharing a few words with one of the farmers, we decided to purchase BILTONG. The biltong turned out to be absolutely delicious. Then, a feeling of frustration overwhelmed us – our whole life we had been betrayed. What we considered to be quality biltong was actually what the industry forced upon us. It is at this exact moment that our journey began. We refused to get our biltong from supermarkets and generic retail stores, but carefully picked suppliers of trusted origins. Two years later, we had tasted many biltong products and curated a considerable list of genuine producers. By sharing what we found with friends and family, we realised that this could be so much bigger. We could share these bites of happiness with everyone. Then, Biltong Board was born. www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 33
the end
Do you want to advertise with us? Email Christine on christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com
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