Issue 49 May / June 2018 by Christine Bernard

MAY / JUNE 2018 Issue 49

ed’s note

MAY / June “In the midst of winter I found there was within me an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus This time of the year always takes me my suprise. How can it be May? What happening to the start of the year? It’s time to take a step back, breathe, and ask yourself if you’re on track to where you want to be. We all start the year off on a straigth path, but somewhere down the line we get lost. So, take this time to figure out what you still want to achieve from this year, and make sure that you go out and get it. Good luck everyone. You’ve got this. If you want to get involved in a future issue, please contact me on christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com With love, laughter and a lot of coffee. Christine www.flatwhiteconcepts.com Cover photo by Warren Bernard www.flatwhiteimages.com

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Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, And Stylist. www.bibbyskitchenat36.com

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www.bibbyskitchenat36.com

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RICOTTA AND TOMATO FLATBREAD WITH SUMAC AND HERB OIL Flatbreads are essentially the best casual food carriers for just about anything. With summer comes a bounty of vividly red, sweet tomatoes so today’s recipe simply had to include these love apples. Long story short for this Ricotta & tomato flatbread with sumac and herb oil : Crisp whole wheat crust, lemony ricotta cream and roasted heirloom tomatoes. Slide it into a hot oven and Bob’s your uncle. Once the tomatoes are blistered and puckered, it’s time to pour the wine and tuck in.

• ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes • Zest of half a lemon plus the juice • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. Start by making the flatbread dough. Combine the flours, yeast and salt in a mixing bowl. 2. Add the water and oil and combine. Once the dough comes together, turn out onto a floured board and knead for 6-8 minutes. 3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and proof until doubled in size. 4. Season the tomatoes with a generous pinch of sea salt flakes and place in a colander to drain Flatbread for 20 minutes. 5. Preheat the oven to 200º C. • 125g cake wheat flour (all-purpose white flour) 6. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and • 125g whole wheat flour roll into a long oval. Transfer to a lined baking • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast sheet. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside to proof for 20 minutes. • ¾ teaspoon salt 7. Combine the ricotta, lemon zest, olive oil, salt • 160ml tepid water and pepper in a bowl. Spread evenly over the • 1 tablespoon olive oil flatbread base. 8. Blot the tomatoes with kitchen paper to reRicotta spread move excess water. Lay the tomatoes on the • 300g (1 1/4 cup) soft ricotta or cream cheese ricotta and sprinkle with sumac. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and bake for 30 - 35 minutes. 9. • Zest of half a lemon The crust needs to be crisp and golden. • 1 tablespoon olive oil Whisk together all the ingredients for the herb • salt and pepper, to taste oil and drizzle over the flatbread. Serve warm. • 2 cups of multi-coloured heirloom tomatoes, sliced • 1 teaspoon sumac

Ingredients

Bibby’s Kitchen @ Thirty Six www.bibbyskitchenat36.com

Herb oil • A handful of each, oregano, thyme and basil

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There’s an app that will find wine for me? Yes please! It’s 2018. There’s WiFi everywhere. We don’t call, we WhatsApp. We don’t do meetings, we do Skype. If we can buy it on Takealot, we’ll shop online. But when it comes to buying great wine, we’re still heading to the bottle store. And that needs to stop, says FindWine South Africa.

winning wine in South Africa. Its sleek desktop and mobile design makes it easy to search for wine by price and connects you to online merchants who deliver to your door. FindWine works much like search sites used for finding well-priced flights – except its focus is on wine. All of the bottles listed on FindWine South Africa are award-winning vintages. Each wine comes with a list of available retailers and prices, so you can select the price that suits your budget best.

“FindWine was created to help make shopping for wine more enjoyable,” says FindWine South Africa founder Lucien Rawden. “Too often we’re stuck at the bottle store staring at labels, wondering what’s good and debating prices. Why waste your time when we’ve done all that for you?” FindWine also applies a handy smart rating to each wine that helps make sense of all those FindWine is a new online wine service that gold stickers you see on great bottles. Calcutakes the pain out of finding and buying award- lated using a unique algorithm, the smart rat-

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ings rank wines based on the awards given by These unique scores fall between 0 and 10, with local and international bodies like Platter’s and 10 being the highest rating a wine can receive. Decanter. The man behind the wine: “What we offer is a straight-forward way to find award-winning wine and pay what you’re com- Meet Lucien. He doesn’t claim to know a great fortable with,” says Rawden. “Along the way, you deal about wine. He does know that he likes to may discover that great wine doesn’t have to drink it and that he wants it to fit into his budgbreak the bank.” et. He created FindWine to help wine lovers like himself to discover great wine at the best price. All of the bottles listed on FindWine are available He wants you to focus on enjoying it rather than in South Africa, so you never find a great wine at shopping for it. a great price that’s out of stock. With red, white, bubbly, rosé and dessert wine available with price comparisons, FindWine South Africa caters to everyone’s taste and budget. So there really is no excuse to spend your time at the bottle store. “With FindWine, you can sit on your couch and order an award-winning wine for delivery that might just be your new favourite. It’s as simple as that,” says Rawden. Visit FindWine South Africa online at www.findwine.com and discover your new favourite wine today. Let’s find out more... The smart ratings system: There are a lot of South African and international wine awards bodies out there, and it’s hard to keep track of them all. That’s where FindWine comes in. Their smart ratings system calculates a unique score for each wine based on the awards they’ve won and the prestige of the award body.

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Gin and strawberry swirl ice cream. It’s Strawberries and cream cocktails for dessert. If you’re a fan of gin, ice cream or strawberries, this strawberry swirl ice cream is for you. It tastes like summer holidays. Inspired by my recent trip to Italy where there as many gelateria as there are coffee shops, scoops of drippy ice cream is by far the best way to keep your cool. There’s no shortage of flavours either. Think peach bellini, avocado and pea or fruity pink watermelon, not forgetting the new uber chic, charcoal black. It’s a no-rules flavour game.

Ingredients Gin and strawberry swirl ice cream • Vanilla ice cream • 1 cup full cream milk • 2 cups cream • 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped • ½ cup castor sugar • 5 egg yolks Strawberry gin coulis • 2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered • ⅓ cup (80ml) castor sugar • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • ¼ cup (60ml) gin

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Method 1. Place the strawberries, castor sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. 2. Bring up to a boil and simmer on medium high for about 7 minutes. 3. Blitz with an emersion blender until smooth. Stir through the gin and set aside to cool. 4. To make the ice cream, pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add a quarter cup of sugar, vanilla pod and seeds. 5. Bring the mixture up to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and discard the pod. 6. Place the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale and thick. 7. Slowly add the warm cream to the yolks before pouring the mixture back into the saucepan. 8. Cook over a medium heat, stirring all the while, until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 9. Strain the custard into a bowl and cool for 30 minutes. Cover with cling film and chill overnight. 10. Churn in an ice cream maker until firm. 11. Spoon half the ice cream into a container. Drizzle with a third of the strawberry coulis. 12. Repeat the layering once more then swirl through with a skewer. 13. Cover and freeze for several hours. 14.Serve with the remaining coulis on the side.

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WINEMAKER ELMARIE BOTES: SHAPING HER OWN NEDERBURG STORY

Petite but feisty, with an incredible will backed by a good measure of brain power, 31-yearold Elmarie Botes is the newest member of the Nederburg winemaking team. Responsible for its white wines, she is currently completing her first harvest for this famous Paarl winery, one of South Africa’s most pedigreed. “I have big boots to fill, having to match and continue the immense standard in winemaking so firmly in place at Nederburg,” she explains, referring to her predecessor Natasha Boks who was intimately involved with the making of some of Nederburg’s most awarded white and dessert wines over the past five years, such as The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2016, an interesting expression of the variety that won it a place in the 2017 Standard Bank Top 10 Chenin Blanc Challenge, as well as the title of best South African Chenin blanc priced at over ₤15 at the 2017 Decanter World Wine

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Awards. Elmarie says she’s having the time of her life, despite having to work 16-hour days during harvest-time, alongside cellar-master Andrea Freeborough, red-wine maker Samuel Viljoen, as well as assistant white- and red-wine makers Chandré Petersen and Heinrich Kulsen. “There’s nothing more exciting than seeing the first grapes come into the cellar for a new vintage of wine to be made. The anticipation is palpable. And seeing a wine evolve from soil to bottle is just incredible! “I’m cautiously excited about what the 2018 harvest will deliver in eventual wine quality, despite challenges mainly presented by the ongoing drought. Yet, every vintage comes with its own unique set of problems requiring solutions – and that’s something I welcome. I

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find the uncertainty strangely invigorating. a highlight of her career thus far. “I loved It’s literally like a thirst for discovery and making this wine! It provided me with the knowing more.” opportunity to handle every step of the winemaking process myself, from sampling What does she enjoy most? “Worthwhile and picking of the grapes, to receiving it in challenges, nature that sustains us all, and the cellar and processing it, punch-downs, a really good wine.” It’s no wonder she fell bottling, and labelling. This gave me a real in love with the idea of winemaking while appreciation for the role that each and on a cellar tour as a grade 11 learner. “My every person in the vineyard and the cellar senses were instantly awakened and that plays in the process.” was it. Then and there I decided to enrol for the BSc Viticulture and Oenology degree In 2013, Elmarie embraced an opportunity programme offered at Stellenbosch Univer- to experience a harvest in France, where sity.” she assisted with making Chardonnay at Domain Pattes Loup in Courgis, Chablis. “This Elmarie, who grew up in the Cape Winelands unforgettable experience showed me just and completed her secondary schooling at how fascinating the process of winemakthe prestigious Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof ing can be. It piqued a new level of curiosity in Stellenbosch, knew that it would be a de- in me. While in France, I was also very formanding industry. But what she might lack tunate to visit the world-famous Domaine in physical strength, she makes up in de- de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy. It was termination and drive. Her parents are her fabulous - they made me feel so welcome, inspiration. “They worked very hard to en- despite the language barrier! I’d still like to sure that my engineer brother and I could travel to the Mosel wine region in Germareach our dreams.” ny, and the Rhône wine region in France, as well as experience the whole of Italy. One After completing her studies, her journey can never stop learning and exploring.” into winemaking took off with a short harvest at Lanzerac Wine Estate in Stellenbos- She joined Fleur du Cap in Stellenbosch as ch, followed by stints at Groot Constantia, assistant white-wine maker in 2013, and Steenberg, Kanonkop and Jordan as an in- was appointed white-wine maker in 2016, tern. a position she held until assuming the role of white-wine maker at Nederburg in late Showing great promise, in 2011 she was 2017. chosen to complete a three-year internship with the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) as Elmarie believes less is more. “I try to inpart of its Protégé Programme. “I was privi- terfere as little as possible in the winemakleged to work alongside exceptional win- ing process. In my opinion, a wine needs emakers and had the opportunity to taste to express its true character and terroir. some remarkable local and international And as a winemaker, I see my job as guidwines.” ing the grapes to their full individual potential. When a wine is made with passion, it The 43 Bush Pinotage is the name of the really shows! This means learning about wine she made during her time as a protégé each and every vineyard that provides the – the first wine she could call her own, and grapes from which wines are made, and onwww.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 49

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going experimentation to hone our skills and en- Elmarie admires the females in the wine industry sure wine lovers are provided with only the best who went before her to forge a path and place for women winemakers in the country. “This has in the bottle.” made it far easier for us, the next generation, to Her love of wine permeates her whole life. “While take up positions in the South African winemakyou drink a glass of wine, it takes you to a specific ing industry and make our mark.” place, at a specific time and makes you part of the story. I enjoy the way wine brings different Over weekends one might catch a glimpse of this people together, making them friends, and the feisty winemaker in the gym, hiking in the mounway that one can pair wine with food. I consider tains, laying on the beach, or catching up with friends over a good pasta and wine. Elmarie is this to be more art than science. passionate about nature and South Africa. So “I particularly enjoy working with Chenin blanc, much so that she has set herself goals to learn to one of South Africa’s earliest and most widely speak Xhosa fluently, and to complete her MBA planted grape varieties, since it’s so versatile. In- in the next 10 years. ternational wine critics, writers and tastemakers have in recent years come to recognise Chenin “There is so much potential in our country, but blanc as South Africa’s calling card. I believe our we need to work together to achieve greatness. country’s strongest suit is its ability to make this Be brave. Be resilient. Be hungry for success.” wine in a variety of different styles.” www.nederburg.co.za

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The Gem of the Overberg There’s a pocket of top South African wineries stretched along a strip of road north east of the cosy beach town, Hermanus, all producing some of our country’s top wines, specifically Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Some wine aficionados would say our very own French Burgundy, if you will.

Pinot Noir grapes were harvested in February 2014, while the maiden vintage of Chardonnay grapes were harvested in 2018. The latter is planned to be released towards the end of this year. Although many of the surrounding estates are also producing these very same varietals, David and Leigh Kretzmar’s decision to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in this region will allow them to reap the rewards of growing these varietals in an area which offers optimal weather and climate conditions for their growth and production.

Sumaridge, Bouchard Finlayson, Hamilton Russell, Ataraxia and Creation are just a few of the acclaimed estates you’ll find along this short wine route. At the 25-kilometer mark heading towards Caledon you’ll find a new addition to this wine region. A small estate called Broad Valley, purchased by the Kretzmar family with the aim of turning the run-down property into Only 200 cases of the maiden vintage Pinot a getaway for friends and family alike, as well Noir were squeezed from the grapes of the 2014 vintage, therefore availability has been as a plan to produce their own wine. trimmed down to a few niche restaurants, and In 2010 the first Pinot Noir vines were planted for the most part sales are made directly to the on a portion of the estate, followed by Char- public on a first-come-first-serve basis. donnay in 2015. The maiden (first) vintage of www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 49

In terms of the winemaking process, Kevin Grant (the man behind Ataraxia Wines) kindly offered to assist with turning the small production of Pinot Noir grapes into each bottle of Broad Valley Pinot Noir we’re enjoying today. Kevin’s unique talent as a winemaker was put to use once the grapes reached the cellar. After de-stemming, the juice was gently squeezed and transferred into 5-ton stainless steel fermenters. Approximately two weeks later the first phase of fermentation was completed and the wine was then transferred carefully to 225-litre Burgundian wine barrels where it would rest for a further 11-months. Carefully selected medium-toasted barrels were used as this would complement the gentle flavours and aromas of the Pinot Noir grape’s juice, allowing the wine’s character to show through the supporting role which the oak plays.

taste !See comp pages for the chance to win!

The result; a classy wine very similar to your typical Burgundian Pinot Noir, which means a lighter-shade of ruby red with rich red fruit aromas and flavours backed by herbaceous, forest floor notes. The finish is fresh, smooth and subtle (as a Pinot Noir should be), but with a welcome savory note which gives the wine an elegant seriousness, if I may put it that way. The packaging is beautifully subtle, from the weight of the Burgundy Bottle to sliding the cork from the bottle neck. To enjoy, chill the wine to about 15 degrees celcius, then decant it from the bottle for a further 30 – 45 minutes after opening. This will allow the wine to breathe and open up for optimum drinking pleasure. Enjoy it on its own with friends, or with a fresh plate of veal drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil. And finally, to get hold of a case of the Broad Valley Pinot Noir 2014 just hop on over to my website where it’s available at R220 per bottle (including shipping). For the month of May only you will receive an additional 10% off if you type in the coupon code BROADVALLEY during checkout. Author: Richard Cranna (www.thewineguy.co.za)

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Please note: prices may change.

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THINGS WE LOVE

Legado - Burundi Long Miles Coffee Project Box In this bundle you’ll find two small bags of the Long Miles Coffee Project’s very best beans from Nkonge Hill and the Heza washing station. One of the two lots has been processed in the fully washed method, meaning that the coffee’s fruit was removed before drying. The other has been processed in the natural method, meaning that the coffee was dried in its fruit. Selling price: R129 Visit capecoffeebeans.co.za

Old Town Gin 750ml Old Town Gin has been crafted using an Old Tom recipe. We use only the finest Cane Neutral spirit which is distilled once using a unique copper catalyzation process. Each of the 11 carefully selected botanicals are placed in a Carter Head and is distilled in small batches using a modern technique called Vapour Infusion. Selling price: R400.00 Visit www.blackmeerkat.com

72% + Bittersweet Orange (60g) Pure raw organic cacao and agave with sweet orange essence. Prices vary. Visit www.honestchocolate.co.za

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THINGS WE LOVE

Decadent Hot Chocolate Gift Box The Decadent Hot Chocolate Gift Box from Yuppiechef will contain 2 Humble & Mash ceramic mugs, a packet of biscuits, NOMU hot chocolate, nougat, and handmade marshmallows. It arrives beautifully packaged, together with your personalised gift card, in our special re-usable Yuppiechef gift box Selling price: R399.00 Visit www.yuppiechef.com (click on Gift Boxes)

Steampunk Leggings Submerge in a golden sub genre of science fiction and fantasy featuring advanced cog turning seahorse machines in a hue of golden yellow of tick tock. Selling price: R450.00 Visit www. mermaids-unicorns.co.za

Copper Stove Top Kettle Putting a modern twist on a vintage classic, this stove top kettle has a classic round shape with a striking stainless steel outer, a contemporary silicone handle and a whistling spout top. Selling price: R503.37 Visit www.woolworths.co.za

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THINGS WE LOVE

Hanging Succulent Potted This assortment of artificial succulents will definitely add freshness and colour to your living space. The best part is these succulents require no watering but just a wipe for that fresh look all the time. Selling price: R99.00 Visit www.mrphome.com

Bag of Bulldogs - Copper 10 beautiful copper plated bulldog clips â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all the most stylish desks will have them! Selling price: R135.00 Visit www.lovelettersstationery.co.za

Fomobox box of handpicked, quality food products and ingredients that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure to love, delivered to your door free every month. Selling price: Subscribe monthly for R496 or once off for R620 Visit www.yuppiechef.com (click on Fomobox)

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THINGS WE LOVE

Cocoa Macadamia Jar (250g) A sugar-free chocolate spread. Sweetened with a little honey instead. Ingredients: Dry roasted macadamia nuts (90%), cocoa (5%), honey (5%) Selling Price: R80.00 Visit www.buttanutt.co.za

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a doos. Be Lekker. Style: Die Basie Crunchy, classic, unisex tee. A relaxed fit, this t-shirt is made from locally manufactured single cotton jersey for a soft, comfortable finish. Selling Price: R390.00 Visit www.mevrouandco.com

Book Ledge Hand made in solid pine and painted in a colour of your choice our book ledges are perfect to display the front cover of books making it easier for your child to choose their bed time story. Wide enough to display framed artworks and small toys make these the perfect addition to any room. Selling price: R380.00 Visit www.ollypolly.co.za

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create We chat to the talented and lovely Genevieve, and find out more about her new venture, Motley... Describe Motley. Motley is predominantly about interior and product styling for small businesses that are looking to gain a clear brand styling strategy and images to feel proud of, whether that be for social media or for their website.

is dominated by the most striking, visually cohesive brands and is looking to create original content that is a true representation of their brand. Once a brand gets in touch I work with them to create a package that suits their individual needs.

Home and work is where we spend the Take us through your background, and how most time. What three things are the most Motley came about. important in this space? I come from a background of jewllery design and manufacture but my love of interiors led me to start Olly Polly two years ago. I currently run two businesses: Olly Polly focuses on kids dĂŠcor and handmade toys, and then Motley.

For me natural light, indoor plants and a comfortable chair are the most important in any space whether that be the office or in my home.

If you could describe your own sense of style, what would it be?

Olly Polly and Motley are my main focus and are both businesses that I am very passionate I'm naturally drawn to a more minimalist style in about. I no longer make jewellery. a monochromatic palette, that would apply to both interiors and clothing.

How does the process work? What sort of clients are you looking for? When you're not working on Motley, what are you doing? I've been so fortunate to work with such a varied clientele since the launch of Motley in January. From a kids brand, corporate gifting, home ware, fabrics, a nail polish brand, an online gifting store and then a few more interesting brands booked for the coming months. I love the challenge of having to get to the heart of the brand and to portray that feeling through beautifully styled imagery.

Regarding clients, I'm happy to work with any brand that sees that todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online market place

To be honest I'm a bit of a workaholic and Olly Polly and Motley take up a lot of my time. My daughter loves to draw and play board games so you'll find us at the dining room table most afternoons doing just that. Weekends are for good food, exploring and some much needed family time.

Visit www.motley.co.za and get in touch for all your styling needs.

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www.thesecretbookbox.co.za

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The Secret Book Box was founded by Melissa Delport, an award-winning author and avid reader, who is raising 3 baby book dragons of her own. Melissa believes in the theory that "readers are raised in the laps of their parents" and encourages parents to instill in their children a love of books! She spends hours searching for the perfect books for the boxes before sourcing the goodies to match.

What gave you the idea to start The Secret Book Box?

quantities! I am so grateful for all the support we have been given, and it makes me happy to know that people see the value proposition in our product. Buying in bulk, we get wholesale prices on all of our items, so the saving is passed on to the customer.

I ADORE book boxes, and I’ve ordered quite a few, both locally and internationally. Every time I received one in the mail, my daughter moaned that she wanted one, and after trying to source a children’s box locally with no luck, I decided to start my own. It wasn’t long before the parents Tell me more about the team at The Secret Book Box. wanted boxes of their own, so I started doing adult boxes. I AM THE TEAM!! Initially I started out with a very good friend but it was always a temporary arrangement as she is emigrating to Australia. I Tell me more about the different boxes on offer? do have a very strong team in the form of supWe have 3 categories of boxes on a monthly ba- pliers and crafters who make merchandise for sis: Children’s boxes for 7 - 12 year olds, teen me, and obviously I have my retail accounts boxes for 13 - 19 year olds and the mama box- with very reliable companies. The one person I es, which are for any lady in need of spoiling, couldn’t survive without would be Wendy from whether she has children or not! We also have Apple Pie Graphics, who designs all of my spoilpop up boxes from time to time, which are de- er cards and book marks. luxe, limited edition boxes that are themed. They are very popular, but not always available. When you're not putting together these amazing boxes,

What was your first box and what was the reception like?

what are you doing? Writing!

Our very fist box was the HOCUS POCUs Children’s box in October 2017. The response was Go on, answer the worst question in the world, what are overwhelming, to be honest! I didn’t expect such your top three books of all time? an amazing reaction, and for the word to spread as quickly as it did. We sold out in November I shan’t!!! *makes speak to the hand gesture* and by December we almost quadrupled our www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 49

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What is the basic premise behind K&i and when did you begin? K&i was founded in 2010, by Karl and Ida Mynhardt, a husband and wife team. We had previously worked and lived in the UK for almost 10 years and decided to move to Cape Town to launch and set up K&i.

What do you offer and what sort of clients do you seek? We primarily focus on branding, both design and strategy. Along with branding comes rolling out identities into websites and other marketing materials. Our clients are varied, from internationals like Unicef, local brands like Vodacom, to smaller startups. Clients that come to us generally have an appreciation for design and understand it’s value.

What was your first project? One of the earlier projects that we did in South Africa was a campaign identity for Out in Africa, the gay and lesbian film festival. All the artwork was cut out of paper, and we even did a short 30sec stop motion animation that got aired on both nuMetro and SAA inflight commercials.

Tell me more about the team, what do you do when you're not designing? We love were we live. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities, and we’re super happy to be living in Muizenberg, 200m from the beach so we take advantage of this daily, taking our dog for walks. We also love camping and entertaining with friends.

Describe your creative process. The details of a process will vary depending on the project, but I think as a general depiction of the process Damien Newman’s ‘squiggle’ perfectly illustrates it. It shows the initial uncertainty in a design project, finalising in a single point of clarity.

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What are some questions you ask your client when starting a new project?

What are you trying to achieve, is one of the more fundamental questions we ask. Depending on the project and the client we tailor our questions and discussion to suit, but it always starts with asking questions.

Your favourite project so far? What three websites could you not live without? We don’t have a particular favourite. But what

successful projects have in common is that the We couldn’t live without or own website, not working relationship was great, that there was from an inspirational point but from getting work, an open dialogue, trust, respect and enough it’s one of our main sources. Behance is great to room/time for creative exploration. see what other designers are doing. Pinterest is great for inspiration and cataloging. Feedly is Do you have anything exciting lined great for reading articles/posts from your favourup for the year? ite websites/blogs in one place. We are currently working on a project, an on-

Who are some of your design heroes? line platform, that will support and grow a global

network of systems innovators within social and We have so many… To mention a few: David ecological systems. It’s a very interesting and Carson, Saagmeister, Paula Scher, Christoph Nie- complexed area, which is a great way to be chalmann, Saul Bass, Stig Lindberg lenged creatively. Also great people to work with.

www.kandi.co.za / hello@kandi.co.za / 021 788 3165 / 078 172 6554

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5 Routes

Tours Deals Fun

Melkbos-

SANCCOB

strand Table View Blaauw- Blue Nature berg Flag Reserve

Cape Town

SilwerstroomKoeberg strand Vygevallei Nature Blue Farm Stall Reserve Flag Wine House

3 6

Lambert’s Bay

San Culture & Education Centre

Mamre Heritage Walk

7 Mamre Werf

Tori Oso Coffee Shop

14 13 16

e Rou Cultur

Ormonde Private Cellar Darling Brew Experience

8 Darling

Butter Museum

Paternoster

Aurora

“Centre of the Universe”

ute

o Foodie R

47 Dwarskersbos

33 32

31 Bokkomlaan 30 HeronsRest Velddrif 29 oute

West Coast Fossil Park

On the ancient ‘Paleo’ Berg River

Thali Thali Game Lodge

Malmesbury Riebeek Valley

National Heritage Site

23 24 2 25

Hopefield

Koringberg

Carmién Tea

Goedverwacht & Wittewater Piketberg

Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort

Berg R

Nature Reserve

Redelinghuys

Rooibos Farm

Kardoesie N7 Country Stop

Porterville

Experience true South African hospitality on the fun West Coast Way routes. The West Coast Way Foodie Route, Culture Route, Wild Route, Scenic Route and Berg Route each take you to a selection of unique towns, locations and attractions, off the R27 and N7 highways that feed the West Coast.

FusionDesign 0861 321 777

And the great thing is that you can design your very own #WestCoastTwist with these routes - which have so much to offer that you can visit again and again and see something new by taking a different twist every time! For more information on West Coast Way, to find the 101 Things to Do on the West Coast and to book accommodation, trips and tours visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call 0861 321 777.

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51 Eagles Nest

The Dunes

Leipoldtville Graafwater

Kookfontein Wine

ay ast W st Co

te ild Rou NEW W

53 54

Bosduifklip

Sir Lambert Wine

Elands Bay & Verlorenvlei

Doringbaai Fryer’s Cove Winery Strandfontein

56 57 58 59

Citrusdal Garies

40 41

Nature Reserve

Eendekuil

Moorreesburg

46 Vensterklip 45 Wit Mossel Pot

Rocherpan

Russells on the Port Port Owen in Velddrif Velddrif

oute enic R

St Helena Bay

Club Mykonos

Steenbokfontein Muisbosskerm

Shelley Point

West Coast National Park

M19 N7

Culture & Oyster Walk

Langebaan Country Estate

Evita se Perron

!Khwa ttu

Cape West Coast Biosphere Trails

Witzand Aquifer Nature Reserve

Bird Island

Sandveld Museum

Saldanha Bay Jacobsbaai Langebaan

Yzerfontein

Atlantis Dunes

create

Clanwilliam

Vanrhynsdorp

Wupperthal

62 Nieuwoudtville

Namibia Namaqualand Northern Cape

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The Baths Natural Hot Springs I’m a water baby. There’s something about being submerged in water that brings me joy. With the current drought in Cape Town I’ve missed those long baths on cold rainy evenings. I was therefore very excited to visit a place that’s been on my to-do list for a while. The Baths Natural Hot Springs, in Citrusdal, is a privately owned resort offering both self-catering chalets and campsites. Guests have use of the hot mineral spring water baths, Jacuzzis, and the hot and cold water swimming pools. Naturally, this just meant that I spent most of my time hopping from one water source to the next. The mountain rock pool was by far my favourite – it’s hard not to feel at peace lying in a natural rock pool of warm water with the view of the mountains in front of you. For those blissful moments I forgot about work and responsibilities. And boy is it nice to forget! The resort offers 35 self-catering flats and chalets for both big and small groups. They are all air-conditioned, and some even come equipped with their own Jacuzzi. We had beautiful weather on our first night so we decided to make use of the braai facilities. We enjoyed a glass of wine (And by glass I mean bottle), and spent a relaxing evening outside. The following morning we were greeted with a wonderful storm and some much needed rain. Once the rain had subsided we took a walk past the hiking trails and through the campsite. After that, it was another day of water activities – which, in my world, involved a lot of sitting and doing nothing – a luxury I don’t often afford myself. The Baths is breathtakingly beautiful without being pretentious. Ensconced in nature, you are forced to take a break from your usually busy life to wind down and relax. I’m writing this now, on my final evening, after enjoying a delicious dinner at their onsite restaurant. There’s still another hour or two before the sun goes down, so I’m going to stop writing… after all, there’s a hot spring calling my name!

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“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” Facilities:

• Accommodation includes 16 chalets and 19 flats with air conditioning, self-contained kitchens and braai areas. • There are 25 well-shaded caravan and camping sites with ablution facilities and all have electrical points. • Hot and cold water swimming pools. • Stunning hot mineral spring water pools nestled in the trees with steady streams and small waterfalls cascading down the side of the mountain. • Two hiking trails into the mountains with views over the Olifants River Valley. • Fully licensed restaurant, a bar and outdoor deck where patrons can relax with a drink. MacGregors’ has an excellent wine list and offers choices ranging from breakfast, lunch and dinner. • Trampolines, tennis, pool tables, and play area for kids. “Established in 1739 this self-catering resort, with Victorian-style stone buildings, maintains an old world charm in a scenic, rural setting.” ww.thebaths.co.za 022 – 921 8026 | reservations@thebaths.co.za The Baths Natural Hot Springs is located on the West Coast Way Wild Route’s People Rocking Nature www.westcoastway.co.za By Christine Bernard Photos by Warren Bernard, www.flatwhiteimages.com www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 49

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2 Adults, 3 Kids and... 1 Campervan. Meet Cindy and Seth Alfino, who are packing up their house and taking to the road for a year. We chat to Cindy to find out more.

1. How did this amazing idea come from? This is actually rather weird because initially we started talking about making our three bedroomed house even bigger. We were getting caught up in the wanting more even though what we had was perfectly fine. Seth, my husband, re-

alised this and started at looking at ways to be content with less. And less. And less. And eventually he wanted us to move into a tiny house and live in our garden. Obviously I was SO totally not on board with that, but we kept discussing it over and over for months. And months. Eventually we decided that it needed to be something

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that we would do for a time and then go "back to reality" so we're not going all in. Plus, while we do it, we should make the most of the country we live in and explore it at the same time. It's weird because I can't pinpoint a specific moment when all these little decisions aligned or when I was totally on board with it, but over time I realised that we can actually do this, so we should!

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now (5, 7 and 8) and so will be able handle it a lot better than if they were younger. Plus they will be able to remember our trip as they get older which is exciting. We thought of taking our 10 year old Labradors with us but their age combined with small floor space, constant travelling and getting through borders means that we will need to find them a new (temporary) home until we get back. Which is proving to be more difficult than we thought.

2. Tell us a bit more about the camper van, and 3. Let's get to the actual travel, where will you a little about all the happy campers. be staying throughout the year? And how much Good old Optimus. That's what we have named planning are you doing for it? him, mostly because he's about to go through his biggest transformation yet, but also because We are breaking our year long trip up into two we dig that sort of thing. Optimus was originally halves. Our first half starting in July will be going made in the 70's. At first we thought it was 1978 up the East Coast up to Mozambique and down but it's actually 1974 - not that it really matters, again by December, then up the West Coast to old is old right?! So technically it's a 1974 VW Namibia and down again by June 2019. Our first Jurgens Campervan that was made right here in stop will be Mossel Bay and that's pretty much South Africa. Which is pretty cool as it's now go- all we've organised so far. We are concerned ing to take us all around the country we were about scheduling too much because we don't literally all made in. It currently has the two driv- want to be on the road too much, so we're goers seats and not much else. So we are totally ing to figure it out as we go. We have towns and revamping the interior, including building pas- things that we know we want to hit along the senger seats for our kids and beds for everyone way, but we aren't sure when we'll get there. The idea is we stay for a week or so at a place to sleep on. at a time. If we like it we stay longer, if we hate We're not doing this alone as a crazy adventur- it, we leave sooner. The only real plan we have ous married couple. We're taking our three kids is that we want to get to Lesotho in time for the along with us. Thankfully they are slightly older snow.

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4. When did you break the news to the kids and how did they take it? Our family is pretty open, so as we were processing doing this, we asked them how they felt about it. They were initially very concerned that they wouldn't see their grandparents and friends for a year, but they are warming up to the idea. Actually the thing that they were really the most concerned about is that they wouldn't have birthday parties as we would have left before they all get another year older. Usually we make a big deal out of parties (my own stupid fault there) so we're going to have one heck of a bash before we leave to appease them. They are quite excited about it though, two out of the three would leave tomorrow if they could. I think the things that they are finding the hardest is having to give up some of their toys and things as we begin the packing up process. We've been showing them YouTube videos of things that we are going to see along the way and I think that this is helping them a lot with being able to understand that we are going to have fun and not just be stuck in the van the whole time. 5. Talking about kids, what's the deal with school? Their schools have been so understanding of our little experiment. Knox is doing Grade R and the girls are in Grade 2 and 3 so it's a bit more serious for them. Their school is going to give us their curriculum for the year so that when we get back they will still be up to standard. And they are keeping our spots in the class which is just amazing! Seth is going to be the main home schooling teacher. We're pretty excited about this and being able to teach our children ourselves. We've read a lot of great things about home schooling and it will be perfect for this journey. 6. What has the reaction been like from everyone? Most people think we've completely and totally lost the plot. They just cannot fathom packing up their entire family and living on the road and man, I get that. I WAS them just a year ago. But there are also so many that are also very excited for us and watching closely to see if we can pull it off, because then they may give it a go too. The feedback we've gotten about this trip with regards to creating the best memories for our family has been overwhelming. So I think after the shock wears off people are generally really supportive. 7. What are you most concerned about? Aside from actually getting the camper up and running properly before we leave, my main concern is that it stays running for the time we're gone. I don't really want to be stuck on the side of the N1 with my children. But we're planning around this otherwise I'd be too freaked out to leave. It's www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 49

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probably the only thing we're really planning to be honest. So every time we move we will make sure to leave early in the morning to give us the day to get there. We also won't be going more than 3 or so hours away, so we'll be creeping up the country slowly but surely. 8. What are you most excited about? Seeing the absolute beauty and diversity that South Africa has to offer and to be able to experience all these new things with my children and husband. Just thinking about it makes me want to leave right now! 9. Will you still be working? If not, have you both quit your jobs? Yes, we will still be working (if only money grew on trees). I will still work my usual hours remotely and Seth has been able to reduce his work hours to 3 hours a day. We are very fortunate to be able to do this as most people wouldn't have this option. But it was important to me that we could come back and carry on with life. I've watched so many videos and read so many stories where people give up everything - their houses, their cars, their jobs and then just wing it. Not everyone survives this new life and then it's a major struggle to try and get back into normal life. I needed the security. In fact I wouldn't go without it. 10. How can we follow your travels? We run a blog called 3 Kids, 2 Dogs and 1 Old House that will stay super active as we are now starting with the revamp and planning. We will be updating social media regularly with Instagram stories on our various accounts. Yes we have 3. I know. Don't judge. The one is my personal - @CindyAlfino where you will get a lot of real life as it happens moments, my husband is @SethAlfino where you will get a similar, probably funnier, perspective, and then @ Alfreenos which will hopefully be one of those cool curated looking accounts with pretty pictures of Optimus in gorgeous surroundings. Then we will be making YouTube videos and posting on Facebook and Twitter of other things as we go. It's a big mash up of things really and hopefully at least one way that our friends and family can follow along with us. Website: http://www.3kids2dogsand1oldhouse.co.za/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CindyAlfino Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindyalfino/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/3kids2dogs1oldhouse/?ref=bookmarks YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCeM5sKO3lmQE85z4q0GUcgA?view_as=subscriber Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/cindyalfino/ www.flatwhiteconcepts.com | Issue 49

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Tell us more about Coffebeans Routes - We offer a range of experiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg (and soon Nairobi), from halfwhat are you all about? Coffeebeans Routes splashes story all over the canvas of tourism. Stories are our currency, our stories are the equilisers, our stories shift the balance of power. And tourism is our playground to share the stories of South African cities.

day music and creativity tours, to fourteen day long specialist programmes and holidays. We offer scheduled day tours, private day tours, tailor made programmes, multi-day programmes, and special events. As long as there are people and stories, we have a canvas.

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What is your most popular tour?

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that bring people together across boundaries, and in doing so, discover shared resources and opportunity. We create cultural interventions for The most popular is our Cape Town Jazz Safari It was the 2nd tour we ever created, back in 2005 economic growth. we launched it on a rainy stormy night in June. We visit jazz musicians in their homes for dinner Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to hear about some of your enviand a concert. Intimate, conversational, casual... ronmental sustainability strategies. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of fun, and a great way to meet people, hear amazing original music, and get a perspec- Our approach to sustainable and responsible tive on the city and the country through musi- tourism practice, therefore, is to focus on social cians. justice, while in parallel implementing tangible environmental management systems where feaLove the name, how did it come about? sible. At our HQ we recycle almost everything, including organic waste, and send approximately We are frequently asked why we are called Cof- 5% of our waste to the landfill. Our goal is to get feebeans. Everywhere in the world, across all that figure to zero. Plastic water bottles issued to languages and creeds and borders, everybody guests are collected and recycled at the end of understands coffee. It is the universal commun- tours, and we are exploring installing our own reion. When people share a coffee, it is implicitly verse osmosis water system to cut out all plastic. understood that they are sharing stories. The vehicles we use are new, fuel efficient and create minimum carbon waste. We use cabs as The work that we do as Coffeebeans Routes is often as possible, many of our activities use pubto facilitate communion across borders that are lic transport, and some of our experiences use both real and imagined. To create the platforms bikes and feet as primary transport.

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Our long term environmental sustainability strategy includes owning premises that deploy photovoltaic panels to charge electric vehicles, a biodigester to provide gas for cooling and heating, and a rainwater tank for toilet flushing. These interventions would take us almost completely off the grid in the summer season, except for sewerage processing. By establishing ourselves as an off-grid model of best practice, we can influence the suppliers we work with.

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people don’t expect it: townships. This according to treasury. That idea alone should compel people to think differently.

3. The economic centres have moved. The Cape Town CBD, for example, is no longer the centre of Cape Town. Langa is the spatial centre of the metropole. The CBD is in fact the periphery for the majority of people. When the centre is moved, it changes your relationship with the periphery. If Langa is no longer the periphery, and What are your three favourite things an economic and cultural hub, how differently do about South Africa that you want the rest people feel about it? What happens when the narrative becomes “Cape Town, on the perhiphof the world to know? ery of Khayelitsha” instead of Khayelitsha, on the edge of Cape Town... 1. Stokvels, co-operative savings and investment mechanisms, are old ideas being used in really modern sophisticated ways to create wealth in Do you offer tailor made tours for clients? unexpected ways. We explore these deeply as part of our immersions in alternative and emerg- Yes absolutely. Anything from 10 day art immersions and history and heritage programmes, to ing economies for MBA groups. choir group collaborations, culinary immersions, 2. Savings - the most cash savings is in the place MBA programmes exploring quantum economics.

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Who is the team behind Coffeebeans the hands of our supply chain, so that in addition to being compensated for the work done, our Routes? Michael Letlala runs our Johannesburg operations. Sabelo Maku, above middle, runs the Cape Town operations. Iain Harris (on the right) handles content development and the overall growth and stability of the business. We have a huge network of people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; guides, cooks, musicians, artists, designers, architects, spiritual leaders, writers, landscapers, brewers, wine-makers, historians, entrepreneurs, poets, town planners, journalistsâ&#x20AC;Ś who make what we do possible by being willing to share their stories with the world. We are very grateful for their openness.

suppliers also have shares in the businesses, and benefit as the company grows. We exist because of our supply chain, and would like to ensure that their reward is beyond simply cash for service. We woudl like to build wealth across our supply chain.

Lastly, what is the best way for others to book a tour or to get in touch? Best is online for live bookings of our most popular experiences, and to see what is possible in terms of longer form custom made programmes, before emailing or calling us.

Anything else youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share. We are working on a restructuring of the business to be able to made a large stock issue, as a way to raise funds to pay for expansion into other African cities, and as a way to get stock into

Visit www.coffeebeansroutes.com

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Win

Win a paperback of either Mute, Will or Unravel How to enter: Email your full delivery details to christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com for a chance to win. Subject line: Books Competition closes: 20 June 2018 Visit www.christinebernard.com and let me know which book youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to read. Please note - this competition is only available to people in South Africa. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not in SA you can still win, however your prize will be the ebook version. www.christinebernard.com

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Win a R500 Yuppiechef Voucher How to enter: Email your full details to christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com for a chance to win. For extra entries, keep an eye on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Subject line: Yuppiechef Competition closes: 20 June 2018 Founded in 2006, Yuppiechef is South Africa’s premier kitchen and homeware store. Based in Cape Town, Yuppiechef’s big vision is to build the world’s best shopping experience; and ultimately is on a mission to bring people together through the cooking and sharing of good food. www.yuppiechef.com

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Win

Win a case of Broad Valley Pinot Noir 2014 x 3 bottles, as well as Broad Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil x 3 500ml bottles.

Competition Details: Buy a case of Broad Valley Pinot Noir 2014 during the month of May (where you’ll already get 10% off by using the promo code: BROADVALLEY), and go into a draw to win a case of Broad Valley Pinot Noir 2014 x 3 bottles, as well as Broad Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil x 3 500ml bottles. Competition closes: End May 2018 Sharing South Africa’s most unique wines with wine enthusiasts country-wide. www.thewineguy.co.za

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LOKAL is a curated collective guide to all your favourite local brands & small businesses! #LoveLOKAL Twitter: @LOKALza Facbebook: lokalZA Website: lokalza.wordpress.com

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Do you want to advertise with us? Email Christine on christine@flatwhiteconcepts.com