Feast your eyeballs, Crush 9

And it's a juicy one, word of advice though, don't read this baby if you have a boring lunch, the recipes in here are ridiculous. Go get subscribed here.

A TRIP TO DEEP DARK AFRICA

So this morning I took a little trip to the heart of Deepdarkafrica, I casually sauntered around the gorgeous smorgasbord of local artisans, designers & crafters gathering more and more pride and awe at the intense creative talent that the people of my continent posses, while my credit card gathered flames in my pocket. Do you know what the coolest part was? the fact that I got to explore the creative spark of africa without even leaving my seat. South African fashion & decor stylist and author of the super rad blog JUSTcos, Alexia Kondylis has launched this quirky little online store that aims to 'showcase this creative talent to a wider contemporary market & make it accessible to all whilst at the same time bridging the gap between established African artists and those without access to a greater market.' This chic has a serious eye for everything beautiful, these are some of my favorites...

 

Please go and support Deepdarkafrica here, check out the blog here and get your twitter on here .

SASKO SURPRISE

So the other day I popped on down to my post box, I opened the bad boy up and rummaged through my usual bills bills bills, read up on pamphlets filling me in on the latest Penis enlargement potions from my local Sangoma, you know the usual. I was not expecting anything rad. Then a sweet little slip fell out the pile, you know the one, its that little darling with a not that says - hello lucky person! you have a ginormous and wildly exciting surprise waiting for you at the Post office! Is just so ginormous and wonderful that we can't fit in in your post box or in our delivery truck so please come on down and pick it up!

I wasted no time, grabbed the keys and headed straight for the Post Office. This is what greeted me- so much of cool.

The clever sausages over at Saatchi and Saatchi designed this gorge recipe book for Sasko, filled it with amazing illustration and design and really lovely recipes including everything from Koeksisters to Melktert. I cannot wait to whip me up some South African morsels:) 

How stunning is this cover? It totally makes me want to get my desperate housewife on. Its so lovely to see a brand doing sexy stuff- but then again I would expect nothing less form Saatchi.

Each recipe is accompanied by a stunning, simple piccie. Koeksisters, I always thought they were mad complicated to make, it turns out I have been pretty much wrong forever, cant wait to make some of these babies.

Hello Sailor

Absolutely inLOVE with these gorge skirts by Anne Cramer, anyone coming from America any time soon, feel free to bring me stripey skirt shaped prezzies:)

Happy Mothersday from Justin Timberlake

There are no words. Except maybe for BAAAAA ha ha ha HA HA hA. I bet you never though you would see Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson like this before, ever, not even in a million years. Happy Tuesday lovely readers.

Hey y'all time to get your Market on

Hey peeps it's that crazy time again so get out your thrifty outfits and little tasseled book bags, the markets are a comin. Thursday night sees the return of the Whole Foods Night Market held down at the less gangster side of point road, if you have not yet explored this market I highly suggest you get organised and come down it is a whole lot of fun and just a really rad place to hang out with friends, eat some falaffel and get a little sloshed. for more info hit up their facebook page here or you can read my previous post on it here
Next up is the I Heart Market on Saturday which you all know about so I'm not going to waffle on about it. What I am going to waffle on about is the seriously cool Twitter Blanket drive that Askashe has orchestrated. Basically all you need to do is get yourself a blanket and come down to the I Heart Market on Saturday where you can donate it to the people who need it the most. Ashe has scribbled down all the info here, go check it out immediately.

Bloggers, bubbly and shiny shoes

So The Bird and I have recently moved into a new place - when I say recently I mean we moved in in Feb but because all my stuff is still all over the place, it still looks like we moved in yesterday! 

Last week some of us lucky blogger chicks were invited to have a little look see at the latest and fabbest at Con Amore in La Lucia Mall . I could literally hear the ca- ching ca-ching sound from the moment I walked in. We were greeted by a table packed with absolutely gorgeous little cupcakes, plates of delicious sushi and piles of our Macaroonies were rising up off silver platters looking very snooty indeed.  The lovely Candice gave us a little introduction and sent us off to discover the wonders of their store, clutching glasses of bubbly and slowly watching our bank balances plummet. . .

me: Omg bird, you don't understand,I saw the most beautiful shiny shoes tonight

bird: Why do you need shiny shoes?

me: I'm sorry, I don't understand the question

I loved the fact that the store is packed full of beautiful little details that us girls can use to make our simple first homes look like really glam little gems. Union Jack pillows, definitely on the official birthday list 2011.

Tie a little ribbon round your finger

Today I was standing in line at the post office waiting for my awesome package to be handed over to me. I was merrily thinking about how rad bananas it is to get little postage slips to say that you have some giant surprise you need to go fetch because it is too big and awesome to fit in your mail box- just the best feeling right? Anyway while I was standing in the line I slowly started to look around at the people standing in line around me and I realised just how lucky I am in my life.  So often we get so caught up with our constant striving to have better hair than the girl next to you , a tighter butt, more money, iPhone or Blackberry that we forget to be greatful for the important things like our health, our warm beds and supportive families and our generally awesome lives. I know this post is a bit of a heart bleed but if you are reading this, please just take a moment to step back and be greatful for how awesome you have it, you really are one of the lucky few. Poster available here

The Wholefoods Night Market

Just close your eyeballs for a second, sit back in your office chair, spin around if you must, and let me tell you a little story. I recently went to the Whole Foods Night market (what used to be the Colombo Market) Unfortunately because I was so busy selling Macaroonies to the hungry hoards I didn't get even a moment to snap any piccies so I am going to just have to tell you about it instead and hope that your wild imagination can fill in the blanks and colour in the lines.

This little story takes place in beautiful, abandoned building project down on Point Waterfront. The weather outside is cold and rainy and the sky is the colour of a grumpy elephant. My lip is dragging on the ground because my car is packed to the roof with gold dusted brownies, sour cream fudge and enough macaroons to make you sick for a week and the weather is so damn miserable, I am sure no one will turn up. They will be too busy watching re runs of gossip girl while sniggering at all the poor sods sitting at a rainy market.

I arrived to the sound of bustling and laughing. Strings of bunting were being cris-crossed in every direction while Darryl, the creator of this whole shebang, skipped and weaved his way through the myriad of glorious stalls, firing up the candles that covered every available space to the sound of some cheeky jazz. Vendors were excitedly filling up their tables with everything from home-made lemonade and boutique beer to possibly the most delicious falaffel wraps you will ever have in your whole life- ever!

Slowly but surely, the space filled up, people wafted around following the clouds of delicious smells that floated around our cozy cave, clutching big glasses of red wine while they picked out there dinner menu. Once they were decided, bites were bought and enjoyed around the many candle lit tables that had been fashioned out hay bales and boxes. 

The Wholefoods night market was a roaring success, it was run professionally, parking was really easy and close to the front door, and the products supplied by the vendors were of a really high standard. I can definitely recommend this market to anyone. So, when you find yourself without plans on the first Thursday evening of every month, round up some troops come down to the market and have a really rad candle lit evening with your mates. 

Venue: The Quays, at the Durban Underwater Club and nearby uShaka, there is additional security personnel on duty. To find The Quays – take the second left after uShaka at Wodka, and go over the canal bridge as though going to Durban Underwater Club. Night Market will be on your right.

For more info – phone Yossis on 031 201 0090 / Tracey on 072 552 8152

10 THINGS WITH THE YUPPIES IN YUPPIECHEF

When it comes to everything sassy and sexy in the kitchen, only one name comes to mind and that is Yuppiechef. Yuppiechef is South Africa's premiere online heaven Kitchen store that has really made the hugest effort to bring South African's the best possible tools so we can all get out Nigella's and/or Jamies on respectively.   

When I went to that fab Food Bloggers Conference, I was lucky enough to meet the entire Yuppiechef lunatics team and was immediately determined to become bff's with them. They are an awesome bunch of guys and girls who always seem to be having some kind of fun - something that DurbanCentral is very much down with - so, please let me introduce to you the two Yuppies in Yuppiechef Marina and Lisa. Read about them, learn about what makes them tick and then go over to the Yuppiechef blog and immerse yourself in the heaven that is Kitchen addiction.

1. Describe yourself in 10 words 

Lisa: English? South African? Searching for the best of both worlds.
Marina: My name is Marina and I like eating zoo biscuits.

2. 10 ingredients every person should have in their kitchen?

Lisa: Sundried tomatoes, mother-in-law’s salt (with paprika and other secret things), Klein River Gruyere, smoked mussels, avos, coconut milk, olive oil, marshmallow eggs, Wedgewood nougat,risotto rice.
Marina: Chilli, feta, mushrooms, cream, black pepper, olive oil, chickpeas, peppers, fresh ginger,
coriander

3. I read a Jamie Oliver inty and he was telling a store about once when he was cooking
dinner for his lady in the nik and he opened the oven and a whoosh of hot air blasted his
bits! Any cringe worthy kitchen moments you would like to share?

Lisa: I decided to make a 70s-inspired dish for my husband’s 30th – a rather hideous sounding orange pudding (orange juice, milk and gelatine…. doesn’t sound good does it?) but didn’t put in enough gelatine as when it came to turning it out of the mould a cascade of orangey-milk drowned both me and the kitchen. Not cringe-worthy but certainly the makings of a good party.
Marina: I once went on a blind date and my date disappeared during the meal and locked himself in his room. Turned out he had cooked with pinenuts, which he was allergic to, and got so swollen he didn’t want to be seen!

4. Wooden spoons are so last Tuesday, My mom must have broken masses on my ass as
a kid, but these days moms have so many more options (I personally am loving the Le
Creuset spatula range, nice wooden handle with a flexible silicone end) Which kitchen
utensil do you think doubles as the best whacker ?

Lisa: The Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin
Marina: A pizza paddle? Although this breaks the rule of thumb.

5. Being someone who likes to cook, a lot, means that I receive about 3 recipe books every
Christmas, and birthday. What are the top 3 budget friendly Yuppie Chef items (in the
non cookbook category) you would recommend to people looking to gift their foodie
friends.

 Lisa: Cuisipro heart shaped cookie cutters, Kitchen Craft toaster bag, A Grabbit or two

Marina: Poach pods, Magnetic measuring spoon, Victorinox Tomato Knife

6. What is the wierdest thing you ever ate and enjoyed?

Marina: Stingray.
Lisa: Heston Blumenthal’s mock turtle soup (OK not weird but magical)

7. When all the foodies aren't looking I like to indulge in a little . . . .

Marina: Steers
Lisa: Pork scratchings

8. Working for the 'ol yuppiechef people must make people assume that you chicks are pretty much Masterchefs, a) is this the truth? b) When you have me round for dinner next time Im in ct what will you be cooking for me?

Lisa: a) Nope. If I’m left to my own devices in the kitchen it’s chaos. b) Thai steak salad
Marina: A) Well the people in Masterchef are learning, right? b) Butternut and burnt sage butter risotto (if you feed me chocolate)

9. On the subject of your employer, how on earth do you receive your pay check at the end
of every month and not blow it immediately on a kitchen aid? You are surrounded by so
much cool stuff!

Lisa: Creating a ‘wish list’ helps!
Marina: We have nerves of steel.

10. What is the best perk about your job?

Lisa: Our social teas – last week we had marie biscuits with marshmallow easter eggs squished inside and then melted. Today we had scrumptious milk tart.
Marina: Working with incredible, quirky and inspiring people.

DANNY ROBERTS AND DURBANCENTRAL'S SUBCONCIOUS COLLABERATION

 I just totally love it when a plan comes together! Ages and Ages ago I posted this picture (you can check out the post here) asking y'all to close your pretty eyes and just Imagine what a beautiful painting it would make. Every now and again I revisit the picture in my archives and hope that one day I will have the gusto to put on a sexy over sized mens shirt, jab a paintbrush in my updo and lock myself in my "studio"  only to emerge days later, covered in paint and clutching my gorgeous work of art that we will spend hours discussing at my marvelous dinner parties! Due to some unforseen macarooning my little fantasy slowly but surely became a dusty old fossil that was never realised. 

Danny Roberts clearly read my blog post and felt heart ache over my lost fantasy that I was subliminally smashing you guys with between the lines because the little stud muffin (seriously go check him out, he is just a little ridiculous in the good looking dept. total hottie) took it upon himself to act out my sexy litle artistic fantasy and do the dirty work for me! So without further rambling, may I present to you the dream as interpreted by the very talented Danny Roberts.

PLAYING FOR CHANGE

The bird recently posted this link on my Fb wall and it totally made my day! This is such a wonderful idea and possibly the raddest Monday blues killer on the planet. Playing for change is this super clever little posse of dudes who had the fab idea of recording little snippets of some incredibly talented buskers from every walk of life and corner of the globe. They traveled around collecting these beautiful snippets that they eventually edited together to bring us this wonderful gift. I hope it makes your Monday seem a little less well, Monday-ish. Enjoy peeps.

PS. I am officially back from my blogging hiatus, it was forced upon me by the nasty internet gods who very selfishly confiscated my connectivity but that is all very over now so you can breathe a sigh of relief:)