A Farewell (with a cake)

My dearest friend Lynsey has left the nest and run off to Oxford to study conservation and save the world... And all I made her was this measly cake.

After seeing this tutorial for scallop icing, I could not stop myself from trying it out and now I think its going to be my new favourite way to ice everything!

Covered in mini astros for a celebratory finish - the cake went down a treat.

Good luck my friend; we will be thinking of you often! Esp. when I'm at your house for tea… ;)

Mahai

Last week was our mid-semester break and after a short but wonderful visit with Curt's family in Durban we spent 3 nights in the Drakensberg, camping at Mahai.

It was too beautiful!

The only time I had been in the Berg before was on a Primary School camp… not the best time to appreciate one's environment. I cant believe I waited this long to see it again!
We had one day of mist and non-stop light rain but still had the best time meeting furry friends right by the tent and drinking freshly pressed coffee.

Our friends joined us for the rest of our days there and we spent our time hiking in the sunshine, and lazing about the campsite (along with a very interesting and pretty old German couple who had a mobile home to be proud of!) which sits right in between the mountains.

We are already talking about our next trip there!

Nesting with Porky

This is called Audrey Hesca, I don't know why. Its by Porky Hefer and I love it!

Apparently Hefer "strives to produce work that elicits a smile and sticks in your head" - and he as definitely achieved that with this piece.

Do yourself a favour and get to the Southern Guild 2012 exhibition at the Everard Read Gallery asap (because it is so inspiring but also it ends next weekend)

This was a stand out design for me but I could have posted several more which near blew my mind with their exqusiite, quirky, different and straight up beautiful design!

Find out more about the Southern Guild 2012 here and the Everard Read Gallery here.

Pear Clafoutis

My opinion on the humble pear is this:

 a raw pear when eaten at the opportune moment is a glorious thing! However that glorious moment occurs for about one hour in each pear's entire existence!

So what do we do? We cook them, because they are always delicious when cooked!

I made this pear clafoutis a few weeks ago when I had some friends over for dinner, the cold evening definitely called for a warm pudding and I had a bag of pears that didn't seem to want me to experience their raw glory!

I just made a simple vanilla cake batter, but added some orange zest and ground almonds.

There is a slight nip in the air today and I would not say no to a nice warm slice of this!

Spring has sprung

The blossoms are popping up on our plum tree - and all over the city I might add - and it is definitely helping to bring back the sunny disposition of the country!

Spring is beginning to show its face at just the right time - I think it is safe to say that the general mood of South Africa can only handle so much cold weather!

Sprouted Kitchen and excuses

Woopeee - Sprouted Kitchen - a blog I have lusted over for years, filled with beautiful food photography and delicious recipes has released (well almost released - 28 August) a recipe book! 

and it looks like it going to be divine…

Check it out here

In other news: I am back… Not as if I have physically been away somewhere (I wish) but back here. A combination of back to studies blues, car issues, general mopey-ness and the cold winter had left me uninspired and uninterested.

Now having started a new (and very exciting) class in the evenings, being back at pottery and decidedly having had enough of the blues - I am feeling much better.

So here is to [holding thumbs for] lots of exciting and happy things for the rest of the year!

Poodles, Dresses and Tequila

Friday was June's T-party, this time at Lucy's house which means three crazy (but impressively politically correct) poodles and lots of lovely art on the walls! A warm fire, a divine chickpea curry, glass after glass of berry filled cocktails and a room full of pretty ladies in frocks!

WAM

I finally got myself to the Wits Art Museum which has been open for quite a while now. They have some great pieces on display - old and new. This one grabbed my fancy though:

Weather by Gerhard Marx

Its made completely of black rulers - so effective!

This wood sculpture by Johannes Segogela was also one my favourites:

ALSO! I suck at routines. Period. So I have decided that my photo-a-day-for-a-month will now be called a-photo-a-day-for-a-week and be over. It seems as soon as you tell yourself that you have to post something everyday it makes it SO MUCH HARDER! That is all.

7

Yellow.

6

Monday morning started with fresh scones and tea catching the brief part of the morning when my room is filled with sun!

5

During a walk around the neighbourhood, we stopped at the pretty park across the road from Curt's place - and my pretty sister fitted right in,

and the sun was prettily starting to set.

4

I read all day…

oops!

3

My little collection of cacti are sitting pretty on my windowsill in their custom made pots!

2

This adorable little creature, Sarafina, is living with Curtis at the moment - I could not get enough of her!

1

I went to Pretoria to stay with my love (and on the way I dropped it... haha - if I'm the only one who gets the song reference, please ignore this here parenthesis) after my last exam on Friday! After a celebratory night (and day) of beer and fun, we had a long and lazy Saturday and went hiking on Sunday for Fathers Days with Curt's family.

Then it was Monday and day one of my a-photo-a-day-for-a-month: friends of ours played a gig at Huckleberry's - The Cafe in the Park.

You really cant go wrong with listening to friends playing good music, sitting with a beer in hand and warming up by a cozy fire.

A Photo a Day... for a month

I've always really liked the idea and admired those people who do a-photo-a-day-for-a-year projects but I just know I could never keep going for that long...

So instead I've set myself the challenge of doing a-photo-a-day-for-a-month while I am on holiday -thats officially from Monday the 18th June until Sunday the 15th of July.

I know its Wednesday already so there will a be a one day only smash bang load of posts to quickly catch up and then all will settle and be right with the world - haha!

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy taking them!

In honour of...

An old girlfriend of my Dad's, from when he was in his twenties, sent us this old picture she found of him and I thought Fathers Day would be a good time to share those glowing strawberry blonde locks with the world.

Shades

"in shades from natural to the unimaginable..."

A line from The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - a beautiful book!

Photo is from here

Beetroot Velvet

Beetroot Velvet - it kinda has a ring to it right?!?

Yes, everybody loves a good red velvet cupcake, and yes they are very pretty and boldly red and and and...
but the thought of just how much red food colouring goes into them was becoming too much to handle. I had heard about people using beetroot juice instead so when recently boiling some beetroot, as one does, I kept that bright reddy purple liquid and saved it for a rainy day...

Enter the Beetroot Velvet Cupcake  (aka. Red Velvet Cupcake au naturel)... I followed this recipe and man were they goood! Smothered in traditional cream cheese icing with a raspberry on top for a fresh burst and there you have it.

Also: its exam time and that means... its "put lots of extra effort into baking" time AND neglect blog time.

Because I just can't get enough

I made an orange segment, fresh rocket (from the garden) and crushed cashew salad for lunch...

and spent the rest of the day finishing up assignments and finally getting around to stringing up some jewelry (hopefully more on this soon!)

all while listeneing to Sydney Wayser's album 'Bell Choir Coast' on repeat