Brewers Co-op Woodstock

A bunch of guys and one lady have got together to form the Brewers Co-op in Albert Road, Woodstock,

 our buddy Daniel being one of them, so last Thursday we popped down to do some serious tasting- 

I quietly, and a bit bashfully arrived as a non beer drinker, but was quickly lured by all the sparkling honey hues.... by the end of the evening I had tasted several really delicious beers, knew a bit more about the different processes- everyone is very passionate- and had a favourite in the cider.

You can catch one of their free beer Thursdays (they await their licence) tomorrow from 6 pm-don't worry about the rain and the cold, there's always a big crowd of kindred souls and plenty of beer.

Woodstock drive-by

Blah Blah Bar and Ferdinando's pizza

I promise I didn't try and keep this a secret, you know I love to share...we just needed a few more visits to make sure I had the best pictures of  Blah Blah Bar 

Now a quick glance at the pictures and you'll see just what kind of wonderful this place is-

But if you need words- it's trendy, but casual in a cool artsy kind of way -

Erdmann Contemporary is upstairs.

 Regular live music downstairs, just keep an eye on their facebook page. 

It's a perfect party venue, not too big, a bit edgy, sort of like a home party in an alternative rich person's Victorian house.

and in the back.......Pizza!

I know- can this place get any better?

It's also not just any pizza, it's that pizza that I've been promising to tell you about, it's Ferdinando's pizza,

I really can't describe this little pizza kitchen to you- take a look and you'll see- but I can tell you how it makes you feel- warm and happy.

That's Ferdinando there on the floor looking for a treat.

What kind of rock star proprietor thought of all this you ask? 

 

Ja, ja- say no more, he was born to it.

I'll finish with some stunning 'drive-by's' taken by the art teacher on our way there

A life well lived

If I think of Gary, it's his laugh and those devilishly twinkly eyes first, even after his strokes, he'd charade us into remembering an incident in the past and laugh heartily - delighting in the memory.

And boy, are there a lot of memories- an adventurer at heart, fear and consequence...please....pfftt...that was for us mere mortals - you don't believe me?

Going way back, how about his 'make it or break it' drive to Sun City, a lot of cash was involved and yes, you guessed it, he placed it all on Red - no half measures, he was an all or nothing kind of guy- and yes, Black came in.

I hear the click, clack, clunk of the backgammon board, Fanie and Gary laughing, playing late into the night.

Then there were the poker evenings- you can tell a lot about a person by the way they play poker.

 He won with delight, lost with grace, rarely sat out - even with a bad hand, enjoyed a good bluff- especially if it was on him, loved to go all in and always gave you a chance to win back your money- a good poker player is a rare find.

He loved hang -gliding, not always successfully- poor Lisa!
 Adored nature, one weekend, combining both at either Beaverlac or Porterville, Gary's- 'let's go for a little walk', turned out...well, as you can see below.....fortunately I wasn't a first time mother.

Passionate about horses, to watch him with his horses on the farm in Prince Albert was almost religious.

He wrote well and with humour, he would have had a great blog- Gulliver's Travels a favourite of his, Siouxsie and the Banshees his best CD at our house- good whisky a necessity.

 So many more tales, schemes and adventures to reminisce - but one thing I know- 

your friends are all better people for having known you.

Al Bairre and Shortstraw at Kirstenbosch

To spread a picnic blanket on the lawns of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on a summer Sunday evening, to sit, sprawl, stand or dance, drink in hand ...this is Cape Town  - is an exceptional experience.

It doesn't matter if you're there for the music, the gardens, the people  - ( so many beautiful people, where do they all come from- no really? )  - it's the combination and then you look up at the mountain and *sigh* - a very deep and satisfied *sigh* and happily pour another glass of wine.

Long ago as young mothers with first, then 2nd and yes, some of us 3rd children, we would get together weekly,  mainly for our sanity, often in Kirstenbosch under the big tree. 

This last Sunday one of  those little tots took to that stage with a bunch of his friends and owned it.
They played with such joy and exuberance-
 We loved them, Cape Town loved them!

After Al Bairre came Shortstraw, another fabulous Indie rock band - by the end of the evening everyone was on their feet...even those who were having trouble finding their feet.

Bless you dear Kyle for giving us moms a perfectly plausible excuse to jump up and down, sing, shout and cheer like our teenage selves would have done.

Hannalie Taute- Cross my Heart

Heidi's Erdmann gallery in Kloof street is currently home to Hannalie Taute's original exhibition- Cross my Heart.

Embroidery pigs are flying, stitched on rubber patchwork, there are dolls with tales to tell, a punching bag that dares you- the last picture is a 6 piece installation entitled 'She's a wreck'

'who needs courage' 'Mandrakes pollinating'

'I'll cross my heart when....'

'Dress is power ' 'Hare today- gone tomorrow' 'Nike of another race'

'She's a wreck'

We absolutely loved the exhibition, so many interesting pieces, an incredible amount of work and time must have gone into them.

The art teacher was brave enough to pin a needle in the artist's heart - Hannelie wore a rubber dress with a padded heart and offered pretty needles- the art teacher missed the 'sweet spot'..I think that was good?

Refreshing 'Once upon a time' cocktails inspired by the artworks were offered around and downstairs in Blah Blah Bar the Sharena Sol Orchestra played the most captivating Balkan, gypsy, jazz sounding music.

Sharena Sol orchestra

Did I mention we also ate the most scrumptious pizza? Promise to share next blog...

Drive- by Llandudno

A proper book party

there in the foreground lies this season's most coveted book

I was going to say launch, but with that wicked punch, endless rows of pink bubbles.... and don't get me started on the sublime pork pate-  it really was a very good party.

WIth The Book lounge in Roeland street as the perfect venue, our fabulous and now famous Marie from '66 square feet'  reigned supreme last night.

I would describe the book to you in all it’s delicious detail- but they’re gone- yes, all of them.....snatched up even faster than those delicious morsels of crispy pork rind!

I can tell you that everyone was there and we loved the question and answer session with the vivacious Sam Woulidge of Confessions of a hungry woman fame.

Whispers overheard amongst the books ....'so thoughtful', 'captivating', 'intelligent', 'witty' - and as you can see Marie signed all those books as if she were born to do it.

Off to Kalahari.net to secure my copy - .now I just need it signed...,,

 

drive by- drive home

Prince Albert

 

I don't know if it's the air, the spectacular Swartberg mountains or the sheer nothingness surrounding Prince Albert- perhaps it's the combination.

 As you enter the town everything slows, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the gentle lulling.

 It had been too long and it was a surprise party for our old mate Gary, we stayed at Lisa's beautiful guest house in the main road 'Onse Rus'

I know they are our friends, but what a fabulous place to stay- just take a look and see for yourselves.

Saturday morning breakfast on the stoep watching the town walk by, a meander to the market and of course, late night drinking in the fairy lit courtyard garden.

 We spent the day on their farm 30 kms outside of Prince Albert, this is the road we took- I know..... I'm sure you could meditate for hours on the serenity of just this picture, but to be sure, 

I'm throwing in the roadside tortoise as well.

We drove past a large fig farm, this was very hard, row upon row of almost ripe large black figs - just as well I wasn't driving.

Almost at end, we veered right to reveal their gorgeous little farm, the horses came to greet us.

 We got to eat some of those figs- stuffed with blue cheese, gently roasted in the weber and then wrapped with black forest ham- I haven't stopped thinking about them.

The art teacher chose the hammock and we all wiled away the afternoon listening to sweet sounds of nothing.

We left at sunset- the horses bid us farewell.

Drive by- drive home