Wednesday, 11 December 2019
ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FOR 2019/2020
Black Friday may be long gone, but truth be told many of us haven't finished Christmas shopping yet. I mean, empty stockings and Christmas trees are a real struggle fam. We're also presented with so many options, that finding the right one can be difficult.
Friday, 22 November 2019
TIGER'S MILK SUNCOAST RESTAURANT REVIEW
"Tiger’s Milk is the best destination for ‘dude food’, made good. Epitomising handcrafted goodness with a menu that takes pizza, grills and burgers to the next level, pair these with our locally made Tiger’s Milk Lager and you’re sure to leave satisfied"Tigers Milk, a restaurant that falls under the Life & Brand Portfolio of restaurants, recently opened a long awaited branch in Durban (Finally!). What's even better is that Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World is home to the new Tigers Milk restaurant - adding the benefit of an awesome location that's centrally located and has a ton to do just a few minutes away (Not to mention beach views for days!)
While just having launched in September, it's already a favourite with so many people I follow raving about it on social media. Positioning themselves as the new happening place to be in Durban, you can expect good music, instagramable spots, live performances on some nights (The launch party on 12 October saw Micasa party up a storm) and even quiz nights (Like a Harry Potter one).
And we haven't even got to the food. If you're thinking they're the kind of place that prioritises a good vibe and alcohol so much that the food is sidelined, think again. In fact, all other things not considered, Tiger's Milk brings something new to the table with their dishes and turns pizza, grill and pizza classics into delicacies with a twist.
I've already visited the restaurant twice (And plan to again soon) so I'll give you a look at lots of different options on the menu, what I liked, what I want to try and what's just downright unique to Tiger's Milk.
Location
Tiger's Milk Suncoast is located in Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World in Durban. Suncoast has lots to do right on the premises with shopping, restaurants, a hotel, casino, games and other entertainment, so you can make a whole afternoon of it if you like.
Tiger's Milk also has other stores in the following places throughout the country:
JOHANNESBURG
Bryanston
Melrose Arch
Cedar Square
PRETORIA Lynnwood Bridge
CAPE TOWN
Century City
Claremont
Kloof Street
Long Street
Muizenberg
Stellies
Camps Bay
DURBAN Suncoast
Port Elizabeth
Food
Starters
The starters menu has a lot of interesting choices and some unique ones like the Party Parcels, Mac 'N Cheese Bacon Balls, Amazeballs as well as their Mexican Tacos and Nachos options. I asked what the popular choices were and settled on the Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings and the Amazeballs.
The Amazeballs were just that - they were amazing! Picture a warm, super cheesy centre covered in a crunchy pastry and that's what you can expect from the Amazeballs. If you love cheese (And who doesn't) this will end up being the most simple yet incredibly satisfying choice for you!
On the other hand if you're looking for something meaty and want to dig in, get the Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings. I looooove me some chicken wings but the wings I had at Tiger's Milk were a whole other level and no doubt THE BEST CHICKEN WINGS this foodie has had EVER. I can honestly say this is the starter I'm going to order every single time I go to Tigers Milk.
Mains
The options of mains are between salads, pizzas, burgers, grills and steaks. Luckily I can tell you a bit about all of them.
I've been trying to prioritise that #summerbody and eat healthy lately so I wanted to see if Tiger's Milk would cater for that. Finding places that serve healthier options and especially tasty, healthy options can be a whole mission.
I tried the Crouching Tiger salad - and it was definitely the best and most satisfying salad ever. It was absolutely delicious and had so many wholesome yet tasty ingredients. The salad had seared tuna, edamame beans, cashew nuts, cucumber, cabbage, pineapple, avocado, sesame seeds and a creamy wasabi dressing. Far from the bland salads I've gotten used to at other restaurants - Tiger's Milk clearly doesn't do bland or ordinary.
But here's the thing, it's not just the salad that's amazing. On a previous occasion I had the F.A.B.ULOUS pizza which definitely lived up to its name. I don't usually like thin base pizza's but with it being made in a wood fire oven, it was perfectly crispy and had a hint of a flame cooked taste which just ties it all together. This particular pizza has avocado, feta and bacon.
Twice lucky maybe? Well my plus one (AKA my mama) ordered the sirloin steak with mushroom sauce and salad which also ended up being delicious. Next time I'd love to try the steak as well! And I'll let you know what I think ;) Another option that a friend of mine loved was the Rockstar burger. It has cheese, bacon and guacamole.
Dessert
Wanna fall in love? 4 words. BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING. I kid you not, if happiness was a dessert, that's what it would be. It completely blew me away (And that's saying a lot, because I've tasted some damn amazing desserts in my lifetime). It's not the typical style of warm pudding, and is a dessert baked in cinnamon-vanilla custard with raisins and apricot jam, toasted almost flakes with vanilla bean ice-cream on the side. If you haven't had vanilla bean ice-cream before, I highly recommend you try it. The texture it's absolutely melt in your mouth. Don't know what vanilla bean ice cream is? Basically it's the "real" ice cream - actual vanilla beans are used and you can actually see the minuscule black grains.
Every place I go to I tend to try out the cheesecake and as such I just had to. The cheese cake at Tiger's Milk is more of a deconstructed cheese cake topped with berry coulis and vanilla bean ice cream on the side. The crust is also not on the bottom layer of the cheese cake but rather can be found separate with the ice cream. Personally I found the cheese cake on it's own to not be sour enough (I like me some sour cheese cake) although when you have it together with the berries it gives it more of a tang. The texture was also a bit too smooth considering there wasn't any crust base.
Drinks
Unfortunately on this particular day I was driving so no alcohol for me (*sob*) so I tried the Sherbet Smack virgin cocktail. If you aren't drinking alcohol and don't mind a sweet drink, I would definitely recommend it! I also tried the Virgin Mojito, but I found it a bit too bitter.
Overall
Overall it really does make the perfect place for a weekend lunch or casual dinner and drinks with friends. The food is delicious but you'll also love the overall ambiance. Be sure to check out their specials - on Monday Tiger's Milk has a 2 for 1 burger special and everyday you can enjoy happy hour from 4pm to 6pm. I'd love to check out their events and quiz nights sometime so maybe I'll see you there ;)
Friday, 15 November 2019
14 ON CHARTWELL RESTAURANT REVIEW
Us millennials don't just think of food as a way to satisfy our hunger - food is a whole experience. For that very reason you expect the restaurant to be a whole vibe and 14 on Chartwell lives up to that expectation.
This classy restaurant located in Umhlanga, Durban makes the perfect destination for drinks with the girls, a date night or a special occasion like a birthday party. Notoriously usually fully packed especially on the weekend (With a reservation pretty much always necessary to get a table fyi), you can tell that it's incredibly vibey.
This classy restaurant located in Umhlanga, Durban makes the perfect destination for drinks with the girls, a date night or a special occasion like a birthday party. Notoriously usually fully packed especially on the weekend (With a reservation pretty much always necessary to get a table fyi), you can tell that it's incredibly vibey.
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Friday, 11 October 2019
EXPERIENCE CAPE POINT - THINGS TO DO IN CAPE TOWN
When you think of touristy things to do in Cape Town, there's no doubt that Table Mountain dominates that list. The list of people who've been to Cape Town and people who've been up to Table Mountain is pretty much mutually exclusive right? While the actual mountain is what we consider synonymous with Table Mountain Nation Park, the Good Hope also falls under Table Mountain National Park. And within the Good Hope is where you'll find the Cape Point Nature Reserve.
Wednesday, 9 October 2019
SPRINGHOLM COTTAGES AT BRAHMAN HILLS - A MIDLANDS EXPERIENCE
Waking up to the sound of birds chirping faintly in the background. You've just had the most relaxing sleep on a gigantic king size bed, lying on a cozy electric blanket. You get up, freshen up in the en suite bathroom then make your way to the lounge area of the cottage. You go straight for the curtain that covers the huge glass doors to the patio. Unlike any other patio, yours comprises of a cute little wooden stoep surrounded by a brimming dam. In the distance you see a picture picture backdrop of trees, some covered in sparse autumn leaves and some as green as emeralds. As you open the glass door you feel the midlands chill - first the cold hits your lips then your nose then your whole body. But the cold fresh air makes you feel alive.
Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Friday, 23 August 2019
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LASER HAIR REMOVAL
With summer around the corner, it's no surprise if you're looking at hair removal options that are the most effective and efficient.
Shaving? Only last like 2 days and leaves you with the worse stubble.
Waxing? Lasts a week which is great but then you have to wait another 2 or 3 weeks for the hair to be long enough to wax again - which means 2 or 3 weeks of hairy legs. So not cool for summer beach days.
There are other options like tweezing, threading and sugaring but these are more for specific areas like brows.
As you can tell from the title of this post, we're going to look specifically at laser hair removal.
I gave laser hair removal a try 2 years ago but I messed up one fundamental thing - you need to be consistent with it. I started it again a few months ago and this time I'm hoping to go all in.
I asked Mariam Joosab from Simply Laser for her expert opinion on all your most commonly asked questions and some specific questions I got on my instagram stories.
Thursday, 22 August 2019
GIRL BOSS INTERVIEW WITH VALENCIA BOGDANOVIC
The Girl Boss series aims to highlight the achievements of women just like you and me who are doing amazing things. Hopefully their stories will inspire you as much as they inspire me. This week we chat to Valencia Bogdanovic, a qualified cosmologist and content creator/blogger behind Style Your Confidence Now.
Sunday, 18 August 2019
COFFEE AND A MOVIE - CORNER BAKERY FT. EQUATORIAL COFFEE AND STER KINEKOR
When you think of going to the movies, chances are the first thing that comes to mind is popcorn. And while that's great and all, what about having a freshly made muffin and cappuccino? Even better wouldn't it be nice to order that cappuccino and have it brought to your during the movie so that you can enjoy a hot coffee when the action begins and not just finish it while you're watching the 101 trailers?
Wouldn't it be even better to have a huge comfy seat that you can make yourself comfortable in, be able to recline in your seat and have a more intimate cinema experience?
Wouldn't it be even better to have a huge comfy seat that you can make yourself comfortable in, be able to recline in your seat and have a more intimate cinema experience?
Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Monday, 12 August 2019
THE HUSSAR GRILL - RESTAURANT REVIEW
When it comes to steak houses I can be as picky as the next person. You want your steak to be extra juicy and just the right texture, right? I was recently invited to experience a meal at Hussar Grill - regarded as one of the premium grill rooms in South Africa - a restaurant I've had my eye on for a while, and decided to give their steak a try. They have branches throughout the country and I tried out the Hussar Grill in Gateway, Durban.
The restaurant is located at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga, Durban. Being located in Gateway Boulevard with so many restaurants around, it takes a special restaurant to stand out and Hussar Grill does just that.
Here is a list of all the branches:
Western Cape: Camps Bay, Durbanville, Franschhoek, George, GrandWest, Mouille Point, Paarl, Rondebosch, Somerset West, Steenberg, Stellenbosch, Willowbridge, Worcester
Saudi Arabia: Khobar
Walls of books from a time passed, line the restaurant - I spotted everything from volumes of the World Book, all kinds of Encyclopedia's as well as Popular Mechanics books that could easily be over 50 years old. In sections, you'll find bottles of wine and wine glasses on the shelves, overall giving it a very cosy feel.
On the other hand, the entrance leads you straight to the bar - where I clearly felt right at home ;)
Deciding on what to eat was so difficult because for any meat lover, the options are incredibly appertising. They also do a lot of house specialties, a few of which are on my list to try out the next time I visit.
I ended up having 3 starters so I can share on a few different options.
To nibble while I properly looked through the menu, I chose the biltong. It made me wonder, why don't more restaurants have biltong on the menu?? I love that they had the option! And biltong as a pre-starter is so satisfying.
This option consists of sweet queen prawn meat covered in their Marie Rose sauce on a bed of greens (Yes, with avo). As a cold option, it's a good summer starter however, in winter I prefer something warm to start off.
Now this was my favourite part of the whole meal - and literally what I've been craving ever since! It consists of double cream Bechamel studded with beef jus and beef bits, then crumbed and deep fried with Dijon mustard on the side. Holy cow (no pun intended) this was DELICIOUS on another level! The texture is crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. And it made my taste buds so happy.
Choosing a main from 3 pages of meat options, most of which sound unique in some way and many of which are specialties is such a difficult task. I walked in knowing I want a simple Sirloin steak and while questioning all the scrumptious sounding options, ended up going with my gut feeling.
I chose a simple sirloin steak (medium) with a mushroom sauce and mash. Should I have chosen one of their specialty dishes? Probably, especially given most of them sounded amazing. It was a good steak, but not the best I've had. The texture and sauce were perfect but the flavour lacked a bit. On the other hand my choice of potato mash on the side complimented it nicely. I usually order wine with my steak but because I was driving opted not to but I've heard such good things about their house wines that I definitely will try next time.
My partner ordered the Hussar Carpetbagger, one of their house specialties. It consists of a fillet mignon stuffed with a combination of smoked oysters, cheddar cheese and topped off with a brandy and wholegrain mustard sauce. The fillet steak was tender and succulent and together with the sauce, very flavour-rich. However, whether the combination of oysters and steak compliment each other will probably depend on your personal taste - it's a bit of an aquired taste combination.
I always end up having cheese cake or lemon meringue for dessert so I'm quite the expert at comparing different restaurants offering of the 2. There's also the option of a Chocolate Vodka Martini as a Signature Dessert on the menu, which I want to try next time. While I didn't get to taste it, my partner had the Creme Brulee and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Described as "Velvety smooth cheesecake atop a traditional buttery biscuit crust and baked to perfection" - don't these words just make your mouth water! You know that aunty in your family that loves to bake and makes the best dessert for family occassions and functions? This cheesecake tastes like my aunty made it. It's absolutely velvety and buttery melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake. It also isn't too rich or sweet and served in a huge slice, that's perfect for 2 or even 3 people.
The food was delicious with clearly a lot of heart being put into its preparation. The staff were phenomenal! I also have to mention the food was ready so quickly - the main came just 10 minutes after ordering, so it's a great option if you're in a bit of a hurry.
Fun fact: On the day prior to my visit, there was a petty theft with some of the table clothes having been stolen (As they were delivered outside the restaurant). The funny thing is, I hadn't even noticed it. But the manager made a point of apologising for it immediately - I thought it was part of the aesthetic since the lovely green tables matched the seats anyway!
These are my personal ratings based on the above experience. It is of course subjective.
Location: 10
Ambiance: 8
Food: 8
Service: 9
Location
The restaurant is located at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga, Durban. Being located in Gateway Boulevard with so many restaurants around, it takes a special restaurant to stand out and Hussar Grill does just that.
Here is a list of all the branches:
Western Cape: Camps Bay, Durbanville, Franschhoek, George, GrandWest, Mouille Point, Paarl, Rondebosch, Somerset West, Steenberg, Stellenbosch, Willowbridge, Worcester
Gauteng: Midrand - Waterfall, Montecasino, Morningside, The Grove
KZN: Gateway, Kloof
Eastern Cape: Walmer
Zambia: Lusaka
Saudi Arabia: Khobar
Ambiance
Walls of books from a time passed, line the restaurant - I spotted everything from volumes of the World Book, all kinds of Encyclopedia's as well as Popular Mechanics books that could easily be over 50 years old. In sections, you'll find bottles of wine and wine glasses on the shelves, overall giving it a very cosy feel.
On the other hand, the entrance leads you straight to the bar - where I clearly felt right at home ;)
Food
Deciding on what to eat was so difficult because for any meat lover, the options are incredibly appertising. They also do a lot of house specialties, a few of which are on my list to try out the next time I visit.
Starters
I ended up having 3 starters so I can share on a few different options.
Starter: Hussar Beef Biltong
To nibble while I properly looked through the menu, I chose the biltong. It made me wonder, why don't more restaurants have biltong on the menu?? I love that they had the option! And biltong as a pre-starter is so satisfying.
Starter: Prawn and Fresh Avo Cocktail
This option consists of sweet queen prawn meat covered in their Marie Rose sauce on a bed of greens (Yes, with avo). As a cold option, it's a good summer starter however, in winter I prefer something warm to start off.
Starter: Hollandse Bitterballen
Now this was my favourite part of the whole meal - and literally what I've been craving ever since! It consists of double cream Bechamel studded with beef jus and beef bits, then crumbed and deep fried with Dijon mustard on the side. Holy cow (no pun intended) this was DELICIOUS on another level! The texture is crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. And it made my taste buds so happy.
Mains
Choosing a main from 3 pages of meat options, most of which sound unique in some way and many of which are specialties is such a difficult task. I walked in knowing I want a simple Sirloin steak and while questioning all the scrumptious sounding options, ended up going with my gut feeling.
Main: Sirloin Steak
I chose a simple sirloin steak (medium) with a mushroom sauce and mash. Should I have chosen one of their specialty dishes? Probably, especially given most of them sounded amazing. It was a good steak, but not the best I've had. The texture and sauce were perfect but the flavour lacked a bit. On the other hand my choice of potato mash on the side complimented it nicely. I usually order wine with my steak but because I was driving opted not to but I've heard such good things about their house wines that I definitely will try next time.
Main: Hussar Carpetbagger
My partner ordered the Hussar Carpetbagger, one of their house specialties. It consists of a fillet mignon stuffed with a combination of smoked oysters, cheddar cheese and topped off with a brandy and wholegrain mustard sauce. The fillet steak was tender and succulent and together with the sauce, very flavour-rich. However, whether the combination of oysters and steak compliment each other will probably depend on your personal taste - it's a bit of an aquired taste combination.
Dessert
I always end up having cheese cake or lemon meringue for dessert so I'm quite the expert at comparing different restaurants offering of the 2. There's also the option of a Chocolate Vodka Martini as a Signature Dessert on the menu, which I want to try next time. While I didn't get to taste it, my partner had the Creme Brulee and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Dessert: Baked Cheese Cake
Described as "Velvety smooth cheesecake atop a traditional buttery biscuit crust and baked to perfection" - don't these words just make your mouth water! You know that aunty in your family that loves to bake and makes the best dessert for family occassions and functions? This cheesecake tastes like my aunty made it. It's absolutely velvety and buttery melt-in-your-mouth cheesecake. It also isn't too rich or sweet and served in a huge slice, that's perfect for 2 or even 3 people.
Overall
The food was delicious with clearly a lot of heart being put into its preparation. The staff were phenomenal! I also have to mention the food was ready so quickly - the main came just 10 minutes after ordering, so it's a great option if you're in a bit of a hurry.
Fun fact: On the day prior to my visit, there was a petty theft with some of the table clothes having been stolen (As they were delivered outside the restaurant). The funny thing is, I hadn't even noticed it. But the manager made a point of apologising for it immediately - I thought it was part of the aesthetic since the lovely green tables matched the seats anyway!
Rating
These are my personal ratings based on the above experience. It is of course subjective.
Location: 10
Ambiance: 8
Food: 8
Service: 9
Monday, 5 August 2019
LESSONS IN LIFE, MONEY AND BUSINESS - LESSONS I LEARNT AT #WEARYOU 2019
"Immerse yourself in a life that moves you, because what you surround yourself with is what becomes your life."
-Aurelia Nxumalo, Lawyer and Influencer
The Wear You movement, by ethnic haircare brand Sta-Sof-Fro, is a meeting of the minds of women from all walks of life, with one thing in common- they are real women living in the real world. The seminar aims to celebrate #versatyle women, while imparting and sharing a wealth of knowledge about various key topics.
It took place in Durban on the 27th of July 2019 and takes place in Johannesburg on 31 August 2019 as a full day seminar consisting of masterclasses by 13 powerhouse women as well as a panel discussion, Q&A and cocktail networking session. I attended the Durban one and the whole day was filled with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration and I thought I'd share some of the lessons I learnt with you.
Lessons in Life, Money and Business
You don't have to be a "POWER BITCH", you can still be kind. Nowadays the empowered "boss' women is seen as being ruthless and savage, doing everything she can to reach the top. Having ambition doesn't have to translate to being mean. You can still show kindness and gentleness on your journey.
You need to know what you don't want even if you don't know what you want. The world is full of distractions and things that take us off the course we're supposed to be on. But we need to know when to say no to these things that aren't right for us and find things worth putting our time and energy into.
Know where you stand - your positioning is a compass that will guide you.
TELL people what you do. We put so much thought into personal branding and yet miss the most important step - we have to actually tell people and make it clear to them what we do and what we want. Don't give them room to guess and come up with their own assumptions.
Read the requirements of the next job you want. It's as easy as looking on jobs sites like indeed.com. Use those requirements as a guideline as to what you need to do to get there.
There was also a lot of practical financial advice I took from the day:
There's NO SHAME in going back home and starting over (Now this hit so close to home for me!)
Make SURE you have an emergency fund - at least 30% of your income and importantly money that is liquid and you can access in 24 hours
Be financially disciplined. If you didn't have support from your spouse/parents do you make enough money to maintain your lifestyle?
Act your wage - whether you earn R5k or R50k if you don't have a good relationship with money you'll always be broke. No matter how much you earn, it comes down to the same principles.
And to end off on a lighter note - "Girl, focus on your money. It won't wake up one morning and decide it doesn't love you."
P.S at the event we also got the cutest 2020 diaries filled with wise quotes and motivation. Here are some of my favourite quotes:
"When we truly step into our power, there is no predicting the heights we can reach."
- Dr. Nandipha Sekeleni
"Don't compare your life to others. There is no comparison between the sun and moon, they shine when it's their time."
- Nelisiwe Masango
"It doesn't matter how good or talented you are, I can promise you this, you will fail more times than you will succeed and you will need to be okay and prepared for that eventuality. Sometimes the failures will be private and other times they won't be. Be prepared."
- Nandi Dlepu
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
GIRL BOSS - INTERVIEW WITH MISHA LEE
The difference between success and failure is in taking the initiative. The Girl Boss series aims to highlight the achievements of women just like you and me who are doing amazing things. Hopefully their stories will inspire you as much as they inspire me. This week we chat to Misha Lee, a mega talented photographer and creative entrepreneur.
