Interim Update on Proposed Uys Krige Extension

Last month (12 June to be exact) a public participation meeting took place at the Bellville Velodrome. The idea was for the City of Cape Town to inform the public of the proposed plans that involved extending Uys Krige Drive (former Hendrik Verwoerd Drive) through Hoheizen, as well as it's impact on Loevenstein.

It emerged in the meeting that this seemed to be a reactive process rather than a proactive one.
Based on the Loevenstein Residents Association's Facebook Page, it seems that in excess of 500 residents arrived for the meeting, far more than what they were expecting.

The panel took quite a beating and, for the most part, seemed under prepared for the onslaught of legitimate concerns from the residents.

The LRA posted the following update on the 28th June:

"Update re the Proposed Uys Krige Extension - the Ward Councillor has informed me that the Subcouncil Manager Mr Brand will call a meeting with the Council Members and City officials in this regard, after the current recess, ie. after 15 July 2013. All comments and objections have been entered into the report. Everyone's comment counts! Watch this page for any further developments."

We now wait to see if the 'City That Works For You', also listens to you...

N

Relaxation Only A Short Drive Away

Getting away is such a mission, right? There is never time to relax, right?
Wrong...

Cape Town offers so much to it's residents in the way of relaxing getaways. This past weekend I took her up on one such offer. To celebrate 3 glorious months with my better half, and also our first official dinner date, I could think of nothing better than a night away from the city and a nice meal.

The beautiful town of Franschhoek was the destination. We had booked a gorgeous room at the Protea Hotel Franschhoek, one of my favourite out-of-town hotels. Seriously, if you haven't stayed there yet, what are you waiting for? Next Weekend is the Bastille Festival, so if you haven't booked yet, you might want to sort that out. But Franschhoek is so beautiful, you don't need to use an event as an excuse to visit.

We decided to have a cheese and wine afternoon while watching the rugby (I know, right! I got to watch the rugby on a romantic getaway..this one is a keeper!). We opened an absolutely stunning De Grendel 2007 Merlot (another wine estate in our backyard that I must make time to visit) and this went very well with the mini cheese platter which the hotel had provided.

With Compliments

We also brought along a piece of Marisch which we had spotted at the Checkers Cheese Festival in April.
Thankfully, Anura Vineyards have made this cheese available at Woolworths. It is such a delicious cheese and pairs well with fig and melon preserve.

This wine region offers such quality with regards to Wine Estates as well as restaurant options. Part of the charm of Franschhoek is that you won't find a Spur or Mugg & Bean (yes, there is a Col'cacchio, but that's still better on the franchise scale than a , say, Panarottis). To this end, we decided to book a table at Dutch East Restaurant. This came highly recommended by my brother-in-law, and I can see why.

We managed to secure a table close to the fireplace, which came in handy, as Franschhoek in winter can get rather chilly. The restaurant has such a relaxed atmosphere and the service is fantastic. Nelly was very courteous and friendly. They also have a decent wine selection. I spotted the Ernst Gouws & Co 2011 Shiraz on the menu, which I am dying to try (nudge, nudge, wink, wink Ernst Gouws), but ultimately settled on a bottle of The Wolftrap Red.

Wine Time

Nice and Warm

Dinner consisted of the Ladies Sirloin (for the lady) and the Rump Steak (for me), served with veg and fries.
And the only way the meal could be made better, was by adding coffee and Chocolate Fondant..

Dinner

Dessert

The thing about Franschhoek in winter, is that things tend to quieten down fairly early. Which isn't a bad thing when you're planning a relaxing time away. After an early night and then a bit of a lie in, we woke to a rainy Franschhoek. The perfect end to a relaxing time away.

Lazy Rainy Morning

We live in a beautiful part of the world. I think it's time you got out there and explored it for yourself..

N

*Thanks to LJ for the use of her Instagram pics..

Road Extension Will Lead To Problems

So the City of Cape Town wants to extend Uys Krige Drive (old Hendrik Verwoerd Drive).

This post is taken from the Loevenstein Residents Association Facebook Page:

"IMPORTANT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MEETING - 12 JUNE 2013 7PM VELODROME - You may not know this, but the City of Cape Town are trying to push through the extension of Uys Krige/Hendrik Verwoerd to be a 4-lane road all the way through Loevenstein, Hoheizen, the Stellenbosch University Campus to join up with Carl Cronje. This would be a severe blow to our area, as this will immediately bring a lot more traffic as well as be another access route for criminals accessing our area. The truth of the matter is that the half-diamond on/off ramp at Carl Cronje was already approved by the City to handle the extra traffic, but now suddenly is too expensive for the developer of the proposed Galleria development at the Velodrome and an alternative route needs to be developed. Why should we be affected by this? We don't want all the extra traffic through our area. Uys Krige is already a nightmare in peak hours with people using this as an alternative to the N1. With this proposal, this is to become dramatically worse. I would like to urge as many people as possible to attend this meeting to make our votes count against this. Can we count on you???"

The part where it concerns me (not that the whole thing doesn't concern me..) is where they want to put a main road straight through my quiet suburb of Hoheizen. This will destroy the park where I played as a child and would hope my children would one day play. It will drop property prices drastically too. The extension will also go through the property of the Alta du Toit School which provides specialised education for people with intelectual disabilites.

There are no through roads there currently, so as such, there is no reason for random people to be walking around our neighbourhood (although they still do). While crime is present (we were robbed at gunpoint in our home two years ago and there have been numerous other incidents in our quiet area), with this extension it can only increase.

Needless to say, I will be present this evening to have my voice heard.
I will update again after the meeting.
Hope to see you too.

N.

If You're Reading This, I've Made It To 31...

It's true folks.. 'tis my birthday today, 10 April.

I no longer fear my impending pre-mid-life crisis. In fact, I fart in it's general direction.

I've been a little scarce on here, my apologies. I've had plenty to keep me busy.

I was recently MC at my little Cousin Jessica's wedding. Nerve-wracking to say the least. I'm not one for public speaking, but it all went well. Apparently I was funny, although I don't recall telling any jokes. But more about that in another post..

I've recently completed the second of my GetSmarter Courses and now also have a Certificate in Internet Marketing to go with my Certificate in Social Media Marketing..although, the fact that it just reads Certificate of Completion kind of feels like it's a 'Thanks For Coming' award. Nevertheless, the tidbits of information that I have learnt during the 10 weeks will come in handy. I've already received a request to assist with redesigning a website. I just hope I can do it justice..

Clever me. Forgot to order the framed certificate.

I also attended a Moët-Hennessy-Glenmorangie tasting course for which I got a shiny certificate and a slight hangover. It was totally worth it though. 

I can drink, me..

I trust everyone had a good Easter. The best part about Easter is that Woolies brings in the Marks & Spencer Honeycomb Bunnies. These little beauties are fantastic. Make sure that you get your hands on some next Easter. Hot Cross Buns are always great, but for me, they have lost their appeal due to them being available, pretty much, all year round.. (Thanks again, Woolies)

Honeycomb Bunnies. You know you want to.

So Big Birthday Plans? Nope. Just a nice chilled dinner with loved ones. I did arrange a picnic of sorts prior to the Johnny Clegg concert at Kirstenbosch on Sunday. It was the last of the Summer Sunset Concert series for the year. Apart from it being freezing and some folks unable to attend (due to various commitments) it was most enjoyable. Johnny Clegg is great live. I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first time seeing him live. I recall many years ago (you know, before the advent of social media and all this new-fangled technology) my sister and a friend of hers going to watch Johnny play a concert in East London. They were going as a laugh, completely expecting it to suck. They were wrong.. and have become big fans since.

Johnny Clegg rocking Kirstenbosch.

This morning on the way to work I noticed a rainbow..in clear skies. Not something you see everyday. Also, I did not take this picture while driving in morning traffic on the N1. That would be wrong..

Clear Sky Rainbow (to the left of the lamp post)

Lastly, I would like to say that I am grateful for all the special people in my life, new and old. You guys rock. I am lucky to have you guys in my life. 

Got this beaut of a birthday card from Cara and Nathan..

Love your work, Nathan

Well, here's to a good year. Catch you on the flipside.

N.

January Roundup Part 1

As promised, I said I would update you all on what's been happening the last while..

January brought with it new beginnings and a new frame of mind. I also decided to explore the new (well, not so new anymore) V&A Market on the Wharf.

Market On The Wharf

What I like about the Market on the Wharf, is that it is open Wednesday through Sunday, 09h30 - 19h30. This means that it is not as congested as many of the other markets that are only open one or two days a week. You are able to move around at you own pace, visiting each stall and even have the space to speak to each stall holder to discuss their wares.

Great selection of stalls to visit

That's Chocolate down there

And some wares! One of the standout stalls has to be 'Bubble Tea'. This Taiwanese treat seems to be taking Cape Town by storm. If you haven't tried it yet, GO NOW.. You can read more about it here.

I'll have some popping bobas, please

Another one not to miss is 'Bite Me'. Really tasty burgers with quirky names. My personal favourite is 'The Bad Joke'...because it's so cheesy.

If you insist

The Bad Joke

And what better accompaniment for a burger than an ice cold draught. They guys at Keg King have set up a great bar on the upper level with a good selection of the gold nectar on tap. They've also recently introduced TV's to the upper area, so book a table early to enjoy the rugby . Follow them on twitter to see what they're getting up to.

Beer and Burger. Yes please.

Keep an eye out on the show kitchen. There is invariably a demonstration taking place. When I was there, Sue-Ann Allen from Masterchef SA cooked up some Paleo inspired treats with the help of Chris Lenz from Think Food. Very interesting views on what is healthy and what isn't and how easy it is to change your eating plan.

Chris and Sue-Ann

And if chocolate is your weakness, you have stop by Jean-Pierre Fortain Chocolatier.. So many temptations to choose from. My recommendation? The hazelnut paste. Think Nutella for connoisseurs..

Amazing Hazelnut Paste

On your way out, don't forget to get some Ice Cream from The Creamery. The Sea Salt Caramel is fantastic.

If you're heading through, let me know. Maybe. I'll join you.
Let me know what else you've discovered at the Market On The Wharf.

N.

Long Overdue...Ice Cream for the masses

Halfway through the second month of the year and it's about time to resume normal transmission.. don't you think?

So, a while back (last year!) I mentioned that I was asked to make Ice Cream for our family Christmas gathering. Last time I made a batch, I used a basic Creme Anglaise recipe as my base. For Christmas, I wanted to make it decadent, so I chose a recipe which I multiplied. Suffice to say, I used a total of 2,5 litres double cream. Now that's rich!

Double Cream Overload

I had been pondering what flavours to make for a while and was toying with making a christmasy type of Ice Cream, you know, it being for Christmas lunch and all. I thought about an eggnog Ice Cream or maybe a spin on a fruit cake ice cream, but I eventually settled on making a Cherry Brandy Ice Cream. Not sure it's quite Christmas, but hey..

Lovely Fresh Cherries

12yr Old...why not

So after pitting all the cherries (bloody hell) I started to cook them off in a pan. After adding the brandy (a generous measure) and letting the alcohol cook off, I set it aside to cool down. I then used a hand blender to create a coulis of sorts and adjust the flavour with a touch more brandy. It was then into the Ice Cream machine which had been in the freezer for 2 days.

Churning Cherry Ice Cream

Ready for freezing

So with the brandy in the Ice Cream, I thought I should do a kid-friendly batch (for my nieces and all the big kids). I spotted these awesome jelly flavours at Woolworths and thought Jelly and Custard!

My Flavour Inspiration

To ensure that the jelly wouldn't just blend into the Ice Cream, I made it quite firm. In used half the amount of water so that I could create little cubes of jelly to drop into the Ice Cream as it churned.

Firm cubes of jelly

Lovely thick custard

Time to freeze

The finished product was thoroughly enjoyed by the family, but I wouldn't describe the process as sunshine and roses. I had a few challenges during production. If you know me at all, you will know that I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to my cooking..and if things don't go my way, I tend to lean towards the grumpy side of things. Even if the end product turns out fine, I'll still know it was a balls up..

The problem with doing a batch of Ice Cream so large is that when using the Krupps Ice Cream Maker (or similar) is that you are limited to churning a pint at a time. You also need to refreeze the bowl between batches, otherwise the mixture doesn't freeze properly. 

I made these two Ice Creams in 6 batches and being short on time, neither Ice Cream set correctly. We very nearly ended up eating chilled Jelly and Custard. Thankfully, after a little rest in my sister's freezer before lunch, both Ice Creams had set enough that you could scoop it, rather than ladle it. Will I be using this recipe again? Perhaps, but then only for a small batch.

Lunch was followed by the mandatory group photos. Thanks to my Uncle's awesome photography skills, we got some beauties..

Family Portrait

Crazy Poses

It may have been the brandy in the Ice Cream

My Cousins and My Sisters

 It's always a blast when this family gets together..you crazy lot, you.

N

Shameful Neglect

So, I sheepishly return to the blogosphere after an extended leave of absence. Where have a been? Well, nowhere really. Much like Monty Python's Brian, I've just been a very naughty boy. I will be making a concerted effort to keep the blog as up to date as possible.

A fair bit has happened in 2013 so far, so there is much to catch you up on. I will be working on a few summary pieces later this week, which should be up soon.

More market action, my Cape Town Tens experience and my return to the realm of outdoor sport (possibly linked to early signs of a mid life crisis) will all be covered.

So watch this space..

P.s. Special mention goes to Martha for (not so) discreetly reminding my that I haven't been on here in a while..

N

Help! 1 Very Important Reason To Donate a Like

Your assistance is urgently required!
As you know, I am currently studying Internet Marketing through Get Smarter.
Module 7 sees us tackles Social Media and Viral Marketing.
To help the students understand the basis of viral marketing, our course convener has tasked us with getting as many 'Likes' on a Facebook post by the time our assignment is due. (Monday 22h00)

The reward for the person with the most likes is 6 bottles of Champagne (rather interested to see which brand..)
Now, by classmates have had since Monday to gather likes. I started today. You may call it procrastination, I call it testing viral marketing principles by giving the shortest space of time...

This means, I need YOU to click on the below link and like my post!
http://on.fb.me/WlUqEu
You do not need to be a Facebook friend to like the post.

Now for the 1 reason.
Doing this good deed will undoubtedly give you a sense of well being. You will sleep better at night knowing that you have helped out a friend in need. A friend in need of alcohol.

Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray

Not only is this the title of Seether's latest (awesome, imo) offering, but also a lesson for us for the new year.
I'm not one who abides by New Year's Resolutions, but I think we all secretly hope that the the start of a new year will be a catalyst for change. Go to the gym, stop smoking, eat healthier, you know the sort.
I am planning on going to the gym, but I did that yesterday, so that's hardly a resolution.

For me, 2012 was filled with ups and downs. This is nothing special, I'm sure we've all had a year like that. It's life. I am thankful for all the new people in my life, you know who you are. Likewise, I am saddened by the loss of others.

So for 2013, I am simply going to stop holding onto strings better left to fray. Holding onto a glimmer of the past that you know will not change, no matter what you do. You could say that I'm building a bridge and I have every intention of getting over it.

So, here is to lucky number 13. I hope that you get everything that you deserve out of 2013..and I hope I win the lottery.

And now I will watch Dinner for One (again), because let's face it..it's the same procedure as last year, Ms Sophie.

It is always the bunny's fault. Why would Nesquik lie?