Date & Marie Biscuit Recipe

This is a recipe that my aunt gave me a while back -- it is SO easy to make & the biscuits will get eaten so fast -- they never last long in the biscuit jar!

They are brilliant to serve with ice cream as a dessert...

I think I will add some glace cherries next time for a Christmas variation :)

A Bajofondo Day

Today is the first beautiful day we have had in a long time. The sun is actually shining and there is virtually no wind. I was starting to think that a Summer day would never arrive!

Struggling to work today - people drilling somewhere in our building and its driving me NUTS - have been doing little thinks like updating my Twitter background to match my website and my creativity blog (which hardly ever gets updated!). Really need to get some work done...........

Listening to the Bajofondo Tango Club to try and ease the drilling noise & hopefully get some inspiration going....once I'm going all will be well!

Kommetjie sunset

Fluffies

Unfortunately, due to living in a flat (not having a garden) and travelling away from home quite frequently, it is not easy to decide when one is at a point of being 'settled' enough to make the huge descision to take on a new member of one's family, be it human or canine...

To my thinking, a Yorkshire Terrier has many advantageous factors -- here are my top 5:

1. They are small (my preference are the teacup variety)
2. If they get enough love and attention & get well trained, they will not be 'yappers'
3. They are incredibly cute
4. They are loving and fun
5. They fit into an average size handbag

(pic from Gumtree ad I enquired on)

But Geoff does not like them. One can argue around the fact that he will learn to love whatever fluffies come into our lives (eg: my goldfish regretfully departed *and admittedly: not fluffy* ; Robyn's cat; T'Neal's Bird *again, not fluffy*), but I also believe that we should agree on the breed. Since we can't have our friend Eva's 'Chug' (Chihuahua-cross-Pug) which is just about the strangest and cutest thing you've ever seen, I've done further dog research..... and found the perfect dog (which Geoff also likes) - I present to you, the Boston Terrier:

(pic from Gumtree ad I enquired on today)

This from Wikipedia:

Boston Terriers are typically small, compactly built, well proportioned dogs with erect ears, short tails, and a short muzzle that should be free of wrinkles. They usually have a square sort of face. According to international breed standard, the dog should weigh no less than 10 pounds and no more than 25 pounds. Boston Terriers usually stand 15-17 inches at the withers......

Boston Terriers have strong, friendly personalities. Bostons can range in temperaments from those that are eager to please their master to those that are more stubborn. Both can be easily trained given a patient and assertive owner.....

While originally bred for fighting, they were later down bred for companionship. The modern Boston Terrier can be gentle, alert, expressive, and well-mannered. It must be noted however, that they are not considered terriers by the American Kennel Club, but are part of the non-sporting group. Boston Terrier is something of a misnomer. They were originally a cross-breed between the Old English Bulldog and the English White Terrier.....

Some Bostons enjoy having another one for companionship. Both females and males generally bark only when necessary. Having been bred as a companion dog, they enjoy being around people, and, if properly socialized, get along well with children, the elderly, other canines, and non-canine pets. Some Boston Terriers are very cuddly, while others are more independent.

So crossed fingers & toes & holding thumbs and all that.

Lets move soon!!!

The Rain

It just does not seem to stop. I ran down to Olympia this morning & got drenched through to mid-calves so I donned some comfy pants & gum boots for my next venture out the door.

This weather makes me feel like pancakes. Alas, I'm limiting my starch input so its just not going to happen. I hope George gets some rain too...

Aquisition

So I've gone and done it: After a circles of dreaming & wanting & wishing and hoping and testing at multiple viewings & finally deciding that this is, most definitly, the espresso machine of my dreams, 3 things happened:

1. I found an email in my spam (which I never usually check) from @home with their special on Breville appliances
   
2. The price of my coveted coffee machine went up in the store but not on the website
   
   *1+2 signify my last chance at getting it at the lowest it will probably ever be
   
   
3. I can't really say because it has to do with a present for somebody! Never you mind ;)

Anyhow - I just really really really wanted one. I think it was from the day Shells and Steve made me a delicious coffee at their home ( + its an investment! Geoff and I can always start a "Bagdad Cafe" if everything turns on its pear shaped self )

And now its home & looking very stylish in our kitchen and I have just about no money left and the bills keep piling up. But I can make really nice coffee at home. I can even get excited about the Starbucks Gingerbread Latte recipe that Shelley posted: because I can make it :)


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The Best Book Launch I Ever Missed

Tina Bester from an AMAZING little bakery/coffee shop in Obs called "Queen of Tarts" has launched her new book - 'bake'.

The title of this blog may suggest that I was glad to have missed the book launch at our local, Kalk Bay Books last Friday. This is by NO MEANS true. The truth is that I had it diarised for 3 weeks........ but we decided to go away for Geoff's birthday weekend (which was rather awesome too.....) so I could not go.

I did not even know what was in store for the attendees of this book launch or I may have done a beg and a plead to leave at sparrows on Saturday morning...because this:

fellow cake enthusiasts, is a picture that my sister in law, Colleen, took with her cell phone at the very event.

Truely: The best book launch ever -- and I missed it.

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Client Family & Friends

Azure

I have realised that the sea plays a huge roll in my sanity berometer (kind of like the weather does to people living in places like London). I am so spoiled, with the sea being a cattie's stone-throw away from our balcony, that it takes something so exceptional for me to really be "wow'ed" by the sea. I always notice its moods & its beauty, but it doesn't often floor me.

I saved Robyn from her car yesterday (clutch cable broke) and we ended up having a lovely lunch in a new spot in Kommetjie...on the drive home, we looped past Long Beach & what I saw almost took my breath away. The photograph above) has been posted to this blog directly from my phone. No Photoshop.

The sea was so clear and tropical and such an exquisit colour. I am so glad to have witnessed such beauty.

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White Marble. Finally.

Finally finally finally, we have our counter tops in....and no less than Kaliston White Marble. After 10 months of working on (starting to rot) plywood, it is such a pleasure to have clean, light, white, complete surfaces to work on that are cool and feel amazing to touch.

A dream come true :)

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The Gift Fair

Miss Molly (T'Neal and I) set up this beautiful stand for The Gift Fair at Groot Constantia this year...I restored a funny little cupboard that was rotting in Geoff's shop garden -- scraped all the veneer off and painted it white & then wall papered the outside edges to make it really pretty. I upholstered a piece of plywood (previously our kitchen top) with foam and white denim to create a pin-board to pin plaster hearts, Christmas decorations and some heart shaped casings with cookies to.

I had super-wood cut and Geoff & I made them into boxes which I had sprayed at the car spray shop (we put wall paper behind for the Fair)... T'Neal made a great little cakestand for her cake boxes (which, by the way, are in the latest issue of Elle Decoration [!!!!] ) and I sewed a border of colourful fabric for the edge of our table.

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The Book Lounge

Last Friday found me with an hour to spare in Roeland Street at the most wonderful book shop called 'The Book Lounge' which has a great collection of unusual books. I'm sure that other book shops have wonderful collections, but I somehow fail to find the interesting books that intrigue me...or perhaps I just don't have time on my hands and the patience to seek out the gems.

I bought a book that has been on my heart to read called 'Eat Pray Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert. I've raced through 'Eat' and am cruizing through 'Pray' at the moment. It is food for the heart - inspires inspriation to travel & find the calm in all the storm.

I've been so busy. Busy Busy Busy. Gift Fair....work....and finally, I've taken some time for myself - to spoil myself and get back to a place where I feel I am actually living and enjoying life instead of chasing deadlines & feeling constantly rushed & demanded of

I found some lovely design-related books...My turn to buy for 'The Artist's Book Club' is in April, so I've been scouting to find the books I really want so that when my turn comes it won't be a mad rush. I found a wonderful book at Exclusive Books, Cavendish the other day called 'Vitamin D - New Perspectives in Drawing'. This is a hot contender...Will need to spend some more time with it to be sure.



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Excuse My French

Today was the official opening of 'Excuse My French' -- the French Creperie at the 'back' of Geoff's shop... Jessica, Pete & Elaine, my mom, dad and sister...Jeanette, Colleen, Geoff and myself had wonderful coffees and yum-yum-yummy breakfast. The fist of many many.

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Kite Surfing...

We went on a bit of a journey last week Sat....all the way to Blouberg after a lovely lunch in the Cape Quarter (R99 = 2 pizza/pasta + 2 glasses of wine @ Andiamo!) to drop Robyn's counter tops off at her new Mediterraneo shop at Eden On The Bay...

We stopped to watch the Kite Surfers... some jumping so high & being airborne for so long.

Oh what it is to be able to fly

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Gmail

Does anybody know what the stats are of corporates using Gmail?

I'm not sure what they are, but I think that a lot of people who are mobile use Gmail - or at least they should!! Some people have Gmail set up as their main base for multiple email addresses as Gmail... I believe that Gmail is definitly something to keep in mind....

My example:

• Although I have Outlook, I never open it unless I have to send out emailers with embedded images.
• I have 3 email addresses linked to my gmail account - which I can send from / receive to in one place.
• I also have my INCREDIBLE Gmail calender my documents and my blog linked
• I can access them / search for anything I've sent / received for the past 8 years, even from my cell phone at any given moment - no matter where I am...
• I never have to be afraid of losing anything due to computer crash or virus or anything going funny on my system...
• not to mention, Gmail has the best spam filter system I've ever come across ]
  

I've checked with a few very progressive & web-savvy friends, and they say that Microsoft Exchange has the biggest market share (for Corporates), and that if Corporates are using a Gmail type solution - they would use Google hosted Apps: www.google.com/a

I found this interesting article

I'm hooked on Gmail -- What do you think??


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My Face Was Made For The 60's

I love love love.... I could be called 'Miss Molly'...don an apron and bake the most delicious cookies you ever did taste!!


...and how cool were the 70's. I'm proud to have been born in the 70's. Missed the 80's by 6 months and a few days. Close one.




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1952

Although my dad was not born yet, he looks a lot like 'me as a man in 1952' in school and army photos. I've never seen my dad without a beard. He still has the ears though :)

I look more like my Ouma than my mom...actually, I look VERY much like my Ouma here...makes me miss her...'


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1988

Shelley posted herself at 1958 from her experiments with http://www.yearbookyourself.com/

...so I decided to play around too. (a girl deserves the odd break!...plus, this is kind of like eating chocolate....of which I have felt I need a lot of today).

This is 'me' in 1988. The reason for me posting this particular image, is because...wait for it...I ACTUALLY HAD THIS HAIR STYLE!! (slightly less body....and, tragically, in 1995)

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Beach sign

This is the sign up at fish hoek beach which indicates no dogs....and the one above it? No surfing! (it is the STRANGEST icon of a surfer imaginable!! ...looks like he's either falling off, or about to do a hand-stand on the board!!)

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Stranded

So my car was towed by the AA yesterday. Thank goodness we have them. Something called an alternater has broken, so I will be car-less for the next few days. Its been a trying week. And its only Tuesday!

Its ok though. So long as I can get around from about Friday.

Nothing much else to report. I have a massive pile of work I have to do in the next few days....and the soiree to prepare for.

Cant believe its month end already.

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Come to Bellville and CY

Well...its not just Bellville. Evidently its Durbanville too...

The CY gift fair starts on Wednesday. I dropped our stock off after getting up at sparrows. What a lovely venue! Horses all over the place...bungalos with lovely things to discover in all the rooms. <we are in number 1>

I went through to Wynberg to visit my property agent & signed sole mandate...and as I got back to Kalk Bay, my car's electrics failed & I am now waiting for the AA to come and tow me. There go my gym plans.

Feeling a bit like "woe is". Could get home & climb into bed with hot chocolate. Hide under down douvet. Stay there till morning...but alas: there is work to be done.

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Bread for thought

Kalk Bay will shortly be adding another bakery to its esteemed collection of delicious bread suppliers: The Olympia Bakery, Harbour House, C'est la Vie & Kassia and Figg.

Pictured, is the DIVINE bread I bought at Kassia & Figg this morning....YUM YUM: Organic Peanut butter & Illovo syrup. I know I shouldn't..but its just too good!!!

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Dream Table

This is the result of Geoff & my latest dream.... a 50's ball and claw table re-vamped in sky blue car paint... This table is positively vampish, oh so elegant !

Yesterday, just after delivery, I popped down to have a look at it...to catch a couple of ladies remarking in Afrikaans that 'there is a nice table under all that paint'... not everybody's cup of tea...certainly a talking piece!!

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Janet And John

Love?

The gift fairs are almost upon us! I spy plaster hearts...

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Use of Queer

I wonder how the word QUEER came to classify someone's sexual preference, when it used to be something so innocent - used liberally in Children's books such as Janet and John. I remember reading these books as a brand new scholar...when did the switch happen...do kids still read these books, or are they as un-PC as Noddy?

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The Back Of Table Mountain

We had a discussion the other day about Kommetjie having the tourist attraction of being able to see the back of Table Mountain.

You must admit, Geoff on a wave with the back drop of this view! ...even if the waves are muy chikita!

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I Love Whale Season

We had lunch with Pete and Elaine at Lucky Fish today...walked along the harbour wall where we saw a whale - quite a small one - moving towards us. It ended up swimming right around the harbour wall, right past all the people who rapidly gathered to see a whale so close. It hung about for a while...sort of checking everybody out...and then swam off.
I love whale season!

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Spring Sale: 19 Sept

A group of Fabulous designers and artists are having a fantastic SPRING SALE on the 19th of September.

There will be 14 designers with a wide array of fabulous creations.

Go and see the ceramics, glass, jewellery, amazing clothing, cool kids toys, baby carriers and vintage accessories, and much more!

Free champagne and delicious sushi. Cheques and cash only.

From 9am to 4pm at 24 Dartmouth Rd Muizenberg. Check out our flyer for details..

Hope to see you there on Sat!!

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Miss Molly...Gift Fairs

Did I tell you that I designed the logo & website for The Gift Fair?
(click the logo above to visit the site...)

T'Neal and I are very busy getting things ready for the CY market and
The Gift Fair...

Have a look at some of the wonderful things T'Neal has created:

Cards

Recipe Tins

Cake Boxes!! Click here for more

We look forward to seeing you at both markets!!!

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Shelving solutions

Canola fields

Strange Postings

I found this picture randomly on a google images search the other day.
I think its hilarious.

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District 9

Geoff and I had a meeting in Durbanville again on Tuesday (after last Tuesday's meeting, we went to see 'My Life In Ruins' and I sprained my ankle)... This time, we arrived via detour to Paarl (don't even ask!!) and missed our meeting due to traffic and a lack of street names...

So we ended up in District 9. Joking - we were stuck in Durbanville..and there was nothing for it but to hit the nearest Thai restaurant (at 5pm!)...have a lovely dinner...and hight-tech me decided to book a movie via cell phone....

Ster Kinekor's website on mobile looks great...so I went through the whole process of booking tickets & we headed off to Tygervalley centre.......to discover that the movie we had booked for, EARTH....

"The story of three animal families and their amazing journeys across the planet we all call home. The film combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planet⿿s wildest and most elusive creatures. "

only starts in about 2 weeks!!...and there's no way we're driving for over an hour to go see a movie......(why the site gives an option to see and book a movie that is only coming on in 2 weeks time is beyond me)....

The nice guy at the sales desk let us choose another movie to see so we chose the one that was starting next...and so we saw DISTRICT 9

We were blown away. A genre - Sci-fi Action Thriller - that I never expected to enjoy, by a 29year old South African (Neill Blomkamp), produced by Peter Jackson that is well worth seeing.

Have a read of some of the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB ....see the movie(!!) and decide for yourself.

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Barbie Accessories

The other day I was looking for some info on strange fashion trends for guys...and I came across this site: click here

This is one of my favorite findings:



"A bizarre collection of latest fashion accessories made from cut-up Barbie dolls has recently become a macabre fashion jewelry The disturbing range is made from sliced parts of the popular toy. Barbie’s breasts have even been transformed into an eye-catching statement necklaces and a pair of earrings features a string of Barbie ears. The unusual collection, created by New York designer Margaux Lange, has caught the eye of fashion-conscious gift-hunters who have been buying up items such as a pendant made from one of Barbie’s eyes costing about £110. There are even accessories made from parts of Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken. " source

Long Grass Bliss

Retreat

We are visiting our house at Blombos. It is a perfect day with no wind. Birds and the rumble of the sea are the only things we can hear...besides the pottering we do between heating water on the gas and lying on a blanket on top of a think mat of grass, soaking in the sun. The simplicity of heavenly quiet and peace.

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Driving along

We are on our way to George for the Saturday auction...it is SUCH an absolutely heavenly day! The Arum Lilies are go full spread across the fields along the road and I am happy.

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Beach walking

Love love love!

It is so great to surf with my love on the same wave...holding hands... Forever happy at the point where sea meets sky

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The Swing of Things

Finally I feel like I'm back in 'the swing of things' after our trip... and then I went and sprained my ankle. OK, it was silly: I was going down the stairs to see a movie with Geoff at Tygervalley Centre (to miss the traffic), watching the movie board instead of the steps....and I missed the last one. CRACK!!

So we went to see 'My Life In Ruins' -- classic main-strean cinema schmulse. It was hardly better than 'Little Miss Sunshine' (we actually sat all the way through it -- not that I could go anywhere in a hurry).

I got so much work done today. So glad. It was piling up!

Off to Satori for dinner! :)

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