Origin!

Origin Music Festival is one of the highlights of my year, definitely! But then again, I am most certainly a trance addict to the point of insanity, my friends, new friends and all of the vendors at Origin will agree that my constant foot-tapping and swinging hips are a testament to my dedication.

Only R250 for a weekend pass to absolute bliss...
Unfortunately we were only able to set off on the second night, but we made our way there early on the saturday morning. I did find that the lack of reception was a breath of fresh air, and the welcome into the gates by a flower power hippies just heightened the excitement.

The venue itself, Helderstroom is absolutely beautiful! An oasis in the middle of craggy and dry hills, the abundance of trees and dams made for a beautiful spot. So we set off and erected the tent and immediately went for a bit of a wonder about, the Aztec inspired trance stage was magnificent and the crowds had already formed and were ready to go, so it was only a matter of inserting our home-made apple sour slash go-juice into our lumo-ed up bottles and we hit the dancefloor!

I was so pumped up for Avalon, that I barely noticed how tired I was, and after a short hour, we headed back to the tent, making some new friends as we went and then eventually settling at our tent again, for a short power nap.

Later....
The power nap worked wonders and sooner rather than later, we headed back to the dancefloor, AVALON, was in full swing! I was utterly blown away by the energy that this DJ extraordinaire was creating and we continued to trance the night away.

The DJ's kept on coming but at this point I must admit to being slightly 'sloshed' and losing all sense of time. Simply divine.
I can't wait for the next series of trance adventures, Easter Vortex to be exact? I hope to see you all there... I'll be in the Captains Hat, with a thing of papsak.

http://soundcloud.com/avalon-2/cosmic-relationships/   <---- Go and check this link out... NEOW!
http://soundcloud.com/avalon-official/he-basement-avalon-remix

Rafikis

Rafikis in long street is one heck of a great place to stop over at. Literally I am not kidding you, every single time I go there, I either see mates from years ago, most of which are highly successful or complete bums, or I end up making some incredible new friends.

Located on Kloof, you can't miss this gem of a bar, restaurant and all of the bits in between that you never, ever want to talk about again.

I decided to ditch the diet and have a snack that included the onion rings off of their very basic, but still practical menu. They were fan-bloody-tastic!

The batter around those suckers is so perfect, it's as though they took a majestic cape and covered themselves whilst listening to opera. I'm getting that metaphorical guys... But don't turn down the burgers either whilst a nice draught is at your side.

I did the cheeky girlfriend thing and decided to have a few bites from people around me, say I wasn't hungry anymore, and when his food came... Well it became my food at that point.

With their special drinks and BURGER specials on a Tuesday night, I had a great time making tipsy comments at people poker skills and had a great time on the balcony, overlooking the CBD.

It's a definite for a chilled night out with friends, and the budget is also worth it, not a cash strapping venue in the slightest.

Go Rafikis!

Jason's Bistro

Jason's is a place that is the reason for me to get up the morning, the coffee is my go-juice that sets me about on my flurry of activity, and my carbs for the day come directly fro the delicious and crispy almond croissants.
When jardines closed, many people spiraled into depression, but the main thing that had everyone ticking was if whether or not Jason's hole-in-the-wall  bakery was also going to close.
We needn't have worried as the proprietor of such delights as bacon croissants, almost croissants as well as beautifully baked breads and baguettes was to become a bistro, one of the most popular java zones for coffee and bread enthusiasts

I love going there to spend some time with my dad, and enjoy a delicious double shot latte, or to stop and have some of their herbal teas.
This morning was no exception, but to be completely honest that i was slightly hesitant to try their croissants, my preference not entirely being in that direction, i don't particularly enjoy overly buttery pastries... BUT as soon as my dad's croissant had landed on the table, one experimental bite turned into my ordering my own after almost finishing his.
He was not entirely amused. But now we can be foodies together and discuss the pros and cons of the bacon croissant as opposed to the almond one.
Basically, one innocent little croissant turned from this:

Please do notice the detail and care that goes into these pastries, the demand for them is rather high, so try to be there earlier rather than later to ensure that you manage to find something, anything would be perfect, to munch with your morning coffee.
Just to also add, the prices are really rather decent, quite generic prices where the quality is through the roof.

Jason's is a must, the delicious food, great service and lovely atmosphere is a definite.
I mean, this is what was left...

Paulaner Brauhaus

Going to Paulaner Brauhaus during the week is definitely something that every Cape Town resident should invest in, the authentic German atmosphere creates a feeling of home for many of the foreigners situated in the Cape as well as create a perfect home for beer-lovers and enthusiasts.

 

Located at the V&A Waterfront, by the Clock Tower, the Brauhaus supplies everything gemrna that see in the movies, from home made giant pretzels to self-brewed beer on the premises, you can expect a fantastic night of sing-alongs and drunken promises.
I, personally am not the biggest beer drinker but from the multitude of my friends that don't stop raving about the taste special, where you get to sample some 6 local and foreign beers before getting to choose your preference. I did however, indulge in the schnitzel, the pretzel and the pork rack that were all equally delicious, but not when you're trying to maintain a healthy life-style.
Paulaner is a lot of fun, I had a great time and I look forward to their 'Oktoberfect' where drunk Germans around Cape Town join with those that want to sing and dance to German rock and folk music.

All and all, a great place to spend some time with friends.

Blue Rock!

Blue Rock is a quarry that was long ago pumped full of water and left to the amusement and in the hands of kitesurfers, wakeboarders and adrenaline junkies for them to unite and create an incredible area where for a R35 entrance fee you can make your way down a dusty road to paradise.
A few friends and myself decided to make it our weekend mission, the venue itself being a smooth 45 minutes out of Cape Town towards Somerset West

But when we got there it was simply fantastic! Even though you may pay R200 for rental of a wakeboard for about 2 hours, I can absolutely guarantee it was worth it.
The 'cable' runs on a pulley system that tows you around the quarry, as you feel the slack and tensing of the cable you learn to tune yourself into the various hurdles and obstacles, such as those too weak to hold on, and have a blast.
I tried my hand at the knee boarding, and lo and behold! I bailed. Absolutely miserably, but thanks to my supportive posse, after a few more shouts I managed to make half a circuit before succumbing to the pressure and heading back to the relaxing braai area where multiple bottles of beer had been cracked open.

There is also a place where you can go and order some very basic things, a toasted sandwich or a burger, and a delicious selection o ice-cream is also at your beck and call.

I'm going to say that I had a wonderful time with friends and the price I paid was well worth the short escape!

Old Biscuit Mill

So... On Saturday I decided to take a little tour of the Biscuit Mill, family was down from Johannesburg and so they wanted to go to a truly Capetonian venue.. Biscuit Mill it is then!
As we struggled to find parking, the hordes has already flocked to where the delicious smells hailed, and it was all we could do to not sprint through the front gates and into the main area.

 

First we went to the Mushroom Kebabs, an assortment of mushrooms on a sticks that are coated with an oil marinade and put on a little braai until they reach delicious perfection! The next stop was to the Macaroons, which was a bit of a task owing to the multitude of people, but these little elbows of mine were a perfect match for the crowd and 4 Macaroons (vanilla, coffee and x2 chocolate) later, my wallet was only R20 lighter and we were on our way again to the smoothie bar.
Anything from mango and orange to a pomegranate smoothie that will have you crying out for more, we had to use all of our willpower to pull ourselves away and then head across to where there was a crowd around a ginormous paella pan that could have fed an entire infantry!
The paella, as you may have now immediately understood, was divine.

The Old Biscuit Mill does not only have food however, if you exit the main food area, you come across a tent that is the housing for a vast collection of vintage and locally designed clothing (being a definite source of some of my wardrobe) and  some little bits and pieces.
The NEW chocolate factory that shows you all the info on how and why they do things to chocolate to make it as delicious as it is...

The Biscuit Mill has something for everyone, food, drink, good conversation, clothing, everything.
I try to go there whenever I can and for as long as I can, just beware that there are likely a few thousand other people thinking exactly the same thing.

Pickwicks in Long Street

When you walk into Mr Pickwicks in Long Street, you immediately feel an edge.
The bright yellow exterior points to an out of place black opening, the door leads to a narrow entry way and well, a small sense of claustrophobia is experienced, this all during my last lunch break, but as soon as you get over the various assortment of chars and sardine sized lower level, you immediately go to the shining display, which houses pastries as well as an assortment of other goodies.
BUT WAIT!
That is merely the beginning for my sense of smell, the menu handed to me as I climbed up to the higher level of the establishment, a beautiful view of Long Street, I saw to my amazement, the vast collection of milkshakes!
Everything from liquour milkshakes, laced with amarula and heaven knows what other higher level prcent alcohol, to the plain double thick chocolate, or cookies and cream. I decided to be a bit naughty and be experimental, with a 600ml Amarula milkshake, and a few pieces of oreo thrown into the mix.
That first sip... Disbelief.
The second... An epiphany.
The third sip being my taste buds having gone to heaven, reluctant to come back, regardless of my constant attempts to bring myself back to reality.

Even though this restaurant has milkshakes that are so reputable people drive for miles to get them, one can be very very certain that an experience like this is highly affordable and highly enjoyable, this being the first in a multitude of trips to Pickwicks that I will make over the course of life.
Don't expect to be treated like a princess though! The staff are direct and to the point, an admirable trait, but the burgers, milkshakes and assorted other goodies don't just pas you by, be prepared and be happy.
Dear readers, I do hope you enjoy!