Chef's Table - 9 March 2012

The FBI Chef School and Patisserie Academy proudly presents their first Chefs table!

“Classic menu with a Modern twist”

Date: Friday 09 March 2012  Time 19:00 - 19:30 
Dress code: Smart Casual

Cost: R355.00 per person excluding your  wine or choice of drinks
(Corkage fee included)

MENU

Amuse-boushe
Beef steak tartar
Smoked salmon blini and caviar
Bread

Starter
Modern Greek salad

Pallet cleanser
Passion-fruit mint sorbet, sesame poppy orange tuile

Main course
Pan-fried Line fish, lemon jelly, caper meringue, parsley Vierge
OR
Roasted Chicken supreme, wild mushroom croquette, truffle scented pomme puree, tarragon velouté

Cheese course
Black pepper matured cheese, pepper dew baked cheesecake, parma- ham crisp, marinated grapes, pistachio & almond biscotti, Amenian bread, chive & parmesan doughnuts, balsamic reduction

Dessert
Flourless chocolate cake, black berry milk chocolate salami, white cherry tobacco truffle, raspberry coulis

Friandise, tea or coffee

Contact Jess for bookings and further details.
Contact details: (T) 011 462 8964 (F) 0865742992 (C) 0721021943

Haldane Martin Showroom Launch - 01 March 2012

From rags to riches

While trawling through all the amazing offerings online. we recently came across this great blog, detailing ways to turn the old into the fabulous.

Have a look at Blue Velvet Chair for inspiration, ideas, and some awe-inspiring examples.

Robertson's Wine Valley's Hands-on-Harvest

The Robertson Wine Valley is hosting it's fourth Hands-on Harvest festival.  This boutique event will take place this weekend and offers wine aficionados and budding vintners a chance to experience the magic of harvest for a day – without having to quit their day jobs! .

Guests can look forward to:
* Grape Picking
* Bunch Sorting
* Stomping your own grapes
* Grape vs Wine Tasting
* Harvest Market
* Vineyard Tractor Trips
* Must tasting
* Wine blending experience

* Wine tasting by Horse Cart….  and much more

Groups are small and intimate to ensure that you have the very best hands-on experience. Please take note: all activities need to be pre-booked by TODAY.

Don't miss this opportunity for some tipsy fun!


Should you have any queries, comments or suggestions, contact Robertsons Wine Valley on 023 626 3167, or email Elizma Spangenberg: manager@robertsonwinevalley.com | Marylize Mouton: mmouton@robertsonwinevalley.com

Royal High Tea for the Topsy Foundation

WLW (Women's Lifestyle World) in association with The Topsy Foundation invites you to join us for a morning of delectables, delightfuls and the opportunity to "Find Your Frosting". This High Tea will not only afford you the opportunity to find some direction and motivation, but also to spend the morning mingling with other phenomenal women. There are prizes to the value of R5000 up for grabs, so put your best Royal Affair outfit on and contact them today to book your ticket at events@wlw.co.za. Come and meet the new Editor, Catherine, with your Mother or Daughter (or both) and double your chances of winning on the day. The best dressed patron on the day will win a FREE WLW Membership for 1 year, a Beauty Spa day, as well as a Personal Enhancement Specialist coaching session. All proceeds from the day will be donated to The Topsy Foundation.

House of Soul Champagne Breakfast

Kartell opens flagship store in Cape Town

Kartell, Italian furniture manufacturer, famous for their unique plastic creations opened their first mono-branded store in Cape Town last week. The store which covers 146m2 spread over two levels on the corner of Hudson and Strand streets in the De Waterkant area will showcase designs by Ron Arad, Philippe Starck, Patrick Jouin and other famous designers.

Read more about the company and the store here.

Catalisa Open Day - 17 Feb

Diarise Friday, 17 February now! Catalisa Jewellery will be holding an open day at Liz's home in Gillitts from 10am - 5pm.

This is a unique opportunity to view a truly exceptional collection.

Call Liz on 083 458 6680 for directions and more information.

Valentine's Recipe

Why not whip up a batch of decadent pistachio shortbread hearts and surprise your loved one with this treat that they won’t soon forget?

Ingredients:

250g unsalted butter, cold
250g plain flour
125g corn flour
125g icing sugar
100g pistachios
Caster sugar for sprinkling

Makes about 20 shortbreads

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Place the sugar and flours in a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture starts to resemble breadcrumbs. Continue working the mixture until it starts to come together into dough. This takes a while, but keep at it. Add in the pistachios and work them into the dough.

If you have a standing mixer, place the flours and sugar into the bowl. Add the butter in cubes and then, using the beater attachment, beat on a medium speed until the dough comes together.

When the dough has formed, wrap it in cling-film and allow it to rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a very lightly dusted surface until it is 1/2cm thick.  Because the dough is short it may crumble at the edges. If you struggle to roll it out without cracks appearing, divide the dough into two parts and roll them out separately. Using a heart-shaped cutter, cut shapes into the dough. If you find the dough is sticking slightly to the workspace, slide a palette knife underneath to release the shapes. Combine the leftover parts and roll out again. Place your shapes on the lined baking trays and bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden. As soon as you’ve removed the shortbreads from the oven, dust them lightly with caster sugar. Cool completely on the trays before storing in an airtight container. They will keep for a week.

Indulge Someone You Love with Jo Malone

Jo Malone invites you to visit your nearest Jo Malone Boutique for a sensory experience at their Tasting Bar.

Allow the Jo Malone Stylists to treat you to a complimentary hand and arm massage as they find your Bespoke Scent.

If ever there is a time to indulge someone you love, it's Valentine's Day. The moment to make an individual statement and lasting impression with an elegant and imaginative gift.

Canal Walk Bridal Fair: 24 - 26 February 2012

Brought to you by Bride & co and Eurosuit

Dates: Friday 24 to Sunday 26 February 2012

Competition: a fabulous prize valued at nearly R160 000 sponsored by the spectacular “In the Vine” venue and the stunningly creative “La Maison”. Enter at Canal Walk during the fair

Displays throughout the centre
Entrance to Bridal Fair is free
Trading Hours – Fri to Sun: 9am to 9pm,

For further information, please contact Cheryl Wade Events on 021 914 2852 | 083 456 2879 | cheryl@cwe.co.za

Upton Hall Valentine's Special

Love is the most important ingredient of success.
Without it our life echoes emptiness.
With it, our life vibrates warmth and meaning.
 
Even in hardship, love shines through.
Therefore search for love.
 
Once we have learned to love, we will have learned to live!

For eye watering magnificence and a Valentine’s celebration to truly spoil the special person in your life, UPTON HALL 5 Star Boutique Guest House – prominently featured on SABC’s Top Billing lifestyle program, offers an all inclusive indulgent package that promises to seduce your senses.

Love is  about creating exceptional experiences and memories together!

Book now to revel in this haven of exclusivity and privacy as though it were your very own!

All this at a special rate of R2770.00 per couple (including fine dining, luxury suite, aromatherapy bath and sumptuous breakfast!)

Contact Upton Hall at: (T) 031 303 7987 | (F) 031 303 5897 | gm@uptonhall.co.za | www.uptonhall.co.za

Country Company Summer Sale!

Be sure to visit Country Company in Nottingham Road and take advantage of their summer sale, on until the 28th of February! Open from 9-4 daily except Tuesdays. Contact Sally on 033 266 6359 or email countrycompany@bundunet.com for more information.

About Country Company:
Country Company is a unique décor, gift and clothing store situated in the heart of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands, in the charming hamlet of Nottingham Road, South Africa.

With a distinct “English/French-Country” styled theme, great care is taken to source product that is true to this ethic.

Country Company pride themselves on stocking a wide range of locally manufactured decor and gift items sourced from a host of talented local craftsmen and women, as well as supporting a number of community upliftment projects from the various townships in the area.

Garden Calendar 2012

HOME Magazine offers you a FREE 2012 Garden Calendar!

Breathtakingly beautiful, with inspiring images, this handy calendar comes jam-packed with monthly gardening tips and advice.

All you need to know about what to sow and plant, when – PLUS advice on when to prune.

Herbs, fruit or vegetables in season, month by month.

A monthly reminder of when your latest issue of home goes on sale AND space for you to jot down your own garden notes and reminders!

Enjoy!

Click here to download the calendar

Celebrate Beautiful Fabrics at Insane Prices

The Fabric House's Pretoria Store is putting the Champagne on ice and inviting you to join in the celebration of beautiful fabrics.
 

They are having insane specials and have introduced so many new items into the store that you would seriously miss out if you didn't attend.

Turn it into an occasion. Grab your girls, your mum, your sister, your best friend, your creative partner in crime and come and check out what they have to offer.

The Fabric House Jozi, 3 Desmond Street, Kramerville, Sandton,
Tel: (011) 262 6771. Fax: (011) 262 6773
 

The Fabric House Pretoria, 122 Bronkhurst St, Nieuw Muckleneuk
Tel:- (012) 346 7346 Fax:- (012) 346 7005
 

www.thefabrichouse.co.za | Twitter: @thefabrichouse & Find us on Facebook

Antique Dealers' Fair: 11 &12 Feb

SAADA (South African Antique Dealers' Association) is hosting a trade fair at the Kirstenbosch Gardens on Saturday 11 February and Sunday 12 February. This promises to be a fabulous affair, attracting many with the  goodies on offer both from regular exhibitors and dealers new to the SAADA fair. The range includes first edition books, ivory figurines, a selection of fine antique furniture, and a number of other beautiful items.

An exciting preview of the offering is available on their website, as well as more information on times and contact details.

It promises to be a near-magical show of delights!

A Brand New Way To Decorate

Murals are a hot ticket to introducing a new sense of style and energy into your space. The twist in the mural trend has to do with the subject matter - artists and those who commission work are being adventurous, opting for striking colours and designs that turn walls into features using contemporary imagery. So say goodbye to realistic tableaux and hello to whimsy.

Dewaalart (based in Cape Town) offers a wide range of vinyl wall art, hand painted wallpaper, fine art commissions and much more.

Their unique range caters to a wide range of tastes, with everything from classic images to beautifully rendered South African imagery.