It’s time to grab your pen and your calendar and save the date for the Crazy Store Super Hero Dash! It’s a family-friendly event boasting a combo of fresh air and fun as well as a chance to dress up, get some exercise and give to a good cause. It’s taking place on the Human Right’s Day public holiday on Wednesday 21 March at the Mouille Point Lighthouse, Cape Town and you can sign up for the 2.5km or 5km fun walk or run.Continue Reading
Brrr, it’s cold in here! These icy winter days and nights are upon us and I’m doing my best to keep thirty little fingers and toes warm at night. Lucky for us, Studio Collection Claremont recently gave our kids the opportunity to choose their own fabric for some brand spanking new duvet covers.
Up until now our kids have slept comfortably with their own thick fleece bankets, but now they’re bigger and get colder (and are mostly potty trained) and so bring on the duvets! Studio Collection specializes in Bespoke Bedding for Nurseries and Kids Rooms, using 100% Cotton fabricsand the options are truly endless.
As much as the modern chic of Scandi decor appeals to me, I do love a cheerful burst of colour and so held back as I showed my kids a few of the design options on the Studio Collection website.
This is what the Kynie Kids chose:
Ilan chose the Character Stripe fabric from the Dr Seuss Collection. If only he knew that the Grinch was sitting dangerously close to his big toe in this pic!Continue Reading
Ilan and I recently spent a Sunday afternoon at John Dory’s in Canal Walk with a bunch of lovely bloggers and their little ones. It was my first time at John Dory’s largely because I’m a vegetarian and assumed that there wouldn’t be anything on the menu for me (I was wrong!). I also wouldn’t ordinarily choose a restaurant in a mall as my first choice for a family treat, but I was pleasantly surprised. Here why I’d take my family back to John Dory’s: Continue Reading
This post is especially for the dads who may like some insider info from a mom who thinks it time for you to spoil your lovely lady (and mother of your little treasures) with a posh dinner at a fancy restaurant. Because you love her, obviously, and because she deserves a night off and a night out with your handsome self every now and then.
As we were recently treated to a date night at Dash Restaurant & Bar and loved it so much, I recommend you add it to the list of restaurants you’d like to try. This spot is at the Queen Victoria Hotel (from the Newmark Hotel group), close to the Waterfront in Cape Town.
Anyway, now here’s a guide to dating wife at Dash:
Take a look at the menu and get excited (and perhaps start saving – this is fine dining! Main courses range from R140 to R295). Take a look at the new 4 course tasting menu option.
Organise a babysitter. This can be an added stress for a mom, so be a man and make a plan.
When it’s date night, sort the kids out and get them ready for the babysitter so that your wife can have a few minutes to get ready in peace. She will love you for this.
Clean your cab so that you can arrive in style and then double check directions and where to park – the Dash entrance can be a little tricksy to find if you park on the wrong level. FYI: It’s is opposite the Watershed, above Cave Golf but you access parking from Portswood and take the ramp UP (not down which is what we did.) Or you could call an Uber and save yourself the hassle.
Make sure you arrive in time to hear the live music from the piano man in the bar area. You will feel like you’ve walked into a movie and the tinkling of the old ivories definitely sets the tone for a romantic night out.
Order a glass of bubbly at the bar and celebrate that you have managed to leave the house in one piece and feel those frazzled parent nerves fade away. (Confession: We cheers-ed our glasses more than once.) Enjoy feeling like a tourist in your own city as you hear the foreign accents of the hotel guests who are seated beside you.
Appreciate the sophisticated decor and art that adorns the walls as you are lead to your table.
Have fun browsing through the menu. (If your wife is vegetarian like me, there won’t be much choice for her but this won’t be an issue at all because the veg option on offer is incredible!). If you want to avoid order envy, here’s a heads up on what we ordered and LOVED:
The souffle starter with biltong shavings.
My order: Starter: Asparagus, olive toast, nut crush and parmesan snow Main:Vegetable terrine, smoked red pepper coulis, artichokes and hummusDessert:Banana parfait, butterscotch sauce and banoffee
Husband’s order: Starter:Double baked gorgonzola soufflé, biltong shavings and hazelnuts Main:Lamb loin with pearl barley, beetroot puree and roasting jus Dessert:Hot chocolate fondant with orange ice cream and bitter sugar brittle .
What’s our verdict? We loved our unhurried dining experience and the beautifully presented food – each course was a complete work of art and almost too pretty to eat (almost). Thank you for having us, Dash!
I met Catherine online in one of my favourite local adoption groups on Facebook called Passionate about adoption – if you’re looking into adoption or have already adopted, then make sure you join this group! Catherine is the lucky Heart Mama to little Charlotte and manages to juggle motherhood as well as her job as Director of Pay it Forward, a foundation which aims to uplift a child’s life through education. Thanks for sharing your story, Catherine.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your family.
I am a single mother to Charlotte and I have two siblings. One brother who is 5 yrs older and a twin sister, both of whom are a great support to me.
Did you always know that you wanted to adopt?
I often thought as a child that I would love to adopt, however this idea faded and when I was married as I thought I might have biological children. Continue Reading
It’s time to grab your pen and your calendar and save the date for the Crazy Store Super Hero Dash! It’s a family-friendly event boasting a combo of fresh air and fun as well as a chance to dress up, get some exercise and give to a good cause. It’s taking place on the Human Right’s Day public holiday on Wednesday 21 March at the Mouille Point Lighthouse, Cape Town and you can sign up for the 2.5km or 5km fun walk or run.Continue Reading
