Homage 1862

Life is one of those crazy beautiful things. One day you think things are going to be a certain way and the next, everything has been turned upside down. 

A close friend of mine bought herself a lovely home here in Cape Town and was settled in with her partner playing house. 

Next thing you know; he gets an exciting job offer in Boston and within three months time, she will be off to go place house in the states. Wild to say the least. 

So when the opportunity came up to go for a sneaky week day lunch at the Homage 1862

 I couldn't resist. Time together is priceless and life is short. 

(that, plus I will find any excuse to go for lunch!)

Homage is located on Loop street in Cape Town CBD. It is a gorgeous building that has history flowing out of every corner. The beautiful old Victorian structure dates back to 1862. 

The decor is framed by natures greens complimented by the earthy tones of the exposed rough brick and raw wood. My favourite part, of course, is a number of lush plants scattered around to play off the teal velvet cushions. The interior designer did the space justice. There are well-placed textures giving it a rustic feel with subtle pops of colour. 

Homage has a lovely upstairs area that can accommodate cocktail-hour loving visitors on the balcony whilst they listen to the cool music selection for the night in the lounge. 

The main feature in the downstairs dining room is a large wood fire encased in glass. The wood fire flavours carry through into the dishes which mirror the earthiness of the interior. The fire is of course also very welcome on colder days here in Cape Town. 

This spot is wonderful for vegetarians and vegans who are looking for vegetables that are glorified in all the right ways and salads that aren't stuck in the 80's. 

I highly recommend the earth plate as I am a sucker for a charred sweet potato that has been left to caramelize within itself. Served with smoky eggplant and charred sweet corn you will be left wanting more! 

If you are in the mood for something meatier, then I can wholeheartedly vouch for the salmon.  Buttery, sweet and utterly delicious accompanied with charred broccoli for that extra crunch, it's definitely one that I will be returning for.

I finished off with a chocolate fondant and I can only say it delivered with all the gooeyness and chocolate feels. Your spend would be roughly R150 per head minus drinks. 

The service was laid back and friendly and the staff's

knowledge of dishes was good and their recommendations were spot on! 

I know that I'll miss my friend while she goes off to seek adventures with her partner, but there will be places like Homage here to fill any melancholy that is likely to arise when the distance feels too great.

To book here are the details:

+27 21 422 0900

-Melissa 

Bartholomeus klip with Miles For Style

Have you ever visited a destination where, from the minute you leave, you're already planning on how to get back there? 
I recently visited Bartholomeus Klip in partnership with Miles For Style. 
Miles For Style in an online platform that offers a shopping experience like no other. You can shop luxury products, five star wines and of course beautiful accommodation like Bartholomeus Klip. The added bonus? They are a loyalty programme in partnership with SAA voyager where you can convert an (unlimited) amount of voyager Miles into their very own Style Miles and use them to shop the amazing offerings they have online. From craft beer to electronics, homeware products, destinations and more. 
Basically - what this means for us regular folk is, instead of banging our proverbial head against the wall because we couldn't get a specific flight or upgrade there is an alternative option. You can use miles for a weekend away or shop to your hearts content. And if you don't have enough miles? You can simply top up with cash. A perfect shopping experience if you ask me. 

Bartholomeus Klip is situated a mere hour outside of Cape Town where it rests at the foot of the surrounding mountains of Riebeek Kasteel and Wellington on the Elandsberg nature reserve.
This spectacular farmhouse simply took my breath away. 
On arrival we were met with bubbles and a fireplace to warm the cockles (it was cold after all). 
Not a bad start to a two day getaway. 
The house has 5 gorgeous bedrooms and the property has two additional self-catering cottages hosting up to 8 guests luxurious rooms and true country charm!
The farm also boasts the more contemporary comforts and a quick dip in the pool is compulsory for cooling down on hot summers days.

The farmhouse is famous for their food. 
To put it bluntly, I was utterly blown away and I don't think I stopped eating for three days. 
The breakfasts, (which made me redefine my entire understanding of the term) were nothing short of decedent. 
Tables were opulently adorned with everything from baked muesli pies to chocolate waffles, cheese, tarts, pastries, stewed fruit, granola, charcuterie, nut spreads and more! 
The food throughout the stay was amazing. At every sitting we were spoilt for choice; be it vetkoek or eclairs at high tea or the perfect muffin before the early mornings game drive. 
Dinner was a 4 course affair showcasing the star of the show; fresh (and seasonally accurate) local produce.
Highlights were the smoked tomato soup with confit garlic, the fresh seafood chowder and of course, not one to shy away from desserts...the chocolate mousse with fennel ice cream was exquisite. I highly recommend visiting to experience the fantastic food. 

The farm is a hive of activities. You can choose to go on a nature walk, take a game drive at sunset or go bird watching. The gardens are teeming with birdlife and sitting on the patio pretending to be Sir David Attenborough was certainly a highlight.
The game drives depart every morning and you can expect to see bontebok and buffalo.
We took in sunset with g&t sundowners and sat overlooking the lake of breeding blue cranes. 
If game drives aren't your cup of tea - then take a canoe out onto the lake at sunset and admire nature from a unique lookout point. 
The property is on a 10 000 acre nature reserve so there is plenty to explore and see.  

For the more foodie orientated types (like me) Batholomeus Klip offers the ultimate opportunity to step into the kitchen and receive instruction from world class chefs. We were treated to a cooking class and a parting gift of the farmhouse's cook book (which I am most definitely going to be using)

Just 15 minutes away is Riebeek Kasteel, a quaint little town that offers craft beer tasting, great little stores and one of my favourite lunch spots, Mama Cucinas. Unpretentious Italian cuisine thats an absolute must if you are in the area. 
If you are in the mood for Wine tastings, Bosman wines and Kloovenburg are worth the visit. 
Bosman have a wonderful family history and although they don't have a restaurant, their wine more than makes up for it. 
Their single block Chenin blanc is crisp and fresh and I couldn't resist buying some for home.
Kloovenburg wines and Olive products are also fantastic. 
I am a huge fan of their quality Olive Oil and believe it or not they produce the only olives that I actually eat. 
If you don't try their blueberry olives then you are missing out. 

Isn't it fantastic that all of these activities and destinations are only an hour outside of Cape Town? 
If you take a drive out around this time of year, you will be sure to catch the rolling canola fields. 
Oceans of yellow will surround you on your drive... With a good song and good company you are in for a great adventure. 
So, the only question remaining is; what are you waiting for?

-Melissa
 

Cape Canopy Tours

Have you ever dreamt that you are flying? I have. Several times. I run as fast as I can and some times I take off. 

Cape Canopy Tours in Elgin gave me that feeling. Zip lining through the Hottentots Nature reserve is up there on my top adventure experiences. I thought I would be a little scared! Truth be told, the 4 hours spent flying through the sky on zip lines was some of the most fun I have had. 

You have to make sure that you are dressed for adventure and ready for action. We stopped at Peregrines for a quick coffee and a snack on our way to the reserve, they ask you to arrive timelessly and make sure you have something warm in case it gets cold! 

Once you receive your safety briefing you will be off on a bumpy ride up into the mountains. I can see why they wanted to film lord of the rings in the reserve as it truly looks like something from another world up there! 

So what is zip lining? You are in a safety harness and via a pulley system you launch from one platform to another. In between? You are flying over untouched nature at its finest. From cliffs to rivers you get to see it all in the seconds you are zooming by! The longest zip line is 350 meters and it is a scream! 

Ending off with a short hike back to your vehicle and a peregrine pie back at base camp. This adventure is a must if you are in Cape Town and one of the top things to do in the Elgin area! 

p.s just don’t forget your camera!