Macaroon Cafe on Florida Road...

In the place you'd least expect it, lies a quaint little cafe holding hundreds of treats that blows the socks off people who've been told that macaroons are biscuits. I was first introduced to macaroons on my trip to Cape Town when my friend and I discovered a patisserie that sold the most delicious dainties I'd ever tasted.

I recently had my birthday tea at Macaroon Cafe on Florida Road in Durban, South Africa and my friends who had never tasted a macaroon were completely amazed when they tasted it - they didn't understand how something could taste that delicious! And frankly - neither do I.

Now that I've introduced my friends to macaroons and found the perfect place to get them near by - the only thing left is to learn how to make the perfect one for myself...

A pure South African photography genius...

Tony Christie is a Durban based fashion,commercial and advertising photographer. He is a close friend of mine and I would recommend his work over pretty much everyone else. For Tony, photography isn't just a job - it's a passion. With his own design flairs,

individuality and incredible talent for capturing the perfect picture. He has an un-heard of eye and sees the beauty in things nobody else would.

I had the pleasure of spending a Saturday with him and I realised that there's so much more to photography than just clicking a button on the camera.

(Tony's thoughts on the upcoming Wonderbra shoot that Tony is doing...) "When it comes to advertising photography, its not just about making the garment the centre of the photo, you have to make it look amazing in just a normal setting.(on fashion photography...) "Vintage and retro photography is really in these days. It makes it look like the photo was taken decades ago - which makes it precious and almost sentimental. Some of these effects you can't get by using a digital camera. To get and old-school photo, you've got to do it the old-school way." (But if the don't have the time, money or expertise to do it the proper way - you can always try turning up the "colour temperature" on your computer at home.)

Take a look at some of Tony's amazing work - and see for yourself what makes him a cut above the rest...

(more at http://www.tonychristie.co.za/)

A pair of little lovelies...

The shoes that made a come back almost as big as Tomy Takkies (nurse shoes). These little babies have a vintage-y look about them and I dare you to try and find an outfit that they don't go with perfectly. Whether it be shorts, high-waisted skirt, jeans, leggings even long skirts and dresses. These shoes are a must - if you don't have them already, it's about time you find yourself some brogues.

Kings Of Leon in South Africa...

I have been looking forward to this concert more than my own birthday! With five months of foreplay leading up to this concert including making our own shirts and a daily countdown, it;'s inevitable that the only thing that follows this 1-and-a-half hours of utter exhilaration, amazement and screaming "We Love You" is a huge depression stage. What are we meant to look forward to now? Anyone?


Enough about the anti-climax after the show, why don't I tell you about the actual show...


Caleb, Jared, Matthew and Nathan Followill. Wow. Raw talent, right there. There are some people who are terrible live and then there are others who, once hearing them, you can't listen to them in other other way - because they're so good live. And if there's one thing that proves this point its that at the show, Matthew (the guitarist) did a guitar solo with, wait for it, his mouth. So if that doesn't make you want to marry him - I don't know what will. After they played Sex On Fire, Caleb said Goodnight and they all walked off stage, well they couldn't have been done yet - they hadn't even played Use Somebody. So they came back on and played the last few songs (including Use Somebody) and then they ended the concert with a bang in the form of fireworks.Lying in bed that night, I couldn't believe that it was all over!


But, I can honestly say that that concert is the best that I have ever been to!


We Heart K.O.L <3 


(More photos are under Flashback)

Full of Glee...

Now I'm not too sure about you, but Glee has been my latest obsession - and my friends will confirm that. I just can't seem to get enough of their super catchy remixes of well-known and often forgotten songs! I mean, we've all had those dreams of being in an American high school - well there's no place I'd rather be than McKinley High, in the Glee club. Yes, I know you may ask "why would you want to be in the Glee club, they are all Losers and get Slushied all the time?" You see, they're all like one big family and most of the time they stick up for each other. Plus, there's nothing better than boys who can sing and dance - Serenading on my mind.

Glee has done something for me that High School Musical never did - it's made me really want to have one of those moments where everyone breaks out in song and somehow - they all know the dance moves.

                                                                                                                    Yes, he can walk...

So Much Duh-Rama...

New Faves on my Ipod...

Foals are an English Indie-Rock band from Oxford. They released their debut album "Antidotes" in 2008 and their second album Total Life Forever, was released in 2010 and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The boys behind this Amazing band are; Yannis Philippakis(vocals), Jack Bevan, Jimmy Smith, Edwin Congreave and Walter Gervers. Foals likes to be self-sufficient, so all of the music videos are created by their friend Dave Ma and all of the artwork is also done by their friend Tinhead. Like all good bands it took a few dud bands to get to the brilliance that is Foals, Jack, Eilish and Yannis were originally in the band The Edmund Fitzgerald which then broke up because they wanted to have more fun with making music. Walter and Jimmy were apart of a small Oxford band called Face Meets Grill.

"Foals is a band that is more about the music than the lyrics, its the perfect chilling-in -the-afternoon-in-Mozambique-with-mates-and-food music" said my "music guru" and I couldnt have said it better myself. I'm listening them whilst I write this and I'm just asking myself why I didn't hear about them earlier!I mean, what's better than boys that sing Indie music with English accents? In my case - Nothing.

Source: Wikipedia

These are the songs that, in my opinion, are the best...

Antidotes:

- Like Swimming

- Cassius

- The French Open
- Olympic Airways
- Two Steps Twice

Total Life Forever:

- Miami

- Spanish Sahara

- After Glow

A timeless name...

I'm pretty sure that most of us have had a Coke in our lives? If you haven't, run, no sprint to your nearest anything - because that they will sell this thirst-quenching, sparkling phenomenon. Be grateful for that utter genius invention that John Stith Pemberton kindly gave to the world and since then you just can't seem to get away from that signature swirl. I, personally, don't think that there has ever been a colour more associated with a company or thing for a period of time as the red is with Coca-Cola. Just to you how timeless Coke truly is we've lined up a few of the vintage adverts from when they were just trying to make it big. Looks like things worked out for them.

 

Durban Gems

What happens when you put two very musically talented ladies, namely Pam de Menezes and Christie Desfontaine, together? You get a world renown, best-selling two-woman band. Established in in 2006, The Arrows were formed out of the port city of Durban, with a combination of Indie, raw talent and a bit of South African flavour these two feisty, focused and fun women have completely re-invented pop music. These ladies have blossomed and have performed all over the world including London, Israel and, of course, our beloved South Africa. They opened for The Script on their South African tour to Cape Town and Jo’burg.

I was fortunate enough to go and watch them in Cape Town and I am not over-exaggerating when I say that they were almost better than The Script themselves! I suppose it’s just the natural Durban charm.

Upcoming SA shows of these two amazing ladies: 7th October 2011 Rocking The Daisies Cloof Wine Estate Cape Town