A lovely afternoon in the “country”. I won’t name and shame the restaurant since it was a disappointing experience, and I have experienced it before, which was lovely, so perhaps one more attempt is due. I will say that a photo-walk in their garden is good irrespective of the lunch served. More to follow. Photos taken by my lovely partner-in-life KDD.

Oh …. oh …. oh how I love, no adore, no …. cherish my birthday month. I love the month of May, I love how it makes me feel and I love that I give myself permission to spoil myself. So turn away if you’re squeemish to all that is birthday love … :).

My freedom means more to me than most people realise. If apartheid had not been abolished, the love of my life and I would not be together now.

Frightening I know.

Add to this stories of how my aunts and mom were treated differently because of the colour of their skin. My mom is fair-skinned and my aunts are darker skinned. They’ve told the tales of getting on the bus and the bus driver being confused about what my mom and her sisters were.

Thank heavens those days are behind us (mostly).

I am grateful that we have opportunities our parents’ and grandparents’ did not have and grateful to have experienced the progress that is a humble South Africa.

Now, next stage, letting go and building a bigger, better, stronger South Africa. I am so hopeful and proud to call myself, South African.

Happy Freedom Day SA!

A few weeks ago, one of my best friends invited my man and I to Madame Zingara. It was an awesome show. I had the chilli-choc fillet (long story) but that was not the highlight of the night. My highlight was when one of the head transvestites was sporting the same dress I was wearing.

Laughter was had, drinks were consumed and fun night all around.

Thanks to the friends who allowed us to tag along. You know who you are :).

Delayed flight. Rain. Busy airport. Long queues for car rentals. How did I get this weekend this wrong?

For future, I need to remember that the following events take place in the Cape in the last week of March:

• Cape Epic
• International Jazz Festival

Next week marks the Two Oceans Marathon, which makes for a very busy Cape Town. Irrespective of the chaos, I made my mom happy with a pre-birthday dinner and some visits, so all is good with the world. In addition, I managed to see some of my awesome friends and take a walk in the freezing ocean that is Camps Bay. So thanks universe, the few days in Cape Town was good. One thing was missing, my pepper sauce to my steak, that is Kevin Derman.

Be right there baby.

Life Is Too Short (LITS) to do things which don’t make me happy or try things that may. I hereby commence my LITS series. On your mark, get set … goooo!!

Last night my friend and I attended the Swan Lake, performed by the Korean Ballet Company at the Joburg Theater on behalf of our division at work. Although leaving on time, we are out-of-towners and I confess, we got horribly lost.

Lost and late, cringe, my two worst things.

We arrive (eventually) and get ushered to the back row not to cause too much disruption. Oh and by back row, I mean last row, last seat, bleeders seats.

We manage to miss about 15 mins so all is not lost.

Cut to the review.

I loved the swan scenes. These scenes allowed one to see the movement of the ballerinas and their clean lines. I felt the costumed scenes were a bit lost, due the the amount of actual costume.

If the dresses were slightly shorter, it would have been easier to see their leg work. None the less, the performance was still stellar. My favorite characters were the jester and the leading lady. I have to mention the perfect synchronized choreography of the swan scenes. Utterly perfect.

All in all, Swan Lake, was worth watching. I don’t get to watch ballet often and find that I can be overly critical at times, but this time around, it was a pleasure. Go and see it if you can and try and aim for middle seats. Too far up and back, one looses some of the detail, but too close to the front and you’ll be sitting on your feet trying to see any part of them.

Universal Ballet of Korea’s Swan Lake comes to Joburg – Source Business Day

Tips

1. Arrive early
   1. Lost and late, we ended up parking on P10, and getting out of there took ages.
2. Get seats in the middle
   1. Taking up our real seats after the break, meant we had amazing seats near the front. I, however, am little and there were many tall folks sitting in front of me on cushions to boot. If you do get seats in the front, ask for a booster cushion.
3. There are toilets round each corner and near the front, ladies there are always queues, send your date for drinks during the break, while you handle your lady business :D.

Have fun, it’s an experience and yes, you can dress up!

It’s Monday and I am recovering from food poisoning on the weekend. If you’ve watched the movie “Bridesmaids“, you would feel for me as I had a moment of irony at being in a similar situation depicted in the movie.

I may not have puked in someones hair, but let’s say that a sober puke is by far worse than a drunken encounter.

But …. I press on, although the weekend was “bug-filled”, it had moments where I laughed so hard wetting myself would have seemed okay. One has to press on through the yukkiness.

So today, although not 100%, I pushed on. Damn these things called “bugs”, who the hell needs ‘em.

All I know for sure is that we are already on week 11 for 2012 and it seems to be flying. Two months to go until my 34th birthday and it feels okay. I’ve already had a holiday to Seattle, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, so I’m not complaining.

What lies in store for the week ahead? Work, and who knows? Let’s see shall we? Over and out.

My first skiing experience turned out to be amazing. Love it. Will most certainly try it again.

One arrives at the airport, and bam! Slot machines all around. Nice.

Everything is large, from the drinks and food to the buildings surrounding the strip. Las Vegas is an experience to have at least once in your life.

My review:

• no matter where you eat, whether it’s fast food or a fancy restaurant, the food is … average if not bad
• drinks are expensive unless you are gambling then its free
• its dingy and trashy, but definitely an experience
• there are wedding chapels everywhere, but seeing a couple get married on the strip in a shopping mall, was exceptionally unglamorous …
• the fountain shows were amazing, choreographed fountain shows grazed the Bellagio
• when in a casino, I felt as if I were at Grand West or Monte Casino, the same blue-clouded-sky seemed to go on forever
• margaritas are everywhere, but the best ones were Margaritaville at the Flamingo Hotel
• there are Starbucks everywhere (thankfully)
• go to the designer outlet mall in the North – a bit of a bus ride, but worth every penny
• Circ de Solei – Zumanity was …. average, I’ve seen better
• The Blue Man Group was awesome, both musically and in entertainment value
• The Luxor Hotel and Mandalay Bay Hotel and Conference center has some incredible restaurants and is home to the Aquarium
• M&M World is … well… heaven for those who love all things merchandize, so is Coca Cola World
• Caesars Palace is so big, one could easily get lost, if you can’t read English, (all the signs are in English) you  most certainly will
• the walk down the strip is colourful
• there are 24-hour pharmacies and convenience stores
• there are activities to keep one entertained both night and day
• it’s a bit chilly in Winter, I guess the pool parties only happen in summer since it’s too cold in Winter

The Las Vegas experience is one to experience for yourself. I would go back, with a group of friends to take in some shows, shop and visit some of the clubs I didn’t get an opportunity to visit this time around.