Eating Like Queens in Cape Town

During our recent trip to Cape Town, Laura and I ate lunch at the most delicious burger place on Long Street.  It's called Royale Eatery and we both enjoyed every bite.

We discovered it as we were meandering up and down Long on our first day in Cape Town, and then come to find out we read about it in a couple of travel books later--so others also think highly of it as well!

The decor was minimal but perfect, and the atmosphere was super relaxed.  The waitresses all wore adorable vintage aprons, and L. and I found it to be a clever idea that in the menu they stated the salon where the waitresses go.  Good advertising for the salon (and probably made some money for the restaurant!

I love these HUGE dome/ball pendant lights.

Laura and I both adored how they used the root ball to turn the plants in hanging pots.  Sister determined how to do this, and I definitely want some like them in our place in Chicago.

The menu design was absolutely adorable.  They used little vintage graphics and dictionary-style definitions on title pages introducing each section of the menu.  Too cute.

We started off the meal with a drink--hey, we were on holiday!  Their cocktail selection was unique, utilizing lots of fresh flavors.  Laura opted for the strawberry-basil mule while I had the mango and coconut batida.  

 sister with her mule

so refreshing!!!

Although Royale Eatery is a burger joint, they had a large selection of vegetarian style burgers.  We actually both ate off the veg menu, despite both of us being meat eaters.  And both of our options were amazing, accompanied by sweet potato fries.  Laura had the Zelig--described on the menu has a falafel patty with blended with garlic and peppadews and topped with hummus.  (confused about peppadews?  Read more here. It looked divine.  I had the googamooly, partially because I liked the name, and partially because I rarely turn down anything made with lentils, sunflower seeds, and chickpeas, then topped with feta and guacamole.  It rocked my world.  I could have eaten a second one, and then a third.  And I want one right now.

GOOGAMOOLY

(sorry, no photos of Sister's Zelig)

I think this blog post was the Cape Town visit.  Alex and I are headed to Kruger National Park this weekend for one last safari hurrah---we honeymoon in 3 weeks and move back to the States in 4!  TIME IS FLYING!

THANKful

I may be a couple days late posting about how blessed and thankful I am, but I figure it is important to remember to be grateful ANYDAY and EVERYDAY.  So here is my list for this year...it's long, so brace yourselves.  (in random order)

-my amazing HUSBAND that I am so happy I got to marry this year!
-a wonderful, beautiful wedding that my PARENTS threw for us to celebrate with all our FAMILY and FRIENDS
-the fabulous visit I had when my SISTER came to visit us in JoBurg
-the opportunity to live ABROAD--life as an ex-pat is an adventure
-moving HOME on Christmas day
-our sweet PUPPY, Jozi
-Debi, Zac, and Jed
-discovering my love of BAKING
-SKYPE and the internet
-the chance to further my EDUCATION
-Witkoppen Clinic
-basic NECESSITIES that I am so blessed to have--a roof, a safe home, food, water, love
-the beautiful WEATHER in JoBurg
-the CROCK-POT
-my FRIENDS--both in Africa, and back home
-that getting married means getting a bigger FAMILY
-the chance I had to live in OKLAHOMA again before I got married
-how our friends and family blessed us with items from our wedding registry
-my HEALTH and they health of my loved ones
-the wonder of AIR TRAVEL
-celebrating THANKSGIVING with other Americans
 and so so many other things

Cape Town Getaway with Sister

When people heard I was moving to South Africa, everyone's response was, "Oh, Cape Town?!  You'll love it!"  The sad fact of the matter was I moved to Johannesburg, not Cape Town--but that hasn't stopped me from making two trips south to the water!

Laura coming to visit was definitely a good excuse for a visit to Cape Town--no trip to South Africa is complete without a journey to the Mother City.  And L and I are always up for a good trip to the beach.

We left early Wednesday morning and got there by 10 am.  (It's only a two hour flight from JoBurg)  After picking up our rental VW Polo, we were off to check in to the sweet guest house where we stayed, which was run by the Anglican church.

St. Paul's Guest House at 182 Bree Street

After a delicious lunch (so delicious, in fact, that it will get a blog post all it's own) we headed to the amazing Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.  The gardens were absolutely stunning, and Laura and I probably could have wandered around them all day.  In addition to the amazing flora we saw, we even saw a very professional looking photo shoot taking place, complete with a smoke machine.  

 the view when you first walk through the gates--it's breathtaking

 a special Bird of Paradise developed at Kirstenbosch in honor of Nelson Mandela

 Mandela's Gold

 sisters at Kirstenbosch

 admiring the landscape

 more sister at Kirstenbosch--yay for autotimer on the camera!

 pincushion flowers--each little spike is actually it's own flower

 another pincushion

 protea!

 proteas are the national flower of South Africa

 I love proteas--they may be my new favorite flower.

That night we had dinner at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, and walked back to our guest house in what felt like hurricane winds.  We were thankful we had split a bottle of wine at dinner or the long journey home may have been unbearable.

The next morning, the sky was bright blue and there wasn't a cloud in sight.  We took the opportunity to take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain.  Cape Town is absolutely beautiful geographically--there is an ocean when you look one direction and amazing majestic mountain when you look the other.  After a long wait in line in the bright, hot sun, Laura and I boarded the cable car for the quick ride to the top of Table Mountain where we were treated to some stellar views of the city.

 the view from before we got on the cable car

 starting the ascent!  this is the cable car station

 getting closer....

 almost there....

 the other cable car descending

 at the top!

 the doughnut shape is one of the World Cup stadiums

 Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was kept in prison

 Sister at the top of Table Mountain

 beautiful Camps Bay

the distance to my old home and my new home from the top of the mountain

After our excursion to the summit, L and I collected what we needed for the beach and headed toward Boulders Beach, where the PENGUINS hang out.  That's right, there is a beach in Cape Town where the South African penguins just hang out.  No fences, no glass aquariums--just penguins, in their natural habitat.  And you are free to walk up to them, take photos, or as Laura and I did, go for a picnic!

 these little guys are endangered.  :(

 this sweet little quintet paraded by as we were perched on a rock with our picnic.  They were so cute!

That night we went to Long Street and got beer and nachos at a bar.  While we were there, we had an interesting encounter with a 'rapper' who called himself 'Black'.  He was convinced we were sad, he said we had 'sad eyes', and he decided to sit with us and attempt to make us happy.  We were happier before he showed up.  Then we got our nachos and all was right with the world again.

The next morning we went to a wine tasting at a vineyard owned by some OKLAHOMIES!  That's right, the uncle of one of Sister's friends owns a vineyard in the Stellenbosch area, so we had a wonderful wine tasting at 10 a.m.

at Amani Vineyards

That afternoon we had a lovely long walk around Cape Town and then ate lunch at a restaurant called Beluga where Anne munched on dim sum and sushi and Laura ate Thai prawns and curry.  After we gorged ourselves, a nap was in order.

That evening, we went to Camps Bay where we enjoyed some delicious Greek salad, calamari, and vino before a sunset walk on the beach and ice cream.  The ocean is beautiful--it's my dream to have a beach front home one day.

 Laura with her feet in the cold ocean

 sister feet

 Our last day in Cape Town we checked out Neighbourgoods Market and snagged some fun clothes at a vintage shop called Afraid of Mice.  I got an amazing handmade red suede tote bag, and Laura got a cute dress with a wheat print (perfect for an Oklahoma girl) and a super fun ruffle black and white polka dotted dress.

That evening we had a flight back to JoBurg where we were greeted by Alex, whose Movember 'stache had grown tremendously during our four day adventure.

I have to go to Cape Town again--it is such a wonderful city!

Apartheid Museum

When Alex and I made the decision to move to South Africa, I knew very little about it.  I had a vague recollection of a book I read in ninth grade English class called Waiting for the Rain which highlighted the friendship of two boys, one black and one white, and how it was torn apart by the evils of Apartheid.

Apartheid was officially in place from 1948-1994.  I say 'officially' because now that I have lived in South Africa, I feel confident saying that I still think race relations have quite a bit of a way to go.  We are talking black women raising white children and working in homes--think straight out of the book/movie The Help.  However, South Africa has made great strides and I do think it is a country that will continue to grow and do amazing things.

But really....1948-1994.  That was so hard for me to grasp.  These segregation laws were in place from a year before my dad was born until the time I was in second grade.  It is mind boggling to me that such blatant discrimination, mandated by laws, was going on in the world in my lifetime.

Alex and I had been saying we were going to go the Apartheid Museum since we moved to JoBurg, and we had not gotten around to it yet.  I knew that my sister is always up for a good museum, so when Groupon had half price tickets, I bought two and planned that we would go during her visit.

On the first Sunday she was here, off to the museum the three of us went.

outside of the museum

The outside is rather non-descript, a large brick building.  Alex did compare it to the Holocaust Museum in Berlin architecturally, however.

Reflecting pool outside museum with this quote.

When you buy your tickets, it divides you up in 'black' and 'white' on the back of your ticket.  This determines the door you go through in the museum, and the first few bits of the museum you see.

There is currently a special Nelson Mandela exhibition that chronicles his childhood through his rise in politics and his amazing work fighting Apartheid and the role he played in the development of the new South Africa. (side note: They are now issuing new money in South Africa with Mandela on them!  They are super cool!)  After this exhibition, it is safe to say my obsession with Madiba has grown.

 
 

Nelson Mandela quotes outside the exhibition.  He is such a wise man.  I am reading a book of his speeches now and I am floored with the beauty with which he speaks.

Obligatory photos of Sister and me.

On the way home from the museum, we saw a rainbow.  It was so poignant after all of the bits of Apartheid we had just learned about.

Living in South Africa has been a really amazing experience, and I am so glad we took the time to learn quite a bit more about the history of this country.

For more information on the Apartheid Museum, visit The Apartheid Museum website