It's called the present, because it's a gift :)

Its been too long. But I am back. And 100% committed to the new leaf I turned over today. The holiday from the holiday is over and I couldn’t be more excited. So, I am long overdue with some news and some snaps from Spain. And of course there have been tons of fabulous fun things since. But let me start with today…the here and the now.

After a mild state of depression when my holiday was over, I have decided to throw myself, head first, back into all the things that make me happy. These include event planning, cooking, and catching up with wonderful friends. Also on the list are running, gym, and making interesting and delicious healthy meals that make my heart and my waist band smile. More time in the kitchen and the gym, less time on the couch. That’s my August resolution.

I solemnly swear I am 100% committed to all of the above, but most importantly, to having the best time doing each and every item on my numerous lists! Otherwise, what’s the point?

There are so many awesomely exciting things on the horizon, and I want to soak up the fabulousness of each and every one. Hence a journey to rediscover all the wonderful ways to stay on top of the world, every single day!

The first little rule I have set is to make sure I live in the present - So, the theme of today’s post is, Today – lets call it, Day one:

It started with delicious warm oats for breakfast (yumo!) and one of my fave healthy lunches – Verjuice Chickpea Salad… I managed some work in the middle of course, but rounded off with a sunset promenade run – all in all, a fantastic day!

I thought I would share the easy peasy chickpea salad recipe, as it’s the quickest snack to make as well as being super healthy and delicious! I shared today’s lunch with the fiancé today and he even complimented its tastiness.  

The below recipe makes enough for 2 people for work lunch (or say 6 people if it’s a side salad at a braai)

You will need:

1 x can of tinned chick peas

Red & yellow pepper (half of each)

Cherry Tomoates (about 6 if they are big, or some more if they are teeny tiny)

1/3 of a cucumber

Feta (I used one round disk of the plain low fat kind)

1/3 of a red onion

Handful of rocket (I like the wild one)

Dash of verjuice (call it a ¼ of a cup, but it’s totally up to you)

Salt & pepper to taste

Then all you have to do is:

Empty the can of chick peas into a colander and rinse thoroughly – you have to get that tinny-ness taste out of the mix. Then pour the rinsed chick peas into a bowl and dash with about a ¼ of a cup of Verjuice. If you don’t have any, simply use lemon or lime juice. You can throw some oil into the mix (e.g. avocado oil) if you want more of a Vinaigrette. I wanted to keep it super low fat, so opted out this time.

Finely chop the red onion, and then chop the rest of the fresh ingredients into salad size chunks for easy and ladylike consumption. Throw it all into the bowl and mix. Add in some loosely torn rocket and crumbled feta. Give it one more stir and then spoon into bowl / Tupperware for work.

I like to make it the night before because the Verjuice infuses into everything (and because I am super lazy in the morning).

Verjuice Chickpea Salad - image, my own

I hope you can get some use out of this simple, tasty lunch time snack.

I hope to bring some more food ideas to the blog over the coming weeks, as I endeavour to make healthy food fabulous.

Have a fantastic week

x

get a move on...

Its been just over a month since I last posted anything... siss! I feel mortified!
So many amazingly fun things have happened and I have not taken a few moments to reflect on them! double siss!

Apologies to anyone who may have been looking out for a post (all 3 of you perhaps :)

I promise, before this week is out, I will write something about the amazingly, wonderful, warm, delicious, sexiness that is Spain :)

But now, off to dinner with some good friends at a new spot in Kloof Street, Jackal & Hyde. Ill let you know if its fab ;)

x

Adiós Amigos

I was undecided whether to blog a teeny weeny little goodbye post. It seemed a little, “Cheers biyatches, enjoy the cold, while I summer in Spain”. But having given it a second thought, I realised that the very reason I started writing was to remind myself, and others, how fortunate we all are. And getting to go away with your friends, experience new cultures and cuisine, and have a good old jol, is something almost everyone (reading this) gets to do every once and a while. So I hope that whether you are taking a break now or in the future, you have countless other reasons to celebrate!

I am not sure if I will write while I’m overseas, so I hope that over the next three weeks, everyone I know has something to make them smile. Be it a big glass of red wine and a great movie on the couch, or something more life-changing, I trust there will be many blessed moments in 21 days.

And if you can’t think of anything right now, have a look at this video – a friend sent it to me today, and it made me smile.

Have a safe and happy June & the start of July. Until we meet again. X

A little overdue, but better late than never.

This past weekend, my fiancé and I were blessed enough to celebrate our engagement with friends and family. Some important people were jet-setting when he popped the question, so we decided to plan an engagement brunch for a date when everyone could attend.

Over 50 bottles of bubbly later and we all survived the gorgeous day, with more than a few stories to tell.

If that was a taste of the love and laughter that fills a wedding, I cannot wait! Thanks to everyone who made it so special! 

Deliciousness - Images, my own. 

Life's too damn short

Last night I decided to make some important lists of things to remember for my overseas holiday… when the visas are done and the flights + accommodation are all paid for, the final thing every A-type personality does is make some more lists. Just to be sure.

I started to think back to my last overseas trip in October 2010 and of an experience that I will never forget, for all the wrong reasons!

Thanks to the French train staff strike, we were stranded in Paris for the day. We had been scheduled to take a train down to Nice, but the Parisians decided, on that day, it was time to show their dissatisfaction with the retirement age being raised.

This all happened 2 hours after my wallet was stolen on another train, traveling through Brussels.

Having lost a credit card and few Euros in the process, and filled with concern about whether we would have to pay for new trains, spend an extra night in Paris etc, I spent the entire day completely stressed out, and didn’t want to “waste” money on coffee, food, wine… I know, right? Me… not wanting to waste money one wine! How ridiculous. What can I say; I was young(er) and clearly insane!

What struck me last night was that I was given an entire extra 12 hours in Paris. Paris! The most amazing, thrilling, enchanting city! And I completely wasted it!

We had spent the first few days of our trip in Paris and they were magical. Then, a subconscious genie granted a wish I didn’t even know that I had, and we were given a small window of extra Paris-time which I squandered, waiting for the next leg of our trip to start. Concerned with what was to come, I totally missed the gift I had been given. Looking back, I cannot help but kick myself for how foolish that was!

Luckily, we live and we learn, so, I have decided that as I count down the days until my next trip, I outright refuse to waste a single second while I am in Amsterdam and Spain. From the moment I close my laptop next week Thursday, I am 100% committed to living in each and every moment that my vacation grants me! I am going to soak up every second, make the most of the up’s and the down’s and find joy in the inevitable delays that come with travel.

After all, you never know what amazing parallel opportunities arise from unexpected changes to “the plan”. Isn’t that usually when the most memorable moments are created?

I like to think so. x

Paris is just the best! - Images, my own. 

They say it’s the little things..

Today, after some post-work shopping at the Waterfront, I was reminded of something small, yet awesome, that made me smile. After waiting near the Pick ‘n Pay lift for what felt likes ages, with shopping bags loaded around me like a mountain Sherpa, I was greeted by one of the staff in the lift, who offered me an empty trolley into which to load my belongings. His toothless grin smiled from ear to ear, and as he would have to follow me down to the basement to bring the trolley back up, his help was especially super! I gave him my last coins to say thanks. After the lift doors closed, I realised I had to put a fifty rand note into the parking machine and would get who-knows-how-many coins back… I swore under my breath!

Then, low and behold, the intelligent machine gave me back notes… real, live, crispy, South African notes (I hate coins btw!). A sign… firstly that technology is moving forward even in the pay-parking space. And secondly, that if I had held onto my coins because of something as silly as not wanting to end up with a wad of change, I would have done so in vain!

So, Yay all round!

Driving home in the dark and the rain, I thought back on how so many tiny things aggravated me in the day and how silly these things actually are! I poured myself a big glass of red vino when I got home, ran a hot bubble bath and enjoyed a massive amount of visual awesomeness on Pinterest, followed by a DIY mani, pedi, some light reading and a chocolate mousse!

Taking some time to chillax, and soaking up the little things, can make all the difference!

I hope there have been many little things that have made your day just as wonderful!

x

In the spirit of little things, I finished this teeny tiny DIY canvas last night - two little love birds.
Image & artwork: My own 

TGI-Fabulous-Friday!

Wow, what a week. How can we be in the 6^th month of 2012 already? This year is flying by. And with so many wonderful things to fill the time with, it’s not at all surprising.

This weekend promises nothing but excitement. A birthday dinner & drinks at Blake’s tonight, such a swanky watering hole always brings with it some fun surprises. And tomorrow, the fiancé and I are taking a drive up the N2 to view three out-of-town wedding venues. I cannot wait! 3 weeks of online searches and 2 and a half weeks of some serious analyses of all of the pro’s, con’s and extra points for all round fabulousness… and we have the top 3 out-of-town locations. Let’s hope they are as wonderful as they appear online.

Who knows, maybe if we find “the one”, we can pop the magnum bottle of Moet the lovely team at my office gave us to say congrats…

Any super venue suggestions welcome, and encouraged ;)

Our Magnum Bottle of Awesome - Image: My Own

Have a magic weekend x