A visit to Die Plaaskombuis (The Farm Kitchen) in the Hemel & Aarde Valley
We had to visit Hermanus in connection with the renovation of our new home in Greyton. On route back to Greyton, we stopped at Die Plaaskombuis for lunch. The entrance to the restaurant is via the Farm Stall, where you could easily spend a couple of hours. There are fresh vegetables and eggs, frozen home cooked food, preserves, cups and … Continue reading →
Wine tasting in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
On the way from Greyton towards Hermanus is the picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. According to a visiting Moravian missionary in 1899, it got its name because “so high are the hills which closely embrace the valley all round, that they seem to touch the sky and you cannot see anything but heaven and earth”. I was stunned to see this beautiful … Continue reading →
Abbey Rose Restaurant, Greyton
Abbey Rose is a family-run restaurant in Main Street, Greyton. It is also a wedding venue. When Deon and I were waiting in the guest house to move into our house, we ordered food from this restaurant. They assisted with cutlery as well and their friendliness overwhelmed us. Deon’s favourite was Oxtail, and I loved their Green Chicken Curry. Since … Continue reading →
A new beginning
18 August 2019 – the date of my last publication. Since then and until recently, Deon and I became absorbed in our practices. Deon is a Psychological Counsellor, and I was the owner of Kip McGrath Education Centres, Durbanville. Our usual outings on Fridays came to a halt as we preferred to take the day off and relax at home, … Continue reading →
Riebeek Valley
Riebeek Valley Yesterday, Saturday the 17th of August 2019, we packed our bags and after giving instructions to the cat sitter, we were off to Riebeek West, a small town about 75 km north-east of Cape Town. It is next to Riebeek Kasteel, another quaint little town in the Riebeek Valley, which we have visited before. We booked into … Continue reading →
Jean Restaurant at Klein Roosboom Boutique Wine Farm
Today we had the privilege of visiting Jéan Restaurant at Klein Roosboom Boutique Wine Farm which reopened after being closed due to renovations for more than a year. It is situated in the Durbanville Wine Valley and owned by winemaker Karin de Villiers. It is situated in the same spot as the previous Klein Roosboom Restaurant, but has been totally … Continue reading →
Urban Wines and Bistro, Cape Town
Ismael Lô In Concert at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
We spent a lovely afternoon at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on Sunday 19th November, listening to the music of Senegalese singer, multi-instrumentalist and actor, Ismael Lô. The 2017/2018 summer concerts at Kirstenbosch started off on 11th November with Cat Stevens, on his first tour in South Africa. The gates opened at 16:00 and the garden where the concert took place, was … Continue reading →
Arugula Bistro and Bread
We recently discovered a new restaurant in Welgemoed, Cape Town. It is called after the rocket plant, Arugula. We were hesitant to try this restaurant, as it is situated in a shopping complex, but it turned out to be a little gem. As we entered the restaurant, we were immediately attended to by friendly staff. We were seated at a … Continue reading →
A Family Wedding In The Eastern Cape
At last – another family wedding, always a favourite event to attend. We were invited to the wedding of my nephew Angus and his fiancé, Michelle, both teachers at Gill College, Somerset East in the Eastern Cape. On 22 September 2017 we were on our way to P.E. We arrived at lunch time and decided to have lunch at Bluewaters … Continue reading →
Slipway Waterfront Restaurant, Saldanha
We have visited SlipWay Waterfront Restaurant in the main harbour of Saldanha many times and every time we visit, we love it. The restaurant is not all that visible from the road, but there are sign boards to guide you to this beautiful little venue, situated on the lagoon. When our friend from France visited us for a couple of … Continue reading →
A quick visit to Langebaan, Western Cape
I accompanied Deon in August to Langebaan where he had to meet with clients. As their meeting was late afternoon on a Saturday, we decided to overnight at the Farmhouse Hotel which overlooks the Langebaan Lagoon. Langebaan is situated 120 km north of Cape Town and is very popular among tourists. The Langebaan Lagoon is a salt water lagoon which … Continue reading →
Baked Lemon Cheesecake
The history of cheesecake Cheesecake was already well-known in ancient Greece. It was served to athletes during the first Olympic games on the Isle of Delos. The recipe fell into Roman hands with the Roman conquest of Greece. They introduced cheesecake to Great Britain and Western Europe. Cream cheese saw the light in 1872 and that was the start of … Continue reading →
Spek & Bone (Bacon & Beans) Restaurant, Stellenbosch
There are certain streets in Cape Town that are very inspiring to foodies – Breë Street in the Cape Town CBD area and Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, are two of these fascinating streets. Spek & Bone on Dorp Street is owned by South African chef and TV personality, Bertus Basson. In Afrikaans we have a well-known saying – “jy werk vir … Continue reading →
Barrique Restaurant at Vredenheim Winery and Wildlife
If you like traditional food, Barrique Restaurant is where you should go. It opened in 1998 and is situated in the Stellenbosch winelands, a beautiful setting surrounded by the Helderberg Mountains. As you enter the Vredenheim estate, you are met by a variety of game such as gems buck, ostriches and zebra. There is also a Big Cats Park with … Continue reading →
De Grendel Restaurant
Deon and I decided on Friday to visit De Grendel Restaurant in Plattekloof. Before we left, I googled the wine farm and read that it has been in the Graaff family since 1891. Today the farm is owned by Sir De Villiers Graaff and is known for its award-winning wines. The chefs are Ian Bergh and Garth Davids who serve … Continue reading →
Fyndraai Restaurant at Solms-Delta, Franschhoek
As we are at last entering winter in the Western Cape, Deon and I are getting more housebound (read lazy) and prefer to stay at home on Fridays. But last Friday I felt like exploring and Deon suggested that we find a restaurant around Franschhoek. It was a lovely sunny day and we enjoyed the scenic drive to Solms-Delta where … Continue reading →
Durbanville Hills Wine Estate
Deon and I recently re-visited Durbanville Hills Wine Estate, one of our favourite wine estates in the Durbanville Wine Valley. It has magnificent views, great food and excellent wines. Their Chef’s Platter was launched to celebrate the 2016 summer season. We were a bit late for this experience upon our almost autumn 2017 visit, but the chef informed us that … Continue reading →
Café Felix, Riebeeck Kasteel
On Friday, 17 March, we decided to celebrate my birthday a day early, as we would both be working on Saturday. I wanted to have lunch in one of Cape Town’s oldest towns, Riebeeck Kasteel, named after Commandor Jan van Riebeeck, the Dutch founder of Cape Town. The town of Riebeeck Kasteel was laid out around the Dutch Reformed church … Continue reading →
Cucina di Giovanni at Eikendal
The restaurant Giovanni is situated on the Eikendal Wine Estate close to Somerset West in the Western Cape. On a rather windy Friday afternoon, we were seated at a table close to the dam with its impressive fountain. The scenic view of the Helderberg mountains encouraged us to forget about the slightly uncomfortable breeze. The restaurant seemed to be very … Continue reading →
Bobotie
Today bobotie – spicy mince with a custard topping – is a typical South African dish. According to Wikipedia, the first bobotie was prepared by Apicius, a Roman, some 2 000 years ago. South African writer, C. Louis Leipoldt, wrote that bobotie was known in Europe in the 17th century. Some people think that it originated from an Indonesian dish called … Continue reading →
Terrace Restaurant at the Lanzerac Hotel
Deon fondly remembers the lunches he and fellow student friends enjoyed under the trees at the Lanzerac Hotel when studying at Stellenbosch University. Those lunches took place many moons ago. Today, as it was Friday again, after a hectic week at work for both of us, we were off to the Postcard Café at Stark-Condé wines in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch. Deon … Continue reading →
Tiramisu Cake
If you are a fan of tiramisu, Italian for cheer me up, this decadent cake is for you. With ingredients like chocolate, Amaretto liqueur, cocoa, mascarpone cheese and espresso, it will certainly cheer you up. It was Friday again, but as we had an exhausting week, we decided to have an at home day. I have always wanted to make … Continue reading →
Greek Style on a Friday
We love Greek food and the ambience of a Greek restaurant. And yes, we love Greece with its relaxed atmosphere, the magnificent islands and blue water and last, but not least, its moussaka and meze! During Johan and Paula’s visit last year in October, we attempted having lunch at Spiro’s, a Greek restaurant in Hout Bay, but on our way … Continue reading →
Vrede & Lust
On a very hot Friday afternoon during the December holidays, we were off to Vrede & Lust Wine Estate, situated on the Simondium-Klapmuts Road, close to Franschhoek. On a previous trip to Franschhoek, we noticed this wine estate and it has been on our restaurants-to-visit list for quite a while. The trip to Vrede & Lust was not so peaceful … Continue reading →
Lemon Butta, Willowbridge
We read a few very negative comments regarding Lemon Butta restaurant, situated at the Willowbridge Life Style Centre, Bellville. We decided to try the restaurant last Friday as we were at the centre for some Christmas shopping. The ambience is not too bad, but should you choose to sit outside on the patio, your view would be of the cars … Continue reading →
The Bakery, Jordan Wine Estate
After our visit to Jardine Restaurant in September 2016, next on the list of restaurants headed by acclaimed chef George Jardine, had to be The Bakery at Jordan Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. It is a scenic trip along beautiful vineyards and blue mountains on the way to the restaurant via Stellenbosch Kloof Road. The restaurant itself is situated in a picturesque … Continue reading →
Diemersdal – Third Time Around
Why do we always return to Diemersdal? It must be the beautiful scenery, or the cosiness of the restored stable in which the restaurant is situated – or it could be the always changing menu which draws us back to this graceful wine estate. Whatever the reason, it is always a happy event when we visit the eatery, especially on … Continue reading →
Bistro on Beach
Today was the second time in a short while that we visited Bistro on Beach, a small restaurant situated at the Melkboschstrand beachfront. We were on our way to the popular Orca restaurant on both occasions, but on the first attempt the restaurant was closed and on the second it was full and we had to wait for more than … Continue reading →
The Greek Fisherman, V & A Waterfront
We haven’t been to the V & A Waterfront in a while and decided that it was time for a visit. Lunch would be at an old favourite, The Greek Fisherman. The restaurant opened its doors in 1992 as an informal and hearty Greek restaurant. Their Meze was fabulous and therefore the restaurant was always on our to-do list during … Continue reading →
The Local Grill, Val du Charron
Described on their website as simply nirvana for carnivores, is not really what I have in mind when I visit a restaurant for lunch, but the beautiful setting of the restaurant, situated 7 km from Wellington, makes up for the statement on their menu. The Local Grill is the restaurant at the Val du Charron Wine and Olive Estate. The … Continue reading →
Postberg Flower & Nature Reserve Langebaan
In spring it is wild flowers in abundance along the West Coast and we were off to the southern part of the Langebaan Lagoon, which is part of the West Coast National Park. The flowers are spectacular in August and September and then the Postberg, which is situated within the national park and privately owned, is opened to the public. … Continue reading →
Luigi’s Restaurant, Paarl
Waking up on Friday to a glorious sunny day, we decided to take a slow drive to Paarl and enjoy the scenic view while the good weather lasted. Luigi’s Mediterranean Inspired Restaurant was on our lunch menu. It was not long before we reached Paarl and started searching for the restaurant, situated on 311 Main Road. It took us a … Continue reading →
Restaurant Jardine, Stellenbosch
It was Friday and Deon’s birthday, 9 September 2016. Both reasons to find a new restaurant for lunch. Since moving to Cape Town at the end of 2010, we visited quite a number of restaurants. Many of these restaurants were great, others not so great, but after today, we have two that are competing for the first position on our … Continue reading →
Beleza Restaurant
We had visitors (my brother Johan and his wife Paula) for a couple of days and on the Friday of their visit, we decided to have lunch at a Greek tavern in Hout Bay, called Spiros. However, on our way to Hout Bay, while waiting at a robot in Tamboerskloof, Deon spotted a Portuguese Restaurant in Kloof Street, Beleza (“beautiful” … Continue reading →
Five Guys
Since discovering our local Tyger Waterfront, we cannot stay away. On Friday we were contemplating staying home, but then decided to go for a quick lunch at a restaurant we spotted at the Waterfront a while ago. It was a chilly day, but we preferred to sit outside where we had a view of the water. We were seated on … Continue reading →
Organ Concert and Dinner in Stellenbosch
It is a privilege to live in Cape Town. It is a joy to live less than thirty minutes from beautiful Stellenbosch, second oldest settlement in the Western Cape. The town is home to Stellenbosch University and it is situated on the banks of the Eerste Rivier. Stellenbosch overflows with students and tourists, bicycles and vehicles, coffee shops, restaurants, theatres, … Continue reading →
Our weekend at Stanford, Western Cape
It was time to get away for a weekend. We have not done this in a while, so we were looking forward to visit the village of Stanford. Deon booked two nights in a quaint little village house and before we knew, it was time to pack our bags. Stanford was founded in 1857 and named after Sir Robert Stanford … Continue reading →
Oude Wellington Restaurant
My mom from Port Elizabeth came to visit us for a week and naturally we had to find interesting restaurants to make her visit as pleasant as possible. Early Friday morning Deon googled to find a restaurant with a fireplace. The name, Oude Wellington Restaurant, came up with good reviews. So, off we went to experience a new adventure. As … Continue reading →
Naartjie and Cardamom Cake
Ingredients 4 naartjies, unpealed 1 vanilla pod 350 g self raising flour 6 extra large eggs 250 g caster sugar Seeds from 5 cardamom pods, pods discarded Icing sugar for dusting Syrup Simmer together 175 ml caster sugar, 175 ml water and the juice of 2 naartjies. Remove from heat when it starts to boil. Method Place naartjies in a … Continue reading →
I’ve fallen in love with the idea of living
This quote by the main character in Shirley Valentine was the spark that lit the fire for the creation of our blog, In Search of a Good Life. Years ago before we knew that blogs existed, we followed a Newsgroup with daily posts by an American researcher, Earl Evleth, who was living in France with his wife Donna and Gaston, the Dachshund. His posts were about the everyday events which were part of their lives in Paris. He would describe the lunch they had enjoyed on an afternoon at their favourite restaurant, or maybe something about the antics of Gaston. Earl had a special way of writing and making the reader part of his life.
After relocating to Cape Town in December 2010, Deon and I decided to do something similar and to write about our experiences. The name of the blog originated from the movie Shirley Valentine, which is one of our favourites. Shirley’s words, I’ve fallen in love with the idea of living, describe our life in Cape Town. We are totally in love with beautiful Cape Town and the whole of the Western Cape and love to share some of our experiences.
We love to have lunch on Fridays in a restaurant we have never been before; we love cooking; reading; photography; traveling, art, movies, music, animals (especially Leica our cat) and nature. That is basically what the blog is about, stories about our lives. The best part of the blog is that there are many people who read our blog, which is really very special.