Taking the Dutch to Oude Molen

Xperience 18

I have a strange soft spot for museums. One of my earliest memories was dragging my poor dad to the museum in Hartenbos. To me a magical place caught in a time bubble, now that I think back, not exactly what my dad had envisioned when they booked our seaside vacation.

So new town means new museum too and off I went. Swellendam has an interesting history and museum to go with it, but this was not the new xperience.

Something I didn’t know was that there’s a blueberry farm just outside the town. I know it’s not season, but after I saw the sign, I had to follow. I found a little farm called Wildebraam. They do not only grow blueberries, but make jam and liqueurs from all kinds of fruit which they buy in. Here comes the best part – tasting! I tasted Pineapple & Granadilla Jam, Sundried Tomato Mustard, Hazelnut Liqueur, Sweet Pepper Jam and I’m sure there was a Chili Chocolate Liqueur. For a change, these weren’t my new xperiences either.

Back at the backpackers I started talking to a Dutch guest touring our country for 4 months. I couldn’t help to mention he must have the best boss in the world, taking leave for 4 months? Jasper confessed he resigned his job to travel. During this whole conversation I invited him to join me for dinner at the Oude Molen, a small restaurant that came highly recommended by a friend.

Now I thought this was going to be my new xperience for the day. While having dinner at this wonderful little place just outside the town, Jasper threw a spanner in the works. My new xperience was not the restaurant, no. My new xperience was inviting a total stranger out for dinner. We only introduced ourselves after the first glass of wine. I know, I know, but it was only while we were ordering we realized we don’t even know each other’s names.

Looking back now, it seems Jasper and Natasha both pointed out a very important point. Every new xperience might have more than one dimension. Thanks to a stranger and a trusted friend, I’m now looking out for 2D (or maybe even 3D) xperiences.

 

Hong Kong Ding Dong

Xperience 12

Oops I’ve been neglecting to write down my xperiences due to time restraints. Don’t judge. Believe me you don’t want me writing after a couple of drinks, especially the ones with the girls. And writing on my Blackberry and driving is illegal in this country.

So back to Thursday.
The last day of work for me before my 2 week holiday was most certainly also the longest ever. When 5 hit at last, I was invited to have drink with a few girlfriends at Bueno Vista in Green Point. Yeah, xperience for the day, I haven’t been to the new venue.

We got there and was quite amazed at how “busy” they were. Not so much people, but all the tables were reserved for later. We hassled a waiter to allow us to squat at a table until 7.

Lee* and I were halfway through our drinks when Sarah* whizzed in. She hardly had a sip of her wine before she gushed, “I have no freaken idea how this happened, but you will NEVER believe what I got!” Lee and I looked at her laughing and fumbling with her phone.
On she went to Lee and me, “You know Clare’s* ex-husband living in Hong Kong now? We’ve been chatting on Skype lately when suddenly he sends me this e-mail with a picture of himself. ”
She finds what she was looking for and passes the phone to Lee, by Lee’s face I had to see too. And right there was a full frontal nude photo of the dude…zoomed in, get my drift??

Both of us looked, giggled like catholic convent girls, handed the phone back to Sarah and asked it back again. We couldn’t wait for Michelle* to get there, we had to show her too!
Michelle hardly had a first sip of her wine when we shoved the pic in her face. She spluttered, swore and refused to look again, for the moment.
We ordered another bottle of wine, had a round of tequilas and got evicted from our table. By this time nothing was a challenge anymore, at our new table we shamelessly flirted with the new waiter, picked up an Argentinian who’s friends never pitched and Michelle even had another look at the photo.

It was one of those completely unexpected fabulous nights with some of the best girls around, thanks guys.

*Names have been changed to protect the identities of my partners in crime.

 

Quick Comfort

Xperience 3

Marianne started it again the other night when she invited me for dinner.
Walking into the house I had to inhale the question, “What on earth is that smell?”. Marianne waved me off with a “You’re a guinea pig tonight, prawn and curry risotto”. I didn’t object and happily sold my taste buds to this new xperience.

Now I had a problem, I adore a well made risotto, in fact it’s one of my favourite comfort foods. But to make it perfect, alas is not one of my fortes.
I just don’t have the patience to stand and stir and stir and stir. There is also the question of the leftover wine. Some is for the stock and the rest, in my opinion should be consumed whilst labouring over the risotto.
The other night at Marianne’s we also discussed the fact that a second bottle should always be on standby, as the leftover wine is just never enough to last until dinner time.

I haven’t had risotto since last winter and Marianne’s just woke an old craving…
So what to do? A few weeks ago I saw some “instant risotto” in the shop. Now don’t pull a face, I did. These are sponsored by Ainsley Harriott, the chef that made quick dinners quick an “do-able”. So I bought a few flavours. I admit, the flavours sold it to me, Pea & Mint, Creamy Tomato & Mascarpone, just to mention a few.
Tonight I decided, I’m having risotto from a packet in 14 minutes with a minimum of stirring and no sharing of the wine (truth is, I ran out…).
Broccoli and Blue Cheese was the lucky winner, I followed the way to easy instructions on the packet. Though I couldn’t help to hang out at the edge of the kitchen while my dinner simmered away, now I really wished for that glass of wine.
So trues bob, I stirred the concoction maybe 4 times and hey, Risotto Mama!!
My contribution was a light sprinkle of Maldon Salt, a small grind of black pepper and just a smudge of the blue cheese in the fridge.
I am happy to report that this instant risotto has a new fan. Still not a match for Marianne’s and the real deal, but hey, I get to feed my craving now.

 

Number 1, here we go!

Xperience 1

So today was the BIG day, day one of 365 ones to come. I have to admit, this morning I had a daunting feeling that this might be a bit bigger (quite a bit actually) than I anticipated.

I drove back from town, as I slept over at friends’ house (too much red wine on their lovely patio) and it was a beautiful golden morning, the mountain was crisp (something I didn’t feel) and suddenly it was a bit overwhelming. I felt a bit lonely and missed my family, plus I made this stupid pledge…and I told everyone about it, so I can’t pull out now.

At home I threw myself back in bed for an hour or two.
I was woken by messages, texts and FB messages from friends and family. Even though my family was far away, I was blessed with the most amazing friends, right here.

After a good hearty breakfast, some coffee, the Sunday paper and a (somewhat) loving cat, I got excited, really excited…

A while ago I ran into an old friend. I’m sure all of us have a friend like this. Someone you always see at parties, have an awesome time with and promise to have dinner some time, but it never happens. This is Marianne and me, it took us about 8 years to do dinner and boy what a dinner it was, yummmm.
However, back to the story. At the last party I saw Marianne, she mentioned her new job as a manager at a restaurant in the Durbanville hills.

So when I was thinking of something to do for my birthday and xperience 1, I did consider something more action packed, more active, but wisely (I think) decided to rather do a civilised lunch. Marianne’s restaurant (Ke-Monate) was perfect.
I’ve never been there, in fact I’ve done none of the Durbanville Hills wine farms yet, perfect to start a new year.

What a lunch it was…
My closest friends, a bunch of crazy, great and downright adventurous ideas for the next 364 days to go, wonderful food- like the swordfish (pronounced with a silent w), a savignon blanc straight from heaven, phone calls from my parents and sister and I had a perfect birthday.

Thank you to everyone who was there today, in person and spirit.

(Please note I’m writing this on my BlackBerry, no spell check and with a good share of that sav blanc, I take no responsibility for vocab and general editing…)