Read the full article]]> My Ashley is a honey of note
And finally, a chance to gloat!
He rubs my back, he smells my hair,
He spoils me rotten, a man so rare!
His food’s amazing, what a brilliant cook,
He curls up with me to read a book.
He holds my toes when my feet are cold,
He laughs at my jokes; says they’ll never get old.
He dries my tears by kissing my cheeks,
He hugs me tight; I could stay there for weeks.
So much love in his heart, and so eager to please,
My honey, my Ashley, is the B’s Knees!

By Dalene Ingham-Brown

Read the full article]]> Friday night saw the B!’s buzzing at the Rose Bar in the Alphen Hotel, recently taken over and re-vamped by restaurateur extraordinaire, Paul Kovensky. QueenB! and I had been hearing all the buzz on this latest hot spot in Constantia and it was just that – HOT!

As you walk through the gorgeous Alphen Hotel, you cannot help but feel a timeless elegance. Then you are instantly transported to a magical rose garden at the Rose Bar. Decked with loungers, overlooking a pool and a huge oak tree donned with fairy lights, this is the perfect setting for Friday night drinks. We were lucky enough to have a table and thank goodness we got there early, otherwise we would have been fighting for a space, in fact we had to fight just to keep our table!

Ben, the General Manager, soon put us at ease as we were presented with mouth watering cocktails and snacks. We started off with very sexy drinks, the Pornstar Martini which comes with a shot of champagne, a refreshing Mojito and Whiskey Sours. (I think there should be a cocktail named after QueenB!…..QueenB!sting) The food was equally as delicious as we snacked on prawn tempura, squid heads and spicy chorizo sausage with German mustard.

With the music pumping and the sun setting in the background, the buzz was in full swing as our guests arrived and soon we were an international table, full of Italians, Palestinians, Swiss and South Africans! The bar was jam packed and very difficult to get to, but luckily we had a very helpful waitress, Vikki, who fought through the crowds to make sure our drinks were never empty!

QueenB! stayed onto party and kept the buzz going, but I went off to go and grab a bite to eat. The 5 Rooms Restaurant was unfortunately full, but will definitely B! back there!

B! sure to book a table www.alphen.co.za

HoneyB!……… signing off

Photos by Graham Abbott

Read the full article]]> QueenB! and I were invited to experience the secreted boutique hotel Tintswalo Atlantic on Friday and what a divine experience!

Tintswalo Atlantic is situated at the base of Chapman’s Peak in Hout Bay with unrivalled panoramic mountain and sea views and forms part of the Tintswalo Group of Hotels consisting of the ‘Safari Lodge’ and ‘Manor House’ in Manyeleti Game Reseve, Mpumlanga and the ‘Waterfall’ in Kyalami.

As soon as you enter the gates of Tinstwalo Atlantic you are transferred to another world. Pierre, the Assistant General Manager, was a most attentive host and provided us with information on Tintswalo as he drove us down to the hotel (you can’t drive your own car down to the hotel due to the steepness and rockiness of the pathway).  The lodges are owned by the Corbett Family who launched the Tintswalo Property Group in 1975, and started the five Star Tintswalo collection of Lodges in 2003.  Tintswalo Atlantic was completed in 2008 and is unique in its design and location.

We are greeted at the reception with a glass of Champagne and directed out to the Terrace which immediately takes your breath away!  The views are as dramatic as they are beautiful, and the terrace is stunning in itself creating a feeling of literally being ‘on the rocks’.  Pierre took us on a mini tour of the hotel, consisting of 10 boutique rooms each carefully and lovingly designed by Caroline Wright. The rooms are exquisite and very unusual in their design and colour, you feel an immediate sense of relaxation as you enter the rooms as they are designed with huge amounts of light and space with unparalleled sea and mountain views.  The grand finale was witnessing the interior of the Presidential Suite, which was excitedly awaiting the arrival of a bride and what a lucky bridal couple they will B! Consisting of 2 exquisitely designed bedrooms with its own elegantly spacious lounge, I was quite envious of their stay, this would B! the ultimate perfection for a new bridal couple.  Pierre explained that the venue was very popular for weddings, and over the next few months were due to B! holding weddings every single week!  This actually came as no surprise now that I had witnessed the serenity and exquisiteness of this Hotel. We had heard that the reputation of this stunning boutique hotel had attracted many famous people, and although rather coy with the details, we managed to draw out that Piers Brosnan had recently stayed amongst many others, this didn’t surprise me as Tintswalo Atlantic affords an exceptional element of privacy and luxury that would B! difficult to find elsewhere in the Western Cape, perfect for those wanting to escape prying eyes and media attention.

We had spotted from the Terrace a small private beach just a few steps away from the hotel, and asked Pierre about this.  We removed our heels (apart from Pierre of course!) and proceeded to make our way over the smooth pebbled trail that took us to this little piece of paradise.  4 comfy sunloungers were enticing us to take a seat, and we noticed that the beach had been named ‘Francis Beach’. Pierre explained the reasoning behind the name, which I found to B! such a clever spin.  Apparently the ‘Francis’ family had visited Tintswalo Atlantic and had been slightly disappointed in the lack of a beach spot to relax on during their stay.  So, shortly afterward Tintswalo Atlantic created their own mini private beach and sent the Francis family a photo of this little cove that they had created ‘especially with them in mind’.  The plan worked and the Francis family have now booked up for Christmas to experience their own named private beach!

By this time we were starting to feel slightly peckish and we were escorted back to the divine terrace where our table awaited.  Interestingly, the kitchen is open plan so that you can view the chefs preparing your dishes and what a feast we were treated to! The Chef, Johann, personally attended to us to explain the mouth watering 4 course menu and we waited in excited anticipation for our feast to begin.  To accompany our dishes we were served with the house ‘Protea’ wine, a delightful Sauvignon Blanc,  from the established Val de Vie estate.  The food was exceptional and we were amazed to discover from the chef that the menu is changed nearly every day! We were treated to a delicious Cape Malay tomato soup which gave a delightful kick start to our taste buds, now excited for the next dish to be served.  Tender, tasty tempura prawns were exquisitely presented, served with mango salsa, rocket, sweet chilli dressing and lemon mayonnaise which were delicious and very quickly quaffed, followed by delectable succulent King Klip fillets served with a surprisingly light crayfish, lemon and parsley mash. This delightful dining experience concluded with a light , fluffy passion fruit pana cotta which was charmingly creamy and the accompanying Kiwi carpaccio and strawberry salsa had our taste buds dancing!  The R350 price tag on this 4 course feast was slightly surprising but certainly didn’t leave a bad taste in the mouth.

QueenB! and I were so relaxed and at home on the Terrace that we really didn’t want to leave this piece of paradise, but unfortunately work was calling and so we had to reluctantly ask Pierre to drive us back to the top to retrieve our cars.  We dragged our heels to the waiting minibus and reluctantly closed the door to an experience not likely to B! beaten.

Interestingly, in the native Shangaan language, Tintswalo means “the intangible feeling of love, gratitude and peace bestowed upon someone offering you a meaningful and worthy gift” and this pretty much sums up the feeling experienced upon visiting Tintswalo Atlantic!  If you want to treat an extra special person to something different then Tintswalo Atlantic is unlikely to B! beaten by anywhere else. Perfect for a special celebration, B! sure to call and book ahead as they do not usually accept unexpected ‘walk ins’ from the general public.

HoneyB!……..signing off

http://www.tintswalo.com

Twitter: @tintswalolodges

Tel: 0861 TINTSWALO

Read the full article]]> The Reserve Club has been renowned for setting the pace. It is a trend-setting club and a member of the World’s finest Clubs. The restaurant has got a je ne sais quoi feeling to it from the time you walk in. This elegant room, with high ceilings and charm, is edgy yet calm.  The magnificent building is what makes it so great because of its rich history.

Back in the 6o’s Chez Castel in Paris and Annabel’s in London were probably the first two nightclubs with the X-Factor for the rich and famous and jet-set crowd. Castel’s and Annabel’s set the trend with the convenience of having a superb restaurant in their nightclubs for patrons to dine in before hitting the dance floor.

Cape Town is small but it has oomph! Nightclubs like The Reserve are giving it that. The energy level required to run a club needs insight and passion to make it work. Staying ahead of the game is tough given that the mood of the crowd swings this way and that.

I would like to see The Reserve bridging the generation gap in the same way that Chez Castel has done over the years. The energetic younger generation can party up a storm in the club, while the more sophisticated crowd can dine in the restaurant.

Our Anti-Valentine dinner was carefully thought out. The set menu for the ladies was a Burrata Caprese followed by Grilled Kingklip while the men started with Calamari Diavola followed by Beef Fillet. All while being entertained by Danielle Bitton. The service was tiptop – not surprising as Gerome, the Maître d’, is the best of his kind.

You will see in the pics that this was my b!uzz….I am delighted to say that Cape Town has joined the world A-list with dinner at your club!

QueenB!……..Abuzzing off

Photos by Graham Abbott

Read the full article]]> Celebrity guests Elana Afrika and Katlego Maboe introduced SA’s leading fashion giants KLuK, Port, Stefania Morland, Jagadi and a new designer on the scene, Joanna Hedley, with BeachCult.

The Red Carpet Affair at The Rotunda Camps Bay powered by Heat magazine, drew out the fashionistas, the fashion victims, the serious fashion lovers, the media and the curious to joinFITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship) a global women’s empowerment organisation, an initiative founded by the leading international skincare brand,  Dermalogica.

Raising money without the right support and sponsorship can B! challenging. Even this event with all the right ingredients for a success story had high expenses, yet Jade Allen MD from Red Carpet Concepts still managed to hand over a cheque for R16,000 to the foundation, while Aphrodite Diamonds gave away a show stopping R65 000.00 pair of raw diamond chandelier earrings to one lucky guest.

The fashion show had all the right elements and it was a hit! However, when QueenB! gets a B! in her bonnet she lets you know about it! The models can’t walk! Yves Saint Laurent would turn in his grave at the sight of a model’s strutting, as if she had a neurological disorder.

The official funky shoes were from Zando online fashion store and Carol Boyes’ new line of Sunglasses, jewellery and hand bags were the accessories that added the finishing touches.

500 guests were treated to a continuous flow of complimentary drinks by Pongracz, Bernini, Peroni, Gordon’s Gin, Thin Lizzy and Vitamin Water cocktails while the catering was provided by chef Lauden Kirk of Simply Italian.

When QueenB! got back to the hive, she was thrilled to find in her goodie bag filled to the brim with incredible products, gifts and treats, Hula Hoops! (her all-time favourite), Lindt, Katjes, Sally Williams, Dermalogica and Morrocanoil which her hair will love – when she combs out her B! Hive and treats it with love.

QueenB!……..Abuzzing off

Photos by Gavin Furlonger

Read the full article]]> Tucked away off the street in Green Point and two doors down from the Cape Royal, is the delightful Miss K’s sidewalk café. Taking over a year for Kirsten to seal the deal in obtaining this prime property hot spot, she finally did and now it is her pride and joy. Miss Royal here, who never sightsees in the driver’s seat or uses her iPhone to get about, was totally oblivious to Miss K’s beat and having to find it, meant asking for a landmark on Main Street.

Miss Royal and two worker B!s, Shelley and Sammy, from the WhiteRoom PR & Marketing were invited by Miss K to have breakfast at her café. Miss K is owned and run by Kirsten, a quiet and demure Silwood graduate, and her sister Lee Ann. Kirsten spent 10 years working and travelling abroad as a private chef, before opening Miss K, so has many years’ experience in the foodie industry under her apron strings. Her passion exudes through her cakes and pastries which are simply divine, huge gooey meringues that are an absolute must, and her muffins and dishes are hard to beat! So we finally went with Miss K’s treat.

Eggs benedict and a smoothie, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, and the Miss K breakfast, watermelon juices with a touch of ginger gave our brekkie just the right touch. It was an absolute feast!

Kirsten has everything to B! proud of.  My personal experience at Miss K’s was, without a doubt, a place to return to that gave me a kick start and a super buzz!

QueenB!……..Abuzzing off

www.missk.co.za

65 Main Road, Green Point

+27 (0) 21 4399559

Read the full article]]> With Cleese coming through Perth for a few days on his comedy tour, my family and I couldn’t have been more excited to see and catch up with John. My dad and I saw the show the night before, and it was undeniably brilliant.

We ended up going to a small, lovely Italian restaurant near his accommodation for lunch the next day. It was so great to see him again, catch up on stories from both our end and his, and to get to spend more time with not only a comedy legend, but a really nice man. Needless to say, fun, laughs, and plenty of good food was enjoyed by all!

-Troye

Lots of love,

Troye and Mom

HoneyB!……..Signing off

Read the full article]]> Ferrari’s new F2012 the most radical of 4 new cars was unveiled on Friday at the team’s base in Maranello Italy. Ferrari’s new look with the pronounced ‘step’ on the upper nose in front of the car will give more airflow disruption on the top of the car. So, is this new look a step up in the right direction for Ferrari and enough to win the 2012 title?

Last week-end Cape Town saw the return of the great machines and the magnificent drivers. Originally started by David Piper, this series now called the Springbok Series returns to Killarney every year and the variety of colours, cars, drivers, is spectacular from novices to ex Formula 1 drivers.

As you walk through the pits and witness the mechanics hard at work to tame the racing machines you can’t help but get the same adrenalin feeling as the pilots. The noise of the powerful V12s reverberates round the open pits, which you are allowed to walk through and witness. There are no other racing tracks in the world where you can get so close to the action.

David Piper had his own liveried green cars made by Ferrari, which he raced in the 60s and still to this day he has his old collection of racing machines, some valued at R20,000,000 each! Don’t let the wooden leg or his age fool you, David has racing in his blood and will die doing this sport.

Steve McQueen used David, as one of his drivers in his classic movie, “Le Mans”. Unfortunately, David lost his leg in one of the un-planned accidents. But it created good footage which is seen in slow motion.

Come hell or high water or the stifling heat 39C on the track, these boys (and some rare girls) will B! there. It would B! awesome if Cape Town stepped up to the mark and hosted our own Formula 1 race! There’s a buzz around town that this could happen.

Fast and furiously yours,

Capt. Anthony Watterson (racing driver, ex world cup skier and servant to her Majesty)

HoneyB!……..signing off

Read the full article]]> The Back Buzz and B! hind the scenes with Keith Rose from Velocity Films.

Keith Rose is a creative genius and one of the all-time best in the film industry; he is a man of action when it comes to shooting TV commercials.  The film industry, at the best of times is not a bed of roses, but for Keith Rose it is. No matter how big or small the job, the commercials that are created are exciting, edgy, bold and fascinating.

So, it’s not surprising, that when the Big Guns in advertising Euro RSCG Global come to town to shoot with award winning Rosy boy, they undoubtedly have an understanding and synergy that has worked for years.

Phil Silvestri, a good friend and working client of Keith’s, is the Executive Creative Director from Euro RSCG. He flew into the Mother City from New York with his team, Tamal and John Rea, to shoot a Dr.Scholls commercial for the States, bound to B! a great success. QueenB! was delighted when she got the nod from the Big Boys to go B! hind the scenes on one of the shoot days, just for a buzz. And that’s just what it turned out to B!

QueenB!……..Abuzzing off

Photos by Rob Smith

Read the full article]]> The launch of Heike Davies Solo Exhibition “Good Night” is on at the Barnard Gallery until the 7th March.  This powerful exhibition explores the contradictory perceptions of women as objects of desire, abuse and fear. “The work talks about female sexuality, as one of the most powerful forces, yet it is the very thing that renders women completely vulnerable,” says Davies.

Heike arrived relaxed, calm and excited to B! exhibiting at such a beautiful gallery. Our guest speaker Josie Borain on the other hand, admitted that she was not as calm when it came to public speaking, but when the time came, Josie was fine.

I find it difficult at times to fully understand the complexity of an artist’s work.  What has inspired the artist and what has influenced them at that time in their lives. The very reason for being so controversial must come from passion, starvation, love, madness and need, all playing a major role in the compositions’ creation.

I found Heike’s work on this chosen subject matter, grey, sad, moody with naïve innocence that reflects on the vulnerability of the women who are naked before you, defiant and obscure from all walks of life.

QueenB!……..Abuzzing off