Monday 7 September 2020, Day 21 of Level 2, Day 165 of Lockdown 😷
Corona Gratitude 🙏
#Grateful for another beautiful day, at 22C, summer is almost here, but not for long; for a happy sunshine spirit after all the grey rain days; for a good admin and writing morning; for a call to Verishnee Mayer; for a sunny walk through Camps Bay, popping in at Firefly Café, checking if they got their tea ordered from Dilmah, at Tindlovu to check a menu detail with its GM Chris Papayannes, and at Ivor Ramsay at Law Enforcement to assist a local resident deal with a tented settlement going up opposite her house; for a visit from Ines, who cycled all the way from Hout Bay to buy SwitchBitch Book 1, having connected with each other via Facebook, she being very interested in local restaurants too; for loving my new black shorts I bought at Pick n Pay Clothing, fitting perfectly and comfortably, not having been able to try them on in the shop, so much so that I’m going to buy another pair 💙; for a sunset walk through Bakoven; for meeting a township gardener in town to buy two lemon trees, going into pots; for receiving a copy of Sommelier and winemaker Jean Vincent Ridon’s new book ‘Passion for Pairing’, personally hand delivered, for reviewing; for no Loadshedding for us today; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →
In a record-breaking year for the olive oil industry, it has a number of firsts, in that it produced 30% more olive oil this year than in 2019, and that 97% of the 104 olive oil brands entering the 2020 SA Olive Oil Awards, with their sub-brands, received a Gold, Silver, and/or Bronze medal. For the first time in the history of the Awards the event was held virtually. 
Thursday 27 August 2020, Day 9 of Level 2, 154 days and 5 months of Lockdown 😷
I met Venishree Mayer of Fraaigelegen Farm in Tulbagh with her husband Jürgen for the first time last Saturday, but have connected with her since I started the Lockdown Food Delivery and Collection Restaurant Facebook Group in May, being a very generous sponsor of her beautiful chic olive oil bottles as prizes, as well as in recognition of the Cape’s top women restaurateurs for Women’s Day. Venishree and Jürgen shared their story over lunch about moving from Germany to Tulbagh five years ago, and in creating their award-winning ADHARA premium extra virgin olive oil.