#SundaySociety at The Maslow

We all love a good glass of bubbly right? Well now is your chance to joing The Maslow Sandton for their Summer Social Sundays picnic. 

Languish on the lush lawns of The Maslow, under the trees whilst tucking into some indulgent treats under the summer sun. A picnic of the most lavish kind, on Sunday - 27 October 2019.

Partnering with Veuve Clicquot to create a sumptuous summer picnic experience. With the garden oasis backdrop, you'll be sipping on Champagne & enjoying the live band. Now that's one way to end off the weekend on a high note don't you think?

Included in your gourmet picnic basket is a Cape cheeseboard with fig preserve, a roast chicken & butternut salad, cheeseburger sliders, mini wors rolls & crispy jalapeño arancini. But that's not all. There is dessert too - strawberry & marshmallow skewers dipped in chocolate & blueberry cheesecake jars. So i can guarantee you won't be leaving hungry! For only R690 per couple, you get all of that & 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. 

For bookings contact The Maslow Sandton - 010 226 4600

Appetite Fest 2019

The Appetite Fest is back this year. And Time Square has promised that it is going to be BIGGER & BETTER than last year! You can head through to Menlyn Maine from 13 - 15 September to get in on the action.

One of my favourite experiences from last year, was the "I'm Cooking With..." workshop that I attended! This year, the same thing is back again, with a line up of local celeb chefs - Siba, Sarah Graham & Bertus Basson. But let's add some international names to the mix too. MasterChef Australia's Shannon Bennet & Shashi Chelia (winner of MasterChef Austrailia 2018) will also be hosting their own "I'm Cooking With..." workshops!

Last year I sat in on a "I'm Cooking with Chef Bertus Basson" workshop. What a thrill. To experience such a local culinary wonder & sit there watching him prep our meals & show us a few tricks & how we can apply them in our own kitchens at home. It is most definitely worth it!

You get the chance to sit up close & personal with your favourite celeb chef in the Appetite Fest Theatre Kitchen. Learning their tricks of their trade 1st hand. You'll then get the chance to sit down & share the meal with the chef to complete the experience. 

Tickets available from Computicket for R950 & will give you a dynamic 75 min long cooking experience with the chef, an Appetite Fest apron & access to the exhibition space & outdoor activities. It's here that you'll be able to watch other local & international celeb chefs cooking it up in 2 food theatres, or meet some food stars at book signings, or attend an exclusive Masterclass which include a line up of culinary stars Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris & Matt Preston from MasterChef Austrailia. 

Carnival City

A quick weekend getaway is always a treat. And event better when it's technically, literally right on your doorstep. I popped over to Carnival City for a weekend to see what they have going on there.

So Carnival City is a top-class, circus themed, entertainment & casino complex situated in Ekurhuleni, in the East of Gauteng. The main casino is housed in what looks like a very large circus Big Top Tent & has been festively decorated in a kaleidoscope of colours. 

A bit of stats: there are more than 60 gambling tables & over 1,700 slot machines in the casino to keep the adults entertained. But fear not, there is a games arcade & a cinema to provide exciting entertainment for the kids. And if gambling is not really your thing, then there is Spa & Beauty Salon on site where you can go relax & have a good pampering session. 

Eating out at Carnival City leaves you spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding on a restaurant, whether it be for a sit-down or fast food meal. So there is something for everyone & you'll most definitely find exactly what you are looking for.

Not keen to drive home after attending a concert in the 3,500 seater, Big Top Arena? Then you are in luck & just book in at the 4-star Carnival City Hotel. (It's walking distance from the main entrance & is connected to the main casino for convenience.) Offering 105 luxury rooms, all with the basics to make your stay a pleasant one, so it really is a treat.

Just spend the morning in bed, taking in the comfort of that hotel lifestyle, then head on down for a spot of buffet breakfast that has a wide variety of freshly prepared food. And if you don't want to go home just yet, why not enjoy the rest of day next to the outdoor swimming pool in the sun & relax soaking up the rays & sipping on something cold from the bar. (Naturally I opted for a G&T in this case.)

The Day #Timesquare went up in Lights...

So most of you should know by now that the new Sun International Casino - Timesquare in Pretoria, has officially opened it's doors. I was privileged enough to get to spend some time there the night before the official opening & then attend the official ribbon cutting the next morning. 

I'm not going to write to much on this, but I will let the photo's from the 2 days tell the story. (Just know that it was absolutely incredible.)

On arrival queuing to park.

And then upstairs to Altitude we ventured... Sushi, Lamb Spitbraai, Portuguese Chicken, Champagne... You name it, & it was there to savour & enjoy the evening.

A little story. So the 1st time I met Demi-Leigh, was at the very 1st preview of Timesquare when the Top 12 Miss SA 2017 finalists had just been announced. (Check out that blog post: #Timesquare)

That was the day that I had messaged a friend & said that I do believe that I had met the future new Miss SA 2017 & that it was going to be Demi-Leigh. Little did I know that a mere 2 months later we would be reunited at Timesquare this time, she arrived as the newly crowned Miss SA 2017, and me, well I just arrived as my self, the beard is just maybe a bit longer now.

The view from Altitude looking down over Menlyn Maine. 

On to the next morning. (Breakfast at 7am & then Ribbon Cutting at 8am. After the night out, this was a rough start to the morning.)

The moment the ribbon was cut & Timesquare was officially declared open.

#SomethingsCookingByJ

So I went out to the new Sun International Casino for a spot of dinner at Something's Cooking by J. The new restaurant opened by musician J'Something from the South African band, Mi Casa.

Upon arrival, the restaurant has a very minimalistic feel to it. It is not a fancy restaurant with large leather wing-back dining chairs. Very much just plain & simple, from the tables & chairs to the decor. (To be honest, my initial reaction was that I would probably leave the restaurant rather unsatisfied & disappointed.) I love the industrial feel & open air kitchen. It creates a feel of somewhat an interactive experience whilst visiting.

So I started checking out the menu. I love how they play with the wording "something" throughout the menu. Very apt.

The Cedarberg Sustainable Rose. The 1st time I had this wine, was actually at the 1st Chef's table that was ever held down in the kitchen of Timesquare where it was paired with our dessert. I thought it was an appropriate wine to have upon my return.

To start the evening off & just "something to share" was the Pork Crackling. Crispy. Salty. Full of that delicious Bacon flavour that we all love so much. 

Korean Dunked Wings. According to J, his wife thinks they are the best wings around. I can definitely second that. Spicy. These are not for the mild at heart individuals. They have a mouthful of Asian flavours that linger a moment or 2. The sauce is simply delicious. 

The Pork Belly. It's not what you would usually expect. What arrives at your table is a Pork Belly in a Asian inspired Broth. The meat on the pork belly is soft & juicy. The fat is still crispy. It is a must try in my opinion. 

Mamma's Prawns. The way J's mother made them. The true Portuguese way. And just look at the size of these prawns. Nothing skimpy about that. With a proper spicy Portuguese sauce & dipping bread. 

"The Catch", well that's what all you know when you order it. That it is fish. Then this arrived. A piece of succulent fillet of fish. Paired with a creamy Passion Fruit sauce, that bursts with flavour with every bite. This one dish could cause some serious food envy at the table. 

On to the dessert. Again. You order "Apple Pie" & this is put down in front of you. The apple pie is folded away in a crepe and served with custard ice cream. Candied Walnuts & Honeycomb add a touch of texture to the dessert. To top it off, there is a butterscotch sauce that will change your life. You know those hard butterscotch sweets that your gran always kept in her handbag for you to eat in church? This sauce is exactly that in liquid form. Presentation is definitely on point here too. 

The Milk Tart meets the Arroz Doce. Again, the presentation is on point. And it tastes just as good as it looks, if not better. According to J, this is a dessert that tells his story of a Portuguese background coming to South Africa. Sporting some of the most South African things - Milk Tart & Koeksister. And the traditional Portuguese Rice Pudding Arroz Doce.

To finish the night off, what is better than coffee? Well maybe the Esprestini yes. It comes with "Biscotti" (read Macarons, you will soon realise that things are not what they seem at this restaurant.)

All in all. Something's Cooking By J sure exceeded my every expectation. I left there feeling extremely satisfied with the experience that had just blown me away.

The service was great & the waiters extremely friendly.

This is definitely that restaurant that you simply must visit when you have the chance whilst you are at Timesquare. I believe you won't be disappointed.