Tag: recipe

Last Minute Travel Tips

Last Minute Travel Tips

As with any holiday, there are a number of travel tips that you can follow to make you holiday more successful and exciting. Follow these simple tips and ensure that your holiday on Phillips Island is a smashing success:

·         Avoid travelling to Phillip Island during the wettest seasons in July and August, as the weather may well play spoilsport and keep you from engaging in all the activities that you would like to.

·         Respect the island! Do not litter the areas that you visit and do not disturb the wildlife and plants.

·         Don’t forget to carry some form of acceptable identification. You never know where you may end up going and when you may need it.

·         Always remember to take great care when exploring the island’s lesser developed areas. Many of them have rough terrain and dangerous sea fronts that lash powerful waves on the rocks. You may put yourself in danger by exploring these areas unsupervised or alone.

·         Start your vacation a day before you are supposed to leave. This simple yet effective measure will allow you to have time to finish all of the little miscellaneous items that you may have to do before you leave. It will also ensure that you are not in some sort of maddening rush to finish work and get out of the office,

·         If you need to do any shopping before you go on your trip, make sure you do it well in advance. Leaving shopping for miscellaneous items such as toiletries to the last minute is a recipe for disaster.

·         Make a list of all the things that you need to carry as well as what you need to do. This will ensure that you do not forget anything and spend your holiday stressing about it. People flying out of the country have been known to forget their passports at home so there is no item too small to include on a checklist.

·         Get to the airport well in time. This is something that most people know that they should do, but never end up doing! The faster you get to the airport, the more stress you avoid waiting in long queues. Being agitated and waiting in a long line is no way to start your holiday and sets a bad precedent.

·         Take some time to relax and be by yourself. Even in the airport, having a few moments of alone time can have a big influence on your demeanour. This will also allow you to maintain a positive attitude throughout and ensure that you do not unintentionally snap at the friends or family members that are accompanying you on holiday.

If you are planning to travel to Phillip Island at any point in the near future, the best piece of travel advice that anyone can give you is to explore the accommodation options available and book them well in advance. For more information on the wide variety of accommodation options available on Phillips Island, please visit http://www.rentphillipisland.com.au.

Some general travelling advice on safety

Some general travelling advice on safety

By and large there’s nothing inherently dangerous about travelling abroad. In most places you’re likely to visit, you’re no more at risk of crime or injury than you would be at home. Nevertheless when the unfortunate does occur, it can often be much more stressful if it happens when you’re away from home and in unfamiliar surroundings.
With that in mind, here are a few pieces of general travelling advice for making sure that you’re as safe as possible while on holiday:
Securing your luggage:
One of the biggest areas of risk when you’re abroad, keeping your luggage safe and secure is essential for any traveller – whether you’re backpacking across Asia or staying at a caravan park in France, losing your luggage can be disastrous. One simple step you can take is to padlock your luggage and mark it somehow, so that you can easily identify it and that no one can simply reach in and take something. This can be helpful when you can’t keep track of it, such as when you check in for a flight. Once you’ve arrived you should carry anything truly vital on your person, until you get to your accommodation – where you’ll most likely be able to hire a locker or at the very least, leave it in a locked hotel room.
Prepare for an emergency:
Preparing for the worst isn’t always an enjoyable mental exercise but it never hurts – and if the worst does happen, you’ll definitely appreciate it. For example, it’s recommended that you always keep a reserve of emergency cash in a secure location as well as carrying some funds with you; never carry all of it with you at once and never leave all of it in one place. Similarly you should make sure that your travel arrangements can’t be spoilt by securing your passport, air plane tickets or other travel documents.
Research your destination:
Although there’s definite appeal in the romance of venturing into new territory without any preconceived ideas, it can be a recipe for disaster. At the very least, a lack of advance research is likely to be extremely expensive, as you won’t know what the average cost of living is – so you won’t know how much money you’ll need or whether or not you’re being overcharged. At worst, it could put you at risk of some serious hazards that you could easily have avoided with a little warning. The main point is that when you travel to somewhere different from home, it could well have different laws, different diseases and different standards of behaviour. A little preparation such as visiting your doctor for immunisations or reading the advice on the Foreign Office website can go a long way to helping you prepare for your specific destination.

Best and Most Exciting Restaurants in South Africa:

100 of the Best and Most Exciting Restaurants in South Africa:

In today’s modern fast paced world dinning out isn’t just about eating and leaving. There are many things involved in your experience. Today a restaurant must have a good ambiance, quality food, a good range of wines and drinks on their menu but is this enough. Today’s individual is exactly that, an individual with personal tastes and expectations, this person goes out to spend their hard earned money at a restaurant of their choice because it offers them the things that they want the most at that particular time. If I go out it is always about good service, fast but not rushed service, a good choice of different things, such as a nice choice of aperitifs, good tasting but not overdone food, a good wine and beer choice as well as a good choice of hard tack if I’m in the mood for that, a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere and most importantly “simplicity.” A restaurant that over does things by trying to be too extravagant, in their menu’s, their d?cor and service tends to be a restaurant that will rarely, if ever, see me.

The Wine magazine has a top 100 list that comes out every year and to be on this list is a highly coveted thing. The list for 2008 is as follows:

Eastern Cape

Smokey Swallows in East London with a trendy atmosphere and fine dinning food range including a touch of Indian and oriental foods.

Free State

De Oude Kraal in Bloemfontein, offering an incredible variety with Free State Farm style cooking with a touch of French Flair.

Seven on Kellner in Bloemfontein with a hip and happening atmosphere and Mediterranean African style foods.

Gauteng

Al Amin in Pretoria. Pakistani style food with flair of its own.

Amsale in Johannesburg.

Assagi in Johannesburg with its comfortable casual ambience and Italian style cooking.

Auberge Michel in Johannesburg is an elegant restaurant with French style cuisine and is the 1st restaurant to achieve a 5 star rating from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa

Le Canard in Johannesburg is an incredible upmarket restaurant set in a Georgian House. Visited by dignitaries, royalty, and a host of the famous and the not so famous, Le canard is famous for its ambiance and Old French style cooking.

The Green Truffle in Johannesburg is a mix of classic elegance meets contemporary cool. If you enjoy truffles (the chocolate or mushroom varieties) or anything with truffle as an ingredient then this would definitely be the place to go. The type of food served is contemporary mixed with fusion.

De Hoek in Mogale City.

Linger Longer in Johannesburg is a fine dining restaurant with its own special brand of elegance. Food served is fine dining with a South African Flair.

La Madeleine in Pretoria is an upmarket restaurant with French Mediterranean flair

Mosaic in Crocodile River valley is a sublime setting with an amalgamation of modern European and slightly spiced oriental cooking it is definitely worth coming.

Osteria Tre Nonni in Johannesburg with it’s relaxed atmosphere and Italian style cuisine.

Pomodoro in Johannesburg. Italian style cooking with hints of Spanish and French.

Ritrovo Ristorante in Tswane is Authentic Italian fine dinning.

Roots in Muldersdrift has African and Asian Cooking combined with French roots.

Sai Thai in Johannesburg. Meaning connected to Thailand lives up to its name as this restaurant serves some of the most authentic Thai food to be found around.

The Saxon in Johannesburg is a beautiful fine dinning restaurant with contemporary modern cuisine.

Sel et Poivre in Johannesburg has French Cuisine at its heart with undertones of African flavour in classical surroundings.

Le Souffl? in Johannesburg

Villa Francesca in Pretoria is an Intimate restaurant with beautiful surrounds serving choice Italian dishes.

Yamato

In Johannesburg is an upmarket Japanese style restaurant serving seafood, sushi and health foods.

Zemara in Pretoria is a Family friendly restaurant serving halaal African cuisine.

Kwazulu Natal

9th Avenue Bistro in Durban, an upmarket feel with fine dining elegance.

Aubergine in Hillcrest, Durban has a wonderfully relaxed ambience serving French cuisine.

Cleopatra in Kamberg Valley is A haven for food lovers with a style that is eclectic, contemporary Country cuisine.

Granny Mouse in Lidgetton has an Elegant ambiance with South African and International cuisine.

Hartford House in Mooi River is an elegant fine dining experience.

Havana in Durban is a vibrant grill and wine bar in the glamorous Sun Coast casino complex.

Ile Maurice in Umhlanga with its Upmarket feel and French style cuisine.

Lynton Hall is an Upmarket restaurant with fine dinning at heart.

La Petite Normandie in Ramsgate has a classic elegant feel with French cuisine at its core.

Spice on Florida in Durban with a relaxed atmosphere and a fusion style of cooking.

Umami in Salt rock is a fusion of Eastern, Mediterranean and European cuisine.

Limpopo

L’Orange Bleue in Bela Bela is a French Belgium restaurant with 4 star rating.

Mpumalanga

Artists’ Caf? in Hendriksdal with a comfortable hip and happening ambiance and Italian style cooking.

Mrs Simpson’s in Dullstroom has a comfortable intimate environment with Local cuisine.

Northern Cape

Die Hantam huis in Calvinia serves traditional fair in comfortable surrounds.

Le Must in Upington with its typical Kalahari warmth and comfortable hospitality.

Northwest

Silver Orange bistro in Hartbeespoort. South African classics with a modern twist.

Villa Del Palazzo at Sun City with its classic regional Italian cuisine.

Western Cape

95 Keeroom in Cape town. Italian with a reasonably priced menu and contemporary cool ambiance.

The Atlantic in Cape town has fine dining with an upmarket feel.

Aubergine in Cape Town is Fine dining at its best with a relaxed atmosphere.

Bahiados Vaqueiros in Mossel bay is A fine dining Portuguese style restaurant with an upmarket feel.

Barnyard Brasserie in Cape Town. Its meals are described as classic French peasant with modern sensibility.

Bibi’s kitchen in Cape Town. Indian style fair with an upmarket feel.

Bon App?tit in Cape Town has French cuisine with an upmarket ambiance.

Bosman’s in Paarl is Apart of the Grand Roche Hotel, the only Relais Gourmand in Africa and has fine dining at its heart with a luxurious upmarket feel.

Bouillabaisse in Franschhoek is a trendy Asian style seafood restaurant set in the heart of Franschhoek.

Bread and Wine in Franschhoek has contemporary style dining with a relaxed atmosphere.

The Cape Colony in Cape Town is apart of the luxurious Mount nelson hotel and of course has fine dining with an upmarket ambiance.

The Cape Malay in Cape Town is a quiet relaxed restaurant with Cape Malayan Cooking at its core.

Cargills in Cape Town is intimate, romantic and sophisticated, with fine dining, and French contemporary cooking.

Castle Hotel in Cape Town has Portuguese style cooking with a comfortable and casual ambiance.

Catharina’s in Cape Town with Fine South African Dining and an upmarket ambiance.

Caveau in Cape Town is a continental Wine bar with a relaxed atmosphere.

The Cedar in Cape Town.

La Colombe in Cape Town offers modern and innovative French cuisine with touches of Asian elements.

Constantia Uitsig in Cape Town a Wine farm atmosphere with Italian cuisine at heart.

Daniela’s in Knysna is an intimate and elegant restaurant at leisure isle lodge.
Emily’s in Cape Town has an upmarket atmosphere with a South African Style Cuisine.

Firefly in Knysna is an intimate restaurant on the lagoon.

The Food Barn in Cape Town French cuisine mixed with South African flavours. Fine dinning to suit every pocket.

Fu.Shi in Plettenburg Bay is a fusion cuisine restaurant.

Ginja in Cape Town. Fine Fusion dining with an upmarket feel.

Grandeprovence in Franschhoek has French cuisine at heart with a special upmarket feel.

The Greenhouse in Cape Town has global international food types with an upmarket ambiance.

Haiku in Cape Town has a Contemporary cool Ambiance with Asian flair.

Haute Cabriere in Franschhoek has an elegant ambiance with continental fusion cooking.

Ile De Pain in Knysna has a comfy and casual ambiance with French Mediterranean cooking.

Jardine in Cape Town has a Contemporary cool atmosphere with Continental, South African cooking.

Jemima’s in Oudtshoorn.

Joostenberg Bistro in Stellenbosch with its casual comfort atmosphere and organic cooking.

Kitma in C ape town.

De Leeuwen Jagt in Paarl. Good South African cooking in a relaxed atmosphere.

Magica Roma in Cape Town is a warm traditional restaurant with Italian in every nook and cranny.

Manna Epicure in Cape Town, a Trendy ambiance with tapas and Bistro style cuisine.

Manolo in Cape Town is a Trendy restaurant with contemporary fusion style cuisine.

Marc’s in Paarl has Mediterranean style meals with a very relaxed atmosphere.

Megu in Paarl is a chic Japanese style restaurant.

Mon Plaisir in Stellenbosch with its Traditional French recipes and warm, relaxing atmosphere.

Mzoli’s Place in Cape Town lively and full of fun. You buy your meat at the butchery and they offer to braai it for you well worth the visit.

Noon gun in Cape Town is relaxed with traditional Malay meals.

Reuben’s in Franschhoek has contemporary cuisine with a Comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

Sand in Plettenburg Bay is a sophisticated fine dining, upmarket restaurant.

Serendipity in Wilderness. Fine dinning with definite South African flavours.

The Showroom in Cape Town. Contemporary cool ambiance with contemporary fusion cooking.

Sinn’s in Cape Town. Continental with a relaxed atmosphere.

Stonehill in Little Brak River is an intimate restaurant with French style dining.

The tasting room in Franschhoek.

The Tea Garden in Paternoster.

Terroir in Stellenbosch has French South African cuisine with a touch of elegance.

 Tokara in Stellenbosch.

Topsy and Co in Franschhoek.

Zachary’s in Knysna has a traditional atmosphere with contemporary cooking.

Top 10 everyday restaurants

Bibi’s in Cape Town

Carlton Caf? in Pretoria

The food barn in Cape Town

Ile De Pain in Knysna

Joostenberg Bistro in Stellenbosch

Le Souffl? in Johannesburg

Mzoli’s place in Cape Town

Sai Thai in Johannesburg

The tea garden in Paternoster

Zemara in Pretoria

Top 10 smart casual

Bon App?tit in Simons Town

Bread and Wine in Franschhoek

Jardine in Cape Town

La Madeleine in Pretoria

Megu in Paarl

Ritrovo in Pretoria

Spice on Florida in Durban

Terroir in Stellenbosch

Umami in Salt rock KZN

Yamato in Johannesburg

Top 10 deluxe

Auberge Michel in Johannesburg

Aubergine in Cape Town

Bosman’s at Grand Roche

Cleopatra Mountain Lodge in Kamberg

Hartford House in Mooi River

Linger Longer in Johannesburg

Roots in Krugersdorp

The Saxon in Johannesburg

Tasting Room at le Quartier in Franschhoek

Zachary’s in Knysna.

Go try them out and enjoy the good life.      

Things to Do While Stuck in Traffic – Part One

Things to Do While Stuck in Traffic – Part One

As a well honed commuting machine, with more miles under my belt than rings around Saturn, I’ve found in order to keep my sanity it is KEY to have things to do to keep my mind busy when driving in lots of traffic. Yes, we can all turn on the radio and listen to non-stop chatter and the same 25 songs played over and over and over again – but when you commute for over an hour every day each way that runs out of steam and interest fast. Nothing’s more boring than the same old songs and the same old commercials on the radio.

Here is my list (part one) of other ideas to try. And remember – never do anything that impairs your driving skills and awareness!!

* IPOD or MP3 player

this will make your drive much more pleasant and much more interesting from the first moment you plug it into your car. You can choose your own music, books on tape or tv/movie or videos.

* Books-On-Tape

Novels, biographies, autobiographies, journals – expand your brain and let your mind have something new to think about.

* Learn a New Language

If you are in the car every day, you have a beautiful opportunity to learn a new language by listening to language CD’s. Practice every day for 30 minutes, and in one year you will amaze yourself with what you have learned!

* Make up a Silly Game with yourself

Count how many red cars you see one way on your commute – or practice mathmatical equations in your head – or write a song and sing it all the way home – or imagine what amazing new recipe you’re going to cook this weekend – or plan your next dream trip.

* Return Calls

You know the list of people that have called you …..and you’ve been too busy to call back? Get a car phone charger and put them on speaker phone. Keep your eyes on the road, and return those calls!!