Gifts galore @ SA Food and Wine Blogger Indaba 2014.

The highly sought after bags..... a limited edition for 2014.

Hooray!!! What can I say? I attended my first Food and Wine Bloggers Indaba on Saturday 22nd February 2014. What a treat for the senses, the mind, the heart and soul and the sense of humour!

Being just slightly sceptical about the access and facilities, I decided to embark on a pre-Indaba check -up! Being a Paraplegic and having a beautiful Service Dog at my side, I decided that it would be wise to make sure that we were both welcome at the Upper Eastside Hotel.
So, I gallantly invaded the team at Upper Eastside busy setting up for another event prior to our Indaba....I was welcomed and happily taken on a tour of the required facilities for both myself and Sweet Olivia....a dog also needs a place to relieve herself at an all day long Indaba!

Oh how we all LOVE this bag!

.....and so the excitement mounted....all the posts of the Goodie Bag contents kept on tempting those of us who had already registered for the Indaba.....we could not wait to get our grubby paws.....yes, Olivia as well, on the delightful and tempting goodie bags!
I have to say that Olivia was after the Cookie Letter press, as Mom always bakes her homemade cookies.......well, that was just to tempt Sweet Olivia to join me! Special thanks to Yuppiechef for sponsoring this item. We will be baking loads of cookies in the future!

Sweet Olivia enjoying the tea break with a cool bowl of water and ice blocks!

On this note I have to mention that the reason I was made aware of this year's Indaba was because of a post on SA Guide - Dogs Association for the Blind's site about the event. SAGA was to be the charity to benefit from the charity auction at the end of the day. What a delight !
We registered immediately and waited for the spectacular day to arrive!

Time to get creative...... Easter baking is around the corner. Watch this space!

And so we arrived.....early enough, found a suitable and accessible parking....in the lift and we were ready for the big day.
We found our name tags....none for Olivia though, well next time! Only joking! 
The foyer area was humming with anticipation.......the mood was palpable.......when were we going to begin???? Where were the goodie bags?????

And so to the welcome and introductions....thanks to Paul Raphaely from NoMU for his linguistic skills......
and sense of humour. ..... I am happy to say this thread continued throughout the day....more later.

The challenge of the day began, fitting all the speakers and workshops into the allocated time slots! Well done to all for the strict time keeping.....it was quite like being back at lectures!
Discipline....something we all need!

I realised that I would never become a commercial blogger...I am not sure that I have the energy required to face the music every day. The guest speakers involved in the panel discussions made this all clear. The challenges of the real business is not easy!

I enjoyed the enthusiasm and jovial atmosphere created from the start of proceedings, especially from Fritz Brandt of Men can Cook. The thread of being enticed to advertise items you do not subscribe to hit home....I think the doiley thread continued throughout the day! I loved the sense of humour attached to this!

We were forced to break for lunch.....oh yeah...food......well, for me it was first a visit to the watering spot for Olivia.....we loved the herb garden at Upper Eastside!
Lunch was a delightful spread from the buffet.....standing in line was obligatory, Olivia!

And so to lunch.....well, a drink for myself and snacks and more ice for Olivia. Only a dog lover will appreciate this image! Classic!

By now we were digging for Victory......and ready for the workshop, thanks to Matt Allison from Planting Thoughts. It was great to hear the theory behind this theme and to prepare ourselves for the activity.
Upper Eastside Hotel has a dedicated area for the cultivation of herbs, so it was a natural area for us all to congregate for the workshop. Olivia was delighted to have an active play area!
We planned and planted.....the rest was left for Upper Eastside to cultivate!

The rooftop herb garden at Upper Eastside.

Matt Allison working his magic in the rich, earthworm enriched soil.

The afternoon sessions were looming and we were all waiting for the grand finale.......I really enjoyed all the tips and theory shared at the photographic workshop by Christine Meintjes in the afternoon.  We all love and live for our special day where we say "I do" and enjoy the creative home making time thereafter. Thanks for all your inspiration ....beyond wedding photography. 

Beautifully styled settings for the photographic workshop.

Our minds were bulging with geeky  theory and photographic information.....the choice of writing recipe books or being likeable on Social media. What to do? Who knows?
Only us.....we have the choice to make it or not?

Olivia enjoying more attention......

But still we have not reached our Goodie Bags......first the auction for South African Guide - Dogs  Association for the Blind. My Sweet Olivia and I were delighted to be present at the event to represent SAGA . My Sweet Olivia is a Service Dog trained by SAGA .  
I was astounded at the generosity of all the sponsors of the hampers and vouchers for the auction, as well as the response and availability of cash from the delegates. Thanks to everyone who helped raise the astonishing amount of R 30 000.00 . It will go a long way to assist in the training of a future Guide or Service Dog.
To get back to the jovial atmosphere and entertaining thread that ran through the day.....it was those beloved "gold doyleys" that Fritz started the day with during the morning panel discussion....well they crept up at the evening auction as well. Had to love the laughter.....thanks Fritz Brand.   

All the action at the auction......oh what a show!

So the time arrived for us to depart as Sweet Olivia was tired of munching on a few Hills Science Diet pellets to keep her going.......time for supper! May I also mention that Hills Science Diet sponsor Olivia's food. Special thanks to them for their continued support.

Some of the delightful goods in our goodie bags.

...... and the information to accompany the goodies.

Thank you Pesto Princess..... we love your products!

Magazines to indulge in.......

Goodie Bag time had arrived....the waiting was over. Thanks to ALL the generous sponsors for filling our bulging bags....so much so that the handles came adrift! We waited patiently in line as everyone was excited and ready to head off home with their delightful, heavily laden "WTF" designer bags by Obbligato! Dare I attempt to mention ALL the sponsors, starting with wine from Spier, cheese from Fairview, pesto from PestoPrincess, jelly from First Choice. NoMu, Yuppiechef for the delightful Cookie Letterpress set, ORYX  for the desert salt, Nicoletta  Fair Cape, Cecilia's Farm, 
Inspired Foods,ClemenGold, Tuffy, Sir Juice, Nouvelle Mushrooms, Rio Largo for the Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Visi and TASTE for the magazines.Last, but not least I have to mention a bit of sweetness from Sweet Temptations Toffees...... yum......Thanks to everyone.

  
Should I have omitted any sponsors....please accept my humble apologies. Special thanks to Colleen and her team at Food and Wine Blogger Indaba for ALL their hard work. They have hearts of GOLD!

And so to end on an international note. My gift of Oryx Kalahari Basin Salt managed to wing its way to my special friend in France. This is the cosy kitchen in a small town Lods, where my lifelong friend Tina lives. Happy cooking Tina! 

Looking back at my Birthday in Lods, France. ( August 2013)

 I have learnt to believe in two things in life; firstly that time heals wounds, and secondly, that dreams can and do come true. This little French escape is proof of these facts.

Our last morning of shopping in Paris before going 'home'to Lods. E. Dehillerin, le specialiste du materiel de cuisine.

My life-long friend, Tina who I grew up with in Plumstead, Cape Town, has been living in Europe since her family emigrated to Germany in 1977 when we were still both young teenagers!

Our cruise on Lake Geneva with CGN took us from Lausanne to Chateau de Chillon.

Life has thrown us both demanding challenges, but we have never given up and have always remained true to each other..........I have had the pleasure of visiting Tina in both Germany and Switzerland before.This trip, was however extra special as I celebrated my birthday with Tina and her family. We had time to discover the magic of Paris together and for me to discover the delights of living in the Franche-Comte region.

Arc de Triomph in the late afternoon, such lovely soft light.

Franche-Comte is a paradise of natural and authentic pleasures.Spruce forests and Oak groves, breathtaking cascades, lakes and rivers. This region is now the most wooded region in France. 

Bright and cheerful. There are colourful explosions of flowers  everywhere.

Dramatic cloud formations are forever entertaining....... en route home to Lods, Franche-Comte.

Above, the mustard coloured house was my home for two weeks. Yes,Tina  made it all happen!
My time spent exploring the Franche-Comte region was fascinating. Lods is truly a spectacular and peaceful place to live.

 This perfect, postcard view is what artists come to Lods for......to paint this tranquil town. With the calming effects of the river, beautiful scenery, ever changing atmosphere throughout the day, this town has a lot to offer.

Water is everywhere, with more than 5,500 km of rivers and 80 lakes, the waterways are both peaceful and foaming......
The rivers rush down the mountains and shape the land are spectacular from source to the moment they erupt to carve themselves a course made of breathtaking cascades and steep gorges.
This is the reason for the  many water-based recreational activities such as canoeing and fishing. 
 

 Over the years, the Franche-Comte has become a favourite among the mountain-bike enthusiasts. A continuous and safe 187 km route exists for cyclists from Nantes to Budapest offering splendid natural landscapes.

Franche-Comte is an unusual, disconcerting and amazing region.
It is at its best when you do not expect it.......and I did not expect to be captured by its magic! 

The architecture and design is traditional and historical......I could not stop myself from taking photo's of the old houses and beautiful window boxes everywhere. I will dedicate a blog to hanging baskets and window boxes! Each town has an explosion of colour from these bright, lush vertical gardens, hanging baskets and window boxes...... I cannot wait to create some here at home. 

There is always a reason to stop and take a photograph!

A view of Ornans from the bridge.  Colourful planters brighten up this town en masse.

Spectacular, is all I need say!

The magic of Lods.

Lods, a beautiful, historical old town. One of the most beautiful villages in France.

The view of the mountain from our balcony looked pink in the evening light. An absolutely spectacular sight. Our own Table Mountain in Lods!

The reason for my adventure, my birthday! With Tina's marble cake and Otilia's cards, I started my day on a high note!

We spent the morning enjoying the beauty of Ornans on the Loue River. Note the chateau on the mountain in the distance. Just imagine living with this culture every day.......just magical!

In the valley, the Loue River is part of the heritage of Ornans and the everyday life of its inhabitants.

Bright and beautiful, colour everywhere........

Back home in Lods.....this photo shows the steep road we had to negotiate! Best of all, how beautiful are the bright colourful planters which Tina won a prize for maintaining? 

And so to the rest of my birthday present..... A cookery session with Tina's friend, Manu.

Macarons in the making...... a tricky process!

The famous cheese from this region, Morbier.

Manu at work on the Creme Brulee au Savagnin et aux noix caramelisees. That is Creme Brulee with roasted walnuts....really different!

My best surprise of the day.....a gift from Annetta.....time to start sketching!

A surprise visit from Tina's neighbour, Annetta, an artist from up the road. Her gift to me was the best surprise of the day....how special little gifts can be?

The end result...... Creme Brulee au Savagnin et aux noix caramelisees.

Cheers! To a wonderful birthday celebration. Thank you Tina, Osvaldo, Manu and Otilia.

A little reminder of Tina's Mom....... always a little posy of flowers on the table. I think we both adhere to this display on a regular basis. Thank you Tante Helga.

Well, this was an extra special birthday to remember. So special to have spent time with my life-long friend, Tina and to have had time to discover and appreciate the delights of living in the Franche-Comte region...... until I return .......I will keep on dreaming of this magnificent valley.
Thanks to you dear Tina, my dream came true!

And so the journey comes to an end!

This is the view from Tina's home looking down onto the Loue river. The house in the middle is a bed and breakfast, or Gite as they are known in France.

I am going to miss my daily dose of tranquility. The trickling water of the river is enough to calm anyone who has had a hectic day. Not that the people in Lods have stressful days. Most are retired and relaxed. Some, like Tina and Osvaldo travel to Lausanne for work.

At Doha International Airport.

Yes, the real departure actually happened yesterday. After a major gremlin crept into the paperwork for what should have been my departure on Thursday evening!

All resolved and here I am sitting in Doha.

My special friend awaits my arrival in Paris tonight.....we are going to need to crack a real bottle of Champagne after all this trauma.

In the end I can only praise the Cape Town Qatar staff for bending over backwards for me. Thank you Marium and Tracy Lee, you both deserve medals for perseverance!

The interior of the  Silver lounge in Doha.

Great service, free wi fi,drinks and snacks.

This one is for you,Nirmal. A lovely bowl of Lentil soup with lemon @ 10 am. My breakfast!

So if this all works, I will do many more posts. Trial completed!

More later folks.