Happy October everyone! Before I share my top 10 things for October, I have to just note that I’ve skipped ‘September’ favourites as, technically, these are September favourites. But if I write September then people think the post is old! EISH! So here are my favourites for October 🙂
PS If you’d tried them, please leave me a comment in the comment section below.
1. Crunchie Blast Ice Creams
ERMEGHERD! I DIE! I already love Crunchie chocolates and anything Crunchie flavoured like Crunchie Fingers, but now they’ve released a Crunchie ice cream with popping candy in the chocolate shell and it’s AWESOME! The quality of the chocolate is really good and the honeycomb flavoured ice cream is delicious. When you bite into it the chocolate melts, releasing the Pop Rocks into your throat! Follow this with super smooth, honeycomb flavoured ice cream and you are in heaven. HEAVEN I tell you!
2. Tupperware
SUCH a random favourite, but I found this really cool tub at work and I wondered who it belonged to and where it came from? I thought it was Joseph & Joseph, but upon closer inspection I discovered that it was Tupperware! Blow me down, but a week later Good Housekeeping sent me a lovely package for National Braai Day. I worked on Heritage Day so it didn’t feel special to me until I received this gift. What was inside? Tupperware! It seems the days of your Mom threatening to kill you if you took her tubs out the house are NOT over, because the new Tupperware is awesome. I have a Warmie-Tup, which is available for R245 from the Tupperware South Africa site.
3. Oldenburg Chenin
After a stunning afternoon wine tasting at Oldenburg estate – where we were spoilt rotten AND sent home with a light, packed dinner from Chef Bertus Basson, I was thrilled to find a bottle of Oldenburg Chenin Blanc, which I’d been tucking into throughout the afternoon, in our take away. The Chenin Blanc is lightly wooded, but light, delicious and PERFECT for warm weather. Buy the Oldenburg Chenin Blanc online from Wine Shop for R141 per bottle, worth every sip.
4. Aldo Handbags
After looking online for a ‘big girl’ handbag, I found a gorgeous one from Victoria Beckham. Only 2 problems: 1) We don’t stock Victoria Beckham in South Africa. 2) I don’t have 1300 pounds (R22 000) to spend on a handbag. But, I had my inspiration so I went off to the Waterfront to find something decent.
I always park at the Clicks end of the V&A as it’s quieter and all the stores I need tend to be in that block. I walked into Aldo and boom, straight away I found a little ‘medicine’ bag! I say this because it reminds me of an old school medicine bag that doctor’s used to carry (maybe they still do?!). It’s perfect for my vlogging where I often need a notebook, tripods, camera, battery packs, cables, etc.
I bought it for exactly R999 at the Aldo, V&A Waterfront. WIN!
5. Pierre Jordaan Ice Lollies
SHUT the front door, spring is here! And because I always have a bottle of Haute Cabriere in my fridge, I had to laugh when I saw these! Haute Cabriere wine popsicles! I couldn’t wait to try them, but also didn’t want to just gobble them down on the couch. Well, when it was 33 degrees last week, it was time to crack one open.
Great news, they really do taste just like wine popsicles! I know that seems obvious, but they really are an excellent replica of the actual product. They melt fairly quickly without going into a liquid state. They become more like a slushy, which is to be expected considering alcohol doesn’t really freeze. The Haute Cabriere Tranquille Popsicle has 8.5% alcohol in it and the Brut has 8% alcohol. Find them on their website or selected Pick n Pay shops (see their website for details) and they retail for R25 per pop.
6. Superbalist
NOT because they’re sponsoring Rocking the Daisies this year (although that’s a bonus), but because they have upped their game in SUCH a big way, it’s awesome! I’ve been working at an SEO agency (based in London) for nearly 3 years. The South African e-commerce game is pretty pathetic. But it’s SO exciting to me when I see websites starting to kick into gear and offer us REAL products and considerable prices for items that we really want!
Superbalist has really impressed me over the last 3 months (even though I had to tune them on Twitter for only stocking up so size 12 of Misguided even though Misguided has up to size 20 in the UK! I know this as I shop online in the UK quite frequently! #RantOver). They have seriously upped their game and I truly hope they go from strength to strength.
OH! And I bought these white wedge sneakers which I wanted to wear for my wedding. Sadly, they weren’t available at the time, but I got them on Superbalist on sale, and using my e-bucks for a steal of R700 (usually R1200). Superbalist FTW!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJxoKsFDRnl/?taken-by=boringcapetownchick
7. New Academics – Growler Front
It’s PATHETIC that it’s taken me 6 months to get around to talking about this album on my blog, but this has been mental. I’ve always loved the New Academics, a Joburg based rock band, because a) I lived with the bassist in London and b) they kick major ass!
After going quiet after the loss of a band member a few years back, it seemed like they may never return. But this year they released a new album, which I preordered and it arrived while I was in Venice on honeymoon. I stuck it on and listened to it while travelling between Venice and Rome. Only about 4 months later did I realise that one of the songs is called Campo De’ Fiori named after my favourite piazza in Rome! I couldn’t believe it!
I love this piazza cause there’s a statue of this badass, Bruno Giordano, who, “He proposed that the stars were just distant suns surrounded by their own exoplanets and raised the possibility that these planets could even foster life of their own (a philosophical position known as cosmic pluralism). He also insisted that the universe is in fact infinite and could have no celestial body at its “center”” (Wikipedia) and got hung for going against the church.
Try this album if you’re looking for decent South African rock music that has a relevant word or two to say about this day and age we’re living in. It’s not too hard, not too soft.
8. Suits
I suppose this might seem like a dumb one, but I always want these lists to be genuine. For the last of winter I’ve been keeping cozy with my ‘sea urchen’ blanket watching Suits. Suits is a funny show in that I would watch it when I caught it, but wouldn’t stay home for it (not like Game of Thrones nights!).
Having now started from the beginning again on Netflix, I realised now how much I’ve missed! Damn! Did I ever watch this show?! I love it because it’s shot beautifully, it’s relaxing but entertaining. The actors are BRILLIANT! Lewis Lit?! I have to Google that guy’s name. I hate him SO much! What a brilliant actor! I love it. If you’re bored and have only watched it half and half like I did, give it a go again 🙂 PS I haven’t watched Season 6 but the trailor looks FIRE!
9. SAB Be The Mentor
Although I’m not a beer drinker, I really love this SAB Campaign – Be the Mentor. When I worked in radio no one taught me how to present and I really, really, REALLY missed that mentorship. Having someone who you can ask questions and bounce ideas off to chisel out your creative process is so important. I’ve missed that in my life. So when this SAB campaign, #BeTheMentor popped up as a YouTube ad, I was really impressed by it. It’s actually about prohibiting underage drinking, but the message resonated with me so much further: Be the mentor you wish you’d had. Good one SAB advertising agency, whoever you may be!
https://youtu.be/-feuBcVPqbE
10. Chimpo’s “Shutdown Ya Sister’s Wedding Reception” Mix
This is a musical win that Mr John found! When I was in junior school RnB was at one of the highest points it had ever been. Artists like Mariah Carey, Boys II Men, All For One were dominating the charts and I STILL love the sound now! Chimpo’s a DJ and producer from Manchester who is proper legend of bass sound in the UK.
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/THUMP/chimpos-shutdown-ya-sisters-wedding-reception/ width=100% height=120 hide_cover=1 light=1]That’s it for October. If you’ve tried any of these products, please let me know in the comment section below (even if you don’t like them), then I can get your feedback too. Thanks for reading!
Do you perhaps know which stores sell the Crunchie Blast Ice Creams?
Hi Tohir,
Yes you can get them at Engens or BP garages 🙂
Oh my word! Love the sound of the the Haute Cabriere Tranquille Popsicle!!! I actually love the wine too!
They are very winey too Natalie so you should love them!