That Blog

Yes, that’s right!! That Blogger is back and hopefully here to stay! I know a few of you have commented on my absence, but the good news is that I am back and if my new corporate employer can tone down a little on the deranged work hours, I will be blogging a little more often that I have been!

So much has happened since I last wrote…not sure where to start….

I returned from a lengthy 4 months on the mud island and started work in Jozi…I am still in denial about the fact that I am not spending my week days in Cape Town, so like to think of this as a very temporary measure and if anyone asks where I live, I still answer Cape Town. I have to admit that this does get the occasional side wards glance from people who see me at work every day in the heart of Sandton…but so what. In my mind, my return to Cape Town is imminent…so why let anyone else think differently!

I will do my best to keep you updated on the exciting happenings and news from both cities for now!

Not that dissimilar to an Atlantic Seaboard sunset is it?

Those of you that have been following That Blogger on Twitter, will know that the time on the mud island continues…as does my fascination with the bizarre events reported in the spectacular piece of free news called the Metro. For those of you that aren’t familiar with this paper…The Metro is a newspaper that is given away each morning at every station in London and reports on a few important newsworth items, some pretty random things…but mostly hyped up, tabloid news.

The article on page 2 of today’s Metro caught my eye. You see, I was always lead to believe that the closer an article was to the cover of the paper (front or back), the more important it was. This is why I was a little perplexed at the content of this article and how it could possibly be deemed important in ANYONE’S life and why it should be on page 2.

This is the jist of the story…A mother and her daughter were taking their daily stroll somewhere in Shetland (I am assuming they were fighting their way through herds of little horses at the time) and a seagull flew overhead and dropped a live budgie on the mother’s head. Yes…a budgie…you know, those little pretty little blue/yellow/green birds that spinsters have?? See below for example

This is a budgie

 From her account of the incident, the woman was most alarmed…as I imagine most people who get a budgie dropped on their head might well be. Anyway, after the initial shock had passed, the 2 women managed to catch the little bird and it is now living with a friend of theirs who’s budgie recently ‘fell of it’s perch’…

The article then goes on to speculate where this stray budgie might have come from and how it got into the mouth of a seagull…including speculation that it travelled 14,500km from Australia (I assume not in the mouth of a seagull). At NO point is there even the remotest suggestion that the budgie might have escaped from a home or an aviary in the area…

Clearly, South African spinsters are not the only ones to own budgies…as demonstrated by the fact that they mentioned it had gone to a happy home in Shetland and I haven’t noticed Sky News having to cover that as a rare occurance…I guess the thought of a well travelled budgie is far more exciting from one that escaped from the clutches of Sylvester the Cat somewhere in an old age home, only to be snapped up by a seagull and then dropped on someone’s head…that is the stuff news headlines are made of. Earth shattering stuff isn’t it?

[Source: The Metro]

Jozi girls, do I have a treat for you…

One of my favourite boutiques in Cape Town, Habits,  is making their bi-annual trip up country and you need to get there…I know that when I lived in JHB,  I always used to get VERY carried away at the Habits Trunk Shows, but if you think that you are saving yourself the cost of an airticket to Cape Town, then you are actually saving by spending!! Makes sense doesn’t it??

They will be bringing some great crushed linen numbers for summer, 7’s jeans (oooh, we love those!!!), the core travel wardrobe (because being the international jet setters we are, we all need a core travel wardrobe), a new safari story, all the brights, stripes and and and… 
Check out the website www.habits.co.za to see what other little treats they are packing into their trunks for their trip to Jozi or email joburg@habits.co.za for an invitation to this one and a half day affair

Where:  The Wanderer Club, Illovo
When:  Wednesday 15th September (07h30 – 17h30)
                Thursday 16th September (07h30 – 12h00)

Happy shopping Girls!! Tell them that That Blogger sent you!!

That Blogger has the interests of her peeps in Cape Town at heart and knows that one of those interests is definitely vino! So…when I saw this little advert pop into my mailbox, I knew it had to be shared with you.

This is a great opportunity to stock up your wine supplies with some amazing wines at AWESOME prices.

Wine from really good wine estates for less than R20 a bottle is not something to sneeze at!!!

Happy Friday to all of you!!! Hope the week has not been too brutal and the slow weaning process from the mania of Soccer World Cup 2010 has been alright for you. I have to say that I was left at a bit of a loss as what to do with my evenings when I had free TV viewing time between 4:30 and 10:30pm! What did we do in the evenings before SWC? I guess it is a bit like the question “What did we do before cellphones?” The answer…we didn’t know any better and so just managed!!!

Why have I stuck a random picture of Picadilly Circus in this post you may well ask?? Well, as the heading of this article suggests…That Blogger is going on an adventure. After a brief work hiatus, I am venturing back into the world of gainful employment (am very sad to say that blogging is not quite paying the rent) and in a brilliant turn of events, my gainful employment (more…)

Well, I think by now you have worked out that That Blogger is pretty excited about the World Cup and all related festivities. It is here and we love it!!! Will Middle Earth EVER be the same again?

So, for today’s SWC fun…check out the latest in the Lord of the Rings series…awesome stuff!

(Thanks to The Bruv)

Remember I told you about the awesome weekend away for That Blogger and friends to the Agulhas Wine Festival? Well, it looks like it is time for another out-of-town adventure to go and do some Whale Spotting at the De Hoop Collection Whale Weekend.

You may not know this, but That Blogger was part of the semigration from Gotham City (aka Jozi), so the sight and novelty factor of a real Whale that isn’t disguised as a Metro policewoman and is actually splashing about in the ocean is truly exciting one!!

Metro Cops...Closest thing to a Whale in Jozi

We were lucky enough to spot 3 whales when we where there for the Wine Festival, but by all accounts, the whales have arrived en masse and it is a sight to behold. I can only assume it is because the Whales knew that the Whale Festival was taking place this weekend and so made sure their travel arrangements got them to De Hoop in time. Whales…they are clever like that you know?!

If the weather isn’t ideal for sitting on beach for too long, fear not…there are awesome log fires in the cottages that lend themselves perfectly to red wine and a good book and if you feel like learning a bit, there will be a leading whale authority staying there this weekend who will happily share expertise and stories.

Come on…you know you want a weekend away…so why not head to De Hoop Nature Reserve. There is everything from tight budget accomodation to some pretty luxurious spots (check it out here) and if you head there during June and July, you will get 25% off your booking (Tell them That Blog sent you). Come on…get booking!! I will tell the Whales to hang around for a while longer if you can’t make it this weekend

Call 0861 33 4667 or e-mail info@dehoopcollection.co.za for bookings.

The clever gals at Habits have come up with a Soccer shirt with a difference and That Blogger will definitely be sporting one of these little numbers for the next game. Don’t you just love the jumbled letters…a bit like some of the game results of this World Cup!!

Get yours from Habits in Claremont or available on-line at www.habits.co.za

Incidentally, if you are concerned that your shopping might interfere with game viewing…fear not, Habits is screening the games on a flatscreen TV and will be serving De Grendel wine to calm your nerves.

In the aftermath of the devastating drop-out of our Mighty Bafana Bafana from the Soccer World Cup, I didn’t think I would be able to find anything that could possibly put a “smile on my dial”…until I spotted these magical words “Brandon Flowers has released a solo album” whilst perusing the interweb.

On the off chance you don’t know who this genius is, Brandon Flowers was the lead singer of one of the greatest bands of our time…The Killers. Remember them? Came here last year, did a concert at Val da Vie…awesome concert spoilt by possibly the worst traffic jam in living memory. Yes, that was The Killers. Anyway, the lead singer has gone and done a solo album and one of the songs…Crossfire…has been leaked to the world.

According to those in the know on the interweb (obviously as trustworthy as the tabloids) this is not the end of the Killers…just a hiatus for the band. They are hopefully going to be recording a new album soon.

Anyway, Listen to it right here on That Blog (Crossfire)

I love it, what do you think of it???

Apologies to all That Blog followers for the problems you may have encountered yesterday and today with the site. it looks like all is sorted now and hopefully your That Blog experience will be uninterrupted in the future.

That Blogger has returned from an awesome weekend up country. The Opening Game is something that I will remember forever…in fact, probably, for many years after I have lost the full function of my sense of hearing as a result of the amazing sound of all those vuvuzelas gathered in one place! Well worth it though, the day was incredible!

Anyway, I was told about these beautiful art prints and thought you might be interested in buying something really special to remind you of this awesome time in our country. Obviously, that furry soccer ball hat that you bought outside the Stadium will always remind of you this special time, but perhaps you are looking for something a little more classy…or that you can have out on display ALL the time! A selection of local and international artists were invited to create works that celebrated art and soccer. Each print is numbered and come with a signed certificate of authenticity. (Click on the pics to see them enlarged)

There are loads more beautiful pictures that can be viewed on the FIFA™ Website, but these were just some of my favourite ones.

You can chat to Suzie Copperthwaite on +27 83 468 0363 or e-mail suzie@artlogic.co.za if you want more info about the artworks.

There is a great new buying club idea about to launch in SA and will give you access to some incredible specials and discounts. If you haven’t heard about it already, you can just thank That Blogger for keeping to up to date with what’s happening on the great world wide web!!! The site is called Twangoo and the guys behind the idea are working hard to secure some awesome exclusive deals at restaurants,  spas, hotels and some great exclusive retailers just for their members.

Keep a look out for more details on Twangoo launch date on That Blog and some of the awesome deals that will be on offer. But, in the mean time…why not sign up for their newsletter and check out their page on facebook. They are running a competition to win a R3000.00 Diesel voucher…now that is not something to sneeze at!!

Exciting times aren’t they??