A couple of weeks ago I had brunch at Anita and Johnson’s house. There were many quality Instagram photo-ops at this brunch, and it was such a classic Melville Sunday. I decided it was worthy of a blog post.
All photos shot with Instagram, of course.
Anita and Johnson’s newest home furnishing – a sofa-sized antique stereo – topped with a silhouette of the Jozi skyline. I’m sure someone told me how old the stereo is, but I’ve forgotten.
Closeup of the stereo console.
Time to eat.
Shakshuka: A North African/Middle Eastern dish made with eggs, tomatoes, and various delicious flavorings.
This is called a syllabub trifle, a traditional English dessert made with cream, fruit, and wine. I had never heard of it before. It was almost too pretty to eat. (I said “almost”. I did eat it. Lots of it.)
Coffee brewing in a retro Cona vacuum coffee maker. What a contraption this is. The brewing process is a sight to behold.
And then I was full.
Post-brunch view of lower Melville and the Melville Koppies.
I am really lucky to have friends – within walking distance, no less – who feed and entertain me like this. Another reason to love living in Melville.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.