So what was meant to be my list of favourite items for March was so delayed that it turned into favourite five for April. But as our longest-running series it is important to both of us that even if this is a month late that the series goes on…
So without any further delays my favourite five for March April are as follows:
1. Woolworths Ready Made Steel Cut Oats
When I first found out I was pregnant my internal conversations ran somewhere along the lines of maintaining a fairly clean eating programme and keeping up a regular gym routine. That is: be the model pregnant woman.
Fast forward some five months: it’s been about ALL the chocolates, desserts and cakes with a steady decline in physical activity. Oops. However, in some sort of attempt to maintain a semblance of my old eating habits, I have tried to include some healthy choices along the way like these ready-made steel cut oats from Woolies; my new go-to breakfast for busier mornings.
If you have tried to cook steel-cut oats before – or even the non-Jungle Oats variety – you would know the process usually involves overnight soaking (when you remember) or at least 40 minutes on the stove top to be faced with a still-very grainy textured meal. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” when I can simply pop a bag of these oats into the microwave and be done in less than two minutes.
There are currently three variants on offer; my personal favourite being the plain version (topped with sliced banana and honey) and costs less than R20 per packet. Delicious, healthy and bargain: what more could a pregnant woman want for breakfast (besides pancakes :))?
2. Tangle Teezer
I’m sure 90% of the female population probably already own one of these but I only recently acquired mine on a whim purchase from a Sorbet Dry Bar. The question really is why did I not have one these before???
As the owner of fine hair, my hair tangles extremely easily and none more so than after washing it. We all know how bad it is to brush through wet hair but prior to the Teezer I had no other choice (unless you have ever tried to brush out a semi-dried bird’s nest). Thankfully the Teezer can be used on wet hair and quickly gets through my ‘wash-knots’ painlessly.
Even better is that my blow drying time has been reduced since I have started using my Tangle Teezer – my other hair gripe in my life. My little animal print number fits snugly into my palm – and my handbag – making this one of the better beauty purchases I have had in months. If you haven’t yet made the purchase, you can find Tangle Teezers from various online stores (such as Retail Box) and Sorbet Dry Bars.
3. Hemelhuijs
At the end of February, I took a couple of days off work to spend some time in the summer sunshine in Cape Town with my sisters. I finally managed to climb Lion’s Head (so great – although definitely not easy) and eat at the fabulous Hemelhuijs making this trip one of the most memorable visits to the fair Cape.
Hemelhuijs – in the heart of the city – only does breakfast and lunch with a focus on seasonal produce and has to be one of my best brunch experiences to dates. My list of reasons to love Hemelhuijs looks something like this:
• They serve ALL day breakfast (yes);
• We had the most incredible fresh-pressed juices ever (even the kale-inclusive juice was deeeeeeelicous);
• Both Alison’s and my breakfast were absolute perfection: creamy, creamy scrambled eggs for me and a dreamy mosbolletjie French toast and bacon combo for her.
I see that even the fabulous Jessica Sepel raved about Hemelhuijs on her Intsagram feed (during her recent trip to South Africa) which gives this spot not only the “Spruce Approved” badge but also a qualified nutritionist’s stamp of approval!
4. Nine West Leopard Print Loafers
Since the end of my no-shop challenge, I have been making up for lost time 😉 so there have been no shortages of fabulous additions to my wardobe. But my favourite, favourite purchase has to be these leopard print loafers from Nine West.
I have been on the look out for a good animal print loafer – preferably with a point – for about a year or more. So you can imagine my happiness when one Saturday morning Ilaria and I came across this pair of loafers at Nine West, complete with a mini-square heel making them an even more perfect addition to my shoe closet.
These babies are ideal for casual Fridays and weekends (when I am not in sneakers) – and will probably come in handy a few months down the line when I may no longer be able to wear heels (dreading this day). Based on that fact alone, I quickly justified their slightly more expensive price-tag and have already happily worn at least once a week since my acquisition!
5. Balayage Pinterest Board
Okay, so I am clearly obsessed with my hair lately if I am including this on here! After a year or so of struggling over what to do with my hair I think I feel like I have finally found my new “look”; thanks to some fabulous Pinterest inspiration. I am “so over” tinting my hair and the resulting washed-out orange brassiness of it so I have (unsuccessfully) been trying to grow out my natural colour.
These images formed the basis for my consult with my new/old hairdresser (the brilliant Kayleigh at Lunatic Fringe) and has turned out exceptionally well after one session. If I may say so myself.
So while we are still working on removing the orange undertones from the years of tinting while allowing my natural colour to grow out, I can say my hair has reached a happy medium for now – I haven’t (yet) felt as frustrated as I normally would about the warmer tones and am finally successfully seeing my mid-brown regrowth.
Current Hair Situation