McGregor staycation...one of my best escapes...

Staycation, McGregor. Please can I go back, tomorrow.  Lateral Paul and I have just spent a day and a night there and I can’t remember when last we arrived at a destination and morphed into relax mode in .5 seconds. 

McGregor is calm. I’ve 'staycated' at a fair amount of country villages over the last few months and I think McG takes my top spot for R&R in the true sense of the word. Lateral Paul loved it so much he’s thinking of buying property... yes please to that.

The town, established in the 19^th century, is in the heart of the Breede River winelands and is just as I imagine it to have been many moons ago. I’m told not much has changed over the past few decades, and therein lies its magic. I adore country towns but it’s quite rare nowadays to find somewhere so utterly peaceful….a place were tensions dissipate on arrival and city stress doesn’t stand a chance. White washed thatched houses, one main street and dusty side roads....my kind of happy place.

Ons Huisie, also called Almond Tree cottage, was where we stayed and we so loved it. It’s perfectly un-posh, rustic and unpretentious, with two bedrooms (sleeps four in total) and all the comforts. Well, not exactly all, as there’s no Wifi which turned out to be the best thing ever, as no digital means an opportunity to connect, read a book and be free from incessant Whats App notifications.

 Inside Ons Huisie... rustic charm, & lovely finishing touches...

First thing we did was flop into deck chairs in the self sustaining garden, a lovely space bordered by striking purple bougainvillea, succulents, climbing roses, cacti and hedges with brightly coloured little birds and a beautiful stray cat I fell in love with...

Milky cat beard... too sweet...

Come evening, we headed off to The Old Post Office, a famous whiskey bar that is reputed to have the second largest whiskey selection in the Cape, after the Bascule at the Cape Grace. We had delightful conversation with the owner, a Salford, UK native, called John Oldham. He also introduced us to a local beer brand called Saggy Stone. Since my trip to Tokyo 2 years ago, where beer was way more affordable than wine, and oh so tasty, I’ve become a froth fan so it was great to sample the local fare. Dinner was at the equally well known Karoux, an intimate restaurant space that seats around 20 pax indoors, run by Aimee and Ryan Josten. Excellent cuisine, a lovely ambience and they allowed us to take our own wine which was fabulous because it was a bottle of Springfield’s Work of Time, a Bordeaux style blend that is a masterpiece!

John from The Old Post Office...

Karoux restaurant, amazing by day or night...

Sunday morning found us having breakfast at Tebaldi’s at Temenos, where Lateral Paul immediately made friends with a local olive farmer. After making swift work of my poached eggs, I left him to chat and ambled off meet a friend at How Bazaar and buy lunch at Dudley’s Larder, the little deli next to Karoux, owned by Aimee and Ryan, that stocks delish cheeses, charcuterie, free range duck eggs and more. Suffice to say our lunch on the stoep at Ons Huisie was a sumptuous feast, with superb chardonnay from Springfield (currently my absolute fave wine brand) and an excellent local red.

The best in locally sourced wine, cheese, asparagus, bread rolls, all from Dudley's Larder...

So if you need an escape, for any amount of days, take a drive along the jaw droppingly beautiful Route 62 and head off to McGregor. Let your only distraction be listening to the birds and watching bees plunge headlong into flowers-I kid you not, I had time to notice that, as the picture below proves. 

Embrace the slowness why don't you. I’ve already booked to go back, so watch this space for Part ll of my McG getaway as I plan to do way more that you’ll find really interesting.

Bee going bottoms up...

Invigorating!

My staycation at Ons Huisie was courtesy of the efficient and welcoming Mira Weiner from McGregor Country Getaways, info@mcgregor-accommodation.co.za / 076 411 9477.

I'm @allisonfoat on all my social media platforms – follow me, I’ll take you places.

Photos taken by myself on a Canon DSLR 600D and iPhone 6+

Wallpaper ~ bring your surfaces alive & re-direct your eyes...

Wallpaper – and I don’t mean the screensaver on your desktop or smartphone – is, by all accounts, here to stay. From 200BC when the Chinese first glued rice paper onto their walls to the opulence of the French courts and the roaring 20’s when it was all the rage, wallpaper is a versatile way to create a unique home.

Wallpaper is an asset to any room. From soft pastel stripes to bold scenic themed walls, it’s as much in demand as ever and has morphed into a true design winner. Whether an entire room or one solitary wall is papered, wallpaper captures the eye and the imagination, makes a statement and establishes an atmosphere. (This article first appeared on 14 November 2015 in the Decor supplement of the Saturday Argus newspaper South Africa)

Tretchikoff... by RSW

It’s readily available in rolls at various stores throughout South Africa but with tech being what it is today, many people opt to innovate and personalise what goes onto their walls. Stunning wallpaper demands attention. “It creates impact”, says decorator Pieter Burger of PB Designs. “Sometimes clients want a 3D experience when they walk into a room and that can be created using any image, even their own, if the pixels are high enough. Burger says that wallpaper has been on trend with his clients for almost two years. Powerful imagery and striking design draws you in and straight away, an ordinary space gets a lift and the people within it are transported.

No ordinary cupboard door... (RSW)

Says Kurt Sunkel, owner of Studio22, a family owned printing business, “the requests for wallpaper are increasing. Residential clients favour graphics with either abstract or cartoon-like images, the latter for children’s rooms”. Clients select from his company’s online store and if they have an image that is high res enough, it’s easy to reproduce it onto wallpaper. Many people take it further and replicate a theme or pattern onto other accessories, furnishings and surfaces, such as cushions, drapes, bed linen, table tops and floors, so the look flows to all aspects of the room.

Vinyl panels (RWS)

When I was growing up in the 70’s, wallpaper was very in vogue. I get very nostalgic when I see it used today. I loved it when my mother – the true ‘handyman’ in our house - would paste new wallpaper in my bedroom each time we moved apartments. The design opportunities presented today mean that old concepts are shifted to new dimensions and we can imprint our own identity onto a surface, however and wherever we desire it. The options are limitless.

Surface designer Robin Sprong, of Robin Sprong Wallpaper (RSW) in Woodstock, has been on the cutting edge of wallpaper and surface design for the past decade, and has taken imagery on paper and vinyl to new dimensions, literally and figuratively, representing superb South African artists like Walter Batiss and Tretchikoff, with a licence to reproduce their work. RSW also works with various local creatives such as Cape Town based Skinny La Minx, a design company in Cape Town that’s all about “mid-century style, Scandi-inspired, Japanese-crazed pattern & colour, with a dose of African chic”, and Room 13, a boutique graphic design studio specialising in crafting design solutions. Sprong recently returned from exhibiting at Dutch Design Week in Einthoven, Holland, where he and his team collaborated with others to bring made-to-order surface design to the fore. “Being able to express exactly what you want is the essence of customisation,” said Katrine Robenhagen, art director at RSW, who works closely with Sprong. “There are three things our clients want- to select straight from our catalogue, to use their own design or image or have a bespoke design made up especially for them in association with our illustrators.”

Robin at work...

Interior designer Manuela Candido is a huge fan of wallpaper and frequently recommends it to clients who often aren’t aware just how much wallpaper has evolved. “Once I show them a catalogue they are so excited to use it”, she said, “and nowadays fabric houses have exquisite collections from which to choose.” At Home Fabrics in Woodstock, one of the country’s leading fabric and wallpaper houses, “clients select from our catalogues with collections by top international designers such as Tricia Guild and Christian Lacroix”, explained sales executive Bennet Koen.

Guest toilet by Manuela Candido...

But as with everything, it all comes down to time and money. If you’re into DIY and have the time and patience, doing your own installation will save on costs, although the list of tools required for the wall preparation, application and finishing off is a long one that will affect your budget. Simple paneling that doesn’t require intricate aligning of patterns and shapes makes DIY doable but it’s a huge job. Some paper is pre-pasted as well so all you need to do is use a wet sponge to activate the glue and voila, it’s ready to go. If it’s a textured wall look you’re after, paintable wallpaper will give an amazing effect and you can even colour in your own wallpaper if the mood grabs and you want to get interactive. If doing an entire wall is too much of a challenge and you’re looking to enhance aspects of a space, other decorative options include doing vinyl panels, wrapping refrigerator and cupboard doors or adding an interesting look with decals (peel and stick) on anything from kitchen and bathroom tiles to  ceiling borders or door frames. When it comes to the more ambitious projects where panels are larger and need expert matching up, such as with RSW, it’s best left to the professionals.

Papered fridge & cupboard doors, & decals on the tiles...

Wallpaper is wanted. It’s an aesthetically appealing décor across South Africa that fosters imagination and inspiration. Says Sprong,“We constantly see and touch an infinite number of surfaces on a daily basis that blur past our eyes without a second glance. By influencing these surfaces, we can create moods, enhance an atmosphere, as well as express and create meaning through unspoken words that bring spaces to life with their colour, style and design”.

Bring your walls to life, re-direct your eyes and let your imagination run wild. 

References (all stores mentioned enable online shopping):

Robin Sprong Wallpaper for bespoke and catalogue surface design: www.robinsprongwallpaper.com

Manuela Candido Interiors: 083 5833867

Pieter Burger Design: 083 3018916

Home Fabrics, Woodstock: 021 4258297

Studio 22 Online for printing on wallpaper www.studio22online.co.co.za

Skinny La Minx: www.skinnylaminx.co.za

Tools: Builder’s Warehouse, Laughton’s, Jack’s Paint and Hardware.

How to apply wallpaper, via Studio22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYI6htI06CI#action=share

Paintable wallpaper: www.wallpaperinn.co.za

Wallpaper by the roll: Budget Banners 0214473717

Interactive wallpaper (colouring in, decals): www.stickart.co.za

Bangkok for the first time? Here are a few tips from this frequent visitor...

Bangkok (BK) is one my my favourite places. It's an onslaught on the senses to which I'm so accustomed by now, but it can be very overwhelming for first timers and solo travellers, so I've put together a few tips to help ease you and my fellow SAfricans smoothly into BK.  May your experiences in this unique city be amazing at every turn...

At Suvarnabuhmi airport (don't even try pronounce that) ~ 

* Be aware that African and South American citizens have to fill out Ebola forms which must be signed by a doctor on site. The forms and the doc are at a booth near to where you disembark from the plane;

* NB the immigration queue is long, can take up to an hour to get your passport stamped;

* Make sure you fill out the arrival/departure forms on the plane or do so in the Q-there are helpful officials everywhere;

* Get a local sim card at the airport once you’re through immigration: AIS/DTAC networks etc, all offer amazing inexpensive packages - you'll have no need for 'roaming' and can negate those hidden expenses that tend to pop up no matter what.

The Q at the airport...people for days...

Greeting Thai people ~

* Be courteous- women greet saying 'Sawadee Kha' and guys say 'Sawadee khap'. It's also appreciated if you put the prayer hands together under your chin in response to the same. 

Transport to & in town ~

* If you’re worried about getting lost, book a shuttle through your hotel (pricey, up to 1,200 THB);

* Or take a taxi- and barter - the fare shouldn't cost you more than 400-500 THB;

* Or, my choice if I have a lot of luggage,  Uber (cashless) - rather use Uber Black in BK and make sure you have downloaded the app before you leave SA (if you're an Uber newbie, use my Uber code uberCTdiva for a once-off free ride in SA);

* If you’re confident re your directions (as I am by now) and only have 1 carry-on bag (one can really travel light in Thailand, even if you're a 'diva'), take the bus (30 THB) to the Mo Chit BTS station and then a skytrain to your hotel (cheap and fast).

* Re getting around in the city, Tuk Tuks are fun but impractical and way overpriced - cool for a once-off experience but that's about it;
* The BTS Skytrain is the easiest and so cheap. Buy day/week passes. Exchange bank notes for coins at the info booth and they will happily explain how the system works.

* You can also catch a ride with the licenced scooter guys (in lumo jackets) parked near the BTS stations...it's a lot of fun for short distances, and from 10 THB depending on where you're off to;

* Don't eat on the platform / station / train. Keep your grub out of site.

* Obey the arrow markings on the platform that tell you where to stand safely when Q'ing to get on the train

Typical BTS station below...the numbers encircled denote the cost to each destination...

Try a Tuk Tuk once for fun...but be prepared to bargain! Random leg hoists are optional :)

Blow your hair back a bit on a scooter... such FUN!

Hotel ~

* Choose accommodation close to a BTS stop. I can recommend the Galleria 10 in Soi 10, Sukhumvit, right between BTS Nana and Asok - it's stylish, well priced and has a fab rooftop pool, bar and deck. 

Mosquitoes ~

* Never leave your hotel, day or night, without generously spraying repellent (NB to use an eco friendly brand); leave no patch of skin unprotected-the blighters will find it and bite it! 

* To soothe itchy bites, use tiger balm (sold at 711’s) or Dermovate if you react badly to BK mozzie bites like I do (sold at Pharmacies / Boots that stay open late, like pretty much everything else in BK)

Street Food ~

* Totally safe, delicious, traditional and oh-so-cheap - sit and eat...it's a great experience and you have to try the incredible noodle dishes and the sweet sticky rice with coconut milk and mango (for the best, go to Mae Varee in Thong Lor , one of my fave areas as well);

* Those orange drinks you see on sale on the street in the small skinny bottles are loaded with extra sugar fyi; let them make it and also pomegranate juice in front of you- very refreshing when done right;

* Bottled water only people, even when rinsing after brushing your teeth

Mango, coconut cream and sticky rice...

Flat noodles etc...best!

Fresh pomegranate juice...

Emergency dentist ~

* Dental Hospital. 88/88 Sukhamvit 49

Street dogs & cats ~

* Don’t assume they’re all friendly-they're not all used to being petted; those with collars are usually ok but be cautious and check first with the person/owner nearest to the animal. I want to love them all but need to approach carefully...(collared) cats on the other hand...

Cat love...

Coffee & Beer ~

* There is superb coffee in very stylish coffee shops in Bangkok, as good and sometimes even better as what's on offer in Cape Town. Try Rocket in Central Embassy, Hello Strangers, Blue Dye Cafe, Library ;

* Beer is nothing like what I am used in Cape Town ie our fabulous home grown craft beer, but go for Singha when in BK...and make it even more refreshing by adding ice. Yes, trust me, with eish.

Singha, with ice...

Coffee at Blue Dye Cafe...

And iced coffee from Hello Strangers...

Shopping ~

* There are tons of shopping centre monoliths in BK but I prefer the slick environment and the best movie house in town at Siam Paragon , and right next door is Siam Centre an ode to emerging designers, and of course Central Embassy showcases it's winning design and architecture, although shopping here is mostly for those with black plastic;

* Shopping at street stalls (try the ones across from Siam Centre where there’s also a fabulous little mall) is fantastic, if you’re after those floppy pants and vintage style voile shirts and quirky frocks. Stalls are set up from around 5pm every day;

* Fake watches, and all other labels, at the markets…rather not. They only last around 6 months. And they look cheap.  

Massages off street ~

* Amazing and cheap but take care to suss out how clean they are before laying your tired bod down on a grubby towel

Laundry ~
* Drop it off at any street laundry service - it comes back beautifully packaged, ironed and ready to wear. Way more reasonable than at your hotel. Prices start at 30 THB per kilo. (Leave your Prada shirts for the pro laundromats at home)

Other ~

* Bring extra Ziploc bags and 100ml empty plastic bottles. You can't find those easily in BK.

* Re tipping, it's not expected but why not show some love and do it anyway. 

* Be respectful of the King of Thailand and his family. 

* Leave your shoes outside establishments where it's required. Never fear, they'll be there when you go back for the them. This is a country where stealing isn't a national pastime. 

Bon voyage! การเดินทางที่ปลอดภัย !