Market update – Stellenbosch

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Karisa

Nooo… don’t worry… I’m not gonna get all serious on you guys and tell you about stocks and bonds and stuff related to this winelands town. I’m just gonna give you the Fri – Sun market rundown for the Stellenbosch area. Let’s go…

Friday – Woodmill Market

For Friday evening after work drinks, this is a good option. It’s relatively small, but you can grab a craft beer or glass of wine, something to eat and listen to some live music. Sound good? Then do check it out if you’re in the area.

Apologies for the crappy photo quality below – I was in between cameras at that stage after a certain run in with a horse…

Things you need to know:

When? Every Friday from 17:30 to 22:00
Where? Vredenburg Road, Stellenbosch (directions on their website link above)

Saturday – Slow Food Market (plus The Treasury Market)

This is certainly still a favourite of mine. Love, love, love this market. And we were lucky enough that on the day The Treasury Market folks were there too. This is such a great place to have some amazing food, get your retail shopping on and chill on the lawn under the trees with a glass of sparkly…

Some things that I thought deserved a special mention:

These awesome light shades made from recycled bottles at only R350 each. They resemble all these arty lights which are so in at the moment if you look through decor magazines, etc. But instead of breaking the bank of a designer one, I think this recycled baby looks just as good.

Loved these photo blocks by Ingrid Hall Art - could picture a whole bunch of them on a wall at home:

R130 each or R110 if you buy 4 or more.

Many people have asked me where I got my dress which I wore to the Glamour Oscars party. Well it was one of those dresses that you can wrap in different ways and I got it from a little shop in Canal Walk which has since closed down. Luckily I spotted this Gelique stand at the market and this lady will custom make your dress for you for around R600 and you can pick from quite an impressive selection of fabrics:

This is such an awesome idea. I’ve worn my dress to two big events now, each time wrapping it differently, and people have been none the wiser…

And look at my amazing new bamboo cheese & bread board (or cutting board if you wish):

This beauty only set me back R300. Thought that was a pretty good deal for real bamboo…

Oh and while you’re at the market, do also pop into the Oude Libertas Art Gallery, they have some pretty cool things in there:

Right, things you need to know:

When? Every Saturday from 09:00 to 14:00 (The Treasury Market joins them usually on the first Saturday of every month)
Where? Oude Libertas (directions on their website link above)

Sunday (or Saturdays too) – Root 44 Market

This one’s a new kid on the block & now also a new favourite of mine. Lots and lots of things to see, eat & drink as well as a huge play area for the kids and live music for the parents. Pull up a table and some chairs and chill under the trees… #bliss.

I was super impressed by this lady’s pancake making skills:

Look at all those pans going at the same time! Aaah and they tasted soooo good. Definitely pay this stand a visit. It’s a must…

The Merkabah boys (who are usually based at the Brampton Wine Studio in Church St, Stellenbosch) served up a mean cuppa:

Calvin & Andre. Lookin’ good boys, lookin’ good…

Loved their old school looking coffee machine… as well as the coffee of course. Definitely give it a bash if you can.

Ooh and look at the doggie I brought home… his name is Frank the 3rd:

And bonus… he doesn’t poop on your carpet… good dog Frank.

Things you need to know about this market:

When? Saturday & Sunday from 09:00 to 15:30
Where? Corner of the R44 and Annandale Road on the Audacia Wine Estate (directions on their website link above)

So there you go guys. Hopefully I’ve given you some new market exploration ideas to fit into your weekend plans. Markets rock… #justsaying.

xxx

Pimp your biscuit at the Market on the Wharf

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Karisa

I was at the V&A yesterday and quickly popped into the new Market on the Wharf for a return visit.

Something cool I spotted which I didn’t see the first time was Pimp your biscuit. It’s a little stand just as you come in, opposite Origin Coffee and next to Nap.

They do exactly what the name says, they allow you to pimp some biscuits baby. First you pick what cookie dough you want. You can pick from 5 flavours:

shortbread
oatmeal & raisin
peanut butter
ginger spice
choc chunk

Then you can choose any 3 fillings from a wide variety of tempting options:

And a quick 9min later your biscuits are ready to be enjoyed! (you can also tell them how you prefer them. Softish, crispy, etc)

R45 gets you a batch of 6 and not only do I think makes for an awesome snack, but also a very cute little prezzie for someone. It’s like creating your (or someone else’s) signature biscuit. Love it. So get pimpin’ ladies & gents.

xxx

Do go check out the new Market on the Wharf

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Karisa

You guys should’ve picked up by now that market exploring is one of my favourite pastimes. So no surprise then that I was very excited to go check out the recently launched V&A Market on the Wharf.

It’s a new food market which has found its home in the same building where the old Musica warehouse used to be, right next to Nobel Square (home of the Albert Lutuli, Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk & Nelson Mandela statues) and between the V&A Hotel and the Two Oceans Aquarium.

The really nice thing is that it’s perfectly placed to grab a snack inside and then get a seat outside to soak up some sunshine…

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s first focus on the grabbing a bite part. There’s more than 50 vendor stalls inside, spreading over two floors, and the whole place has a fresh deli style feel.

There’s a great variety of things on offer from a good cuppa, tempting treats, fresh fish (think an awesome fish braai people!), sushi, fruits & veggies, a bavarian bakery, fine cheeses & meats, Asian & Cape Malay cuisine and lots more. It’s a good mix of things to enjoy there and things to take home to be enjoyed later.

They also have a Bubble Tea stand. Bubble Tea is a tea craze from Taiwan. The recipes vary but usually consists of a tea base mixed with fruit or milk. They also either contain small chewy tapioca balls or popping “bobas” – it’s like a little ball filled with some other filling which pops in your mouth when you apply a little pressure.

You can custom select your own mix, but because I’d never tried Bubble Tea before, I decided to go with one of their Top 10 options: Hami Melon Pearl Milk Jasmin Green Tea with yoghurt popping Bobas.

All I can say is that it was certainly interesting. It’s probably not going to be my new favourite drink. But I’m definitely keen to give a few other flavours a try. Give it a bash and let me know what you guys think.

** Bubble tea update: I went back and tried the Coconut syrup pearl milk jasmin green tea with strawberry popping bobas and I really loved it. Think it’s definitely a case of find the right one and you’ll be totally hooked. **

Upstairs you will also find big tables where you can sit & chill. And probably most importantly, there’s a kick ass little bar too:

Oh yeah. Perfect for some holiday relaxation…

So there you go guys & girls. A great new addition to the Cape Town market circuit and one which you’ll be able to check out Wed – Sun from 9:30 to 19:30. Happy eating!

xxx

Neighbourgoods Market at the Biscuit Mill is still where it’s at I see

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Karisa

In keeping with my rediscovery theme of yesterday… I also popped into the Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill again last weekend. I haven’t been to this particular market in a very very looooooong time thanks to all the new markets which have popped up in and around the Mother City which needed to be explored. But from the massive crowd of people there it was clear to me that this one was this very much a Capetonian favourite. I had actually forgotten what a pretty market this one is and how much there is to see, sample & buy. It’s a little piece of retail heaven I tell ya.

The Neighbourgoods market has some of the most tempting food around, so it’s not really a diet friendly kind of place. This is where you leave your bikini plans at the door and just eat with abandon! Everything from cupcakes, tarts & macarons to freshly baked breads, homemade pies, paella (made in the biggest paella pans I’ve ever seen), flammkuchen (one of my favourite things on the planet), designer dogs, fragrant Asian dishes and much much more. You think it, they’ve got it.

Yum, yum and more yum…

A nice addition (this might give you a hint at exactly how long ago I actually last visited this market) is the craft market area outside. This wasn’t there the last time I was there, but everyone else was like “it’s been here like forever dumb ass”. OK, geeze. Or maybe it was there and I’m just really really unobservant. Also a strong possibility… hehe. Regardless, I loved it. There are lots of beautiful handmade things to check out, so it makes for a great gift shopping spot for sure.

Right, onto some NB market info:

Opening Hours: Every Saturday 9:00 – 14:00 (doesn’t even matter if it’s raining, cause the market is safely under cover)
Address: The Old Biscuit Mill, 373 Albert Road, Woodstock

This time round I certainly won’t take so long to do a return visit. Especially because I spotted a few new places nearby that I also want to check out. So this will be where I get my “exploration fuel” from.

See you there?

xxx

Pop into the city and check out the Cape Town Summer Market

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Karisa

There’s a new market in town ladies & gents, but it’s only running for 11 days, so see this as a limited time offer only. And if you buy now, you not only get the best view in town, but you also get a great spot to relax with family and friends.

Based in the Company’s Gardens, the market launched yesterday and will be running until the 24th of December. It will be open daily from 12 noon to 9pm, except on Christmas eve when it will close at 5pm. A variety of handmade arts & crafts are on offer, there’s a pretty kick ass Kids’ Zone and they’ve secured a lineup of great local artists who will be doing their thing to entertain the market masses.

While doing my market browsing I got to catch up with Helen Andrews from White Rabbit Days who’s also running a stand at the market. l’ve loved her things since I first spotted them on Indiemode. She makes beautiful jewellery using crocheted lace, leather & leatherette, silver plated trimmings, beads and fresh water pearls. If you’re looking for something quite different & unique, this is it.

For more info you can contact Helen on whiterabbitdays@gmail.com

After checking out the market area, we finally settled in the Beer Garden situated in front of the National Art Gallery. This is such an awesome chill spot where you can get a cold one (or two or more), or some wine if beer’s not quite your thing as well as some tasty food things. Entry to the Beer Garden is R40, but it’s well worth the extra spend.

I didn’t know dogs were allowed…

Otherwise I woulda brought my Frank:

Hehe. Oh well. Maybe next time then. I’m sure the Beer Garden will see my face again soon…

For more info on the market, you can either pop into the Information Office which is situated right next to the Company’s Gardens Restaurant. Alternatively you can contact them on ctsummermarket@gmail.com, follow them on Twitter - @CTSummerMarket or check out their Facebook page.

xxx

So impressed with Kamers vol geskenke

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Karisa

This year’s Kamers vol Geskenke on the Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West had me going “Wow, why the hell have I never gone to this before!?”

It really was very very impressive. An absolutely stunning venue, beautiful setup, well organised, amazing food & drink options and tons of incredible creatives featuring all their interesting products. The term “shopper’s paradise” was very well suited here.

It was cool to see designers I recognised and have actually featured here on the blog before, but equally cool to also discover lots of new ones…

A lady who caused quite a stir with her very interesting sculptures was local artist Daya Heller. Two interesting female figures with parts of their inner workings exposed guarded the entrance to the main food area and had everyone stopping in their tracks to inspect a little closer. They especially had kids quite intrigued & it was quite funny watching them standing there staring at these ladies open mouthed, some too afraid to get a closer look, others brave and going in for a feel… for sure a nice way to keep the young ones busy while mom and dad slip away for a glass of wine.

Overall there were truly soooooo many things I loved. But it would take like at least 10 posts to get through all of them. So I’m going to just give you a very brief highlights package. Here goes:

From left to right:

Pretty jewellery pieces by Skermunkil. I’m a total sucker for hearts, flowers & birds on jewellery.
Teacups with an ant design, wooden saucers & wooden perched birdies by Love Milo. Looking at those cups kinda makes you itch a little, don’t they? But I think that’s exactly what makes them so awesome.
Alice in Wonderland style mirror (R600) by Vanilla Concrete. Could totally picture this in my bathroom. It would certainly make me smile every morning.

Clockwise from top left:

Decor tyre chairs by Michelle Long (michlong3@gmail.com / 021 919 3921 / 083 266 0888). They’re strange, yes. But in the right space I think they would rock.
T-shirt with built-in scarf print which comes in cool tin (lots of designs, but I loved the film roll one) by Two on Toast. This ended up being a gift for the BF.
Wall blocks with birdies & inspirational text by Tamarillo Designs. I’m busy building a feature wall fillled with odds & ends. So these 2 babies came home with me.

Now you guys should know by now that I LOVE my food. So obviously I made sure I tasted a wide variety of things as well. Cupcakes, flatbreads, lamb sosaties and ice cream… these were all winners in my book.Then I also sampled some of the best brownies I’ve ever tasted from Yummi Bloomin Brilliant Brownies:

Mmmmmmmm…

And how cute is this ginger bread house by Food by Preserve:

They do cakes & sweet treats for any occasion btw

This was the perfect day out in the winelands for me and I have to give a big virtual high 5 to everyone involved. If you missed it, make sure you keep an eye out for this one again next year.

Gauteng folks can luckily still catch the last leg of this year’s event which is taking place at the Open Window School of Visual Communication in Irene – Pretoria, Gauteng.

Opening night: Sun, 25 Nov 2012 (16:00 – 20:00)
Duration: Mon, 26 Nov – Sat, 1 Dec 2012
Hours: Daily from 8:30 to 17:00, Fri from 8:30 to 20:00
Tickets: R50 and available via Webtickets over here.

xxx

Shaping up to be a pretty great weekend…

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Karisa

As you are reading this I am en route to Mozambique! Yup, I’m going back to Flamingo Bay for 4 days of absolute bliss with the family… hell to the yeah…

BUT if I look at the weather forecast for Cape Town this weekend, you guys are in for some pretty awesome weather as well. So please don’t hate me too much. I promise to think of you guys as I’m sipping on a cocktail while chilling on the deck of my water chalet if you think of me while sipping on a cocktail overlooking beautiful Camps Bay beach. Deal?

It’s also going to be nice weather for some market exploring. So why not take a drive out to Stellenbosch tomorrow for The Treasury Market which is taking place at Oude Libertas again this weekend (this market joins the weekly Slowmarket on the 1st Sat of each month). They are promising 29 traders offering all kinds of beautiful handmade things from local designers, crafters and artisans. And then on top of that there’s also going to be a Summer Strawberry Fair at the Slowmarket right next door. Just listen to this:

Seasonal freshly picked palettes of strawberries, Robertson Valley pomegranate juices and delectable reductions ideally topped on ice cream. Our local Boland farmers adorn us with blueberries & blackberries and our award winning producers and traders infuse their popular meals with all things berry. Berry cordials, strawberry dacarees, strawberry pesto, berry ice cream, Rudi’s strawberry sausage, strawberry bakes and strawberry jams. Even our crafters infuse berries into their soaps, bath salts and designs.

Doesn’t that just sound too good? There will also be some live music from new pop-rock band, Furniss who hails from Cape Town, but has just come back from Nashville in the US where they recorded 3 new songs. So all ‘n all there will be lots to see & do at Oude Libertas this Saturday for sure.

NB info:

Date/time: Sat, 3 Nov – 9am to 2pm.
How to get there: From the N2 take the Stellenbosch turn-off . Turn right at the traffic light on the R310(M12) heading towards Stellenbosch. Turn left at the next set of traffic lights and drive to Oude Libertas.
OR From N1 take the Stellenbosch turn-off and drive into town along Bird street. Turn right into Adam Tas rd and bear right at the third set of traffic lights onto the R310(M12) heading towards the Kuilsriver/ Cape Town. Cross Dorpstreet traffic lights and Turn right at the Distell/ Oude Libertas traffic lights into Oude Libertas rd and drive to Oude Libertas.
For more info: Contact Karin Vermeulen on admin@slowmarket.co.za / 021 886 8514 / 072 416 4890

Have a great weekend everyone. I have some posts scheduled while I’m away for those wanting a bit of reading material.

xxx

Organic goodness at the Gaia Food Market

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Karisa

The 2nd market I checked out last Sun as part of my market exploration session was the Gaia Food Market on the Constantia/Wynberg side of town. You’ll find it at 23 Constantia Rd in the same building that houses the Organic at Heart restaurant.

Just a tip for parking: From Constantia Rd, you’ll see their brightly painted wall, then turn right and right again into Bardia Rd, that’s where you park & find the main entrance.

This food market is open every Sun from 9am to 2pm and they specialise in plant-based foods and things. Think fresh fruits & veg, freshly baked breads & biscuits (with gluten free options for those who are sensitive to that), freshly prepared salads, soups & juices, raw tree nuts, olives & olive oils and more. Basically all things which are good for your body and can be enjoyed without any guilt.

It’s small market, but very quaint and as an added bonus there’s a little outside courtyard area where you can pull up a chair and soak up some sun…

Darryn and I tried some sushi with a twist – see it’s not made with rice, it’s made with quinoa. Quinoa is good for you because it’s high in protein and a good source of dietary fibre as well as calcium (something which is apparently very useful for vegans who are lactose intolerant).

Looks like normal sushi… but different…

I certainly won’t be swapping out my Willougby’s for this. But it was actually not that bad. If I was vegan and lactose intolerant and all that, I would be quite happy with this as an alternative I think.

I’m definitely no expert when it comes to organic/vegan/vegatarian eating, my diet being quite shocking in general, so I must say it was nice to be exposed to it in an easy, non-threatening market space.

If you’ve been wanting to change up your eating style for the health benefits, etc - consider popping in at the Gaia Food Market to check it out.

xxx

Arts & crafts at the Kirstenbosch Market

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Karisa

Last Sun was market exploring day…

The first market I checked out was the Kirstenbosch Craft Market. You’ll find it across the way from the main entrance to the Kirstenbosch Gardens, right by the 3 historical stone cottages, but only on the last Sun of every month from 9am to 3pm. Except during Jun/Jul/Aug when it’s just too freakin’ wet & cold outside and then in Dec they bump it up to two weekends, obviously to capitalise on xmas spending and all that.

We got there around brunch time, so first order of business was to check out their food & drink options. I’m happy to report that on that front they have all the standard market delights covered: good coffee – check; boerie/breakfast/lunch rolls – check; homemade baked goods – check; fresh lemonade – check; and most importantly pancakes – double check…

According to my friend Darryn, coffee is usually good when served in a non-branded eco friendly cup, just so you know, and then the pancakes were rocking at only R6 a piece. Mmmm.

With regards to the other stalls, this is a “Craft Market”, so arts & crafts and all things homemade is what is to be expected. Anything from bags, clothes, jewellery & natural beauty producst, to home decor, plants & wine accessories. There was also quite a lot of kids & pet stuff, so if you have either of those (or both) you’re totally sorted.

I spotted some things which peaked my interest though… My boyfriend has been worried that I’m going through a huge “kitch Afrikaans decor” phase ever since I bought that adorable ceramic fish from Vamp Furniture. Seriously, what’s wrong with my bloody fish!? Anyhoo, to tease him a little I’ve been hinting (as a joke of course) to the fact that I soooo love doylies and floral printed melamine flooring, etc. So when I found these dachshund door stoppers, I was really tempted to get one and be all like “I got you this as a gift for your apartment. According to my ouma, they keep the cold wind and stuff out ya know…”

Helloooooo doggie! Bjorn you like? To each his/her own I always say. If you like something, own it unapologetically…

Then I stumbled upon these VERY real looking porcelain babies. My mom LOVES these and has a few back in PE. Now as much as I’ll admit that the craftmanship is pretty impressive, to me they are just plain scary. I mean come now, there’s been way too many movies about possessed dolls for me to not be suspicious. I’m definitely not risking it by letting one into my home, just to wake up to it hovering over me in the middle of the night holding a kitchen knife. Just sayin’.

Don’t look them straight in the eyes… clearly Chucky has scarred me for life…

So ja, if you appreciate the artsy crafty side of life, you’re going to dig this market. It certainly is in one of the prettiest settings in Cape Town and those pancakes were good enough to kill for. It’s also doggy friendly, which makes sense because there are so many stall catering to them, it’s like a mini doggy shopping mall. And it’s well known that doggies also want to be there to try outfits on before they commit.

xxx

City Bowl Market now also does Thu evenings

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Karisa

So it’s Thursday… you don’t really have any plans, but you also know you need to get your butt off the couch, maybe grab something tasty to eat, explore a little and maybe even do a bit of socialising… So where to go? And what to do? Hmmmmm…

Well, I might have an idea for you. The City Bowl Food Market in Hope St is now also open on Thu evenings from 4pm to 8:30pm. This means you can get your hands on all the delicious treats you would usually only get to drool over from 9am to 2pm on Saturdays. Hell yeah!

I love the City Bowl Market, not only because it’s walking distance from my apartment, but also because they have a really good variety of ready-made dishes as well as things you can stock up your fridge and kitchen cupboards with, all vars van die plaas and all that good stuff.

I popped in there last Thu eve and was very happy to see that it was really buzzing with people. The more people you have at a market, the better the market vibe, it’s a fact…
I first got myself an empanada from the Como stand. Empanadas are these awesome little pastry half-moons filled with either a savoury meat or veg filling. It is Argentinian in origin and appartently one of their most popular dishes. These Como ones are the real deal because they are made with regte egte Argentine recipes which have been sourced straight from Buenos Aires. Como btw means “I eat” in Spanish. Me eats. Me loves.

I went for the Caprese – Whole tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella and sweet potato – so yum!

Do yourselves a favour and hop on over to their website (the link above) because you can order frozen empanadas and have them delivered to your door for FREE (Cape Town only – but most areas are covered) AND you can pay cash on delivery. So it’s very very easy. They come in boxes of 12 (R150) or 24 (R300), but you can play around with different fillings as they come bagged 6 at a time. So for a box of 12 you can select two fillings and for a box of 24 you can have up to 4 different fillings. Mmmmm.

After that great little starter I hopped on over to the Drunken Tuscan stand to scoop up the last serving of their butternut risotto:

And how awesome are market prices… only R20 for a large serving.

I’m going through a major “risotto period” at the moment, kinda like Picasso’s blue period, but way tastier. This risotto was certainly tasty, but I’ve recently been a bit spoilt with regards to risotto because I’ve sampled two which really blew me away. The first was the mushroom risotto at Millhouse Kitchen and the second was the pea & mint risotto from Societi Bistro‘s Spring Menu. I still scoffed this baby down with ease though. That’s cause market food rocks. Period.

Now obviously I’ve only showed you two things from the wide selection of dishes you can find at the market. So best you go check it out for yourself and then tell me what your favourite item is.

xxx

My Love Affair with Cape Town…

Just random fun in my mother city

Category Archives: Market exploring