2018 was a rollercoaster of a year filled with incredible highs and some challenging lows. But through it all, there was one constant that, along with my family, kept me going. And that was TRAVEL! My eternal wanderlust was filled to the brim with phenomenal road trips that led to discovering beautiful and inspiring places and people around the Western Cape.
Towards the end of the year, I must admit that I was feeling rather burnt out from constantly being on the go. I think many of you know exactly what I am talking about. So when the invitation arrived in my inbox to discover the ‘Life&Leisure magic’ of Stellenbosch, I was intrigued and despite feeling worn out, very excited. A final getaway fling was the last thing I had planned, but to end the year on a high note with a luxurious and “not your usual” stay in Stellies was just what the doctor ordered.
In this case, the “doctors” were Kobus from Hatch Communications and Margie, the dynamic and vivacious owner of Life&Leisure Boutique Guesthouse. Kobus gave only a brief outline of the weekend’s itinerary, but I was assured that we were in for some fun surprises during our stay, along with delicious food, fine wines and interesting cultural activities.
The Boutique Guesthouse as seen from our loft apartment at Huis Piron.
The popular winelands town is a world-class destination that offers something unique for each traveller and endless opportunities for new experiences. I have visited this historic gem and the surrounding area on a number of occasions over the past 13 years and I still discover something new to sip, see, eat and do each time. This weekend of discovery was to prove that once again, no two visits are ever the same.
WHERE WE STAYED – LIFE&LEISURE APARTMENTS
Life&Leisure Boutique Guesthouse and the separate upmarket Premier Self-Catering Apartments enjoy a perfectly central location in Stellenbosch, within easy walking distance of many of the town’s tourist attractions. The two types of accommodation both offer the discerning traveller a luxurious stay. The elegant and glamorous décor of the Boutique Guesthouse is distinctly art-deco with splashes of vibrant colours and playful patterns.
Designed and decorated by director and business-owner Margie Potgieter, the Boutique Guesthouse offers a warm and welcoming space where you can relax in your beautifully appointed guestroom, the downstairs lounge area or bar, or beside the swimming pool with a cocktail in hand. Margie is very hands on and you will often find her helping out in the kitchen and breakfast area or happily chatting to her guests. Life&Leisure has earned their reputation for exceptional hospitality and service and welcomes return guests time and again.
The Premier Self-Catering Apartments are located across the road from the guesthouse in Huis Piron. With secure on-site parking, we were shown to our fully-equipped loft-style apartment. I was particularly delighted with the quirky canvas of a lazy, smiling hippo posing on a sofa that greeted us as we entered. Each apartment features a unique and playful Animal Kingdom canvass by Desire Smith.
Each individually designed apartment is modern and elegant with its own work station, a fully equipped kitchen and modern amenities, making it particularly ideal for private or longer stays. The staircase leading up to the loft bedroom is rather steep and narrow, so stay in a different apartment if you happen to suffer from vertigo. The balcony doors lead out onto a patio with a gorgeous mountain view – a wonderful spot to sit and relax with a glass of wine after a busy day of sightseeing or meetings.
WINING AND DINING
We met up for drinks with the rest of our group at the Life&Leisure Inno*Hub & Terrace. Located at the guesthouse, this lovely outdoor space set the tone for a very enjoyable evening of wining and dining.
The beautiful bar area at the Boutique Guesthouse.
Smoked Ham Hock Terrine – simply delicious!
The breakfast room had been transformed into an exquisite dining area with elegant table décor featuring candles, fragrant flowers, beautiful glasses and silverware.
The Guest Chef for the evening was none other than legendary Craig Cormack, also known as the Salt King. With an illustrious 30 year career in the restaurant industry, he shared his fascinating passion for salt with us prior to introducing us to the evening’s menu. Did you know? There are approximately 200 different types of salt found in the world and Craig has 145 of them in his collection.
Margie and Chef Cormack.
Tasting a few varieties of salt prior to our dinner, I was blown away by the delicious flavours and textures of our 3 course menu. The dishes were plated beautifully and paired perfectly with award-winning wines from Kleine Zalze, Klein Gustrouw and Neil Ellis. A power cut, courtesy of Eskom, only added to the warm and relaxed ambience of the evening. A culinary extravaganza from start to end that had us all wanting more. All I can say is BRAVO to Chef Cormack and his highly skilled team!
A heavenly starter – Confit chicken, prawn satay, chilli jam, spring onion dressing and chicken liver pate.
The main event! Chef Cormack prepared a delicious fish dish for me as I don’t eat beef – it was absolutely divine.
Another highlight that evening was listening to soulful, passionate melodies sung by a talented young man named Shane. Margie discovered him quite by chance while in Hermanus one day and has since taken him under her wing and shares his wonderful talent with others.
OUT AND ABOUT IN STELLENBOSCH
Bites & Sites Tour
Saturday saw our media group exploring the sights and sounds of Stellenbosch with a highly entertaining and insightful walking tour with Hanli Fourie of Bites & Sites Cultural Food Tours. Sharing little anecdotes with us as we strolled past historic buildings and museums, each with their own intriguing stories, I was struck by the European feel of this cosmopolitan town. With plenty of street art, boutique stores, art galleries, restaurants, bars, museums and more, there is so much to explore and discover.
Prepare to be transported back in time with Hanli’s enthralling tales of how the town of Stellenbosch came to be.
Are we at a taverna in Greece somewhere?
Outdoor galleries – Found on many street corners around Stellenbosch, street art comes in all shapes, sizes and genres.
Foodie and wine lovers are in for loads of culinary treats such as fine chocolate and wine pairings at Brampton Wines, stopping at Eikeboom Slagtery (Butchery) for biltong and dry wors at the oldest surviving traditional butchery in Stellies and tucking into delicious cheese and charcuterie lunch platters at Boschendal at Oude Bank. Tours are offered in English, Afrikaans, French and German. Whether you are visiting the town for the first time or as a repeat visitor, I can highly recommend a walking tour with Bites & Sites Cultural Food Tours. Be sure to book well in advance!
Moederkerk means Mother Church in Afrikaans. This one is the Dutch Reformed Church in Drostdy Street.
Stellenbosch Art Foundry
Want to discover your inner artist? Well, now you can at the Stellenbosch Art Foundry. A recent addition to the well-established Stellenbosch Art Route, the foundry is located beside the Stellenbosch 360 Visitor Information Centre (36 and 36A Mark Street) and was launched in May 2018 in collaboration with local sculptor and entrepreneur Jacques Buys and his son Lee. Jacques’ apprenticeship at the hands of world-renowned sculptor, Dylan Lewis, culminated in establishing the Stellenbosch Art Foundry together with his 19-year old son Lee.
My creative flair seemed to have deserted me that day, but it was fun to mould and shape the clay into anything we wished. And it was very therapeutic! My creation turned out to be a rather scary-looking sunfish with piranha-like teeth! A live demonstration followed, showing how wax sculptures are turned into bronze; a truly fascinating process.
The Foundry offers various options including an Introduction to Sculpting, Foundry Demo Casting as well as Corporate Team-building. A wonderful new gem to explore in the heart of Stellenbosch!
DINE WITH THE LOCALS IN KAYAMANDI
This was to be my second Dine-with-the-Locals experience, but a first for many in our group. Extremely popular amongst international tourists, this unique foodie experience in Kayamandi reveals the rich and cultural diversity of Stellenbosch’s communities.
Serving Traditional African or Cape Malay cuisine with superb Cape wines in the company of locals, along with cultural dancing, singing and rich storytelling by Nocawe Piedt, hostess and entrepreneur extraordinaire, this heart-warming experience to “break bread” with the local community will remain with you long after your return home. Together with her mother, she shares this unique platform with local crafters, who display their handcrafted creations during the Dine-with-the-Locals experience.
Warmly welcomed by Nocawe and energetic youngsters performing cultural dances, we feasted on delicious home-cooked traditional African food complemented by excellent Cape wines. Nocawe has a knack for vibrant and humorous storytelling and took us on an enchanting journey, telling us about her life, her family and various Xhosa customs and traditions. Thandie, who has the voice of an angel, had us under her spell with her touching renditions of harmonious African songs. What a magical and memorable evening.
Nocawe, Kobus and Thandie sharing a laugh together.
Time flies when you are having fun! The following morning, we gathered together for a sumptuous breakfast at the guesthouse. Our incredible weekend was everything and more than I could have imagined. We experienced warm and gracious hospitality thanks to Kobus, Margie and her fantastic team, stayed in luxurious and modern accommodation, dined on delicious, decadent cuisine and sipped on award-winning wines while enjoying unique cultural activities.
Stellenbosch is a town that is in vogue during any season and there are a million reasons why a visit to this winelands gems is a great idea. What is your reason? You only need one. So go on; treat yourself to a stay at the Life&Leisure Boutique Guesthouse or the Premier Self-Catering Apartments and experience the ‘Life&Leisure magic’!
For more information on planning your visit to the town of Stellenbosch and its winelands, see Stellenbosch.Travel
Check out my YouTube video of our stunning Stellenbosch weekend! 🙂
Yours in Travel, Wine and Food
xoxo
Please note – This is a sponsored post. I was invited by Kobus Smit of Hatch Communications to attend a media weekend in Stellenbosch for review purposes. All views are my own and based on personal experiences. Images are my own unless otherwise indicated.
