Stellenbosch – Good For The Soul (You Should Go)

Stellenbosch you have my heart.

I feel like I left some of it there after our visit the other day.  Which is a good thing, because now I have a reason to go back and fetch it.  Oh the dreams I have of owning our own little wine farm there.  Sitting on the stoep overlooking the vineyards, cupping a hot mug of freshly brewed coffee in my hands while the kids play cricket in the front garden…  It probably can’t get more awesome than that.

We arrived late on the Friday night and checked into our room at Alluvia Wine Farm.  We were very, very blessed to have won this accommodation for a weekend away on the A Gorgeous Life Blog.  Our tummies were rumbling so we didn’t even unpack before venturing back over the mountain and into the Town.

After driving around for a bit, we found a trendy looking hot spot and parked (I am married to a hipster after all).  For the life of me I can’t remember the names of the restaurants, but the food was yummy!  The most important thing to note, was that it was 9.30 and we were still out!  That’s right kids, when we don’t need to be responsible, we still totally are.  We went back to the room by 10.30, had a hot bath and got lots of rest for our touristy adventures the next day. *wink wink*

I think that we were supposed to be booked into the Honeymoon Suite but stayed in Oakleaf 2.  Which wasn’t what we expected, but the view in the morning made up for it.  We sat on the balcony with our hot coffee, eating a complimentary continental breakfast overlooking this gorgeous view.  Playing out snippets of my dreams.

 

 

We went for a little walk and met Shaun the Sheep and Seth went for a morning row out on the water.  As one does on holiday.

I couldn’t wait to go out and explore the Town.  Seth suggested that we visit the Slow Food Market first which I gladly agreed to.  So many options of yummy things to eat – organic chocolate, wheat free/hormone free/everything free meat, so many baked goodies and fresh produce as well as good coffee and clothing, trinkets and lots of jewellery.  We had a cup of coffee, but decided to reserve lunch for something that we could find in Town.

We wondered around and around the shops, popping in and our to see everything that was available when we decided that we couldn’t not stop at Schoon Decompanje.  Basically we entered and were instantly transported to hipster heaven.  Artisan breads, grassfed meats and organic everything.  The coffee was perfect and the food is still making me drool!

It was here that I decided to take out my phone and check what we were missing at home.  I saw a tweet from Nikki and Nicholas (one of my favourite Mommy Bloggers) to say that we were featured in a magazine.  As in my blog baby, 3 Kids, 2 Dogs and 1 Old House was named in an actual Mommy Blogger article as an “A-Lister”.  You guys.  I am still in shock and awe at this.  Seth was laughing at how I couldn’t get the stupid grin off my face!  The ladies that I was listed with just completely blew my mind.  Obviously we found the closest shop and purchased our own copy of Living and Loving (July edition).

I’ll sign yours if you want.  Just kidding.  Or am I?

Anyway, we hopped back in the car, convinced that we had seen all that we could see when we stopped at a second hand furniture store.  We parked a fair distance away and visited all the shops on the path, which included a stop at *insert seriously Afrikaans name here*.  Therein we experienced our second time travel of the day, to the land in which white and coloured people could not be married, so we kept checking our backs in fear of being lynched.  By the time we got to the furniture place, it was closed.

So we made our way towards a cake shop and just before we got there, there was an alley way that lead down to the sweetest little courtyard.  Obviously we had to stop for gluten free chocolate chip cake and Truth coffee.  Obviously.

It was time to give our tummies (and wallets) a break and so we headed back to the farm.  We tried to do wine tasting, but there wasn’t a soul in sight, so we took a nap instead.  I haven’t napped in the day for so long my body was like, “Hey, what are you doing lying down – the sun is still up! Oh no wait this feels good.  But you can’t, you need to do something…  But no don’t, this is so goood…”

We woke up to an alarm that ensured that we made it on time to Tokara for supper.  Which was so amazing that it deserves its very own post.  Yes, that’s right – it was that amazing!

Actually it was so amazing that we decided to double up on breakfast, after finishing our continental and saying goodbye to Alluvia, we visited the Tokara Delicatessen for my favourite kind of breakfast, read bacon.  Not a mistake!  It was so awesome there and the kids would have loved the jungle gym, although I must say that I was glad to be able to relax and enjoy my meal without having to watch them on it.

But all fantastic things have to come to an end eventually and we couldn’t wait to get back to our babies!  When we saw them again they looked like totally different people, so grown up and gorgeous.  And that is the beauty of stealing some time away with your man – you get to bond together which is so very necessary, but also to come back and remember not to take your littles for granted.

I can’t wait to take our kids on holiday here one day – they would LOVE it!