Oyster, Wine and Food Festival this weekend

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Food lovers listen up! Fresh juicy oysters, fine wine and mouth watering oyster dishes await you at the Oyster, Wine and Food Festival at Brightwater Commons in Johannesburg this weekend. You can also taste a variety of cheeses, olives and confectionery among other taste bud sensations. Sounds like that's where we will be spending our weekend!

Details: Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd of May from 11am

Cost: Free entry, nominal fee for sampling of oyster dishes

For more information click here

Fight that Flu

The entire country has just experienced their first taste of what winter has in store for us. So it's that time of the year when the sniffing and coughing starts in the office and we all need to boost our defense against the dreaded flu.

Here are our top natural tips for staying healthy this winter.

• Build up your immune system with a diet rich in vitamin C (think citrus, kiwi, broccoli, spinach) and start taking that vitamin C supplement today.
• Be aware of lurking germs in the winter months - wash your hands often, wipe down kitchen and office counters frequently, and use those hygienic wipes on your supermarket trolley.
• Get lots of rest and relaxation - chronic stress and sleep deprivation wear down your immunity.
• Act fast when the flue strikes - consider some of these natural remedies.

Stay healthy!

{Source: Info from Whole Living, Photo by Black Eiffel}

Decor News Flash!

I have great news! I am sure I am not the only one who is completely obsessed with Country Road and Trenery clothes, I love the silk, the colours, the knits, the boots, the leather, the bags, the scarves, the stockings, the snoods, the pumps... in other words I love everything! Now for us Joburg'ers there is even more to love: COUNTRY ROAD HOME which opened today within the new stand alone Country Road and Trenery store in Hyde Park shopping centre.

The home store is exactly what you would expect, in a good way. The colours, the classics(or like the creative director likes to say timeless) styles and beautiful fabrics. Interesting textiles are carried through perfectly into the home wear. You name it, they have it: from basic cups and bowls in bright colours, to ultra soft throws and blankets (are just what you need for snuggling, especially in this weather), studded cushions, modern frames, salad serves, vases, bed covers and more.

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WARNING: Do not enter unless you willing to give into temptation.

Trenery and Country Road stand alone stores are now in both Hyde Park shopping center in Gauteng and the V&A Waterfront in the Cape. 

Inspired Finance: Getting started

So let’s get started, the money business is serious and competitive. It is full of noise, news and bad information. Coupled with this rather daunting background are the many ill informed advisors whose sole objective is to strip you of your hard earned savings through poor, and sometimes illegal, advice in order that they can earn a commission.

The first rule of money management is to make sure you are using the best advisors available. Make sure that they have the right qualifications and are registered with the right authorities. If you have the opportunity request that they explain to you, line by line, an example of the monthly or quarterly statement that you will receive. It is my experience that so many of the advisors have little or no knowledge of what they are recommending. Before committing to any investment advice make certain that the advisor explains in detail what the risks are that you will lose money and most importantly how much they will be earning if you sign on the proverbial dotted line. If you are in any doubt drop me a line and I will advise from an impartial point of view.

Happy Freedom Day

Hello inspired readers. We were so excited about a midweek public holiday that we acted like we were on holiday yesterday and didn't get a chance to post! It is cold, wet and grey in Johannesburg. In other words, a prefect day to cuddle up at home with a good book, good food and good company. Enjoy!

Source: Le Love

Oui, s'il vous plait

La Pattiserie des Reves is the bakery of your dreams. Situated on Paris's Left Bank, it is more like a gallery than a food shop as cakes, tarts and brioches are futuritstically displayed for sweet-toothed customers to ogle before choosing.  This is certainly a stop on our Paris map!

Source: Cool Hunting

Happy Earth Day!

There are so many great initiatives out there that make saving the earth that much easier for us mere mortals. We all know we should be recycling, turning lights off, putting blankets on our geysers, etc, etc. but what are you actually doing to play your part in looking after our precious and beautiful earth?

Here are some easy tips and plans to start living a greener life:

• STOP buying bottled water!
• I have noticed that Eskom has bulb exchange points at a number of shopping malls so keep a look out at your mall and swap your bulbs for more energy efficient ones - for free!
• Mondi makes it so easy to recycle paper - just leave your paper in a Ronnie bag ont he pavement on your designated day for collection.
• Pikitup has started a pilot project to encourage residents recycle before their rubbish is collected. Separation at Source has been so successful they'll be rolling out to more suburbs int he near future.
• take your own bags when you go grocery shopping - Woolworths has some chic cloth ones available. Say NO to plastic!
• Don't print unneccessarily at work or home and print double-sided when you really need a hard copy.
• Support Meat Free Monday, a campaign supported by Stella, Paul and Mary McCartney, to raise awareness of the climate-changing impact of meat production and consumption.
• Unplug your electronics from the power when you're not using them.

Fridge magnets

Fridge doors are such a great place for self expression - they are like living art works, constantly changing with reminders, to do lists, save the dates, and little bits of creative inspiration. Here is a snap shot of my fridge door:

The problem is I never I have enough magnets so I end up sticking things up with prestick. Since the magnets are half the fun of the fridge I was pleased to come across this DIY project here:

All you need is magnets, badges (you can find great ones at scrapbooking shops and Big Blue), and some strong glue.

Put a blob of glue at the back of the magnet and secure to the badge.

Voila!

Getting ready for 2010!

I am so excited for the World Cup, less than 2 months away! We have tickets to the Nigeria-Argentina round 1 match in Joburg. I am planning to host at least one soccer-related viewing party during the world cup - such a great excuse to have some friends over and throw a themed party! I am thrilled with my shopping find today in Clicks - these awesome soccer tumblers. Available with a green or blue silhouette with the soccer ball - and they are only R7 each! Get there soon as I am sure they will sell out really quickly!

Quick and easy

Quick and easy. That's what you want to hear early on Monday morning.

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This is a delicious combination:
blue cheese + honey + fresh French loaf = a perfect tasty snack

How low can you go?

{Photo by Simply Hue}

With the World Cup round the corner, travel is a hot topic - will you be here to experience the excitement (I will), have you changed travel plans for 2010 due to exorbitant flight costs (I have), are you looking for cheap flights (I am).

When planning a trip Travelstart is one of my favourite resources on the net - you type in your route and dates and it gives you a range of flight options starting with the cheapest. Although it's worth then checking on the cheapest flight's own website as sometimes it's a bit cheaper to book there.

I love this site as it does the legwork for you - flights are usually one of the biggest trip costs so a saving here means more money to spend when you've reached your destination!

Inspired Fashion: Nothing better than a Breton

If you ask me there is nothing better than a BRETON Tee, use it to layer, on its own, belted or loose, as a dress, dressed up, dressed down, embellished, even over the shoulder, this print is the way to go. I especially love mine during this time of year.

{Images sourced from here, here, here, here and here}

The BRETON top is the essence of CHANEL, as synonymous with the brand as the little black dress. BRETON tops, as the name indicates, originated in Brittany, France. 

{Audrey Tautou in Coco Avant Chanel: source}

Here are a few BRETON style tops now in store:

From left to right:

Cotton Knit, R119,99, Mr Price

Crowl Neck, R199, Twist at Woolworths

Doreen Southwood's interpretations are my favourite, R619, Just*

*Just is a women's clothing store located in the stylish 44 Stanley Avenue complex, Milpark. The store stocks handpicked, contemporary South African designers and one can always pick up a great find in this boutique. 

For those in Cape Town, there are also great styles at MILK on Long Street. 

Inspired home #2: Saint Verde Style

When I first started working in marketing, Neville Trickett came to our office to give a talk on trends. It was so inspiring and beautiful that I can still remember being entraned by his visuals and creativity. So when I came across a tour of his, and his wife Sharon's, home in the Natal Midlands I just had to share it. Self-described as "messy style ... magpies on steroids ... just junk that we like the look of". I love homes with collections that reflect the heart of the owners, and this one certainly does. (And I just love a home with a dog!)

Click here to visit Neville's inspiring blog and here for more information on the house.

Inspired Finance: The ABC of the world of finance

My background is not particularly exciting, but nonetheless I believe I am sufficiently qualified to unravel some of the mystique of the world of finance to help any reader to manage their money more effectively. To fill you in a little more, I am married and have three daughters, which in itself has been a money challenge. Academically I have a financial degree in economics, finance and mathematics. My life in the corporate world included being a stock broker and member of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, an investment analyst, chief investment officer, chief executive of an investment management company and currently a board member of a number of pension funds. Whilst not providing all the answers to the mysteries of the world of money this does give me an insight that I will hopefully be able to pass on to you the reader.

It has been said that the world of money is a jungle and in many ways the comparison is accurate. A jungle, like business, can be dark and forbidding, with pitfalls, dangers and unexpected risks looming at every step. However given the right information and some simple rules it becomes easy to survive, and in fact, a place of excitement and intrigue.

This is not a get rich adventure but rather will develop into a step by step process to assist you the reader into understanding the world of finance and money in order that you may use the tools and information to manage your money affairs better. If you have any money to save or invest you are indeed fortunate and hopefully by following some of the guidelines I will offer you will be able to make the money grow and become meaningful. If you are not able to invest at this stage, by following some of the advice I offer, you will soon be in the wonderful position of making investment decisions.

If you have any specific questions please leave a comment or email me via Inspired Wife and I will address them in future posts. I look forward to receiving them.

Inspired finance

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We are very excited that our first guest blogger is posting today. He will become an Inspired Wife regular, writing a post every two weeks on finance. Not finance in the boring sense - how finance relates to you and to mange your money better. Among other hints and tips. I  for one will listen up! This guy is brilliant but I shall leave the inroductions up to him.

Inspired recipe: Lamb Burgers

Good morning! Hope you had a lovely weekend. The husband and I decided to attempt to make our own hamburgers on Saturday. The result was delicious so I just had to share the recipe.

Lamb burger with tzatziki, roasted red peppers and coriander sprouts

Serves 4

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 25 minutes

4 - 6 red peppers halved

3 T olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

500g lamb sausage

1 free-range egg

1 cup yoghurt

1 cucumber, grated

juice of 1 lemon

4 crusty rolls, halved

a handful of coriander sprouts

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place the peppers on a baking tray, drizzle with 2 T olive oil and scatter over the garlic before seasoning to taste. Roast for 20 minutes or until charred and softened. Remove the meat from the sausage and combine with the egg. Season to taste. Using your hands, mold the mince mixture into 4 patties. Place a pan over medium to high heat and add the remaining olive oil. When hot, fry the patties until nicely browned on the outside and cooked through but succulent inside. Mix together the yogurt, cucumber and lemon juice. Lightly toast the rolls under a hot grill, then ladle a generous spoonful of the tzatziki onto the bottom half of each roll. Top with a lamb patty, charred red pepper and a few coriander sprouts. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Page turners

{Source: Photo by Margolove)

Reading is one of my favourite downtime pastimes - books especially, although I love magazines too. And I am thrilled with the revamp of the Exclusive Books website. It's user-friendly, slick and now includes music, films and books too. Plus you can still earn Fanatics points, and we love loyalty programmes! Online shopping is another blossoming pastime of mine as somehow life just keeps getting busier and you can do it at anytime from anywhere.

I was recently absolutely hooked to the Millenium trilogy by Swedish authour, Stieg Larsson. These are gripping thrillers, that are so clever you'll be hooked from the first page of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, all the way through The Girl who Played with Fire, until the very last page of The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. Although chilling and almost disturbing at times I can't recommend these books enough. Perfect for the cosy winter weather we have coming up - just make sure you have them all as you won't be able to wait to start the next one!

I am currently reading Last Night in Twisted River by the amazing John Irving - an epic story of a father and son's relationship and shared life on the run from some accidental crime. It was recommended to my bookclub by Carla Edgar, the lovely owner of Nice in Parkhurst and I will definitely ask her for future recommendations.

So I hope you have a good book for this weekend. See you Monday!

Just post it

Here at Inspired Wife we love the art of the old fashioned, hand written letter. However, one of our favourite applications which bridges the gap between this century and the last is Paperless Post. This website launched in 2009 by a brother and sister team in New York allows you to customize your invitations on beautiful stationery and then email them to your guests. An added benefit is the guest list management tool which allows you to see who has opened their invite, who has responded, and who is attending. This is a giant leap from other email invite options out there and available from anywhere in the world.

DIY Herb and Tea Labels

I love my kitchen and strive for it to be organised, calm, warm and beautiful. Something like this gorgeous kitchen in a New Hampshire home.

I love the idea of decanting food items into standard jars with matching labels - so pleasing to the eye and looks great in the cupboard or on the counter. These vintage-style labels by Amy Moss from Eat. Drink. Chic. for herbs and teas are gorgeous and while I don't think I'll go to the trouble of aging the paper, I will be using them to create some pretty jars. I will look at the Consol Shop and Mr Price for some glass jars for this project.

Click here to download the templates for the tea labels and the herb labels.

Inspired home #1: Home of the handbags

As our first post on interiors we decided to feature the New York home of iconic handbag designer Kate Spade and her husband Andy Spade. This is a classic apartment and the fact that it will still be so in 30 years time is testament to it's timelessness. Take a look at the way the dsiplay their fabulous art collection, their use of colour and wallpaper and all the pre-war details. Just what you expect from Kate Spade!

Photos by Tina Barney, Jason Frank Rothenberg, Noe DeWitt and Eric Morin via here

What's in season?

We support the movement towards buying fruit and vegetables that are in season locally - it's usually cheaper when in season, being in season locally means fewer food miles and if it's grown and picked when it's supposed to be then the flavour and quality is usually better too, plus you're supporting local farmers and remaining proudly SA. This chart from Natural Nutrition is a useful resource to know what's in season when. In April, I'm looking forward to buying Jerusalem artichokes, Fuji apples, avocados and pomegranates.

I have yet to master cooking artichokes but I will be trying this recipe from Jamie Oliver for sauteed Jerusalam artichokes with garlic and bay leaves, as soon as I spot some in the local greengrocer.

Happy Easter Weekend!

So lovely to have a four day Easter weekend ahead of us, which I've already enjoyed by making a very late start! So just in time for Easter on Sunday here are some of our favourite product finds and ideas this Easter - it's a bumper post as our first on Inspired Wife. 

This is a favourite each year - the classic Lindt Gold Bunny - gorgeous and delicious!

(Variety of sizes available from most supermarkets.)

Another annual favourite - Beacon's white eggs, I just love the yummy white shell and chocolate centre, and everyone has their own way of eating one! Woolworths brought out these great wire egg cups this Easter (they come with a foil covered chocolate egg) - you can use them throughout the year and they're made by a disadvantaged community so even more reason to buy one, or a whole set.

We love printables - easy, creative projects that add a special touch to any occasion. There are so many great people sharing their creativity and imagination on the web and we'll share our favourite finds. Here are some great little touches for Easter.

Baking cupcakes this Easter? Click here for sweet cupcake toppers from Skip to my Lou - these would also make good decorations on ribbon tied around serviettes.

Welcome your guests, or just the Easter bunny, with a cute  Hoppy Easter banner - find it here at The Monogram Monkey.

I love this collection of Easter tags and goodie bag tags - click here to download from Hip Hooray.

And then my favourite Easter recipe find this year from Food & Home Entertaining magazine - the scrumptious looking hot cross buns with nut filling and cinnamon-vanilla syrup. Check it out on page 46 of the April 2010 issue.

Have a wonderful long weekend, and a very Happy Easter!