Lifestyle - Inspired Living SA

Cape Town Lifestyle, Eating Out, Food, Lifestyle, Wine Farms

The Klink Awards

Calling all foodies, wine lovers, outdoor adventurers and wine farm fans! Show your love for South Africa’s winelands by voting for your favourite nominee in the country’s first ever, consumer-driven, interactive wine tourism award – the KLINK Awards.

Klink Awards

The KLINK Awards have been launched by Wine Tourism South Africa, publishers of the Wine Tourism Handbook, with the objective of inspiring South Africans to explore and enjoy the experiences offered by the country’s winelands.

Hailed as the ‘Idols’ competition of wine tourism, a panel of industry-related professionals have nominated the top five finalists in each of the KLINK Awards’ fourteen categories. Now it’s up to you to go to the Wine Tourism South Africa website , Facebook or Twitter pages, see which top wineland spots are amongst the nominees and vote. What’s more, those who vote will stand the chance of winning special prizes such as wines, weekends away and restaurant vouchers.

From the 27^th of August to the 24^th of October you will get the chance to choose who will be crowned champion in not-so-typical categories such as:

The ‘Wild Card’ Award for Most Unusual Attraction on a Wine Route;
The ‘Family Day Out’ Award for Best Child-Friendly Venue on a Wine Farm;
The ‘Tread Gently’ Award for Most Green Wine Farm;
The ‘Delicious Deli’ Award for Best Deli on a Wine Farm;
The ‘Beyond Expectations’ Award for Great Food and Excellent Value;
And the ‘Country Comfort’ Award for Boutique Accommodation on a Wine Estate

The full list of categories is available on the website and the winners in each will be announced on the 25th of October.

Please leave a comment below this post with your details and who you are voting for and you could stand a chance of winning 1 of 5 copies of the Wine Tourism Handbook!

To help you vote here are a few of my favourites{Click on the link or button to vote}:

Vote for Gorgeous Bubbly and Canapes

Vote for Spier

Vote for Haute Cabrière

Vote for Fairview

The awards are about celebrating not just the wine made in these regions but also the way in which it is made, the people who make it, the restaurants that pair it and the landscape that gives it birth – all based on the experiences of the consumers themselves. This is a unique concept in that it is a competition for the people by the people,” concludes KLINK Awards and Wine Tourism South Africa Founder, Monika Elias.

Book Reviews, Books, Children, Family, Parenting, Reviews and Features

Reflections in Motion

We all understand the importance of treasured memories, especially those of us who have lost loved ones. Photography has always been my way of preserving precious memories and I love looking back at my photos to see how my girls have grown. Another way to preserve these memories is through journaling, something I wish my mom had done for me.

I thought I would share these wonderful journals with you, brought to South African by Martine Donachie, the founder of Reflections in Motion.

Having lost her father to Chronic Kidney Disease in 2009, Martine was inspired to change her life, find a way to add more meaning to it and somehow, honour the memory of her late father. After achieving a Certificate in Coaching Practice, Martine founded her own coaching business, Reflections in Motion, which focused on life and business coaching, making use of journaling to reflect on one’s life journey.

In 2011, Martine was introduced to the “From You to Me” concept. Having a clear understanding of journaling and experiencing the loss of a parent, Martine immediately recognised the synergies between these two concepts… and the rest is history.

From You to Me was founded in the UK by Neil Coxon, and is now brought to South Africa by Reflections in Motion.

Bump to Birthday is a pregnancy and first year journal, allowing you to record your pregnancy, birth and “firsts” in great detail, in a gorgeous hard cover journal. There are lovely framed areas to put your ultrasound pics or photographs of yourself, as your “bump” grows. What a wonderful way to record this amazing time in your life and then show your child once they are old enough to understand!

Our Story – For My Daughter is a wonderful way for you as a mom or dad to record all the amazing things that happen in your precious daughters life. From her first year, you can record all life’s little adventures, where she went to school, what her favourite food was, things that you may not remember when she is older. You also have place to stick photos and make notes about her likes and dislikes. Oh and not to forget the pretty pink and red illustrations!

Our Story – For My Son is identical to the journal for my daughter but you guessed it – it’s blue!

With these journals there is no excuse for not remembering all the important milestones in your child life: when they took their first step, when they said their first word or for that matter what it was. It is something wonderful that you can do for your son or daughter and then present it to them when they are all grown-up!

Reflections in Motion hard cover journals are perfect to give as gifts; they are so pretty, beautifully illustrated and anyone would be delighted to receive one! If you would like to find out more about these and the other journals that Reflections in Motion sell, click over to their website here.

Disclaimer: These journals were provided to Super Mom Blog by Reflections in Motion for review purposes.

Books, Competitions, Entertainment, Lifestyle

Win a copy of The Witness by Nora Roberts

Win a copy of the thrilling novel The Witness by Nora Roberts, valued at R245. If you would like to find out more about the book, you can read my review here.

All you need to do to win a copy of The Witness by Nora Roberts is:~

Like Super Mom Blog’s Facebook Page.
Like Penguin Book’s Facebook Page.
Once you have completed all of the above steps leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have done so .
Please tweet about this fab giveaway to let you friends know – Win with @PenguinBooksSA and @supermomsablog ! Or post about it on Facebook!

Competition Details and Disclaimer:

The Nora Roberts Book Giveaway will run from 31st August 2012, until the 10th September 2012. The winner will then be randomly selected and announced on Super Mom Blog. The winner will also be notified via email that they have won.
The winner will receive a soft cover copy of The Witness, by Nora Roberts valued at R245.
Please leave a comment on this blog, below the post, stating that you have completed the above; along with your details in the comment section below this post (please include your email address). If you do not complete this step your entry will not be valid.
Conditions of entry: Anyone may enter this giveaway but please advised that prize will only be shipped within South Africa. The prize may not be exchanged for cash.
Any person/s who have won a competition on Super Mom Blog in the last 3 months are not eligible for entry.

Sponsored by Penguin Books SA

Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, Reviews and Features

The Witness by Nora Roberts

As I may have mentioned previously, I love to read novels filled with as much suspense and drama as possible. Then you can imagine how super excited I was when I was sent a copy of The Witness by Nora Roberts, to review. I have read quite a few of her other books but this is by far my favourite.

The book begins with a young sheltered teenager, Elizabeth Fitch being driven to rebellion, brought about because of her over-protective and controlling mother. Elizabeth has been forced to live her life the way her mother deems fit, with the result she has grown up never knowing the freedom of actually being a “child”. Against the wishes of her mother, Elizabeth steps eagerly into the unknown world of being a “teenager”, into a life of excitement and independence or so she thinks. Her unusually high IQ and ability to forge ID documents, lands her and a friend in an unfamiliar and rather dangerous territory – a world of night clubbing, underage drinking and seductive older men! Unfortunately in her quest for freedom Elizabeth is witness to an event that will change her life forever!

Twelve years later a rather mysterious woman called Abigail Lowery, who lives an isolated and rather reclusive existence, in a small town in the Ozarks, becomes the subject of interest of the towns Police Chief, Brooks Gleason. As a freelance programmer, Abigail designs sophisticated security systems. With both her in-depth security knowledge and her ability to handle a firearm, she has always been able to protect herself. She has up until now been able to keep her past hidden from the local town’s folk but worries that Chief Gleason’s investigations will expose her true identity and once again place her in harm’s way!

What neither Abigail or Brooks count on is the emotional connection that they make. Will this be the undoing of all that Abigail has achieved?

With a quirky, unforgettable heroine and a pulse-pounding plotline, Nora Roberts presents a riveting new read that cements her place as today’s most reliably entertaining thriller author – and will leave people hungering for more.” – Penguin Group

I really enjoyed reading The Witness just the correct amount of suspense and drama! I would highly recommend you give it a read!

{Published by Piatkus Books, RRP R245.00 available at all good book stores}

Source: Penguin Books

Disclaimer: The Witness provided by Penguin Books for review purposes

Kitchen Gadgets & Appliances, Lifestyle

Tips for Picking the Right Dishwasher

Dishwashers can make life so much more convenient. But with so many different models to choose from, making sure you pick the right one for your kitchen can be a difficult job. Follow these tips to ensure that you choose one that perfectly suits your needs.

Size matters

When picking a dishwasher, the most important thing is to make sure that it’s the right size. Take careful measurements of the space you have available to make sure that you don’t end up with one that’s too big or small. If you’re getting a new kitchen fitted and you want to create a streamlined look, opt for a model that’s built into your units. If you’ve only got a small space, a slimline or countertop dishwasher could be an option, bearing in mind that you’ll have less space to prepare food.

Ease of use

If you’ve got a large family, you’ll probably wash at least one load in your dishwasher every day. As a result, it’s important to ensure that the model you choose is convenient to use and has all the necessary components – think a place for cutlery and adequate storage for crockery. You can choose a dishwasher with removable drawers too, so it’s easy to wash larger items.

Economy pays

All new dishwashers, such as the Littlewoods Indesit dishwasher, come with an energy rating. If you want yours to be as cheap to run as possible, choose a model with a low energy rating. The cost of running a dishwasher every day can quickly add up, so choosing one that’s more economical can save you a lot of money in the long run. Once your dishwasher is installed, always use the economy setting. It’s just as effective as a more powerful setting, but will cost you considerably less.

Suit your style

Once you purchase a dishwasher, you expect to keep it for a good few years, so make sure that you like the way it looks. If you don’t want your white goods to look out-of-place in your kitchen, the solution is simple – don’t choose white. These days, there are lots of different dishwashers available in a variety of colours. Pick one that matches your kitchen units or the rest of your décor to avoid that stark white look.

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post