A day in the life of.. a typical Cape Townian

Hello World! I am excited to Break Out my first international collab with Lauren from Diary of a Spanglish girl, where we will be exploring the differences between Cape Town , Alicante, Spain and London, UK. Dont forget to check out her blog here.

Sunday 11th November 2018

Sunday’s are usually sleep in days so my day only started at about 11:00 am. Not only is it Sunday funday but in Cape Town we can not start our Sunday morning rituals without a *Koe’sister & a good cup of coffee.

* A Koe’sister is a Cape Malay  spicy dumpling with a cake-like texture, finished off with a sprinkling of coconut.*

Sunday Drives & Koesisters always go together *Lagoon Beach, Milnerton*

After two koe’sisters, a cup of coffee and another  hour of lazing in bed catching up on vlogs we realise how late we are for our Sunday lunch with the in-laws.  Today we were only an hour late, all things considered we are not doing half bad.

One of the best places in Cape Town to get authentic koesisters *Bo-Kaap*

Lunch is done at 3:00 pm and after all the catching up before we head home we decide to take a Sunday drive.  Sunday drives are a must when the weather is beautiful in Cape Town, everyone ends up at the beach, a market or a wine estate and it usually includes dessert or ice cream.

The weather is 27°C /80.6 °F  & we are technically in the last month of spring but these past few days have given us a preview of how hot our summer is going to be.

Beautiful views of Table mountain at Lagoon Beach

We arrive at the beach a few minutes before sunset which is around 7:24 pm and spend about 30 minutes there before heading home to start our Sunday eve routine. Our routine includes getting lunches ready for the next day, deciding what to wear, doing a mask, editing pics for the blog and again catching up on vlogs.

Sunday’s are content days

Arniston, Western Cape

Muizenburg Beach

 

And that’s a wrap folks. Its not often that I get to spend the entire day just taking care of my body, sleeping as late as I want, spending hours catching up with people I haven’t seen in months or just enjoying the beauty of Cape Town. Life is busy so when I get a chance to enjoy the simple things in life, you know I am going to grab it with both hands. I live for these lazy summer days. As always thank you for reading xx

WSWB: Women in Business Cuppa for CANSA networking event #4

Hello World. It’s time to Break out my fourth Women in Business Cuppa for CANSA post. If you are interested in reading about the others please click here, here and here to see how these events have grown!

We partnered with the PepperClub Hotel & Spa for this event . A five star luxury brand and it was evident from the moment we walked in. The staff took care of everything from set up, technical issues to break down. I knew who was assigned to the event when shifts changed, I was visited by the banqueting manager to see if I was happy with everything and because of all of this I was two hours ahead of schedule and could enjoy lunch before the event started, a luxury I have never had before.

PepperClub Spa & Hotel welcomes our guests

Women Supporting Women in Business (WSWB) is a feature on the blog which inspired me to pilot The Women in Business Cuppa for CANSA event for The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). The feature highlights powerhouses who are doing amazing things in their field and I wanted to connect these women & start conversations in real life.

Treats whipped up by The Cape Town Hotel School, Clover & Pepperclub Hotel & Spa

Putting together this type of event is exhausting and would not be possible without our partners. Our second collab was with The Cape Town Hotel School who I am lucky enough to have worked with twice now. They were responsible for our cupcakes, with my only brief being “PINK”!

Loren, Fadwa & Lynne.

Another crucial collab is our speakers. Our panel of speakers for this event was resident life coach,Lynne Kock owner of Evolution Incorporated Coaching & Consulting and Loren Lee Langenhoven, personal stylist & owner of StylebyLoren.

Loren Lee Langenhoven

And then to the thing that people love receiving the most at this event  but the thing that  gives me the most grey hairs. The goody bag. Getting goodies to fill this amaaazing bag is usually a nightmare. But my trusty sponsors Cosmopolitan, Woolworths, Benefit Cosmetics SA , Prestige, Reydiant Natural Skincare ,The Bees Knees, Cape Town Comedy Club and The Herb & Spice Factory Shop always send over the most beautiful goodies to give away.

Recently I have also introduced an intimate shopping experience for attendees which gives business owners an opportunity to exhibit their wares and brand at the event.

Stacey -Jane from African Secrets

As proud as I am of this event, what I enjoy most is that it has turned us all into a sisterhood, a #squad not afraid to listen or ask for help from a group of amazing ladies & know that help will be given but so will heart, soul and passion. As always thank you for reading & for supporting this event xx

Birthday Month *Giveaway*

Hello World. Its been a hot minute but I’m back with a special treat.  It’s my birthday month and to celebrate I am hosting a giveaway.

This giveaway is valued at over R4500.00 and includes:

1. Dermactin Stretch Mark Complex

2. Dermactin Forehead Refiner

3. Dermactin Eye Renewal Eye Cream

4. Dermactin Eye Puffiness Reducer

5. Reydiant Facial Oil for Sensitive Skin

6.Reydiant Primer Oil

7.Reydiant Anti Ageing Facial Serum

8.Reydiant Clay Face Mask

9.imPress Press On Manicure x2

10.Catrice Absolute Rose Eyeshadow Palette

11.Catrice Noir Lacquer & Catrice Luxury Nudes

12.Catrice Luminous Lips in ” Into the Maroon Lagoon” & “Whats AP-ricot?”.

13.Catrice Ultimate Stay in 170 “Beauty in Every Pink”.

14. Catrice Smokey Matt Powder Liner

15.Wet n Wild Coloricon in Brass

16.White Glo Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste

17. Inuka Modern Me Hair & Body Perfume

18. Inuka Calming Oil

19. Inuka Skin Clearing Oil

20. Inuka Liquid Lipstick ML10

21.Dare Matt Lip Gloss in 007

22. Shea Moisture African Black Soap Facial Wash & Scrub

23.Shea Moisture Daily Hydrating Leave in Treatment

24.Black Opal Blush Brush

25.Kiss Blooming lashes

To enter you have too:

1.Follow my blog & Instagram @fadwawc for a bonus entry.

2.Follow @beautyswop 

3.Follow @reydiant_natural_products

4.Follow @inuka_fragrance

5.Keep your fingers crossed. Good luck!

Thank you to Beauty Swop or Sale, Reydiant Natural Products and Inuka Fragrance for sponsoring this give-away.

T&C’s:Competition closes 09 October 2018 at 00:00.Winners will be announced on 10 October, 2018. This giveaway is only open to South African residents.

OOTD:How to dress for your body type!

Hello World. 💛 Today I wanted to share my latest OOTD ( Outfit of the day ) with you.

What’s better than a sale ? Getting your favourite brand in this case David Jones on 65% less that’s what. Thanks Woolworths, we love your 50% & up sales.

I picked up this grey turtle neck knit dress for just R240. 00. Whaaaat! I have been eyeing it online for a while and was pleased as punch when I managed to pick it up in store.

This dress is the perfect transition piece as I can see myself wearing it well into spring because it’s such a lightweight knit.

Before my body positive journey my wardrobe consisted of pants & jeans and I would never consider wearing a body con dress like this in a million years . Dresses like this that hug every curve. Surely I’ve read enough articles as a teenager on dressing for your body type & which clothes would flatter you most to know better.

Yes I do know better now . I’ve let all those do’s & don’ts take a backseat and use one rule only . If it makes me feel good , I’m wearing it.Feel good fashion is my thing. And that is how to dress for your body type!

Thank you for reading lovelies xx

Monday Must Have’s: Beauty Swop or Sale Make-Up Masterclass!

Hello World. Today I am excited to share some exclusive news. A few weeks ago you would have seen me post about the Beauty Swop or Sale Expo which you can read about here.I am excited to announce that the BSS will host a make up masterclass in September.

The Ultimate Make-UP Masterclass will take place on September 15th 2018 at CA One Table in Claremont, Tickets are  R950.00 per person  & you can pick your ticket up here.

As a make-up enthusiast the Beauty Expo is one of those must attend events on the beauty calendar no matter what. This master class makes my heart so happy because (a) I haven’t attended a decent masterclass in yonks, (b) this is so much more than just a makeup masterclass & (c) the masterclass starts off my birthday celebrations.

Venue

I decided to call Coco the owner of the Beauty Swop or Sale group for the lowdown. As Coco explains the two hour in depth session is such value for money because professionals charge anywhere from R1800.00 for an hour session. The ultimate masterclass is hosted by Kirsty Cochius, the owner of Smudge Makeup Academy. Kirsty has been in the industry for 17 years and is an accredited makeup lecturer. I attended an intermediate class she hosted at the Beauty Expo and this woman is an absolute powerhouse.

Kirsty Cochius

So we have an amazing event, beautiful venue . Did I mention that food & drinks are included?! Yup its included. We have Kirsty who is a makeup genius walking us through step by step application, sharing hacks & tips. And what is a Beauty Swop or Sale event without the mandatory goody bag. If you have been to the Expo you will know that the goody bag value outweighs the price you pay for your ticket so I expect nothing less from Ultimate Make Up Masterclass goody bag.

Ofra Cosmetics blush/bronze combo

Ofra Cosmetics a sponsor of this event, will be treating every attendee to a blush/bronzer format to the value of R550.00. This is only one of the items you can expect in the goody bag, everything else is top-secret believe me I tried.

Thank you for reading beauty Kings & Queens. I hope to see you all there xx

 

WSWB:Women in Business Cuppa for CANSA networking event #3

Hello World . I am so excited to share my third Women supporting Women in Business (WSWB) Cuppa for CANSA event post. I piloted this event for The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) in March & I haven’t looked back. To read more about what this event is about click here.

Our guest speakers & a mandatory pic

Women Supporting Women in Business has been a dream of mine for a few years.I wanted to provide a network of women to support each other & build each other up and I am extremely proud to see my dream come to life.

The event starts with a fire line up.The speakers are powerhouses & leaders in their respective fields each and everyone of them. Our first speaker was Dr Koebraa Peters (Marine Biologist) and co-owner of one of my most loved plus size friendly, modest wear and breast feeding friendly brand, Kalathea Clothing. Dr Peters shared what “Vision in Business” meant to her.

Dr Koebraa Peters

Sue Levy

Next up we had Sue Faith Levy, director of marketing, Pr & Digital at the Radison Red who spoke about socialnomics. Radison Red were the hosts to our second event which you can read all about here.

At this event we were honoured to have our resident life coach Lynne Kock from Evolution Inc talk about vision & living a life of your dreams. Lynne has been pioneering the movement & walking the road with me since the inception but I have never been moved to goosebumps more than when Lynne spoke at this event. I guess that’s what happens when you live a passion filled life.

Our last guest speaker was Letishia Charles owner of Queen Bee Hospitality Marketing. Letishia shared great tips on using social media for business.

Letishia Charles

Lynne Kock

We started and ended the event with an intimate shopping experience and were joined by:

• Benefit Cosmetics
• Kalathea Clothing
• Evolution Inc
• Reydiant Natural Skincare
• Energy Within Me
• African Secret
• Yumis Inc
• Healing Elements
• Veda Therapy
• AMC – Zahida Mohammed
• Raz Couture 

We were also joined by triple threat Ermi Pillay, cancer survivor , singer & a woman in business. Ermi  serenaded us with the smooth Jazz sounds of Norah Jones and Ella Fitzgerald.

We were excited to have Benefit at this event

Make up & Brow Touch ups provided by Benefit Cosmetics

Amienabie Harnekar one of our vendors

 

Our next event takes place on October 6th 2018 at the Pepperclub Hotel & Spa. We are excited to welcome Style by Loren, personal stylist & wardrobe consultant as one of our guest speakers to this event. We will be turning Pepper Club pink for Breast Cancer Awareness month & hope you will join us. As always thank you for reading xxx

Monday Must Have’s: Beauty Swop or Sale Expo 2018

Hello World. Today I am excited to share my experiences at the Beauty Swop or Sale Beauty Expo with you. The Expo took place at the Protea Fire & Ice Hotel in Cape Town last weekend. This was the second Expo hosted in Cape Town and it’s always something I look forward to on the beauty calendar.

As always the goody bag did not disappoint. There are a few items that are not pictured which includes whitening strips for teeth, vouchers, perfume and press on nails.

Platinum Goody-bag

After visiting a few vendors, we rushed off to the Intermediate make up master class hosted by Kirsty Cochuis the owner of Smudge Make-up & Hair Academy. This was one of the highlights for me as I picked up a few tips like not splurging money on expensive setting powders & using baby powder. Kirsty will also be hosting classes at the Johannesburg chapter of the Expo so keep an eye out Jozi babes.

Smudge Hair & Make-up Academy face map

After the make up masterclass we were just in time to see the amateur competition winner announced. I so much wanted to enter but as always I had left everything to late & I couldn’t find the time to create a makeup look before the deadline. The winner Charli X Boi took his inspiration from the cubism and surrealism influence in Paris as the theme was Moulin Rouge.

Charli X Boi, winner of the amateur category *picture taken from Charli X Boi’s page*

After the competition we browsed some more and  picked up some goodies from Pink Cosmetics who also launched their make up range (I received some samples with my purchase) at the expo , Ofra and Curl Chemistry.

Pink Cosmetics goodies

As they say “God is in the details” and the Beauty Swop or Sale team took care of all the details. The wifi code was advertised everywhere, the venue was an amazing upgrade from last year, the registration table was quick, efficient & professional and best of all I had access to all the best vendors in the same room running amazing specials without worrying about courier costs. These little details are the difference between an amazing event and an event that’s “just okurrrrr”.

Wearing the Bondi Beach Ofra liquid lipstick on the top lip(on the left)

Thank you for reading. Did you attend the Beauty Swop or Sale Expo? What were your thoughts?

 

My Yzerfontein Bucketlist!

Hello World. It’s #TravelTuesday and time to break out my second post in my Yzerfontein Travel Diaries series. Yzerfontein is a seaside town , 90km from Cape Town and about an hour plus drive.I love road-trips but without the 4 – 6 hour commitment, so Yzerfontein is my perfect destination.

I’ve selected my  5 must see/do activities on my Yzerfontein bucket list and hope you enjoy it too!

1.Stay at a Beach Villa

On my weekend away I met the beach house of my dreams & now I will never book anything else ever again. You can read more about the beach villa I stayed at here. Accommodation is a deal breaker for me & all I want is modern, comfortable surroundings & a king size bed with crisp white linen. Dune Rose Luxury Beach Villa is all of this but so much more. If you visit Yzerfontein do yourself a favour and visit Dune Rose, you will thank me later.

2. Yzerfontein 16 Mile Beach

When you find yourself in a seaside town, even in winter a walk on the beach, horse ride, meditation or a picnic is called for. Dont be surprised when your path crosses that of an Ostrich though. Yzerfontein’s 16 mile beach is the longest stretch of beach you will find in South Africa and is popular during whale watching season which is usually from September to November.

3. Visit Darling

On our way back to Cape Town we detoured through Darling, a 20 minute drive from Yzerfontein. Popular during September when people flock to the Darling Wildflower show . If you can’t make it to the flower show however, a visit to Evita se Perron is a must. Here you can catch a show and have a good ol traditional South African meal.

4. Visit !Khwa ttu San Culture & Education Centre.

Image taken from !Khwa ttu website

“The !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre is a centre of San culture and heritage that provides tailor-made training for young San women and men of Southern Africa.” There is so much !Khwa ttu offers, from guided tours,  trail walking/running to a San language session. Prices range from R50.00 pp for a bike ride to R195.00 pp for a guided tour. It seems like September is quite a busy month for the Westcoast , so if you happen to find yourself in the area !Khwa ttu will open the first Heritage Centre dedicated to the San on September 24th 2018.

5.Visit a Padstal

Westcoast farm stall- Picture courtesy of  escapemagazine.co.za

No trip is complete without a visit to a Padstal or as its known in english a Farm Stall.  For me it was always just to buy orange marmalade for my mom. You can pick up all kinds of things like koeksisters (a plaited doughnut dipped in syrup), freshly baked bread, honey, gifts and the list goes on. A visit to a padstall feels like home.

And as the saying goes “To travel is too live”. What destinations do you live for? As always thank you for reading, with all my love, F x

Monday Must Have’s: Sephora Collection Face Masks

Hello World. After a jam-packed weekend, its time to Break Out a Monday Must have post. Today I am reviewing the Sephora sheet masks, that I have tried over a period of four weeks. These masks retail for 6USD each.

The first mask I tried was the Sephora Grape Face Mask, specifically aimed at protecting and acting as a shield against urban pollution to maintain skin’s natural radiance. On the website these masks are described as ” A next-generation Sephora Collection face mask in a new bio-fiber to perfectly hug facial contours for more effective results.”These masks are paraben free, sulfate free, phthalate free and cruelty free.

The white sheets are soaked in serum and has a film that needs to be removed before placing it on your face. My first impression was that the smell was not overpowering, this is a big deal for me as my sinus would’ve acted up and my review would end there and then.I thought it would be grape scented but had a subtle rose scent which I loved. The mask was soothing, the serum absorbed easily and after 15 minutes I massaged whatever was left over into my skin. My skin felt refreshed with this mask & I would definitely try it again.

The next one I tried was the Sephora Litchi Face Mask. This ultra moisturising & brightening mask was what I needed most, as I have extremely dry skin. Once again the smell was rose scented, so that was a plus. It did what it claimed to do , it moisturised my skin which felt plump afterward and brightened it up. I used this before I did my make- up and I could see a difference.

The next one I was excited to try because I am obsessed with pomegranate was the Sephora Pomegranate Face Mask. This face mask is used to combat fatigue & energize your skin. When I applied this I had a bad reaction around my mouth and nose area which also caused a bit of swelling especially around my top lip area. I’m not sure which ingredient it was that caused the allergic reaction, however I will say this, I do have extremely sensitive skin so this might work perfectly well for you.

The last mask I tried was the Pineapple face mask. This actually smelled like pineapples and what do I love more than pomegranate, PINEAPPLES obviously. This mask aims to perfect & smooth your pores. Once again I used this before I did my make up and that together with my primer had me asking what pores. This mask was a hit & probably my favourite.

As far as the price is concerned I’m not sure if this is the most cost-effective mask but I would purchase these masks again in a heartbeat. If you are lucky enough to have a Sephora in your city or you order online there is currently a “buy 3 get 1 free deal“. As always thank you for reading. Please let me know how you found these masks. With all my love F xx

 

Yzerfontein Travel Diiaries: Dune Rose Luxury Beach Villa

Hello World. It’s only fitting that I Break Out a travel post on this#TravelTuesday don’t you think ?

The past weekend I went exploring on the West Coast , Yzerfontein to be exact. An hours drive from Cape Town, Yzerfontein is charming fishing village that will cast its spell without you noticing.

The beach is 2 meters from the house

 

Our residence for the duration of our trip  was Dune Rose Luxury Beach Villa or as I refer to it  “the beach house of my dreams”.

With  4 bedrooms, 3 double rooms with en-suite bathrooms and 1 room with 2 single beds this is the perfect place for friends & family to enjoy some peace & quiet without having to worry about getting in each other’s way.

 

*Pictures courtesy of Dune Rose*

*Pictures courtesy of Dune Rose*

After having checked in and exploring a bit I couldn’t help but feel relaxed, I guess having the ocean on your patio will do that to you. As  we were about to experience another cold front , the built-in wood fireplace in the dining room came in handy for a cosy breakfast and for roasting marshmallows.

 

Breakfast Time

Our main bedroom with a gas fireplace and a private balcony was a sanctuary I wish I could hide in forever. Is there a better way to wake up than with waves crashing on the shore? I think not.

The shower (not pictured) is a walk in double shower once again with a view of the ocean. This place screams tranquility & if you struggled to switch off before,Dune Rose will force you into a place of repose.

*Picture courtesy of Dune Rose*

 Being a tourist in our own city/country can be as much fun as when you board a plane for 19 hours (not much fun tbh). Travel is my one great adventure. What is yours? As always thank you for reading, with all my love, F x