Splendid Decor – Splendid Experiences

2021-12-04

‘A Perfect Stay’– Royal Malewane

‘A perfect stay‘ simply describe our bush weekend stay at Royal Malewane Safari Lodge which is situated within the greater Kruger National park in the Thornybush Nature Reserve – the lodge redefines the concept of solitude.

“You ‘ll know the people that feed your soul…because you ‘ll feel good after spending time with them.”

I spent the weekend with the ‘aunty’ crew, the most amazing group of ladies – we laughed, we ate, we danced, they sang ballads till early hours of the morning. Not even a major storm that caused a black-out, could deter them from staying up late and having a jovial time.

Our itinerary was well put together by our hostess with the mostess, she’s a stickler for detail. We received information on what was planned for the weekend, what to pack and the weather forecast.

Our Itinerary: –

Friday

Depart Joburg for Hoedspruit Limpopo
Lunch at the Lodge
Afternoon Game Drive
Pajama Dinner Party

Saturday

Early morning game drive
Brunch
SPA
All White Dinner

Sunday

Morning at leisure
Brunch
Depart Hoedspruit for Joburg

The Accommodation

Our home for the weekend was nothing but exceptional. The decor – classic safari style, furnished with rich antiques, african art paintings, cozy couches and persian rugs.

There were some questionable décor pieces but overall, beautifully curated and love the brave use of colours.

The rooms are uniquely decorated, the bathrooms are elegant, with inside and outdoor showers and Victorian-style bathtubs. The personalised welcome on the bathroom floor was super cool.

The lodge is surrounded by wilderness, with an outside pool that overlooks the bush where animals roam freely.

Royal Malewane has two accommodation options:-

Main Lodge which has six Luxury Suites, two Royal Suites (which each have two bedrooms), and Africa House, the six bedroom villa.
The Farmstead has three Luxury Farm Suites, and The Farmhouse – a three and a half bedroom private villa.

The property can accommodate up to 32 guests. Africa House and the Farmstead guests have the exclusivity of having a full team on site (Chef, butler, housekeeper, ranger and tracker) which works well as these villas are seperate from the main lodge.

The Game Drive – ‘Unique Encounters’

Game viewing at Royal Malewane is tailored to the individual needs of the guests. Like most people going on safari spotting the Big 5 animals (lion, leopard, cape buffalo, elephant and black rhino) is a must.

Royal Malewane takes pride in ensuring that ‘the most experience and qualified guiding team in Africa’ accompany guests on their game drives.

On our Friday afternoon game drive, we spotted Mufasa (Lion) and learned that he had just eaten Pumba (Warthog) for breakfast and was struggling with a bad case of itis.

On route to go see the pride of Lions, we spotted a Giraffe, Rhino and an abundance of ‘fast food’, a term used to describe impalas. Our game drive was unfortunately cut short by thunderstorm that was brewing and we did not want to risk being outdoors with the Limpopo lighting.

Our Saturday morning game drive, we spotted buffalos, nyalas, hippos and wild dogs. Unfortunately for us, no leopards were spotted but both game drives were a delight.

The Food – ‘A sensory experience’

A personalized menu set the scene to the type of culinary experience we were in for.

Our lunches were light meals but substantial, with our dinners being extra special – a four or five course meal. A full breakfast buffet with fresh fruits, cereals, pastries and eggs to order.

Our special dietary requirements were catered for by the chef who ensured that we had a sublime dining experience.

Breakfast Setting overlooking the watering hole

The Spa – ‘Complete Harmony’

The spa is a perfect refuge, its peaceful and tranquil. We spent most of Saturday being treated by their in-house therapist. A range of treatments and massages are available.

The Spa includes a fully-equipped gym, a heated lap pool, steam room, hot and cold African baths.

Royal Malewane is a perfect balance of luxury and nature, a perfect setting for a weekend getaway be it with friends or family.

There’s bush weekend getaway and theres Royal Malewane bush weekend getaway, simply exquisite. What a splendid weekend and grateful to have been invited to celebrate the life and friendship.

2020-07-092020-08-22

Fondation Louis Vuitton – Architecture + Art + Food

“I dream of designing a magnificent vessel for Paris that symbolizes France’s profound culture vocation” – Frank Gehry

ARCHITECTURE

Commissioned in 2006 by the LVMH Group as a contemporary art and performance space, The Fondation Loius Vuitton Building is a ‘Masterpiece”. Designed to look like a sailboat, Frank Gehry took his inspiration from the lightness of late 19th-century glass and garden architecture.

The building is constructed from 3600 glass panels that make up the sails, 19000 fibre-reinforced concrete that gives the ‘iceberg’ (wall clad in white Ductal panels) its flawless whiteness. The support structure for the glass sails is made from a network of steel and glue-laminated larch timber beams.

20180513_115527 — The entrance with the enormous shining “LV” brooch.

ART

The museum houses a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art belonging to the Foundation.
Eleven galleries provide 3,850 square meters (41,441 square feet) of exhibition space to house temporary shows and a permanent collection, which include works borrowed from Arnault’s personal collection. There’s also an auditorium that seats 350 – 1000.

PhotoGrid_1594116219035 — *Top Left: From the series The Theater of Disappearance, 2018 by Adrián Villar Rojas*
*Bottom: The Octopus Eats Its Own leg, 2017 by Takashi Murakami*
*Top Right: L’avalanche, 2006 by François Morellet*
*Centre: “a.k.a Gero Tan : Noah’s Ark”, 2016 by Takashi Murakami*
*Bottom Right: Water Cast 6, 2015 by Matthew Barney*

20180513_130859 — *Inside the horizon, 2013 – Olafur Eliasson*

20180513_130703 — *Felix the Cat, 2013 by Mark Leckey*

FOOD

There’s a restaurant on-site Le Frank which is noted for its sophisticated mix of French and international cuisine. The restaurant is overseen by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Louis Nomicos(had to google the guy).

I settled for a starter salad as the main menu had no vegetarian option. A bit of a disappointment if you have to ask me. The highlight was definitely the dessert, it tasted as good as it looked.

20180513_141121 — *Romaine lettuce and lightly smoked corn, pomegranate and avocado starter*

20180513_143816 — *“Avalanche” dessert (My highlight)*

20180513_143857 — *“Avalanche” – intense vanilla velvet, strawberries and pistachio*

A splendid way to end an enlighting afternoon at the museum.

The museum is unfortunately still closed as the world still navigates the Global Pandemic, they are scheduled to open on the 23rd September.

Location:
Fondation Louis Vuitton
8, Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi
Bois de Boulogne
75116 – Paris

2017-08-132017-08-15

60th Event

Love working with clients that make what I love doing so effortless.

She wanted an elegant, simple events. We went with Taupe colour palette and white flowers to bring in the elegance.

20170812_152059_resized — Venue: Summerplace Hyde Park

20170812_164403_resized — Black Carpet – Welcome Drinks

20170812_153758_resized — Flower Entrance – The #details

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Thanks to my supplier for getting the brief right.

Thanks to my team for filling in and running the event.

TS!

2017-07-23

21st Rooftop Event

Yesterday I had the honor of putting together a 21st event for a long time client’s daughter. Initially, the party girl did not want the party, but the family managed to convince her. My brief was to keep it simple, fresh and elegant.

The event was held at a rooftop venue in Bryanston called Urban Yard.

20170722_151941_resized — The venue with furniture

Want to acknowledge my team and suppliers, I’m surrounded by an amazing group of people. Also want to thank the staff at the venue, the caterer and the bar staff for their exceptional service.

Flowers: The floral and function décor company

Technical: Sound Headquarters

Catering: Horn & Phillips

TS!

2015-06-022015-06-02

50th Birthday Lunch

Another event we enjoyed putting together, client likes music so we went with a Black and White colour theme with a touch of Vintage. We brought in some vintage music pieces to enhance the theme.