New kids on the block

Germans Liliom and Chrissi Strauch wanted to teach German in a foreign country and had South America or Malysia in mind but landed on the southern tip of Africa.

   They moved into the house on the corner opposite the Verandah three months ago and love the area. 

   Chrissie and Liliom sampling the fruits of the Gamtoos Rvier Valley 

                 

Liliom in this classroom at St Georges Prep

 Chrissi (right) at the Richmond Hill Music Fest 

                               

           Some pieces from Vintage Verandah on loan for two years!

                         
                                         

Sharing a "wild" moment with friends

Choosing an outfit for breakfast with two 70+ friends should be a no-fuss affair, but the sun was shining in PE and the wind was working elsewhere ...
      I opened  my charity cupboards and decided on an outfit that would go off in an "Out of Africa" scene. Last week's purchase at the Cheshire Homes store - a fake leopard jacket - caught my eye and voila!
      I knew I had a trimming that could turn my Wagtails summer hat into a mock pith helmet and in a jiffy a safari ambiance was created. Welfare pearls and a brooch plus golden clip-on earrings finished it off.
      Hospice suede gloves and black Brazilian leather shoes from Bargain Box created such a snazzy look (at least I thought so).

  Veronica and Trish with their wild friend

                                                                                                 
      At The Hedges coffee shop in Walmer, the old age home party turned heads when I arrived. And friends Trish Dwyer and Veronica Bowker had a good laugh. I forgot to mention my tortoiseshell shades - also gleaned from Hospice in Rink Street.
   

    Our waiter enjoyed the wonky customers

       Even Dylan, our waiter, thought the safari package was successful. I believe him. After all he is a graphic design student... 
 

Music fest in Richmond Hill

Anelle Zondagh at the hat stall in Stanley Street

Friends tell me that I am privileged to live in Richmond Hill. And, yes I am fortunate to have seen the Verandah through a tough time when the area was going down.

Thanks to dedicated home owners, businesspeople, the media etc, our area is turning into a magic place (except for criminal activity hitting hard now and then).Saturday was a time when we could display our charm to a wide variety of people when the Alliance Francaise presented/orchestrated! the third Street Music Festival.

The MBDA added a colourful touch with their promo material

Kia donned her Angry Birds beanie

 Sculptor and Sherlock Street resident, Graham Jones

      

  This Raleigh Street cat did not have music on its mind 

                             

 The new Valley Harvest shop in Raleigh Street

  I had a great time meeting people I have not seen for ages, taking in the vibe and listening to young talent on the various stages ...
        Shopkeepers invited traders to use the areas in front of their properties for trading. Stanley Street was crowded, and I once escaped into the Art Galery on the top floor of Millwood House (name?) where this Wine Bar is situated. Never seen such an innovative bar counter ...

   Mix one counter top with a collection of wine boxes ... and viola! 

             Melvill & Moon in Bain Street added up-market safari splendour to the event 

     The stage in front of the Alliance in Mackay Street ...

Visit to Knockfierna

I took up an invitation to visit the library at St George's Prep School this morning. Rose Roth, my ex-NMMU library colleague invited me to call during first break and it was truly a trip down memory lane.

       Marble fireplace in the library where Rose works

    This stately home, built in 1900, was turned into a school in 1935 and Emile spent his grade 5 year at the school before he went to Grey Junior.
    Knockfierna means "house of the fairies" and I first visited the building in its 90th year when we went to enrol Emile.
    When I researched the history of Villa Armgard  (our Verandah as we refer to our house these days), I found a link between the two buildings.  Mr Waldeck, a master builder and first owner of our house, was involved in the construction of some of the buildings that make up the stately property. In old PE Street Directories, Mr Waldeck is said to have built the 'stables at Knockfierna". Mrs Waldeck's first name was Armgard and the Verandah was named after her.


             Junior quad                                          

  The stables Mr Waldeck built serve as junior classroom

1890 cottage gets attention

My Victorian cottage in Sherlock Street, Richmond Hill has been crying for attention for a long time.With Eon in Port Elizabeth for a while, we have proceeded to make plans re energising the interior. Rising damp and some leaking gutters had done a lot of damage over the uears.

.
      While ripping off the vinyl wallpaper, I entertained private memories of renovating the cottage at the beginning of 1985. Heavily pregnant with Kia, I climbed the ladder, dropped the plumbline, glued the uneven walls and hung the paper - all by myself while Arie attended the the stuctural aspects.
      Expecting a little girl made me want to paint or paper every wall pink. After tackling the cottage I came back to the Verandah and painted the exterior pink. The guestroom was decorated with a very fine pink floral print ... and it got matching duvet covers.
     At that stage Eon was about to celbrate his second birthday. He and older brother Emile were in charge of sweeping and carrying at "Ouma se huis" as we still call number 2 Sherlock.
    Now he is managing the renovation project and I am the cleaner.

 Eon seriously busy removing wallpaper applied 27 years ago

    Scraping through the 122 years ofpaint and plaster ...

    This is what needs to be treated and painted. Pink is out!

                                                     

Innovative wallpaper and ... tea!

I am always at home in an environment where a little green thought has slipped into the decor. Specially if it has to do with the  papering of walls with non-traditional coverings like I have done in the Verandah's kitchen nearly two years ago. (with pages from TASTE)
     Recently a group of part-time varsity librarians (ex!) met for tea at Bocadillo's in Walmer. Fortunately I had my camera in my handbag ... and this is what I saw ..
           
    ... music, all the way to the bathroom area ...     

 

... and the tea was served with panache 

                     in a combination cup/teapot ...

                                                                     
                                                                          

With backing from a "Drum" 

                  cushion to add extra comfort ...

      

Bookish lunch at a Victorian cottage

Always great to visit a house older than the Verandah to experience how the owners cope with the pains of an "old lady".  So yesterday I donned raincoat, hat and gloves and left at noon in pouring rain for a quaint Victorian cottage in Harris Street, off Brickmaker's Kloof.
      I felt so at home when Roline and George pointed out the "rivulet" that was running  down from the cliff through the back part of their house into the garden ...   After just having had the damage to our entrance hall fixed after a March storm, I had sympathy with them.

                The secluded back garden ... where

         the rivulet could find its way out of the house

              But you learn to take it in your stride. And anyway, we had to deal with books and food and a lot of catching up on life!

Biffie getting ready for lunch

Christine busy adjusting the "conversation piece" in the lounge 

      The smells emanating from the kitchen lured Ina, Christine, Biffie, Karlien and myself to the dining table.  Did I mention the cosy crackling heat of the fire in the lounge? (At the Verandah we have two very out-of-order fireplaces,,, and a very cold lounge).

          Roline and George have been working away at a new hobby ... 

         and there was much to admire when we looked up  (whilst enjoying mousaka and salad!).

This new colourful addition joined the pots and pans in the kitchen! 

    Kitchen window crafted by the owners 

                                             

The MCCC

                                                               
     As always, Roline's special culinary offerings came from her own kitchen. The dessert was a perfect choice - baked cheese cake with strawberry topping. The recipe for success lies in the mixing. Maria Callas had to sing all the way through the process. Sounds so easy...
      
      Coffee from Masterton's served with cream in delicate German cups ended the lovely meal and we reclined to the lounge to talk about Roald Dahl, Mrs Goudvis, Vikram Seth and all their worthy wordy friends.
     Sometimes  it is hard to decide whether it is a foodie club or a book club. But does it matter?