~Written and edited by Veronica Clark ~

Tuesday 28 February 2012

I've BeenTagged!


Hi everyone.

Welcome back to old friends and a big warm welcome to any new readers, peeps and followers. It is an honour and a great pleasure to have you tag along my lil dot of the universe.

Remember the game tagged that we played as kids?
Well, I have been tagged by Tina from the The Enchanted Home (click to view the post in which she was tagged...so cool to get to know her). She set the questions for the next
eleven bloggers which she tagged. What fun and  I am delighted to have been tagged.


So here goes, Tina's questions and my answers...





1.  Do you have a hobby? Tell me about it, if not tell me a hobby you wish you had!

I have a wide range of interests so...

I am an avid gardener and lie awake at night dreaming up planting combinations!!


Below is a few pics from my garden...

 



I am also trying to get to known my camera better and am developing a strong interest in photography and of course, living in Cape Town, there is a never ending source of inspiration.




Blogging has become a large part of my life and I am looking forward to doing more on my blog about Cape Town.

I love love food and wine and so cooking and visiting wine estates is high on my "to do " list.


And, I also have an insatiable addiction to magazines....sshhh. I have ones dating back to the year dot and they all get filed in seasons  for ease of reference. Any known cure?




2. Whats worse, failing at something or never trying to begin with?
 
Are you ever truly successful if you haven't failed and have had to start over and make it work! Failure is the birthplace of solutions to succeed, so try and try and try again. I love the way singer Cher says..."you can always say... I shouldn't have done that" I think its worse to say I should have done it ... I have always told my kids that its best to take part, you don't always have to win, but as long as you take part and try.






3. Would you rather be a great cook or a great designer?


Oh no! You can't ask me that... I love both...I wanna be both, please... I won't be able to design anything worth while if I don't have something fab to eat and drink..

The Table is Life!!









4. If you could only have two rooms in your house which would they be?


The Kitchen , of course!!!

and....my formal lounge, where I usually sneak away to with a magazine and my cup of tea....




5. Tell me which 2 famous people you would choose to have dinner with (dead or alive)


Desmond Tutu and The Dalai Lama
What a feast for my soul and what a great laugh I will have with those two pals  at the same table!







6. What are four descriptive words that describe you well?


Gosh, this is not easy....um...

compassionate, hospitable,  motherly, humorous...

My son said...just!






7. Best book or two that you read in the last year?

Roots by Alex Hailey... I just had to  re read it again... and The Night Jasmine Man by David Lambkin





8. What do you miss most about being a kid?


Brown paper packages with treats that I got from my gran.







9. If you had a freaky Friday experience and had to trade places with one person for one day, who would it be? Why that person?


Goodness me, there are a few options...ummm.... I would love to be James Bond... not to drink martinis, but to jump out of aeroplanes, drive in ridiculously fast cars, deep sea dive, ski, cruise on a yacht all in the space of a day. Oh and to play with all those amazing gadgets...Best to keep the emergency services on speed dial!!
Perhaps, Christiane Amanpour is a better option, I deeply admire her spunk and would love to throw some tricky questions at a few politicians and watch them squirm!




10. Describe a perfect day for you from morning till evening.....

Stumble out of bed, kettle on, fling open the patio door and greet the birds while I wait for the kettle to boil. Enjoy my first cuppa in my pj's and listen to the birds and have my quiet time.


Take myself and my very large basket off to the Neighbour Goods Market and stock up on fresh tuna, vegetables, cheeses, preserves, bread , wine , etc. Camera in hand to snap the parade of people and food. Stop of at the bookstore and stock up on all the wonderful overseas design magazines ( which are too expensive to buy here :(  )

Home with my bounty...

Lay out a cheese and fruit board for lunch next to the pool.

Place myself firmly in a lounger with my notebook and tags, yes I know it is weird, but that is how I read magazines!!
Camera within reach to shoot the birds if they venture close enough and slowly work my way through all that eye candy.


Long candle lit bath and cocktails at The Grande on Granger Bay...


Dinner will be sushi at Sevruga's in the Waterfront and then some Jazz at The Green Dolphin...

A walk on the beach




Home and my soft possessive duvet.....






11. A place in the world you have never been that you would love to go......



The beautiful city of Prague please. I would be seriously snap happy with my Canon there!





Now for the fun bit... I get to tag 11 other bloggers to pass this onto...

Trinidad, Martin and Johan from Atelier De Campagne
Annie from Plum Siena
Glenda from The Paper Mulberry
Shel from Just Me Shel
Carolyn from Desire Empire
Cathy from Wives with Knives Don't you just love the name !!!?)








Put on the kettle and have a cuppa... whilst you give my questions some thought...




And my new set of questions... have fun!

1. How did you come up with the name of your blog?

2. What City / Town do you live in and if I came to visit where would you take me?

3. Your favourite spot to relax in your home or garden?

4. If you could only plant two types of plants in your garden, what will they be?

5. Your favourite dish to cook and the favourite to eat?

6. What is currently top of your wish list for your home... to buy?

7. If your life was a book, the title would be...

8. The best therapy  is....

9. One place you are longing to visit?

10. Most people would agree that I  ( as in you) am...

11. Most romantic movie you have seen and would like to play the lead in?







Thank you for your company

Live Well

Veronica

xxx


Lets chat below in the comment box...
I am all ears...

All images from my home and garden

Sunday 26 February 2012

Blog It Forward ~ Splenderosa

Good Morning all!!




I am happy to report that I am back and not permanently lost in that wine cellar where you left me on Friday afternoon...


um...elegantly wasted?



I hope you had a great weekend and that you are ready for the next instalment in my Blog it Forward Series, where I introduce you to some of my favourite bloggers and their gorgeous blogs.


This week we are going glam ... not glam in a small way, but G. L. A. M in a big way!!!

Are you ready for...

" Gems of Glamour"

from

The Fabulous Marsha

at

SPLENDEROSA







Marsha and I both feature this image in our respective blog headers and I know one other gal who also adores this image.



Totally luscious...hey ladies?

Lets get started. Just a quick explanation of how it works. I sent Marsha twenty random questions to answer and then I get to play on her blog and select some of my favourite images to include. I had a great time surfing all the older posts on her blog, which seems to be easier than on most other blogs, which meant that I have now got a huge file full of glamour!




Marsha is a talented jewelry designer and I just had to show you a few of my favourites before we get going...



I really enjoy these colours together.

Love love love both!!
My favourites!

 



Okay friends lets hear from the glam girl from Texas...

Twenty Random Questions: Marsha



So stunning!

How do you pamper your soul?
    Oh, in so many little ways. My doggies, Bono & FiFi give me such pleasure. Reading late at night. Walking in our beautiful Memorial Park, which is huge, we have a 3-mile jogging trail there and once you make a commitment to walk, you just do it. Getting my hair done 2x a week

Bono

Name three things on your bucket list that you would like to do or that you have done 
    Have a big beautiful Christmas party, with musicians.
    Be 27 again.
    Move to Sorrento, Italy, where my soul resides.



What a stunning place...would totally visit you there Marsha!! I will buy the olive oil on the way...
Sorrento has such a great vibe.







What is on your bedside table?





    Kindle Fire
Blue/White Lamp
A little cushion my son gave me
A geode my daughter gave me
Framed photographs of people I love



If you were a drink what would you be?
    Champagne, absolutely champagne.



Glamour Glamour Glamour!





 Secret indulgence?
I’m not really secret about things I love.
Could not give up my morning coffee





What a view...I think this is the spot where coffee could become an all day affair...


Favourite décor shop?  
Oh, goodness, I love antique shops all over the world, and art galleries







    Your favourite magazines
      The usual, Vogue, Bazaar, W, T&C, all the shelter mags (really, all of them) & gardening with flowers




      Goddess gorgeous...




      Please tell us which city you live in and then which is your dream destination
        Houston, and I already said Sorrento, Italy...can you imagine anything more opposite?




        Beautifully done mosaic...


        What makes you laugh?
          Jim Carrey, outrageousness, good gossip, movies


            What a wonderful starry sky and the perfect gown...
            I always enjoy these paired images that Marsha does, you will see that I have included quite a few of them.



            Sweet intoxication…what does this phrase evoke in your mind?
              Cartier fragrance “So Pretty”




              Glam and opulent...


              Any hidden talents?
              Actually I can do so many things (or at least I try). Cooking, no one expects me to be able to cook, but I can and I love it.




                Delectable delightful delicious....



                Your signature dish in the kitchen?
                  Grilled Salmon
                   Hmmmm.... I am coming over....
                What does luxury mean to you?
                  Everything. It means everything to me. Even the most simple things can be luxurious if you take the time. Ironed sheets, the ultimate luxury. Beautiful white linens perfectly ironed and tended.







                  If I was to make a movie about you, who should I cast to play you?
                    Carol Lombard, I think, with a little Kate Hudson thrown in.

                    I always enjoy the answers to this question....
                    Glamorous and vivacious combo!




                    I am giving you one day off from all of your daily responsibilities…what will you do?
                      Go to NYC for lunch with my girlfriends.


                      How about lunch here?





                      Summer evenings are for…
                        Getting out of Houston where it’s too hot to stay in town. Colorado, Santa Barbara, Cote d’Azur
                      Your favourite gadget or appliance?
                        My computer, hand’s down !!
                          If there is one post you absolutely have to see, please make it this one!!!
                          Gucci Gucci Gucci
                            What influences your style?
                              Well at this point in my life I have my own style, developed & refined over time. But I always want to be current, so I would say JEWELRY, handbags, shoes. A couple of fabulous black outfits with a collection of different accessories can take you around the world effortlessly.






                              Shoes or handbag?

                                Handbag !! Bottega is my most coveted and desired accessory (but no, I don’t have one).

                                Bit of an unfair question, I Know!



                                Dearest Marsha is always so inclusive and invited me to my very first linky party in blogland and gave me much encouragement and a huge amount of glamorous inspiration. Her blog is always a fab stop over for me.






                                The best part of your day is…
                                  Late evening, when all is peaceful, watching a great movie with my 2 doggies sitting beside me.
                                  A glass of lovely wine, and maybe a cheese stick :)’s


                                  I will join you in that glass of wine...




                                  Please visit Marsha here at Splenderosa and enjoy all the glamour, and don't forget to check out her jewellery collections click here please!


                                   

                                   
                                  Thank you Marsha for being part of my Blog it Forward Series!!


                                  And thank you for the wonderful friendship!







                                  By the way friends, Marsha hosts us once a month in her unique linky party called

                                  "By Invitation Only"

                                  You can visit previous "By Invitation Posts" on my sidebar.

                                  Our next Post is scheduled for the 6th March and each participating blogger will be featuring the city/town that they live in. So please join us for the fun.







                                  Thank you for your company.







                                  Have a great week

                                  Live Well

                                  Veronica

                                  xxx



                                  All images from Splenderosa


                                  Lets chat in the comment box blow...
                                  I'm all ears....