Sweet Dreams Are Made of This- 10 of Jozi's Yummiest Dessert Spots

I am trying to eat healthier this year. Some days I am successful. Some days less so. Chocolate is my kryptonite and I am fully aware of this. Today I am craving something sweet and delicious. 

So instead of eating the sugary stuff, I have decided to just daydream about my favourite sweet delights in Jozi and inflict my daydream on you. 

So here goes... in no particular order... my list of the yummiest sweet stuff to be found in Johannesburg.

JB'S CORNER- MELROSE ARCH

Yes, there are other branches but this one has an ambiance lacking at the other branches. They are of course, best known for their delicious Lindt brownies (with good reason- they are divine). However, what I love most is their JB's Sundae- ice-cream infused with chocolate brownie, Oreo, caramel popcorn and whipped cream (warning- share this one with someone).

THE PATISSERIE- ROSEBANK

This cute little sidewalk style cafe is dessert  heaven. I was here recently with a friend who remarked on how much it reminded her of her time in Paris. I battled to decide what I wanted as everything looked delicious.Red velvet is something that is done badly way too often (there is nothing worse than a cake that tastes only of food colouring) but I had the red velvet baked cheesecake, which was out of this world. My friend's mille feuille was also exceptional. They are a bit on the pricey side but well worth it.

SLICE- NORTHCLIFF

Formerly known as Jo Bean's Waffle House, this is another sweet treat heaven where you will battle to pick which delectable sweet treat you want. The berry cheesecake waffle was delicious, as was the 'Chocoholics Not So Anonymous'. Their fudge picasso is also the best I have tasted, although the portions of the deserts other than the waffles are a bit skimpy.

BELLE'S PATISSERIE- BLUE BIRD SHOPPING CENTRE

Well if you want something sweet, this is the obvious place to go as they have every sweet thing under the sun! I must say, I found their cupcakes a bit too sweet (and I have a high threshold when it comes to 'too sweet' but everything else is good.The good news is they now have a skinny menu of sweet treats too, including Banting and Paleo options.

FOURNO'S BAKERY

When I first started working, there was a Fourno's just downstairs from me and I hate to admit it but their chocolate croissants were often all I had for lunch (super healthy right?). Their baklava is also delicious.

CHATEAUX GATEAUX- ILLOVO

In honesty, I have not tried them yet but friends assure me that they have the best desserts in all of Jozi.

JIMMY'S KILLER PRAWNS

While one would not typicaly think of them as a dessert venue, their Lindt Pancakes and their Ferrero Ice Cream Bomb deserve special mention.... non non nom. 

HANOVER BAKERY- MAYFAIR

While this one has been around for as long as I can remember and does not look like much from the outside, their cakes and desserts continue to please. However, I must admit that freshness of goods seems to be luck of the draw these days- a pity since their stuff is really delicious when fresh.

PAUL'S HOME MADE ICE-CREAM

With flavours like salted caramel, halva, lemon and basil, peppermint crisp tart and birthday cake to name but a few, can you blame me for daydreaming about this one? You might not notice them since the view of the small store is usually obscured by the crazy queues at Krispy Kreme but you can find them downstairs at  the Zone in Rosebank. At half the price of the Haagen Dazs store upstairs from them, I dare to say, while I like Haagen Dazs, local is lekker and Pauls' is the better tasting of the two!

VOVO TELO- CRESTA

I know you would typically not classify hot chocolate under dessert, but their 'Chocotelo' is literally like drinking a slab of hot, gooey chocolate.  Mmmmmmmmmm. 

What is your favourite sweet treat in Johannesburg? What have I forgotten or not discovered? Please share!

Staycation in Jozi

Happy New Year to all! I hope that you all had a wonderful December and that all your hopes and dreams for 2016 are fulfilled. 

I know I have not been blogging much lately- I decided to take some time off, do other things and do some blog planning in the background. 

This December was the first time in forever that we all found ourselves at home for a week or two without any  pressing work obligations (A was on leave and December is quiet for me), and with no travel plans or renovations etc keeping us home. So we decided to be tourists in our own city.

Here are some of the things we got up to:

THE WALTER SISULU BOTANICAL GARDENS

If you live in Johannesburg and have not been here, this one is essential to add to your list. With exotic plants, waterfalls and eagles, it is difficult to believe this tranquil haven is in the city. Well, I guess not so long it was less urban- I can remember coming here for a school excursion back in the day and the entire area was still quite rural. Now it is surrounded by townhouse complexes and upmarket private schools but still feels like you are somewhere distant and exotic. This trip got a blog post all on its own- refer to the blog post before this one for more details!

P.S. We visit the Botanical Gardens next to the Emmarentia Dam, which is also lovely, very frequently throughout the year. This is often a quick stopover for the kids to ride bikes and feed the ducks.

A TRIP TO THE JOHANNESBURG ZOO

Both little ones adore animals so a trip to the zoo was sure to be a hit. We are lucky to have so many places to see animals close by but I must say the Johannesburg zoo is my favorite (the animals at the Pretoria zoo just look depressed to me and Lory Park, while seemingly better maintained than the state zoos, is a bit confined).

This time, we hopped on the Boomerang 'So Funny  Safari' tractor, which was awesome as it meant being able to see everything but with less walking while carrying two little ones most of the way (Noodle quickly gets tired when walking long distances and while Squish is still small enough for a pram, he refuses to sit in one). The 'So Funny Safari' is still on for a couple of weeks if you want to catch it. 

Noodle could not wrap her head around the idea that there were camels in Africa- she had been on a camel ride in the Middle East but could not believe they could be found here- out of their natural habitats. Squish was particularly fond of the giraffes and elephants.

THE LION PARK

  
Nature and wildlife featured strongly these holidays and the Lion Park was a definite highlight. The last time I was at the Lion Park in Lanseria, I was about Noodle's age.

This is apparently the city's top ranked  tourist attraction and I can see why. We got there at around lunch time so we first headed to the picnic area for a meal. (Warning: the picnic area, while neat, with benches has lots and lots of bees and flies, which can make mealtime a bit tricky). 

With our bags now significantly lighter after lunch was consumed, we went off to experience a lion cub interaction where were allowed to pet lion cubs in a safe and controlled environment. We had to queue for a bit as they only allow a few people in at a time (for obvious reasons) but it was worth the wait. The lion cubs chosen were the runts abandoned by their mothers at birth and 'saved' by the park. At five months old, they were a bit bigger than what I expected for cubs, which made me a bit nervous but, having grown up around humans and reared on special bottle formula, they seemed unphased by humans in their space. We were warned to only pet them on their backs and stomachs. What an amazing experience! 

Then the kids got to feed ostriches and giraffes and play peekaboo with the meerkats. I was glad to see taps and hand sanitiser close to the feeding station. 

Then we went off on a guided safari through the park in an armored truck. Our guide, Michelle was knowledgeable and informative. We saw various types of lions as well as cheetahs, wild dogs, zebras and various types of buck.
 
Afterwards, we enjoyed some ice-creams while the kids played in the play area, which has jungle gyms, jumping castles and some coin operated rides. i even did some gift shopping at the curio shop, which was quite reasonably priced and had some lovely goods.

MONTECASINO

This is a regular favourite place to visit (though we never set foot in the casino section). We did not go to the Bird Gardens section these holidays, but if you have not been before it is well worth it! This time, we enjoyed a meal and lots of arcade games with the kids (the kinds where you throw things into holes or stomp crocodiles). Then we went to the large outside piazza where there was an outdoor cinema theatre screening family movies and lots of families scattered on bean bags and picnic blankets. There was also a cute market set up adjacent to this and we had a nice evening stroll through the market.

SHOPPING

The few days after Christmas are a great time to be in Johannesburg. The city is quiet as many head to the coast and all the malls have great sales. As shopping is one of my favorite pastimes, I had to indulge of course (even if it was more window shopping than actual purchasing).

A lot of the malls have events for the kids over the holiday period- an added bonus! Our favourite was the set up at Mall of the South, which had a giant snow globe, a bubble machine, colouring stations, balloons, swings and a ball pit.

OUR OWN BACK YARD

The warm weather was perfect for outdoor play with bicycle/ tricycle rides, water play and impromptu picnics under the gazebo (which work great as it means less clean up after meals). 

NINTENDO WII

A bought a WII overseas just after we got married and it has been gathering dust for several years. These holidays, it was once again discovered and being a bit more interactive than other TV consoles, made for good family fun.

SOME CELEBRATING

There is so much reason for celebration in our home over the December holiday period. Besides the usual, we cheated and had a joint Minion inspired birthday party for Noodle and Squish. I also celebrated eight blessed years of marriage to my beloved best friend and confidante. How time flies!!!

NEW YEAR

We have not done anything for New Year's Eve since the kids were born. This year, we went for supper at our favorite Spur, returning home by sunset. Noodle had never seen fireworks before and was keen to see some but we are very nervous to attend any of the organised ones given all the drunk drivers on the road. We compromised and bought a few very tame, almost silent ones that would not disturb any neighborhood pets- sparkles, pop pops and the little ones with color but almost no sound. Despite the kids being up far later than usual, they were up for breakfast by six, just like every other day. 

This week is life as usual, but with plenty in store for 2016.

What were you up to this December/January?

Fun at the Jo'burg Zoo with the So Funny Safari

If you are anything like us, I am sure you are looking for things to do with the kids over this holiday period... because lets face it, when they are home all day, you are likely to lose YOUR sanity.

We went on a blow-the-budget holiday in September, so, other than a two day mini-break that we had earlier this week, these holidays we will be around Jozi.  We have been planning to do a few day trips and one of the trips we planned to do this holiday was a trip to the Johannesburg Zoo. 

The zoo is always a great educational experience and Squish, at nearly two, is obsessed with animals so I think he will love the zoo now! I have just found out that there is even more reason to race over to the Johannesburg Zoo now!!!

From 18 December to 17 January, Boomerang (DSTV channel 302) are inviting families to visit the zoo and jump on the 'So Funny Safari' tractor. Boomerang is all about family entertainment and now they are moving the experience away from the television screen to the great outdoors, while promoting animal conservation.

So what can you expect if you hop on the tractor? I know my kids will be super excited by the tractor ride itself, but there is so much more to look forward to! As well as getting to see the furry creatures that always attract us to the zoo, they will also get to see some of their favourite cartoon characters such as Tom and Jerry, Garfield, Scooby-Doo, Pink Panther and the Tazmanian Devil.

Edu-training adventures will take off daily from the  'So Funny Safari' pick up zones at 10h00, 12h00 and 14h00 respectively. Visitors will head to six different enclosures where some of the zoo's favourite animals will be paired up with a Boomerang furry friend. This will also be a great learning experience as kids will get to learn some interesting facts about the chosen creatures. 

It sounds like fun, doesn't it? I know we will be headed that way soon (I will hopefully post some pics afterwards).  

(*Sponsored post)

Sister Act hits Joburg Theatre

If you haven't heard the super exciting news by now, Sister Act is currently on at the Mandela Stage of the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein. The well known 90's Whoopi Goldberg movie version of Sister Act holds special memories for me as it was the first movie that I ever watched as a tween with friends and no adults at the cinema (yes, giving away my age here) and I loved it back then. The theatre version of most productions beats the movie and with a Janice Honeyman production, you know it is sure to be a winner!!!

This story of a disco diva who finds herself in protective custody in a convent after witnessing a murder has all the elements I personally enjoy- a feel-good, family friendly story with lots of humor.

 You can catch a sneak peak and get a feeling of the sense of energy and excitement here.

 

Candida Mosoma plays Deloris Van Cartier (the disco diva nun played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie version), while Kate Normington plays Mother Superior and Keith Smith the role of Monsignor O' Hara in this 'non-replica' production of the musical.

Candida and Kate

Critics already have glowing reviews of this production. Peter Feldman calls it a 'theatrical triumph, a magnificent production', Diane de Beer from the Star says it is 'a thrilling merry go round' and Gayle Edmunds from City Press hails it 'a glorious success'. 

Have you booked your tickets yet? If not, what are you waiting for? The show will run until 16 August, from Tuesdays to Fridays at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets range from R200 – R350 and are available from www.joburgtheatre.com or by calling 0861 670 670. 

Minion Fever- and WIN with Cresta Shopping Centre

On Saturday the kids and I were treated to a Minion inspired afternoon of fun at Cresta Shopping Centre to celebrate the launch of the new Minions movie. My two minions both love the real Minions (come on, who doesn't, they are just so cute!).

I was alone with both kids as A had a day of extreme DIY activities planned at home, which meant it was best to have the kids out of the house to avoid destruction. The Minion fun day at Cresta was the perfect place to take them out for a few hours.

Incidentally, Cresta is one of my favourite shopping destinations. Apart from being conveniently close to home, as only one of ten super-regional shopping centres in South Africa, it has every shop that I ever need to go to. No wonder over a million people visit every month!

First, we were treated to some fun in the activity area, where the little ones had the chance to have their photos taken, control a hi-tech remote controlled minion robot or engage in all sorts of creative arty activities. 

At the activity area, we first lined up for novelty Minion photo's. Our picture only has Noodle in it as Squish spotted balloons and ran away at the critical picture moment. Noodle was very proud of herself when she finally figured out how to control the Minion robot and enjoyed all the creative activities on offer- colouring, cutting and pasting Minion creations are right up her alley. Squish did a bit of colouring scribbling of a dinosaur (and he even learnt to say dinosaur) but for the most part I needed to stop him from eating crayons and glue. 

After that, we were treated to lunch at Panarottis. Well the kids were- it is still Ramadaan, so I looked and drooled (and had delicious leftovers the next evening-  still good). The giant  vegetarian pizza we were provided with was possibly the largest I had ever seen so there was plenty left over! (P.S. Their menu also features a dessert pizza which kids can make themselves- always great fun for the little ones).

By this time, Squish, who had missed his nap time was starting to get a bit cranky, but his mood turned when he discovered the play area at Panarottis. The Cresta Panarottis has an amazing outdoor play area with jungle gym and trampoline which my kids love. I was reluctant to let Squish navigate the huge twirly slide on his own at first but quickly realised that he is more than capable. 

Then it was movie time. The Minion movie is great for all ages- Squish and Noodle liked it and adults will enjoy it too (well those that like a good animated film anyway). Noodle wanted to know why the Minions speak Afrikaans (the ancient Minions speak some strange Minion dialect for which no subtitles are needed).

"The story behind the Minions movie began at the dawn of time, where the Minions started as single-celled yellow organisms which evolved through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters, from T. Rex to Napoleon, the Minions found themselves without someone to serve and they fell into a deep depression.  But one Minion named Kevin had a plan, and he, alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob, ventured out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio then embarked upon a thrilling journey that ultimately led them to their next potential master."

Cresta Shopping Centre was extremely generous in providing us with a delightful goody bag, which included these awesome Minion goodies. How cute are these t-shirts? Noodle and Squish already put on their t-shirts at the movies.  Now Cresta Shopping Centre are going to spoil one lucky reader too!!!

COMPETITION TIME!!!

Life apparently begins at forty and Cresta Shopping Centre turns 40 next month. To celebrate, they are giving away a R500 gift voucher to one Jozi WAHM reader. Enter here to win! The more steps you follow, the better your chances.

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