Happy Lands Farm / B&B

So, after more than two years and over 100 Crawls it was just a matter of time before someone suggested our first PE Coffee Crawl road trip!  On May 2 as the Crawlers were sitting at The Tin House (see May, 2013 post) two lovely ladies, Nita Tayler-Smith and Myrna Bakker, stopped by the table, introduced themselves and joined us for coffee.  Once Nita heard about the Crawl she invited us all to her farm/B&B near Addo for a future Crawl.  Nita and I immediately got busy playing phone tag and sending emails and texts in order to plan the first out of town Crawl.  The Happy Lands Farm / B&B is located on Prospect Rd. in Summerville near Addo about an hour's drive from PE.

This Week's Crawlers and our Hostesses
Standing- Margaret M., Dale, Nita, Stella, Beryl,
Leanne, Sheila, Margaret Z., Myrna
On bench - June, Arthur
On ground - Colleen, Gail

On Thursday, May 23, Crawlers Leanne Waller, June Nash, Margaret Zoetmulder, Sheila Hurford, Dale Mitchell, Colleen LeRoux, Gail Darne, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Margaret and Arthur Marshall piled into three vehicles and headed to Happy Lands.  An hour later we arrived and were warmly welcomed by Nita and Myrna.  Once we got ourselves situated, we were led on a leisurely tour of the grounds including the rose garden, the pool area, the citrus orchard, and the self-catering B&B units.  Upon our return to the main house, a table on the verandah overlooking the gardens, set with savories, cakes, coffee and tea, awaited us!

The Rose Garden



The Orchard



We settled around the table, sampled all the goodies (not good for the waistline but oh so worth it!), and enjoyed the beautiful morning.  Everything was so delicious that we all asked if Nita's and Myrna's recipes were secret or could they share.  Luckily, many of their recipes are found in the Country Cuisine 2nd Edition cookbook published in 2009 to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Addo Rose Show of the Sundays River Women's Institutes.  Better still, there were a few copies in stock for sale!!!!  Needless to say, the two in stock sold immediately and an order list was created for the upcoming shipment!



Arthur and Nita



The Crawlers on the Verandah

The Crawlers not only love cookbooks but all books in general.  Over the years we have become somewhat of a quasi-book club.  I, being the biggest book nerd of the bunch, spent some time perusing the extensive B&B library which included four first printing Jules Verne volumes.  Once everyone was finished eating I brought out the Jules Verne treasures, much to the delight of all at the table.  These books spurred on a conversation about world travel, the places we've been, the places we'd love to go.  It was agreed by all....... so many books to read, so many places to see........... so little time.

From the B&B library

To say that Nita and Myrna spoiled us would be an understatement.  Their hospitality continued, though, as we were departing.  Bags of lemons and oranges for each of us to take home were distributed to us as parting gifts!  Thank you so much, ladies!

Colleen and Margaret with their parting gifts

Country Cuisine cookbook
What should I make first.....
Citrus Souffle or Citrus Surprise?

A quick hour later found us back in PE after a magical morning at Happy Lands.  Now that we have our first road trip under our belts the Crawlers are looking forward to more amazing adventures!

The road home

For more info regarding Happy Lands Farm / B&B (just a 20 min drive from Addo Elephant National Park) contact Mike and Nita Tayler-Smith at 042 234 0422 or check out their website: www.happylands.co.za

~An enormous THANK YOU  to Mike and Nita Tayler-Smith and Myrna Bakker for your hospitality and
  friendship.  The Crawlers had a wonderful time and are looking forward to seeing you at the Crawl in PE
  soon!!!

Until next week,

Ellen

These two met me outside my door when I arrived home.
"Where have you been all day?"

Care Haven Autumn Market

There are numerous opportunities to support local charitable organizations in PE.  Last Thursday, Friday, Saturday (May 16,17,18) the non-profit organization, Care Haven, hosted its annual Autumn Market which was held at 188 Villiers Rd. in Walmer.  The Autumn Market featured a quilt raffle along with South African arts and crafts for sale.  An outdoor tea garden serving various teas, Masterton's Blend 81 coffee, scones and cakes was available for fund-raiser patrons.

June supporting the Care Haven Autumn Market tea garden

Thursday's Crawlers, Beth Vieira, Gail Darne, Stella and Beryl Dawson, June Nash, Leanne Waller, Margaret Zoetmulder, Colleen Le Roux, Sheila Hurford, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, arrived at 10 and decided to order refreshments before heading to the craft sale.  With the weather so wonderful and the tables beautifully set the Crawlers enjoyed a relaxing bit of time discussing the Care Haven organization, then went on to find art and craft treasures among the many stalls.  We all left with our purses a little lighter, but for a good cause.  My vote for best purchase of the morning was Gail's dung beetle tea towel.... only in Africa!!!!

This Week's Crawlers
Beryl, Leanne, Gail, June, Stella, Beth



More of Thursday's Crawlers
Margaret Z., Colleen, Margaret M., Arthur, Sheila



Established in 1986, Care Haven, situated at 14-20 Belmont Terrace in Central, "provides residential and therapeutic care for people who have a history of mental illness, who have been discharged from a psychiatric hospital and who are unable to function independently in society.  Also residents who do not have family or those whose families do not cope with them are referred to [the] centre for accommodation and treatment." (Care Haven informational pamphlet)

The Crawlers attended the Autumn Market on the first of the three-day event.  On Friday the Lake Farm Centre (see May 2, 2013 post) Band.... always a hit..... played to an appreciative crowd of event attendees.  From what I hear the fund-raiser was a huge success.  The Crawlers are looking forward to attending again next year!!! 

I'm still waiting for the phone call letting me know I won that quilt........ 



Still waiting for the call.......



~Thank you to the staff and management of Care Haven for all you do.

~Lots of Crawler birthdays this week.....

  Happy Birthday to:  Daniel and Les - May 22

                                Nomusa - May 23

                                Keith - May 27

Until next week,

Ellen

PE Coffee Crawl #100

On Thursday, May 9, the PE Coffee Crawl hit the century mark!  To celebrate the occasion the Crawlers decided to meet and have coffee at the new Boardwalk Hotel's Kiplings Restaurant.  Kiplings is not a coffee shop, for sure, but everyone wanted to check out the new hotel, and what better excuse than the 100th Crawl!

Boardwalk Hotel lobby

I made the reservation earlier in the week so when we all arrived on Thursday morning we were greeted by the entire Kiplings morning staff and management.  As it was raining on Crawl Day an inside ocean view table was beautifully set for us.  Our amazingly wonderful and talented waiter/barista Frank helped June, Leanne and me with decorative finishing touches.




Meet the Barista
Frank



This Week's Crawlers
Sandy, Margaret Z., Colleen, Gail, Beth, Arthur,
Margaret M., Leanne, June, Beryl, Stella, Sheila

Two of the original four Crawlers
Ellen and Beth 

Even the barista got in on the act!

All morning, Crawlers June Nash, Leanne Waller, Margaret and Sandy Zoetmulder, Stella and Beryl Dawson, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Gail Darne, Beth Vieira, Sheila Hurford, Colleen LeRoux enjoyed tea and LavAzza coffee along with platters of delicious pastries provided by the Kiplings chef.  We spent the time on Thursday reminiscing about the 100 Crawls and the many tremendous people we have met.

Leanne helping to decorate

Some interesting PE Coffee Crawl stats: 
       In all there have been 94 Coffee Crawlers, 63 females and 31 males.
       The Crawlers range in age from 4 weeks to 90 years!
       The Crawlers have come from 8 different countries.
       We have tasted 22 different coffee brands.
       We have spent 2 Thanksgivings and 3 St. Patrick's Days together.
       The PE Coffee Crawl blog has readers from 6 continents and averages well over 2,000 hits per month

The PE Coffee Crawl has been an amazing experience.  I would like to extend a huge thank you to all the Crawlers and my blog readers, and all the coffee shop owners/managers, baristas and staff members for making the PE Coffee Crawl such a success.  A special thank you goes out to the President of the PE Coffee Crawl Fan Club, my father-in-law, Sabie, who keeps the pressure on me each week to get my post published before the next Crawl!

Here's to 100 fantastic Crawls and to 100 more!!!

*A note to PE coffee lovers- the next Barista Jam will be held this coming Friday, May 17, 7:00 p.m. at
 Como Cafe, 86 Heugh Rd. in Walmer.  Hope to see you there!

~Thank you to the staff and management of Kiplings for hosting our 100th Crawl.
~Happy Birthday to Crawler Gail Darne - May 15
~Happy 4th Birthday to my adorable grandson, Alex - May 19
~Thank you to Janine at Party Stuff, Worraker Rd. in Newton Park for the balloon trees!
~Thank you to the staff at Scrapbook Nook on Main Rd. in Walmer for the 100th Coffee Crawl badges.

Until Crawl 101,

Ellen

The Tin House

I haven't found it necessary to use my GPS here for quite a while.  I dusted it off and plugged it in, though, when I received a Coffee Crawl recommendation to visit The Tin House at 35 Cuyler in Central.  So, Thursday morning I arrived at 35 Cuyler to find no coffee shop and, far worse, no Crawlers!  I sat in my car for a bit waiting for someone to pitch and, shortly, June Nash pulled up next to me.  Well, it didn't take us too long to figure we were definitely in the wrong place.  Fortunately, the very pleasant occupant (though her dog was not so happy) of 35 Cuyler CRESCENT pointed us in the right direction of our intended destination, The Tin House located at 35 Cuyler STREET, just a few blocks away.  It seemed no one else had difficulty finding the shop.... when June and I arrived we found Crawlers Beth Vieira, Gail Darne, and Stella and Beryl Dawson waiting for us.  Soon afterward we were joined by Margaret Zoetmulder, Margaret and Arthur Marshall, Colleen Le Roux and Anne Marie Rankin.

This Week's Crawlers
Colleen, Anne Marie, Beryl, Beth, Gail,
Stella, June, Margaret Z., Myrna, Neti
not pictured - Margaret and Arthur

The Tin House is owned by Desere Price of Dessie's on Main Rd. in Walmer (see Sept, 2011 post).  Though the basic breakfasts and lunches served at The Tin House are made on-site the baked goods and food for any catered events comes from the Main Rd. shop.  The Tin House  has been in operation for about a year with Cecilia Cadle as manager and Joy as barista.  The business is actually a combination art gallery/coffee shop that is open Mon-Fri, 8:30-4. 






Meet the Manager
Cecilia Cadle





Meet the Barista
Joy

 As customers enter the establishment they step into a room filled with pottery, jewelry, picture frames, beautiful scarves, and other gift items made by crafters from all over South Africa.  Adorning the walls of both the front room and the adjoining coffee shop area are paintings by the featured artist-of-the-month.  The shop continues on into a shaded courtyard, a beautiful setting when the weather is nice.  In all The Tin House seats about 35 people, 20 inside and 15 or so in the courtyard.  There was a bit of a chill in the air on Thursday so we had barista/waitress Joy serve our delicious Pavin coffees inside.

Inside dining

The courtyard

A funny thing happened as we were settling in for our 99th Crawl..... two very curious ladies stopped by the table to ask what we were celebrating.  We explained the Coffee Crawl/blog and asked them to join us.  Brand new Crawlers Neti Tayler-Smith and Myrna Bakker were a delight to have at the table.  It took no time at all for them to fit right in as we discussed plans for our 100th Crawl (which is to take place on May 9).  Unfortunately, Neti and Myrna are unavailable for coffee that day but I'm sure this is not the last we'll see of them!  Welcome ladies!

Other talk at the table centered around traveling in Africa and going on safari.  I have to say that Lou and I (along with two of our adult chilren) have been very fortunate to visit many places in Africa that some locals haven't had the opportunity to see.  Isn't that how it always is?  We've seen much of South Africa and have visited Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, and have plans to see the Great Migration in September.  We've had a few harrowing close encounters with large animals on safari making for good stories and great pics!  After those experiences I usually need something a bit stronger than coffee!!! 

~Thank you to Cecilia and Joy for welcoming us to your wonderful coffee shop.

~Thank you to the resident of 35 Cuyler Crescent for saving the Crawl on Thursday!

~To local PE Coffee Crawl blog readers- Our 100th Crawl celebration will be held at the Boardwalk Hotel

   restaurant (not a coffee shop but we figured this is a very special occasion) on Thursday, May 9 and

   10:00 a.m.  Join us there!  All are welcome.

~A belated Happy Birthday wish to Crawler Kathy Roppel - May 5

~Happy Birthday to Crawler Vicki Minnaar - May 14

~Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers, Grandmothers, Godmothers - May 12

Until next week,

Ellen

 









Lake Farm Centre

For the past three years in mid-March Lou and I have participated in the Lake Farm Centre 5K Fun Run which is part of the centre's biggest annual fund raiser.  After the run we stop in the centre's coffee shop for coffee and by far the best scones in PE.  The Lake Farm Centre Coffee Shop is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10-12:30 serving coffee, tea, scones, selected cakes and baked goods.  With advance notice, Coffee Shop Manager, Sonia Walsh, will open the shop's doors to groups or organizations that wish to visit at other times during the week.  The Crawlers were very much wanting to visit the centre so we made arrangements with Sonia to open for us on Thursday, April 25.

The non-profit Lake Farm Centre, located on Lakeside Rd. in Theescombe, is a "residential facility caring for intellectually disabled adults who all live in home units and work in protective workshops." (-Lake Farm Centre info card)  The facility is situated in a serene farm setting just on the outskirts of PE.  Thursday's Crawlers, Beth Vieira, Margaret Zoetmulder, Margaret Marshall, Gail Darne, Stella and Beryl Dawson, June Nash, Fran and Keith de Beer, Leanne Waller and her sons, Daniel and Luke, Nomusa Nkomo, Les Baldwin, were looking forward to a relaxing morning enjoying Masterton's coffee and Lake Farm's famous scones followed by a tour of the centre's workshops.




This Week's Crawlers
Margaret M., Beryl, June, Nomusa, Stella, Beth,
Daniel, Luke, Keith, Fran, Les, Leanne, Margaret Z.
not pictured - Gail



We all arrived around 10:00 and were warmly welcomed by Sonia and the kitchen staff, residents Kyle, Derek, and Bobby, with Crawler Keith de Beer assisting.  A long table was set and ready for us in a sunny enclosed veranda area.  We were served our hot beverages and scones with hospitality unsurpassed in all of our Crawls to date.

Meet the Lake Farm Coffee Shop Staff
Kyle, Derek (also the tour guide), Sonia, Bobby

After our refreshments the Crawlers all moved on to the gift shop where pottery, jewelry, various craft items, knitted wear, preserves and goodies are sold.  Most everything for sale in the shop is made by Lake Farm residents and all proceeds go toward the residents' expenses.  Once everyone made their selections for purchase we went on a tour of the workshops with Derek as our guide.  As we moved from one workshop to the next (pottery, beading, woodworking, crafts) the Crawlers became ever more impressed with the Lake Farm Centre facility, its residents, staff and volunteers.  A positive, genuinely caring and nurturing energy pervades the centre, and we ended our tour feeling fortunate to have experienced it. 

Margaret and Margaret admire the pottery in the gift shop



My pottery purchases



The pottery workshop



The craft workshop



Busy at the loom



Love the scarf!







Lake Farm Centre depends on community support to continue their good work, so to PE residents...make it a point to get out to the centre for coffee some weekend morning....it's well worth the short trip.  Monetary and material doantions are also gratefully accepted and volunteers are encouraged to donate their time and skills as well.  PE residents can  make Lake Farm their "My School" beneficiary at local grocery stores.  Plus, you can always join Lou and me next March for the 5K Fun Run!

The Lake Farm venue is available for teas, meetings, and social functions.  For more info check out Lake Farm Centre PE on Facebook or at: www.lakefarm.org.za or call 041-379-1555.

~Thank you to Sonia and all the residents of Lake Farm for your hospitality

~A special thank you to Kyle, Derek the tour guide, and Bobby

~To Liz- break a leg.... wish we could see you dance in "Once Wild: Isadora in Russia"

~Happy Cinco de Mayo to all!!!

~Congrats to Faye Zoetmulder who is now representing SA on the international surfing circuit!!!

Until next week,

Ellen