SPCA Open Sunday Markets

Support this deserving organisation.

If you have extra love to give and would love a pet then the Kloof & Highway SPCA have some beautiful dogs and cats. 

The Main Office and animal shelter will also be open from 9:00 to 12:00 on the last Sunday of every month to encourage more adoptions.

10 things to do in and around Hillcrest

So, on a recent jog through the Internet I stumbled across this page from tripadvisor. I immediately got excited because I am a variety person. I need variety in my life and I LOVE trying new things.
This site tickled my fancy because I want to try some new things in and around Durban. And 'around Durban' means the Hillcrest area too.

The page is entitled 'Things to do in Durban' but lists a few things in our neck of woods too. It lists 52 attractions that travellers have recommended. On further inspection I don't agree with a vast majority of them but what the heck, maybe it's just me.

So I have decided to make my own list of what I would like to try this year...a few will be from the Hillcrest or Upper Highway Area, and some are in and around Durban. I live and work in Hillcrest and as wonderful as it is, it is a nice to have a change of scenery. I have tried not to include what I have already done e.g. Ushaka, markets, watching sport etc.

1. Inchanga Choo Choo
I have been wanting to do this for over a year now. On Sundays we hear the gentle 'Toot toot'  and the 'choock-o choock-o choock-o'from our garden and it is SO cute. I Just know my daughter will love it and my husband and I get a kick going back in time.
Apparently it leaves from Stoker's Arms, Kloof, and heads up to the Inchanga Museum and craft market on the last Sunday of every month. It leaves at 8:30am and tickets are R170 an adult, R130 a child (2-12 years) and for pensioners. Contact 031 303 3003.
Contact and find them on Facebook here
Visit their website here
You can book here



2. Picnic at Makaranga
I would love to picnic in the gardens of Makaranga. I have only ever been to Makaranga once. My husband took me to watch Top Gun under the stars. Read more about this here. I really hope Makaranga do that again this year. I digress. I would love to simply arrive at Makaranga and pick up my ready made picnic (I hate packing things!) and find a nice quiet spot with my favourites. I would definitely order the 'Deli Mini' and the 'Mon Petit Chouchou' for my little one.
find them on Facebook here



3. Riding Bikes along Durban's Golden Mile
I want to rent bicycles and ride from Suncoast to uShaka. I have seen quite a few little places that hire out bicycles and offer this. If anyone has a particular place they swear by PLEASE let me know. 



4. Winsome View
Winsome View is an animal farm and 'Country Bistro'. I have some friends that have been here and I am keen to try it out. Living in Hillcrest we have been to Duck 'n Deck 2 or 3 times and I am not wild about the place. For some reason this one sounds better so I am keen to try it out. They are open from 9-3pm on Tuesday-Sunday.
Contact 082 892 1615 and find them on Facebook here
Visit their website here 

5. 1000 Hills Birdpark
This is slightly more appealing for a quick 'get out the house' trip as it is much closer than Durban's Umgeni River Bird Park.
The Birdpark also has Christine's Eatery and Heidi's Antiques if the birds and reptiles get a bit much. I love a place where I can stop and have a cup of coffee and something to munch on.
It is R65 for adults and children over 10, R40 for children under 10 and R35 per Zip Line Ride. The Zip Line ride sounds interesting...I am sure my daughter would love to do that. She is a bit of a daredevil.
They are open from 9-3:30pm on Tuesday-Sunday.
Contact 031 765 6090 and find them on Facebook here
Visit their website here



6. People's Park Cafe
This is at the exquisite Moses Mabhida Stadium. I have been here before with a friend but would love to spend half a day here with my family. There is such a great variety of play equipment for the kids while you can either park off on a bench {or grass} or do something more active like Rollerblade, ride your bike, or skateboard. You can take a picnic and entrance is free! It's the people's park after all.
While I am there I want to go up the SkyCar and see Durban from above. This is R55 for an adult and R30 for children under 12.
It is open from 5am-7pm Monday-Sunday and the Cafe is open Tuesday - Sunday 7am-6pm
Contact 031 303 5719 
Visit their website here



7. The Oyster Box
We spent 5/6 months living in Lagoon Drive in Umhlanga and in this time drove past, or took walks past, the Oyster Box almost EVERY day. I have never stepped foot inside. This is very sad. I think I haven't been because I am worried my poor little card won't afford a cup of coffee there, let alone a sitting at the famous 'Oyster Box High Tea' or as they like to call it 'Traditional Afternoon Tea'. I think I also avoided trying because I didn't want to take my then 4/5 year old in there. I dream of a short stay there or some decadent tea or meal. If I ever have the chance of going to tea at the Oyster Box I will starve myself for a week a day.
Contact 031 514 5000 and find them on Facebook here
Visit their website here 



8.Groovy Balls
For years I have been wanting to get in one of those giant inflatable balls and going hurtling down a hill. I love living on the edge a bit! Little did I know that there is a place to do this just around the corner from Hillcrest. Groovy Balls can be found in Cliffdale and offers GroovyBalls, HamsterBalls, Mini GroovyBalls (for the kiddies), Off road Go-Karting, Target Shooting and Paintball. This sounds like a boys paradise!
Visit their website here for more info and pricing as there is quite a lot on offer. Like them on Facebook here.



9. Eat Out!
At some point I would like to try the following restaurants in Hillcrest: Lupa, Mozambik, Stretta, Two Acres and Bellevue Cafe {in no particular order}.

10. Hillcrest AIDS Centre
Shopping at the AIDS Centre for indigenous plants and beaded goodies. I would like to support this NPO this year. 
Visit their website here to get an idea of what they do and offer.

I plan to grow on this list. This is just the start. What do you want to try? What do you suggest?

Hillcrest Country Market-2 February

You can find {and like} Hillcrest Country Market on Facebook here

Go to Play Market - 8 February

I just love the Play Market at Giba Gorge.

Read more about what I loved and why here.

Find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/gotoplaymarket

Email gotoplaymarket@gmail.com

 

Unfortunately we won't make this one as it's my daughter's 7th birthday party that day. I can't wait to share the details with you once it is all over!

Support SPCA

MASSIVE MASSIVE Clearance Sale on books as well as various odds and ends from the different charity shops.

Visit Kloof & Highway SPCA over the next three weeks for HUGE BARGAINS Starting Sat 25th January to Sat 15th Feb from 8am to 12noon daily.

There are two marquees. One opposite the Attic Charity Shop and the other in the tea garden area. 80% of the marquees are stocked with books ALL going for an amazing R5 each. There are hundreds of high quality books of all types and the marquees will be restocked with more books daily. Keep checking their Facebook page for daily updates on the items going on sale here.

Please share this with all your friends and family. Thank you to everyone for your continued support in helping the SPCA to raise funds.

Contact 031 7641212/3

Or visit their website

 

The Meeting Tree - February

 

The Meeting Tree starts again in February.  Experience a great day out in the country. Great views, awesome food, beautiful crafts, a relaxed vibe and live music. 

See you on Sunday the 2 February from 11am until 4pm

 

Visit their Facebook page for more details here.

HELLO 2014!

A {very} belated happy new year to you!
Sorry I have been so quiet over the last month and a bit. Personally, I didn't end 2013 on a high BUT I believe on a positive outlook and that 2014 will be a great year!

 

Wishing you all a great 2014 too!

 

I stumbled upon the 100 Happy Days challenge have embraced it. I encourage you to do the same. We live in a time where we are all so busy and tend to focus on the negative. I am 11 days in and can tell you already that I can easily find something in each day that makes me happy. I did not expect that to happen. It turns out my life is a pretty happy one if I don't focus on the unhappy. Take a look the website. I am documenting my #100happydays through my Instagram account. Find me @livinghillcrest. Who knows, I might even turn it into #200happydays. Visit the website for more details here.

 

Some of my #100happydays pictures to wet your appetite:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So far my year has gone a little like this:

We brought in the new year in the berg under the stars, on a blanket, next to a roaring fire. The husband and I were actually alone after everyone else bailed and went to bed early! The 4 other couples all failed to make it to midnight. This was very funny and immediatley made the husband and I feel like we were the most exciting of the bunch. It was great to get away and spend time with friends.

We spent some time working on our veggie garden. It is a masterpiece! I will have to share some pictures with you soon.

The husband and I went back to work.

Booked the daughters birthday party venue. It's a secret for now, but all will be revealed.

The daughter started Grade 1 yesterday. I could not possibly be more proud if I tried. She is such a beautiful girl with the most precious soul.

The daughter got her first set of stiches {a grand total of 3}, on her toe, after a accident on my parents farm. She now has a Frankenstein toe and could not wear one of her brand new school shoes on her first day back. Fail. But what a trooper, she marched in there and had a ball. A total of 5 plaster changes on the first day.

 

I don't know about you but payday felt like a looooong time ago. They don't call it 'the month's of January' for nothing. So we are having a quiet January. A quiet time for us generally means a quiet time for the blog.