Thursday, June 26, 2014

Banana Muffins!

Last night in the spur of the moment I made some yummy banana muffins, and decided to share my recipe with you. 







Ingredients: 

1/2 cup of Flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 cup of Brown Sugar
3 Bananas (ripe and mashed) 
1 Egg
1/3 cup of Butter (melted) 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease an muffin tray. 
2. Cream the sugar, butter, eggs and banana together. 
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together and sift into banana mixture. 
4. Mix together for a minute. Spoon mixture into muffin tray.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes. 
6. Enjoy!?! 


You could also add oats or nuts. 


{Yummy}




Smiles! x




Monday, June 16, 2014

Work, food and an Update...

This past week has been a tad boring, the boat that I work on is privately owned. So we only have family and friends onboard during the summer. This season is going to be extremely quiet, as the owner and his wife are not joining us and so not many people want to be here without them. 

My blog won't be as exciting with travels until October, but I shall keep you intrigued as much as I can whether it be with food, music, funny stories or just anything in general. However I am hoping to see a bit more of the Island before I leave so I shall definately document that. 

There is another South African boat in the marina they are lovely people, an Austrian man and a Swiss lady, they both reside in Cape Town for six months and then Sardinia for the other six months. I often head over for a braai, drinks or just chats and it is always lovely. Last Saturday we had a real South African braai complete with potato salad and garlic bread. {Yum!} They have a car on the island so when she goes to town I go with her, much easier than hiring a car. They are like another set of parents, and I truly am grateful. 

There is rain here {YAY!} loving it.





 I have indeed been trying to improve my skills in the kitchen, last week I made the most amazing Roast chicken and veg dish. Basically just chopped up a bunch of mediterranean veg, oiled and spiced them up, chucked it all in a ovenproof dish and threw it in the oven. {Voila!} Dinner is served.


On Friday I made my first ever Beef burger, { there is a story to why - a post for another day maybe?!}. So I went the easy route and bought ready made fresh hamburger patties, seasoned them up with some S&P and cayenne pepper, rubbed it in there real good. Then I continued to chop up some gherkins, red onions, lettuce, I grated some cheese and fried up some bacon bits. I  must add that I made my very own 'slap chips' - which turned out amazing. The burger came with grilled buns and everything. I was indeed proud of myself, first time burger attempt turned out great! 

On Saturday I spent the day on the beach {Best!}, I went to a little beach down the way from the port called Tartarughino-(little turtle). They have comfy beach chairs and complimentary towels, a restaurant and one stunning blue beach. 
{I was sporting my O'Bryans cap and a Heineken for most of they afternoon.}



{I literally did absolutely nothing but bake in the sun and read Dave Grohls biography - This is a call.}
 
Sunday came alone to quickly, so I slept in and then tried  my hand at some cupcake art. I love cupcakes - {if I could marry a cupcake and travel with him I would.} I have this amazing cupcake recipe that I got from my mom's colleague. It's amazing and works super well.   

{My attempt at Tobi from Naruto}

{My attempt at the ear from the series Hannibal}


Sunday evening came and it was time for a lovely dinner and a movie { The Hobbit - Desolation of Smaug}. 




{The Gorgeous Sunset to end off the weekend however it did get better later on}



On Mondays I am meant to see my Best and her cutie pie, but because I am not able to be there I edit pictures of him, and she also sends me updates. I love this tiny human. <3


Till the next time I have something interesting to tell you. 

Ciao!



Sunday, June 8, 2014

Rome Wandering...

Finally I get to tell you all about my slightly spontaneous, pretty amazing trip to Rome last week...

Day 1.

On Saturday the 31st May, I took a flight to Rome Fiumicino airport, caught a train to the Main termini, and then the metro to a stop closer to the hotel. Once at the hotel I got settled in and relaxed a little before heading to the roof for a drink. My waiter was a gentleman named Willy, lovely guy - I ordered a G&T, to my surprise he has a very heavy hand and it felt like a GGG&T.:)



{The view from my Hotel - a tiny Vatican}


{Drinks on the roof - I can never be natural in a photo}
Before dinner I went for a stroll to the Vatican, although I have seen it before it is still beautiful. 
{Vatican} 


{Vatican}


{Vatican Panoramic}
Day 2.

I had an average night in the first Hotel, but I decided to move on. I packed up and took a lovely walk to the new hotel - which was near the Colosseum, {the walk was sort of long - but the best way to see Rome}.
{Stopped at a park in the Gardens- Let me take a selfie}
{Let us dance in the sun,
 wearing wild flowers in our hair.

            -Susan Polis Schutz}




{Colosseum vibes - from a different angle}
They were doing a lot of work on the Colosseum while I was there, so I didn't go inside - just roamed around looking at her from all different angles. 


{Jump, Jump, Jump}


The hotel I stayed in for the second and third night was called iRooms - modern with light up showers and beds, they supply you with Ipads to do your business and everything in the mini bar is FREE! yes please. To be honest the best part was the light up shower - I mean wow. However I stayed in the iSpa room the first night there, which had a Hot Tub and an amazing spa shower. The second night I stayed in the iSuite - a bigger room with a bigger shower ect. Breakfasts there were rather intimate - one long table where everyone sat together and the food was basic. All in all one of the best hotels I have stayed in - they have a few hotels around Rome, you can visit there website www.iroomsrome.com look them up if you are ever in the area. 






Day 3.

I made missions to the Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps, I swear I walked the comrades in the few days I was in Rome. I was a victim of an attempted pick pocketing while coming out of the metro, I felt the bugger trying to open my handbag and grab, thankfully there was nothing much of value that he could take. The funny thing is I am always cautious when leaving the metro, but I honestly thought this kid was just riding the metro and leaving, next thing his hand is in my bag. So I turned around and said something, he then had the nerve to ask me for money SERIOUSLY?!?, ask me first and then try rob me, not the other way around. This happened on my way to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch - which was average, meh. 



{Trevi Fountain} 



{Me + Trevi Fountain} 

I did the tourist thing and threw a coin over my shoulder and made a wish, {I can't tell you otherwise it won't come true}. I truly do hope it comes true - I need a big change. 


{Making Wishes}



{Bad photo - but these are the Spanish Steps}


{while in the iSpa room - I did laundry in the Jacuzzi, Winning!} 




{In english - The Wedding cake}
Day 4.

On the Tuesday I moved onto another hotel as I had the Queens of the Stone Age concert that night. The concert was in Capannella, so thats where I had to book a hotel. Little did I know that my hotel was a 45 minute walk from the metro, so off I went. 


{Selfies while I walk}
Once I had checked into the Hotel, I had a snooze before getting ready for the show. My alarm went off at 5pm telling me to get ready for a life changing event. Excitement started kicking in, I turned up some QOTSA jams and continued to get ready. 

Dinner time before heading out - I ordered a seafood pasta (average). I then caught the hotel bus to the Ippodromo, when I arrived it was crawling with fellow rockers. The atmosphere was amazing, you could feel it was going to be life changing.


{Rock in Roma Entrance Banner- Excitement kicking in}


{The  music Lineup for the summer}


I bought some wicked cool QOTSA merch before the concert started, grabbed a beer and a Red Bull, and proceeded to push my way through the crowd to get a good view of the stage. I was surrounded by people waiting in anticipation just like I was for the countdown to the opening song. 

The lights went off and the crowd went quiet then the countdown got to 10 - and the crowd went insane counting down with the clock, and boom opening song starts *(you think I ain't worth a dollar, but I feel like a millionaire) and the crowd goes wild. I honestly got goosebumps while rocking to my hearts content jumping, screaming, singing along. 
{My Ginger Elvis being shy }
They had a kick ass setlist as follows : 
  1. Encore:
For the first time ever I joined in the mosh pit and got down and dirty with the other fans - pushing and shoving, rocking and rolling. It was an experience I will never forget. 

{The Band}
Day 5.

The morning on the Wednesday, I was super tired from the night before,I woke up had a quick breakfast and even though I hadn't drunk that much I felt like I was suffering from a hangover. It was a long day a walking to catch the metro and then sitting waiting for flights. 

When I got back to the boat I got takeout and crashed hard. 
I will forever remember this trip to Rome. I hope to go back again this summer for another concert or two. 


{Home time} 

Until next time - Live long and Prosper...