May 2015 - Byrd And Bean

May 26, 2015June 18, 2015 by Cayly

Oh Crepe!

I am known by my family and friends to be a traveller who embarks on vast amounts of research before departing. I am a supporter of the philosphy `If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’. Once, I Google Street Viewed my entire way around Paris before even arriving at Charles De Gaulle airport. Needless to say, I knew EXACTLY how to get to the Louvre sans a map or guide in hand…. But, sometimes when travelling, no matter how much research you have done beforehand, things can turn pear shaped…and very quickly.

in Travel 0 comments

May 19, 2015 by Cayly

Coconut & Ethiopian Coffee Cake Recipe

On a recent trip to Cape Town, I discovered that my uncle, who is an Italian and an engineer, has acquired the knack of making delicious jams and preserves. Bellisimo! Trust an engineer to have precision, even with jam making! I wrote about my time exploring the Cape, in my previous journal post.

The Western Cape has an abundance of fresh fruit readily available and, with the season of strawberries, apricots and nectacots coming to an end,

May 12, 2015May 12, 2015 by Cayly

Beauty For Ashes

There is nothing more solemn and stark a reminder of how ephemeral life is than someone’s death. It takes all your previous perspectives, plans and ideas and turns them totally inside out and upside down.

Recently, while in the Western Cape which had been ‘home’ to my grandmother (my Dad’s mom) for eighty plus years, we drove passed the exact spot at which we had previously scattered her ashes 6 short months ago, and all the memories came flooding back…

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May 7, 2015May 7, 2015 by Cayly

Embrace Here

This past weekend I was overcome with a bad case of what I call the ‘wanderlust woes’ or the ‘PLOM’ (an acronym for ‘poor little old me’).

“Why can’t I be in PAAAAAAARIS?!”
“Why does she get to go to Rome AGAAAAAAAAIN?!”
“Why does he get a new car aaaaaaaaaaaand a new house?!”

in Journal / Travel 5 comments

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 by Cayly

Coffee & Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Apparently, in 1475 a Turkish law was enacted that made it legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he failed to provide her with her daily quota of coffee. If that law still applies, best no Turk ever proposes to me! But, maybe if he can bake, I will overlook a cup or two or three of coffee.

in Coffee / Food 0 comments