Irene@Smuts
Moooi!
Craft and market are two of my favourite words, so when I recently spotted the street advertisement for the Irene@Smuts Market I decided it was time to pay it a visit…
With Bill and the calves in tow, we moooseyed on over to the Smuts House Museum last Saturday morning only to be met with the most wonderful vibe. Craft market heaven! Irene@Smuts Market is a deli and handmade goods market that takes place every second and last Saturday of the month. Proudly South African craft at its best.
Bill headed straight for the newly built wooden deck where live music set the tone for an enjoyable morning. Craft beer and great food options meant that he was quite happy to soak up the tunes whilst the calves and I strolled around the stalls.
Proudly South African handmade products resulted in us spending quite some time chatting to the vendors – getting to know their crafts and admiring their makes. From handmade glycerine soap (which smells divine) to perfectly sewn Barbie doll dresses, there is something for everyone at this market.
I was mostly impressed with the creativity and originality of some of the vendors. I purchased a lovely shopper bag, which I plan to use for my weekly Irene Farm Shop visit, made out of recycled washing powder packets – who would have thought! Not only did I enjoy every minute of exploring this market, but I felt like I was helping to save the environment in my own little way!
Another one which caught my eye (and my wallet!) was a vendor making Tree of life décor from old bicycle rims. Mine will be proudly displayed on our barnyard gate entrance. I’ll be sure to post a pic on my Facebook page as the Tree of life photos are all the rage right now!
Beautiful jewellery, clothing, paintings and more – you can see why we were there for the whole morning! Not forgetting the antique stalls. The calves and I had so much fun checking out all the old goodies, much of which I had to explain what they were!
It wasn’t long before my youngest calve was tugging at my hoof for something to eat and drink so we decided to stay for lunch.
Vetkoek, gourmet hot dogs, pizzas, paninis, pull pork sandwiches – you name it, they’ve got it! And the drinks aren’t far behind… We saw many happy market goers with a glass of wine in their hands and the craft beer vendor seemed rather busy too… I stuck to my trusty favourite – coffee – and it was a mooovelous one at that, whilst the claves had their all-time market must – bubble tea!
Together with Bill, we sat on the deck and enjoyed the time spent together. The market buzz in the air made the atmosphere complete.
On the walk home, the calves moooed about how much fun the morning had been and asked when we could go back! I’ve since discovered that they hold a Moonlight Market on the last Friday evening of each month – I’m going to pencil that into the calendar right now…
Till next week!
THE DAIRY COW
Bill opted for the signature Beef – Rib Eye dish (highly recommended by the Guest Relations Manager, Pamela) and I settled for a Beef Gourmet Burger. Seated out on our balcony overlooking the gorgeous view, Bill and I enjoyed the tranquillity coupled with our own private company. It’s not often that we get to enjoy an evening together without one of the calves tugging at my hoof for something!
Awakening to the birds on the Saturday morning, Bill and I decided to take a walk around the property (to work off some of the meal from the night before!). A handy walking trail guide was in our room and so we set off around the beautiful lake where we were met with all sorts of birdlife. Ending in a forest-like setting, we freshened up before heading off to the Meadow Green Restaurant for breakfast.
