Archive for June, 2018

Exciting mooows!

News from Destination Irene this month has never been mooore exciting! The renovations at African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection®, are complete…

The General Manager, Duke, took me on a little sneak-peak tour last week and I was over the mooon with pride. Not only has my favourite Destination Irene place outdone themselves, but now they can cater to even more of my Destination Irene fans wanting to explore their beautiful property.

The 48 (yes, that’s 48!) new Superior Rooms nestled on the edge of the lodge’s forest are true to their initial intention. With relaxing forest views and all the creature comforts I’ve come to expect from African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection®, I dropped a few hints to Bill that our anniversary is coming soon!

(And true to my anniversary expectations, Camdeboo Day Spa have the most beaoootiful Winter Bliss Package – perfect timing! I could certainly do with a SIX Timeless Skin Treatment followed by a Taster Buff & Go. Putting my hooves up whilst enjoying a cup of tea and slice of cake with everything revolving around me – takes me back to the day we wed out in the fields…)

When Duke herded me over to the extended Meadow Green Restaurant I immediately thought it is going to be ideal for our 20^th Wedding Anniversary, which we will celebrate next year. It’s like African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection® is catering to my every need! With fantastic buffet options, it’s the perfect location for our herd to celebrate with us.

We were also fortunate to meet the new Head Chef, Chowda, who is a Mooosterchef in his own right! Chef Chowda is just as excited to be at African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection®, where his kitchen rules!

Then Duke saved one of the best for last… with its own deck overlooking the renowned African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection®, lake and seating up to 250 guests, he says they can’t wait to welcome existing and new corporate clients to this state-of-the-art Lakeview Facility.

We took so long exploring all that African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection® has to offer that I almost forgot to order dinner! The calves have been pleading for a home cooked meal from The Deli and I’ve just discovered their new online shop!

 

 

WOW! How amooozing is it that we can now order some of our favourites from anywhere we want! From gift vouchers to platters, home cooked meals and milk products to my very own range of Dairy Cow paraphernalia (and my Dairy Cow Adventure Series for the kids will be arriving soon!) I spent the good part of an evening browsing all the things I could buy…

Dinner sorted, congratumoootions extended to all the staff of African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection®, and some fabulous Anniversary bookings on the horizon… I am so proud to be Destination Irene’s biggest fan!

Go check it out for yourselves…

Till Next Month,
The Dairy Cow

As most couples do, Bill and I like to arrange a special evening to ourselves once in a while. One where the hustle and bustle of farm life can be forgotten and we can just focus on each other.

Our date nights range from delicious meals out to ordering room service and spending the night in luxury but every now and then we like to have a real relaxation treat! This month was one such occasion so we decided to book the Date Night at Camdeboo Day Spa – the ultimate spoil.

After a rather hectic day out in the fields, we herded over to African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection® where we were welcomed by the most helpful staff. As we entered the Camdeboo Day Spa gate a feeling of utter peace was evident in the most beautiful of settings.

A beaming receptionist offered us welcome drinks, showed us around the spa and then gave us a few minutes to change into our gowns and slippers. Once back at reception, our therapists took us through to a couple’s treatment room where our Twice as Massage treatment for two was the Date Night ultimate treat.

I had heard word in the fields that the Camdeboo Day Spa therapists are nothing short of spectacular, regularly attending workshops to keep updated on the latest therapy trends. Well, this experience was phenomenal!

Being a stressed out dairy cow is no joke! As I tackle each day trying to balance work, calves and family life my body (especially my back) aches as I climb into bed each night. The therapist took her time to ensure that every single knot in my shoulders was painlessly worked away whilst always ensuring that I was as comfortable as could be. After an hour of this wonderful massage, Bill and I both felt completely rejuvenated – a relaxing date night accomplished!

Once done, our therapists gave us a few minutes to change back into our gowns. Thank goodness as I think both Bill and I had dosed off for a bit and needed the time to wake up again!

To finish off our evening, we enjoyed a delicious snack platter with a bottle of bubbly on the restaurant patio. With the quietness of the evening surrounding us, Bill and I were able to catch up on adult conversation without the calves around to interrupt us.

We returned to the barn feeling udderly lazy! Thank goodness mooother-in-law had the calves for the night so Bill and I were able to enjoy an uninterrupted good night’s rest… just what the Farmer ordered!

I love relaxing date nights and this one was by far my favourite – Camdeboo Day Spa will be seeing us again, very soon.

Till Next Week,
The Dairy Cow

 

 

 

 

Bill, my one and only, arranged to have mooother-in-law watch the kids and booked us a fabulous Saturday Night Live evening at African Pride Irene Country Lodge’s Meadow Green Restaurant.

Swaying into The River Bar, hoof in hoof, Bill and I started the evening with a pleasant, quiet drink. Sinking into the comfy sofas, (I nearly fell asleep before dinner!) Bill munched on some snacks and caught up on the latest sporting results. I was so relaxed I forgot to moan at him for watching sport on our night out!

Then we went through to the restaurant for a very special dinner – it was mooovelous to say the least. Why we don’t do this more often is unknown to me as Bill will tell you that just this one romantic night out scored him major brownie points!

Firstly, my choice of corn chowder soup to start was spot on. Not only was it absolutely delicious but the presentation was outstanding. Bill went for the Thai butternut soup which was equally as good and we both devoured the bread served with an eggplant spread (amongst others) to die for!

Starters called for the ceasar salad – parmesan, grilled chicken, lettuce and a classic dressing – just a few of my favourite things! Bill’s beef carpaccio must have been good as I think it only lasted about half a minute on his plate!

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Our very courteous waiter kept topping up our wine glasses and the live background music of the most enjoyable piano playing set the tone for our date… an unforgettable one at that.

Lime and coconut sorbet served in a shooter glass did the trick to cleanse the palate and just a few minutes later I was ogling a seafood dish that was supreme. Seared salmon, prawns and mussels with basmati rice and thermidor sauce – need I say more? Those prawns were mouth-watering and the salmon seared to perfection. Bill succumbed to a deboned oxtail with grilled polenta and braised summer vegetables which, should he have been allowed to, I’m sure he would have tried to take the pot of it back to the barn!

I had to request that our desert be served sometime after our main course as I wasn’t sure I would be able to fit much more in! But my taste buds won the war and boy, am I glad they did! A blue berry compote was the ideal treat to end a fabulous evening and Bill’s choice of a cheese board with local cheeses and preserves was marvellous too.

The ease of our evening was evident thanks to the fact that the service was flawless. It was a true romantic treat, I have to say that the Saturday Night Live made it perfect…

Till Next Week,
The Dairy Cow

Authentic farm life

Bill and I are living the all South African farm life dream! The mooost beautiful views, a herd that we consider family and a slower pace to life although we live in the middle of a city. So you can imagine our uncontained excitement when African Pride Irene Country Lodge recently joined the elite Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s distinctive portfolio of thoughtfully designed and passionately independent hotels.

An individual character, unique guest experience and defining sense of place led to this exciting news and we couldn’t be more proud. African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection is Exactly like nothing else! And we are proof of that…

Of course, once the word of this exciting news spread in the fields, it was time for a celebration and so Bill arranged a wonderful get-together at The Pasture (Irene Farm’s pop-up restaurant open whilst The Barn Restaurant is being upgraded). And what a wonderful celebration it was. The whole herd gathered to enjoy a buffet-styled lunch whilst the calves played till late afternoon before we all returned back to our barns with full bellies and happy hearts. I just love a mooorse good reason to celebrate – especially at one of my favourite Destination Irene spots.

I popped back in to The Deli at Irene Farm a few days later as I had spotted some amooozing Irene Farm branded products before attending the celebration and I wanted to stock up. True to their word, Irene Farm have hand-picked some of their most favourite products and given them their stamp of approval. Look out for them when you next visit, you won’t be disappointed!

With all of the moootabulous renovations at African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection nearly in their final stages of completion, Bill has been helping out where he can. Always keen to get stuck in to ensuring Destination Irene remains a firm favourite, Bill has been filling me in on the exciting new Superior Rooms and Lakeview Facility. These upgrades will not only allow for more visitors to relish in African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection’s renowned hospitality but also for larger conference groups – and of course allowing all guests to enjoy an authentic farm experience.

In the midst of all this excitement, I almost forgot Father’s Day! Celebrating Bill’s amooozing ability to be the bull any calf could ask for, I’ve booked our little herd for Father’s Day Lunch at Meadow Green Restaurant. The menu looks scrumptious, as always, and at just R599 per person, Bill will certainly enjoy the treat.

Mooother-in-Law has offered to baby sit the calves for the afternoon once we are done with lunch so Bill and I can herd over to Camdeboo Day Spa where he will enjoy a Well Deserved Cheers to Dad. A 60 minute Indigenous Heated Massage, 60 minute Men’s Energy Release Facial and a shot of Whiskey or Gin – I don’t think Bill will have any complaints. Whilst he’s indulging in the spoils of being the best bull out there (yes, I am a little biased!), I’ll be getting my monthly mani and pedi.

All this fabulous news has left me feeling prouder of Destination Irene than ever before. I look forward to welcoming old and new visitors to our little piece of heaven. A haven of peace and tranquility that we like to refer to as African Pride Irene Country Lodge, Autograph Collection – authentic farm experience. Exactly like nothing else!

Till Next Month