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Saturday was my birthday, and as much as I love celebrating it, I hadn’t had a chance to arrange anything before the Friday afternoon because work has been so busy (and because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do).
I ended up staying at my sister’s house on Friday night as we got home late from the African Fashion Week swimwear show (more on this in another post), so I was woken up quite early by Gary, my sister and my niece. The day started off with going to watch my niece at her second swimming lesson (which was totally cute). And it continued on at a relaxed pace with pancakes for a late breakfast when we got home. Then it was off to the small celebration I had arranged at Cup restaurant at Morningside Shopping Centre. To say this is the ultimate eatery for my sweet tooth is an understatement!
I started off with a summer berry and vanilla milkshake. I then had a look through their menu and convinced a few of my guests to share some items off the menu… We had a giant red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing (below). We had a chocolate and marshmallow pizza slice which was basically a choc-chip cookie with marshmallow pieces that was cut in the shape of a pizza slice. We had bar-one cheesecake. We had baked cheesecake. And we had tea! Don’t forget the tea! And don’t forget the glass of water that was consumed after everything to cancel any fatty sugar that was eaten! 
I love the mix-match of dining chairs. I love the cute little aprons the waitresses wore. I love that you can buy sugar spoons with mini teacups or teapots on the top (yes, I’m going to buy one or two). I love that it’s an undiscovered gem (it was so quiet). And I love that I’ve found my new place for afternoon tea and cake.
I was truly spoiled by my loved ones and friends. I got a pink iPig from Gary. I got two belts from my sister. And then I got flowers and vouchers and a teacup and chocolates and sweets and and and… Thanks to everyone who made me feel special!
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
If you read this post, you would know that I enjoyed these desserts on Thursday night when The Upper Palatte (TUP) met for our first “ingestion” at Cube Tasting Kitchen in Parktown North.
To my absolute excitement, there were three dessert courses!
Dessert Course One
Pistachio polenta tart with lemon custard & olive shavings.
My Thoughts
The lemon custard tasted like the perfect lemon zest found in my favourite lemon meringue tart. It was tart but sweet. And when paired with the polenta tart, I was in heaven. I know it was a “tasting menu” but I could easily have had a larger portion served.
Dessert Course Two
Pineapple & raisins flambéed in Jasmin Tea with Chantilly cream and a delectable caramel popcorn shooter.
My Thoughts
I am not the biggest fruit fan, so I was pleasantly surprised to taste the pineapple and raisins and find that the Jasmin Tea had altered their taste…in a good way. And then paired with the Chantilly cream… Mouth-gasm of note! And then… I dipped my teaspoon into the caramel popcorn shooter and my mouth-gasm happened all over again. It was like buttery caramel popcorn but in a liquid form. Wow!
Dessert Course Three
Rosemary infused hot chocolate & baked chocolate custard.
My Thoughts
I wasn’t a fan of the rosemary hot chocolate. It tasted more like a savoury gravy with a hint of chocolate, than a hot chocolate infused with rosemary. Nonetheless it was a great palate cleanser. The baked chocolate custard was like a chocolate crème brûlée. It was rich and creamy. And when paired with the last drop of the rosemary hot chocolate, the taste was enhanced to perfection.
I would love to try a multiple course menu of desserts. Maybe Cube Tasting Kitchen will do this one day… Would you join me?
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
…because dessert should always be enjoyed with a teaspoon!
Some of you may know that I have a sweet tooth (to put it mildly). And some of you may know that I have become known as the Sweet Tooth Extraordinaire Dessert Reviewer. Well, I was recently invited to join the The Upper Palatte (TUP) as their Dessert Teaspoon. TUP is a group for discerning palates and distinguished patrons of exquisite cuisine in some of the finest settings in and around Johannesburg. Whether it is luxurious gastronomic fare, a cosy neighbourhood bistro, a downtown ethnic eatery, or a pavement cafe, the Upper Palatte aims to bring together good friends for great company. (Taken from their Facebook page)
Now last night happened to be the first “ingestion” which took place at Cube Tasting Kitchen in Parktown North. And when I first heard that we would be having multiple courses, my stomach grumbled an excited HELL YEAH!
We arrived late which was not a good start – the restaurant wasn’t labelled so we had trouble locating it. Luckily we spotted The Fork on the sidewalk and quickly found a parking spot.
I’m not going to tell you about what I tasted, I’m going to show you… And hopefully it’ll make your mouth water, and your hand pick up the phone to call in a reservation!
Serving One
The white square held smoked salmon slices and a micro salad.
The glass underneath that held warm home-made apple cider.
The glass in the middle was a hazelnut milkshake with duck confit.
And the cone on the left held chilli chocolate with chicken.
Serving Two
The white dish on the left held tomato pate with brinjal.
The glass just above held a prawn and avocado creme brûlée (a much tastier version of avocado ritz).
The glass to the right held a mushroom soup.
And on the wire plate was a chicken spring roll in rice paper with a chilli dipping sauce.
Serving Three
Lemon-grass infused Thai Green Curry with coconut shavings, and served with home-made bread.
Serving Four
Braised sole positioned on a new potato and finished off with creamed spinach and a sweet lemon crème.
Serving Five
Lobster Thermidore with chorizo purée on a bed of barley with lemon zest crème.
Serving Six
Slow roasted honey-glazed pork belly on a bed of oxtail ragout with a drizzle of butternut purée.
Serving Seven
Quail served with a star anise & fennel (licorice flavour) reduction.
Serving Eight
Fillet with beetroot mousse, creamy mashed potato & white wine mushrooms.
Serving Nine
A cheese salad with olive tapenade & spicy onion marmalade.
Serving Ten
Pistachio polenta tart with lemon custard & olive shavings.
Serving Eleven
Pineapple & raisins flambéed in Jasmin Tea with Chantilly cream and a delectable caramel popcorn shooter.
Serving Twelve
Rosemary infused hot chocolate & baked chocolate custard.
This four-hour meal was definitely worth the R450.00 per person price. I left feeling happy and full (though there was still space for an extra few courses of dessert). Would definitely do this again… Feel like joining me?
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
1. Going out midweek three nights in a row is exhausting
2. But going out three nights in a row means no cooking or cleaning up after dinner (score!!)
3. Don’t ever let your Guy unzip your dress when he’s “in the mood” else you’ll end up with the zip being zipped into your skin (ouch!!)
4. This sleep app thingamabob I have on my phone is supposed to be useful but I don’t think it’s working properly
5. I’m looking forward to a shopping spree on Sunday with all the gift vouchers I was given for my birthday
6. As soon as I have a lot of sweet things in the house, I don’t feel like eating them
7. I love filing and admin way too much
8. The Irene Dairy Farm shop is a treasure trove of goodies
9. The new Pick ‘n Pay on William Nicol is a great store but their queuing system sucks
10. I am a sucker for free goodies
That is the only word to describe how I was treated for my birthday! I was absolutely positively spoiled! And boy did that make me feel special!
My official birthday was this past Friday but since I had to work, I decided I would celebrate with a birthday weekend!
Friday morning I was woken up at 06h20 by my wonderful fiancé with a cup of tea, a beautiful card and a gorgeously wrapped present. I eagerly tore open the paper and was completely taken aback when I saw how spoiled I was… Inside the beautiful black box lay a gorgeous silver watch. It is amazingly gorgeous, no?!
My mom’s present, that had been sent a few weeks ago and had been taunting me from it’s place on the sideboard, was given to me next. I tore open the gift wrap to find a beautiful pair of bronze coloured flats and a similarly coloured scarf/shawl. When I got to work I was spoiled even more! My boss got me a voucher for the Saxon Hotel Spa, our accounts lady gave me a box of decadent choccies, and naughty Alice organised brownies to be delivered to my offices by NetFlorist. Talk about feeling super loved!
Saturday evening we were at Gary’s parents’ house for the second parental meeting (more on that at a later stage, but read here about when my mom met his parents) where I got spoiled again! Gary’s sister gave me the most gorgeous bracelet and necklace. And Gary’s mom gave me two (!!!!) vouchers for massages – a full body massage and then a back, neck and shoulder massage.
Sunday I had organised a very low-key picnic brunch at Emmarentia Dam. And although the weather decided to rain on my parade (literally), it did clear up nicely resulting in a gorgeous sunny afternoon! I was spoiled beyond belief by my friends! Firstly thank you guys for coming and braving the weather with me! Secondly thank you for making me feel so special! I received clothing gift vouchers, shopping centre gift vouchers, a beautiful Polo wallet, a gorgeous picture frame, some jewelry, flowers and best of all, sweet-tooth things that I don’t have to share! Thank you once again to all that came, you know who you are!
And to all my Twitter friends for the lovely birthday messages, thank you! Your kind words went a long way in getting me excited for my birthday!
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
1. A morning spent relaxing in the sun really is good for my soul
2. Leftover conditioner is best used to lather up your legs when shaving
3. Watching a series episode straight after episode really is indulgent
4. Discovering you have no lemon juice when you really want pancakes sucks
5. But having a fiancé that will go out to buy more is awesome
6. Vampire Diaries is awesome
7. Andiccio’s “prego sauce” is not mild, it’s BLOODY hot and spicy
8. A night in by myself every once in a while is great
9. Angel’s cupcakes really are to-die for
10. I cannot go into the Woolworths food section without buying Chuckles and caramel-filled mini swiss rolls
Remember the post where I asked whether I should or shouldn’t attend a school friend’s bachelorette party?! Well I decided to RSVP yes! Firstly it was a great excuse for a party, but also because I knew it would be wonderful to celebrate this memorable event in her life.
The party took place this past Saturday and the invitation said to dress up with a cowboy hat and some cowboy accessories. Now usually I am so super organised that I would have had the gift and outfit selected a week or so before the party. This time, however I was not so organised… Wednesday I went to my nearest costume hire shop and found a black stetson and a gun and holster. And Saturday morning (the morning of the party) I scoured the entirety of Sandton in search of the perfect gift (which ended up being not so *perfect).
The afternoon arrived quickly and I wrapped her gift before getting ready. First it was the make-up and fixing my hair, then it was deciding on what to wear. Thankfully Gary came to my rescue and suggested this and that to ensure I was a “smokin cowgirl”!
I arrived at the party and after greeting everyone, was dragged into the kitchen by one of my good friends to look at the cake. How innovative and funny?!
The rest of the afternoon was spent sipping champagne, chatting with friends, and indulging my sweet tooth (though unfortunately my corset prevented me from eating a lot which was obviously an oversight in wardrobe choice). Then it was time for the bride-to-be to open her pressies, but with a catch… Her fiancé was asked a range of questions by one of the bridesmaids, and the bride-to-be needed to answer two of these correctly in order to open a pressie.
The excitement began when she was sent off to get dressed for the evening’s activities. We all traipsed up the stairs to see the final product – black tights, super short denim shorts (she’s quite conservative so this was out of her comfort zone), boots, a black top with a checked top over tied at the waist, a pink feather boa, a pink fluffy stetson, and a two-gun holster. She looked wonderful – cute without the sleaze.
And then it was off to Sunninghill for some pole dancing lessons!
Now although I may have a dirty mind and a naughty sense of humour, I am quite reserved. So pole dancing was waaaay out of my comfort zone! Luckily I was tipsy on champagne and full of dutch courage, so I let myself go and enjoyed the moment. We were taught a short routine in manageable bits and luckily my co-ordination (sometimes lack thereof) didn’t embarrass me. I’m sure Gary is a bit irritated that we don’t have a pole in the bedroom so I could show him all the moves I learnt…
I was given a couple vouchers for a free lesson, and even though I have muscles hurting that I didn’t know I had, I’m hoping to use them soon. Anyone want to go with me?
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
*The lingerie set I searched high and low for and finally settled on, was bought by one of the other guests, and her present was opened before mine. *sob*
1. I am LOVING the Cake Boss series on Discovery channel. (How gorgeous does this cake look?!)
2. But I don’t love how it makes me crave cakes and sweeties and biscuits and…and…and after watching it.
3. Running the office without my boss here is a catch 22 – it’s easier for me to get things done but it’s difficult to do certain things when I need to phone him for this, that or the other.
4. Watching a funny movie with my fiancé is the best when he’s giggling his socks off.
5. I am addicted to the series 24. (Yes I know I’m late in the game with this one but it’s gripping stuff! Just started season 2!)
6. I must buy the doglets some new toys. Hopefully this will stop them wanting to rip up inspect the rubbish bags.
7. I’m grateful that my fiancé is a tech-whiz and has been able to sort out my Sinful Sweets page/tab issue. (Now I just need to find some more yummy desserts to post about.)
8. Disorganised Doofus is causing me unnecessary stress and pressure (today he waits until just now to tell me we don’t have an appropriate white tablecloth for a table setting mock-up we’re doing first thing Monday which we’ve known about since Wednesday).
9. I find working with lastminute.com people infuriating.
10. A huge cup of milo is great at first, but once it’s finished, it can make me feel ill.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
It’s a simple fact about me, and one that my fiancé (and all of my friends) knows well – I am ruled by my sweet tooth! I love all things sweet and gooey and decadent and more-some. I cannot feed my sweet tooth enough!
This is where the excitement comes in… I have decided to bring another facet into my blogging life… I am going to start photographing, eating and then reviewing the divine desserts I taste. I mean who wouldn’t take advice from someone who seems so educated on the subject?!
So look out for my new page “Sinful Sweets” which will show and tell all about my wonderous dessert escapades!
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
P.S. Email me any dessert suggestions you think I just have to try (and don’t forget to mention which restaurant I need to go to to find them) – iamjessicagiggles@gmail.com!
Thanks to Craig for taking the pic…
Yipeeeee! This is so exciting! My very first blogger award! 
I’d like to thank my mom and my dad and my fiancé and my doglets and…and…and… Actually I’d like to thank MamaMeeA who awarded this to me!
The rules say I have to share 7 random facts about me before nominating 7 bloggers I consider to be beautiful.
1. My absolute favourite song of all time is “Ice ice baby” by Vanilla Ice. I even know all the words!
2. My hair is naturally curly but I straighten it with my GHD to within an inch of it’s life every day. Oh the joy and time I’d save if I’d been born with straight hair!
3. I have such a sweet tooth that I recently ate an entire carrot cake on my own! Ok, so it took a week to eat it but only because I only had slices in the evenings after work. (I did think about taking it to work to share it, but in this case, sharing isn’t caring!)
4. I watched City of Angels for the first time last weekend. Apparently I was supposed to ball my eyes out, but I think all the fore-warning from my Twitter friends dried my tear ducts.
5. I own two gorgeous pairs of pink knee-high socks. One pair is made up of puzzle pieces in baby pink and bright pink.
6. I am addicted to my TV series. So much so, that I don’t know what I’d do without my PVR. Sad, but true…
7. I wear contacts because my eyesight is so bad. I’m actually so blind that when I don’t wear my contacts or glasses, I can barely see a fly on my nose. Ok, so maybe it’s not that bad, but I’m still quite blind!
And now to the nominations…
Alice, Ann, Cazpi, TwistyGirl, BananaRamaGirl, Hayley, and CamillaCams.
Hugs & Kisses
Jessica Giggles
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