The setting of PRETORIA.co.za's second wine club complimented the wine estate perfectly. Blu Saffron with its unpretentious elegance and rolling green hills view could make you think for a moment that the location was closer to the lovely Paarl than to Menlyn shopping centre. Hidden away in the Pretoria Country Club, the Blu Saffron's private dining room created an intimate space to sample great wine with good food.

Val de Vie, short for Valley of Life, has been a force to reckon with since 1783, when the original land was given to Huguenot descendant Abraham Andries le Roux. In 2006 the estate embarked on a unique quest to cultivate the distinguished Rhône varietals.

Park Acoustics, hosted at the Voortrekker Monument, is growing in popularity by the minute! It's becoming a monthly institution not to be missed. And with the inclusion of an international band in the last show, a new record has been set for the amount of people that can be squeezed into the open air venue.

Selling over 2000 tickets, the big hit of Sunday's gig was definitely the acclaimed band KONGOS – four brothers currently living in Phoenix, Arizona but with South African roots. Their famous muso dad, John Kongos, started his career in Johannesburg before travelling to Europe. He met his wife, an American, in London and thereafter came back to Johannesburg. His boys spent much of their youth in South Africa before moving to America.

Chatting to them, they admitted that coming back to South Africa had quite an unexpected emotional edge to it, returning after being out of the country for 15 years.

The beautiful garden setting of the Cari-Mari gallery, with its spacious lawn and tall Jacarandas, played the perfect host for the fun concept of the HARDT exhibition. Potentially the first in a series of exhibitions, the idea was launched with great success.

Walking in, a playground theme from the good ol' days greeted you, serenaded by the Briels music in the background: girls playing hop scotch, boys climbing trees and throwing paper airplanes. All the kids were dressed in school clothes with a typical dutch influence – the girls with puffy white pants and Voortrekker bonnets, the boys with suspenders and quaint little hats. Hanna Grobler, the mastermind behind the evening, decided to fuse her extensive art repertoire by mixing little dramas in-between the art pieces. The exhibition displays her vast talent, with paintings and sculptures for sale.

1. Monokinis

2. Mzansi Fela Festival

3. Potjiekos

4. Hoofmeisie

1. Tribal Prints

2. Platteland

3. Cherries

4. Tori Amos @ Emperor’s palace

PRETORIA.co.za's first wine club event was a huge success with good food and great wine.  The representatives of Hermanuspietersfontein estate presented their wines with interesting information about each blend and a bit of background about the estate's origin. Did you know that the town of Hermanus was first called Hermanuspietersfontein?  Hermanus Pieterse was a Dutch settler in the area that discovered a fruitful fountain in the area that provided a useful watering spot for the surrounding farms. So the sailors started naming the place "Hermanus Pieters' Fontein". In the early 1900’s the postmaster shortened the name to Hermanus.

1. Coldplay concert

2. Sies! Isabelle

3. Hartland

4. Plaited Hairstyles

Daar is 'n gesegde wat lees "met die ouderdom kom die wysheid". Die gedagte hiervan is soet en een wat bly maal in my kop en nie tot rus wil kom nie. Die idee hiervan is nie net soet nie, maar ook vertroostend. Die begin van dieper lyne langs my mond en om my oë, vertel dat ek besig is om wysheid op te doen, en vinnig ook. Ek het gedink dit sou makliker wees om ouer te word. Dat dinge meer sin sou maak, dat ek my liggaam 100% sou aanvaar, dat verhoudings sou stabiliseer, dat liefde sou seëvier en geluk aan die orde van die dag sal wees.

Vir my is dit asof vrees 'n groter rol begin speel in my lewe soos ek die jare byvoeg. Ek is al deur genoeg om te weet wat op die spel is. Ek onthou, nie te lank gelede, toe ek vars uit hoërskool gestap het en reg was om die wêreld by die horings te pak. Niks om te verloor nie, alles om te wen. Nie bang vir 'n mens, 'n situasie, 'n gebroke hart, finansiële terugslae of siekte nie. Hoe lekker was daai gevoel om tot alles in staat te wees nie? Nog vasbeslote om 'n verskil in hierdie wêreld te maak en ‘n legacy agter te laat.

The All Blacks were champions in 1987. Four years later; Gary Whetton’s men were an ageing side knocked out in the semis. The Wallabies – who retained a large proportion of their victorious 1991 team – couldn’t get past the quarters in 1995. In 1999, the Boks lost to Australia in the semis by the skin of their teeth, while against all expectations, defending champions Australia and England reached the finals in 2003 and 2007 respectively – only to fall at the hurdle. Now, seven wins stand between the Springboks and the chance to break the pattern described above – by becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Cups. And this adds to the pressure that being the defending champions brings.

I am so very tempted to commit plagiary and claim that I am an avid rugby supporter who knows these facts by heart, but unfortunately it’s the property of our good friends at Sport Illustrated. If you want to read about facts and figures, you can read the entire article in this month’s issue. Although I am not familiar with all there is to know about the technical side of the so-called "boy" sports, I am a sport loving girl who loves watching and playing (some) sports.

PRETORIA.co.za celebrated its second year of serving Pretoria this week with an exclusive event at Rhapsody's Menlyn. This dynamic website's popularity is growing rapidly and this August a new record of monthly visits was reached – 47 609! The success was celebrated with a vibrant party atmosphere and pumping live music kept the jovial spirits high throughout the night.

The who's who was mingling with the average folk, celebs Hanna Grobler and Bok van Blerk joined the merry celebrations. Hanna also gave an informative speech to tell people about how this energetic initiative was started. It took putting a few heads together for ideas and one year of planning before the website was launched on 01 September 2009. The website is a unique combination of entertainment and business, informing people about what Pretoria has to offer, while boasting with a handy and diverse directory.

1. Macrame

2. Peach

3. Love Letters

4. Rugby World Cup

A new game to play – I describe a place to you and you try and guess which one I'm talking about.  Guess correct and it will be very beneficial for you.  You will not be disappointed with the outcome.  Let the games begin!

We have some new restaurant blood in town to try out.  Think outside the box a bit, not the usual franchise variety, this is a fresh approach to the world of food – something that could grow into a favourite posh outing.  The name speaks of elegance, style and has a bit of a foreign twang to it.  Step inside and you will be transported to a café in Europe. 

1. Salt 'n Pepper Hair

2. Boeremark Silverton

3. Madiba mondays

4. Lime

Ek was altyd een van daardie meisies wat die vrouens van professionele sportmanne en besigheidsmanne wat konstant weg van die huis af werk, jammer gekry het. 'n Vriendin van my het op 'n stadium 'n kêrel gehad wat in die Kaap gebly het en selfs toe het ek gewonder of sy die klits kwyt geraak het. Hoekom wil jy jouself daardeur sit? Die werk wat reeds in 'n "normale" verhouding ingaan om hom gesond en lewenslustig te hou, is genoeg om meeste van ons uit te put, wat nog te sê met iemand wat duisende kilometers weg is?

Nou ja toe, nes die lewe toe is, slaan ek vir myself 'n kêrel los wat in Nigerië, "the armpit of Africa" (soos hy dit noem) woon en werk. Dit kom daarvan as mens so arrogant wil wees om te sê "nooit" nie (in my geval, "nooit ooit" nie). Aanvanklik het ek gedink ek is verseker die enigste meisie op die planeet wat myself in hierdie tipe van langafstand gevryery bevind, maar soos hulle sê "birds of a feather, flock together" en het ek bevriend geraak met almamaters van dieselfde spesie. Twee van my vriendinne se mans werk ook in Nigerië en die ander een toer die wêreld en is tans weer in Engeland. 'n Ander pel van my was aan die begin van sy verhouding in Amerika en na net ses maande op dieselfde kontinent en dorp as sy beminde, moet sy Bloemfontein toe vir 'n werksgeleentheid.

So, it’s the last week of the school holidays, and by now you are almost running out of ideas to keep the kids entertained…  Before you feel like pulling your hair out with frustration, look no further than our extensive events guide!

Our city is full of fun things for kids to explore.  For the remaining part of the holiday, make a visit to the Irene Village Mall – winter holiday entertainment include lego building, colouring in and a dollhouse where kids can dream up expansive make-belief lives.  For a memorable moment – plan a visit on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday between 13:00 and 15:00 for a photo opportunity with the Irene Cow. Visit www.irenevillagemall.co.za for more details.

1. Unathi Msengana

2. Doilies

3. "TREE AAN!" Musical

4. Orange tea