I’m here to vent to you about my hair catastrophe!
An absolute disaster!
A few months back I went to the hair dresser and walked out disappointed as ever!
MY HAIR HAD TURNED ORANGE!
After much time sitting with foils on my head and a great amount of money I had to repeat the process once more!
This is what my hair looked like! 😭
I was lucky enough to have come across an absolute gem who managed to restore my hair and bring it back to what I originally had asked for.
Anne at La Bella Dona salon in the heart of Durban has experience of 12 years in the hair industry where she works solely with dying and replenishing flawed hair.
Her salon is a calming environment where you are in great hands which allows to sit back and enjoy your well deserved treatment.
Anne on a daily basis deals with these situations and has given me a few tips to follow to ensure that my hair stays in prestige condition.
✨When dying your hair in a lower tonal range you should use a silver shampoo to keep your colour alive and looking it’s best.
✨Often when dying your hair it becomes brittle so a great way of strengthening it is massaging your scalp and ends with a good quality argon oil 1-2 times weekly
✨Using a suitable hair brush for the type of hair you have can also prevent any breakage
A huge shout out to the staff at La Bella Dona salon! I am finally happy with my hair and I rate the salon a 10/10
It’s leila, I’m finally back with another skin health and happiness report!
A few days back I found myself in front of the mirror facing absolute horror!
Dry, grumpy, dull skin!
Buttttt…I was lucky enough to have found a few magic potions soon enough!
The Body shop has launched a vitamin C facial care range which is ideal for a change up routine.
This range gives your skin the ultimate glow that you deserve!
When purchasing skin care products it is very important to know your skin type in order for you to purchase the correct product. You could consult a skin professional to guide you towards what’s best.
Although the purpose of all products is the same it is very important that you try it, before you buy it! By doing this you will see which product formula and consistency you are most comfortable with.
Using an SPF or sun protection in your daily routine is an essential as this protects your skin from any long term harm caused from the environment.
The vitamin C range suited me best as it contains many minerals and is a great way of improving your collagen production, this helps keep your skin plump and firm which prevents premature aging and ensures a youthful look.
While using products, don’t forget that a sufficient water intake and healthy diet contributes to the final desired effect!
Chirping birds and a warmth from the sun on my skin, this by far was the most romantic place I have ever been to! Paris.
With the Eiffel Tower being the most touristy location in Paris, it sure is a magnificent sight!
The cobbles covering the city, illuminating in the darkness, glowing with the reflection of the Eiffel Tower. A language of love on its own!
Strolling through Champs Elyses, hearing the birds chirping, with a freshly baked croissant in one hand and an espresso in the other, an aesthetic pulled straight out of a magazine.
We booked a ticket for the Hop On - Hop Off tour which takes around the city exploring different locations and attractions. This is a city that never sleeps!
Paris is a decent sized yet so intimate city, everyone is friendly and close! The fashion from different cultures are pulled together so nicely with everyone having their own tastes!
This getaway was definitely one of the most romantic places I’ve ever been to!
The sun blazing brightly into the tiny gap through my curtains, I woke
What a wonderful experience!
Journey with me through the Mediterranean ocean as I we explore the different countries in under a week!
Starting with the first stop, Palma De Mallorca in Spain. Palma De malorca is known for its beautiful beaches and eye catching scenery. The beach of Palma has an array of beautiful shades of blue spread across the country.
On Day 2, we stopped at our next location which was Marseille in France. This is the Provence of France. Marseille is known for absolute amazing weather conditions and great a great shopping experience.
On Day 3, we stopped at Pisa/Florence. Pisa being about 2 hours away from the port. The highlight of Pisa is to see the leaning tower of Pisa which looks like it’s about to topple.
Florence is known for a bargain of a deal! The outlet shopping mall where you get a top of high-ended brands such as Micheal Kors, Louis Vuitton, Gucci etc at wonderful prices!
On Day 4, was the amazing Rome with tons of tourist attractions.
The Trevi fountain being one of my favorite! The Spanish steps is also a great tourist attraction although a rule has been made for which tourist are not allowed to sit on the steps. Another highlight for me was having Nutella ice cream from a famous gelato bar known as Venchi. They have a wide selection of desserts, chocolates and ice creams.
On the fifth day, we saw the Blue grotto and travelled up the mountain through a cable car. The views we saw were amazing and unforgettable!
The blue grotto is a blue light that eminates from under the oceans surface and shines bright into a cave covering a portion of the sea.
On the final day at sea, we enjoy the fruits of the cruise line. The Royal Caribbean cruise line has multiple swimming pools, jacuzzis, a zip line, water slides, entertainment such as musical shows and acrobatics. This was a life time experience that’ll never be forgotten!
Ever wonder what it would be like to live in a cave for a night or to wake up to the sun rising above fairy chimneys like those that inhabited the region since the Palaeolithic era? Well, grab your imagination and travel with me to one of the most magical places on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list: Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia.
Covered in fairy chimneys, Byzantine art and rock churches, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Turkey takes us into the whimsical and mysterious region in the central Anatolian plateaus where you can get lost in the history and beauty of Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia.
Cappadocia is known for the extra-terrestrial look of its landscape. That’s why popular movies such as Star Wars were filmed here. The triangle of Volcanos created today's land what is to be called the land of the beautiful horses ‘’Cappadocia’’. For millions of years the ashes left on this territory created the layers. Thats why its colour can change from green to brown to rose to white. It is a great wonder. We witness mountains made into castles, sometimes we witness underground cities or mysticism left by early dwellers. It has been a centre of Christianism for centuries as well. How could people live in the underground? Why did monks choose Cappadocia? What does its wine taste like? Were the stars this much bright? Whatever you are looking for in life, whether it is simplicity or Luxury it is all offered here
No matter what you come to Cappadocia for, there is no doubt that your visit will bring you a wide array of adventures to choose from. Activities such as hot air balloon rides at sunrise, sleeping in one of the infamous hotel caves, exploring the underground city of Derinkuyu or taking in the beauty of each sunset and sunrise with a cup of Turkish tea, will keep you on your toes throughout your visit. All year-round, there are tour groups that can arrange the entire experience for you, from arrival to departure, but if you are looking for an unscheduled, spontaneous adventure, the region is also easily accessible by plane or bus from all major cities in Turkey and can be discovered all on your own. If you have the chance, pack your bags, and make your first stop after the pandemic ends to Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia for an unforgettable and fairy tale experience.
With no time to digest... Lets head on to the necessary dessert stop!
The Great Food Excursion will not dissapoint!
Down the street from Vapor Cafe is the recently established(since 2020) Colaba Ice Cream & Dessert Studio.
Ever looked for high quality, perfection in a cup (or cone)??? Look no further!
After that incredible meal, you would question our ability to eat any more...but incredibly, weve left space for dessert - it's simply impossible to say no to this place!
My family has been frequenting this awesome little spot since before it even opened it’s doors to the public!
It started with a craving and a phone-call to the owners who gladly opened their doors to my mum and allowed her to purchase take-away pints of their delicious ice creams.
We've been hooked since!!
Ideally located and surrounded by all things scrumptious in Durban, Colaba ticks all the boxes, people!
Delicious, creamy, smooth and the best flavoured ice-creams!
And it doesn’t stop there.
1. Colaba ice cream is handcrafted in house.
2. It’s made using only the freshest local ingredients, from produce markets to small scale farmers on the North Coast, so shout out “Proudly South African!”
3. It’s free from alcohol, artificial flavourings and colouring, gelatine, stabilisers, preservatives and chemicals! So really, it’s soul food that’s totally good for your body.
4. Colaba has a range of diabetic-friendly ice-cream pints, made in the most popular flavours, and even a Vegan range! They even make sorbets with the freshest in-season fruit... And they make the meanest, richest Baked Cheesecake I’ve ever had the pleasure of savouring!
Even their Belgian waffles come with the best toppings! (See... No celebration is worth it unless there are waffles involved)
There really is something for absolutely everyone!
Owner, and creator behind the concept, Shabana formed Colaba through her passion for the gourmet world. Her ability to match natural ingredients to create rich, tantalizing flavours shows through in the variety of flavours – from Rasmalai, to activated charcoal, to the signature Bastani Sonnati!
Everything is crafted to fit together, right down to the chunks of brownie and the marshmallow fluff and nut brittle – it's all made in-house!
The friendly atmosphere, tantalising flavours, and excellent quality is what keeps us going back over and over. Take my word for it, if you’re ever in Durban, this is the place you want to be for desert!
I’d say it’s the perfect way to end the day. Whether it’s a sit down visit or a scoop in car on your way home. It’s guaranteed to have your tastebuds in love!
There really is something for absolutely everyone!
Okay Foodies... Now u know my darkest secret... I can't say no to food.
I'm going to bed stuffed to the brim... But I have one favour to ask.
When you out and about and decide to indulge in any of my recommendations... Please just leave a little for me..
Thanks!!!
Want to visit Colaba Ice Cream & Desert Studio? These are their current details:
Adress: 482 Lilian Ngoyi Road, Windermere, Durban, South Africa
Phone: +27 31 208-0461 or +27 83 296-7921
Check out their top-notch Instagram posts:
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Or check out their awesome website here:
"We want the unique taste of our ice cream to rekindle the warm happy moments in your life."Everything made from scratch. No Shortcuts. No
Alright Foodies, that's all from me today! I hope you enjoyed hearing all about The Great Food Excursion!!
You can depend on me for great food and great vibes. I’m always serious about food. Lets Eat, Drink and Love.
Find me at the grub hub, and get a taste of Our Sweet Life.
I’m celebrating today!!! I‘ve passed my licence test and am driving us right into a food excursion!
That's right, we gonna eat our way through two of my favourite spots here in Durban! Next stop ....‘Lupper’ (lunch and supper) as my family likes to call it.
First up, the trendy Vapor Cafe. Reputed as the Godfather of Prawns, this cafe sells the theme of an easy, casual vibe. Their food takes it up a notch. Awesome flavours and today couldn’t have been better because my family was there to celebrate with me
This trendy, must-visit spot is home to multiple separate dining areas, each with its own identity and style. Today, my family and I visited the Chicago Underground. We traipsed through the diner, down the stairs. The walls were covered with bright and happy coloured graffiti. Its edgy and inviting at the same time.
We even sat under a sign that set the atmosphere for our meal!
For starters, we had potato samoosas. Honestly, we were mildly peckish at the time. These babies delivered!! They arrived piping hot ! Crispy with just the right amount of spiciness!
No diner visit is complete without a deep fried chicken wing. We couldnt decide on the bbq or the thunderbird sauce...so we took half of each. It was the perfect choice for both the kids and adults to indulge.
The kebaabs with roti were flavourful with the right amount of spice.
The diner-style setup and menu mean that all the food is going to be hearty and delicious. Vapor Cafe delivers hearty portions packed full of flavour. The presentation lends u to feast with your eyes before your taste buds.
Our mains included The Dons Choice sandwich (gloriously tender steak piled on top of masala chips and cheese, layers of crispy salad and then toasted to perfection.) This is comfort food done to perfection.
There were 2 sensational pizzas. My favourite was the creamy Mississippi. With its tender and juicy prawns, a big sprinkle of freshly sliced chillies and covered in their House Brand peri peri sauce and a good dollop of cheese..... I was in SLICE heaven! (it's easy to pick off the chillies for a milder slice of heaven)
The second pizza was the Michigan Pizza. Spicy chunks of spicy steak. Not gonna lie. This pizza isn't for the faint hearted!!
Earning the title of Godfather of Prawns...say hello to the juiciest prawns you’ve ever had! This Prawn and chicken platter is ramped up a notch with the to die for sauce that accompanies it! Hands down, this is my favourite item on their menu!! The prawns are cooked to perfection and (no lies) if this was a chicken only dish...that chicken would be standout perfection! Succulent and juicy. The portions are fit for Kings and the quality is above par.
Following through on the diner style ...take a look at this baby. The Godfathers choice. Mmmmhmmmm... Sink your teeth into that badboy and the flavours assault your senses! A patty topped with steak and cheese and decadent garlic polony. All layered over a crispy toasted bun with fresh lettuce, tomato and onions. Juicy yumminess in each bite.
Alright Foodies, that's not all from me yet! Hop on over to Part two to check out dessert!
Want to visit Vapour Cafe? These are their current details:
Today, I come bearing the gift of a light and crispy waffle recipe! These waffles have the most delicate, crunchy exterior while being soft and fluffy on the inside.
Making waffles from scratch is so much better than the store-bought toaster waffles! Often, when you make homemade waffles, they turn out dense and spongy. But these bad boys are crunchy and fluffy! I’d even say that they’re the best Belgian waffles I’ve ever made.
My family have a tradition of dessert get-togethers. No sweet tradition is complete without a favourite waffle party. We don't discriminate. This is not a recipe reserved for Sunday morning brunches(even though it works just fine for brunch). This recipe can be whipped up as a midnight snack and (don't tell mum) a meal replacement!!
This recipe yields about 5 square waffles in my waffle iron. The recipe is easily doubled, so if you need to serve more people, it can be done in one go.
Let me show you step by step how I put these babies together. Come bake with me!
(Take a sneak peak at the recipe at the bottom of the page)
Heat oven to 90 Degrees Celsius
Measure flour, corn flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl and set aside. You don't have to sift these, however, it is recommended to prevent a lumpy texture.
3. Measure buttermilk, milk and vegetable oil into another bowl. I used a measuring jug for easy pouring.
4. Mix the egg yolk into the buttermilk mixture and set aside
6. Add sugar and vanilla essence to egg whites and beat until peaks are firm and glossy. Set this aside.
7. Grab your buttermilk mixture, and bowl of dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until just mixed.
8. Drop whipped egg whites to the batter in dollops, and fold in with a spatula until just incorporated. The batter is not going to be smooth or silky. You might see lots of bumps, but don't be tempted to smooth them out or mix any longer.
9. Leave the batter to rest for a few minutes, while your waffle iron heats up. Drop batter onto hot waffle iron and cook until waffle is crisp and golden brown. You might want to consider flipping your waffle over if the bottom is already golden, and the top isn't.
10. Place waffles on a rack and pop into the oven to keep warm and crisp.
11. Decorate and serve when all waffles are done! Ice-cream is my go-to topping, even in winter. The creamy smooth texture, melting against the crispy warm waffles....Mmmm.
I'm also going to suggest a good quality homemade chocolate sauce, crushed chocolate, roasted nuts, fresh fruit and the all-important WHIPPED cream! Light and fluffy...rich and dreamy... creamy and crispy.
Get creative!!! The options are limitless!
These waffles can be made at the spur of the moment, and its a bonus that these are staple ingredients in almost every kitchen.
You can depend on me for great food and great vibes. I’m always serious about food. Lets Eat, Drink and Love.
Find me at the grub hub, and get a taste of Our Sweet Life.
That’s right foodies, I’ve got cookies in the oven!
I’ve been searching for the perfect cookie recipe for ages!! This little treasure popped out from a pile of discarded recipes and after making it once, I have never looked back.
This rich cookie recipe is my all-time favourite! With just the right amount crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, it’s sure to be the go-to recipe in any cookie-lover's book.
While the original recipe calls for dark, milk and white chocolate slabs, I’ve been chopping up slabs of whatever chocolate I could find in the house, and it creates the best flavour combinations! I once used chunks of mini-Snickers. Oh man! The extra chewy factor with the caramel was to die for!
Let me show you step by step how I put these babies together. Come bake with me!
(take a sneak peak at the recipe at the bottom of the page)
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Chop up chocolate slabs into chunks. I like mine slightly larger, for the extra crunch when you bite in. Here I have a milky bar slab, dairy milk slab, and a hearty scoop of Belgian chocolate chips:
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I like to chop up the butter into blocks.
4. Your creamed butter and sugar should look like this.
Crack in your egg:
5. Measure out dry ingredients into a bowl. Here, I have Belgian cocoa powder and stone-ground cake flour.
6. Add in dry ingredients little by little to avoid messy flour explosions!
7. Your dough shouldn’t stick to your fingers when you touch it. If the dough is a bit dry, you can add in a dash of milk at this stage. The richness of the colour will depend on the quality of the cocoa powder you use.
8. It’s time for chocolate chips! Mix those in there for an even distribution.
9. Next, we line our trays with baking paper, and roll the dough into balls. Using roughly a heaped tablespoon for each cookie I was able to yield around 30 cookies.
10. I like to press my dough down slightly for a better spread when baking:
11. So, 11 minutes later... Look at these 2 trays of heavenly cookies!! Leave these to cool for about 30 minutes. This helps them to harden enough for that chewy goodness. If you are like me and can’t wait to dig in, they’re pretty good straight out of the oven!
12. Cold milk and cookies...I won’t be available for a while. Have fun making them and enjoy them with your families(or alone... I won’t judge ;) )
Trust me, you can’t make these just once!
You can depend on me for great food and great vibes. I’m always serious about food. Lets Eat, Drink and Love.
Find me at the grub hub, and get a taste of Our Sweet Life.
Hi there! Welcome to Our Sweet life, a lifestyle blog space dedicated to all things fashion, food and travel. Created, written, and managed by a trio of fiery South African Designers-in-the making, Our Sweet Life hopes to ignite your passion through our experiences.
Join us as we create, review and share our experiences in Durban, and around the world!
Meet our team!
Hi, I’m Saaliha, a future graphic designer, an artist, illustrator, bookworm, and most importantly... A food enthusiast!
I’m the writer in charge of all topics super scrumptious, and with my new-found appetite for food photography, it’s game over for all you hungry buggers. I am particularly obsessed with dessert, I suggest you stay on the lookout for my tried and tested recipes that are proven to win over even the ones without a sweet-tooth.
Hello there, I’m Naseeha, the biggest travel enthusiast out there!
I've been captured by the amazing wonders of the world. My love for travel has grown over the years. This is the adventure of a girl who found a passion in the world of adventure!
Fasten your seatbelts, sit back, relax & enjoy the ride along with me as we explore the world through my eyes!
Hey, I’m Leila! A fashion design student inspired by the beauty of my city, the emotions and excitement of the people and things around me. My passion runs deep into the world of all things beautiful from fashion to make- up and all that the world offers me which entails the upliftment of myself inside and out!
I’m here to brief you guys on what’s trending and how to be bold! Let me teach you how to make them stop and stare
