this is what’s been happening offline lately! if you follow me on twitter and instagram you’ll probably be up to speed.

i moved out of my old home…

…into a wonderful new home!

luckily for me there is a plant shop right across the road from said new home

i’ve been making new friends. actually, not with the fearsome little guy on the left – even though i desperately wanted to. but i did make friends with a neighbourhood cat, who i might lure inside someday and never let go.

i received some amazing things in the post!

left: clutch by Lee Coren. right: zebra print cardigan from Cardigan NY

left: amaaaaazing ring from Julie Cohn. right: incredibly handy foldable laptop stand from Kraftisan.

even though i complain about the heat, summer in Cape Town is damn impressive.

been enjoying rooftop movies (left) and always appreciating old school cars (and cottages):

summer = tons and tons of granadillas:

i started the Whole30…

…and lasted just over a week (pathetic)

i visited Jess & Luke at their pop-up restaurant at Pier Rabe in Stellenbosch. that’s a fig and custard danish with lavender and honeycomb ice-cream. there was actual honeycomb inside.

Pier Rabe is a very dangerous place.

they do wonderful displays to entice you to part with your cash.

always appreciating the glory that is the pooches.

and, the best for last. i received the most beautiful thing i have ever owned from the greatest man i’ve ever known.

here’s the story behind the ring.

last year Anton approached Karin from Dear Rae to design (the world’s most beautiful) engagement ring. they set out to find a rose cut diamond, an antique cut that has less facets than a modern brilliant cut diamond. after weeks and weeks of searching they were still coming up empty handed. rose cut diamonds are rare to find because diamond merchants hunt them down and re-cut them into brilliant diamonds so that they’re worth more on the diamond market.

so when we got engaged Anton proposed to me with a beaded ring his grandmother, who used to be a jeweller, made from Xhosa beads that they bought from the ladies on the beach in the Transkei (a common sight if you’ve ever been to that part of the country). he told me that my real ring was coming, but i was so deliriously happy that i didn’t care – and just knew that he probably had some amazing plan up his sleeve.

meanwhile back in Cape Town, Karin was scouring through the Long Street Antique Arcade when she came upon an antique ring that had an old mine cut diamond in it. a predecessor to the modern brilliant cut diamonds, these were usually shaped and cut by hand making the facets quite large and the shape uniquely asymmetrical.

it is set in a matte gold band, and Anton gave it to me on Valentines day by the sea where we had our first ever date. aaw, shucks. it’s the most amazing thing i have ever worn and will ever call my own. the story behind it makes the ring a thousand times more precious than it already is, something i hope to pass on to some lucky grandkid someday.