Top 10 Sunday

Top 10 Best Places to Eat Sushi in Cape Town:

1- Salushi: Protea Road, Cape Town 

2- Nobu: One & Only Hotel, Cape Town

3- Willoughbys: Waterfront, Cape Town

4- Sevruga: Waterfront, Cape Town

5- Sake: Block D, Ground Floor, Shop 2, Sable Square, Cape Town

6- Mezapoli: Camps Bay, Cape Town

7- Sushi Box: Kildare Circle, Newlands, Cape Town

8- Wasabi: Constantia Village, Cape Town

9- Food Lovers Market: outside Cavendish Square, Cape Town

10- Beluga: The Foundry, Cape Town

X Zo 

No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent.

When bullied, consider yourself lucky.

You’re in a much better place than your bully; who is self-conscious, angry, jealous, weak, vulnerable and most of all, desperate. Bullies have nothing better to do than try and put down others to make themselves feel higher. 

When they laugh at you or gossip or even push you- simply smile and feel pity for them. Think about what Eleonore Roosevelt said: "No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent".

There are so many things I’d love to say to say to the girl that bullied me. I’d give her the advice to stop spending her time and focusing her energy on hating me because not one tiny bone in my body is focused on her. I’d tell her that she should direct all her anger towards me in a future career; maybe something frustration-releasing like boxing? Yeah, boxing! That way she could end up appreciating me, as I’m almost 100% sure that if in every future fight she pictured my face instead of her opponent's, she’d win. I’d tell her her that any remote care for what she thinks of me is long gone and that all it did was make me stronger and able to withstand the absolute worst of the worst people. Lastly, I’d tell her that karma WILL hit her one day and people WILL realise who she really is. And that they will ask themselves why they ever gave her the time of day or the power to mistreat others and she will be left alone, naked, hopefully in the powerful vice-like grip of her own conscience. 

...But then again, by the time this delight occurs, I will be too busy elsewhere living my life to care about her and her self-reform. 

Bullying stops us from being who we want to be, and prevents us from expressing ourselves freely, and might even make us feel unsafe.

If you are being bullied:

• SPEAK UP: If you feel uncomfortable with the comments or actions of someone… tell someone! It is better to let a trusted adult know, than to let the problem continue.
• Get familiar with what bullying is and what it is not. If you recognize any of the descriptions, you should stay calm, stay respectful, and tell an adult as soon as possible.
• If you feel like you are at risk of harming yourself or others get help now!

If someone is bullying you online or via text message

• Remember, bullying does not only happen at school. It can happen anywhere, including through texting, the internet and social media.
• Learn more about cyberbullying and how to deal with it if it is happening to you.
 

If you don’t get bullied, but your friend does

• Learn how you can be more than a bystander.
• Talk to her/him and encourage them to take a stand 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__C7sd_UDU0

X Zo

4 YouTube Videos You MUST Watch:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5PZ_Bh-M6o

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXh3Ob_zDhs

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw72ECvuT5c

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-a8dAHDQoo

These are four incredible videos about three completely different issues, they all had a big impact on me and must be watched!

X Zo

The Common Enemy

It applies in the business world

It applies in country v.s country war battles

And lastly, it applies with people.

“Trashing the same person often helps people bond. …. The power of this initial spark of shared antipathy, it seems, comes from what negativity implies. Everyone, after all, can say kind things. And everyone does. This is how we supposedly make friends: by being nice. But by going negative—thereby breaking a general rule of first impressions—you signal that you instinctively trust this new person, because you suspect he or she might feel the same way.” (“Hating The Same Things,” New York Magazine, 3/27/2011)

The hard fact is that when you meet someone for the first time, one of the easiest ways to bond is over someone you both dislike.

Sadly, this is the cheapest way to break the ice.

Hating the same thing or person can foster a click between two people; whether your common enemy is a person, a celebrity or even a restaurant, suddenly you become an ‘us, vs’ and it’s the two of you against the world….

or the restaurant.

In High School for instance, this bonding-mechanism is a frequent occurrence.

Picture it like this, two girls have just become friends, one day they start chatting but don’t have much to talk about.

One of them mentions a mutual friend. The other asks a soft ‘Do you like her’ and one answers, ‘Promise you won’t say anything if I tell you?’ and after the agreement of silence has been finalized, it comes out, the confession- ‘I kind of can’t stand her!’ and suddenly the other admits she can’t either!

The two now feel like they can breath, they relax in their seats and feel a kind of mischievous feeling… like they shouldn’t be admitting this sort of stuff, they shouldn’t be gossiping- immediate bonding of shared antipathy.

 This coping-method unfortunately can backfire tremendously as one friend can all of a sudden re-unite with the enemy again and the other friend is then left all alone with all of her secret confessions she had revealed left on the line and the possibility that in the future she will get humiliated.

So… what do you think?

Is it worth having a friend solely based on hatred for someone else, where most of the time all you are able to talk about is negativity towards another individual?

X Zo

If I had an ice-cream parlour...

If I had an ice-cream parlour, I wouldn't be able to help myself from inventing new, creative ice-cream flavours weekly. 

I'd like to give you a taste of my week as a hypothetical flavour inventor... here are a few flavours I'd be dying to try and create:

Monday: Sticky Bun flavoured ice-cream- a light cinnamon ice-cream with chunks of homemade sticky buns and cream cheese swirl.

Tuesday:Cherry flavoured ice-cream- a chocolate ice-cream with fresh cherry chunks and skinned almond pieces.

Wednesday: Red velvet flavoured ice-cream- red velvet cake batter ice-cream with red velvet cake pieces and a cream cheese frosting swirl. 

Thursday:S'more flavoured ice-cream- chocolate ice-cream with large fudge chunks, biscuit pieces and toasted marshmallows.

Friday:Beer flavoured ice-cream- ice cream made out of beer that has been simmered and cooked and then freezed and sweetened. 

Saturday:Snack ice-cream- vanilla bean ice-cream with salted caramel pieces, extra large white chocolate chips, extra large milk chocolate chips and a whole lot of fudge-covered potatoe chips.

Sunday:Lemon sorbet- lemon sorbet with grated coconut and a raspberry swirl. 

For a good laugh-
http://www.bitrebels.com/design/30-fake-ben-jerrys-ice-cream-flavors-you-want-to-try/

I hope you come and visit me in my magical, imaginary ice-cream parlour.

X Zo

OUTFIT OF THE DAY (Nina's birthday)

Denim Jacket
- Primark & 
White Tank Top - Cotton On

Jeans
- Sissy Boy

Coral platforms
- Office

X Zo

Peplum. Yes or No?

Peplum... peplum skirts, peplum dresses, peplum tops. 

The Peplum trend has been flaring (excuse the pun) all over the runway and the streets this season and be sure that you will find dresses, skirts and tops with these overskirts wherever you look. Peplums are intended to hug your figure, accentuate your waist and essentially make you look thinner. There is a peplum item of clothing for every body type.

If you're a fan of this new trend, here are a few Peplum Tricks: 

(Fun Fact: In 1947, the peplum was its most stylish when placed on a pencil skirt!)

1.) Wear your peplum with trousers (especially if you have short legs) as this with first of all, immediately modernise the look (yes, another ancient retro trend has come back) and second of all, because you will have an overskirt flaring out just above them which will give the perception that your legs are thinner and longer. 

2.) When choosing a peplum dress, invest in one that hugs your body to perfection because the peplum will draw attention to your hips and therefore, if the dress is tight, even with the flaring out on your hips, the rest of your body will look slimmer if its tighter.

3.) Chose light materials for your peplum purchase so that the cut will not look too heavy on the hips.

4.) The accessories you wear with your peplum should contrast to the lady-like feel the peplum brings. E.g- An edgy metallic clutch or a bright shoe.

Rihanna, Scarlett Johansson, Emma Stone and Blake Lively wear peplum.

What do you think? hit or a miss? 

Here are some pictures of peplum being worn in a very stylish way that might inspire you to attempt the trend for yourself.

X Zo

DRINK AWARE

When drinking, its so easy to lose track of how much alcohol you're putting into your body and in turn, how many calories you are blindly consuming.
You may think reading about such a thing is silly and pointless but it is far easier to take note of what you eat during the day than when you're out drinking, as it is way to easy easy to order one too many high calorie drinks and expend your suggested daily calorie limit (simply in drinks-not including your food!)

Here are some kCals in common drinks:

Calories in Bacardi Breezer Cranberry: 160

Calories in Bacardi Breezer Diet Lemon: 96 (better choice!)

Calories in Smirnoff Ice: 177

Calories in Red Wine (175ml glass): 119

Calories in White Wine (175ml):116

Calories in Dry Cider (Pint): 204

Calories in Vodka and Coke (175ml): 120

Calories in Vodka and Diet Coke (better choice!): 56

Calories in Vodka, Lime and Soda (great choice!)(200ml): 76

Calories in Regular mojito: 217

Calories in Regular Margarita:

Calories in Regular Martini: 168
Calories in 1 Can of beer: 155
Calories in one 35ml shot of brandy: 207 (opt for something other than this!)
- Those are just some popular, commonly drunk drinks that I researched.

I've compiled a list of equally delicious and satisfying drink- with almost half the calories.

1. Champagne

A regular 4 oz glass of this bubbly beverage has only 85 calories.

2. Vodka and Soda

Your standard vodka and soda mixed beverage typically comes in at over 200 calories, but with a few swaps, you can craft a healthy cocktail that has less than 100 calories. Mix together 3 oz of your favorite vodka with a diet flavored carbonated water or a diet lemon-lime flavored soda.

3. Gin and Tonic

If a gin and tonic is your go-to drink, with a few tweaks you can enjoy this cocktail while still sticking to a healthy eating plan. A standard 4 oz gin and tonic composed of 1 oz gin and 3 oz tonic comes in around 100 calories (-35 calories if you switch to a diet soda). 

4. Mojito

Mojitos are loaded with calories thanks to the abundance of simple syrup in the drink. You can easily make this by muddling one sliced lime and 2 tbsp of mint leaves with a morter and pestle. Combine ½ tsp of honey with 2 oz rum and 4 oz of club soda until honey is dissolved. Add in the mint mixture and pour into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and some extra mint and you have a 150 calorie mojito.

By having a few go-to healthy alcoholic mixed drinks in your mind, you'll never draw a blank when ordering a drink (and trying to stay reasonably healthy).

X Zo

Papalino


















Today, I will share with you the story of my dad, Pierre.

Born and raised in Zurich, Petit-Pierre (little Pierre) lived with his brother Marc and parents Adrien and Francoise. His dad was a poly-technician- one of the highest degrees available in France (which requires getting accepted into a 'Grandes Ecole') and his mother stayed at home and looked after her two sons. My dad was a happy child his main interests (ironically) being food,  and the collection of marbles. He participated in the Zurich opera as he had/has one of the most extraordinary voices. 

At the tender age of 8, my dad lost his mother in a tragic accident and less than 4 years later, his father died of cancer. The children were then left in Zurich and continued their schooling there.
When he turned 18 and was naturally supposed to inherit his fortune (left by his parents) so that he could go and study abroad and have basic living money, he came to the quick realisation that his fortune had been taken away from him by a family member and there was nothing he could do. I tell you that fact because to highlight the the point that everything I am about to tell you about my dads career and achievements is self-made.

After school my dad moved to Paris and was scouted by the incredible COMME DE GARÇONS, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD and KENZO to model in Paris.
During the same time period (him being in his early twenties) he made contact with his childhood friend (of the age of about 7)... my mother. She was working in Cologne at the time and he was in the very early stages of opening up his first restaurant with his best friend, Aldo in Paris. They started seeing each other every weekend, meeting up in different cities near both of them. After a year or so, I was born. My mother was working at the music company EMI at the time, she proceeded to quit her job and moved to Paris to be with my dad. A few months into the pregnancy, my dad opened his restaurant... it was called La Bocca ("The mouth" in Italian). My favourite story I used to hear when I was little is that when my mom called my dad to tell him she was pregnant, he bought his entire restaurant a round of drinks and started screaming happily (and a few joyful French swear words) that he was going to have 'petit bebe'. Their relationship didn't end up working out and my mom moved back to Cape Town whilst my dad stayed in Paris. When I left, my dad got a tattoo of a valentine heart with a dagger through it with the words 'Zoe Pour Toujour' (Zoe Forever) plastered around the picture. He visited me in Cape Town about 4 times a year and sent me a postcard every week of my childhood up until the age of about 7.

He sold La Bocca and went onto his next business venture, La Cremerie ("The Creamery" in French). It became one of the best addresses in Paris for natural wine and good, simple, Italian food. 
La Cremerie did incredibly well but after four years, my dad decided he wanted to invest in a different type of business (more focused on his natural wines) so he sold La Cremerie and bought a space in 2007 in Frances capital's oldest covered arcade (Passage Du Panorama). Using only the finest ingredients, meticulously sourced from across France and Italy, my dad had another hit on his hands. After only two months, Racine won the prestigious Le Fooding prize (www.lefooding.com) for the best place to eat in Paris.

After Racines, in 2011, my dad opened his current restaurant in the 10th arrondissement. He called it Vivant ("Living" in French) also based on his love for natural wines. It was no surprise that it would be beautiful but when you walk into Vivant, you are immediately struck upon entering by my dads knack for uncovering hidden gems. The space was an exotic bird shop in its previous life. It has a faded charm about it and a cool ambience. He has received amazing applaud for his latest creation such as a visit and interview request from Anthony Bourdain, various article and interview requests (Elle etc) and he was even a guest on various cooking programmes on French television. 

Pierre has an obsession with authenticity and a great dedication to pure, unsulphured wines (which he claims, prevent any hangovers?) www.morethanorganic is his website and it is an expression of his philosophy and his passion. It has quickly become the number one resource for information revolving organic, natural wine.

Gateau De Zoe (A cake named after me)

He has been through more than most have in their lives but luckily, he discovered his passion early on in life and I have no doubt his career in the restaurant business will continue to flourish. If you are ever in Paris- Phone Number: +33 1 42 46 43 55 and Address: 43 rue des Petites Ecuries. Here are three things you should expect when entering his restaurant: 
1. A bunch of crazy passionate people talking a variety of languages and working together in a small space (very entertaining, that I promise you)
2. The most exquisite interior that will cause you to want to examine every small detail. 
3. The most DELICIOUS, best-quality food (If I may say so myself). 
I couldn't be prouder of of my dad... for everything he's accomplished from scratch and thats why I love telling his story, T'aime Papa.

X Zo

A True Story- Written by me

Since I was a little girl, I have been going to Willoughby’s at the Waterfront for sushi and all the old waiters know me by name. My favourite fishmonger there is called George, a very tall man with a big smile. Every time I see George, he asks me about my family. One day, he asked me how my mother was, he was surprised to know that she was now married and he asked me about the wedding and my new stepdad. I told him that one thing I liked about him was how much he adores my mom that he had tears in his eyes when he said his wedding vows. 

George smiled and proceeded to ask me if my mom was wearing a veil on her wedding day, I told him she hadn't but asked curiously why he was asking. Then George told me a story I've never forgotten, to this day.

For many brides, one of the most important things about their wedding is their dress. But in a little town of Ondijiva in the Kunene province of Angola, a 20-year-old bride-to-be called felt differently. 

Ema Vanu considered a veil her wedding-essential; she felt that lifting a veil to reveal herself to the groom was a magic. Ema decided to rent a simple and inexpensive wedding dress for her wedding day and started to search for the perfect veil.

She went to many fabric stores and milliners, but she thought that all the veils she saw were too gaudy and made her look like her pet parrot Gogo. Finally she entered a shop that had a long counter and few customers. The grandmother of the owner who overheard their conversation appeared from the back room and placed her soft, wrinkled hand of Ema’s shoulder and said softly “I have something very special for you. For more than ten years we have had a veil that was returned to us by a heartbroken young woman whose love had died on the morning of their wedding. He had been trying to save two children from a burning house on his way to church. The poor bride was so heartbroken that she returned the veil to us before spending the rest of her life in a convent.

Many brides-to-be who hear this story fear that it will bring them bad luck. But….” , the lady continued with a sweet toothless smile, “…I happen to think that it is quite the opposite and that this veil carries with it so much unfulfilled love and hope and faith that it can only bring blessings.”

Ema was enchanted and intrigued with the story she had just heard and she asked if she could possibly take a look at the veil, the old lady disappeared into the back room and returned with simple white veil made of fine Florentine lace. The moment Ema laid eyes on the veil she knew it was the one she had been looking for so she thanked the old lady thoroughly and made a wise purchase.

On Ema's wedding day she felt the exact feeling she was hoping for when lifting her veil and saw tears in her lover’s eyes. Men in Angola rarely cry at weddings so this was a unique occurrence. They lived happily together, became each other’s best friends and had many children. Ema mourned deeply when her husband died of malaria. At his funeral she wore the same veil to hide her sorrow that had oppositely revealed her joy thirty odd years ago.

During the funeral, a young woman came up to Ema hesitantly, first expressing her condolences. She then commented on the veil and exclaimed how incredibly beautiful it was and that she wished she could find one like it for her upcoming wedding. Ema listened quietly and then offered to lend it to her. Of course she was invited, and it was a moving occasion that reminded her of all the joy she had shared with her husband. And an unusual thing happened: the husband-to-be of her new friend had tears in his eyes.

And if you are a romantic and have an imagination, you can guess the rest…for the rest of her life, Ema never lacked in friends as she lent her veil to young brides and was invited to over three hundred weddings…where even the toughest men were moved by her magic veil.

“So whenever I visit my mother in my home town, I have some wedding to go to”, laughed George. 

X Zo