Pink PowWOW

Among Native North Americans, a "powwow" is a gathering ceremony used to conjure, among other things, the cure of disease and success in war, and it is marked by feasting and dancing. What better theme for the Cuppa for CANSA tea party I hosted at Valley Lodge attended by (mostly) American expats to benefit CANSA care centers in South Africa?

B's Pin Cushion custom-made my PowWOW shweshwe banner ...

Especially when the expats in question feasting and dancing belong to a social and charitable group named WOW (Women of Worth). That makes this powwow a PowWOW!

... and my Cuppa 4 CANSA shweshwe banner too

It was truly a cross-cultural event. The menu was "English Tea" and the decorations were influenced by Native American and African cultures.

I transformed Valley Lodge into a Shabby Chic Iroquois-inspired longhouse for the day featuring feathers, porcupine quills, blankets, baskets and beads - traditional decorative elements found in both Native American and African cultures. Colorful shweshwe banners and bright pastel shweshwe, kikoy and shuka table runners added to the festive atmosphere and gave the event a distinctively African sense of place.

A uniquely Native American element used in decorating was the dream catcher. Typically hung above a bed while sleeping, the dream catcher has been a part of Native American culture for generations. According to custom, the good dreams know how to pass through the dream catcher and slide down the ribbons and feathers to reach the dreamer sleeping below. The bad dreams get caught in the dream catcher and disappear with the morning light.










Dream catchers decorating the wigwam entrance and above the pledge table were meant to encourage guests to dream for a day without cancer and support the dreams of the Eastrand CANSA Care Centre.

Guests were asked to dress in pink and were given a pink ribbon and feather pin to wear to show their support for breast cancer research.

True to a traditional English tea served for elevenses, the menu consisted of a variety of crustless tea sandwiches, warm quiches, macarons, croisnuts, scones and cakes. This being South Africa though, the scones were served both Devonshire style with house-made clotted cream and strawberry jam as well as South African style with apricot jam and cheddar cheese. 

Lady apple rose (photo by Marguerite Slavik)

Lady apple roses, a fruit salad, cheeses and cornichons rounded out the menu.

Victoria sponge cake (photo by Marguerite Slavik)

Along with hot teas and coffee, the guests were served cold Sudan hibiscus tea, pink lemonade and a signature "Pink PowWOW Punch" containing fresh fruit juice and rosé wine from Franschhoek. One of the tea combinations served contained Rooibos and Sutherlandia, also known as Cancer Bush as it was used as a traditional treatment for cancer. The tea is known to ease digestion, remove anxiety and promote a feeling of well being. In addition, Sutherlandia has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties which boost the immune system.

Of course, a proper English tea always provides an opportunity for ladies to wear festive headware and I crafted this feathered headdress-inspired fascinator to wear for my Pink PowWOW tea party.

Cuppa for CANSA mugs and candy Kisses

There was no charge to attend the Pink PowWOW. Instead, guests were invited to donate to the Eastrand CANSA Care Centre. Over R3500 was raised on the day with more donations still coming in!

the pledge table

A chiffon pink "Le Creuset Tea for One" prize package was given as a gift to the donor who made the largest pledge of the day.

chiffon pink display @ the Sandton City Le Creuset

I am entering my Pink PowWOW in the Le Creuset Cuppa for CANSA home party competition. I must give a shout-out to my girls at the Le Creuset shop in Sandton City for talking me into hosting my Cuppa in the first place. Wish us luck!

photo by Marguerite Slavik

PS Here are the banking details if you would like to contribute to the Eastrand CANSA Care Centre:
Bank - ABSA
Account No. -. 288147523
Branch code - Universal
Please use Reference code: KastenCuppa
Thank you!

Beechwood Garden

As one of the open garden days arranged by the Gardens of the Golden City, a visit to the lovely heritage garden of Beechwood in Hyde Park has become an annual must-do on the Johannesburg social calendar.

A lake and six ponds including an iris pond and a lotus pond. An immense kitchen garden and an English country rose garden. Fountains and sculptures. This garden had everything!

the kitchen garden outside the catering kitchen

an al fresco luncheon was served by Susan Grieg

there were frogs in the fountain in the center of the formal rose garden

waterblommetjies!

inviting

the Jacarandas watched over the estate

Perfect timing for peak Jacaranda blooming!

full bloom

coral tree and Jacaranda

The roses were magnificent!

wisteria and rose-bedecked colonnades

waterlilies

For the remaining scheduled open garden days of the season, visit the website for Gardens of the Golden City.

Titanic lands in Joburg

It may not have been the cleverest idea to visit a Titanic exhibition a mere five months before my Antarctic expedition sets sail in March. We will be crossing the icy Drake Passage by ship after all.

But I am a sucker for anything Titanic so I left my apprehensions behind and joined a fleet of my friends in Rosebank to see artifacts from the legendary ocean liner once more. Presented in South Africa for the very first time, I saw the same exhibition in New York several years ago and ...  

My commemorative  Centenary scarf

 
... my sister, my niece and I happened to be in Belfast for the Titanic Centenary in 2012 ...

King Queen of the World!

 ... when we visited the brand new Titanic Exhibition space in the city where the Titanic was built. See? Sucker!

















Upon entering the exhibit in Rosebank, you are given a boarding pass. And an identity. On the back is a description of who you are, your cabin assignment and what brought you onto the Titanic in the first place. My identity was Mrs. Frank John Goldsmith, née Emily A. Brown. From Stroud, England in Kent, I was traveling with my husband and 9 year old son to Detroit, Michigan where we hoped Frank will find work as a toolmaker. Unfortunately for us, we were traveling in steerage. Bummer.

About halfway through the exhibit, I found out the eventual fate of Frank and Emily. On a wall was listed the ship manifest divided by class. It was also divided by those who died and those who lived. More than twice the amount of passengers that survived were sadly lost at sea. (I won't give it away in case you assume Emily's identity when you go!) 

We weren't allowed to take photographs inside the exhibition space so I can't give you any photographic evidence, but it was well worth the price of admission. There were recreated cabin accommodations, continuous showings of a History Channel documentary about the latest expeditions to Titanic, as well as actual artifacts exhumed from the ocean floor. There were also sample menus served to First, Second and Third Class guests.

It reminded me of the special menus that were recreated in several of the best restaurants in Belfast in honor of the Centenary in 2012.

inside Deanes Restaurant in Belfast

We ate our ten course menu at Deanes.

Unfortunately, we were not offered a First Class menu for luncheon after we toured the Titanic Exhibition in Rosebank but I did have some awesome pizza at Doppio Zero instead.

Th exhibition runs until November 8; see it before it sets sail for its next location, Cape Town.