Country Picnic

A vintage inspired country scene - a lunch picnic on the foothills of the Magaliesburg.

The next few images/ posts will be from a collection taken late last year in the

Magaliesburg area, whilst visiting friends ....  I have not posted from this shoot before

 and although some of the images are not my best shots (amazing how much I have

 learnt since then!!!), I still love them and the energy and feeling they invoke, just by

looking through them.  

It is a beautiful part of our country, is the Magaliesburg!!

Image(s) All Rights Reserved Copyright 2010 Gena D Images for thinking aloud

TOAST, an inspirational website

TOAST is one of my all time favorites. It's a Uk based store with a great website .... you can click thru the catalogue pages (see links below), and somehow I always feel like I've "just travelled" somewhere else when going through their catalogues. The photography is exquisite and evidently taken in some really wonderous places. They also sell some really great products too.

I thought to post these pictures as they remind me of summer holidays (so those in the northern hemisphere will really appreciate them and those in southern will feel really eager for spring and summer to arrive!) Don't you just love the colours and contrasts?!

Picture Credits : Toast Catalogue

Toast website: http://www.toast.co.uk/

For a previous post on TOAST see Vintage Rose Studio

Traditional African textile used in fashion and decor

Some of you may know about Shweshwe(shwe-shwe) - a traditional (south) African textile which has been in used for a very long time and has an unbelievably rich history. It's now even used in funky shoes, see pic below.

Due to it's amazing qualities - pattern, rich colour, and strength - it's being used in fashion and in decor. See the article on this fabric at Vintage Rose Studio.

Picture : an excerpt out of the Jul09 Woman and Home magazine (South African edition)

PS. Incidentally if you are interesed in purchasing shoes like these, contact The Space

The "Cookie Recipe" Urban Legend

There are times that urban legend emails are hilariously funny! Today I received the same email from two disparate sources, evidently this is doing the rounds at present. I read this email in particular - why you ask? well quite simply because it was about a cookie recipe - and since I test, try and concoct recipes for the Vintage Rose blog, this was appealing.

Okay, so for those who do not know, or have not seen the email (which unfortunately is just too long to put into a blog), effectively, the story goes that a lady having tea at Nieman Marcus (store in US), so enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies that she asked for the recipe, but was told she would have to buy it for "two fifty". Later on she realised she had been charged $250. As she had understood that the recipe would cost $2.50, she requested that the store refund her, which they refused, so as a revenge tactic, she threatened to pass on the (secret) recipe (free) to all and sundry.

In reading through this email I was immediately struck by inaccuracies and disparities, the most blatant being that this article is being punted as having occurred at a local (South Africa) chain store, Woolworths, whilst in the body of the email the name "Nieman Marcus" appears! So, in detective mode, I do a Snopes (best place to check if something is true or just an urban legend) search for "cookie recipe" and surprise, surprise, what comes up??? Yes, the same story which has been doing the rounds on the internet since 1996!! But wait there's more ... this (current, Nieman Marcus version) is based on a number of older (humorous) stories and goes back over 50 years! Click on the link (below) to go direct to the snopes article to read the whole thing.

So it appears that every so often this story rears it's head and some unsuspecting chain store becomes the perpetrator. In the current South African version, it's Woolworths, and I wonder if they even know about it!! Apparently when Nieman Marcus (US) was the "evil doer", they reacted to the rumour by creating their own Chocolate Chip Cookie!! A case of - if you can't beat them, join them???? Maybe Woolworths will join the party, who knows - watch this space??!... I guess.

At this stage you will need to click here to take you to Snopes for the full article, which is worth the read - particularly the older original stories - hilarious! And me? off to try the cookie recipe, and yes, watch this space for feedback!

Postscript (Aug 10, 2009); Recipe posted on Vintage Rose

Postscript (June 26, 2009) this recipe has now turned up (24 June 09!) published by "someone" on Recipezaar.com "as a recipe given to me by mom"

Tasty Moroccan Chicken Soup

In this chilly southern hemisphere weather, a hearty wholesome plate of soup or stew is truly welcome.... try the Moroccan Chicken soup on Vintage Rose.

Just click on link : http://vintagerosestudio.blogspot.com/2009/05/anyone-for-morroccan-chicken-soup.html

Enjoy!
G