Asoka has been one of my favourite spots for many years, and in winter especially, there is no better way to enjoy a night out than sitting by the fire with an awesome cocktail. Asoka are currently running some great winter specials that are sure to make this season one to remember…

Soul’d out Sundays

With the weather in Cape Town changing and winter creeping in, the Sunday social scene is changing with it. With the yearly exodus from Camps Bay underway Asoka has decided to take this opportunity to reintroduce its “Soul’d Out Sundays”. With amazing cocktails, delectable tapas and our resident DJ’s bringing you funky beats, you won’t find a better way to spend your Sunday evening. Arrive early and get half price on selected cocktails between 5pm and 8pm

Monday Tapas Special

After a taxing Monday back at work nobody feels like cooking. With this in mind Asoka is introducing an enticing special to tempt you out of hibernation this winter and help ease you back into the week. Come along and indulge in our winter tapas special which includes two tapas choices and a glass of wine for only R95.

For bookings or enquiries call (021) 422 0909 or visit www.asokabar.co.za.

Asoka has always been a special place for me – even back in the day when it was Dhama. This was where I had two very important birthdays: my 25th and my 30th last year. The beautiful decor, chilled ambience, great lighting and good service ensures that a night there is always enjoyed.

When I got word of their Sunday jazz nights, I was very keen to check it out, so a friend and I headed down there last night to go and see what the vibe was like. As it turned out, the vibe was very cool indeed… not too busy, jazz nice and relaxed, awesome cocktails and a chance to relax and ease into the week ahead. It took us about 10 minutes to choose our drinks, and I am not kidding here – the choices really are that good. Eventually, I decided on a Moksha, which had all sorts of yumminess like ginger, basil, vodka and pineapple. They were so good I had three, hehe.

Asoka also have a great line up for the rest of the week, making it a good option for post-work drinks, dinners, birthday parties or Friday night mayhem. While it’s best to book ahead if you want to ensure a good spot, if you’re just stopping past for a few drinks then you don’t have to book.

Here’s what you need to know about Asoka Bar, details wise:

Address: 68 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 5pm – 2am
Bookings: info@asokabar.co.za | 021 424 0909
Website: http://www.asokabar.co.za/

P.S. I also laughed when I came across this pic of me at some networking thing at Asoka a few years ago in Google Images. My hair was so long back then, and I’m looking rather seriaaas!

Anyway, something that has been on my mind lately is hair – what to do with mine that is. Currently, I am growing out a bob, and I am just about ready for some colour. I’ve been dying to do ‘the ombre’ aka graduated highlights for some time, but was originally planning to wait until my hair had reached my shoulders. Having seen some recent pictures of celebs rocking ombre bobs however, I’m thinking that maybe it’s time to take the plunge.

Dannii Minogue rocking a sexy, sleek look

Shanae Grimes' curlier, slightly longer locks

Alexa Chung's cute, messy ombre bob

I think I love Dannii’s look best, but the way my curls like to come out and play, it will be closer to a chaotic mixture of Alexa and Shanae’s styles. Whatevs – as long as the colour is there, I can be patient enough to keep growing it out. So tired of the current look though, it needs work!

What do you think of the ombre, and how do you survive the dreaded transition from bob to mid-length?

In honour of the singer’s 21st birthday yesterday, InStyle.com did a really great feature on Taylor Swift’s 21 hottest dresses. It’s hard to believe that this girl is only just 21 – she has so much poise and such amazing style!

I love her look – she manages to combine innocence with a bit of smoulder, and I’ve never seen her in anything that isn’t drop-dead stunning. No fashion faux pas’ as of yet anyway – the girl either has a killer stylist or she has a good eye for getting it right in the style stakes.

Check out the InStyle gallery of top 21 Taylor Swift dresses to see what I mean.

Here are my current favourite teas…

1. Chamomile – this is mostly the tea I drink when I am feeling a bit stressed or in the evenings to wind down.
2. Vanilla Chai – one of my all-time favourites, this tea has just the right balance of spice and natural sweetness… super comfort tea!
3. Raspberry – this tea I love to make as a lovely summer ice tea… simply pop a bag into a glass of cold water, and add an ice cube.
4. Orange – my current favourite tea, this is a Ceylon blend that works surprisingly well with milk… soothing and just plain delicious!
5. Bright Mood – a spicy mood enhancer tea, this one has cinnamon and other stuff that make it smell utterly divine. It tastes great too!
6. Dreamland – I drink this one before bedtime, and while I’m still not sure if it really works or if I’m just always super tired already when I drink it, the yummy taste is super calming somehow.

I also always keep some plain rooibos around, even though I hardly ever drink it – good to have some basic teas for visitors. Usually I have some sort of green tea as well – peppermint green tea or jasmine green tea being my favourites. Ooh, or unfermented green rooibos!

My mom and I often joke about starting a tea shop one day, and quite honestly I could actually see that working… I could make my wonderful ice-creams, and we could have all sorts of delish teas from all over the world. As long as I got to paint it pink and make it all pretty, could totally see it happening, hehe.

What is your favourite tea at the moment?