Illo {feature + giveaway}

Every once in a while I stumble upon a South African creative that just sticks with me. When I found illo, I thought it was illustrations designed by someone in far off Scandinavia. I was obsessed and would scroll through the brand's twitter feed, just staring at the intricate details of the hand-illustrated sketches. I had to know more.

How surpised was I when I learnt that illo was started by a Cape Townian, Vivienne van Deventer,
who works as an illustration artist from home. All here illustrations are done by hand with the use of fineliner on paper, then colour is digitally added .

 

Vivienne, your work is stunning. How did you start and how long have you been doing this?

I have always loved to illustrate, give me a blank piece of paper & a pen or pencil & I am happy! I have a Bachelors Degree in Fashion Design which I obtained from CPUT in 2007. During my final year, illustration was a big focus for me.

I have worked in the clothing - as well as licensing industries where I have gained a lot of wonderful experience. However, I soon realized that the clothing industry was not for me & knew that I wanted to pursue my illustration work.

Last year, a month before my wedding day, I finally said goodbye to the clothing industry for good & around June I slowly but surely started with 'illo' (still finding my feet though). I have never been happier & never looked back!

What sort of products do you make? Do you also provide services?

Currently I focus on my range of art-prints, as well as cards. There will be about two different new ranges every year.

I am planning on adding more products as well & will hopefully soon have products available online. I illustrate by hand & then add colour digitally. 

I am also available for commission based work such as custom illustrations, logos, invitations and things that you generally won't find mass produced in a mall.

3. Where do you find inspiration for your creations?

If you look at my current 'doll' range, you will see quite a strong fashion direction still coming through, due to my fashion past :)

Other than that I love patterns & seeing patterns everywhere, especially in nature & also ethnic patterns. 

I do not plan beforehand how I want my illustrations to look, I usually just start illustrating & patterns just emerge from there. I am currently working on a woodlands theme range which will focus on animals, here you will also see similar patterns coming through.

What are some of the challenges of being your own boss?

Yes, I am :) And pretty new to it. My biggest challenge so far, since I work from home, has been to have self discipline.

Believe it or not, but there can be a lot of distractions working from home. I set myself goals & realistic deadlines & always make sure that I stick to them. 

Always be honest with your clients & be true to your word. If you say you are going to email someone the next morning, then you do it. Always go the extra mile, it's never crowded.

How do you perceive the South African creatives/design landscape?

I can honestly say that I am proud to be a creative living in South Africa. We have an explosion of culture, ideas, incredible individuals & artists here, South Africa is alive with a creative pulse of colour & culture! 

I am born & bred in Cape Town & have also lived & worked in Johannesburg for a while & have met some amazing creative people. There is a hunger amongst people for authentic, unique & handmade goods, people are tired of retail & mass market products.

What is your favourite colour/ material to work with, and why?

My favourite medium is fineliner on paper. As much as I love colour, there is just something clean & classic about a black illustration on white paper.

It stands out strong & beautiful on it's own without the need for colour. Simple, yet striking.
 

What would you do if you won the lotto?

That would be a miracle, seeing that I have never played it & actually never would, haha :) But if I do somehow win that amount of money I would immediately travel, see the world & experience new cultures! 

When I get back I will buy a farm or small holding where my children could run free, live off the earth, breathe in fresh air & then give, give & give to people who really are in need. This probably sounds cliche, but I honestly would. Giving is something that makes my heart & soul happy, especially when it is from the heart, whether a small gift or just a hug. To give honestly is better than to receive.

 

Where to from here?

I am planning on getting my current products available in an online shop a.s.a.p, finish my next range & then have some new products available soonest (as well as my website up & running).
 

What has been your proudest moment since you started?

Having started! It really took me very long to build up the confidence & courage to start. There was a lot of self doubt, yes's, no's & maybe's. But the moment I started I wish I had done so earlier. Never doubt yourself, you have your specific talents for a reason, grow them, nurture them & bless others with them. I have never been happier or more content.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Two lucky The Sun House readers stand the chance to win either a Leah or Rae print, signed by Vivienne. The winner also has the choice of a wooden look background or a plain white background.

All you need to do is to tweet about this post, tag me @waitingformeg and @vivillo8, or share The Sun House's facebook post. Feel free to give Illo some love by clicking and following her on the social media sites below.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illodesignandillustration?ref=hl
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/illo.co.za/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/vivillo8
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/illo_co_za/

 Also please comment on which print you would like, Leah on the left, or Rae on the right.

Willow Feather Farm

You may have seen this place if your frequent the R21 between Joburg and Pretoria, but you might not have realised what you are looking at. All you can see from the road is a whole line of trees, just after/before the St George hotel bridge. Blink and you'll miss it.

What started as an indigenous tree nursery, the Willow Feather Farm had now grown into a little kid's paradise, with big gardens and a petting zoo and very well protected koifish dams. The little kid in me was awoken by all the critters, including llamas, hilarious gerbils!, baby goats, potbelly pigs and a couple of donkeys.

If you are looking for something to do this weekend that feels like you have gone out to the countryside, then you should consider visiting Willow Feather Farm. For adults, there is a restaurant that serves hearty breakfasts as well as a little curio shop filled with ceramics and candles.

Can I just tell you how obsessed I am with llamas? They are the weirdest creatures, but so cute! On the day that we visited, there was a little baby llama and she jumped around in her pen. It was the cutest thing ever. They had a little list up so that people could write suggestions for the baby's name, and a majority of it was Charlotte - not surprisingly, as it was just after Princess Kate had Charlotte Diana Elizabeth.

The daddy llama, which was simultaneously also the big brother of the baby llama - or perhaps I misread it - was kept in a seperate pen. We couldn't quite figure out if he was antsy because he wanted to be with the baby or if he wanted to kill it. Either way, trying to touch an antsy llama is near impossible and quite scary.

Besides the free petting zoo, you can also stroll their vast gardens and buy a lavender or two. The nursery had the most interesting French Lavender that I have never seen before. I was obsessed. Still going back to buy more. I know the below flowers are violas.

Pack a picnic basket or some braai goodies and head to the Rietvlei Dam Nature Reserve just a stone's throw away.

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All images are from the Willow Feather Farm website

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Stroopsoet.Fotografie {feature}

Photography has always been a passion of mine. It truly is an art, it captures the most important moments of your life, your beautiful surroundings. It tells a story, gives you a glimpse into your past and lasts forever. People all over the world are obsessed with it! And o gosh, if I had the means I would buy the biggest, most complicated camera and fidget with it until I had it all figured out. In the mean time, I live vicariously through the many talented photographers the country has to offer.

One such photographer is Marleen, who started lifestyle and wedding photography company Stroopsoet.Fotografie. This is her story.

 

 

Marleen, your  photos are enchanting! How long have you been doing this?

I have been taking pictures ever since I can remember but been doing it professionally for 5 years.

Your images inspire me to pick up my camera and learn the tricks of the trade.

Where do you find inspiration?

Joburg city. People find it strange how I enjoy taking pics there on a "off" day. But I see beauty through my lens in the strangest places.

 

 

The local photography scene can be quite competitive. How do you perceive the creative landscape?

Absolutely refreshing. It is growing year by year and I am so grateful that most creatives stick tot local inspiration rather than commercialising their work.

 

I am so proud to be part of South Africa's creative adventures.

 

But being your own boss is also challenging. What are you biggest challenges?

My biggest challenge is setting business hours and to disconnect from work. Work just never stops when you have your own business. But, if you enjoy it, you cannot really call it "work".

What would you do if you won the lotto?

Travel to every country possible and buy unlimited polaroid films :)

 

 

Where to from here?

We have some awesome adventures coming next year. a Little Stroopsoet baby :) 

 

I am hoping my photography can take me to different opportunities so that I do not spend so much time away from home over the weekends with wedding. I will never stop doing weddings, beautiful being part of celebrations of love but just slow it down a little bit.

Congratulations! Besides the baby, what would you say was one of your biggest achievements?

Definitely being featured in the awesome indie travel magazine - Slow Drive. I am a wanderlust soul and to capture these soulful adventures have always been a dream for me. 

 

It was an amazing feeling seeing my name and stories in the magazine with some of my travels to Botswana, Namibia, Transkei and Zanzibar.

 

 FIND STROOPSOET HERE:

Website: www.itsallyellow.co.za

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stroopsoet.Fotografie

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Stroopsoetkiekies

 

 

Five places to visit to sustain tourism without petting a big cat

A lot has been said [and perhaps even done] about the recent killing of Cecil the Lion. While it saddens me that people kill such beautiful, majestic animals for sport and while I have always loathed hunting, a lot more focus has fallen on the protection of Africa's animals.

So much so that there have been suggestions that wildlife tourism, such as safaris and animal encounters should be scrapped entirely. I don't think this is entirely viable, as hunting - albeit as stupid, futile hobby - and animal tourism have made big bucks for the country.

However, for this reason I thought about things that South Africans can do, places we can visit which is all about the, for lack of a better word, structural tourism - things that do not involve animals, but you might be lucky to spot one while seeing the other beautiful spots the country has to offer. Thinking about it now, there are so many, I have no idea how I'm going to round it down to just five, but here are my top five.

MAC MAC POOLS

Just ten kilometres outside Sabie, hidden in the lowveld and overshadowed by its big brother, the Mac Mac Falls, you'll find the Mac Mac pools - a natural oasis wher you can take a dip, if you are willing to brave the icy cold water. I doubt a lot of people know about these pools, as my family and I have regularly visited the Lowveld, but I only came across it while roadtripping with Flip last year. Make sure to wear your hiking boots for the 3 km Secretary Bird Walking Trails. If relaxing is more your thing, bring a couple of beers and something to braai, as there is some great picnic facilities too.

You could spend an entire day at the pools, if you are not in a rush to see all the other gems in the area, but be on the look out for critters. We saw a snake in the picnic area.

BLYDE RIVER CANYON  

Staying in the region, the Blyde River Canyon is one of the highlights of a trip to Mpumalanga. The view is breathtaking, no matter how many times you have seen it. I would recommend you visit in the golden hour, just before sunset, as the colours are just specatucular. Take a sundowner with you and take in the view until the sun has set.

Just an fyi, the locals also think that the canyon is a wonderful spot to have sundowners, but they start drinking early, so expect rowdy crowds, drunk people stepping too close to the edge and asking you to take their pictures while they make out and cars that vibrate from all that bass. Be extra careful when you drive back to your destination, as the curvy roads can get quite dangerous after dark and adding a drunk bunch to it makes it all the more so.

GOLDEN GATE NATURE RESERVE

This is one of the most spectacular place in the country! Smack bang in the middle, just about 4 hours from Joburg, you will find a small town called Clarens and just outside, the entrance to the beautiful reserve. It is such a fascinating landscape and the way it lights up in the sun - where it obviously got its name from - will stay with you for months.

HOUT BAY

Listen, if you have never been in Hout Bay, I think you should make a plan to go there as soon as possible. Besides its beyond spectacular beach, which is almost like an alcove between the mountains and its harbour, it also offers a whole bunch of touristy things, like a market.

 If you ever do have time to travel to Hout Bay, trawl along the beach down Harbour Road to Snoekies Fresh Fish Market and have your lunch on the jetty. You will see a couple of seals, some fishies and a couple of birds.

And after spending your day on the beach, which I think is dog-friendly - not that I give a flying willy if you look at my pics - you can head off to Dunes Beach Bar for drinks and supper. 

LION'S HEAD

It seems I really like high-up places, but if you do find yourself in Cape Town, even for a business trip, there is no greater place to soak up the sun, the amazing view and just how flippen awesome Cape Town is than climbing Lion's Head. Take heed though that you need to have some degree of fitness before scaling up the mane, it's really steep and your calves are going to scream at you.

I might be a bit overconfident here, but I think if I stayed in the Mother City, I would be up there every weekend. And you do get to see some wildlife! We saw many dassies along the way and up there. PS REMEMBER A WATER BOTTLE! I didn't. It's torture.

There are many places in South Africa that you can visit to sustain tourism without getting caught up in the hype of hunting and petting (big cat) zoos. If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments ;)

Amy Slatem {feature + giveaway}

I am so excited by today's feature. I have long admired Amy's work and am thrilled to share her talent with you! She has some super rad skills with a pen and pencil and you can even get some of her artwork at the Arts on Main market in Pretoria. She proves that local is indeed lekker! 

“'Illustration' is a term used fairly loosely to outline my art, design and continuous doodling. My work largely leans towards portraiture in various mediums, focusing on capturing the nature and personality of whomever and whatever is my subject, be it people, animals or objects, often with an added twist of hand typography. I offer a variety of personalised and quirky illustrated projects that are often based around the ideas brought to me by clients," Amy says.

1. How did you start and how long have you been doing this?

Art has always been at the heart of most of what I do, but it’s only since I’d finished varsity and started in my 8 to 5 design job last year that I really started developing and focusing on promoting my illustrating and freelance commissions in my own time. I not only found that I had a lot more free time during lunch breaks and outside of work than I had while I was studying, but I also really needed to get away from the computer and back to pen and paper and creating with my hands. Things really seemed to start developing after I bought and began filling my first Moleskine journal with drawings, collages and musings early last year.

2. What sort of products do you make? Do you also provide services?

A general focus of my works is portraiture, but not limited to just faces, rather portraits as visual descriptions of my subject matter, from people to trees to buildings to objects. I provide personalized illustrative services to anyone who would like to have their ideas (calm or crazy) or perhaps the likeness of a loved one visually captured. I’m also very active on social media continuously sharing (especially on Instagram) whatever work or doodle I’m busy with or have just finished, so I guess I do some visual entertainment in a way too.

3. Where do you find inspiration for your creations?

People, my surroundings and general media – often sitting in front of a computer all day I tend to come across many interesting and inspiring things on the internet, especially via Twitter, that spark an idea which I jot down and revisit again later. My journals and random scraps of papers I’ve scribbled on when an idea strikes house a lot of base thinking and inspiration, but often I actually find that a blank page and a pen while listening to music is where most work starts.

4. What are some of the challenges of being your own boss?

To be honest, I’d have to say being “clueless” a lot, at this stage there’s still a lot of trial and error that I go through to find what and how things work with dealing with clients, costings, time management and general business things.

5. How do you perceive the South African creatives/design landscape?

Inspiring, diverse and professional (generally). I have a handful of really great and talented creatives which I follow quite closely, not only for their work and technique but how they individually navigate the creative industry and the local platform. It’s also far more encouraging and relatable looking at our homegrown talent because it feels more obtainable and possible to get to that level of success compared to looking at the international landscape. Local is lekker!

6. What is your favourite colour/ material to work with, and why?

I’m all about colour, but when it comes down to picking a favourite one and material: black ink, definitely. I love its possibility, its easy transitions from bold lines to subtle suggestions, from outlines to typographic possibilities. Give me any surface and a fineliner, brush and ink, ballpoint pen or koki and I’m a happy doodler. Its permanentness can be both exciting and frustrating, a challenge which I enjoy.

7. What would you do if you won the lotto?

My rational self would invest most of it and be responsible before booking a flight to somewhere beautiful and foreign that offers endless drawing possibilities… and wine. Once all my sketch books, experience and inspiration levels are sufficiently full, I’d head home and set up the most amazing and inspiring personal studio space with all the art supplies that my present self can only dream of at the moment…

8. Where to from here?

Buying that lotto ticket…

9. What has been your proudest moment since you started?

Realising what I sincerely want to do. Finding that passion and direction really helps to inform everything I do now with the consciousness of where I want to go –being a full time independent illustrator and making a name for myself in the industry, both local and abroad. I plan to get involved in more solo and group exhibitions, grow my client base and work on my own projects to keep exploring techniques and subject matter. 

FIND AMY HERE

https://artaims.wordpress.com/

https://instagram.com/shmaymee/

https://www.facebook.com/AmySlatemIllustration

https://twitter.com/Shmaymee

YOU CAN WIN!

Like Amy's Facebook illustration page and share the post with the necessary comment to stand the chance to have YOUR COVER PAGE personalised and illustrated to use on FB &/twitter. To enter, click here.

The time has come to sell my car...

When is it time to buy a new car? I've been threatening to buy a new car for ages now, but I find that without a balloon payment - which is irresponsible and really expensive if you ever get into an accident - I will not be able to afford a brand, spanking new car out of the box. You know, when my mom bought her Toyota Corolla out of the box in the 80s, she paid about R2800 for it. LOL! You're lucky if your blown front light is that cheap these days.

Anyway, so I set myself a goal that as soon as my racy little Kia Picanto {his name is Blikaspaai} reaches 150 000 km, which is around the corner, I am going to sell it - even if it is all paid off and doesn't cost me a cent besides the occasional do-it-yourself services. I need some aircon guys. Summer in the city in my car is no joke. 

Now, the other problem is that I just can't settle on a car to buy, even if it is used. My mind changes every week - I want a Mini Cooper, or no, how about a Hyundai iX35? Wait, I really want the Volvo V40, but now this Suzuki Jimny looks real cute. Why can't all cars just look the same?

I also know that my car will be quite difficult to sell - so I'm probably going to sell it to my parents, because I'm accident prone and my dog liked climbing on the roof of my car. Or maybe someone on Gumtree might be interested, they also have a really nifty tool that let's you determine how much you should charge for your car, based on the colour, year, kilometres driven and so forth. It also shows you in graphics and has extra tidbits of info on the side to help you decide on the price. But, if you want to make sure your car is in tip-top shape before you sell it, here are a few tips {note that I will also be implementing it immediately, to save what I can}. This picture below is not my car. I can only dream to own this car.

Keep It Clean

While keeping it clean may not seem like an important part of maintaining a vehicle, it truly is. Washing the outside of the vehicle keeps it looking good, while taking care of the inside helps maintain its value. Do not forget to wash the underside where salt and grime tends to build up. If the salt and grime are left in place, it can cause rust and other problems.

Change the Oil Regularly

While you may not necessarily need to change your oil every 4 800 km, especially if your car is newer, it is important to never let it go too long in between changes. At the very least, have the oil changed every 12 500 km. If the oil breaks down too much, it can damage the engine. Do not forget to have a new filter installed at the same time. When you have the oil changed is also a good time to have other parts of the vehicle checked out. If you do this all at once, you are less likely to forget something.

Check Brake Pads

When the brake pads wear down, they can pose a danger as the brakes will fail to work as they should. If they wear down too much, the metal on metal contact will ruin the rotors and this can result in very costly repairs. Have the brake pads checked every couple of months to make sure a replacement is not needed.


For more tips, head over here.

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Image via Ultralinx
Collaborated post
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#savedbythedogs

You might not be aware of this, but I started and still run Staffordshire Terrier Rescue South Africa, as staffies are terribly close to my heart and I cannot stand the idea that these beautiful, special and lovely dogs are in shelters, out in the cold (in some) and not getting the attention they deserve (in some). 

 Staffies are actually very attached to their people and crave constant attention and they demand to sleep in bed with you. I started the 'rescue' - currently only a facebook page with about 4 000 followers - after I bought my first staffie, Mila. I soon realised hat there were a lot of staffies actually looking for homes in shelters, and not just 'pavement specials'. 

It is a pipedream to someday start a non-profit staffie sanctuary, but then I would need a bigger yard, and a bigger bed. But for now I help rehome dogs that their owners can no longer keep, or want. 

Could you believe that one 'owner' phoned me and told me if I don't come and fetch his dog now, he is going to let the gate open so she can run away, because they were moving to Cape Town in three days? I have heard of many other horror stories and have been involved with finding homes for staffies that were used as bait dogs. They turned around at their graves and emerged as the most loving, sweetest and gentle dogs you have ever seen. 

One thing I have learned is that rescue dogs are the most forgiving creatures on earth. Despite the abuse, neglect and pain they went through, they just want and crave love and attention and they want a lot of it! Rescue pets are the most rewarding pets! 

 I too have two rescues, which I got through my rescue page. Diezel and Minkie, which are my models. Both these dogs owners had moved to places they could not take their pets with and while Diezel was quickly rehomed, Minkie sat in a kennel for months, hurting herself as a result of kennel stress. I remember when I met Minkie for the first time, she was so happy to be out of her cage that she was uncontrollable, borderline annoying.

 {lazy pillow c/o Hill's Pet Food}

Now, she is the most chilled dog on the face of this earth. Minkie was also super feisty when we got her and she would bite me all the time, especially if I tried to put medicine on her raw wounds - self-inflicted from kennel stress. 

That's why Hills is also trying to create awareness of the plight of these periled pooches and as such teamed up with TEARS Animal Rescue, in Cape Town - which also often have staffies and pitbulls. #Savedbythedogs is an initiative that hopes to change people’s perception of rescue dogs; rather than unwanted castaways they are superheroes in the making, able to transform human lives with love and companionship. 

Each month, as part of the campaign, TEARS takes some of their four-legged superheroes into central Cape Town, rescuing people from the daily grind with an opportunity to walk a dog or play with the super-cute puppies.

 #savedbythedogs is happening once a month with the next outing on Wednesday 15 July, from 11am to 2pm. For info and dates follow #savedbythedogs or contact TEARS Animal Rescue on 021 785 4482 / 061 722 7903 /bit.ly/savedbythedogs.

I CHALLENGE JOBURG RESCUES TO DO THE SAME! We need something like this in the bustling city, just to slow down and have a refreshing afternoon outside with dogs that so desperately want love. 

Also, if you would like to get your hands on a lazy pillow, here's your chance. Let your best friend snuggle up on a cosy new #hillslazybed this winter. The giant lazy pillows (worth R350) are free when you purchase two bags of Hill’s Science Plan or Ideal Balance Canine sized between 10kg and 13.6kg. The pillow comes in three colour variations and is ideal for medium and large dogs. For mini breeds the super-cute lazy pouch (available in five colours and worth R250) is free when you purchase two bags of Hill’s Science Plan or Ideal Balance Canine Mini sized between 1.81kg and 3kg. The #hillslazybed offer is available at participating veterinary outlets from 1 July, while stocks last. Terms and conditions apply.

 

Outdoor room {decor}

So, I have this stoep that I've been neglecting in the three-odd years I've been living in my house and decided that, besides my kitchen update that I'm currently tackling {when will it ever end?}, I am also going to convert this nelgected stoep into an outdoor room, an all-round entertainment area I can be proud of!  Am I a bit too optimistic to be thinking of Spring already? With the beautiful weather we've been experiencing over weekends this winter, I think I'm allowed to already be thinking of how I am going to optimally use my outside space.

Before you start decorating your outdoor space, decide on the style you would like to implement. Do you like French Country, or super modern? Do you opt for the more rustic, vintage items or does retro or Scandinavian inspire you? For me, I like a bit of everything mixed together, and in design speak, it's called eclectic - hoorah, a label for us indecisive folk. Also, make sure to choose a colour scheme that works outside. White may be crisp and a nice colour, but remember that by dust, weather and pets it is not going to stay white for long. If you have a lot of greenery going on around your outdoor room, go for a more subtle colour, like grey, to contrast against it.

I love yellow! It's such a fresh, inspiring and fun colour and it is the perfect hue to use as a contrast colour or to draw attention to a specific spot. I combined it with more neutral colours, such as the throw pillows, the porch carpet and the wooden deerhead, which are all currently on sale at Spree.

The idea of an outdoor 'living' room has become more popular over the years and living in the beaufitul country we do, I can understand why this trend has caught fire. You can use anythign from steel furniture, to wood, to rattan, but keep in mind that when you choose wood funiture it will need to be treated agains the elements quite often.

Use this space as an extra area to show off your style and hang some vintage finds around. Currently, I have a couple of crosses, a ceramic dear head and oversized steel keys against an empty wall, which immediately gave my stoep a bit of oomph. It also creates a talking point if you have guests over.

It's easy to lay an outdoor room out if you have chosen the function of the room. If you are concentrating on a seating area, ensure you have a coffee table for magazines, snakcs and drinks. I quite the idea of an outdoor lounge, and have had my eye on this daybed from MRP Home for months now!

If you have the space, create a seperate dining area, either with a small round wire table and two chairs where you and your loved one can enjoy coffee and rusks in the morning or have dinner on a late summer's eve, or go for the family option and get a big wood table with a couple of seats. Make it interesting by adding a bench on the one side of the table and a mix between wooden and wire chairs in different colours.

I can't wait to start my makeover! Now, I only need to find a solution to keep the dogs out of my outdoor room.

Brooklyn Brothers {eat here}

If you are a sucker for real American cuisine, like my dear husband - you know, those types of dishes you see on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives - then Brooklyn Brothers, which recently opened in Bedford Centre is definitely worth a visit.

Besides the very trendy design elements the company used to decorate their space - including wood, exposed lights and black subway tiles, they also have a motto: "If you like it, eat it." This definitely applies here, as it boasts milkshake flavours such as Salted Caramel Popcon, Roasted Marsmallow and American Apple Pie. This is just but a few mentions. Oh and their buffalo wings comes in 20 different flavours! Guys! Where do you even start?

For those that are particularly peckish, or have come in a large group - tricky, as you would have to book well in advance to have space - there's also the option of buying ONE HUNDRED buffalo wings, aptly known as The Brotherhood. Could you even? I think I need to set up one of those food contest challenges with my friends to see who can eat the most wings.

Regrettably I don't have any proper pics of what we ate, but for those ladies that are watching what they eat and still want to abide by the rules, you can have the 'Skinny' option, just toss the buns aside.

What made this place especially fun and different is their menus. You receive a clipboard, a pen and a sheet of paper with all the options you would like - want onions? You can have onions! Want mushrooms? You go mushrooms!

Want fries with that? then you'll have to think very carefully, as you also get quite a few options here. We opted for fries topped with cheese, jalapenos and mince, because YUM! But I wasn't too fond of it, as I soon realised there was some baked beans in there. I hate baked beans! Why do Americans like it so?

My husband opted for a basket of 'suicidal' hot wings, but we both are used to really hot and spicy food and felt that it was a bit too tame for our taste. They do have extra chillie sauce, so perhaps, if you would like the bite, opt for that. Flip also had a beef smashburger which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Oh and before I forget, the clever guys at Brooklyn Brothers also tapped into the craft beer market and have several favourites and some American flavours as well.

For about R250 for two people, you will want to roll out of this restaurant.  While other online reviews were a bit harsh - remember, it is still in its teething phase - it's worth a visit!