Our Lunch Date at Somerbosch Wine Farm in Stellenbosch

Celebrating Women’s Day with my three sisters at the Bistro at Somerbosch Wine farm was a winner.

Lunch was served on the lawns under clear, windless skies. The sprawling grey vineyards with farmworker cottages stuck in the distance and the blue-grey mountains looking on, soothed the senses.

Lunch time

As a starter, most of us opted for the vegetable soup of the day served with a rather scant serving of bread. After ordering another mini- breadbasket – with its half slices, we gently told the waiter that as township folk, we need REAL slices thus the running bread order. This explanation lifted the waiter’s puzzled look ( and I think, slight irritation) and quickly got him to add ‘more bread?’ when he visited our table.

So, in between all the chatter and the madness we somehow bring into our spaces, we downed generous servings of Somerbosch Sauvignon Blanc and tucked into our main course, Thai chicken served with salsa and fragrant rice.  The chicken was delicious but again, rather smallish portions. We teased about our children’s responses to such delicate portions  and could almost hear them asking again ‘When are we having the lunch?’

Our Inner child dominates

A montage of all our fun moments

We filled our time taking pictures of ourselves and the views until we saw THE TREE tucked at the back of the garden. Our jungle instincts kicked in – Four Janes with their inner child running amok. We darted – well, more of a saunter- to the spot where thick dangling climbing ropes and a deck in the tree beckoned us. 

So there we were- trying to swing on the ropes and cursing Gravity for digging in her heels. What a struggle it is to lift the legs a few centimeters from the ground. Desiree, Levona and I wouldn’t give up and forced our heaving bodies on to the ropes, just long enough for the picture to prove ‘we were there’. Levona, far more agile than the writer, quickly scaled the tree trunk and joined me on the deck. Great fun and dancing on the solid deck to celebrate our victory followed; we came, we saw and we conquered the twisted uncooperative trunk!

Jane of the Jungle aka me with Hilary and Levona in the background

Dessert and up and away again…

Later we rounded off our lunch with the Bistro’s famous winter 3-choc dessert – again beautifully presented and definitely not a ‘share’ portion. 

That was indeed a super way to celebrate ourselves, Women’s Day and an affirmation of the importance of surrounding yourself with family.

The Women's Day Party at Somerbosch. From left: Ricardo, Levona, Desiree, Sharon, Hilary and Basil