2017 Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair

By now you know what joy I get from cooking, eating, getting together with people & giving a space some character. So if I had to be in charge of putting together a fair of sorts it would look exactly like The Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair. Yup, I feel like this fair was created just for me.

It started out in November of 2010 as the FoodWineDesign & I am proud to say that I’ve only ever missed one year. The Fair was the first event to combine design, food & wine (& now also gin, delicious gin). As an upmarket event that showcases & celebrates the best produce & craftsmanship in these fields, each producer is hand-picked & the number of participants is limited to focus on the best & most unique.

Every year I am so impressed with the way the rooftop of the Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre is transformed into a creative & social space where you can really feast your eyes & taste buds.

A worldwide trend is a shift towards quality over quantity, handmade artisanal products & all things local.

The fair embodies all things ‘well made in Africa’ & I really had to compose myself yesterday (compared to previous years) not to just buy, buy, buy all the amazingness.

So as I walked through the gorgeous stalls I was daydreaming about what I want to get…

For Our Home

The light fittings in our dining room can totally do with an upgrade from the Louw Roets range. The fantastic designs by  Elsje Designs will look just fab on our patio.

I was also tempted to pop some linen spray & a diffuser from Godding & Godding, a bar cart from Stokperd & even a few additions to my current Rialheim collection in my imaginary shopping trolley.

For Me

I will happily have some shoes & an outfit from Jane Sews, thank you. And then some loungewear from Bena Loungewear & a bag or two from Ilundi Designs.

Obviously also a piece or two or three from Pichulik. And lastly also a pair of shoes from Hannah Lavery.

For My Two Main Men

A wooden bow-tie from Houtkappers for each will do just fine. They are just so awesome, don’t you think? Add some wooden toys for Oli & a leather wallet from Dark Horse for Ernie.

If We Had A Baby

The little moccasins from Running Bear have stolen my heart!

The feasting is not only for the eyes though, but also for the palate & tummy, so get there hungry if you decide to go. Although I could only sample about 1% of what’s on offer, I can share my personal food & drink highlights…

To Drink  

There are many wonderful wines, bubbly & gin on offer, so you need to organise yourself a lift or an Uber. What I also love is that there are water coolers all around the fair for everyone to keep hydrated & alternate G&T’s with water. Great idea indeed!

You can never go wrong with a gin from Flowstone or Inverroche. A new discovery & firm favourite is the Mosquito Tonic made by Jorgensen’s all the way from Wellington.

I was having a gin type day, so I didn’t try many of the wines. I did get stuck at Black Elephant Vintners & co; though & fell in love with their Timothy White blend.

To Eat

Once again this year, the variety of eats on offer are amazing. The Poke Bowl from Momo Baohaus is simply wow! I also tried the homemade salmon fishcakes from DonPaella & they were delish.

You have to leave some space for something sweet. It is really tricky to decide if you need an Ice Cream Macaroon from Sugarlicious, some Honest Chocolate, churros, a Cookie Monster cupcake, ice-cream or a unicorn macaroon from Oh MyCake!

Get your tickets online via Webtickets for R120 each, or at the door for R130. There is no charge for kiddos under 12, but if you have a choice then I’d say leave them behind so that you can thoroughly enjoy the fair. For more info go to http://www.SanlamHMC.co.za or follow along on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

You can still catch the fair today (Saturday, 14 October) until 9 pm & tomorrow (Sunday, 15 October) from 10 am – 4 pm.

Do yourself a favour & get to the fair before it ends  – you can thank me later.

Yolandi ♥

Images: Mike Turner, supplied & Yolandi North.