Laura's World

Laura's World 🍽️🍷✈️🚢

Next stop: Magaliesburg, Gauteng📍🇿🇦 Join me on:
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As the seasons begin to shift, we're soaking up the last remnants of Autumn and naturally, Zandvliet's Muscat is at the ...
19/06/2026

As the seasons begin to shift, we're soaking up the last remnants of Autumn and naturally, Zandvliet's Muscat is at the top of that list.

This beautifully expressive wine lends itself to a range of moments, but specifically today, a relaxed afternoon of sipping in Magaliesburg with these beautiful blue skies, and a river trickling past just below us.

Known for its low alcohol content, this elegant pale straw-gold wine delivers intense aromatics, a velvety palate, and exceptional versatility for sipping.

What a great start to the long weekend! Cheers!

📌Budmarsh Country Lodge, R96, MagaliesburgA romantic, cosy check into our room, complete with a king-size bed, private w...
19/06/2026

📌Budmarsh Country Lodge, R96, Magaliesburg

A romantic, cosy check into our room, complete with a king-size bed, private whirlpool bath, heated towel rails, fireplace, leather-top writing desk, a comfortable sitting area and a private outdoor patio.

Winter has arrived, but Budmarsh seems to have thought of every creature comfort that we could possibly need during our stay.

📌 Maggies Farm ~ Home of the Chicken Pie 🥧R512 Pelindaba Rd, LanseriaWith the geese happily swimming in the pond below u...
19/06/2026

📌 Maggies Farm ~ Home of the Chicken Pie 🥧
R512 Pelindaba Rd, Lanseria

With the geese happily swimming in the pond below us, we've sat down at Maggies for one of their famous mouth-watering pies.

On this visit, we chose to share two of their pies:
Chicken à la King - Great portion size for a gourmet pie, and lovely and saucy
Chicken & Mushroom - Smaller in size and for those who prefer the not-so-saucy pies.

Sun-dappled tables, shady trees, and slow moments shared en route to Magaliesburg are all part of the journey today!

Nothing says roadtrip like a Wimpy breakfast! ☕Mzansi's favourite family restaurant, it's our favourite tradition when w...
19/06/2026

Nothing says roadtrip like a Wimpy breakfast! ☕

Mzansi's favourite family restaurant, it's our favourite tradition when we're heading out on the open road for an adventure.

So, when did Wimpy's story actually start and where?
In 1967 (two years before man first walked on the moon), Wimpy opened their first restaurant in Murchies Passage, Durban!

Bring on the 80’s, where Wimpy became the first sit-down restaurant to officially serve all South Africans partnering with Mobil (now Engen) and took to the road, making sure that a Wimpy pit-stop is a part of every journey.

They've been a part of ours ever since!

Throwing it back to Hyde Park in the Spring! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿For me, the main event has always been the Daffodil displays: Vast c...
18/06/2026

Throwing it back to Hyde Park in the Spring! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

For me, the main event has always been the Daffodil displays:
Vast carpets of yellow (and white) daffodils emerge across the park, particularly around the Hyde Park Corner entrance and the Serpentine.

Some notable other views that you might enjoy, that we've featured in our post today:
~ Joy of Life decorative fountain
~ View east from Serpentine Bridge
~ The Cavalry of the Empire Memorial (Cavalry Memorial)

🌼

There's a new kid on the block in Cramerview Village Shopping Centre, and it's Italian! 🇮🇹🤌This is also up there with on...
17/06/2026

There's a new kid on the block in Cramerview Village Shopping Centre, and it's Italian! 🇮🇹🤌

This is also up there with one of the best Lasagna tradizionale that we've ever eaten (and we've spent a lot of time in Italy over the years)...Ovenbaked layers of handmade pasta with béchamel, Bolognese Ragù & Parmigiano cheese.

So, who are Buonissimo?
They might be a new kid on our block, but they're definitely not new to the Johannesburg restaurant scene.

From the hills of Emilia Romagna to Johannesburg — five (5) centuries of food, family & passion. Schiavi Family's Osteria in Emilia Romagna's hills is traceable back to the early 1500s.

The lives of Giorgia and Daniele intersect in 1986 in Salsomaggiore, Parma when both frequenting Hotel school and in 1997, the newly married couple opens their first Ristopub in Piacenza, the heart of Italy. In the 2000's, they branch out to South Africa where the Chiappini family's famous Venezia Ristorante is successfully trading since the mid 80s.

Giorgia and Daniele's first South African Restaurant is founded in 2002, in Modderfontein, Johannesburg. A balanced mix of traditional pasta and pizza Romana, a great success amongst the residents and later casts the strong foundations of Buonissimo, opened in 2011 with the participation of the whole family, Nonna Olga and sons Alex and Cristiano.

That's a lot of history, but we're here for the pasta! 😉

Welcome Buonissimo Deli Pizza to the hood!

at the newly opened Buonissimo restaurant in Bryanston, with a bottle of the 2023 Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay.The ...
17/06/2026

at the newly opened Buonissimo restaurant in Bryanston, with a bottle of the 2023 Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay.

The vineyards for this premium Chardonnay are close to the Whitehall farm from where Neil produced the first certified Elgin Sauvignon Blanc, hence the name.

What you can expect?
On the palate, the 2023 Vintage offers a seamless balance between vibrant acidity and a textured, creamy mouthfeel, achieved through thoughtful barrel maturation and lees ageing.

The oak influence remains understated, adding support and depth without compromising the purity of fruit. The result is a Chardonnay that is both modern and timeless, elegant, poised, and deeply satisfying.

At a price point of roughly R400, the Whitehall Chardonnay celebrates the legacy of site-selected vineyards and stands firm as a confident and compelling expression of South Africa’s cool-climate Chardonnay excellence.

We paired ours with cheesy Ravioli al ragù:
Handmade pasta squares with a slow roasted beef filling in a traditional Bolognese beef ragù ('Al forno'/baked in their pizza oven).

Cheers!

Happy Youth Day South Africa! 🥂🇿🇦Thanks to Leopard's Leap, we're continuing the celebrations in style today, because w...
16/06/2026

Happy Youth Day South Africa! 🥂🇿🇦

Thanks to Leopard's Leap, we're continuing the celebrations in style today, because who says it has to just be one day, am I right?
We can celebrate Chenin Blanc any time we want!

2025 Culinaria Chenin Blanc is based on the original French style and the exceptional wines from the Loire where producers in regions like Vouvray, Savennières, and Bonnezeaux use oak fermentation.

The 2025 Culinaria Chenin Blanc has complex layers of flavour and a smooth consistency, making it an exceptional white wine for winter.

What you can expect?
Ripe tropical fruit, pineapple, litchi and yellow peach mingle effortlessly with delicate notes of apricot and pear. The palate is rich and full-bodied. Creamy nuances of vanilla and almond are complemented by citrus, peach and pear to retain an elegant freshness. The lingering finish is underpinned by a vibrant, well-defined acidity and refined oak influence.

Its versatility as food partner, will also ensure that you can enjoy your favourite winter food with it. The recommended pairing is a casserole like the Chicken Normandy or Chicken Fricassee, and today, we're going to try a classic comfort dish that we know and love... Chicken à la King.

Our homemade Chicken à la King is a creamy one-pot meal packed with comfort and flavour that takes us less than twenty (20) minutes to make.
It's also a great way to use leftover chicken.

My version though, is made from scratch and has a white wine, “brothy” vibe to it, which I eventually thicken with sour cream and chicken stock, as a sauce.
If you'd like to make it, here's how..

1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and sear in olive oil
2. Deglaze the pot with white wine, then add the mushrooms, onions, peppers and garlic.
*Sherry is the traditional choice, but I like to use Chenin in this recipe.
*Also, Pimentos are a classic staple in this dish, but we prefer using chunky green bell peppers instead.
*The key to unusual flavours in this recipe is the mushroom. We like to use a combination of Portobello, Shiitake and king oysters.
3. Add the sour cream and cook for two (2) minutes.
4. Add chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce and any other desired seasoning that you like in small splashes.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

It's that easy! Bon Appétit!

"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you." Fred DevitoLet's get moving and crushing our goals today! 😉
15/06/2026

"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you."
Fred Devito

Let's get moving and crushing our goals today! 😉

at Thyme on Nicol 🍣🥢One of our favourite locals, in the Sandton area because it is consistently such good value-for-mo...
14/06/2026

at Thyme on Nicol 🍣🥢

One of our favourite locals, in the Sandton area because it is consistently such good value-for-money.

Excellent prices ✅
Almost no mark-up on the wine list ✅
Sunny, well-lit seating, both indoor and outdoor ✅
Friendly service ✅
Delicious sushi options, breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, burgers, pastas and Teppanyaki.

In fact, to date, the only thing that we don't love at Thyme on Nicol is the cheesecake.

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