Get your Wish on!

So this post should have been done ages ago since I’ve had this watch a couple of months… but I guess better late than never?

I finally got my watch I ordered from Wish! At first I was quite skeptical about the app and just ordered 2 items that I liked that were dirt cheap and free. My free item came within the time period and the item I paid for, said watch in the picture, didn’t.

“Oh well, that was that”, I thought to myself. I let the supplier know that my item didn’t come through the mail and I was refunded. But low and behold a couple of months down the line I actually did get my Wish watch! I was so excited and I’ve been wearing it ever since!

Every single time I have this watch on I get so many compliments over it. My response always – “Thank you, it was free!” Technically it was, seeing that I was refunded… Every single person thinks that I paid an arm and a leg for it, but I like letting people in on the secret 😉 See style doesn’t have to be expensive, you just have to have good taste.

I do have to say though that this is the type of watch that I wouldn’t typically wear, but seeing that it was free I took a chance and it paid off! Never be afraid to try something new 🙂

Since then I’ve ordered a bunch of other items that have all come earlier than promised. So right now I’m very impressed with Wish! Can’t wait to collect all my other watches I’ve so obviously ordered after the success of this one!

Yay for cheap things!

SmkClaven

*Photo cred: Smook Photography

#Mash

Does the title need anything more?! It’s mash! As in potato! As in life… -insert Whatsapp heart eyes here-

So this was inspired by me not wanting to be wasteful. And being the lazy cook that I am… I had bought a packet of cut potatoes at a Fruit & Veg like 2 weeks ago… and it was basically turning but I decided to turn it into a mash rather than a waste!

Like every other meal I make… this was just too easy! Who knew cooking didn’t have to be a whole thing?

Take the packet of cut and peeled potatoes and boil it on the stove. Once the potatoes are soft you should strain the water and grab the nearest masher! Or fork… (Now I say this like I knew this step… I started slicing the potatoes open with a knife to let the pieces get softer in the water and just kept going… So actually I didn’t strain the water I just let it cook out… Now I know better! At least I’m honest…)

Once the potatoes are all mashed up add some butter and some milk, along with salt, pepper and whatever flavour you feel for. I added some Rajah curry powder to it, because who says veggies need to be plain and boring?! Now mix it all together an voila!

So my mash was a bit chunky and sloppy… and this is mostly due to the water I didn’t strain. But hey, I had a great meal and it took a second to make!

As a side note… I later added some black beans and sweet & sour soy sauce on top for a fuller meal. I did however not take a picture of that as it didn’t look appealing at all! But sure was tasty.

Good luck with your potato-venture!

SmkClaven

Trying something new!

This post is all about trying something new. In the sense of clothes but also in the sense of actually uploading my embarrassing bedroom selfies to the web, because maybe it actually isn’t that embarrassing, maybe it’s just normal? I guess that’s why I’m calling it ‘trying something new’ because I actually have no idea?!

Every now and again I get a bright spark to update my wardrobe. This is mostly to go with the “worship leader” look I’m going for seeing that I actually am a worship leader at Church. *Insert note here* I have actually been called out for looking like a church leader at a braai once. No prior discussions… No conversations. Just… “What do you do? You look like one of those worship leaders.” So I guess I can just say – Nailed it!

And why wouldn’t I want to wear this badge? My life is all about spreading the Gospel and if my appearance shouts what my heart is singing about, then I guess you can’t ask for much more!

Now let’s take a moment to talk about the random straightener on the floor… Yes, it’s there. I didn’t edit it out and I didn’t crop the picture either. Sometimes you just want to be you in your environment without everything needing to be perfect.

So there it is, the first of many more embarrassing bedroom selfies to come. And may I just say… I do actually like this outfit! Haha.

SmkClaven

Butter Chicken & Sweet Potato

Ok so those of you who know me and who have read my blogs about food will know that I am the laziest cook ever! I love making food, but hate the time it consumes… so I do easy things 😉 15 Minutes in an out! This creation was made the other day  – Butter Chicken & Sweet Potato, because who doesn’t like butter?! In the words of Julia Child in Julie & Julia “Hmmmmmm…. BUTTER!”

This was literally so easy! All you need are some chicken breasts and frozen sweet potato pieces. Oh yes, and a whole lot of spices!

Cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces / strips.

Next throw out some sweet potato into a bowl and microwave for about 6 – 8 minutes.

While that’s going on in the background warm up a pan on the stove. Just use the hottest temperature available we aren’t here to spend the day in the kitchen! (Oh right… at this point you should probably pre-heat the oven on it’s highest temperature also).

Chuck the chicken strips into the pan, along with a whoooole lot of butter. It’s butter chicken remember?! As soon as the chicken starts looking like it’s 90% cooked add some cinnamon (yes, cinnamon), salt and pepper and mix it up. Right before most of the liquid has cooked off throw in a splash of milk and cook until most of the liquid has vanished and you are left with a saucy chicken. (Don’t add too much liquid, the more liquid at the end of the cook-off the less flavour you have on the actual meat!)

By now your sweet potatoes should be done! Scoop them into an oven pan, with butter obviously… add some cinnamon and pop those into the oven.

Right so remember when I said 15 minutes max? I was referring to the actual preparation time… We all know the oven takes a bit longer but by this time you can go off and do whatever you want until it’s done… Maybe 30 minutes? I don’t remember. Just check in often to see whether everything has mixed and that the sweet potato is soft and delicious.

Serve!

It’s that easy. Who needs recipes when you can just throw whatever is in your cupboard on a plate and have it be amazing? To finish you can add some mixed spices to your chicken for presentation. Every meal needs something green on top 😉

SmkClaven

#BeingACreative

Today I thought that I would write a post about what it’s like to be a creative, because I don’t think people understand us all the time.

Creatives are dreamers… We dream a lot and we dream big! We can spend an entire day just dreaming about life, the plans we have for our careers, where we want to be with our careers. The problem sets in when it comes to doing…

Being creative means that we are part scatterbrained. It is built in us and it comes as a factory default. This unfortunately means that we can’t always connect A to Z. Heck sometimes we struggle to get from A to B?! Let me explain what I mean:

As dreamers we dream big dreams for ourselves. The problem is that we often dream so big that we don’t even know how to achieve the first goal in getting to the top. We know exactly what we want! We just don’t know how to get there… or how to even start the journey to getting there. And that is where we struggle most!

This often leaves us confused, annoyed, frustrated and downright hopeless. Why don’t our plans work out?! We will try anything to make our dreams come true. This often also leads to working our butts off, for free! That’s right! Free! Nada! ZERO moola. We do this in the hopes that maybe someone will notice our work and by some miracle “reward” us for our time or “find” us in our search. The problem is this rarely ever leads to anything, causing more frustration! Hence back to square one… hence restarting the free-work-cycle and so on and so forth. It’s a vicious cycle. It’s exhausting right? Now you get it 😉 Welcome to our world!

I feel like us creatives don’t really fit into any mould. Not rigid enough for strictly business, not quite loony enough to die for art, but just… in between. Like that movie – The Divergent.. Where that girl doesn’t really belong to any faction because she can see the bigger picture within the realm of reality.

People often mistake us for not having any direction in life, but it is the complete opposite. It is actually because we are so driven that we are willing to try anything to get to the top!

So next time instead of shaking your head in disbelief, rather encourage our behaviour, because one day it will lead us somewhere big!

Yours in creativity…

SmkClaven

 

#Foodie Cont’d – Spiced Pumpkin Soup

First of all I’d like to start this post off by saying… Who am I?!

Last night I decided to make a surprise din dins for my bicker buddy and I kept wanting to make a puréed soup!

So I raided the fridge and got into a “Pumpkin and Sweet Potatoe” frozen pack of veggies. Nothing fancy by the way just your average garden variety pack of frozen veggies from the local Spar.

Now I’m a lazy cook so if you are too, listen up ’cause these methods are boss! -Insert shades emoticon here- I put some veggies into a bowl and straight into the microwave for about 6-7 minutes… After this it was chopped fine and thrown into a pot with some water to simmer for a bit – salt and pepper to taste of course!

After my gut told me that that was enough I removed the pot from the stove and chucked the contents into a sift. Time to puree!

Low and behold a perfectly puréed soup! What even?! Then of course came to mind that every pumpkin needs some cinnamon, so in the cinnamon went and sprinkled on top for garnish.

Don’t ask me how this happened as I’ve never made soup before?! Not like this from “scratch” and with real veggies?! I was just as shocked as you are… and it was amazing!

Apparently I’m a sneaky little chef and I didn’t even know it??

Here’s to the not-so-perfect but well done first attempt – Spiced Pumpkin Soup! Note to self… It could have been a bit more soupy…

SmkClaven

MR DJ

So this post should have happened ages ago but we all know what happens by this time… adulting!

Anyway starting from the top I am now a radio presenter on LekkerFM 98.3! How did I get here? Let’s just go back a little…

It’s late on a Saturday evening chilling with the family (no really. I know this sounds like a movie but this part is real) and my cousin brings up that one of her friends is a radio presenter and she just loves it! And I sit there thinking to myself, how on earth do these people keep getting work as radio presenters?! I hear of complete “nobodies” who work at radio stations all the time and yet it’s something I’ve always wanted to do but never got the opportunity to get into?!

Long story short I go on a Google hunt because if people with no training in entertainment can manage to land a job in radio then obviously so can I! After a thorough search I come across LekkerFM and low and behold they were looking for presenters! Needless to say I applied without hesitation.

More shortening of a story I got the job and am now one of the presenters at the station! IT IS AMAZING!! And really a dream come true. I work with an amazing group of people and I’m just thankful for the opportunity to be part of the team.

Catch me weekends from 6 – 9am for the weekend breakfast! LekkerFM 98.3

SmkClaven

Unofficial #Foodie

Ok so I am by no means an expert on food, etiquette or really anything that says: “I know what I’m talking about”. But I do love food, like a lot! The tastes, the textures and even the presentation. See, I know something 😉

One of my all time favourite places to visit is Ana Paula’s in Krugersdorp. They have the most divine foods with the most divine flavours. You literally do not get better than this!

The above picture is of a half gourmet burger and half full house tramazini (yes I’m that much of a pig. Sometimes you can have your bread buttered on both sides). I’m not even going to try and describe everything in it, you just have to try it for yourselves!

And besides the scrumptious foods and drinks, you will enjoy the tranquil garden and hospitality from the owner herself. You literally feel the stress just fall off your shoulders for that bit of time you spend there.

And no this is not a paid advert, or a sponsor or anything like that. I just enjoy good food and excellent service and people must know about it. So you can expect more posts like these =D

SmkClaven

Castle Lager #MakeYourCircleBigger

February 2017 meant Castle Lager Time 😉

It’s been just under a year since I booked my last advert – Maggi Senses and I was thrilled to be back on set! Not only just for the advert… but for the adventure as well – Cape Town.

Castle Lager was cast in Jo’Burg and shot in Cape Town and I think more than anything I looked forward to the taste of the “Kardashian lifestyle”. Flights were scheduled, a hotel was booked and a driver was appointed. Dinner and breakfast included, all expenses paid. This is the life!

What an adventure to be able to get flown down to one of the most beautiful cities for work. Thanks to the guys from 0307 Productions for making it such a memorable experience!

Final clip available on the Castle Lager SA Facebook Page.

 

Reality…

Hello World,

Today I have a bit of a different kind of post I want to deal with… a not so positive rant. A darker look into the entertainment world. So if you don’t like the “oh no I’m chasing my dreams and it’s not good enough” rants then I suggest closing this page down.

You see… I’ve only ever posted the good stuff on here. The positives and the wins of my career all in an attempt to look professional and like I’m on top of it all. For the most part it has worked. Most of you who see all the illusion keep congratulating me on every new-found success.

The truth is… you only see the tip of the iceberg. The few days in my year that are truly great and what I live for. But today was not one of those days.

Today was a difficult day for me. A day when I stepped out of my dream world and faced reality head-on. I’m 25, single, living with my parents, have an almost non-existing acting career and have failed at most attempts to run a side business. All I wanted to do today was run away from my problems, leave my life behind and start over somewhere else.

See no one tells you how difficult it’s going to be to chase your dreams and try and do what most people think is impossible. The days where you are unsure of yourself. The days where you have no idea where your next bit of income will come from… or the days where you have to do demeaning jobs just so you can stay afloat and chase your dreams.

Days like these I can’t help to wonder if I haven’t wasted my entire existence on this “dream” that actually feels more like a nightmare most of the times.

The only things in life I’ve ever wanted was to act and to be independent and those are the things that seem most out of reach at this moment. I can’t help but to battle with depression at times like these. Is it really all worth it?

When I look back at the things I’ve achieved I truly am astonished at how far I’ve actually come. But right now in this moment, reality is overshadowing my vision.

Anyway I thought I should just share something straightforward from the heart. True. No sugar coating. It’s not easy swimming against the stream. Especially not when you look around you and everyone else seem to be heading forward when you’re still stuck in a rut.

Just thought you should know that the highs are very high but at the same time the lows are very low…

Joy comes in the morning.

SmkClaven