Pop the corn… a trio of box office thrillers
• The Informer is about an undercover special ops agent whose life takes a dramatic turn after he agrees to go to jail to protect his identity and save the lives of his wife and daughter. Except that things don’t exactly go to plan once he’s in jail… A solid, entertaining action thriller.
• Golden Globe and Emmy winner, Bruce Willis and Chad Michael Murray star in Survive the Night. This film follows a disgraced doctor and his family who are held hostage at their home by criminals on the run when a robbery gone awry requires them to seek immediate medical attention.
• Game of Thrones star, Emilia Clarke features in Above Suspicion, a crime thriller that’s based on the true story of a newly married FBI agent who starts an illicit affair with an impoverished local woman. She sees in him her means of escape – instead, it’s a ticket to
disaster for both of them. This scandal shook the foundations of America’s top law
enforcement agency, ending in the first-ever conviction of an FBI agent for murder.
Get digging
Get your garden into tip-top shape before winter with the help of SA’s best known gardening guru. Gardening with Keith Kirsten is the latest edition of this super-helpful book and includes more indigenous species, locally bred hybrids and waterwise plants. R350.
Play the game
We love a game that’s fun, and After Dinner Amusements has a whole heap to choose from. In Family Time there are 50 thoughtful and playful questions about the past, present, and future, which should inspire great family conversations. Other games include Riddle Me This, Name That Word and Love Trivia. All under R200 each from Exclusive Books, where you’ll also find other fab choices. How about Dog Bingo (R385), the Dungeons and Dragons Starter Box (R402), or the old favourite, 30 Seconds Junior (R584), which is always hugely enjoyable for the whole family.
Get your poker face on
Poker. Gin rummy. Cheat. Solitaire. We’ve found the chirpiest cards ever. These 52 playing cards feature illustrations of beautiful birds. From the cheerful red cardinal to the majestic white swan, the flamboyant great blue turaco to the imposing California condor, the cards are organised by colour. Buy them online for R215 from pezulainteriors.co.za. And for ideas, visit playingcarddecks.com, where you’ll find a list of more than 40 card games, with links to clear, easy instructions. A brilliant way to spend an evening.
Netflix and chill
“On June 18, 2019, the Federal Government announced the creation of a sixth major division of the United States Armed Forces. The goal of the new branch is ‘to defend satellites from attack’ and ‘perform other space-related tasks’ or something. This is the story of the men and women who have to figure it out.” The big Netflix comedy series of 2020 is finally here, with Steve Carrell returning for his first TV sitcom since The Office, in Space Force. Through the first 10 episodes, he’ll join up with Greg Daniels in creating another workplace comedy, this time aimed at the US Space Force regiment. This series receives our one-to-watch recommendation of the month with a huge line-up of stars.
Invite your friends over for a wine tasting
May 21 is International Chardonnay Day… so why not have a Chardonnay tasting? Make it fun. Have a blind tasting (pour the wines into decanters and label by number, or wrap the bottles in foil or brown paper bags). Make sure there are palate cleansers – water crackers or some lovely fresh, unbuttered white bread is all you need. We know you’re meant to sip or spit. These are so lovely we’d suggest the sip route. After the tasting, make something delicious to enjoy with your favourite. Here are some to try.
• The Christina Chardonnay is a full-bodied, oak matured, serious wine to accompany fine food – we’re talking good shellfish, rich chicken dishes and creamy pastas. R139,99.
• All lime and nectarine, passion fruit and peach, the Zandvliet Chardonnay is a rich wine that’s lovely with fish or pork dishes, soufflés and cheese platters. R125.
• A lighter style of the cultivar can be experienced in the unwooded, medium-bodied Van Loveren Chardonnay. It’s delicate and refreshing, bursting with fruit flavours. Enjoy with sesame-crusted chicken strips served on a bed of crisp salad, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and a honey balsamic dressing. R69,99.
• Also light is the Tangled Tree Chardonnay. Only lightly wooded, it’s creamy and full and perfect with creamy pasta dishes, roast pork, grilled fish or chicken. R49,99.
Learn to cook… online
You don’t need to leave home to become a domestic goddess. Learn to make sweet treats with Sarah Graham or quick and easy dinners with Kamini Pather. How about mastering meat with Peter Goffe-Wood, or being shown how to whip up indulgent chocolate creations with Lindt master chocolatier, Dimo Simatos? The YuppieChef Online Cooking School offers all these and many more. Through a series of video tutorials, you can learn to master the kitchen from the comfort of your own kitchen, and at your own pace. Costs vary, but some come in under R100, many are in the R285 ballpark, and a few are free. Details: yuppiechef.com.
Bake away the afternoon
We’ve found a pudding with health benefits. We kid you not! You’ll find the recipe for this Roodeberg Rosé Guava Pavlova on getitmagazine.co.za. It’s easy, loaded with healthy guavas and seriously delicious.
