When I look back at these photoβs, my first thought was “check out these youngsters”! We were not that that young then, but we have aged gracefully like a serious Cabernet Sauvignon. That is what we think, and we’re sticking to it! Or it could be the wine talking. π·
This was November of 2009 and the deal to buy the property where Salinas is built had just been concluded. It had not been easy. No bank wanted to know anything about financing restaurants post 2008 – pretty much where we are today. I think I need a crazy, laughing and crying emoji all in one – does one exist? π₯΄
So back to 2009 and as we do, we decided we needed to throw a party the day after the deal went through.
Bear in mind, it’s a sand dune with foundations from the house that was built there and an overgrown mess of vegetation and years of litter. No problem for us and by the time our friends arrived we had cleared it all up and built a sand pathway, as the building rubble from the property that had been demolished was strewn down the dune. We were ready.
There were conditions, of course: bring your own chair, picnic basket and some booze – and we’ll supply the food. The three of us decided the easiest way to cater for over 40 guests was to do potjies. It was also a great time to bond, and start sampling the wine. I arrived with a 12,5lt bottle of wine, which I had bought at an auction and had to carry on my shoulder. I had no idea if it was going to end in tears. Well it ended very well, although there may have been some tears the next day.
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[/col][/row]A party was had by all, but the moment that sealed it for us was when the sun started setting. Prior to that, everyone was talking at the same time and as the wine flowed from an extremely large bottle it could almost have been confused with an Italian bar-mitzvah. As the sun set, everyone stopped talking and just watched as the most glorious colours radiated across the horizon. π
At that moment, we knew we had made the right decision.
πͺπππ,
πͺππππ
ππ, π΄ππππππ π πΎπππππ.
PS: If anyone else has photos of this evening, feel free to drop them in the comments below!
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