Talk 15 September 2022

8 Advertising & Newsdesk: (046) 624-4356 Find us on Facebook 15 September 2022 TALK OF THE TOW N
Port
A l f re d BUSINESS FORUM Keeping you up to date on the local business front
graphic © vadym yesaulov / 123RF.com
Unwind with a cuppa, cake at
Blythe Cottage Garden Café
Stocks family talents,
history come together
for new joint venture
Blythe Cottage Garden Café opened at
Standerwick Nursery in Port Alfred on
September 1 and blends in wonderfully
with the aesthetic of the nursery where green
fingers meet coffee lovers in one convenient
location.
The atmosphere of the café and the nursery is
one of tranquility as a place to simply unwind
and enjoy a moment with a cup of coffee, slice of
cake and check out the variety of plants and
gardening implements available.
The café is owned and operated by Dave and
Pat Stocks and their son M i ch a e l .
Dave and Pat have retired in Port Alfred and
with a family history in the area, Dave is invested
in the community and looks forward to his family
enjoying the Sunshine Coast.
“My family is from here. My father, Mike
Stocks, built Blythe Cottage in 1962 on Riverside
Drive on the banks of the Kowie River and it is in
his memory that we named our café,” said Dave.
M i ch a e l has been a qualified chef for the past
five years. He obtained a City and Guilds
qualification through the Blue Ribbon Chef
School with higher qualifications in the culinary
arts and food and beverage management.
“I originally thought I wanted to be a farmer
but my love for cooking and creating foods as
well as pastry was and is my passion. When we
got the opportunity to open the café, everything
fell into place and I have my dream job,” he said.
COFFEE BREAK: Meet the team of Blythe Cottage Garden Café located within Standerwick
Nursery in Port Alfred where you can enjoy premium coffees, teas and other refreshments along
with salads, toasted sandwiches and an array of delicious cakes and delights. Seen here are
barista Bongo Ndelene with Pat, Michael and Dave Stocks
The team is not complete without the barista,
Bongo Ndelene, who completed a barista course
in Cape Town and was given the opportunity by
the Stocks family to join them in their venture.
“I have a love for coffee and when I met Pat
and Dave everything came together,” said
Ndelene.
“This is a place where you can come and sit
down and relax, listen to soothing music and
enjoy a good cup of coffee and delicious cake,”
Michael said.
The coffee available is the freshest around,
sourced from East London at the Cutman and
Hawk Coffee Company, who produce freshly
roasted, premium full-flavoured coffee.
Also available are a selection of cakes,
homemade rusks, cheesy short bread, brownies,
carrot cake loaf and much more.
The owners also invite locals to approach
them if they have products to sell in-store.
Currently the café has lemon syrup produced by
Rob and Marie Dickie, as well as olives by Alida
Botes.
“We are incredibly grateful to Moon (Harvey –
owner of Standerwick Nursery) for making this
opportunity available and for all of her support,”
said Pat.
There is currently a lucky draw for all
customers to the café and nursery. Every customer
is entered into a lucky draw to win a Cymbidium
Orchid and the draw takes place on September
30, so make sure to get yourself to Blythe Cottage
Garden Café and enjoy something new and a
chance to win.
The café is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am-
4pm and Saturdays 8.30am to 1pm. It is located
within the Standerwick Nursery on 29 Main
Street in Port Alfred.
The value of hearing
BRANDON SCHLIMPER
Our senses help us make every second of
our lives a unique experience. That’s why
we take good care of them. We get
glasses, we go to the dentist, we exercise.
In fact, we’re willing to go a long way
to improve our health and wellbeing.
However, when it comes to our hearing,
too many of us wait far too long!
Many people believe that hearing is
the most important sense of all. It is our
lifeline to an ever-changing world.
Our sense of hearing connects us to
colleagues, friends and most importantly,
the people we love.
One in every two adults has difficulty
understanding and following conversation
in a noisy environment. At some stage,
every adult suffers from hearing difficulty
which can affect their lifestyle and career.
Hearing technology has improved to
the point where hearing devices can be
programmed to suit and enhance your
unique lifestyle. Taking good care of your
hearing is important. Studies have linked
the effects of untreated hearing loss to
poor memory, stress, depression, isolation,
reduced earning power and health issues.
However, with modern hearing devices
any level of hearing loss can be improved
– with potentially life-changing results!
September is Deaf Awareness month. If
you feel you may have a hearing loss,
contact your local hearing care
professional. Many people find it helpful
to bring a spouse, family member or friend
along to the consultation.
Once you arrive, your hearing care
professional will invite you to discuss your
“hearing history”. The aim of this is to
understand what factors have influenced
your hearing and to learn about your
personal hearing needs. The next step will
be to perform a hearing examination.
Once the result is ready, your hearing
care professional will explain it clearly to
you. At that point, you can begin to plan
any next steps together or look at possible
solutions, as necessary.
Brandon Schlimper is a hearing aid
acoustician at Smart Hearing
FAMILY TIME: The McKay family
enjoying the Seafood Saturday buffet at
the Halyards Hotel - Bri, Brent, Xylon and
Ta i g a n M c K a y.
ALL SMILES: Halyards Hotel staff
members enjoyed the Seafood Launch
on Saturday along with guests, seen
here are Central Reservations staff
TanjaJanse van Rensburg and
MuhleMjacu dressed for the occasion.
THE RIGHT STUFF: The Management of the Halyards Hotel
and Spa, Justin Bester and Crystal Bester, stand with Head
Chef, MtezaQinela, at the recent launch of the hotel’s Seafood
Saturday buffet. Pictures: SUPPLIED
Seafood Saturday at
the Halyards Hotel
Blythe Cottage
Garden Café
Pensioners’ special on Mondays from 10 to 12noon
Situated in Standerwick Garden Centre 29 Main St, Port Alfred
The Halyards Hotel & Spa welcomed invited
guests and the public to their Seafood Launch on
Saturday, September 10.
The seafood buffet dinner has always been a
popular experience and it is now back and
available every Saturday from 7pm at R220 per
person, R200 per pensioner and R110 per child
under the age of 12.
The seafood buffet has everything you could
hope for such as a variety of fish, calamari,
prawns, shrimp, and a variety of salads.
There is something for everyone for a
wonderful evening and a taste explosion that is
sure to delight. Contact Halyards Hotel and
enjoy delicious food while overlooking the
marina.
Call 046 604 3355 to make your booking
t o d ay.