I won! Tearful aceptance speech ahead!

HIGHLIGHTS OF COOKSISTER’S EASTER HOLIDAY IN SOUTH AFRICA:

• Lunch at Irene Dairy
• Dinner at Roots
• Meeting these three very lovely ladies
• Discovering Port Elzabeth’s emerging coffeeshop culture at Vovo Telo and Cobblestone Bakery
• Taking my father to the Ron Belling Gallery – a treat for lovers of art deco architecture and aviation art
• Hanging out with my drop-dead-gorgeous nephews Sam and David
• A 40th birthday Mexican fiesta for me, complete with piñata!
• Meeting the very fabulous Charlotte at the very fabulous Emily Moon restaurant
• Spending the Easter weekend with aforementioned gorgeous nephews and their parents at stunning Cape St Francis
• Finding out a week after the fact that I had won two South African Blog Awards

Yes folks, while I was offline in Darkest Africa, in my absence, YOU, the very lovely readers of CookSister, have once again voted me onto the winners’ podium at the South African Blog Awards 2009 as Best Food and Drink Blog and Best Overseas Blog!  I have to say, the SA Blog Awards make my heart swell with patriotic pride because it showcases the world-class blogging talent that we have at the southern tip of the continent.  And to win an award when you are up against people like this, this and this is just humbling.  A big thank you to the organisers, a big Mexican wave of congratulations to all the worthy winners (including my buddy Nic over at SA Rocks – well done, dude!), and of course the biggest thank you to all of you who nominated and voted for me.  It makes all the late nights, early mornings and cold dinners worthwhile 🙂

(I’ve also been told I owe a special thank you to Johan, Andrea and all the good folk at the Centre for Access Assessment and Research at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University – my alma mater – who voted for me.  If I could, I’d e-mail you all some chocolate brownies!!)