This Monday at Hilton Pre-Primary School everyone wore red, white or pink to celebrate Valentines Day. Don't they look gorgeous!
Cool Winds Beauty and Wellness Centre are extremely proud of their Head Therapist, Melanie-Rose Thompson who was one of the top retailers of the Lilian Terry product range in South Africa. Her overall position was second in the country, which is a brilliant feat for this relatively new salon.
It is great to see a beauty salon from our little Hilton, KZN, competing against all those upmarket Gauteng Salons and proving we are a force to be reckoned with!
Cool Winds Beauty and Wellness Centre are offering four specials at R220.00 for February and March. Choose one of the following;
Aromatherapy Full Body Massage
Half Leg Wax and a Creative Pedicure
French/Colour Gel on Toes and a Foot Massage
Express Facial and a Brow and Wax Tint.
Mothers of babies or toddlers will be pleased to note that Cool Winds Play Centre will care for your little one while you have a treatment. The fee for childcare is R25.00 per hour.
Marriage Meander Wedding Workshop
The Marriage Mazesare interactive workshops to assist you in many aspects of your wedding planning. A variety of topics are discussed and you have the opportunity to mingle with reliable suppliers in a relaxed and intimate environment whilst the Meander hosts guide you through an informative workshop style event. Our next workshop will be at Calderwood Hall in the Midlands on the 27th November 2010 from 12pm - 3:30pm.
We have a fabulous afternoon planned. See what beautiful Calderwood Hall has to offer and enjoy a 3 course lunch by CHC catering. Get tips and ideas for your wedding d??cor and flowers; explore what style of dress will best suit you; enjoy a hair and make-up demo by Sole; find out how best to express your love for each other; get valuable information about your wedding photos and video; sample the latest in wedding cakes; hear about music and the best DJ's' and more!
R150 pp all inclusive. Booking is essential, on a first come first serve basis.
Call Nikki 083 369 4748 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Cafe Sal at Hilton Village Centre is stepping out with a great big portion of creative new ideas spouting from Sharyn Quist, the new owner. The cafe still has all the style of the original as opened by Sally, plus a bit more. It is not only the paving outside that has been spruced up. Sharyn is energized and enthusiastic about putting out interesting and tasty new recipes and as a result the menu is expanding.
Going down extremely well at present is the Summer Special of a Spinach, Butternut and Feta quiche which is served with Salad, absolutely delicious at R41.50. If you have earned the luxury of an indulgence, follow the quiche with a slice of Caf?? Sal's new chocolate mousse tart, yummy! At R19.50 per slice this treat will not hurt your wallet and you can always work on the waistline at Lifestyle Fitness Gym.
Natural Choice grade Honey, produced locally in Howick and well as scrumptious Butter biscuits in various package sizes are sold in store.
Other items worth holding that appetite in check for will be the Bombay Chicken Salad and a new lemon and poppy seed, coming soon. The health conscious, which in January is usually everybody, should watch out for a new Health Shake. The launch date of this is still to be confirmed. Keep an eye on the Cafe Sal page for updates and information.
If you are in the mood for some comfort at the end of a tough week, Sharyn is offering a Coffee and Cake special every weekend from Friday 1pm until Saturday noon, this will be available for a limited period of time. Order Coffee and Cake or a scone or muffin at Cafe Sal and you will get a 10% discount. See you at Cafe Sal.
We received the letter below by email and consider it to be of interest to all residents of Hilton.
'After a long, hard day in the office, there is nothing better than getting home, popping on your running shoes, and with the dogs on the back of the bakkie heading out to one of the village greens and open spaces of Hilton for long walk or evening jog!
Well, this was not to be on Thursday evening 10th February 2011 as my husband and I were walking our dogs in the open areas opposite the Hilton Hotel. We watched in disgust as a white Toyota Hilux single cab pulled up onto the dirt track and an individual on the back threw one enormous bag of domestic waste after another into the veld.
We approached the individuals but before we could confront them, they very quickly covered up their number plate and sped off, obviously well aware of their illegal undertakings!
We were not to be deterred and followed them in our vehicle along the back-tracks of Hilton, determined to at least get their registration number - which we could just make out!
We hope that in catching them red-handed and following them for some distance, they will be dissuaded in the future, and we encourage the local community to be aware of and report any illegal dumping activities by phoning the 24-hour environmental crimes and incidents hotline (0800 205 005) so these matters can be followed up, and Hilton remains a beautiful place that all residents can be proud of!
February is the month of love and romance. Gardens tended with love make ideal venues to share romantic picnics or sun downers. Caring for your flowers this month will include watering indigenous bulbs such as Sparaxis, babianas and ixias which may be showing signs of life. Give them a general fertilizer. Deadhead daisy bushes regularly for continued flowering. If they look straggly, cut back some of the stems to young wood. Hydrangeas may be in need of pruning. Cut off spent flowers, take out any useless spindly growth and give them mulch and plenty of water. Disbud dahlias if you want big blooms for autumn.
Cut back pelargoniums to about a third. Check for mosquitoes in the little dams of water found among the leaves of cannas, strelitzias and other large-leaved plants; a drop of oil or paraffin will keep them at bay. Keep feeding, spraying and watering your roses well. Thin out straggling stems. Stake chrysanthemums as they develop or train to fill in gaps by laying them on their sides so flowers develop along the stems. Remove some buds if you want larger blooms.
Fruit growers will need to clean up any fruit lying under trees to discourage fruit fly and other insect pests. Protect bunches of grapes from birds by slipping them into pieces of old pantyhose or try scaring them away with strips of foil or colourful plastic tied to the vines.
In the potager cut finished beans to the ground rather than taking them out. Leave the roots in the ground with their nitrogen-making nodules. Plant new vegetable crops between the bean rows. Remove the seed pods of rue and fennel to prevent the garden being swamped the following year.
Maintain a lush lawn in hot, dry weather by lifting the mower blades. Apply 2:3:2 only if there is enough water available to give it a generous soaking.
Ensure flowers continue to grace your garden by sowing calendulas, cineraria, foxgloves, delphiniums, Iceland poppies, pansies, primulas, stocks and violas as well as alyssum, antirrhinum, aquilegia, Bellis perennis, candytuft, Canterbury bells, carnations, cornflowers, gaillardia, hollyhocks, larkspurs, linaria, lobelia, lupins, nemesias, pyrethrum, schizanthus and wallflowers.
In frosty areas, of which Hilton has some pockets, this is the last opportunity to sow beans. You can also sow beet, brinjals, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, gems, lettuce, leeks, marrows, parsnip, pumpkin, radish, swiss chard, spring onions and tomatoes.
The IEB Matric results were published on the 4th of January and Hilton College's matric class of 2010 produced outstanding results. Coetzee Janse van Rensburg was placed on the Outstanding Achievement List (ranked within the top 5% of all pupils in 6 subjects and having obtained over 80% for Life Orientation). This makes Coetzee one of the top 65 IEB pupils. Two boys, Rubin Cloete and James Groom, were placed on the Commendable Achievement List (ranked within the top 5% of all pupils in 5 subjects and having obtained 80% for Life Orientation). The overall results are the best achieved in the last 13 years in terms of statistics.
* Daniel Meyer and Rubin Cloete - 9 distinctions
* Coetzee Janse van Rensburg - 8 distinctions (Pictured in insert)
* Graeme Florence and Hafeni Heita - 7 distinctions
* Tim Buckley, Steffan Coetzee, James Groom, Ryan Grunder, Gerrie Heymans, Johnny Polinati - 6 distinctions
* Keegan Bentley, Rob de Villiers, Patrick Dunton, Craig Goldswain, Morne Murray, Nuete Opai-Tetteh, Anthony Outram, Nick Pattinson, Michael Tack - 5 distinctions
* Alex Fraser, Marc Lovatt, Andrew MacFarlane, Tiaan Slabbert, Thomas Schorn, Dawid Swart - 4 distinctions
* 65% of our pupils achieved a mark of 70% and above for all subjects
* All boys will be able to enroll at university for a degree or diploma course
These are outstanding results and HiltonVillage.co.za extends congratulations to the Hilton College Matric Class of 2010 and wishes them well as they pursue new challenges in 2011.
The Moffatt Optical Ronnie Davel Race 2011 event was successfully hosted by Hilton Harriers on Sunday 9th January out of Laddsworth Primary School. The challenging course wound through Mondi Mountain Home plantations and parts of our village. Entrants will have enjoyed the green countryside of Hilton as they heeded the New Year's wake-up call to all runners.
Prodigal Khumalo (Mr Price) from Durban and Pietermaritzburg-based, Kerry Koen (Nedbank) won the men's and ladies' open category respectively. Local Hilton resident and former Comrades Marathon winner, Shaun Meiklejohn claimed the top spot in the 40-49 age category.
Runners were pleased to have the lovely Hilton Harrier Nurses Nicky Holdsworth, Cathy Scales, Sarah Vermaak and Marion Crookes at one of the water tables.
The testing but scenic route for runners participating in the Moffatt Optical Ronnie Davel Race was blessed with gorgeous weather. If you missed out this year, plan your next holiday around this fun occasion.
The Hilton & Howick Rotary Club will present a performance of the Milton Academy Jazz Band at the Hilton College Theatre on 14th March.
The Academy has a large following and performs all over the world. They visit South Africa annually to perform for charities but on this occasion, at the special request of the Hilton and Howick Rotary Club, they will play in Hilton for the first time.
They have performed at the White House for the President of the United States which gives an indication of the standard we can expect to enjoy.
More information on the background and achievements of this talented group can be obtained from their website - www.miltonacademy.net
The venue for this once off performance is The Hilton Colege Theatre at 7pm on Monday 14th March. Ticket price is R60 Adults and R30 for Scholars. Ticket bookings can be made on 033 383 0127.
This is a charity concert with all proceeds to local projects.
Alex and Ashleigh Robertson will be making a splash in this year's Midmar Mile to raise funds and create awareness of Cystic Fibrosis. Joining them is Grant Desmond, aged 31, a cystic fibrosis survivor. This is a first mile swim for all three. To date they have raised R13520.00 in this Back-A-Buddy drive.
Ashleigh shared the following about Cystic Fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited genetic disorder that affects a number of organs in the body (especially the lungs and pancreas) by clogging them with thick, sticky mucus. The excessive mucus in the lungs blocks the smaller airways in the lungs, allowing bacteria to collect and multiply resulting in repeated infection. Similarly, mucus blocks the tiny ducts of the pancreas which supply enzymes required for digestion, and consequently food is not properly digested and nutritional value is lost. The sweat glands are also affected and the body may lose an excessive amount of salt during exercise or hot weather.
At present there is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis, but the faulty gene has been identified and doctors and scientists are working hard to find ways of repairing or replacing it, the average life span of a person with Cystic Fibrosis is approximately 30 years of age, however if proper care is not given then this can be shorter.
Every month suffers of Cystic Fibrosis attend clinic at Addington Hospital, as the state do not cover Cystic Fibrosis, treatment is provided by doctors on a voluntary basis and all medical equipment is purchased with fundraising initiatives or through generous sponsors such as the public. The money that is donated is put towards medication and equipment for use in our Cystic Fibrosis Clinic's at Addington Hospital.
If you would like to show your support, visit the KZN Cystic Fibrosis Association to learn more and contact Ashleigh.
Love is most certainly in the air despite Valentine's Day 2011 falling on a Monday. With many restaurants already booked to the hilt, the biggest them all still has some place but you'd better call right away to secure a table for the spectacular dinner being served up at Protea Hotel, Hilton.
Expect a lovely ambience with gifts for each couple on arrival, champagne and live music. All this in a well turned out venue will make your Valentine's heart beat faster.
If you prefer to set out in the daylight you should book a table with Sharyn at Cafe Sal, her Valentines menu will put a sparkle in anyone's eye. Starting from R69.00 for two courses with a filter coffee or cappuccino this is a tempting lunchtime rendezvous.
Add a little extra oomph to the card or flowers with a Valentines gift from Jewellery by Diana. There is currently a great sale going on with almost 90% of the stock reduced by twenty-five percent. This is a winning choice and certain to impress your girlfriend or wife. Go shopping.
Whatever you decide to do and whoever you wish to impress, don't be shy just go on and do it from your heart. It has been said that the worst mistakes in life may be those that are never made. So even if Cupids arrow has not found a mark for you yet, get some practice by doing do something out of the ordinary for somebody you know who needs to be shown some love.
HiltonVillage.co.za wishes all our clients and browsers a Happy Valentine's Day.
The New Year is well underway and by now you should have firmed up some projects for your garden, if not then haul out some old gardening magazines, pour a cup of tea, grab a pencil, some coloured crayons and paper on which you can draw up a rough plan of your garden. Rainy days like we are having aplenty are a godsend for planning sessions. Page through those glossies to see what you like. Fill your garden's gaps with inspiring finds. Then you can go forth and take on these projects yourself or if you are just too busy or overwhelmed get some expert assistance.
Also bear in mind that up until April your Hilton garden will have you on the run just keeping up with lawn care, trimming and weeding so do save the hardware projects for winter. You'll have your hands full mowing regularly to keep the grass at about 5cm.
The arums have been lovely and it is time to divide and replant overcrowded arum lilies which are beginning to die down. To do this carefully lift entire clumps as any piece of root left in the soil will develop into a new plant. Divide on a sheet of plastic and replant. If you find any plantlets on the old flower stalks of day lilies and Dietes plant them out. Feed Liliums and cut off faded flower heads but leave as much leaf growth as possible to produce food for next year's bulbs.
Roses will be grateful for a feed of anything high in potassium like Vigarosa, 8:1:5 or 5:1:5, to encourage the next flush of flowers. With all the rain those who spray will need to keep up a regular spray routine. If you do not spray, do feed well and dead head furiously to minimize disease in this rainy season. Well fed, tidy bushes will be more resistant to fungi.
If you are going to plant a container grown Christmas tree in the garden, first place it in the shade so that it may acclimatize to the outdoors before subjecting the tree to full sunlight. This reduces the risk of burning. Loosen the soil in the container, mulch and feed with a slow release fertilizer before watering.
With the global revolution to living a more environmentally friendly life there is a strong move to home composting. Add lime or a compost activator to speed up the composting process. Turn regularly and keep moist to encourage earthworm activity and the breakdown of material. Add your organic kitchen waste such as fruit and vegetable peels, egg shells, teabags etc. Lime also helps to keep flies away.
In line with more economical global trends, seeds go a lot further and you can always split a packet with your gardener or domestic worker to spread the joy of gardening and encourage the community to become a little more self-sufficient. The following flower seeds can still be sown ageratum, alyssum, aquilegia, balsam, begonia, coleus, cosmos, dahlia (bedding), gypsophila, hollyhocks, impatiens, lavatera, lobelia, marigold, nasturtium, petunia, portulaca, salvia and sunflower. Feed your family home grown food in autumn by planting bean, beet, carrot, celery, cucumber, corn, eggplant, lettuce, pumpkin, radish, spinach, squash and tomato seeds now.
January is also the month for Tanglewood's Crazy Sale, it happens this weekend so visit Tony and Carlene and treat you garden to some gorgeous bargain buys. Mike at Ronnoco also has a sale on groundcovers, roses and pavers. Get there early to avoid disappointment. Happy gardening!
Hilton's has many excellent schools which cater for children from 4 months old, thanks to the newest project taken on by Zelda of Cool Winds Lodge where a Play Centre has been successfully opened.
These fine institutions are open again, making for livelier traffic intersections in the mornings. Let's keep the seat belts buckled and eyes on the road. It is easy to forget these safety devices when many of our Mom's taxi commutes last for under 5 minutes. Please remember accidents happen in just a second, so each five minute trip provides 300 opportunities for a mishap! Let's pledge, to keep Hilton roads off the lips of the well-loved ECR traffic guy, Johann von Bargen!
The comfortable cool summer temperatures have been a blessing, just perfect for learners to adjust to the new school year and focus on new teachers and timetables. The routine has begun and many parents are thrilled to have their children safely occupied once more after the longest holiday of each year.
We wish all the children learning in Hilton many happy hours in the classrooms, on the playgrounds and sports fields. We look forward to sharing news of all your achievements both big and small!
Pictured to the left below are Cowan House Grade RR boys and girls enjoying their first day at school.
Cool Winds Lodge has made its mark in the Hospitality as well as the Beauty & Wellness Industry. The Lodge has however taken up another challenge, and this time round the focus is on the "little people" in our community.
Brookfield Farmhouse held their first Social Dance and Finger Supper evening last year and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all, from non-dancers through to dance instructors. Everyone present relaxed and participated in a fun get-together with each person feeling comfortable to do their own thing. Brookfield Farmhouse has an amazing wooden floor for suitable for graceful dancing. They have therefore decided to hold the Social Dance and Finger Supper evening every month on the last Saturday of each month. This next one happens on Saturday 29th January 2011 at 6.30pm!
All the exercise will stir your appetite so they will serve scrumptious eats to take care of your hunger. Cold drinks are for sale and patrons are also welcome to bring their choice of wine or other refreshments.
Dee a professional dance instructor and competition judge will be in attendance. For those who'd like some hints and tips on dancing Dee will happily oblige and there is no charge for her suggestions. So challenge yourselves! Haul out your little 'black number.
Did you know? New Year's celebrations occurred about 4000 years ago in Babylonia at the beginning of spring, which was roughly late March not the first of January? Festivals marking the seasonal New Year included the practice of repaying debts and returning borrowed goods. A commendable starting point for a good year indeed!
It was about 2000 years later that the New Year began to be acknowledged as 1st January by the Romans. The first month of the year was named for their deity Janus, the ruler of gates, doors and beginnings. He was believed to have two faces. One of these looked back and the other looking ahead. The myth was that at midnight between the two years Janus would see the past year as well as the year to come. Gifts and promises were presented to Janus so as to elicit blessings for the coming year and assistance is achieving goals.
Around the world a plethora of traditions and revelry continue, the story of Janus is forgotten and within different cultures there some quirky practices. From commonplace parades, sports matches, honouring family time to more traditional church services and special meals to a crazy annual dip in freezing waters in Scandinavian countries. With this display of wonderful diversity mankind mirrors the boundless opportunities each New Year brings.
In Austria a suckling pig served on a table decorated with tiny edible pigs is symbolic of good luck for the next year. This is often followed by green peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four-leaf clover.
The British see their fortunes for the New Year in the hands of their first guest. They believe the first visitor of each year should be male bringing gifts. Traditional gifts are coal for a fire, a delicious loaf for the feast and a drink for the master. Guests should enter through the front door and leave through the back to secure good fortune. Anyone who pitches up empty-handed or unwanted will not be given entry until the gift bearing male visitor has been welcomed. So if you have British friends you now know what to deliver as a hostess gift on New Year.
The Welsh open the back door as midnight strikes to release the old year and lock out all of its bad luck. At final strike denoting midnight they open the front door and the New Year is welcomed with all of its luck.
A Sicilian tradition says good luck will visit those who eat lasagna on the first day of each year. Any other noodle consumed will bring bad luck.
The Spanish follow a healthy tradition, when the clock strikes midnight, they enjoy twelve grapes, one with every toll, and this they believe will ensure good luck for the twelve months ahead. Peruvians do the same but a 13th grape is eaten to assure good luck.
The Japanese decorate their homes in tribute to their good fortune. Decorating with a pine branch attracts longevity, a bamboo stalk draws prosperity and a plum blossom beckons nobility. Chinese New Year celebrations include the painting of every front door red, as a symbol of good luck and happiness. At this time all knives are hidden for 24 hours to keep anyone from cutting themselves so as not to cut the family's good luck for the next year. The Chinese follow a lunar calendar which means their celebration is in late January or February.
Americans have held a long tradition of celebrating New Year with masked balls and the kiss shared at midnight is meaningful. According to old lore, the masks symbolize evil spirits from the old year and the kiss is the catharsis into the next year. In Norway a rice pudding with one whole almond inside is eaten. The lucky diner who finds this almond in their bowl is assured prosperity for the year ahead!
In general the focus as we enter a New Year is on improving lifestyles and fortunes for your own family and community. So if you choose to lose weight, exercise regularly, eat healthier, drink less alcohol or quit smoking, improve finances by repaying those debts and spending less, jumpstart your career with a better job, studies or even learn something new, perhaps focus on yourself by being organized, reducing stress, manage time and living more independently, plan a trip or even volunteer to help others and thereby uplift yourself. Hilton is a great place to be for 2011!