With the Bucket Babe, we celebrate the hottest girls SA has to offer, as the saying goes "Local is lekker". Hence the girls you see here are all home grown and proudly South African. The July edition of FHM is out, it is their 100 sexiest issue and with it saw some familiar faces in the top 100. In today's post, we pay tribute to the ladies who were featured on the Bucket and made it into the famous list.
Firstly, the sexiest woman in the world as voted for by the readers of FHM South Africa.
Genevieve Morton
The blonde bombshell that resides in the fairest Cape has been causing a stir around the world for quite a while now as she appeared in not one but two issues of the US Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. Having featured her on FHM Fridays before, I said she was mighty unlucky not have claimed the title before. That being said, her time has come to reign to as the world's sexiest.
7. Adele Segal
"Business woman by profession, model by hobby and humanitarian at heart" is her twitter bio and it describes her to the T. This down to earth girl and proud wife of ex Mr South Africa has kept her hot streak going as she narrowly missed out on last years FHM model search title, obviously still a firm favourite with the readers she's broken into the top ten and let's hope she stays there for another year to come.
41. Basia Tyrkalska
The South African born Polish beauty has been a busy girl since we last spoke to her in the Bucket Babe. Having travelled to and from the USA, partying it up at the Playboy mansion and gracing the cover of Viva Glam Magazine, we can only expect more from this under rated model.
45. Reeva Steenkamp Smoking hot Reeva, it's no wonder the day she and I were in the same shopping centre the place caught on fire. Due to sudden illness we couldnt meet but the Cape Town born lady has been carrying on with business and you can catch her on TV in the Tropika Island of Treasure.
52. Charne Jade Slee Now married to singer Jaques Terre'blanche from idols fame, this lass still keeps the boys pulse racing and me falling off my chair everytime she changes her profile picture. Hands down the sexiest thing to come out of Pietermaritzberg, its no surprise she is also a finalist in this years SASI Swimsuit model search.
This Saturday, 30th June 2012 see's Durbans North Beach play host to the Red Bull Night Shift. In what can be described as the most anticipated speciality event on the local surfing calendar, it see's 8 local and international surfers competiting against each other in a tow-at surfing demonstration. Durban can boast the best winter weather in SA and also plays host to another major surfing competition during this season, so its no surprise that the organisers chose the city to host this years event.
The event will feature local boy and surfing legend Jordy Smith who is looking forward to seeing the east coast massive turn out in their numbers to support the event. The turn out at last years event held at Camps Bay was huge to say the least. The other surfers taking past in the competition are: the current ASP 4th ranked surfer Adriano De Souza, from Sao Paulo, Brazil and 26th ranked Kolohe Andino from San Clemente, California The South African contingent includes Rudy Palmboom, David Weare, Travis Logie Dan Redman and Ricky Basnett.
Jordy and co will be pulling off some ground breaking and innovative moves to wow the crowds under the flood flights. Last year saw some pretty outrageous moves which included a spectacular "Superman" by Jordy, so we can only expect more this year. The event will also feature live entertainment by some of the best local talent on offer, which are City Bowl Misers and Shadow Club, both of whom I've seen live and highly recommend.
I wonder if Jordy will bring along his model girlfriend Lyndall Jarvis? Wouldnt mind spotting her in the crowd, maybe convince her to be a Bucket Babe! Anyway, if you cant make the event, you can track proceedings on twitter using the hashtag #RBNightshift or you can join the event page on Facebook Nightshift.
Red Bull Nightshift is supported by O'Neill and Oakley. The event has been rated as an ASP Speciality Event.
Taken from his latest album, Club Life Volume 2, Miami, and following the success of Maximal Crazy, this song has really grown popularity over the world with it even making the playlist on many pop radio stations.
Good stuff coming from the legend DJ.
Its possibly the most watched TV series about cars in the world which features 3 men that are permanently in a midlife crisis with what seems to be an endless budget. That sort of sums up Top Gear in a nut shell. Now take all of that and turn it into a live show. Its got the making of being the best live show....in the world!
After hosting shows in Jhb for the past few years, the host city changed to Durbs after a bidding process. The venue, Durbans iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium. The multipurpose stadium played host to the actual show whilst the Peoples Park had many brands exhibiting their products and the old A1 street circuit was reassembled for the track events.
Having attended last years show at Kyalami, I was aware of what was to be expected but then again, this is Top Gear, nothing can be predicted with these lot! So it was proved as most of their creations were flown down to be displayed as well as the actual stage used on the show! The street track had numerous events such as a parade with the various formula one cars of the different decades as well as races between the 3 presenters in Supercars and the Stig joined in for a few but the main attraction was by far the Mercedes Benz Silver Arrows Formula One car. Hearing the roar of that V8 engine as it blasted around the streets of Durban by Sam Bird was not only a sight to be hold but it also left one with tingles in their spine. It did a few laps around the narrow and windy street circuit before taking on challenges by some production model Mercs as well as a Superbike. I cannot put into words the sensations your body experiences as it shrieks past you at high speed, its something every motor enthusiast has to experience in their life time.
Where ever you looked there was something taking place, from the Stunt school where the drifting stole the show, to the Monster FMX display where bikers pulled off the most insane stunts to wow the crowds. Even if you had some spare change in your back pocket, there was a supercar auction! Where the likes of a limited edition 599 GTO got sold! I tried bidding on an SLS but they didn't accept monopoly money.Making my way back to Peoples Park to view what was on offer there, I was arrested by the AXE SA police and locked up temporarily. Fortunately I escaped charges and was set free, love your work guys!
Unlike the other years, this year the Festival has a proper programme so visitors to the show knew what time the various events were taking place and the map made it easy to find your way around. Eventually I got back to the Top Gear Exhibition and Manufacturers tent area in Peoples Park. There was tons of things on display, from car audio accessories, to custom wraps from your car.
Then as strolling past the IBV tent, a certain orange super car caught my eye. There it was, the Lamborghini Aventador! One of the best looking supercars on the market today and what is rumoured to be the last Lambo with a V12 engine (due to carbon emission laws, damn hippies!). Not everyone was allowed in the IBV but we made a plan to get in, there I met Zantelle van der Linde, marketing coordinator for Lamborghini South Africa. She let us drool over the Aventador all we liked. Pity it was a customers car so no one was allowed to sit in it.
Other manufacturers had displays as well, Mercedes Benz had all their AMG's on show and the BMW stand pulled a crowd since it had the new M6 cabriolet on show as well as the M5, M3, 1M and the new 3 series with the performance kit on it. The Franschhoek Motor Museum were also kind enough to bring some of their vintage models to display at the show, the pick from the bunch was definitely the original Merc SLS gull wing. The men from Maranello also had a display, with Ferrari and Maserati both sharing a stand. The 458 and FF were on display at the prancing horse end whilst the Quattroporte and GT convertible were on the other end. Time flew by quickly as you visited each stand and soon enough, the sun was down and it was time for the main event.
I had tickets to the final show of the weekend, as you entered the stadium, you could just feel the excitement from everyone. Taking up about a 3rd of the stadium, this venue was much better than last years and everyone had a good view of the action. The show began with a small feature from on of the sponsors Shell, then the 3 men of the hour drove in with their supercars, James May in the new Mclaren MP4-12C, Richard Hammond in the new Porsche GT3 RS (VW Beetle) and Jeremy Clarkson in the Aston Martin DBS. Seeing that London was hosting the Olympics this year, they decided to have that as a theme for their show. Kicking off with an opening ceremony which saw the Queen bungee swing from the arch.
Now this is Top Gear we're talking about so everything was done with in style and also with loads of explosions, daring stunts and everything else that wowed the crowd. Even though the team had done the show 3 times before the one I saw, everything was done to perfection and it went off with out a hitch. Certain acts could have spelt disaster if one thing went wrong but item after item they just got better. From the Top Gear precision driving team having people gasping for breath to guy jumping over a moving Dodge Viper! The 3 presenters them selves took part in many of the events as they adapted the some sports played at the Olympics into the motoring world. Richard Hammond facing the most daunting one, human ten pin bowling! Whilst he sat in a shopping trolley, Jeremy supposed to propel him to the pins with a golf cart but instead he opted for his much more powerful DBS!
The Stig made an appearance too, as they raced around the stadium track in their motorised chariots which comprised of a bunch of scooters joined together. After the Stig claimed victory we were asked by the presenters to sing the popular Beatles songs "Hey Jude" to send him off as it isn't a favourite of his. The daring acts continued as we saw drifting with a difference where by 2 Porsche 911's were set on fire as they drive around also the famous car soccer which is a popular event by them was played at a venue that suited it! It was SA vs England, with the home team captained by "Captain Slow" James May winning it 5-4. Being them, they had to end the show off on a big note, a record breaking 720 "death loop". Two 360 loops which were driven through in succession with a modified buggy. It happened so fast but was surreal seeing it happen.
After the show was concluded, I was lucky enough to head back stage to see all the cars and props that were used in the show. Pity I didn't get to meet any of the presenters.
Many people prior to the show complained at the high ticket prices but to be honest, it was worth every cent. Its a whole day outing that if you're a motoring enthusiast will love every minute off. If I had to compare it to last years event that Joburg hosted, this was at least 5 times better. I'm not being biased to my city but it was just organised better and there was loads more to see and do. We're fortunate enough to have them here for the next 2 years so if you missed out this year, make sure you get here for at least one of the next 2 annual events...and on that bombshell, its good bye till next year for the Top Gear Festival!
I know, I said Im not a dubstep fan but since this is getting sooo much air play on the radio I actually caught myself enjoying it and in all fairness it is a good song. Skirllex featuring vocals by Sirah on this track in a way drifts away from the hardcore dubstep-ness just like his track with the Doors, thus making it more friendly for radio play.
Two weeks does really fly by! None the less we have another stunner for you in this edition of the Bucket Babe. Shes a local lass, from KZN and has been quite a hit on the social media network twitter of recent with her #FriskyFriday pics. I had the privilege of meeting this foxy lady (pun intended) at Playboy SA's 1st anniversary party and might I add, she is as stunning in the flesh. This tall curvaceous beauty is a Sharks supporter (I like her even more!) and a fitness bunny, so if not in front of a camera you can catch her at gym maintaining that toned, sexy body. Shes a lady of few words but I guess she'll just let the pictures do the talking for you!
Alexis Fox
I'm 27, would love to travel the world, see new
things, and really just live. I love to do anything outdoors, and try
new things. I'm an open book, want to get to know me, just ask.
You may or may not have known but I love KFC, heck that's
where the inspiration for the name of my blog came from! Yes I know many of you
would deem it to be unhealthy and in the present day with everyone changing
their lifestyles to lead a much healthier one, one would agree that fried foods
are the ones to stay away from but my argument is, one should eat in moderation
and also look at other foods you consume as they might not be as healthy as you
think if large quantities are consumed.
However back to the topic at hand. Recently KFC invited yours truly to a
once in a life time experience where I was flown to Johannesburg to spend the
day with the KFC team along with the members from the PR team at Ogilvy and
other journalists. The event dubbed "Great Taste Tour" was put in
place to celebrate the launch of the Colonel's autobiography along with a cook
book containing recipes from the Colonel himself. These recipes were recently discovered
in the archives in Louisville, USA and the guys at KFC thought it would be a
good idea to release it to the public.
I arrived in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening and made my way to the Southern
Sun Hyde Park Hotel, where a meet and greet session was arranged for everyone
going on the Great Taste Tour. I met the various personnel from Yum brands,
Ogilvy as well as the journalists and "twitter influences" (as they
liked to call us) we discussed the brand and traditions of KFC over drinks and
dinner later on that evening. Getting to know everyone and what their roles entailed
as well as obtaining an inside feel to the chain was a real eye opener for me and
got me even more excited for what was in store for us the following day.
Yum brand execs answering questions
The next day, we were summoned to the lobby after breakfast to board a
shuttle that would take us to our first stop, the Emmarentia branch of KFC.
Once there we were met by Jason Kerr, Doug Smart and Owen Viljoen of Yum/KFC as
well as Daryl Milne of Rainbow Chicken Farms. We were given a chance to ask
questions while group of 3's were escorted into the kitchen for a tour on what
exactly goes on in the back. While I patiently waited my turn, it gave me
a good opportunity to ask the people in charge, questions that fascinated
me about the brand. From which is the largest store in terms of size, how much it
costs to open up a branch and what this entails, to how they come up with the
items on the menu. I also learned more about the chickens being used from
Rainbow as that tends to be a touchy subject with the animal
activists.
breading the chicken
Not long after that, it was my turn along with my fellow
influences to go into the kitchen. Upon entry we were asked to put on a hair
net, wash our hands and sanitize them. All this being standard practise of any
store, cleanliness in an environment with food preparation is a must. Once all
scrubbed up, we were escorted around the back with Jason Kerr and shown the prep
area where the chicken was made. To my surprise, the actual breading of the chicken
involved 2 processes, quite detailed ones but it all seemed pretty easy if you
know what you're doing. Basically they take the chicken from the fridge, give
it a rinse and it is placed in a dish which contains flour, the 11 secret herbs
and spices and powdered egg and milk. Now there is a special routine to coating
the chicken as we found out after one of the influences, Rabin
Harduth's poor attempts were shot down. The staff have to follow 7 steps of
folding the chicken into the breading, before patting it down another 10 times.
There after they remove 2 pieces at a time, dusting the excess with a tap and
shake of their hands.The pieces are then placed into the trays for the frying
basket with each piece placed in a certain way on the tray to avoid "marriage"
in the fryer. The drum stick is the only piece to receive a double coating to
give it that extra crisp texture and avoid it from exploding while frying. Once
ready, the trays are slotted into the basket and placed into the pressure
fryers where they are left to fry for approximately 15 minutes.
The secret 11 herbs and spices
While the chicken was being cooked, we took a tour of the
stock rooms where we found boxes of the secret 11 herbs and spices and tons of
the yummy mayo that goes onto the burgers, we tried to sneak some out but were
caught in the process, unlucky for us. All veggies are freshly packed in
vacuum sealed packages with best before dates. They purchase fresh produce
as much as possible;things like coleslaw are made in the store as apposed to
being made in a central kitchen so it is as fresh as it can be. We also
learnt more about the hygiene aspect, how they have separate buckets of water
and cleaning agents for area's indicated by colour for raw food and cooked
food. All their utensils and dishes are air dried once washed to ensure no
bacteria is transferred.
various clocks
Making our way to the food preparation area I noticed there
were about 5 clocks on display, each showing different times, these were to
keep track of the various items that were being cooked because KFC pride themselves
on the freshness of their product, each item only has a certain time limit to
be sold. Each store has generated its unique forecast so they know when the
busy periods are and this ensures minimal wastage. For example, the fried
chicken is placed in a "wet warmer" meaning there is water in the
trays below to keep the moisture locked, that chicken can only be kept their
for a maximum of 60 minutes after which if not sold, it must be discarded.
frying basket
Time was up on the pressure fryer and it was the moment of truth,
to see the results of Rabin’s chicken versus that of Shirley who was a store
employee. It was quite evident who's was the better looking chicken, not
knowing how to place the chicken on the trays, Rabin's pieces had married onto
each other which didn't allow for proper frying. Once the chicken is done,
there is a quality check to see if all pieces are fried and coated perfectly,
then a random piece is selected to be cut and its temperature is checked. Once
this is done and all inspections are met, the chicken will be sold to the
public.
fried chicken
I really enjoyed the tour of the kitchen as we are never
really aware of what happens back, nor do we actually wonder. The average
person just walks into a store, places their order, pays then leaves with their
purchase. To see all the steps taken to make ones meal and the strict
guidelines they take to making your food, its no wonder it tastes great all the
time. The steps they take for cleanliness really impressed me the most, coming
from a very fussy mum who wants her kitchen kept spotless at all times, it was
a relief to see how clean they keep their working environment.
wicked zinger box meal
Once the tour of the
kitchen was complete, it was time for lunch. We could order anything we liked
on the menu and as much of it as our hearts desired. As the phrase says
"go big or go home" I went for the Wicked Zinger Box Meal which
consists of a Zinger burger, 4 Zinger wings, chips, mash and gravy and a coke.
It more than hit the spot as it filled me up for the rest of the day.
*** History break: Something I didn't know about Colonel Harland Sanders only began marketing his secret recipe
chicken at age 65. Before then he ran a service station and diner. He would
serve his secret recipe chicken to patrons but when a new road
was built that detoured drivers
away from his station, he lost clientele and began to experience financial
difficulty. It was after this that he decided to go out and sell the KFC
franchise using his special seasoning for the chickenHe didn't sell the recipe
though, that he always kept a secret which aided in the growth of the franchise. Not long after that people from
around the world wanted to buy into his chicken franchise and so the world wide
phenomenon began. The first store to open in South Africa in 1971 was the
Orange Grove store in Johannesburg, which still exists to this day! Right up to
the age of 90 Colonel Harland Sanders travelled the world visiting the various
stores that made his famous chicken to make sure his traditions were being
followed, I'm sure he passed away peacefully knowing that his brand was in good
hands.***
Back to the trip: The next part of the tour consisted of a
trip to the PnP Good Food institute, where we were going to cook recipes from
the Colonels autobiography. To assist us with the cooking was award
winning Chef Jodi-Ann Pearton. Although it was the beginning of winter it
was a rather warm day so it was a good thing she started off with making
something to drink. It was the first time I had tasted a Mint Julep which
consisted of sugar syrup, mint leaves, ice and a shot of bourbon.
The cool
refreshing drink was just what was needed ahead of our cooking experience. Each
of us was asked to chose a partner and find a cooking station. Rabin and I
paired up, first on the list was a Chicken Mulligan which is a type of a stew,
following the steps from the recipe and Chef Jodi-Ann, most of us were making
good progress. Next up were biscuits to accompany the stew, although called
biscuits it was more of a scone. Rabin and I had some left over dough so we
decided to make K F C shaped biscuits. These were placed on the side to rise.
Next on the agenda was the desert, a Brown Betty which is very similar to the
modern day apple crumble.This was made by reducing apples in half a pot of water with
sugar and cinnamon, placed in a tray and covered with a topping made from
crushed digestive crackers mixed with sugar and walnuts. Butter was added on
top to give it a glaze when being baked in the oven.
Last on the list were fried tomatos, quite an unconventional
dish but one that I enjoyed quite a lot. Thickly sliced half ripe tomato's
dipped in egg, then flour, then egg again, were rolled in bread crumbs,
following the same folding and pressing steps the Colonel used with his
chicken. Once coated, it is shallow friend in a frying pan until golden crispy.
Once all the meals were done, one had to stand back and see how much we had
prepared and how simple it was to do. We plated up but many of us were still full
from the lunch but we had a taste of what we had prepared. I was very
impressed with my biscuits and fried tomatos, definitely recipes I will make
again at home. The Colonel's autobiography and recipe book are available to
download from their Facebook page, so I'd urge any person who loves to cook to
download it. Even if you don't like cooking, you will be amazed at how simple
some of the recipes are.
Sadly after the cooking was done, that was it for the tour
as we were driven back to the hotel and said our goodbyes to the team who put
together this brilliant affair. I learned so much andthe thinking behind certain elements of the
business. There is so much more that goes on in the background than meets the
eye and it was a privilege to witness it first hand.
You can download your copy of the Colonel's autobiography and cookbook via KFC SA's facebook page.
