Noeleen has inspired me to change my whole attitude to food and nutrition, and she is without a doubt the best thing I found on my adventures in 2011.

This February she is hosting a talk about nutrition… if you want a better body or more energy or to look half as fabulous as she does at 50 I suggest you go.

Noeleen trains men and women of all shapes and sizes, she charges monthly and no gym membership is required to train with her.

A cat simply cannot resist climbing into a suitcase.

It’s FRIDAY which marks 1 week until I fly to Cape Town, and the start of my last weekend in the UK until I come back in 2012.

My schedule goes a little something like this:  Travel for the short film – Friday – Tuesday (28th-1st November) act in said short film with manically long hours to finish on schedule. 2nd November – travel back to Woking to collect Summer S.A. suitcase and put wintery clothes worn on set but off screen into storage. Travel into London that afternoon/evening. Have as much fun as possible evening of the 2nd and 3rd (Wednesday&Thursday) – stay tuned for a bumper “weekend in pictures” . Breakfast at either St Ali or The Botanist on the 4th November  - last piccolo at Kaffeine – then to Heathrow to not miss my flight.

I arrive in Cape Town November 5th – I know I said I would try to fly via Johannesburg to see all you lovely Jozi people and squeeze in the odd shoot or two – but there simply isn’t time.

November 5th I step off the plane, shower, then have an 11am tea with my mother and godmothers (yes, I have many godmothers – if you meet my mother my personality will probably make a whole lot more sense than it does on the screen.) I then spend the afternoon hanging out with Princess Natasha (my baby sister) and one or two other precious friends who want to immerse themselves in the explosion of my suitcase. I then head into town to deliver a promised hug and a handshake to a stranger - and to further complicate the situation will be in lingerie as is declared to be my bridesmaidly duty for Emma’s hen night which kicks off straight after aforementioned introduction. The hen night goes on.. all night apparently – and then from there we head into her kitchen tea (hungover with her grandmother – fun) and then I have the evening free to enjoy a Cape Town sunset and watch Dan Patlansky.

Why am I giving you my schedule? So as to avoid polluting the timeline of my followers with continuous question answering on twitter.

When will I be back in London? I’m not sure… not before 2012 as I won’t know whether I’ve made the top 10 or not (all I know is that I’m in the top 100) in FHM’s Top 100 Models of 2012 until January 2012 – so I’ll be in Cape Town parading around in swimwear at fashion shows and the like until then. I will be back though – I have a return ticket to London and no winter work for Cape Town (Europe’s summer) at this point in time…

It’s been an amazing six months – I started off in Dubai…

My view from bed...

Where I met my darling friend Mary-Anne

I visited the largest desert in the world…

I visited Oman…

where I had an altercation with the bottom of a swimming pool late one evening…

and went back to Dubai unable to wear any makeup for a few weeks

one week after the incident - no makeup or special effects and lucky to be alive.

I then went to the UK… where I

met some interesting people at Collect-a-mania

rediscovered freedom

and had my first catwalk experience walking the ramp at Brighton Fashion Week

backstage at Masato

I went back to Dubai…

My view from bed... there were no curtains, only one way glass.

yeah... I'm going to use the treadmill...

And then I went to Lebanon

wrote lots of postcards to my mum (whose father was from Lebanon)

did some sightseeing

Took lots of photos (blog post coming in SA when back at a PC)

I visited what was left of a 6000 year old castle

and then I headed back to the UK… where I have been exploring for the last 3 months

I went to the UK Comicon

I watched Bob Dylan and Mark Knopfler live in Nottingham

I viewed the world through rose tinted glasses

I have so many photos to show you… they will come… but for now I’ve got lines to learn and “Marilyn the journalist” to turn into for the short film we are busy with…

Every day is an adventure. I look forward to seeing you Cape Town – 8 sleeps until I land.

As a consolation prize, event organizer Gwen gave us golden circle tickets and gave me the opportunity to whip out my camera during one of their songs.

The concert itself was amazing and I am amazed at the energy the band gave the audience. Unfortunately there was no one selling ear plugs and my MacGuyver attempts at fashioning my contact into makeshift earplugs did not work so well:

The remainder of my compact sponge post concert

As I was taking photographs from the pitt (the area in front of the fence in front of golden circle) I was literally right against the speakers for the first few minutes. Valuing my hearing and hoping to be able to hear well into my eighties I chose to leave after the first 40 minutes of the concert (golden circle also felt crowded and far after those first few minutes in the pitt), vowing to equip myself with earplugs in the future.

I am genuinely shocked that it is legal to hold a concert without warning people of the dangers of being exposed to high levels of sound and without making ear protection available.

This is the first concert I have attempted to take photographs at, I had less than 10 minutes with which to snap my snaps, and as I do not own photoshop these are processed/cropped only with iphoto and pretty amateur compared to what the pros are doing. Despite this I am proud of what my new camera and I managed to come up with in the dark and under time pressure.

Competition

Create a caption for the image below, making sure you leave your contact details and that you are in CT on monday the 14th of Feb.

The caption that amuses me the most will win 6 Red Velvet Cupakes, made and delivered by Lady Kaye herself this Valentines day (monday)

Here is a head-shot Kass took of her earlier that day

Photographer: Kass Photography

Model: Ester Van Den Bosch

Hair and Make-up: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot in Camps Bay in 2011

December’s NoMU poster is up at the Engine on Orange Street and this month is featuring the very beautiful Beatnik Bazaar and her son Luca!

There are some amazing prizes up for grabs this month, so make sure that when you stop in at the 24 hour Woolworths to get your midnight munchies you snap a photograph of yourself in front of the poster and mail it to beatnikbazaar@gmail.com or twitpic it, making sure you include @beatnikbazaar in the text- or you can enter online here.

You could win:

*A handbag from MISSIBABA

*Dinner for four at HARBOUR HOUSE, Kalk Bay

*A Case of SOLMS DELTA, lambrusco-style Cape Jazz Shiraz

*4 Tickets to the BACKSBERG Summer Concerts

*A weekend away at Speelhuis in Langebaan thanks to Village & Life

*The newest Nigella from Exclus1ves

*An INCREDIBLE ‘Breakfast set’ from BOSCH SA including a Kettle, Toaster and Coffee Maker!

*Amazing jewellery from STEFFANY ROUP, and finally

*A Beatnik Bazaar Online Shop Voucher and of course the traditional NoMU Hamper!

Photographer: Robert Miller

Models: Thaya and Luca

Hair and Makeup: Samantha Laura Kaye.

Belinda Spratt is Lady Kaye’s personal masseuse. Lady Kaye made this decision after her very first massage with Belinda Spratt.

Meet Belinda

My first massage with Belinda Spratt was earlier this year before my holiday in Mauritius. She put their Givenchy Spa (rated one of the best) to shame. Though my massage with Belinda was intially a blend of ecstasy and agony I knew  that she had given me an understanding of what massage is supposed to be.

For me massage is all about releasing tension. Tension caused from hunching over a computer, from physical exercise, or simply from stress. Until we book ourselves in for a massage, we seldom acknowledge the extent of the stress we carry in our muscles. Belinda is honestly the first masseuse to have tackled my tension full-on. She has amazing pressure which remains consistent throughout all 90minutes of the massage, and responds well to my body. After my massage I glowed.

Belinda focuses on deep tissue massage and pressure point tension massage (great for runners and cyclists) and incorporates reflexology, head massage and elements from swedish massage in her 90minutes of healing. She has been practicing massage for 10 years (6 years of which was spent traveling with clients who simply could not live without her) and she says that she “witnessed the effect and therapeutic results a head massage had on her mother when she was ten years old and that right then she decided that that was how she wanted to make people feel one day.”

Finally, the last of the amazing things about her is that she comes to my house. She comes to my house, sets up her table, fixes all of the creaks in my body and then packs herself up and leaves me to relax in my robe in the comfort of my own home. Having a massage in your own home, by a masseuse who learns your body is the best monthly/weekly pampering you could ever give yourself.

For 90 minutes of her time, in the comfort of your own home she charges a mere R450 – honestly, she is worth far more than that.

For months where the budget is tight, you can visit her at her practice in Claremont inside Health In Motion gym where she charges R400 for 90 minutes of massage and R300 for a 60 minute session.

Health in Motion also houses a nutritionist, an amazing pilates class and personal training.

With Christmas around the corner may I leave you with the thought that everyone is happy to receive a gift voucher for a massage. Gift Vouchers and appointments are available from Belinda Spratt. Call her on 0723901210 or e-mail her at bellspratt@gmail.com. Her working hours are listed on the Belinda Spratt Mobile Massage Facebook Page.

Belinda offers amazing reflexology.

We are giving away one massage to one lucky reader.

To be eligible for the prize you have to “like” Belinda Spratt Mobile Massage on Facebook and comment underneath this post on samanthalaurakaye.com telling us why you think you ought to win this prize and including any massage horror stories you might have.

Liking Samantha Laura Kaye on Facebook will not hurt your chances either.

Yours in health and happy muscles,

Lady Kaye

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to Bob Mabena who won the competition. We hope you enjoy your massage!

One of my nearest and dearest (miss MJ Reefer) has brought together a group of fabulously talented up and coming young graphic artists (all ladies) for an exhibition this month. The exhibition takes place at Mumbo Jumbo which is in Greenmarket Square (38 Shortmarket Street) and starts at 7pm on October 15th (friday.)

If you are lucky enough to be able to attend this event (ie you live in Cape Town and don’t have a parent’s birthday dinner- though you could bring the parental unit too…) you’ll be treated to a visual feast of illustrations, graphic art and urban street art.

There will refreshments for the early birds followed by live music and a live DJ set to kickoff the party afterwards.

To wet your appetite here is some of MJ’s work:

Waiting in Vain (self portrait)

German Modern

Edie Briekel

Coffee is Evil.

"Cut-It-Out" - a still from an animation by MJ Reefer

Here are some amuse bouches from the other artists:

Cassandra Leigh

"Where's Inge's Microphone" - Cassie Hellbergie aka "Cathy with an S"

Nicci Allen

I believe that all Christmas shopping should be done before December, so why not start avoiding the rush by supporting some local talent and give the gift that keeps on giving? Come check the exhibition out for yourself and enjoy the party with me.

xx Sam

With the brief of “Apocalyptic Mall Rat” and inspirational images somewhere between manga and alt. glam punk Robert, Cally and I ended up with this on the cover of June/July PIX African Photo Journal.

Cover was originally pink - I think I might prefer it pink.

Main Make-up Ingredients: MAC pigment “azreal blue”  and”navy stain”, fluidline in “Royal Wink” Kohl pencil in “smolder”. Limited Edition false eyelashes. DUO adhesive.

A crop of Sasha's face and lashes.

Photographer: Robert Miller

Model: Sasha Jagermeister

Stylist: Cally Palmer

Make-Up: Samantha Laura Kaye

Hair: Samantha Laura Kaye

Location: Snap Studios, Woodstock, Cape Town

Year: 2009

On Saturday morning I climbed in front of the camera to model some swimwear and pretty dresses for Beatnik Bazaar.

Having “Saturday” as our call time, I let the morning tea and bed vibes last a little longer than usual, rolled my hair into pin curls, threw on a vintage inspired dress and then set off to Boulders Beach (doing my make-up in the car.)

I arrived, was presented with coffee (just the way I like it) and immediately transformed into a flirtatious stereotype.

Good Morning Sugar

How could I help myself? The 50′s is an era that epitomizes girly prettiness for prettiness’s sake. An era where curves and individuality (so long as you were white and good looking) was celebrated in the fashion scene…. the time before heroine chic and twiggy, when cooking was nearly as sexy as suspenders and where models look like they’re having fun doing normal things (like lying in the sun with red lipstick on.)

I got into character, not by starving myself for a week, not by chain smoking cigarettes (though that may have been more authentic 50′s chic) and not by bitching about the process – Instead I ate a pizza from ColCachios and drank half a bottle of champagne the night before the swimwear shoot, and then spent the whole day giggling, being fed pears and strawberries and  pomegranate green tea  before finishing off with cocktails and crayfish at Polana *Oops*

The result is a series of some seriously cute vintage looking photographs of me having fun at the beach in some seriously cute vintage style dresses:

As well as original vintage swimwear:

Beatnik Bazaar sourced all of these costumes and is currently busy recreating them in a variety of fabrics in time for summer. Drop her a line and place your order ladies, these are fabulous for both feeling glamorous (add a large sunhat for enhanced effect) and for surfing and swimming laps and doing all those other things where you don’t want your bikini to come off!

Beatnik Bazaar is the coolest local vintage store and the only blog that does all of thei own fashion photography and has their own fashion range. Beatnik Bazaar has been been nominated at the SA Blog Awards and they need your vote before Friday to win!

Here are some behind the scenes clips of my American model persona:

I recently had the pleasure of painting the already beautiful face of Vanessa Haywood. I was expecting attitude and diva-esque demands from the star of the science fiction thriller District 9 but instead found myself having a good chat and a giggle with this blonde bombshell.

As you can see, we went for a smouldery, sexy yet sophisticated look. I used MAC‘s Studio Fix fluid to give her a porcelain finish beneath the harsh studio lights, MAC‘s moisture-blend concealer to blur any “imperfections” and cream blush to give her cheeks additional glow. Her classic smokey eye was created with the help of the ultimate smudge  kohl pencil in “smolder” and grey and silver pigments, and her lips were lined with “subculture” lip pencil and filled with “lightning” limited edition gloss.

Vanessa is an amazing cyclist and has been sponsored by KTM. Once we had finished shooting these beauty shots, Rob shot this promotional pic of the sporty lady in action.

Photographer: Robert Miller

Model: Vanessa Haywood

Hair and Make-Up Artist: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot at Snap Studios 2010