Meet the lovely Colleen Pirie, head chef and owner of The Red Plate Restaurant in Haenertsburg.

Falling in love with her grandmother’s Italian cooking and the robust aroma floating around, Colleen found her passion for food and it became her life.

Yum Yum

Johnathan Taylor, 47. Has lived in Tzaneen over 24 years. Went to cooking school in Oudshoring – Wester Cape.

Joe started cooking in the army, based just outside Eilandsfontein – Pretoria. Preparing and cooking food for 400-600 people every single day for two years! From there on he went to cooking school in Oushoring – Western Cape. First started off as a chef in Cape Town at Protea Hotel, and thereafter had training in the UK and set forth on traveling the globe to places like; Europe, Israel and South America. Indulging in all sorts of cuisine….

Expect the unexpected when you step into the Tzaneen Info Shop!  We are in the process of creating a browsers haven by encouraging our fabulous pool of local creatives to participate in the exciting venture where they can make there wares available to domestic and international tourists.  A splendid variety of products are available, from cosmetics, snacks, home decor, to culinary preserves, clothing and books by our local authors.  This is an ever expanding endeavour, building up to our main event of the year, Taste of Tzaneen which will be held on 21/22 November 2015 at Fairview!  Uniquel

The Modjadji Cycad forest struck me as a place of mystisism and intrique for its dense population of this ancient Cycad species that once served as diet to dinosaurians of many kinds. The dense growth pattern of this rare species also provided nesting sites to these ancient animals for the rugged constitution of the plants provided protection from hunters and egg thieves on ground and from the air.

If you've grown up in the valley as I have, there are certain things that never leave you. Like the delicate scent of citrus blossoms, that crisp sound as you peel your naartjie, the hum of the bees as they toil away throughout summer. You remember the rustle of the wind as the seasons change, the smell of thunderstorms as they arrive and pepper the valley with torrents of rain. You remember the call of the Fish Eagle, and you know, this place is home... Basket abound with fruit it certainly is! Vibrant colours splash against an ever green backdrop in this agriculturally driven community.

Enter Casa Mia and be prepared for an experience of ultimate luxury. Specialists in interior decor for a vast number of years, you can be assured that your private and corporate requirements are in the very best of hands! Accent is given to exquisite style, harmony and balance, with final touches completing your decor to perfection. Room by room, your home will be transformed into an oasis of visual delight, setting a supremely serene milieu for your particular lifestyle.

As former educator, I found the Agatha Crocodile Ranch a feast of information on this ancient reptile who hasn't changed at all over the past 160 million years!  It reminded me much of my personal experience in my work as educator in Natural Science in Northern Zululand where all manner of myths are attached to these highly misunderstood creatures. Crocodiles are in fact very gregarious, and love being groomed and touched.

Joseph Baloyi, local musician, brought a breath of fresh air to one of the recently held social markets at Dei Gratia Restaurant! Clients enjoyed their meals to the tune of 'I did it my way', 'Pink Panther', 'Killing me softly', 'Somewhere over the rainbow' and various other titles on Joseph's unplanned 'playlist'! This impromptu performer has been gracing the streets of Tzaneen with his delightful music since the early 1960's and I recall him well as one of my favorite childhood memories.

Tzaneen Garden Centre drew my attention with its highly appealing, eye catching exterior displays. On entering this delightful setting, I discovered marvels at every turn. Magnificent landscaping techniques with a unique appeal would inspire any gardener, whether a simplistic corner design for a small establishment or a massive project for larger homes, estates and corporates! All are catered for. Friendly, helpful, knowledgable staff stand ready to assist and advise every client's unique home environment.

Driven by my passion for trees and their vital importance I nature, I simply had to visit this giant on my return to Tzaneen six months ago.