ooh la la....what's in my box??

Do you know the feeling when you want to tell everyone about something but you are scared it may be a hoax and you don't mind getting caught yourself, but you would really be embarrassed if you got all your friends involved as well?  Anyway I am now 3 months into this adventure and think it is time to share.  If I don't, I am going to have to answer to "Why didn't you tell us about it?"  "Nice friend, keep it to yourself",  "What ever happened to "Sharing is Caring"?".


Ellen and I both received an email about 4 months ago from Ooh Box.  R295 for a box of wine and luxury goods, delivered to your door once a month.  You are obliged to join for 3 months, after which you can stop at any time.  I was immediately keen.  I struggle with buying good red wine.  White wines are no problem and (most of the time) my friends enjoy my favourite sauvignon blanc of the moment.  Red wine is a different story. I am pretty embarrassed at times (especially when a certain blonde lovely visits) when I pull out a bottle of red from my collection, open it and the cork is often crumbly and musty.  It also usually has a "Walker Bay Classic 2001" team photo as the printed label and out pours a brownish brew with lots of sediment.  I read the email to Gill - my far too sensible office mate.  She tried to persuade me that I should "take my R300 and go and buy myself 3 or 4 bottles of red wine every month" (in quite a bossy voice) for my collection.  Not really the point, "Sensible One"!!  I would never do it.


Besides the "Sensible One" in the office we also have Franklin Delano (not his real name).  He is always out for a bargain, loves auctions and buying up silver (and sometimes a lot of junk) and has been in a state of depression since Boardmans on the corner closed down and he could not visit the bargain floor for his lunch time fix.  Delano loves presents, bargains and surprises (but, big BUT, he is too cautious sometimes and does not like to part with his stack of cash).  So he "Ooohed and Ahhhed" but could not make up his mind.


Ellen and I are brave and took the plunge.  Now, I may accuse Delano of being a child, but I love a surprise more than anyone.  The first boxes arrived at our office (delivered by a proper courier company with a friendly guy in uniform and a clipboard (I felt very important)).  Four bottles of top class wine (2 award winning reds, 1 pink and 1 white) all wrapped in white tissue paper with a little purple sticker and a hand written label around the neck of the bottle, an imported Balsamic vinegar, a box of Dalla Cia Grappe Chocolates, a Morgenster olive paste and a new variety of Khoi Vanilla Rooibos tea.  

Ooh and a recipe card with an awesome lamb shank recipe

(but hardly was I going to use my fancy new reds to marinade the shanks)

 Out came the "Walker Bay Classic 2003" vintage 
(with a picture of the 4 stooges as a label)

So Ellen and I were very excited and told Hope.  Hope was in.  Delano was still dithering.  June arrived with another friendly email, a quick EFT transfer and the eagerly awaited arrival of the second Ooooh Box (with the friendly courier and his clipboard).  Besides the most awesome Waterford Pecan Stream Pebble Hill red wine which Gareth and I shared at Rusty Gate (while waiting for the sun to rise), in the box was a bottle of bubbly, another bottle of red and white, a jar of organic peanut butter, a great olive oil, a spray on red wine stain removal spray and, especially for me, a packet of fudge.

I am confident to recommend this brilliant venture of Philippa and Jaco but, I also have to break the news, that the price has been increased.  ("Snooze you Lose, Delano").  This is only to be expected as each month I have done a quick check on the prices of the products and the value of the box is almost double the R295 that Ellen, Hope and I pay.  ("Sorry for you, Delano")

If you are keen there is a special of R345 for the next 100 members.  Click here and hopefully you are not too late (otherwise R395). ("Stop crying, Delano!!")

They have an online shop for their products and also have a special offer on the Waterford Pecan Stream Red, which Ellen, Hope and I have ordered.  The July box should be on it's way shortly. Yeah!!  I must also confess that I have now made an Ooh Box shelf in my study, so I can look at (and touch) my collection from time to time.

My red wine collection is growing, I have some more upmarket white wines to spoil myself with and I also have a collection of small gifts to take to dinner parties. What more can a girl ask for?

A packet of fudge...................

Another confession, I am still feeling guilty about the whole packet of fudge I shoved into my face last night (quietly, all in one go and without sharing).  Piggy!!