My daughter, husband and I had the incredible priviledge of experiencing what Montecasino calls their  Show and Stay Package including dinner, bed, breakfast, show tickets and a programme. Wow, what a treat, one I would recommend to anyone needing a holiday around the corner.

In as long as it took for us to reach the palatial splendour of Montecasino we felt the strains  and stresses of every day life melt away and were transported into another world.

First booking into a room that elicited oohs and aahs from my daughter who examined everything, the mirrors, square basin, a little stint trying out the bath and of course watching TV. Then down to the dining room  for a delicious meal.

Then onto the show performed by the award winning Imperial Ice Stars. From the word go the colourful costumes, grand sets and most of all unbelievable ice skating sequences had us captivated.

Yes, it lives up to the blurb on the Montecasino website. It is ” choreography that further raises the bar, with ever more breathaking high-speed leaps and throws and awe-inspiring, acrobatics, coupled with the most graceful and sublime ice dancing”

After all the excitement, what a pleasure to simply catch the lift to our soft comfortable beds upstairs and then awaken to the most divine breakfast before returning to the humdrum of daily life

Thank you Montecasino for  a a great Show and Stay.

by Melanie Minnaar who works in corporate marketing communications and is currently enjoying her maternity leave.  Mother to ‘archangels’, Michael and Gabriel,  wife to an IT consultant she is an information-junkie,  hooked on technology and online social networking. You can tweet her @MelanieMinnaar

I try to make dedicated time to spend with my son, Michael, as often as possible. Just the two of us – no daddy – no Gabriel. We were debating options this week when I saw an ad on Jozikids for a puppet show at the Bryanston Organic Market. He asked if it would be a ‘nice’ puppet show versus a ‘scary’ one. I reassured him that it would be the kind he would enjoy and crossed my fingers. (Win for mom too as I love exploring the market!)

Turns out that there was no finger-crossing required as the show was absolutely wonderful and by the show of delight on the young critics faces, it was definitely right on the money.  The audience actively engaged with the puppets spurring each other on to participate in a fun and lively manner.  Some parents also became quite engrossed with the story,  which kept the other adults entertained.

The story was themed around the soccer world cup where a little boy named Vuvuzela did not keep his promise to not kick the soccer ball that he was asked to look after, and did – all the way to the Kruger National Park!  The animals in the game reserve didn’t know what this foreign object was and tried to make sense of it all with hilarious results.  Eventually, Vuvuzela finds the ball and returns it to its owner, promising to keep his promise in future.  There are songs woven into the story-telling which captivated the minds of the children, some very good songs which I really wish I could remember the words to now.

The show lasts about half an hour and is followed by a puppet-making workshop. The audience ranged in age from 2 years to about 9 years of age. Michael left the show asking what the next story would be. And, did I mention that it’s FREE. In Sandton. Bonus!  The only unfortunate thing is that they only put on puppet shows once a quarter – but we’ll definitely be making a return visit for the next one.

Anyone interested in finding out where Spellbound Puppets will be performing their next puppet show, click here

by Philippa Cross who would rather be outdoors than in, alone than in a crowd. She prefers dogs to cats, with a major leaning towards bulldogs. She hopes to win the Pulitzer prize for her yet unpublished novel. She started Thumb Media with a partner in June 2009

Whatever you do these school holidays, if you are in Joburg, do not miss Cinderella on Ice. It is utterly breathtaking. Brought to you by The Imperial Ice Stars and showing at the Teatro at Montecasino, this show will most certainly give you goosebumps.

I was lucky enough to go along for a sneak preview on behalf of Jozikids. I was excited, but not certain what to expect. I was completely blown away.  The show is magical in every way.

It is an opportunity to let your imagination, and more importantly, that of your child’s, go wild. There is extraordinarily beautiful music, wonderful choreography, and awe-inspiring acrobatics – all on ice. The costumes are beautiful, and the cast glide over the ice with such grace, it is surreal. Before you know it you have been transported into the fairytale world of Cinderella, where magic abounds and anything can happen. And it does.

As if elegance on the ice were not enough, the dancers fly through the air with as much exquisite style as they display on land. One can’t help but gasp. It is most certainly breathtaking.

The show is advertised as suitable for teens upwards, but I think children as young as 8 would thoroughly enjoy themselves. There are afternoon and evening shows, which is always a bonus.

Cinderella on Ice is the third production from The Imperial Ice Stars, who brought us Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. It is their most magnificent production yet, as they really do push the boundaries in the genre of ice dancing and acrobatics.

The performance is almost 2 hours long, with a 20 minute interval. It is on until Sunday 10th January, so make a point of taking your children to see it. And remember to take a jacket.

For more information visit the Montecasino  website