After touching down in England, I took the train to Grantham where Mike’s dad came to collect me. We drove down tiny country lanes to their house which is near the tiny village of Pickworth. The village consists of a church, graveyard and a few beautiful large old stone houses complete with gravel driveways. His…
I flew to Johannesburg to see my mum for a couple of days and then met Mike at the Tsogo Sun Hotel at Oliver Tambo as he was flying in from Kenya. I have stayed at the airport hotel a few times and I am always amazed how well the hotel is built to block…
Last weekend we decided to cycle from Worcester to McGregor. The plan was to leave the car and cycle to McGregor, sleep over for the evening and cycle back the next morning. Luckily our friend, Michel decided to join us and drove the car to McGregor and therefore we didn’t need to cycle back. Cycling…
So why not spoil your mother and spend the weekend in a villa or apartment in Camps Bay? On Mother’s Day, you can either cook her favourite meal in the privacy of your rented luxury home or take her out to a great restaurant. If you are staying in one of the Camps Bay Apartments…
If you missed out on an Easter breakaway, don’t despair, there are a few more public holidays coming up in the next few days. On the 27th of April it is Freedom Day which makes the 28th a public holiday. On the 1st of May it’s Workers Day. The end of April and beginning of…
On Friday evening we decided to try The Long Table Restaurant at Haskell Vineyards on Cobie’s recommendation. The drive there was spectacular with a tinge of excitement and mystery as we passed the gates of wine farms like Rust & Vrede and kept on going towards the foot of the mountains while the sun was…
I wrote a blog a month or two ago about a couple who was under the impression they were booking the www.lionsview.co.za penthouse apartment with an agent for a low budget rate and when they arrived in Camps Bay, they were terribly disappointed and as it was peak season – accommodation in Cape Town was…
On Saturday, Cobie and I visited OmmiBerg Round the Rock Nouweau Wine Festival. To drive to Paarl from Cape Town takes under an hour. We started off at Perdeberg Winery where the Marketing Manager, Fergill poured us each a glass of Cap Classique Pinot Noir to kick start the day. We then visited Windmeul where…
My wine connoisseur friend, Cobie and her husband invited me for lunch at Mont Marie in Stellenbosch. A friend of Cobie, Deanne who is practically my neighbour in Camps Bay joined us. Mont Marie Restaurant is on the Klein DasBosch wine estate and owned by Whitey Basson. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the…
I recently read an article in the UK Times, to rent a penthouse apartment in One Hyde Park in London will set you back £45 000 a week. The apartment has 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and great views of Knightsbridge and Hyde Park. I am sure it will be an amazing apartment but at R109 000 per…
I have done a few writing courses with Cathy Eden and I can highly recommend it. Here are the courses from March – May 2014. CREATIVE WRITING: three sessions R850 Next courses: ……………………………………….. Tuesday evenings, 15, 22, 29 April. 7.15 – 9.45pm …………………………………………………………… Tuesday evenings, 06, 13, 20 May. 7.15 – 9.45pm Using writing prompts,…
Easter weekend in the villa and apartment industry in Camps Bay signifies the end of the busy tourist season. This year Easter Friday is on the 18th of April. The popular Two Oceans Marathon takes place over the Easter Weekend in Cape Town. Events include the ultra marathon, half marathon, trial run and fun run. Supporters…
I have always loved gnocchi and when I saw that La Massaria in Stellenbosh was offering a cooking course, I was so excited. Miki Ciman, the owner, started the business by making cheese which later developed into a small restaurant. Miki explained how gnocchi can be made with left-over stale bread, a recipe which developed…
If you are thinking of renting a self-catering apartment in Cape Town, Camps Bay is THE place to stay. There is a host of restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Camps Bay Village, two grocery stores, tennis courts, squash courts, a gy, theatre, parks, a tidal pool and amazing beaches. Camps Bay is framed with…
Just as we have gotten over Christmas, Valentine day sneaks up on us. Do not despair as there are loads of things happening in Cape Town over the Valentine’s weekend, if you are single, married, totally in love, bored, whatever, don’t worry, Cape Town has it covered. On Friday evening you are spoilt for choice…
On Sunday I had a call from a couple who had just landed in Cape Town. They had supposedly made a booking for our two bedroom Lion’s View penthouse apartment in Camps Bay with an agent, SL Property Group. The agent was not at the airport to collect them as promised and unfortunately we had…
Last night after an event at the Grand Daddy in Long Street, Kerry and I went to see what First Thursdays are all about. On the first Thursday of each month, the art galleries and shops in Cape Town open until late. The vibe was fantastic. Quite a few of the galleries were offering wine. …
This weekend, Mike and I were fortunate to get a table at The Test Kitchen. It is currently the best restaurant in South Africa – a well deserved award. The owner Luke Dale-Roberts was the executive chef at La Colombe for four years. During this time, La Colombe won the title of Acqua Panna Best…
One of the “must-see” streets in Cape Town is definitely Kloof Street, there are always new restaurants opening and a great buzz. Last night we had dinner at Black Sheep http://blacksheeprestaurant.co.za/ The girls had Seared Tuna with fennel puree and mash, the guys ordered Lamb Curry with flat bread and atchar. The food was delicious…
My number one South African traditional dish even has a special day dedicated to it in South Africa as well as a reality TV series. Braaivleis: which includes chicken, chops, wors, steak, ribs or sosaties on the BBQ. The first thing my boyfriend did when he moved to South Africa from the UK was get…