Top of Page

My Cape Town

A friend of mine was recently bemoaning the fact that there are no stampedes at concerts here in Cape Town. She is from Buenos Aires where it seems concert-goers get so hyped up for the event that the risk of being trampled is considered part of the thrill.  Not only do Capetonians form orderly queues, she remonstrated, there isn’t even a surge forward when the star appears on stage.  But I think she was just jealous as I had a ticket to see Robbie Williams and she didn’t.

Capetonians may be famous for being laid back but tickets for this particular concert sold out in minutes.  We’ve had a few big names here in the last year or so - Will Smith, REM, Bryan Adams, Fat Boy Slim, Katie Melua, Metallica to name just a few, but nothing created quite the fever pitch of excitement as Mr Williams. I haven’t been in such a hormonally charged gathering since the Jamie Oliver book signing in Saffron Walden in 1999.

And boy, did the man perform.  It always makes me laugh that even the toughest of rock stars enjoys a hearty skip along the length of the stage and the Robster was no exception.  But he did more than that.  He was energetic, charming, cocky and self-effacing and the crowd loved it.  More than once he declared Cape Town the world’s best kept secret, to thunderous acclaim.  But when he offered to broadcast the fact to everyone he knew, the crowd bellowed "Noooooo!" with one lone voice at the back (me) yelling "Yeeess!"

That was one of the last warm evenings of the long Cape Town summer.  At the Angelique Kidjo concert in Stellenbosch the following weekend, we were all wrapped up in our picnic blankets, crumbs and bits of cheese and all, by the time the diva hit the stage.  Increasingly now as the evenings draw in we find ourselves pulling on a jumper or even lighting a fire, but the days are continuing balmy and beautiful.

In fact I think this is my favourite time of year in Cape Town, this long wind down from the hectic months of summer.  Now that the heat has cooled, it is perfect weather to be out and about.  After my blast on the Harleys last month I’m building up the courage to try a few of the more daring and adventurous activities on offer here in Cape Town – abseiling down Table Mountain, paragliding down into Camps Bay, flying a microlight along the coastline... I’ve even had the gauntlet thrown down for skydiving to celebrate a friend’s birthday.  Luckily that is not until September so I’ve got a few months to gird my loins in preparation. After all, it's got to be even more of a thrill than getting trampled at a concert in Buenos Aires.

Daisy

                                          www.capeconcierge.co.za

Top of Page

Villa of the Month

Franschhoek is one of my favourite towns of the main winelands region.  There are plenty of smaller, less known villages, but for somewhere less than an hour from Cape Town that is stunningly beautiful, it can hardly be beaten. 

Goose Lodge is a luxurious getaway poised above a private trout dam on a smallholding with no other buildings in sight.  The geese flying overhead and the occasional splash of a fish in the lake are the only sounds, and yet it is a short drive from the shops and famous restaurants of Franschhoek.  This ideal of the simple life is brought firmly into the 21^st century by the state-of-the-art kitchen and the well-thought-out office, not forgetting the almost ridiculously over-the-top master bathroom. 

The in-house chef, John, and the housekeeper, Rose, revel in their role of making guests feel pampered, with endless cheesecakes, scones and snacks appearing - in addition to lavish meals - as if by magic from a kitchen that is kept immaculate in case guests should want to do their own self-catering. 

Just three minutes drive outside Franschhoek is a turning on to a farm road which leads up to the gate of the lodge.  From there the rosebush-lined brick driveway curves around the lake to the lawn and the front door.  Mountains form the backdrop for this retreat, and stairs up from the swimming pool and jacuzzi lead to the far side of the lake, to the shady pine trees where the ducks and geese waddle.

The front door opens into a small hallway and then into the central space of the house, the large airy sitting room.  To the right glass doors lead into the spacious kitchen/dining room from where a wooden spiral staircase heads up to the private gallery which houses the office.  The three bedrooms are in a wing of the house beyond the sitting room.  A veranda runs the length of the villa overlooking the lake, with a wooden deck jutting out over the water from which to watch the swans glide by.

3 mins drive from the historic town centre of Franschhoek

35 mins from Cape Town Airport

55 mins from Cape Town centre

Top of Page

Upcoming Events

PICASSO ART EXHIBITION
13 April - 21 May
More than 63 paintings, drawings and sculptures on loan from the Musée Picasso in Paris exhibited in the company of classical African pieces from South African collections.

VEO CAPE TOWN ART FAIR
28 April - 1 May
Hundreds of affordable artworks for sale, covering a wide range of styles, genres and media from painting, sculpture and photography to glassware, with something for all tastes and budgets.  Art workshops will also be available.

CAPE GOURMET FESTIVAL
5 - 22 May
South Africa's premier food, wine and lifestyle event takes over the Mother City for a fortnight of feasting featuring events including the Table of Unity, The Cape Town Coffee Route, Restaurant Week, the Good Food & Wine Show and the Gourmet Signature Banquet.

KIRSTENBOSCH WINTER WARMER CONCERTS
7 May – 29 October
Cape Town's top musical talent will be performing in the warmth and comfort of the Silvertree Restaurant at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on Sundays this winter.

CAPE TIMES WATERFRONT WINE FESTIVAL
9 - 12 May
A total of 75 of the Cape's finest wine producers will present more than 300 wines for tasting as well as a wide variety of gourmet delicacies such as oysters, organic products, smoked salmon and boutique cheeses.

BULL OF AFRICA EXPEDITION RACE
2 – 10 June
This international event tests the endurance, emotional strength and teamwork of top adventure athletes from South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Ireland, the US, New Zealand and the UK on a 570km non-stop adventure.  Competitors will be expected to kayak, hike, mountain bike, explore caves, swim and abseil.

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN
7 June - 2 July
The smash hit musical that took South Africa by storm in early 2005 will tour again in 2006 in a more intimate theatre setting.

FIRST NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF GOLF
8 - 16 July
An exceptional opportunity for golf enthusiasts from around the world to enjoy some of South Africa's finest golf courses. 

ISUZU BERG RIVER CANOE MARATHON
12 - 15 July 
This 202km race has been held annually for over 40 years and is the longest canoe race in South Africa and one of the most strenuous and gruelling in the world.

STELLENBOSCH WINE FESTIVAL
3 - 5 August
More than 100 top Stellenbosch wine producers showcase their wines.

V&A WATERFRONT SPRING FLOWER SHOW
30 August - 3 September
A celebration of the miracle of nature with garden exhibits, show gardens, floral art and art exhibitions.

CAPE TOWN 10TH INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL
3 - 24 September
South Africa's biggest comedy festival, featuring the world's leading stand-up comedians alongside South Africa's best.

CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL
16 - 17 September
The skies above Muizenberg will flaunt a fantastic visual display as kite enthusiasts from around the world congregate in this seaside suburb.

WINEX CAPE TOWN
19 – 23 September
The premier public event on South Africa's national wine calendar, drawing thousands of wine enthusiasts every year.

AFRICAN AIR DEFENCE EXPO
20 – 24 September
An international event including two public days with an air show and an exhibition.

HERMANUS WHALE FESTIVAL
22 - 25 September
Every year, from July to December, the Southern Right Whales travel thousands of miles to South Africa to mate and calve in the bays. The town of Hermanus offers some of the best land-based whale watching in the world, and the festival includes the world's only "Welcome Whales Wave", a human chain of 4 000 people.