My other, much braver, half had decided he wanted to learn to surf properly, like. None of this riding on a small body board on your stomach. No, he wanted to stand up like the pros. So, he did his homework and looked up the surfing schools that crowd the seafront like flies. After a shocking amount of hesitation, he eventually picked a great, local boy by the name of Ant and paid a nominal fee for a private lesson. I must explain to you, my fiancé, soon to be husband, is a true water baby. He dreams about the waves crashing down on him and doesn’t wake up in a cold sweat like the rest of us would do. He loves the chilly oceans we get here in Cape Town and claims that the sharks won’t eat him as ‘they don’t like foreign food (he’s from Wales).

Right.

So anyway, there I am, sunning myself in the unusually warm autumn sun, watching him practice the manoeuvres out there on the white beach. I feel ever so proud of him; the board is nearly twice the length he is, let alone the fact that he’s about to get into waves that are, admittedly, more than a bit big. The winter swells have come in from Antarctica and not only do these swells make the water frikking freezing, the swell is strong enough to really get you into trouble if you can’t swim very well. Luckily, the lifeguards on Muizenberg beach aren’t just for show, they really do their job.

So, the other half gets into the water with his new spangly wetsuit and ‘rashie’, while his fiance gets burnt in the African sun. All is going well when suddenly the end of the world happens. An earth-shattering siren goes off and whistles explode into my head. I sit bolt up right, sand and sun lotion detonating around me. I confusedly look around as the tourists, surfers, children, dogs, various sea life and old grannies hop and skip out of the water to the tune of the air raid siren. I search amongst the debris for my fiancé and his surf school instructor and eventually spot them lumbering up the sandy beach with long board in hand.

What was going on? Well, if you don’t know by now, this southern tip of Africa is crawling with Great White sharks. We’re famous for it. However, the seas around this area do not use the highly dangerous and eco-unfriendly shark nets as many other surfers paradises use. Instead, Muizenberg was one of the first beaches in the world to start using ‘shark spotters, guys (usually Bergies, or homeless people) that are employed to sit up on the surrounding mountains to keep a lookout for the signs of sharks (believe it or not the cartoon-like fin is not the only dead give away). When they see a shark  more common in the whale birthing season they radio down to the beach where an impressively loud air-raid siren goes off, hence the hopping and jumping out of the water post haste.

My fiance eventually got back in the water about an hour later when the all-clear was given, but he’s never uttered the foreign food anecdote again, funnily enough…

If you are considering getting in the water in the seas surrounding the Cape Peninsula, please bear in mind that sharks, seals, dolphins, Orca whales and Southern Right whales frequent these oceans in all seasons. Please do your homework and remember that more people are killed every year by toasters and falling off their chairs than by shark attacks. If you respect the ocean, it will respect you. If you are on a Cape Town tour, why not take the time out to watch the sharks and whales from a vantage point near Muizenberg?

Between the media, American televangelists and my grandmother, the general consensus seems to be that the world is collectively heading down the moral tubes. Children don’t respect their elders, common courtesy has all but gone out the window and the words ‘bitch’ and ‘nigger’ has been resurrected as terms of endearment by a generation that don’t seem to understand the amount of negative connotations it carries.

So, what is there to do? Can any one person really make a difference? At the risk of sounding like a complete and utter wuss, I actually do believe it is possible. I believe in the power of random acts of kindness. Just because everyone else seems to think it is cool to adopt a laissez-faire attitude and give the world at large the big middle finger, doesn’t mean I have to do it. In fact I find it a pretty stupid way to lead your life. No man is an island, as they great John Donne postulated back in the 1600’s, and it remains true to this day. Why not try to get along and make the ride more pleasant for all concerned?

What prompted this blog was the fact that my mother fixed my pants. This may seem like a very ordinary thing for a mother to do, but if you know mine you would understand why this is such a big deal for me. My mother is a live-wire of note and sitting down with a needle and thread to mend a careless child’s clothing is not exactly at the top of her ‘to do’ list. She is from the ‘just buy a new one’ school of thought. Yet when I unpacked my washing after having been home for the weekend there my favourite pants were, patched to their former glory. This means:

1. She noticed my pants were torn
2. She noticed that the pants concerned were my favourite pair of pants
3. She got out a needle and thread and took the time out of her busy day to fix them for me
4. She did so without telling me

That is four acts of kindness in one go. This is pretty awesome, right? Now, what if we all went around doing little things like this for one another? Showing affection doesn’t have to come in the shape of big, expensive gestures. Remembering your friend’s favourite song, taking off your boyfriend’s glasses when he falls asleep reading, taking your dad on a spur-of-the-moment Cape Town tour to all the places he remembers from when he was young– these all count. Plus, you’ve got to love the look of surprise on the face of the recipient of your act of kindness. They never expect it and that utterly dumbstruck facial expression is all the reward you will ever need.

So, now is the time to get over the schmaltzy direction this blog has taken and to decide whether or not kindness is a worthwhile endeavour. I believe that it is, whether you choose to practise it is completely up to you.

Franschhoek mountains

There are a few words in the English language that are tragically overused: delicious, delectable, sumptuous, scrumptious, gorgeous, exquisite and mouthwatering – to name but a few. When it comes to places like Genot Restaurant I wish that there was some way to resuscitate these terms, to re-inject them with their original meanings. Sadly this is not possible and I will have to make do with these clichéd, time-worn terms.

I suffer from a chronic condition my father calls ‘champagne taste on a beer budget’, which basically results in me spending an atrocious amount of my expendable income on fancy dinners and wines when I really should be focusing on the state of things like, say, my shoes. My latest over-indulgence was hosted my Genot Restaurant.

Situated on the beautiful Klein Genot wine estate in Franschhoek, the Genot kitchen is run by renowned chef Mark Radnay. I had been to the farm before, but at that stage the restaurant wasn’t quite finished yet and I had been biting at the bit to go ever since. And man, is it impressive! A large, voluminous building with clean lines and lovely surrounding landscaping, the restaurant/cellar/wine tasting room is situated smack bang in the middle of the Klein Genot vineyards. Patrons are greeted at the gravel-strewn parking lot by a very friendly attendant who then accompanies you to the restaurant and hands you over to the hostess.

Although it was a lovely balmy evening, there was a hint of thunder in the air and the proprietors had erred on the side of caution and decided not to set up the outside dining area. We were, of course, having none of that! A table was swiftly laid and we settled down to watch as dusk descended slowly and spectacularly on the Franschhoek Valley. I can only imagine what the view must be like on a clear evening, but the moodiness of the cloudy sky added a certain sense of drama that was somehow completely delicious.

Being innately curious I couldn’t just be a well-behaved customer, I had to get up and explore the restaurant. The main dining area is a stunning combination of bare brick walls, accented with baroque element like boldly printed wallpaper and an abundance of crystal chandeliers. And best of all – the kitchen is completely visible, so you can view Mark and his team bustling about preparing your meal. I am of the opinion that a visible kitchen says much about the way that a restaurant team approaches their craft – being on display like that means that you have a lot of confidence in your abilities and after having my meal I can honestly say their confidence is certainly not misplaced.

The smoking section is also lovely. As a smoker I often feel like sitting in the smoking area of a restaurant is somewhat akin to being shunted to the corner with a dunce hat, but there is none of that at Genot. The smoking section hosts the bar and is laid out around a nice, big fireplace (something I will simply have to experience in the heart of a Cape winter). The chairs and tables are comfy and stylish and imbued with the air of a gentlemen’s cigar lounge from the previous century while still managing to be completely on trend.

So, the food, oh the food! Here is what we had:

Joseph:

Rooikrans smoked snoek quiche with apricot chutney and a side salad
***
Aged sirloin (m-r) with butternut gnocchi, onion marmalade and Pinotage jus
***
Vanilla pod crème brulee with apricots and an almond koeksister

Anna-Bet:

Seared tuna with daikon cucumber & mint with a soya-mirin and wasabi mayo
***
Vanilla pod crème brulee with apricots and an almond koeksister

Beverage-wise we each had a glass of Villiera Tradition Cap Classique since we were celebrating Jo’s birthday and then moved on to a very nice bottle of Porcupine Ridge Viognier-Grenache (how incredibly cultured are we!). The wine was absolutely, unequivocally, drop-dead gorgeous and I don’t care how completely unsavvy it is to say so. Although it is a white, it went perfectly with both my fish and Jo’s meat (that was perfectly done by the way).

Special thanks have to go to Babs Sogwedla, our waitress for the evening. She succeeded in being courteous and friendly without being overly familiar, a juggling act that very few waiters ever manage to achieve. She was also well-dressed, well-spoken and completely versed in the intricacies of the menu, something that I greatly admire.

I will be keeping an eye on this restaurant; it is most certainly going to be an incredibly big hit with foodies from around the Winelands. Plus I am already envisioning a lovely spring wedding hosted in the spacious courtyard (something that will probably give my both my dad and his bank manager many sleepless nights). Do yourself a favour – if you are planning a Cape Town tour, save up and head out to Genot. There is no way you’ll be sorry.

So, if you’ve been reading this blog regularly you would’ve recently enjoyed my diatribe about the plastic institution that is Valentine’s Day. Although I believe that romance should not be dictated by greeting card companies and other commercial institutions, I do however believe in enjoying a good meal every now and again and Valentine’s Day is just as good an occasion as any other to indulge this particular whim of mine.

So, off we went to Eaglevlei. After a little detour (not due to a lack of directions on the website, just due to general lack of direction on my part) my partner and I arrived to find the venue buzzing with Valentine’s celebrations. This included a very talented live Jazz band, the name of which I unfortunately neglected to take, and a lovely picnic area where patrons could enjoy their own packed lunches provided they bought wine from the restaurant. This being the more frugal option, I obviously elected to have lunch at the restaurant, which happily turned out to have been a great idea.

The atmosphere was a bit tense – there is a new manager and his obvious nervousness manifested itself in a certain brusqueness towards the clientele and an unnecessarily rude manner towards the waiters themselves. My personal opinion is that a tense situation is not made any better by introducing further stressors and he would have created a much better working atmosphere by encouraging instead of berating his staff.

That aside, the rest of our lunch was AWESOME! I have been told that the Vineyard Kitchen’s food is great from various reputable sources and they were most certainly not exaggerating. After being seated in a particularly lovely part of the restaurant (a shaded area just off of the bar from where we could view all the beautiful artwork in the venue’s fledgling gallery, as well as the surrounding vineyards) we were given ample time to peruse the tempting menu and expertly guided in our wine selection.

We ended up choosing the Eaglevlei Pink 2008, a beautiful Pinotage rosé that succeeded in being simultaneously juicy and delightfully dry. Being a chardonnay fan myself I am always afraid that rosé might turn out to be too sweet, but there is no such problem with the Pink. Suffice it to say, it was so good that we probably drank it faster than is considered polite.

But let’s get to the food! I had the Gemsbok Loin with biltong sauce, a dish that was so beautifully presented that I felt bad eating it. For about a minute, then I tucked in with relish! Delicate flavor combinations and expertly cooked meat made for one of the best meals I have ever had (I have to admit that I actually made the faux pas of surreptitiously wiping the last little bits of gourmet goodness from the plate with my forefinger…). My partner enjoyed the Fillet Herbie’s Way. I unfortunately cannot attest to the flavours of this particular dish as I was not even allowed a single bite (it was that good).

We will have to go back another time to sample their dessert menu (which did look particularly luscious by the way), since we were too stuffed to even contemplate any sweets.

To summarize:

THE PROS:
• Super service from the various people that waited on us
• Fantastic food
• A beautiful location
• Live music
• Clean, beautifully decorated bathrooms
THE CONS:
• Bit of a drive (if something like that tends to bother you)
• Managerial difficulties
• A less-than-perfect website. Before I made the booking I tried to find their menu on the web, which turned out to be impossible. If I hadn’t heard good reviews of their food beforehand I would probably not have made a reservation due to this oversight. A great venue like this should really make proper use of all the media avenues they have available and their website would be a good place to start.

I would recommend a meal at Eaglevlei for anyone who enjoys having good food in a beautiful location. If you have a family you could even make a day of it. There is a great big jungle gym for the kiddies to enjoy while mum and dad partake in tasting of the estate’s wines. The venue is also great for birthday parties and could (I imagine) make a great wedding location as well. A Cape Town tour like no other, a day in the Winelands is a must for any culinary adventurer!

Recovery room with a view

There are many reasons to visit the Mother City. We have the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, a whole host of incredible beaches, the Waterfront, Table Mountain, the Constantia wine route, a penguin colony, antique stores aplenty, colourful street performers, a laughably good exchange rate and the bulk of South Africa’s worthwhile restaurants and dining establishments (to name but a few). In light of all of this, it would seem strange that many people from around the globe come to Cape Town expressly to take advantage our medical establishments, doctors and rehabilitation facilities, yet they do.

Medical tourism is becoming a booming trade. Places like Panama, Brazil, Malaysia, Costa Rica and India have been tapping this particular vein for a number of years, and it seems South Africa is pretty keen to join the party. (For the uninitiated: the term ‘medical tourism’ relates to a branch of the travelling industry that allows foreigners to combine affordable plastic- or reconstructive surgery with pre- and post-operative forays around the country).

Not a big fan of gratuitous elective plastic surgery myself, I can still understand why foreigners name South Africa as a preferred medical tourism destination. Let’s tick the relevant points, shall we? We have:

1. A favourable exchange rate (my aunt and uncle from America recently had dental work done in Cape Town and their whole trip, including flights, transport, accommodation and the actual cost of the procedures came to around four times less than they would’ve paid for the same treatment in California).
2. High quality medical care facilities.
3. World renowned surgeons and physicians (remember the whole heart transplant thing?).
4. Incredibly scenic surrounding in which to recuperate.
5. Reputable establishments that facilitate medical tourism trips. This includes everything from flights to airport transfers, consultations with surgeons, the actual surgery, a recuperation period in the locale of your choice, as well as pre- and post-operative trips around sunny South Africa.

Basically what you’re looking at is First World health care at Third World prices. What’s not to love about that? Accommodation venues include the likes of five star Constantia and Camps Bay hotels, as well as the beautiful Arabella Sheraton. After your surgery, you can then decide whether you would like to go on a tour of the Winelands, enjoy a Big Five Safari tour or participate in a thorough exploration of the country’s most illustrious golf courses. South Africa is quite literally your oyster (especially if you happen to be around Knysna while to Oyster Festival is underway).

So, there you have it – one more reason to include Cape Town in your global itinerary.

Relax, take it easy.

Today is the perfect day for a cape town tour. The sun is shining brightly and the clouds have all but vanished. This fact makes work a real chore, as I would prefer to be outside, catching up on my winter tan. I can see all the people outside who are improving their displays to fully maximize the new sunny weather. I have said this many times already but I am seriously looking forward to summer this year and I would love to take a helicopter trip around Cape Town with my girlfriend. I have been boarded up all winter and now it is time to break free.

My scooter was made for weather like this. I also need a few more new summer items to get this party started. New Havaianas, board shorts, sunblock for my vampire level tan and a keen new towel with a superhero graphic. My girlfriend is also an avid party queen and I will most likely be dragged into the craziest of times with her.

The Good and Bad points of Summer

Good:

• Suntan
• Woman wear next to nothing
• No more rain to murder my scooter
• Frozen Yogurt tastes better
• I can wear shorts to the office
• a Fresh breeze on a warm day
• Swimming
• Countless Braai’s with friends

Bad:

• Fat Woman who wear next to nothing
• 40 degree heat waves and being too tired to do anything
• Sand in my shoes from the beach
• having to exercise as my body has wilted in the winter months

I invite all readers of this blog to add more good and bad points of summer to my list. Goodbye for now dear reader.