CREATION, in the heart of the Hemel en Aarde valley near Hermanus, is the home of exquisite wines and exceptional food pairings presented with a breathtaking view.
The story behind the farm is equally delightful, with a partnership and marriage just as significant as that of the wine and food. Swiss-born Jean-Claude (JC) and South African-born Carolyn Martin (née Finlayson) both come from wine…
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The so-called “off peak” season is actually the best time to travel to the Cape winelands
WE are almost officially in winter, according to the earth’s annual journey around the sun; the solstice is on June 21, after which the days gradually begin getting longer.
It’s the saddest date of the year for me as I love these seasons, autumn in particular. There is so much to recommend it. Not only does it herald the months of fabulous discounted specials in the hospitality and restaurant…
The focus is on food with an interactive cooking weekend at a beach house
PUTTING a bunch of people together in the kitchen to cook and then sitting them down to share the outcome is a tried and tested way to foster fellowship and friendship. Or, to put it another way, to have a jolly good fun time.
Ginger And Lime has been doing interactive cooking classes at its Peppermint Palace HQ in Fresnaye for a number of years. Owner Denise Cowburn-Levy has now taken another…
IT was an epic weekend of road tripping, from Cape Town to Franschhoek, Franschhoek to Robertson, and Robertson to Swellendam. The routes took me up and down over mountain passes, into green valleys, and through great swathes of golden farmlands as I crossed the country along national and secondary roads…and a few gravel ones too.
There’s a lot to be said for the solo journey. For starters,…
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Winter winner for Cape Town diners at Foxcroft
THERE is never a better time to be eating out than during winter in Cape Town. Fabulous specials are everywhere you look and every year I hope to try as many of them as possible.
A word of caution, however: not all specials are created equal. Frankly, I'm not after the free cup of coffee or glass of wine. Nope. We want the good specials. The specials that are true value for money. The ones that…
Sutherland Reserve wine range showcases unique varieties from Elgin
SUTHERLAND, the Elgin property belonging to well-known Stellenbosch winery Thelema Mountain Vineyards, has released its first Reserve Range of wines showcasing the finest elements of this farm that has been owned by Thelema since 2002.
Consisting of three premium wines, the Sutherland Reserve Range comprises a Grenache and a Petit Verdot – cultivars not normally associated with Elgin - as well…
JUST one of the many wonderful things about travelling is the range of choice you have when it comes to picking your accommodation.
For some it is a matter of ease or the style and service offered by a five-star establishment; for others it’s about budget, or the size of the group - which can include children and/or family pets even - making self-catering options attractive.
I’ve been lucky…
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Abalone House in Paternoster has a great winter travel special for you
CHEF Garth Almazan has been cooking for me for close to a decade, many of those years during his time at Steenberg where he introduced me to the joys of offal among other things, and as of last weekend, at his new enterprise in Paternoster.
Garth and his wife Cecile embarked on this adventure quite some time ago already, but for various reasons that are not pertinent to this story, it was only…
CATCH JACK PAROW IN CONCERT ON HIS ‘KARATE WATER TOUR’ AT BEERHOUSE
BEERHOUSE, the brand that has been championing the beer revolution (specifically craft beer) in South Africa for the last few years, is now extending its beverage offering by partnering with everyone’s favourite SA rapper, Jack Parow. Through this venture, Beerhouse will be adding craft brandy to its "99 bottles of beer and 25 on tap".
Parow recently launched his very own craft "karate-water"…
CATHY SPECIFIC and her Trolley Dollies Holly and Molly are at it again with another hilarious mini musical comedy at Gate69. Snip/Tucked holds a mirror up to the world of beauty and self-improvement through any means necessary, and it will strike a chord with everyone.
Whether we – or someone we know – has been under the plastic surgeon’s knife, or simply been on one kind of diet or another at…
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Pour something pink in her glass this Mother’s Day
ATTENTION please! It's Mother's Day this coming Sunday so I hope you get - and get her - something nice. Even a phone call or a message can go a long way to making Mum feel special, but if you want something tangible, here are some options sure to put a smile on her face without breaking the bank.
Pink is my favourite colour so I might be a little biased here; Twee Jonge Gezellen, a…
There’s something quite exceptional about Riebeek Kasteel
IT seems like every time I visit this tiny Swartland town, I end up drinking far too much and making a lot of new friends.
“It’s because you’re here on your own,” said the profoundly wise Elizabeth, as we shared a bottle of pinot noir on my balcony. We’d met for the first time the previous night. “When you’re not involved with being in someone else’s company, you’re open to new people and new…
FOR reasons which are many and varied, May is my favourite month. For starters, the weather in Cape Town is just perfect – not too hot, not too cold, not too windy – and the soft autumn light is gentle and flattering.
The promise of winter is in the crisp mornings and chilly evenings, and the longer hours of darkness are just right for snuggling. Plus this year we're getting lovely rain.…
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Make the most of the long weekend with the South African Cheese Festival
THERE is that moment when you realise the entire country is probably going to be closing down for almost a week; Friday is a public holiday, as is next Tuesday so you can pretty much write off those five days in terms of getting any work done.
But that’s not a bad thing, right? It means plenty more time to get out and about for fun excursions and the 17th annual South African Cheese Festival is…
SEA POINT’S MOJO MARKET MARKS ONE YEAR WITH FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION
ALTHOUGH celebrating its first birthday, it’s already hard to imagine Sea Point without the Mojo Market in Regent Street. The seaside-to-streetside ground floor building houses a collection of pop-up traders, retail shops selling clothing and accessories, food stalls and Mojo’s bar with all its speciality beers and spirits, as well as a buzzing market plaza that opens up to face the live music…