Why I’m telling no-one about McGregor

It isn’t easy to find somewhere to stay on a farm that is remote but still close enough to a small town to provide light entertainment when needed and supplies when necessary. I spent quite a bit of time on the internet before I found our little gem on a farm just outside Robertson and McGregor (bonus as we got two quaint towns for the price of one!).

The unbelievably beautiful valley that holds Robertson, McGregor, Ashton, Bonnievale and Montagu in its embrace has something magical about it. And if you don’t believe me, visit it yourself and you’ll understand what I mean. The secret is to take the time to stop in the towns, as we did in Robertson and Mcregor, so that the charm of each can find its way into the corners of your mind. Because it won’t be anything tangible or something you ‘discover’; the magic is simply there for the taking, you have but to imbibe … Continued

It’s the Ficksburg Festival, my cherry!

Cherry Festival

Ficksburg didn’t mean that much to me until I visited the pretty little town set on the banks of the Caledon River. It lies at the foot of the beautiful Imperani Mountain in the Free State, for those of you who didn’t know, and I had only heard of it before the festival because a school friend of mine hailed from there (and since we were at school in Durban at the time, you can understand how she was regarded with a fair amount of  incredulity).

First off let me say that if you’re a fan of cherries, then this is the festival to attend. For the last couple of years at least, cherries seem to have given the shelves of my local Pick n Pay the run around. That, or they were in and off the shelves so fast that I didn’t even catch a whiff of the dainty red stoned fruit! Thus a trip to the Eastern Free State around the third week of November may be the closest you will get to this delectable dainty … Continued

The grand opening of the Cape Quarter’s Square

Cape Quarter

This is one of Cape Town’s best kept secrets because it has something for everyone, health, beauty, fashion, lifestyle and food all in one unique venue with typical Cape Malay architecture. This is a place that epitomises cool and if you want to be with the who’s who then you should make your way to the Cape Quarter …

This is such a fantastic space that is brought together with the central piazza which in itself is a meeting place for friends and family before they explore the Cape Quarter’s wonderful opportunities and hidden treasures. The Cape Quarter Piazza can be found at 72 Waterkant Street, Green Point … Continued

A weekend in Franschhoek

Franschhoek

Friends got married at Moreson Wine Estate last weekend so we used this as a good excuse to spend the weekend in Franschhoek.  It was a lunch time wedding and we live in Cape Town, so strictly speaking two nights in Franschhoek was not really necessary but then again, it’s Franschhoek and it’s always a treat to spend time in this beautiful town!

We arrived on Friday evening and there is something quite special about driving through the valley as the sun is setting.  We really do live in a country with the most breathtaking scenery … Continued

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

There’s a secret little world of fantasy and fairy tale, which unfolds every Saturday morning in Constantia, Cape Town. And if you have not treated your children to a visit to the Rainbow Puppet Theatre, at the Michael Oak Waldorf school, then you are missing out! Continued

Joostenberg Deli – a stop worth making time for

Farm outside Bloekomsbos

Saturday was a day filled with new discoveries and interesting stops. We visited a local farmer, Erick, on his farm just outside Bloekomsbos, accidentally discovered one of the Stellenbosch jewels – Joostenberg Deli – and uncovered a gem of a garden centre just next door.

Erick Zenzele is the farmer that sends us a bag full of peas, cabbage, mixed lettuce leaves, beetroot, broccoli and spinach every week. His farm (his land has been loaned to him by a local farmer) just outside Bellville in Cape Town is part of the local CSA (community supported agriculture) project supported by Slow Food Cape Town together with the Sustainability Institute. A group of families in Cape Town help support the farmers involved by paying upfront for our bags of veg. But it’s also a way of reconnecting with our food. As ‘consumers’ we now know exactly where our vegetables are grown, and after our visit on Saturday, by whom … Continued

Picnicking at Harold Porter, and sighting penguins …

Botanical Gardens

Harold Porter is a really pleasant surprise! In fact, it’s one of the Cape’s best kept secrets …

I had forgotten just how gorgeous the drive from Cape Town to Betty’s Bay along Clarence Drive, known also as Route 44, is. We were to visit friends in Somerset West in the evening and, since it looked as though the day would be clear, we ambitiously set off for the Harold Porter Botanical Garden, a long-delayed visit, one we had been meaning to make for too long. Continued

Groot Constantia Christmas Gift and Garden Fair

I hadn’t managed to get to the Christmas Gift and Garden Fair during the evening this week so popped in during lunch time on its last day.  Held at Groot Constantia, the setting itself would have been good enough if the fair had not lived up to expectation.  But it did not fail to deliver!

For a small R20 entry fee (all proceeds go to The Red Cross Children’s Hospital, and in particular will be used to buy lifesaving equipment for the new Operating Theatre Complex) I gained access to the ‘hall’ and strolled along the rows of exhibitors.  On sale were all sorts of lovely things, perfect for Christmas shopping … Continued

The Outeniqua Powervan

Outeniqua Powervan

For anyone travelling through the scenic George / Knysna area, one of the attractions is, or always has been, the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, one of the last remaining steam trains in Africa. However, many will be as disappointed as we were to learn that the “Choo-Tjoe”, as she is affectionately known, has not run since June 2009.

So what does a family with two train-mad young boys do, to stem the disappointment? We were lucky to learn from the Transport Museum that something called the Outeniqua Powervan was running in its stead. Continued

Open Gardens at The Cellars-Hohenort

Cellars-Hohenort

I took myself off to the Open Gardens at The Cellars-Hohenort yesterday afternoon.  I must admit the weather was already a bit windy so I was in two minds about going but I’m very pleased I did.  The gardens are spectacular and are acknowledged as some of the finest hotel gardens in the world and voted by Garden Design, a top American magazine, as one of the top 30 hotel gardens in the world.

On arrival at the hotel I was met by five ducks and it looked as if they were out for an afternoon waddle, just to keep tabs on their estate!  Close behind them was their ‘minder’ who needed to round them up and take them ‘home’ but clearly this was not part of the equation for the ducks at they scattered to hide in the thick foliage! Continued

The Outeniqua Country Hop

Outeniqua Country Hop

One could be forgiven for thinking that the ‘country hop’ is some sort of quaint rural dance, but the Outeniqua country hop in the Garden Route is a tourist route, initiated by a group of local women to help put local trade in and around George on the map. The clever play on the term ‘hop’ was inspired by the abundance of hops growing in the area, a plant used in the manufacturing of beer, and unique to this region in South Africa.

We picked up signs for the Hop on the R404, as we drove out of George. With two young boys in tow, I was taken with the icon of the tractor, which accompanies the hop signs, since a tractor ride in any guise would provide my boys with a lot of excitement! The icon however appeared to be more of a symbol than a reality, although clearly much of the beautiful scenery through which one passes is working farmland. Continued

Bloubergstrand …

Bloubergstrand

It is a humbling experience watching a child have their first experience of the beach, something that I as a Capetonian often take for granted. My cousin and her 13 month old son came down to Cape Town from Johannesburg for a visit.

The day they arrived was quite a typical summer’s day, hot with a bit of wind and we decided that it would be a great opportunity to go down to the beach, after all the little guy could have his first taste (literally) of the beach sand and see the sea … Continued

Jukani Wildlife – home of the cats

Bengal Tiger

I can’t say I have ever seen lions, cheetahs, leopard, caracal and tigers all ‘in one sitting’, and I have definitely not ever seen Bengal tigers, jaguar, pumas or serval cats, other than in pictures! Well at Jukani Wildlife Park you get to see them all, admittedly with a bit of coaxing from the guide and her meat bucket!

Jukani lies just outside Mossel Bay, with indicating signs off the N2 en route to Cape Town. On entering the Park, having paid an admission fee of R280 for two adults and two children, it is clear that the facility is well maintained and each enclosure appears to be of a suitable size for the creatures it houses. All of Jukani’s animals are wild, though many have been bred in captivity. The park exists to preserve the different species, and in some cases has taken in animals that have been abused and mistreated. Continued