My Cape Town picks

With my upcoming trip back to London, and an increased interest in nice restaurants/bars that come with a recommendation, I asked my remaining London friends for their recommendation list. To which I received some very challenging replies – quite simply, there are too many places to choose from. But surely, surely  everyone has their ‘must visit’ list?

So to be sure I could answer the question in return (I was told a much easier task due to the size of Cape Town), I made my list of top visits (which I recently did have to send to a visiting Brit). Here it is… in a to-be-continued state. I also fear I may get some backlash, for which I’m ready. But hey, we bought a house and haven’t got out much recently (read: in the past two years).

RESTAURANTS (in no particular order)

La Boheme – for the wine list and the incredible food! They do an awesome 3 course meal for about R135 – really substantial too. The wine by the glass means everyone is happy, and the full wine list is also really great. Booking advised.

El Burro – very vibey and awesome Mexican food (none of that tex mex crap) – downstairs is a fun tequila bar. Booking advised

Sotano in Mouille Point – Mediterranean food, very relaxed, sometimes live music, awesome to sit out side (when the wind isn’t blowing) and enjoy the sunset. Sunday day drinking sessions (or maybe Saturdays) are the best.

La Parada – vibey after work drinks and tapas. Expensive mostly, but fun for an after work ‘this is summer’ drink.

Black Sheep restaurant on Kloof street– loved it! Food is really great and always busy. Need a reservation (the bar is also pretty cool there)

La Mouette – my absolute best. The service, the food, the wine list. Nothing is short of perfect at this spot and definitely worth a visit for a special treat (or just for, you know.. whatever). The tasting menu is the winner.

BARS

Weinhaus & BierGarten – recommended, just not by me as I’ve never actually been. But I’ve heard, and I’ve seen, and it looks like fun

Publik (for interesting Wine and across the road from the Biergarten)

COFFEE SHOPS
Origin. A flat white is R24. This is possibly the most expensive flat white in Cape Town. But its also the best. And the breakfasts are substantial. And while the time it takes to get your coffee may make you consider having tea – it is the best coffee in Cape Town and will be worth it. Even if you have to ask them to warm it up. It really is.

Origin is available at lots of places – but I’m talking about headquarters at 28 Hudson Street, De Waterkant, Green Point

Another favourite, mostly for the cool hipster (which I’m not) bicycle on the wall is Bean There.

But I suppose it must be said, that while not hipster cool – a Woolies coffee has never done me wrong.

WINE FARMS

Let’s be honest – there are hundreds to choose from, so being unfamiliar (aka a tourist) and choosing anything other than the ‘marketed’ ones, will be tough. Some of those big, well-established ones are good though, but there are others that may be missed because they don’t have the view, or the international name brand. Anyway, these are my favourites.

Franschoek Farms
– La Motte is my winner for a touristy-level tasting room, a bit of a tromp around a cellar, a peak in a private room and an awesome restaurant with amazing food – all set under trees with some water features. I also quite happen to like their wines. I don’t drink Sauvignon Blanc as a general rule, but their organic one is really nice.

Haute Cabriere is probably found on the top ten lists of most must visit lists, but I’d keep it on my list mostly for the view from up there, the interesting tasting room built into a mountain and the opportunity to see sabrage.

Maison probably my favourite, and not only because I may have dated the winemaker (going to claim it) or because the owner owns the furniture shop that most of our house is decorated by, but because it’s boutique, has fabulous food, a special and relaxed garden setting and some nice furniture as well.

Bread & Wine is the onsite restaurant which drives the visit to Moreson and makes you happy it did. The restaurant is fanatastic and the wine, especially the bubbly, is great too!

Stellenbosch Farms
Jordan Wine Farm has one of best restaurants in country. I think it’s safe to say the restaurant outshines the wines, but it’s been a while and perhaps I shouldn’t be so harsh. Must book ahead here though. Way, way ahead.

Waterford Estate is beautiful in setting and has a really nice chocolate and wine pairing. If you’re into chocolate and wine, which I’m not. But the wine was great and the old world charm of the tasting area makes it a special visit.

The next 3 are all in same road and worth making a visit of them in one day. All of them I haven’t seen the inside (or the outside) of in a few years. But they remain some of the ones that highlight my wine tasting memories.
Haskell Vineyards, also known as Dombeya sometimes – I don’t know the difference. I had my 30th at the Long Table Restaurant so obviously its just a little special. The wine, the food, the restaurant. I think it works.

Hidden Valley has one of the best views in Stellenbosch. On a clear day you can see all the way to Table Mountain. It also had just opened when we were wedding venue searching back in 2007 and we were in love (but at that point, it was never going to work!). It is perfect. The restaurant is apparently outstanding, although I’ve never been to it. Mostly its the view. Just go for the view.

Also steeped in memories, Peter Falke is something different but also special to me. I recall a lazy afternoon (after a few farms) tasting wine past 7pm (which makes it worthwhile as the last stop), the sun dipping behind the hills, and a best friend telling us she was pregnant (she hadn’t been drinking) while another was about to leave us for London. Memories aside, the tasting room is cool and modern and it offers a nice break from all those beautiful views the other farms offer.

Keeping it Local
The wine farm worth mentioning in Cape Town, for those who’d hate to drive any further than Capetonians do, is Beau Constantia. My favourite spot – mostly because it started out with two wines (a red and a white, fancy that?) and a small tasting room. It now offers MCC, a sushi pop up restaurant and craft beer (bloody hipsters!). The best views, and a beautiful contemporary design. And its just up the road from my house.

Ok, I know I’ve missed some other favourites, but this will need to be an evolving list… also, I’m just tired of typing now.

Lyrics to my life

** UPDATED**

I’ve included the why’s and also some other comments because I hated this blog post so empty and without meaning.

***

There have been a lot of lyrics this year. Being into lyrics isn’t a new thing – a love for the lyrics of Killer Cars by Radiohead in std 9 probably kicked it off, but tweeting about it – that was. But then I stopped that because that shit got annoying and I tried to slowly put them all down here instead.

So, my life in lyrics – such a dramatic title for what really is just a bunch of lyrics that are either cool, mean something, or that I just had an ‘oh! thats what they said’ moment.

I love you when you’re singing that song and
I got a lump in my throat cause
You’re gonna sing the words wrong
Listen
My husband, over and over, through and through. I’ve stopped cringing. He just gets the words wrong. We can safely say he’d never do a lyrics post.

And all I gotta do is sit around and wait
And all I gotta do is not anticipate
Listen
Ah Newton, if only it were that simple huh? Spent a lot of the year waiting for test results. It was never easy.

Now I’m looking to the sky to save me
Looking for a sign of life
Listen
Pretty much around the same time I was trying not to anticipate with Newton above.

But I’ve been living on the crumbs of your love
And I’m starving now
Listen
Yeah, there’s this one. Its a bit sucky. #thatisall.

You say you’re heart is on your sleeve
You say you’re sometimes sentimental
Listen

Wanna know where it’s going, well I guess that depends
Meet me back at the start, back at the part where we know how it ends
It ends alright now, it ends alright
It ends alright
Listen
I discovered fink this year, and this song. LOVE! Also… If only we knew how the story ended huh? It would make this whole complicated part a lot easier.

And you’ve learned
It’s okay to be afraid
But it will never be the same
Listen
True this. Go down a road, experience, grow older, maybe wiser. Work out that it will never be the same again.

But we were younger then,
And now we’re not
And if there was a plan made
Then we forgot about it
Listen
A complicated year, reveals some complicated lyric choices. I say stuff the plans. Figuring this out without the plans now.

For you I have so many words
But I, I forget where we were
Listen
Look, a squirrel!

Ouch I have lost myself again
Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,
Yeah I think that I might break
I’ve lost myself again and I feel unsafe
Listen

Just living off your air
Every breath is all about you
I’m spinning all the worlds around
To try and rearrange them
I work so hard to say goodnight
But there’s too much of you left behind
Listen
This song. Discovered on twitter, listened to on repeat for the rest of the year. Only for his voice. Nothing else.

I say, “Love, love don’t mean nothing
Unless there’s something worth fighting for.”
It’s a beautiful war
Listen
You see, its all about fighting for it!

I still owe money to the money to the money I owe
I never thought about love when I thought about home
Listen
I just like that I know the words to this song. And this part. And also the part about taking it too far. *never done that before*

And well, I don’t want you anymore
So take the money and run to your man
I quit givin’ a fuck
Listen
No comment. **Angry Kim this day**

And I drink a little more than recommended
This world ain’t exactly what my heart expected
Listen
Because its true. The plans have gone to pot and I probably do drink a little too much.

All masks and kisses from the balcony
It’s deeper than that bro, it’s a fuckin’ tragedy
Listen
Because… Romeo & Juliet love is the best kind! But also the type that just ends badly. But still.. Shakespeare!

Risk averse… And a challenge

adjective
disinclined or reluctant to take risks.

Yesterday, someone called me risk averse. This, itself, is not a shock I guess. But being told it, in the negative way in which it was delivered, felt a bit gutting. Coupled with a (somewhat younger) colleague delivering a ‘is burn really your thing?’ after I expressed interest in going to Afrikaburn this year, I’ve basically decided to accept the challenge.
I mean, that’s what both statements surely were? Challenges?

Take more chances, do what really makes you happy, don’t just talk about it, try new things (don’t just talk about those either), push yourself out of your comfort zone, just push yourself.

Ps. In my defence I really consider myself analytical, considered, and rational in thought that makes me more careful when making decisions so that I don’t rush into things governed only by my immediate emotions. Ok, I also don’t take risks.

Pps. Isn’t it ironic that these statements are always so rich coming from those that are equally risk averse.

The food, the wine, the view

In that order.

Take a look at this view, no really… Look at it! It is possibly the most beautiful valley in the world, or at least – of the countries we’ve been too.

this view!

 

But it comes third in the list amazing things at the Restaurant at Newton Johnson.

With that food, they could’ve served it to me in a dungeon. The view complimented it, but definitely doesn’t make the restaurant what it is – the ninth best restaurant in the country according to this years Eat Out  Awards. Look, it definitely helps to make the occasion, a much awaited visit to Hemel en Aarde, special but the food blows you away. And I had decided that simply with the complimentary entree.
It’s a tough call to put the food ahead of the wine, and I only do this because I was there to have lunch. If I had visited with a tasting in mind and then moved on to lunch, the story may have been different. I can say they’re probably on par, but for the nature of the blog post, I won’t.

We were lucky enough to have a bottle, our first Pinot Noir of the valley, of the Newton Johnson family vineyards. Surprised, thrilled and in love is the only way to describe every sip. It complimented our meal, but I could’ve happily sat on my patio at home and had it without the special meal and I’m sure my feelings would’ve been the same.

For the sake of the food, here’s what we had:

Starters – Tuna Ceviche for me (no fancy website description available) & CRÈME CARAMEL (that’s Duck Liver Crème, Onion and Thyme Caramel and Brioche – YUM!) for him

Tuna on the left, Duck on the right

Mains: We both opted for the Sirloin, to go with the red we had in hand (stolen from the website: AGED CHALMAR BEEF SIRLOIN – Pickled and Brûlée Onion, Onion Flower and Potato Dauphinoise)

The steak with a family of onion (or something as per the menu)

 

Dessert: I had the amazing (deconstructed) ETON MESS – Vanilla Meringue, Berry Compote, Coconut Sorbet and Crème Chantilly. Yes, wow!

Most unmessy Eton Mess ever

 

How lucky we are to pop out of Cape Town and experience the taste sensation of the Hemel en Aarde.
Not at all letting me down, I’m excited to visit again!

Why 2014 was the crappest year, and also… why it wasn’t.

As I face the end of yet another challenging month, at this, the end of a very challenging year, I’m forced to reflect on the year that was. What I do most years. But this year seems really challenging.

It was crap. Really crap. Like, from where I sit, this was the crappest year that ever there was.

You see, if I’m honest. I’m a bit of a wallower. You know, when I’m sad – I play sad music and cry even more. When I’m feeling fat, I’ll eat a chocolate and feel even fatter. Generally I don’t have much of a chance to wallow, because I don’t have people in my life that I’m allowed to wallow with. My mom, my husband – they’re real ‘positive’ types. This year though, I wallowed. Dangerously so. Sat around and discussed the meaning of life type of wallowing. Said FML (a lot).

And so, now at the end of 2014 – I need to try and see the good in the year that was. Given the bad that I went through.

The bad… aggh – those are all in draft blog posts. Pending approval. By me. My inner peace is still wrestling with the bad.

But lets try and find the good. I mean, in a whole year – there was some.

Firstly – there were the 7 weddings. In 5 weeks. Across 2 continents. Yes, ok it included a tumble that was almost a broken wrist plus a moment in a rose bush. But the truth is, I was witness to the bridesmaid marrying the right man, the man for her. “The one”. I saw a bride walk down the aisle with her dad, a special moment especially since she lost her dad unexpectadly just a week later. That moment, always in our hearts, that wedding – an epic party.

We also got to dance under the stars at the most intimate and special wedding of an amazing couple at Babylonstoren, and then do it all again two days later at their Great Gatsby inspired wedding at the most interesting venue that would surprise anyone. Don’t believe me. The girl organised two weddings, two days apart – and both were undeniably incredible! Check them out: The intimate wedding & the Reason to Party wedding.
My cousin, Mark’s cousin and the international couple (A South African & Argentine living in London, married in Bueons Aires). 6 special couples. 7 special celebrations. Can’t be faulting that.

That’s 7 weddings. And yes, the cowboy outfit was also a wedding.

 

Weddings aside, there was also the South American trip. The trip inspired off the back of the Buenos Aires wedding. The trip that ultimately became known to us, and anyone who followed us on social media – as the Bucket List trip. Because, it was. We danced in the stands of the Sambadrome to all hours of the morning with the Rio carnival parade, a sea of colours, passing us. We visited Brazilian beaches, donned brazilian bikinis (they’re small) and visited Christ the Redeemer. We lost our breath at altitude and finally completed my 10 year long dream of visiting the ancient home of the Incas at Machu Picchu. It was unbelievable and magical.

Yeah, doing that thing I do – but this time on Machu Picchu

We fell in love with a city, that we didn’t even expect to like. It became one of our top three. Cape Town, Barcelona, Buenos Aires (in case you were wondering).

Palermo Soho, one of the reasons to love Buenos Aires

 

I paused in writing this post here… for about 3 weeks. Mostly because I really am battling to find the next good thing to write about. From May onwards, and after our whirlwind week in Robertson with the last of the wedding fun, the year sort of blurs into a series of late nights, stress, tears and prom therapy – basically just winter sunset walks on the promenade.

But today, I remembered some random other goods (which isn’t a well constructed English sentence, but whatever, I haven’t read a book in a while).
I stopped listening to the radio this year – I think we all did after Gareth Cliff decided to join WeChat (or whatever he did) and 5fm decided they didn’t need listeners in their 30’s. But it was good, because I discovered new music. And also I figured out what I really like in music. It surprised me, but it was like I found a little part of me again.

We got Indie, our gorgeous little staffy puppy. Her name could’ve landed up Cecilia if the 2015 Bride had anything to do with it. Ah, the 2015 Bride asked me to be a bridesmaid! I’ve known her since I was 3 – it is the biggest honour! Plus, I get to play BM with the third in our life-long friendship.

We were asked to be godparents to baby Cameron – my favourite little guy in all the world! Plus Bronwyn (Cammy bear’s mom) fell pregnant again! Baby #2 and Cameron’s bro is due on my birthday next year! The bridesmaid, and the bride in wedding number 7 above (orange dress) fell pregnant and is expecting a girl (we still aren’t 100% sure its a girl but I’ve started shopping pink anyway).

I went to Joburg, twice! This is a highlight, especially the second time where I also got to dine with my sister – a perfect evening in Parkhurst and one of the nicest catch ups we’ve ever had. That girl has some value! On the topic of sisters, my other sister moved home from England (she knows how to do a move back to SA that one – she’s on a farm in the Winelands. Well played, sis, well played).

Daily coffee, girls dinners, tears, late nights, groundhog day. But actually not such a crap year afterall, and December has rolled round with silly season madness; the Lumineers, Foo Fighters and a pool party. Clearly a good sign of what 2015 will be about. I can hope.

How am I? Well…

Funny how you can read words (and also hear them for that matter) and it’s like you uttered them yourself, out of your very own heart.

While I know I’m most definitely not dying, I read this a while ago and it sort of stuck.

“No one asks me how I feel“, says Heiner Schmitz. “Because they’re all shit scared. I find it really upsetting the way they desperately avoid the subject, talking about all sorts of other things. Don’t they get it? I’m going to die! That’s all I think about, every second when I’m on my own.”

Don’t they get it?!!! Everyone avoids the topic, or asks about it in the way that they’re just trying to say the right thing. But the reality of how I am…  like being stuck in this never-ending nightmare, where you have moments of peace, of happiness even, where you almost think you’ve woken from it, but then some level of reality hits you in the face again. Hard.

Simple, small things – sometimes irrelevant, to anyone else that is. Hit you. Like a brick. Like a super heavy brick. Its not quite dying, but it sure feels like it.

Truth is, when you’re alone. It is all you think about. This thing. That no-one else is feeling around you. That no one can see. Just you. This quiet death of your inner happiness. Every day, a little more.

A post about my couch. But not really.

What drives me? What moves me?

I’m asking myself as I sit on my couch, that I ordered in grey, but wanted in white, but believed white would be impractical for the day, the one day, when we eventually have children. The couch in my library, that has only one bookshelf of books, and that is actually just the fourth bedroom to our house, but we didn’t have enough beds to make it bedroom and so we bought a couch for it instead. I consider this room, that actually is more like a storage room… still, two years since moving in, and consider this home that I get to call my own. (Well, my own plus shared with my husband). The nice part about both earning a salary is that we really do both own it and not just in the “I do, mine is yours, yours is mine” kind of way.

I’ve taken a half day today. Not to consider my couch, my library, or even my home – mostly to manage the builders at my house improving on a patio, creating an outdoor shower, walking backwards and forwards (5 of them, back and forth… what are they doing?), but now that I’m here and I’m dedicated to taking my half day and not working it – I find myself considering.

In a world where we’re so damn busy, all the damn time – and not the good kind of busy, the exhausting when will my life pause type, I find that I need to really stop. Somewhere this year (the reflective post of which is a draft.. but coming your way), I have stopped thinking about the drive. Stopped considering the passion, the motive, the why. Its a good thing. Live today. Then… tomorrow, live it again.
But too – its a bit groundhog day-ish. Healthy to not be always dreaming of tomorrow, unhealthy to have forgotten to think of why and what’s moving me towards it.

Turns out 2015 – you may have just found your role.