Signal Hill sunset, yesterday evening.

It’s shocking to think that I haven’t posted any Welgelegen big 5′s or exciting happenings in Cape Town, since October! Where has this month gone? Where has this year gone?
The good news is, we are all still here. The World did not disappear. I was, possibly for the first time ever, quite happy to wake up to the taxi drivers’ co-pilots belting, “CaaaaYYpe ToWn, whistle, whistle, CaaaaYYpe ToWn!”, upon the lark’s flute this morning.
Yes, we are all still at work. Tick follow tock.

So here we are, in December. ‘Tis the season to be jolly. At Welgelegen, ‘Tis the season to be jolly busy. It’s wonderful. We have two houses full of jolly good people from all over the World. Irrespective of how each person or family likes to celebrate this time of year, we’re feeling the joy, the merriment, the excitement, not to mention the heat. I don’t remember a December like this. Is this not usually what we experience in February? Well, there are certainly no complaints. The beautiful weather is opening up our coastal roads, climbing up and around our mountain, chatting up our market places, and warming up our seas (well, um, almost).
The Sun’s seduction is hard at work. Just remember your SPF. And a hat.

Ho Ho Ho. Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Love and Sing and Dance your way into another day, another dawn, another year…

Signal Hill sunrise, this morning…

Seems like our very own Hotel is strumming along to the Eagles tune to get me into the holiday mood. As it would appear, “I can check out any time I like, but I can never leave.”

But I’d like to think (and share with you) that there is so much more than those beautiful beasts above, that this majestic city has to offer, every day. I was reading the paper this morning, well skimming through whilst sipping on some hot coffee and listening to our “Afro Cruising” breakfast album, snacking on Erica’s chocolate chip cookie (yes, cheating the bikini diet. Pierre Dukan would curse me in his finest French), taking in the natter between our guests about their daily excursions ahead, comparing notes on good photo opportunities, and Sunday restaurant tips (wonderful, when my job is done for me!). Anyway, where was I? So I was skimming through the paper and came across the “Good Weekend Guide” in the Weekend Argus. How do we keep up with all that is going on in this city, all of the time? There is too much. Should there, could there ever be too much going on, over just one weekend? I’m only reading one go-to-guide. How many are there out there?

What Cape Town flaunts is not just for all of our visitors to gaze on in wonder, but for those who reside here. For those who literally live, eat, breathe, not necessarily sleep, the city. Perhaps this is what is matching the magic of the notorious Big 5 – the people. Not just the ones who watch your cars nicely, or the ones who give you “water for your daughter”, or “ice-lolly for your dolly” on our local beaches, but the people who are constantly turning things over and bringing beautiful things together, to keep the sound pulsing down the streets, the art mixing up our palates, and the wind blowing round the mountain. I love it.

I’m going to compile our own Big 5, hopefully every weekend, maybe even twice a week, heck, the love I have for this city and the amount of cutural activities, music, food, art, talks, film, markets going on ALL YEAR ROUND, I just might even compile a Big 5 every day.
(All depending on our guests and if they keep up doing my job, talking to each other, taking care of the nitty-bitty, while I drink coffee, eat cookies – NO, no more – and tell you about our exhibitionist of a Mother City.)

So, for today, my Big 5 will include food, music, art, nature and wine. Not in order of preference…

Food – Ok, all I can think about today is the omelette that Barbielicious cooked for me an hour ago. How does someone perfect such a delectable cocktail of ingredients? Egg and parsley is all my diet allows for. She makes it heavenly. Today my Big 5 on food is Welgelegen’s own kitchen – for all the things that I cannot eat, that are there for the guests and not for me, anyway, like home-made banana bread and seed loaf. And for the things that I can, that taste like candyfloss.

Music – Studio 7. Grab a whiskey and a cushion or an arm of one of the sofas, lean up against the red facebrick wall, park a squat or stand at the back like the naughty kids while artists perform in this very intimate space. A wonderful concept for people to gather (no more than 50, well let’s say 70) and listen to some pretty decent jamming sessions. It’s raw and it highlights, once again, the talent of this Country.
www.studio7.org.za

Art – Iziko SA National Gallery Annexe is hosting the Art for Social Change exhibition. Pupils from Khayelitsha, Strand, Delft and Hanover Park are showing their work. This is an absolute must. But you have time. Running until the new year.
www.iziko.org.za

Nature – Good news. Crystal Pools hiking trails are open again from 1st November. The Steenbras River Gorge, Gordon’s Bay has been closed since May 2011 due to fire damage, soil erosion, vegetation degradation, uncontrolled access and visitor safety issues. There are new rules to abide by, but there are those reputable pools, waterfalls, nature trails, bird life, and spectacular views to put your takkies on for. Just dodge the Stellenbosch student trail.

Wine – Well, it’s the Robertson Wine on the River Festival this weekend. Happening right now. The spring celebration is well underway so if you are not there, drying off your wet feet with another tasting, then open up a bottle of this – Boekenhoutskloof Chocolate Block and partner it with a few shavings of parmigiano. This should be in the food category, I know, but red wine on this wintery October Sunday…

Let’s not moan about the weather. There are too many things to go to see and do today, that do not require sunshine. But I do know that the music I am about to go and listen to, standing at the back like the naughty kids, will most certainly brighten up my day.

I applaude you People of Cape Town. High 5.

Put on the gypsey attire, pack the necessary camping equipment, and start stretching those dancing muscles. It’s 4 days of all kinds of rocking.

See you in Darling, Darling.

http://rockingthedaisies.com/festival-features/

If you are not watering from the mouth, then perhaps you are not hungry. So let’s talk about the fashion, then. (For those who are busy eating all of the above, turn away now, because it will deter you from your next helping, in the hope of fitting into some of the garments.)

In fact, as I am only on my 5th helping I’m going to drop the fashion talk and just say, go and meander your way through the classical, the vintage, the casual, the Kinky Chinkie (yes, I promise that is the name), the Puppy Club (men’s clothing, not women’s accessories) and all of the jewellery collections, too.

And if you are not interested in food, fashion, or market music then there is always that other reason to go…we all know how cool it is to be seen at a cool place.

To market we all should go.

Opening Times:
Thursday ~ 4.30PM – 8.30PM
Saturday ~ 9AM – 2PM

http://www.citybowlmarket.co.za/city-bowl-market-contact.html

Only the very best in the business are awarded a Certificate of Excellence — display yours proudly in a place where your guests can see it.

Yet another testament to the majestic Cape for all that it offers at what can be considered as the best time of the year. The sea is still blue, the skies are still clear, the mountain is still humming and the birds are still singing, in a slightly cooler midday sunshine.

The Old Mutual Summer Sunset Concerts at Kirstenbosch are still centre stage…

Forget your shoes – you can dance on the grass. Just pack a picnic basket and indulge in a delectable Cape-Cocktail of Hugh Masekela’s eclectic sounds with a blend of nature. I think you’ll all agree that this will be more than just Jazz.

See you there.
For more information on tickets and further details please go to:

http://dogreatthings.co.za/kirstenbosch/artist/hugh-masekela/

Multiple award-winning theatre artists Jeremy Crutchley and Geoffrey Hyland will collaborate on a new production, Sacred Elephant, an adaptation of the celebrated work by poet Heathcote Williams, from 2 to 18 February at the Intimate Theatre on Hiddingh Campus.

Crutchley is directed by Hyland in this simple, startling and moving one-man show that passionately reveals the soul of the earth’s largest land-living mammal. Sacred Elephant is a powerful alchemy of verse using fact and feeling to demolish the myths that keep us complacent about the fate of one of the most intelligent and profoundly skilled of all the world’s creatures.

Stellar Cast
Geoffrey Hyland, Associate Professor at UCT Drama, kicks off his stimulating 2012 Sabbatical with this production before heading to London where he will direct a Shakespeare production.

Jeremy Crutchley is known for his diverse and unique roles in Theatre as well as on Film. He was most recently seen onstage in the internationally acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winning I Am My Own Wife for which he won the Fleur Du Cap Best Actor and Best Solo Performance in 2010.

Heathcote Williams, poet, playwright and actor, has made a significant contribution, especially for his extended poems on environmental subjects such as Whale Nation, Falling for a Dolphin, Sacred Elephant and Autogeddon.

Date:03 Feb 2012
Time:20:30 – 21:30
Venue:Intimate Theatre
Location:Hiddingh Campus | 57 Orange Street | Gardens
Price:R50p/p –R100p/p
Phone:+27 (0)21 4807 129
Email:littlebookings@gmail.com.

Being only 1 km as the crow flies from the start of the race, Welgelegen is an ideal location for cyclists wanting a place to relax and get pampered in tranquility before and after the race.

We are delighted to offer cyclists who book with us before the 1st March 2012 a 50% discount on all of our massage and therapy rates.

Please bare in mind its possible to book through our website, our facebook page and via telephone or email.

For all the information you need, please refer to: