There are quite a few affordable deals you can find on accommodation in Cape Town. It obviously depends on location. Flats and houses to rent in eg Camps Bay is quite expensive, but if you're a budget traveller there are quite a few backpackers that offer a clean and cheap bed at rates between R100 and R200 per day per person. Check out Beachbum Holiday Beach Accommodation for affordable accommodation near the beach throughout South Africa and catch a surf while you're at it!
The Piano Lounge reunion party is coming to Cape Town on Thursday 11th of Jan 07. This is sure to be an awesome party if my memory of those legendary Sunday nights are anything to go by!!
Hosted By:: "It Came From The Jungle!" & Sublime
When: Thursday Jan 11, 2007 at 10:00 PM
Where:: Fiction Dj Bar & Lounge 226 Long Street Cape Town, South Africa
Funny, no online presence for this Cape Town club, but it's been going for a while now. The Roosevelt is located in Loop Street it's attracting a decent mature crowd. Good music on the dance floor! Apart from a water damage scare one night, all in all good reviews from everyone I spoke with. This will be one of the top clubs in Cape Town this summer season. Also keep an eye open for clubs that move to the Camps Bay beachfront during December. These are usually the spot to be after a long day on Clifton 4th beach... More on that later.
Swanky new club Chrome in Cape Town is the spot to hang out at the moment. Great venue with good music. It's about time we get a new club in town. Further I've also checked out the new lounge above Royale in Loop Street, quite a nice chill place for after the buzz dinks and quite hidden away, so usually no teeny boppers. It's gonna be a good season this summer... For more information on club Chrome, visit Club Chrome online.
Is it just me or are we having a really long winter in Cape Town this year? It seems we are being battered by endless cold fronts, but I suspect it's close to the final crack of the winter whip. Capetonians are anticipating a great summer season and with the upcoming Cape Show in December (14th December it starts) we're in for a treat.
Other things to do at the moment include:
Table Mountain Cableway Special (until 15th of September): R115 per adult and two minors under 18 can tag along for free. Just check the weather before planning your trip up the mountain!
'We will rock you' production at Artscape until the 10th of September (awesome tribute to the band Queen).
Andre the hilarious hipnotist is on at the Baxter Theatre until the 9th of September. I've seen this show and it's truely very funny!
V&A Waterfront Spring Flower Show from the 30th of August until the 3rd of September.
The Freddy Mercury Birthday Bash at Roosevelt's the 5th of September.
You are hereby invited to join a silent peace march through Cape Town just before 12 noon on May 4.
The "Silence the Violence" march is in response to the wave of crime and violence currently sweeping Cape Town. We are seeking your support.
Please join us in numbers at the Good Hope Centre at 11am on Thursday May 4. The march will start at noon. And send a message of support to shelley@capetalk.co.za.
Bring along banners or placards and let's help turn the tide against crime.
MEDIA RELEASE FROM 567 mw CAPETALK: CAPE TOWN RESIDENTS IN PEACE MARCH TO SHOW THEIR COLLECTIVE OPPOSITION TO CRIME
CAPETONIANS, concerned by the levels of crime and violence across the city, are being offered an opportunity to make a symbolic statement against the carnage by participating in a silent peace march on May 4.
Organised by CapeTalk, the "Silence the Violence" initiative follows a dramatic increase in gang violence, a host of gruesome murders and ongoing general crime in Cape Town and its surrounds over recent weeks.
CapeTalk station manger Colleen Louw said hundreds of callers to the station recently had expressed anger and deep concern at crime levels in the city and had expressed a desire to do something about the situation.
"They are telling us that crime levels are unacceptable and they want to do something about it. We are providing a platform for them to do so."
"This is not a protest, but through this symbolic and silent walk for peace we are encouraging ordinary Capetonians to play a part in the resolution of this dire situation and to collectively take action and show their solidarity with all efforts aimed at normalising the situation."
"We are urging ordinary citizens and organised groups to come out of their homes and their offices en masse on May 4 and to make a stand," said Louw.
"Let this be the first step towards a crime-free Mother City," she added.
Participants will gather at the Good Hope Centre from 11 am on Thursday, May 4. The sounding of the Noon Day Gun will mark the start of the one kilometre march which will move along Strand Street, into Adderley Street and end in Darling Street outside the Cape Town City Hall.
For more information, call Shelley Doyle on (021) 446-4771 or visit the Cape Talk website below:
The Boss model party was a great one, although Miam Miam was a bit chockablock with Cape Town models and celebrities. Not that any Cape Town boytjie would normally have a problem with that ;-) The stage performances were quite cool, I liked the Razelle impersonators, can't remember what their name was, but they were quite good. Further Jaques Terre'Blanche from Idols fame did some swingy numbers. Dude, cut your hair! Must admit, he can sing though.
There were some models trying to walk down a catwalk between the masses of people, but no one could really see anything and I don't really think anyone cared. Saw allot of familiar faces and all in all it was a great party for a private one...
Also saw Ferdinant Rabie from Big Brother fame having a good time. Note to self: Get invited to more private/public parties...
The Metallica concert was a memorable one. Only drawbacks were the long queues for beer!! The music was out of this world, and most people said Collective Soul shouldn't have played just before Metallica since they were too relaxed!! Ha-ha. SA music was on top form and held up with the rest of the International bands...
Aparently Metallica likes Cape Town so much that they want to return in future for more concerts!
Yeah, the Sandman is coming to Cape Town and will be performing with a whole host of well known South African and International artists. The concert will be held in Green Point stadium, Cape Town. Look out for Seether and Prime Circle, they rock, because local is lekker! Bookings can be made at Computicket.
Green Point athletics stadium is situated about 10 minutes from central Cape Town, near the V & A Waterfront. There is ample parking, but this is going to be one of the big ones for the year, so come early and queue up!
The Antique Restaurant in Cape Town is situated within the ABSA building, on the 31st floor oposite Hemisphere club. Blessed with the same beautiful view of the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain, it's sure to be a winning recipe.
The crowd is quite hip and in the age group of around 23 - 40. The decor is very dramatic with velvet wallpaper, big framed mirrors and art deco lighting in the bar. The restaurant section is more conventional with very comfy chairs and a 'long' menu. Just try not to swot over your neighbour's glass when opening it!
The food quality was great. I was trying to establish under what genre it will fall and could only come up with fusion food. A mixture of cultures, with a strong Asian influence. Our table had some problems getting our food all at once, since they insisted on not bringing any starters mixed with main courses, which made things difficult since half of everyone only wanted the 'to share' dishes (like Haiku's tapa idea - finger foods, sushi and stuff). Unfortunately this was not perceived to be good value for money as the portions were quite small in most cases.
I will however highly recommend the main courses as we couldn't find fault with it. Compliments to the chef.
Will this new restaurant top Haiku as the best young restaurant in Cape town, in our books? No, but with the stunning venue and bed sized sofas (in the restaurant - same idea as at Poo Na Na), we think they might just get it right.
It's that time again and we want to wish all our readers a happy new year from beautiful Cape Town.
There are many parties all over the place, pretty much each club is having their bash tonight and Long Street will be cordoned off to make it all one big street party.
Kirstenbosch Gardens is having an open night concert with live bands.
Table Mountain Cable Car is active upwards until 23:30 and the last car back is around 01:00.
Camps Bay will be one big street party as usual.
The Waterfront will probably be a great show of fireworks as usual.
Blaauwberg will be a good viewing spot since you can see the whole Table Mountain and all the fireworks.
Look after yourself and don't drink and drive! Arrive Alive!
Golden circle tickets for the Robbie Williams concert in Cape Town sold out in a record breaking 14 minutes! The rest was sold out in a matter of hours, for all national concerts!
So I was one of the suckers that didn't get a ticket, allthough Robbie's not my favorite artist. Just from seeing a few of his DVD's I think this concert's going to rock Cape Town like never before!
Talking about rock music, Bryan Adams is doing rounds in Cape Town again next year (2006) in March (on the 7th to be exact). The concert will be held in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which is an exceptionally cosy venue in Cape Town's Southern Suburbs. The Kirstenbosch gardens feature beautiful local flora and is a spectacular picnic venue. There are walking routes, an art gallery and a restaurant, so make a day of it!
The fashion industry in Cape Town is alive and kicking. There are many boutiques in Cape Town that offer uniquely African and South African flavour, that appeals to a wide international market.
Robbie Williams (who needs no introduction at all) is coming to Cape Town soon. The venue and dates are still unknown, but users can register on his website to getting tickets early. Regular ticket sales open through Computicket on the 19th of November 2005.
If you've found love in Cape Town, please make my day and comment with your stories... I'd like to hear stories about real Cape Town people falling in love, because I seem to be the invisible man...
It was one of those Sunday mornings when you wake up and immediately start thinking about where you will go for lunch. The four of us decided on seafood, and rattled off the usual spots. Then someone mentioned Blowfish, and we were off.
Firstly, let me say that we were lucky to get a table, not having a booking, that overlooks the ocean and Table Mountain, arguably the most photographed scene in the world. Once seated, we were presented with the wine list, which I must say is quite comprehensive. The weather was looking lovely and we were planning on having fish so we opted for a chilled Chardonnay, which did not disappoint.
The menu is limited, and I remember wondering if some of the pages might have gone missing. In any event, we settled in at the sushi bar and had fantastic California Rolls, something else I cannot pronounce (it had orange caviar toppings) and (my personal favorite) Smoked Salmon Nigiri. Delicious!
Back to the table, the waitress waiting to explain the "Blowfish experience" to us, whereafter I understood the limited menu. Let me break it down for you: They have what can only be described as a "fish deli/market" inside the restaurant, with a knowledgeable (and very entertaining) fish-expert (?) behind the counter.
He then took us through the almost 20 different kinds of fish, starting with the origin, texture and then moving on to taste, whereafter he moved on to the prawns, crayfish and calamari. Once you have decided on what kinds of fish you want, and how you want it prepared, (spicy, lemon & herb or garlic) each piece is weighed and you're billed accordingly.
Back to the table where we waited, each for our individually compiled plate of fish food. After another glass of Chardonnay it arrived, and we were very excited. To cut a long story of succulent fish, tangy calamari and scrumptious prawns short, it was short of magnificent.
The bill came to around R200 per person, which included the wine (about half a bottle per person) which we felt was a bit expensive, but worth it. It was definitely an experience to remember and is often talked about.
Give it a try, I can certainly recommend Blowfish.
This year's WineX show (sponsored by Rand Merchant Bank) will be held in the CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre) from 21-23 September 2005.
Come and experience all the best of the Cape's wine in a "serial wine tasting" environment. Now the question is - do you spit or swallow?!
Today is officially the first day of summer in Cape Town. It's a scorching 30-something and the beaches are sure to be packed. Good venues for sundowners:
La Med (Camps Bay) Caprice (Camps Bay) La Perla (Sea Point) Baraza (Camps Bay) Summerville (Camps Bay)
Well as you can see, Camps Bay is pretty much the spot for sundowners. Go NOW!
Slow emergency response for Hurricane Katrina victims
Reports are filtering through with all kinds of speculation on why George Bush was so slow on responding to emergency calls from New Orleans and affected surrounding states. I think that with such a big engine (being the government, in any country for that matter) it takes time to turn wheels and provide suitable action. Blame is flying around left right and center.
On a local talk radio show it was discussed how 'ready' local government would be for a natural or any other disaster (possible problems at Koeberg Nuclear power station on the Cape West Coast for instance). They DO have contingency plans in place, but I think nothing can really prepare one for a disaster on such large scale.
For instance think how a suburb like Parklands on the West Coast main road would look upon evacuation calls. The houses are literally built on top of each other, going into kilometers of suburbs with narrow roads and it would surely create chaos.
One of the pretty Primi's as we like to call it. If you want an unspoilt view of Table Mountain accross the Atlantic Ocean, Primi Piatti Table View is the place to go. They have a great menu and it's a vibey place, with a seperate cocktail lounge area. Seperate smoking section and an in the kitchen feel with food tins on 'production lines' displayed through the restaurant.
All waiters are strictly trained (bootcamp style) and their service is prompt if a little pushy(maybe overly confident is more accurate) at times. They all wear bright orange overalls.
Primi Piatti Table View is about 15 minutes drive when there is no traffic from Cape Town.
While we've just had a week of exceptionally bad weather (with of course the occasional sunny moment), we just want to take this moment to thank our lucky stars that we live in a hurricane free environment.
Our thoughts are with everyone in New Orleans and if you wanna take a break, come to Cape Town to escape it all. Hurricane Katrina is sure to wreak havoc in New Orleans and we hope that some of the national musical and other heritage treasures of the States will be kept in tact over there. We're sure to see some Blues coming from that part of the world in a new wave (excuse the pun) soon.
So in celebration of this day, that we have all been waiting so long for, this weekend sees Mint open to one and all. Join us this weekend Fri 26th and Sat the 27th August.
The Cape Town International Convention Centre will host an exciting event that showcases what Cape Town Tourism has to offer. It will be run as initiative by the Cape Town Routes Unlimited (Cape Town's main tourism body), Department of Economic Development (DED), Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP), South Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA - Western Cape Chapter) and Cape Craft Design Institute (CCDI). If you're in town and looking to explore the rich tourism we have on offer, don't miss this event! Email Linda on linda@capetourism.org for more information.
Opium's been around for a while now and have comfortably settled in as one of the top clubs in Cape Town. Situated in De Waterkant, Green Point, it's pretty much within the city bowl area or just on the boundary and easily accessible from anywhere in the city.
First off, the music is great. Hard, pumping dance music for the masses, with beautiful people hanging around. It's fun all the way and not for the faint-hearted! The club is divided into sections, with VIP sections as well where the well known gets pampered in style. Parking is usually not a problem if you arrive early enough (or if you are important enough).
This club's right up there at the moment, so visit them this weekend!
10 - 13 August Cape Town International Convention Centre
60+ of Africa's most talented designers will be showcasing their Spring/Summer 2005/6 collections in 37 individual fashion shows at the prestigious Nokia Cape Town Fashion Week, to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 10th to 13th August 2005.
This major social calendar event is this year fittingly themed "African Renaissance".
This year's star-studded line-up of designers includes Craig Port, Kluk, Hip Hop, Maya Prass, Craig Native, Stoned Cherrie, YDE, Sun God'dess, Gideon, Fred Eboka and Jenni Button to name a few. Be among the first to view next year's cutting edge designs strutting the catwalks over four days.
The popular International Fashion Sale (IFS), in association with Nokia Cape Town Fashion Week, will be offering designer brands at phenomenal prices - some up to 70% off!
IFS tickets will be R35 and available either at the door or through Computicket.
Nokia Cape Town Fashion Week tickets will be available at Computicket at R55 per weekday show and R110 per weekend show.
