Road Extension Will Lead To Problems

So the City of Cape Town wants to extend Uys Krige Drive (old Hendrik Verwoerd Drive).

This post is taken from the Loevenstein Residents Association Facebook Page:

"IMPORTANT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION MEETING - 12 JUNE 2013 7PM VELODROME - You may not know this, but the City of Cape Town are trying to push through the extension of Uys Krige/Hendrik Verwoerd to be a 4-lane road all the way through Loevenstein, Hoheizen, the Stellenbosch University Campus to join up with Carl Cronje. This would be a severe blow to our area, as this will immediately bring a lot more traffic as well as be another access route for criminals accessing our area. The truth of the matter is that the half-diamond on/off ramp at Carl Cronje was already approved by the City to handle the extra traffic, but now suddenly is too expensive for the developer of the proposed Galleria development at the Velodrome and an alternative route needs to be developed. Why should we be affected by this? We don't want all the extra traffic through our area. Uys Krige is already a nightmare in peak hours with people using this as an alternative to the N1. With this proposal, this is to become dramatically worse. I would like to urge as many people as possible to attend this meeting to make our votes count against this. Can we count on you???"

The part where it concerns me (not that the whole thing doesn't concern me..) is where they want to put a main road straight through my quiet suburb of Hoheizen. This will destroy the park where I played as a child and would hope my children would one day play. It will drop property prices drastically too. The extension will also go through the property of the Alta du Toit School which provides specialised education for people with intelectual disabilites.

There are no through roads there currently, so as such, there is no reason for random people to be walking around our neighbourhood (although they still do). While crime is present (we were robbed at gunpoint in our home two years ago and there have been numerous other incidents in our quiet area), with this extension it can only increase.

Needless to say, I will be present this evening to have my voice heard.
I will update again after the meeting.
Hope to see you too.

N.

If You're Reading This, I've Made It To 31...

It's true folks.. 'tis my birthday today, 10 April.

I no longer fear my impending pre-mid-life crisis. In fact, I fart in it's general direction.

I've been a little scarce on here, my apologies. I've had plenty to keep me busy.

I was recently MC at my little Cousin Jessica's wedding. Nerve-wracking to say the least. I'm not one for public speaking, but it all went well. Apparently I was funny, although I don't recall telling any jokes. But more about that in another post..

I've recently completed the second of my GetSmarter Courses and now also have a Certificate in Internet Marketing to go with my Certificate in Social Media Marketing..although, the fact that it just reads Certificate of Completion kind of feels like it's a 'Thanks For Coming' award. Nevertheless, the tidbits of information that I have learnt during the 10 weeks will come in handy. I've already received a request to assist with redesigning a website. I just hope I can do it justice..

Clever me. Forgot to order the framed certificate.

I also attended a Moët-Hennessy-Glenmorangie tasting course for which I got a shiny certificate and a slight hangover. It was totally worth it though. 

I can drink, me..

I trust everyone had a good Easter. The best part about Easter is that Woolies brings in the Marks & Spencer Honeycomb Bunnies. These little beauties are fantastic. Make sure that you get your hands on some next Easter. Hot Cross Buns are always great, but for me, they have lost their appeal due to them being available, pretty much, all year round.. (Thanks again, Woolies)

Honeycomb Bunnies. You know you want to.

So Big Birthday Plans? Nope. Just a nice chilled dinner with loved ones. I did arrange a picnic of sorts prior to the Johnny Clegg concert at Kirstenbosch on Sunday. It was the last of the Summer Sunset Concert series for the year. Apart from it being freezing and some folks unable to attend (due to various commitments) it was most enjoyable. Johnny Clegg is great live. I'm ashamed to admit that this was my first time seeing him live. I recall many years ago (you know, before the advent of social media and all this new-fangled technology) my sister and a friend of hers going to watch Johnny play a concert in East London. They were going as a laugh, completely expecting it to suck. They were wrong.. and have become big fans since.

Johnny Clegg rocking Kirstenbosch.

This morning on the way to work I noticed a rainbow..in clear skies. Not something you see everyday. Also, I did not take this picture while driving in morning traffic on the N1. That would be wrong..

Clear Sky Rainbow (to the left of the lamp post)

Lastly, I would like to say that I am grateful for all the special people in my life, new and old. You guys rock. I am lucky to have you guys in my life. 

Got this beaut of a birthday card from Cara and Nathan..

Love your work, Nathan

Well, here's to a good year. Catch you on the flipside.

N.

January Roundup Part 1

As promised, I said I would update you all on what's been happening the last while..

January brought with it new beginnings and a new frame of mind. I also decided to explore the new (well, not so new anymore) V&A Market on the Wharf.

Market On The Wharf

What I like about the Market on the Wharf, is that it is open Wednesday through Sunday, 09h30 - 19h30. This means that it is not as congested as many of the other markets that are only open one or two days a week. You are able to move around at you own pace, visiting each stall and even have the space to speak to each stall holder to discuss their wares.

Great selection of stalls to visit

That's Chocolate down there

And some wares! One of the standout stalls has to be 'Bubble Tea'. This Taiwanese treat seems to be taking Cape Town by storm. If you haven't tried it yet, GO NOW.. You can read more about it here.

I'll have some popping bobas, please

Another one not to miss is 'Bite Me'. Really tasty burgers with quirky names. My personal favourite is 'The Bad Joke'...because it's so cheesy.

If you insist

The Bad Joke

And what better accompaniment for a burger than an ice cold draught. They guys at Keg King have set up a great bar on the upper level with a good selection of the gold nectar on tap. They've also recently introduced TV's to the upper area, so book a table early to enjoy the rugby . Follow them on twitter to see what they're getting up to.

Beer and Burger. Yes please.

Keep an eye out on the show kitchen. There is invariably a demonstration taking place. When I was there, Sue-Ann Allen from Masterchef SA cooked up some Paleo inspired treats with the help of Chris Lenz from Think Food. Very interesting views on what is healthy and what isn't and how easy it is to change your eating plan.

Chris and Sue-Ann

And if chocolate is your weakness, you have stop by Jean-Pierre Fortain Chocolatier.. So many temptations to choose from. My recommendation? The hazelnut paste. Think Nutella for connoisseurs..

Amazing Hazelnut Paste

On your way out, don't forget to get some Ice Cream from The Creamery. The Sea Salt Caramel is fantastic.

If you're heading through, let me know. Maybe. I'll join you.
Let me know what else you've discovered at the Market On The Wharf.

N.

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Ok, well, there weren't any tears, but it makes for a good title. But it was hot, so plenty sweat. (overshare)
Friday was a good day. It marked the last day of work until the day after Boxing Day, so a chance to recharge the batteries.

Also, the world didn't end but, based on all the poor Apocalypse jokes, maybe it should have.
On the way to work Gareth Cliff played this awesome mash up of the hits of 2012 by DJ Earworm (An Annual event).

I had forgotten that we were hosting the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service in a blood donation drive. After Management Meeting, the management team decided that we would do our bit and go down and donate. So fueled by a cup of coffee, a cupcake and three biscuits pilfered from the pastry kitchen (hardly a breakfast of champions, mind you), I went to give the gift of life.

Donating Blood.

Being a first timer (I know..I know), I was surprised at how easy and painless it was. That was until after. That plaster hurts like a mofo and I now have an awesome bruise that makes me look like a junkie.
I did start to feel a tad light headed later in the day, drained even. I'm glad I did it though.

After I got home I had to start prepping my Christmas Ice Cream. Since last year's Ice Cream was a hit, the pressure is on. I've decided to be a bit more experimental this year. I'm going to make a Cherry Brandy Ice Cream for the adults and a Vanilla Ice Cream with blocks of Jelly (Cream Soda, Bubblegum and Candy Floss) for the kids. More to follow in a future post.

After watching our boys annihilate the Kiwis in the 1st T20 Cricket match (If NZ Cricket wants to be taken seriously, they should get Piri Weepu to teach the Haka to them. At least then we're guaranteed a show of sorts) I decided to head off to the Willowbridge Festive Night Market.

Festive lights at the Festive Market

 There was a much smaller selection of stalls than I had expected, but I was assured by one of the stall holders that tonight (Saturday 22nd December) will be a lot busier due to the regular Saturday Stalls being up during the day and then being joined by the Festive traders later in the afternoon. They had the usual suspects: handful of food stalls, clothing, jewellery, crafts and healing crystals..(this is Cape Town after all). They even had a Tupperware stall.

One of the keys to effective marketing is making use of catchy signage. I saw the sign below and immediately had the urge to buy some cookies for my two nieces to put out for Santa (I believe he favours Johnnie Walker Black in lieu of milk). The stall holder told me that they own a bakery and had completed delivery of around 6000 of these hand piped cookies. Wow. Imagine how much that hand must have cramped..

Santa likes a good cookie

I did a slow circuit of the market to see if anything else grabbed my attention and spotted a live band playing on the one side. They were playing laid back, background music but it was quite a nice touch. The folks sitting outside at Hussar Grill were enjoying the extra entertainment.

Live Band

I came across these wire crafts which I thought were pretty cool, although I'm not sure if I would buy one. Nowhere to put it.

Cute Bunnies

Wire Tree

I came across the Cape Mountain Charcuterie stall and tried some of their chorizo and saucisson samples. The chorizo is nice and spicy and the saucisson (french style dried sausage) is pretty tasty. Of course, I bought a piece of each. :D

Chorizo and Saucisson

They also had some oak smoked bacon, which I am about to try out. (now that's a breakfast of champions!) They are based in Porterville with offices in the City Bowl, so delivery to the City Bowl and Southern Suburbs is free.. I'm sure once they get their foot in the door in the Northern Suburbs, they will include free delivery for us too..

Finally, I walked past a T-Shirt stall with some nice designs. I have a weakness for t-shirts (I am getting better though) and I decided to have a look through their wares. The company is called May Bru (my broer) and is Cape Town based. They guy selling the t-shirts was a bru. A real fun oke who I, like, had a chat to.

May Bru

I tried on a green t-shirt, but there were no change rooms. It was the first time that I have taken my shirt off in the middle of Willowbridge mall. Luckily there were no small children to scare.

Authentic Cape Town

May Bru

All in all a good day. Now, let the weekend begin.
N.

Carols by Glow-Stick

One of the key indicators that it is Christmas in Cape Town is the annual Carols by Candle Light at Kirstenbosch. For those of you who were in a school choir (or enjoy singing in the shower..) it's a good time to dust off ye olde vocal chords. Unfortunately they are no longer using candles due to the mess this makes on the grass and pathways. Instead, you get a glow-stick with your song sheet.

Presented by Kirstenbosch Rotary, Carols at Kirstenbosch is now in it's 20th year and with Pick 'n Pay as it's main sponsor, it is a very well run, family friendly evening. Pick 'n Pay even had a stand where you could buy food and drinks.

I recommend getting there early so that you can secure a decent spot and also get to witness the pre-carols entertainment. I went on Friday evening with my sister, brother-in-law and friend and it was good fun.
I managed to catch the whole of The Brothers Streep's set, which is a laugh a minute. This Cape Town based acoustic comedy band is not only really talented, but it's hilarious too. They're doing New Years at the Brass Bell this year, so if you're not doing anything, head on down to Kalk Bay and enjoy. (You might also have seen them on The Graham Norton Show playing Anna Paquin)

It was an absolutely stunning day in Cape Town on Friday, perfect for a picnic, some bubbles (or your choice of poison) and some good old caroling.

Important to get a good spot

Make sure you get your song sheet

As mentioned, this was the 20th year of Carols at Kirstenbosch. The proceeds go to Kirstenbosch Rotary's many projects and beneficiaries. Being a former Interactor (Junior Rotary..I was president in my matric year) it's always good to support the Rotarians.

Service Above Self

Kirstenbosch Rotary's Beneficiaries

There is one important decision to make once you get settled. When it comes to singing Mary's Boy Child, are you going to follow the choir, or are you going to choose to sing the Boney M version. If you look at the lyrics below, you'll see that they make the decision easy. It has to be the Boney M version.

Them see a bright new shining star

My peeps

Glorious Cape Town Sunset

The Nativity is quite cute as well, as it is enacted by children from local schools.

Nativity Scene

More Nativity Scene

The evening ends off with a rendition of Silent Night, made even more amazing as everyone waves their glow-sticks back and forth in unison. It is an awesome sight (and I mean awesome)

After the carols end, it is always a mad rush to get to your car and get out before the masses..but that never works. We decided to avoid the stampede and have a drink at Moyo at Kirstenbosch. Not only is it a nice setting, but by the time we were done, our cars were the last ones in the parking lot. Perfect.

So, make sure that next year you keep your calender clear for Carols at Kirstenbosch. It's a good evening out. Remember, there are no bins in Kirstenbosch, so take your trash with you.
That's all from me.

N.

Sometimes you just need to take a break.

Greetings.
Wow. What a super busy week! Between work and my second assignment for my Internet Marketing course, I've had no time for anything else. I think I only had one bottle of wine last week (Shock, Horror!)

So as mentioned before, this week we had to create a website for a business (real or fictional). As we progress through the different aspects of Internet Marketing, we will be applying our knowledge to this site.
I met up with my friend on Saturday morning to chat about a few ideas I had for the site. Decided to multitask and have breakfast at the same time. I was joined by my sister, her husband and another friend.
I just love the cappuccinos there!

As promised, if you can guess the coffee shop that I have based my fictional site on, the coffee is on me. (That means I'll pay...don't go throwing your coffee on me.)
So, check out the first draft of the site and hazard a guess in the comments section below. Really, it's not that difficult..

In the midst of finishing this assignment, I had some serious issues with the site builder that we are using. The templates are limiting and, when you do select a template you like, it's a bit tricky to place things where you want them. Add to that my dodgy Cell C connection and the site freezes. I'm not one for saving after typing every word (far too tedious) so if the site freezes, you have to start all over...very frustrating.

On Sunday I was making slow progress, so I decided to take a break and head off to the Blaauwklippen Family Market at Blauuwklippen Wine Estate. This is fast becoming one of my favourite markets. It's a nice drive out there and they have Alpacas!

Last time I was there I noticed a stall that was selling chopping boards and Japanese Chefs knives. I didn't take much notice then, but this time something caught my eye. If any of you are old enough to remember La Linea (Italian for 'The Line') you will appreciate that this is the best chopping board...EVER!

La Linea

I decided to buy this one for it's absolute quirkiness. The company who makes it is Setta, a local company. They have quite a selection of boards (Natural Bamboo and Solid Surface) so go check them out. The guy at the stall very kindly told me that you can watch all the episodes of La Linea on Youtube...(I've started already).

A trip to Blaauwklippen Family Market is not complete without stopping by Cold Gold Ice Cream for some awesome Artisan Ice Cream. A double scoop of the best chocolate ice cream on a sugar cone? I'll take two! Janine really knows her stuff when it comes to the cold stuff. I stopped by for a chat about how she got into the business and she sneakily told me that she was a fan of my blog.. Flattery will get you everywhere.
She then told me that she had brought takeaway containers, just in case someone wanted to buy some Ice Cream to take home. I went with a tub of Vanilla and a tub of Fat Free Macadamia, Nougat and Cranberry (so healthy, it's practically a vegetable).

Yum

So after my little excursion, I headed back home to finish off my assignment. I was a lot more focused and I was able to finish it off in no time. You definitely need to take a break every once in a while. And when you live in Cape Town, a decent destination is not far away.

Check out my site and let me know what you think.
http://derrycoffeecompany.yolasite.com/

Till next time.
N.

Brain Fart of Note...

Everyone gets them. True Story. That moment where everything makes perfect sense and you wonder how you didn't put the pieces together sooner. Johnny Nash sang about it back in 1973.. The Brain Fart.

So, I've been hearing this awesome song playing on 5fm the past few weeks,
It's called When I Was 17, by Cape Town rockers McCree.
There was just something about the voice that brought back memories. It reminded me of one of my favourite local bands and albums: Kelvin Declined - Kelvin Declined.
I remember watching them perform at Mercury with Sugardrive (many moons ago) and I was hooked. I must have played that album over and over. 42, Stan 229 and Yellow are still on my playlist.

Maybe I've been hiding under a rock, or something, but some minor investigation (Read: Google Search) revealed what I've been suspecting to be true... Mark McCree was the front man for Kelvin Declined.
Duh! No wonder the sound was the same. Idjit.. Needless to say, I know which album I'll be buying tomorrow! Of Hopes and Dreams is out now.

Here's the song I'm talking about. It's awesome. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Another great day to be in Cape Town

Well, as far as Wednesdays go, this has been a pretty good one.
Even though I'm busy trying to recover from a bloody flu/cold thing, I was up early and off to work bright eyed and bushy tailed. (had the wet nose too..)
I've really been missing Rebecca lately. There's just something about your own car that feels like home. And I wanted my baby back.

And then I got a call from the panel beaters to say that my car was ready for collection! Fantastic! (except for the part where I had to shell out just shy of R3k for my excess. Outsurance claims they can't find the bugger who caused the accident.)

So Rebecca is back, looking sexy as ever. I am a very happy guy right now.

Before

After

And so, what with it being Wednesday and time for the 3rd installment in our Starfinder Astronomy Course at the Iziko Planetarium, we decided that we would have a little picnic in the Company Gardens. The last few days in Cape Town have been super windy, but today was just awesome.

No wind, nice and warm...A perfect precursor to summer.

A short detour to Woolworths (I believe everyone has stopped, or never started, boycotting them now..) for some snack and it was off to the gardens.

Picturesque

What a spot for a picnic

This dude was just watching us...#freaky

Turns out he was just finishing his Streetwise Two

The New Vanilla Steri Stumpie..yummy

We had some munchies, with the squirrels looking on. Spotted this random little dude in the pics above. Apparently he was winning the staring contest. At first I thought he was chewing on a stick, but it was actually a chicken bone. All in all, another fantastic impromptu outing in Cape Town. I love this city.

The Starfinder Astronomy Course was interesting as usual. We actually went outside this evening to spot two satellites one of which was the Hubble Telescope. Very cool. One of the guys asked the lecturer why stars seem to twinkle. Apparently the answer is not "Because that's how the song goes..." My bad.

And that was Wednesday.. Oh, Arsenal and Manchester City lost in the Champions League this evening. Can this day get any better? haha

N.

Life Day Spa Cape Town: 3 ways to de-stress

Every day we are confronted by the stresses of modern day life. Deadlines, traffic and cell phones that never stop ringing. There is nothing better than taking some time out to unwind and relieve the stress.

And there is no better place than Life Day Spa at African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa.

I have selected three treatments to relax and rejuvenate you.

This is your de-stress guide to escape the chaos:

 Rasul Treatment

A cleansing and exfoliating ritual that is based on the traditional Turkish Bath. 

The Rasul Chamber can accommodate up to four people.

The treatment starts with a medicinal earth mud application while you relax on one of our heated benches while an herb infused steam fills the room.

Finally, a tropical rain falls from the ceiling, washing away the mud and the stress. Enjoy this 30 minute treatment as a group or with a partner.

Rasul Chamber

 Floatation Room

Escape to the Dead Sea with a session in the Floatation Room. Warm water infused with a ton of Epsom salt will take all the strain off your weary muscles.

Soft, flickering lights will mesmerize you while you lay, listening to the gentle underwater music.

One relaxing session in the float is the equivalent to four hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Floatation Room

 Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage

The core elements of this treatment are designed to relieve tension in the more commonly over-stressed muscles of the back and neck. 

The therapists at Life Day Spa are internationally trained and can recommend suitable detox products and other treatments. They make use of light therapy and gentle flowing sounds to leave you completely relaxed.

Massage Treatment

With all of these treatments, I recommend making use of the complimentary Steam Room and Sauna to relax the muscles prior to your treatment.

Book now. You deserve a stress free day.

http://www.lifedayspact.co.za/treatments.php

Blaauwklippen Family Market - Sundays in Stellenbosch

Late last night I decided that today I would try something new. The weather in Cape Town is stunning, so I was not up to being stuck in doors. I knew I wanted to go for a drive, so I finally settled on Stellenbosch as my destination. More specifically, the Blaauwklippen Family Market.

Stunning Weather in Stellenbosch

Happening every Sunday at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate, it is a great way to spend the mid part of your Sunday. Parking is plentiful, they even let the older folk park quite close, which I thought was quite nice.

Specialized Parking

I did a few circuits of the market to take in all the stalls. You've got your usual craft stalls, pet items, jewellery, etc., but it was the food that I came for. And I was not disappointed. A taste exploration as many different ready to eat food stuffs were available. From Argentinian Steak rolls to Bitter Ballen, there was something for every taste, including Thai, Indian and freshly baked pastries and pancakes.  

Vendors showing their wares

I'll have mine medium rare, please

Bitter Ballen with mustard..I'll take two.

Belgian Waffles anyone?

I also managed to pick up some fresh deli meats as well as some pucker Cornish Pasties. (although, I was a tad disappointed with the pasties. Bit on the dry side, pastry and filling). On the fresh pastry front, I picked up a delicious Parmesan Twist, which was like a giant Croissant in loaf form.

Parmesan Twist

There is plenty place to sit, either under the umbrellas in the courtyard or on the many grass areas, where your kids (if you have them) can go mad after a sugar rush. Bring a blanket or some camping chairs and you're sorted.

Craft Beer and Wine Tasting are also available but, as I was driving, I only looked on and drooled. 

Plenty seating space

But for me, the stand out stall was Cold Gold Ice Cream. What could be better than some Ice Cream on a warm spring day? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I was rather intrigued by the different flavours that Janine van Zyl had available, but eventually settled on Liquorice. (They even have a selection of Vegan Ice Cream...)

Loads of flavours to choose from

WOW. It was delicious. If you like liquorice (which you should) you must try this out. I tweeted about it while I was savouring it under a tree and got a response almost immediately. The beauty of Social Media and the importance of ORM (Online Reputation Management). This prompted me to go back and buy one for the road. I got the 66% Chocolate Ice Cream (last one that they had!). A little pot of chocolate gold. I swear, this had a halo around it when I opened it. Absolutely heavenly.

Chocolate Gold

Gabrielle over at www.deepfriedbananas.com is going to be doing a piece on Janine soon, so keep an eye out for it. I'm glad to say that I now have a reason other than wine to go to Stellenbosch. And with summer on it's way, you should definitely give this a try.