Cape Etc

AUTUMN, IT SEEMS, IS THE ‘FOR GOTTEN SEASON’. IT’S NOT QUITE HOT, NOR HAVE DARK AND COLD DAYS FULLY SET IN. It's a bit awkward, really, and if it were a person, it might best be described as a teenager going through puberty - you never know what you're going to get. But that's what makes this season so exciting! It's a time to celebrate the beauty of transformation… and you get to wear at least three different outfits a day. This is a time of in-betweens, perfect for adventure, I say. You can hike without melting and hit the beach without being uncomfortably cold (except if you decide to swim, but we're not blaming autumn for that). It's also your last chance to really get out there before the…

INTERVIEW / Veld & Sea WILD MUSHROOMS, SEAWEED AND SHELLFISH GALORE, EDIBLE WEEDS AND LEAVES ROOT, SHOOTS, AND MORE. UNLEASH YOUR INNER WILDING WITH A VELD & SEA FORAGING WORKSHOP. ROBYS SIMPSON ARRIVED CLUELESS AND LEFT WITH A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE … AND FLOWERS IN HER HAIRS ‘There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot’ - Aldo Leopold Whichever route you take to get to Veld & Sea, you're guaranteed great scenery. I made my way from the Southern Suburbs via Kommetjie. Imhoff Farm was my last familiar landmark before relying entirely on GPS. As I traversed what I now know to be Slangkop Road, I wasn’t prepared for the impact of the view that pummelled me after weaving around a few comers. It was late…

THE HOOD / Bo-Kaap A few of the Bo-Kaap's steepest cobblestone streets might remind you of Telegraph Hill, that San Francisco neigbourhood known for its vertigoinducing roads. Situated on the lower slopes of Signal Hill and rising up to just before the Noon Gun, Bo-Kaap’s uphills are daunting - a decent calf workout for pedestrians, absolute hell on your car’s clutch. Not that its inclines are likely to faze the majority of tourists who visit. Most visitors to this historic CBD-adjacent neighbourhood end up on and around perfectly flat Rose Street where they hop out to pose for pictures with a few of the candy-coloured houses, perhaps pausing to peruse the shelves at the neighbourhood’s legendary family-run spice shop, Adas. More intrepid visitors might take the time to have a…

MADE IN GAPE TOWN MADE IN CPT BEYOND FOOD AND MOUN VIEWS, THERE'S MAJOR TALENT IN THE MOTHER CITY.CHECK OUT WHAT LOACL WHAT CREATIVES ARE UP TO GEARED FOR ADVENTURE Sealand was founded in 2015 by two surfers and a dog while cruising the country in search of the best waves and a dream. Today, that dream is the creation of responsibly sourced gear made for wave riders, mountain lovers, urban dreamers and adventure seekers alike. ‘To us, life is about adventure, community and appreciating the simple things, which we weave into every Sealand product. We explore the unfamiliar or unknown with a curious, questioning mind and always put people and the planet first.’ Bags, accessories and apparel are handmade in Cape Town using a range of waste materials. These…

CHECK IN GREAT BED? CHECK. TOP-SHELF VIEWS? CHECK. A SIZZLING SETTING? CHECK. BUT HOW ABOUT THAT X-FACTOR? WE GIVE YOU THE LOWDOWN ON EXCEPTIONAL AND UNEXPECTED PLACES TO LAY YOUR HEAD - IN CAPE TOWN AND BEYOND GOOD TO KNOW The last little stretch of road up to the cabin is testing for a simple 4x2. My wife's little Honda Civic handled it but there were some nasty noises that she wouldn't be thrilled to hear about. Price: From R2 100 pn weekdays, R2 500 pn on weekends Visit stonewoodmountaincabin.com or contact info@stonewoodmountaincabin.com STONEWOOD MOUNTAIN CABIN, BAINSKLOOF A combination of an evening run that was a lot tougher than expected and a wonderfully comfortable bed made it incredibly tough to get up in the morning at Stonewood Forget 'people watching’, this was…

NOURISH / New To Try NEW TO TRY FRESH VIEWS, FLAVOURS AND VIDES. TUCK INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS SEASON TO THE MANOR BORN There is a place in the corner of the vineyards, looking over the vines and the quiet hills, that lures you with its promise of discoveries within: the Bistro and Tasting Room at Brookdale Estate is a draw Lorraine Kearney could not resist The Paarl Winelands, although not exacdy the poor cousin, has been the shrinking violet to Franschhoek’s belle of the ball and Stellenbosch’s handsome prince, but the thing about shrinking violets is that when they step out of the shadows, they really shine. Opening her dance card is Brookdale Estate, showing exactly how beguiling Paarl can be. The Manor House, set against the moody backdrop of…