When you hear of a new hotel opening in the middle of a period of gloom and depression your spirits lift and you send out a cheer and wish them the best.
When it’s a small boutique hotel, remodelled around the industrial architecture of a disused, wood fired, steam turbine power station you cheer even louder.
The Turbine [...]
Usually I avoid any accommodation with the tag ‘Eco’ like the plague.
A stint in a dusty stone and bamboo hut on a Greek Island finished me off.
The issue is that I like my little luxuries; high thread count sheets, powerful showers, deep baths and decent food.
So I drove up a steep windy road into the Phantom [...]
Protea Hotels announced the results of three years research into hotel guests key requirements when staying at a Protea or African Pride Hotel.
The collated the results of questionnaires answered by over 300,000 people and came up with the astonishing conclusion that people really just want what they’ve wanted for decades. And that is;
1. Great service [...]
This is my final instalment from Spain. What a trip it has been. Full of foodie delights, memorable meals and stunning sights. And the people, well the Spanish are warm, friendly, helpful and willing to please. Such a delight.
What I like about the area I chose to visit is that it hasn’t been destroyed by [...]
Salvador Dali was born in Figures. Today the centre of this town is dominated by his wonderful museum. In we pop to take a look and we are not disappointed. It’s wild and wacky and particularly good for children. There’s nothing boring or predictable about Dali’s work, that’s for sure.
Dali was very serious about food [...]
It’s day two in Barcelona and I’m psyching myself up for a visit to one of my favourite restaurants in the world.
It’s called Cal Pep. Just north of the Placa de Palau at Placa des les Olles 8, Cal Pep doesn’t look like anything special from the outside. I’ve eaten here many times. The owner, [...]
What an incredible outcome. Spain are the world champions and I’m so happy.
How appropriate that, today, I start my Spanish Diaries. For the last two weeks I have meandered and travelled around the north east coast of Spain. I started in Barcelona and made my way up to the north coast, wandered through the Costa [...]
It’s all about hands on experiences. Turn flour into bread , cream into butter, milk into cream, wine and food pairings galore and how about some bubbles, charcuterie and chocolate? Oh, yes please.
It’s a Franschhoek Affair, and it takes place next weekend on June 25th,26th and 27th.
There’s a huge amount of activity taking place over the [...]
After a schlep out to the countryside that takes 90 minutes, instead of the promised 45, the last thing you want to experience is a second rate restaurant. And let’s face it, unless you are aiming at Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, there’s a high probability that you’ll end up somewhere that is gastronomically challenged.
So to end [...]
Only 90 minutes from Cape Town, Robertson is a set in the heart of the Route 62 wine producing region, and its wide streets are lined with jacaranda and oak trees.
Nestled down a leafy side street The Robertson Small Hotel looks like, well….it looks like a small hotel.
Actually it’s a Victorian manor house, which has been [...]
Prince Albert is a small Karoo Town with a growing foodie vibe. It’s the fig capital of South Africa.
Wide streets and large shady trees line the footpaths in front of houses which display architectural styles which showcase Dutch Colonial, Victorian and Karoostyle buildings.
There’s a relaxed sense of community here. People are open and friendly.
Half the fun [...]
Karoo Brew beer is brewed in Montagu, in a microbrewery, by brew master, and former investment banker, Wayne Raath.
After 13 years living in Germany and Luxembourg Wayne returned to his native South Africa with his German partner Katrin Lenhardt and opened the Mystic Tin on Montagu’s main street. Initially a backpackers accommodation, Wayne was looking to add [...]
This is the first entry in Foodie Places to Stay. In this section it’s all about visiting places that are a managable distance from Cape Town that will make for a good weekend away and, of course, have plenty of opportunities for good eating and drinking.
Paternoster is our first destination. Under a two hour drive [...]
Suzi Holtzhausen has opened her second restaurant in Paternoster, called Gaaitjie. This is an impressive addition to eating out in this part of the world.
Starting with the location – it’s right on the beach. When the weather is right it’s paradise, with the deep blue seas and endless skies providing an idyllic setting. Even when [...]
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Tags: gaaitjie, paternoster 
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Suzi Holtzhausen is a culinary star in Paternoster. Prior to settling there she has had a multitude of experiences in the restaurant industry, mostly based in Johannesburg. And now, luckily for visitors and locals, she has decided to settle in Paternoster.
We had lunch in Suzi’s eatery, located on the main road as you drive into [...]
The sign outside The Noisy Oyster proclaims that this establishment sells “West Coast Viagra” and that if you are “Hungry, Thirsty or Horny”, come on in. Dishes on the menu are listed under the headings of “Foreplay” and “Intercourse” . Hmmmm….. All very laddish.
Chef Brian Smit, aka ‘The Handsome Chef” holds fort in the kitchen but [...]
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