WhaleTales Blog

I have not been fitness-conscious in many years, but in preparation for my Camino walk, I decided to invest in a FitBit, a watch that not only tells the date and time, but also provides information about one’s activity in terms of steps and kilometers covered, calories burned, and one’s heart rate. All the measures are tracked daily and weekly, from the time that one startswearing the FitBit. (more…)

Last Monday I attended The Sommeliers Selection 2018 tasting of the top-scoring wines at Tokara Delicatessen, driving through from Cape Town on a rainy day. My two favorites I tasted were Arra Shiraz 2015, as well as Trizanne Reserve Syrah 2017.  The top wines in the tasting were selected by top Sommelier members of the South African SOmmeliers Association, and the Black Cellar Club.  (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Mainstreet Computers in Hermanus, and its owner Johanns. Recently I laid a charge against Mike Pierce at the Hermanus police station for trespassing, and breaking and entering, and had to provide proof of warnings to Pierce to not enter my property. For that I needed to print out warning emails at the closest copy shop I found. In doing so, I realised that I had left my handbag in my car, which I had left at the house of a friend in Cape Town, and had to ask Johanns if I could return later in the day to pay the R22,5o for the email printouts, being able to borrow the money from a friend. To my shock and surprise, he agreed. It was an amazing sign of trust, even if for a small amount, to a customer he had never met before. (more…)

On Friday I needed to travel to Hermanus, and stopped at Terra Madre in Elgin, being overwhelmed by the energy of owner Chef Nicole Precoudis, and her organic-style home-prepared produce, which can be purchased on their farm, online, as well as at an increasing number of outlets in Cape Town, or one can have it delivered weekly to one’s home. Terra Madre is true to its promise of ‘Handcrafted with Love’. (more…)

Yesterday I visited the Carrol Boyes head office in Paarden Eiland, and was shown around its extensive and impressive Showroom, and Chocolate and Sugar Confectionery production facility by its CEO Craig Ludwig.  (more…)

CNN describes Cape Town as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, its ocean and mountain views being what makes it particularly special. It writes that the city experiences four seasons in a day, and that allows its locals and visitors to experience a variety of things to do. Despite the water shortage, it is ‘still one of the planet’s most extraordinary destinations’. (more…)

The Sweet Service Award goes to Waterfront Leathers, and its sales assistant Suraya Isaacs, for her excellent service in selling me a Cellini suitcase at a reasonable price. She was knowledgeable about the brand, found me a suitcase in a blue which matches a smaller suitcase I had already bought in the UK, and proactively offered to change the code on the combination lock from the standard supplier one. This was a vast difference to the poor service I received at Frasers, where the sales assistant did not want to listen to my requirements in a suitcase. 

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Every winter is a tough time for the restaurant industry. With the dip in Tourism due to the water shortage, and the early heavy winter rains, the restaurants in Cape Town and the Winelands are feeling the pinch, and many have closed down, even some on the iconic restaurant Bree Street, as well as in the Waterfront!  (more…)

When Jason’s first opened alongside Jardine’s restaurant off Bree Street in Cape Town many years ago, it was a tiny take-away eatery serving breads and sandwiches. Through low-key but continued growth Jason Bakery has established itself as one of our city’s top bakeries, and Jason Lillie as Cape Town’s croissant king!

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The Sweet Service Award goes to Discovery Vitality, for keeping its promises on offering its physically active members cash back on their purchases of healthy foods at Woolworths and Pick ‘n Pay, on their shopping at Clicks, and at Sportman’s Warehouse. In addition, they have weekly rewards for fitness achievements, none of which I had used until I visited The Point Mall branch earlier this week, when I received a surprise reward of a car wash at Body Wash discounted to R15 instead of the cost of R80.  (more…)