Sunday 21 November 2021, Day 52 of Level 1 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a lovely day, giving myself most of the day off, still responding to my client Restaurant reviews; for a great sunny 24C day, but the wind picked up this afternoon, reducing the number of picnickers, and hence the volume of litter around the Tidal Pool; for our apartment building being so well protected against the wind; for bumping into restaurant designer and Hemelhuijs owner Jacques Erasmus at the Tidal Pool, just having stepped out of the pool; for a lovely outing to check out three new food destinations on the Camps Bay beachfront, bumping into restaurateur Ian Halfon; for a Bakoven walk, being protected against the wind in Kreef Lane, in between the houses; and for being happy, healthy and free. 🙏💙

My first stop was at Marcel’s Frozen Yoghurt, which opened about 2 weeks ago. Very reasonable prices, with a Black Friday special running until the end of the week: black ice cream in a black cone. Very friendly staff. Did not give into temptation.

My second stop was at the new Gibson’s Gourmet Burger food truck which started operating yesterday, parked inside the Bay Hotel parking area, but clients ordering from a set of steps on Victoria Road. The hotel has created the most wonderful platform near the truck, with wonderful sea views, which Ian wants to capitalize on. I planned to just take photographs, but Ian insisted that I try a Gibson’s Cheeseburger, a small packet of fries, and a strawberry milkshake. I was allowed a taste of their ice cream, and was delighted to hear that it comes from the same supplier as that which I love at Dairy Den in Sea Point. Absolutely delicious. Very good prices. I will have to use all my willpower to not head there on my walks. Luckily I had brought my notebook, and recorded pages full of Restaurant opening and closing news.

Ian and I then headed to Cause Effect Kitchen Bar, on the other side of the Bay Hotel entrance, which has been set up as a vibey fun young bar and snack place. Cause Effect has a very popular branch in the Waterfront, and they have done a good job in creating a similar atmosphere. We loved the Manager Gabrielle Vietri, generous in comping our food, in playing DJ and dancing in between, and juggling oranges. We tried the salt and pepper squid, the fabulous haloumi and avo, and falafel, not to our taste, Ian and I sharing the dishes. The presentation of the three dishes was excellent. The cocktails are next level. Table Mountain is served in a Perspex container shaped like our mountain with interesting toppings. Richie the Sparkle Rainbow Unicorn looked better than it tasted, with a candy floss topping. We loved It here.

Three more Camps Bay restaurants are opening in the next 10 days.

SA Corona Status: 2,929,862 cases 89574 deaths  24,646,053 vaccinations 

FitBit 8000 steps 6 km 👣

LovemylifeandloveGaryslife 💙❤️

 

The Corona Virus Lockdown (Level 5), announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier to commence on 27 March 2020 and to continue until 16 April, subsequently extended to 30 April, lowered to Level 4 from 1 May, lowered to Level 3 from 1 June, lowered to Level 2 from 18 August, lowered to Level 1 from 21 September, and moved back to Adjusted Level 3 from 29 December,  extended to 15 February on 11 January 2021, extended but relaxed on 1 February, and relaxed back to Level 1 on 1 March 2021, moved back to Adjusted Level 2 on 31 May, moved back to level 3 on 16 June, and moved back to Adjusted Level 4 on 28 June, extended by two weeks on 11 July,  returned to Level 3 on 26 July, returned to Level 2 on 13 September, and returned to Level 1 on 1 October is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide