Tag Archives: Canada

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 23 January

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Cape Town just cannot stay out of the New York Times!  Travel writer Sarah Khan has profiled some of the city’s hottest coffee and quirky shops, linking the city to World Design Capital 2014.  In the print edition on Sunday, the article headline ‘Have some Dim Sum with your shirts’ introduces the article with the story about the success of I ♥ My Laundry, which recently opened a second branch in the city centre.   Other hot spots that are featured in the article are Loading Bay, Latitude 33, Haas, Pedersen & Lennard, House of Machines, and Los Muertos Motorcycles.

*   Standard Bank’s economist Goolan Ballim says that South Africa’s economy has underperformed ever since the global meltdown, which commenced in 2008.    He only sees a recovery in 2016 or 2017.

*   One third of British travellers have visited 10 countries on average, a survey conducted on behalf of the London City Airport has found.  The most popular Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 18/19 January

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Lifeguard duty at most Cape Town beaches will be curtailed to weekends only now that schools have re-opened.  The lifeguard services will continue to be offered daily at the city’s Blue Flag beaches (including Camps Bay), from 10h00 – 18h00, until 31 March.

*   UK singer Cheryl Cole is said to be looking to buy a holiday home in Cape Town, and in Camps Bay specifically.

*   SAA has been given a 4-star rating of its service for the 12th year running by independent airline evaluation agency Skytrax.   More than 800 aspects of service are evaluated. SAA is the only African airline to achieve the 4-star rating.

*   Collecting shells on the beach whilst on holiday may be harmful to the environment, including to some animal and plant life.

*   The Winnipeg Free Press wine writer Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson vows in his New Year’s resolution to try more South African Continue reading →

Restaurant Review: No horse play at Equus at Cavalli Estate, hungry for success!

Equus Interior Whale Cottage PortfolioI had eagerly awaited the opening of the Cavalli Estate on the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West,  its majestic entrance having been completed about two years ago, and having heard a number of times that Chef Henrico Grobbelaar would be heading up the kitchen in the Equus restaurant.  Its Equus Tasting Room, Gallery, Boutique, and Restaurant opened a month ago, its 54 thoroughbred saddlebred horses, and olive and vine plantation make up the Cavalli Estate.  It must be the largest Winelands tourism offering in terms of size and facilities offered.

Horses dominate everything at Cavalli, the Italian name for the animal, and the racehorse stud was developed while the Equus centre was being built.  The stud is the main reason for the estate’s existence, and one passes the large stable building as one drives to Equus, with fynbos evident in the gardens landscaped by Keith Kirsten, who also did the Delaire Graff gardens.   I had been invited to be shown around by mother and daughter Gundel and Annette Sogor from Gordon’s Bay, who had been to the tasting room before, but had not yet eaten at Equus. Arriving separately, we each shared how unprofessional the welcome at the security entrance as well as at the parking had been, and Lauren Smith, owner’s daughter, architect, and Operations Manager of the estate, made quick work in having the problem addressed and the outsourced security men replaced.

The Equus building is vast, and consists of a massive art gallery, a boutique, Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 20 November

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Prince Harry arrived in Cape Town yesterday, on his way to the Antarctic, where he will accompany the British team in the Walk with the Wounded charity trek, on a 200 mile trek over 18 days, competing against Australian, Canadian and American teams.  Poor weather has delayed Prince Harry’s flight to the Antarctic.

*  Free wifi is now available at the Sea Point Pavilion, a service offered by the City of Cape Town as part of Cape Town’s status as World Design Capital 2014.

*   The Naspers building is more than 50 years old, and once was Africa’s tallest building.  One of the Cape Town World Design Capital 2014 projects is a competition to redesign the building, with a prize tag of R200000, as well as the implementation of the transformation, with a R15 million budget. (received via WDC Cape Town newsletter from the Cape Town Design NPC)

*   Catharina’s lunch guests will be entertained by band Blacksmith on Sunday 24 November. (received via media release from Communication Services Africa)

*   Nose blog carries a controversial blogpost about an article written by James Conaway, which is extremely critical of Wine Spectator‘s Robert Parker’s 100 point wine evaluation scale, which he describes as a  ‘dying’ system.  The retirement of Parker, announced last year, has opened for a host of wine judges to evaluate wines, including Joe Roberts (1 Wine Dude), Jancis Robinson, Stephen Tanzer,  and Eric Asimov of the New York Times.  Conaway is quoted Continue reading →