Tag Archives: Craig Cormack

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 6 May

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The City of Cape Town has developed a new parking policy based on transport trends in Cape Town, including increasing numbers of delivery vehicles, and traffic congestion in peak times.  The City plans to discourage parking of 2 hours and longer, by encouraging parking outside the city centre and then to use a different form of transport (the MyCiTi Bus no doubt) to reach the city centre. Demand-based pricing is to be introduced, the bays in higher demand areas having higher charges, and higher demand times of the day attracting higher charges.   Smartcard payment is being considered yet again.  The cost of the first phase of the parking policy is R15 million.

*   SA Tourism is running a massive #MeetSouthAfrica blogger campaign at the moment, 14 local and international bloggers having arrived in Johannesburg last Friday, and heading in different directions in groups, to discover various parts of our country, until they meet up again in Durban at Indaba this coming weekend.

*   The Palm Beach Daily News has chosen Glenelly Lady May 2009, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot blend, as one of its ten top picks for the coming American summer season.  It is the only South African wine selected.

*   SA Tourism has appointed Risuna Mayimele as its Global Manager Communications. She previously Continue reading →

Pendock picks Pinotage to open his new Wine Gallery at Taj Cape Town!

Pendock Wine Gallery full view Whale Cottage PortfolioNotorious Neil Pendock is launching his Pendock Wine Gallery at the Taj Cape Town hotel at 18h00, to many a most unusual move, in a minute space which would not allow more than a handful of persons to move inside the gallery at any time.  The Gallery concept and its link to the hotel’s Mint Restaurant is as quirky as Pendock is.

The roughly 2 by 4 meter space is half of the Edit[ed] hotel shop, and once inside Pendock’s Wine Gallery one can see inside the shop through a glass door, a design weakness, as it does not match the less-is-more sparse design of the Gallery.  Six ornate shelves will hold a bottle of wine each, according to a monthly theme, September being dedicated to Pinotage, but the choice of six is not explained, other than space constraints.  However, Pendock does pride himself on his selection, in that the six (Black Elephant Vintners, Diemersdal, Manley Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 4 September

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Chapman’s Peak has re-opened, while  the Franschhoek Pass remains closed, reports Kfm News. (update: The Franschhoek Pass was re-opened today)

*   Signal Hill in Cape Town may have a controlled access system between 22h00 and 5h00, to control crime during the evening.

*   The 2013 Sustainable Tourism Marketing Guide is about to be published, co-sponsored by Cape Town Tourism.

*   Travelers in the UK, USA, and Australia use a mix of e-mails (for reminders), mobile apps, and online (to make bookings) before, during, and after their holiday. Surprising is that 70% switch off whilst on holiday, especially the UK tourists.  Most of those sharing their holiday information and photographs do so when they return from their holiday.

*   BA is introducing more flights between Cape Town and London for the Continue reading →

Morgenster Wine & Olive Estate: a superlative restaurant star to watch!

Morgenster Restaurant, ex Sofia's Whale Cottage PortfolioIf what we have heard is correct,  Morgenster Wine and Olive Estate in Somerset West is set to become a restaurant star next year, with a Michelin star or two Chef and TV star getting involved in the development of a fine dining restaurant, part of a redevelopment of the property taking place over the next thirteen months.  It would be South Africa’s first restaurant with an involvement of such a high calibre chef and restaurant owner.

Recently appointed Morgenster Managing Director Judi Dyer would not confirm the name of the chef, and said that the project is in its development phase.  The chef’s media consultant has not yet responded to our request for confirmation of his involvement in the new Morgenster restaurant.

A media release issued by Morgenster owner Giulio Bertrand announced the commencement of his long planned hospitality phase for the more than 300 year old property, which will see Morgenster offering accommodation, fine dining, and a Café and Deli experience to visitors.  ‘After I bought Morgenster in 1992 as a retirement home and had restored the historical buildings, I realised that I owned a wine farm with magnificent terroir. I put retirement on hold and went to France to judge whether Morgenster could produce wines in line with the best from Bordeaux. There I was introduced to Pierre Lurton of Chateau Cheval Blanc who I invited to Morgenster. He was as inspired as I was about the farm’s potential and we began establishing vineyards of Bordeaux varieties and building a cellar. After 15 years of Pierre consulting to our local winemaking team and being on our Board of Directors, Morgenster’s cellar of marvellously aging Bordeaux styled red wines has earned acclaim internationally and locally’.   Continue reading →