The poor economic conditions in our country currently is manifesting in the very few new restaurants opening for the new summer season, most such new openings usually taking place in September. Where many new restaurants are opening, they are changing the name and concept of existing ones, rather than being brand new, or adding other restaurants in a restaurant group’s portfolio.
Two exciting top-end restaurant openings are those of Exhibit A (owned by highly acclaimed Chef Rikku O’Donnchü and Chef Warwick King, who left Gåte restaurant earlier this year), opening in the city centre on 1 November; and of La Chêne at Leeu Estates in Franschhoek. Interesting is that a number of new restaurants have opened on Kloof Street, our former Cape Town Restaurant Street before Bree Street took over, Continue reading →
The Sweet Service Award goes to Woolworths in the Waterfront, and its Manager Warren Sitzer. I received poor service in looking to buy wine glasses in the Homeware department, so poor that I went to buy some at @Home instead. At Country Road inside the Woolworths store I wanted to pay for a top, but there was no staff member to be seen. I wanted to relate both service issues to a manager, and Warren listened, apologised with charm, and brought me some roses. He said he remembered my son and I shopping at the Paarl Mall branch more than ten years ago, when we lived in Franschhoek. He also shared the amazing developments lying ahead for this Waterfront branch. He invited me to chat to him at any time that I experience any problems at this branch. Wow! 
On Monday I was hosted for lunch by the Twelve Apostles Hotel, invited to try its new Sushi Menu, which was launched at the beginning of this month. With Chef Sarawut Sukkowplong, previously with Nobu at the One & Only at the helm, I knew that it would be a good experience. 
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.