Tag Archives: Homeland

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

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   More than 7000 film permits were issued in 2013, demonstrating Cape Town’s popularity as a film destination. New City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee member for Tourism, Events, and Marketing Garreth Bloor says that the film industry contributes R 5 billion to our economy, and created 35000 jobs in the past three years.  The fourth season of the American TV series ‘Homeland‘ is being filmed in Cape Town at the moment, while Sean Penn’s ‘The Last Face’ will be filmed in the next few months, starring Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem.  In the past year 11500 locations and 12000 shooting sites were booked.  Some of the most popular locations for filming are the City’s Darling Street bank building, Artscape Theatre, and the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

*   Brent Perremore from Orphanage Cocktail Emporium has won the Diageo Reserve 2014 World Class National Final as best mixologist in South Africa, held at The Marly in Camps Bay yesterday. He will represent South Africa in the International Championships in Scotland.  Haroon Haffajee of Harry’s Bar in Durban came second and Marson Strydom of Buena Vista Social Café came third.

*   Fleur du Cap achieved good scores in the Tim Atkin 2014 South African Wine Report, released on Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 27 June

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom has reacted to the changed Immigration Regulations for the first time, disappointingly so, in not taking a strong stand against the Department of Home Affairs! Minister Hanekom placed the blame for the legislation at the door of the Department of Home Affairs, but supported its actions in its attempt to stamp out child trafficking. Global best practice in this regard would be studied, he added.  He promised to evaluate the ‘well-intentioned measures‘ in their impact on international tourist arrivals.

*   The Spectator tasted two South African wines out of a selection of four ‘Politically correct wines worth drinking’, describing them both as a pleasure to drink and having an economic benefit, which the writer described as ‘philantrophic consumption‘! BlouVlei Collection (from Mont du Toit Cellar) Sauvignon Blanc (vintage not divulged, and not to the writer’s liking) and Springfontein Terroir Selection Chenin Blanc 2011 were supplied to the writer by Private Cellar in the UK.
*   Café Paradiso served ‘Homeland’ actress Claire Danes and actor and director Sean Penn earlier this week, and regularly attracts local and international celebrities, including Kris Kristofferson, Hilary Swank, Denzel Washington, and MasterChef Australia judge and chef Marco Pierre White. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 17 June

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Women business travelers want to ‘feel safe, comfortable, empowered, and pampered’, says an American research report. About 50 % of business travelers are women, and they control up top 85% of business travel expenditure.

*   Actress Claire Danes is in Cape Town for the filming of the fourth season of the TV series ‘Homeland’. She and her husband have been spotted eating at Harbour House in Kalk Bay, dining at The Test Kitchen, shopping at the Biscuit Mill, and walking down Kloof Street, near Yours Truly.   Cape Town is doubling up for ‘both Istanbul and Turkey‘ (sic)!

 *   Chenin Blanc was praised by Greg Sherwood of Handford Wines in London, at a tasting of Chenin Blanc and Pinotage wines, organised by Wines of South Africa (WOSA). Sherwood led the Chenin Blanc tasting, and said about the varietal:  ‘Chenin is a massive and unique selling point for South Africa.  It has a variety of styles and gives you a Burgundy textural experience without having to pay Burgundian prices. The days of too much oak and batonnage are now in the past. These practices have Continue reading →

New immigration regulations could affect Tourism and Film industries!

HomelandThe new immigration regulations, introduced late last month, are not only a deterrent to immigrants to our country, but can also seriously affect the R5 billion film industry of Cape Town, reports the Cape Times.  The new regulations differentiate between temporary visas and long-term residence permits, and new procedures have been introduced to change from one visa type to another, amidst uncertainty of exactly how the new regulations are to be implemented.
Garreth Bloor, the new City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee member for Tourism, Events, and Marketing,  has requested the Department of Home Affairs to review the regulations.  He said to the Cape Times: ‘In the tough global economic environment, the country needs to remain competitive in as many sectors as possible‘. The change in the procedures could cost the local film industry R1 billion, and affect the employment of 600 workers in the film industry.
The biggest problem for the film industry is the implementation of the regulations in the case of filming delays.  It is also not clear Continue reading →