Tag Archives: Jenny Hobbs

Franschhoek Literary Festival Sweet and ADT Sour Service Awards

The Sweet Service Award  goes to Jenny Hobbs and Sheenagh Tyler, tireless organisers of the Franschhoek Literary Festival, for a fantastic 5th Festival, and for filling the beds and restaurants of Franschhoek over this stimulating weekend.  More than 7000 tickets were sold for 70 programme sessions, up by 50 % compared to 2010.  It is the first time in many months that the village has been buzzing, and that most establishments were fully booked.  It also created a wonderful interaction between Festival goers, who enjoyed chatting to complete strangers, sharing their passion for reading books and writing.

The Sour Service Award  goes to ADT, for suspending its service to Whale Cottage Franschhoek due to an account that was not paid according to their records, even though our records showed that we had, thereby leaving the guest house unarmed for 24 hours until we got to Franschhoek for the Literary Festival.  We subscribe to their service in Plettenberg Bay too, and this may have caused the confusion, especially as the company now runs its administrative operation from Cape Town, and does not state which regional service it is communicating about or sending invoices for.  The suspension was communicated by empty sms, to which we reacted by call.  SMS’s sent in reply are ignored and not reacted to.  The ADT Paarl manager Emile Weaver was able to expedite the re-connection as soon as they had received our cheque.  One would have expected a manager to have called proactively, to prevent the suspension in the first instance.  ADT has a near-monopoly in Franschhoek, there being no security company alternative. ADT appears to be run by the accounts department.

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

Franschhoek Literary Festival books top writers!

The fifth Franschhoek Literary Festival takes place from 13 – 15 May, and top writers have been invited to address book lovers.   The Festival has established itself as a must-attend event, and the Franschhoek accommodation establishments and restaurants tend to be fully booked over this weekend.

The Franschhoek Literary Festival is organised by Jenny Hobbs and Sheenagh Taylor, Hobbs herself being an author who has just launched another book entitled ‘Kitchen Boy’.  Ticket prices have been held at R60, and the proceeds go to the Franschhoek Literary Festival Library Fund.  A variety of 70 sessions on books, writing, and even the new social media is offered. 

Kicking off on Friday morning 13 May, the day’s multi-theme highlights include a session on Tweeting, chaired by Sam Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of Women’s Lifestyle at 24.com, discussing cellphone fiction; a session on editing and being edited; on drug taking with Melinda Ferguson, who wrote ‘Smacked, Hooked’ about her drug addiction; on the value of literary prizes, discussed by past winners Justin Cartwright, Henrietta Rose-Innes and Imraan Coovadia; ‘A jug of wine, a loaf of bread’ is the theme of a session chaired by Hilary Biller, Sunday Times Food Editor with panelists Michael Olivier (editor of Crush!),  JP Rossouw (‘Rossouw’s Restaurants’ Restaurant Reviewer), and Anna Trapido (an Eat Out Top 10 Restaurant judge); on crime writing with a panel which includes Mike Nichol and Sarah Lotz; on moving from journalism into book writing, including speakers Jenny Hobbs, Jacques Pauw, and Hamilton Wende; on the behind-the-scenes stories about the country’s first democratic election in 1994, chaired by Cape Talk presenter John Maytham; and on following up a successful novel.

On Saturday 14 May the sessions include “How to fix our schools”; on writing a book, each of the three panelists being a medical doctor; on writing about history; on writing for teenagers; on how it was and what could have been in Zimbabwe; writing about Nelson Mandela, with Mandela writers Anna Trapido, Mike Nicol and Tim Couzens in discussion with Max du Preez; Shaun Johnson, a past Festival speaker, past head of Independent Newspapers, CEO of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, and who will be staying at Whale Cottage Franschhoek, will talk about “Other People’s Money”; on press freedom; on writing love stories; a discussion with Barbara Trapido, author of ‘Sex & Stravinsky’; and on the increasing popularity of short stories.

On Sunday 15 May the day kicks off with a discussion on “Mzansi” and what it means; on life challenges; on ‘Skop, Skiet en Donder’, on writing about Cape Town, with panelists Rayda Jacobs, Henrietta Rose-Innes and Gus Ferguson; on being a full-time writer; on writing from exile; on the South African wine industry, with the co-author Wilmot James discussing the new book ‘Grape – Vineyard Stories’; and about travel writing, with Justin Cartwright, Hamilton Wende and Douglas Rogers.

Alongside the debates and discussions about all things literary, a number of other related events have been organised: a Sunday Times Storybook Campaign fundraising dinner at Reuben’s, to be addressed by Barry Ronge, Jonathan Jansen and Jonny Steinberg, on Friday 13 May, and another on 14 May, to be addressed by Barbara Trapido, Zakes Mda and Peter Godwin; a performance of Montiverdi’s Vespro da concerto on Saturday 14 May; a poetry reading by Kobus Moolman and piano performance by Christopher Duigan on 14 May; followed by a dinner concert, organised by Christopher Duigan, at Café Bon Bon; a Liszt vs Liszt performance by Christopher Duigan on Sunday 15 May, as well as a Sunday afternoon concert at Café Bon Bon, also with Christopher Duigan,

Franschhoek Literary Festival: www.flf.co.za  Tickets can be bought from www.webtickets.co.za.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage

Franschhoek Literary Festival Sweet and Le Quartier Francais Sour Service Awards

The Sweet Service Award goes to Jenny Hobbs and Sheenagh Tyler, the organisers of the Franschhoek Literary Festival, which took place in Franschhoek last weekend.  Not only was it extremely well organised, with more than 30 talks and discussions, but it also attracted other cultural events to Franschhoek over the weekend, being the opening of an excellent winter art exhibition (with works by Gordon Vorster, Dylan Lewis and Cecil Skotness) at Ebony, as well as outstanding music performances by Christopher Duigan in the NG Church.   The weather was perfectly organised too!   In addition, it ‘booked-ed” out many accommodation establishments and restaurants over the weekend, a much needed occupancy given the otherwise poor winter lying ahead for Franschhoek in terms of bookings.

The Sour Service Award goes to Le Quartier Francais and its owner Susan Huxter.   Ilse Schermers, curator of the new IS (Ilse Schermers) art gallery, that opened at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek last week, had to call this writer to cancel (without explanation) an invitation she had been sent to attend the opening, on the instruction of Mrs Huxter, even though the writer has been a client of the Grand Provence gallery, where Ms Schermers was the curator until recently, for years. 

POSTSCRIPT 24/10:   We received a second invitation, to the opening of a new exhibition at the Le Quartier Francais art gallery on 30 October, with a subsequent withdrawal of the invitation, earlier this week: “I am new at is art and was unaware of the situation between Le Quartier Francais and yourself.  I therefore have to retract the invitation that was mistakenly sent to you.  My sincere apologies.  Alisha Erasmus, Gallery Assistant.”

POSTSCRIPT 25/10: We received another follow-up e-mail today, as if the first had not been clear: “Unfortunately having discussed with Susan  (Huxter) you are not allowed on to the property of le quartier which Is Art is a part of so unfortunately you will not be able to attend!  Regards, Alisha Erasmus, Gallery Assistant”

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

Franschhoek Literary Festival ‘books’ out Franschhoek

The fourth Franschhoek Literary Festival, taking place next weekend, has built up such a loyal following that it has virtually booked out the accommodation and restaurants in Franschhoek, a most welcome boost for the hospitality industry, given the quietest May ever experienced.

Author Christopher Hope is the Festival Director, and initiated the Festival Literary Festival, supported by organisers Jenny Hobbs and Sheenagh Tyler, as a “street party for writers and readers from across the country, and around the world.”   This is his last Festival as Director, Hope has announced.

A part of the proceeds of the Franschhoek Literary Festival goes to the Library Fund, and R 415 000 has been raised to date, allowing the organisers and attendees to achieve the objective of “the people shall read”, by buying books for libraries.

The Festival kicks off with the theme that Franschhoek has become famous for – gourmet food.  Donald Paul will talk to authors of food books Myrna Robbins (“Franschhoek Food”) and Marlene van der Westhuizen (“Sumptuous”), and Mark Dendy-Young, owner of La Petite Ferme, under the heading”The Chefs Who Played with Fire”. 

Other well-known writers who will talk at the Literary Festival are Antje Krog (‘Begging to be Black’), Aher Arap Bol (‘The Lost Boy’), Deon Meyer (‘Thirteen Hours’), John van der Ruit (‘Spud’), Rian Malan (‘Resident Alien’), Pieter Haasbroek (‘Kruispunt’), Damon Galgut (‘In a Strange Room’), Ivan Vladislavic (‘Flashback), Marita van der Vyver (‘Gourmet Rhapsody’), Christopher Hope (‘A Separate Development’),  Jonathan Shapiro (cartoonist Zapiro), and Margie Orford (‘Daddy’s Girl’).  

Alongside the Franschhoek Literary Festival will run the Autumn Music Festival, co-ordinated by talented classical pianist Christopher Duigan.   On Saturday 15 May Duigan plays two performances “celebrating Chopin”, honouring the composer’s 200th birthday anniversary, at 11h00 and at 18h00, both in the NG Church on the main road.  A Gala Opera evening will be hosted at Cafe Bon Bon, and costs R320 for a four-course meal, welcome drink, and music by soprano Bronwen Forbay.   Duigan plays “Music for a Sunday morning” on 16 May at the NG Church at 11h30, while Federico Freschi will sing Autumn Songs that afternoon at 15h30 at Cafe Bon Bon.    

Franschhoek Literary Festival, Franschhoek, 14 – 16 May. Tickets should be booked via www.webtickets.co.za.    Autumn Music Festival, 15 – 16 May – bookings for the Cafe Bon Bon concerts at tel 021 876-3936, tickets at the door (R80) for the NG Church concerts.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com