WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news
* Actor and comedian Russell Brand is making a second attempt to visit our country, after having previously been denied entry when his passport did not have the required number of empty pages, reports the Weekend Argus. He will perform at Grandwest on 3 October.
* Facebook has opened its first office in Africa, located in Johannesburg, reports pctech Magazine. The continent already has Continue reading →
Woolworths had barely announced its association with ‘Happy’ singer Pharrell Williams ten days ago when the retail store’s critics started questioning the rationale for the association, and encouraged Williams to reconsider his relationship. Pharrell is the new Style Director (whatever that may entail) of Woolworths! The main question asked was why an American artist is to be used, when surely our country has an equally good role model. At a function last week a Woolworths executive explained the reason for Williams’ appointment.
To write this blogpost I Googled Woolworths and Pharrell Williams, and was Continue reading →
Yesterday we went Italian at worldly Mondiall, enjoying nine very fine and fantastic Fantinel wines, with a broad spectrum of Prosecco, light white wines, and rich earthy red wines, introduced by Dr Marco Fantinel, President of Gruppo Vinicolo Fantinel. The company is adding South Africa to its list of elite distribution points.
We were served a glass of Fantinel Prosecco Extra Dry as the welcome drink, and served canapés of ceviche on sesame crisps, as well as pork belly. The pork belly canapés appeared just as we were going upstairs for the tasting, and were finished before I could photograph them!
Dr Fantinel traced the development of the company back to his grandfather Mario Fantinel, a hotelier and retaurateur in Fruili, in Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* A Global March for Rhinos and Elephants will be held on Saturday 4 October, with South Africa, the USA, Germany, Botswana, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Italy, and Mozambique being some of the countries participating. World Travel Market (WTM) Africa staff will also participate in the march in Cape Town, as one of its social responsibility projects. The march calls for a total ban on the trade of ‘wildlife body parts’. WTM Africa runs from 15 – 17 April.
* The Bureau of Economic Research quarterly survey has found a sharp drop in the expectation of business growth for the Accommodation sector in the third quarter (July – September), at 9%, compared to the previous winter period of April – June, which showed a 22% growth expectation. For the last quarter of this year, growth of 16% is expected. All other business sectors surveyed are showing negative growth expectations. The overall Western Cape business growth expectation in the second quarter was 15%, is an estimated 20% for the third quarter, and 31 % for the 4th quarter, whereas all other provinces show negative growth experience and expectations. (received via e-mail from the Bureau of Economic Research)
* Luvey ‘n Rose is offering an interesting Cigar Appreciation Evening on 7 October, with Roque, a professional cigar roller from Continue reading →