Tag Archives: Mariner’s Wharf

Corona Virus Lockdown takes its first casualties before Restaurants are allowed to open to the public again! May 2020

 

While a few restaurants already announced their closure at the beginning of March, when the COVID-19 Virus Lockdown had not yet been announced, a flood of restaurant closures is expected when restaurants are allowed to reopen to the public in Level 1 again, at an unannounced date in the future.

A shock closure announced by Chef Luke Dale Roberts during Lockdown Level 5 was that of The Shortmarket Club, and with it neighboring The Commissary. SMAK Delicatessen and Eatery on Bree Street, La Bottega in Woodstock, Empire Cafe in Muizenberg, Buitenverwachting Restaurant (under the guidance of Chef Edgar Osojnik for the past 20 years), and Mariner’s Wharf in Hout Bay have also thrown in the towel.

Chef Luke Dale Roberts’ The Shortmarket Club restaurant the first Corona Virus victim, in closing for good!

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Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 1 of Level 4, 1 May 2020.

 

Friday 1 May 2020, Day 1 of Lockdown Level 4, after 35 days at Level 5 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for a spectacular day all round, with a misty start, and turning out warm; for feeling on top of the world, my best day since the start of Lockdown ❤️; for such a wonderful exercise morning, fresh air, lovely sea smell as I left the house, and smelling coffee on the walk, loving the energy of everyone around me, walking, running, and cycling, feeling really good after 8000 steps at a time of day which was a first one for walking for me; for picking up litter along the way; for meeting friends along the way, including Ashleigh Fleming and her brood, Thomas Bauerkämper and Haakon, Justin Paul Jansen, Andrew Cairns, and seeing the staff of Maison J, a happy reunion again, what a surprise to see them open, which I celebrated with an orange juice and a croissant 🥐❤️; for a long chat with Jenny Stephens; for an inspiring video by ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ author Elizabeth Gilbert about running away from oneself, I recognizing myself in her wise words (video posted on my page)❤️; for a shopping walk this afternoon, definitely much calmer than this morning; for the delivery of my dinner by Essentials by Ryan Cole, to celebrate more of this special day, being the first day of Level 4, May Day, Exercise Day, and first Home Food Delivery Day; for getting a cash back of over R400 from Discovery Vitality for my healthy food purchases at Woolies; for a promise of a refund from Auto & General for a hidden charge taken by them, called Expo-sure, for the past 5 years 🥵, and for being happy and healthy on a day that felt liked Christmas. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Cape Town & Winelands Winter Restaurant specials 2014 (and winter closures)!

Restaurant fireplaceThe Winter 2014 specials for more than 90 Cape Town and Winelands restaurants follow below, and are updated continuously. We welcome information about new specials, and the feedback about your meals at these restaurants:

Cape Town

*   Umi in Camps Bay: 3 course set menu R260, 5 courses R360, both include a shared bottle of Warwick First Lady. Order 3 meals off a la carte menu, get the 4th free.  Slow cooked shortrib R110, Karan beef sirloin R95, Japanese beer marinated Karan beef fillet R120, pork belly R90, warm salmon and black bean R120, and fish & fries R85.  Tel (021) 437-1802 (added 10/5/14)

*   Pepenero in Mouille Point : Order 3 meals and get 4th (cheapest) free; Sirloin R89, Rump R89, Lamb cutlets R99, Seafood platter R149, Sushi platter R129, Crayfish tails R169, Veal schnitzel R95, Soup of day R40,  Prawn platter R139, Oxtail R110, and Osso Buco R89.  Half price sushi (selected items) all day. Daily. Tel (021) 439-9027 (updated 10/5/14)

*    5 Rooms, Alphen Boutique Hotel: 2 courses R170; 2 courses with bottle of Warwick First Lady (shared between two) R220; 3 courses R 220; 3 courses plus bottle of Warwick First Lady (shared between two) R 270. Sirloin R95, Baby chicken R95, Braised oxtail R110, Seafood bouillabaisse R135, Grilled Prawn R99, Slow braised lamb shank R115. Tel (021) 795-6313 (updated 10/5/14)

*   Zenzero, Camps Bay:    2 courses R160; 2 courses with bottle of Warwick First Lady (shared between two) R210;  3 courses Continue reading →

World Design Capital 2014: Highlights design in Cape Town Townships, no Tourism benefit sought!

Cécile and Boyd FoundationOn Friday The Guardian published a very lengthy article about Cape Town’s role as host of World Design Capital 2014 (WDC), and highlighted the unusual locations of design gems in Cape Town, including the townships and previously run-down city areas, as opposed to art galleries.  Unfortunately this is the second international article about Cape Town in two days with errors!  The article highlights what a visitor to Cape Town should see during this design-centred year, and contains shocking news for the Tourism industry.

Journalist Lisa Grainger anticipated visiting upmarket galleries, style emporiums, and seeing craft art, but instead she spent most of her week in Cape Town in townships with guide Fernie, to experience real creativity born from poverty. ‘Because it is in these townships that some of the most inspiring people live: people who are incredible, positive, engaging, brave. And I want visitors to see the good there is here, the real heart of South Africa’, he explained to her.  

She was told by Priscilla Urquhart, PR and Media Manager of Cape Town Design NPC, the company responsible for implementing World Design Capital 2014 for Cape Town, that our city’s budget (supplied by the City of Cape Town) is R 40 million, compared to close to R60 million spent by Helsinki two years ago, when that city carried the honour. Budget constraints prevented the creation of City-led design projects in Cape Town, but allowed the city’s design industry to offer its design projects for consideration, and about 450 have become official World Design Capital 2014 projects, summarised in a fold-open brochure. There is no showcase for these projects, the Design Indaba and Guild design fair having been the only two exhibitions where some of the work linked to some of the projects could be seen, unfortunately having run concurrently at the very busy end of February.

A shock is reading Urquhart admit to the journalist that ‘the WDC programme wasn’t designed to attract tourists, but to try to Continue reading →