I had not been to Stellenbosch since the beginning of Lockdown in March 2020. Last week I spent a day in the town, to walk through its centre, and updating my information of restaurants that have opened and closed in the town since my last visit.
I discovered multiple new coffee shops and informal eateries, and a growing number of wine bars. And the start of a challenge to Chef Bertus Basson’s dominance of the university town as far as fine-dining goes.
When I first heard that Pilcrow & Cleaver had opened on Parliament Street last year, I couldn’t get my tongue around its unusual name, and it seemed to be out of the way relative to where I normally go if I am in the City centre. After a first chance visit during Lockdown, I was hooked, when I bought a Take-Home meal of duck spring rolls, and can’t miss visiting the small cosy open-plan restaurant when I am in town, always being able to find parking near the Groote Kerk. On Sunday evening I enjoyed my first Sit-Down meal at Pilcrow & Cleaver, as a birthday celebration for my friend Katie Friedman, having previously collected freshly-made dishes from the restaurant to take home. Continue reading →
Exciting news in these Covid Lockdown times is that Tintswalo Atlantic, at the foot of Chapman’s Peak and offering the best restaurant view in Cape Town, is reopening its restaurant tomorrow 29 July, now named Tintswalo Kitchen, specifically focusing on the local market, but serving its in-house hotel guests too. Continue reading →
Tuesday 16 June 2020, Day 16 of Level 3, after 66 days of Levels 5 and 4. 😷 (Day 82 of Lockdown)
Corona Gratitude 🙏
#Grateful for the most amazing Spring-like Public Holiday day today, forecast at 19C but definitely in the mid-20s C, a perfect shorts and short sleeve top day; for the energy to walk to First Beach, with not a single torn garbage bag, and minimal litter 🙏; for bumping into Haakon and Thomas Bauerkämper on the walk, not having seen each other in a while, so we needed a catch-up chat; for Maison J keeping me a croissant 🥐 until after my walk, as they sell out so quickly; for a photo shoot at my home with the Danish Marlena, helping me to rediscover what I have in my wardrobe and as yet unworn, when she looked for specific colour in the clothing I was to wear; for a one-hour tan on my terrace, I could have been on the beach, it felt so good; for Jenny Stephens coming to visit, for a Bakoven walk and a lovely spoil dinner from Pilcrow & Cleaver together, keeping me calm when Minsky went on a major adventure and we couldn’t find her, especially when it got dark, until she just walked back in as if nothing had happened…….. just happy that she returned safely ❤️🐱; for loving this day so much, and how happy everyone seemed; for cat advice from Michele Antelme 🙏; for bumping into KitKat’s dad Barry, both of whom I’ve not seen in three weeks 🐱😢; for receiving a third of my Discovery Insure premium back into my bank account for May, for minimal driving and for good driving behavior; and for feeling happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →