Tag Archives: Sour Service Award

The secret is lifted: Himitsu closes down at Camps Bay Retreat after tumultuous year!

 

Himitsu, meaning secret in Japanese, opened quietly and secretly at the five star Camps Bay Retreat Boutique Hotel just over a year ago, Chef Cheyne Morrisby taking over all the Food & Beverage requirements for the guests of the hotel, a first for Morrisby, who by then already had a number of restaurants in Hout Bay and in De Waterkant.

After an explosive Sour Service Award I awarded to Himitsu Restaurant for a shocking breakfast experienced there in January, and it coming to light that Morrisby had not been to the Camps Bay restaurant in four months, Morrisby announced a week ago that he has closed down Himitsu at the Camps Bay Retreat. Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 43 of Level 3, 13 July 2020.

 

Monday 13 July 2020, Day 43 of Level 3, after 66 days at Levels 5 and 4 đŸ˜·

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for the rain that has fallen since last night and throughout the day, there hardly being a walking break, my pool filling up fabulously this month; for not having the time deadline pressure of writing a Blogost today, having written one after the President’s Speech last night; for catching up on admin; for a long catch-up call with my Alex; for missing out on Loadshedding today; for a cosy snooze this afternoon; for dancing to Kfm; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 28 of Level 3, 28 June 2020.

 

Sunday 28 June 2020, 28th Day of Level 3, after 66 days of Levels 5 and 4 đŸ˜·

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for all the rain overnight and this morning, the day clearing to a mostly sunny afternoon, perfect for going for a walk as far as Clifton 4th Beach, as well as a late afternoon one through Bakoven, bumping into Haakon and Thomas BauerkĂ€mper, the most often seen exercisers since Lockdown began over 3 months ago, I wearing a short-sleeved top, it was so nice and warm; for being a busy 🐝 this morning, having a deadline by which the Body Corporate AGM queries had to be sent to Sandak-Lewin 48 hours in advance, despite their Portfolio Manager still not having answered all my AGM questions sent to him a week ago, earning him a big fat Sour Service Award 😡; for a long cat cuddle in bed this morning đŸ±; for a long chat with my MasterChick Jenny Stephens; for dancing to my playlist and to Kfm; for my stress level dropping, measured by my Resting Heart Rate; for receiving a call from the lovely Law Enforcement Officer Ivor Ramsay, who is back to look after Camps Bay, even if just for a few more days; for another concert by Daniel Hope with his Hope @ Home on Tour, performed at the Monopol, formerly a Distillery in Berlin; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Mercedes Benz Sweet Service and Robben Island Sour Service Awards

The Sweet Service Award goes to St Elmo Burger and his team at the Mercedes Benz workshop at Century City.  The roof-opening button of my car had come off, and the mechanic Jacques managed to fix the problem quickly and at no charge. This is not the first Sweet Service Award that this workshop has received.  St Elmo always looks for a cost-effective solution to a problem.  I even received a cappuccino on the house whilst waiting for the repair to be done.

The Sour Service Award goes to Robben Island, for its staff going on strike until they receive a R3500 a month salary increase. They also demand that the Island be closed for business on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Workers rejected an offer of a 6 % increase, and an alternative R10000 once-off payment to staff, reports the Cape Times. About 70 % of the workers have gone on strike, and had to be replaced by untrained staff, which was reported to a safety body, which did an inspection on one of the ferries, inconveniencing the passengers, in not allowing them to disembark. This is the third Sour Service Award for Robben Island, a prime tourism facility which continues to be plagued with management and technical problems, affecting tourists in Cape Town.

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.

POSTSCRIPT 9/11: The Cape Times reported yesterday that the Robben Island workers are still striking, but have reduced their wage increase demand to R 2000, and have dropped their demand to not work on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day this year.  However, they are demanding that some of them be given the day off on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day next year.   Due to about half of the workers being on strike, only two of the four daily scheduled ferry trips are running daily.  The problem is so serious that Cape Town Routes Unlimited, followed by Cape Town Tourism, have asked for drastic action to end the strike.  Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariette du Toit-Helmbold said that the strike affects visitors’ perception of Cape Town as a destination.

POSTSCRIPT 17/11: The Robben Island strike has ended, according to a media release sent by Cape Town Routes Unlimited today.