Tag Archives: Thelema

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 17 July

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries have signed an agreement to create a New Development Bank, reports The New Age. The Bank’s first loans will be made in 2016, from its pooled resources of $50 billion.  South Africa is reported to have contributed R 5 billion to the establishment of the Bank.  In addition, a $100 billion ‘contingency reserves pool‘ will be set up, to safeguard any of the five countries from being hit by ‘an exodus of foreign capital‘.   The Bank headquarters will be in Shanghai, reports Mail & Guardian, while Johannesburg will be the regional centre of the Bank for Africa.

*   SAA has been named Best Airline Africa for the 12th year running, and won the Best Airline Staff Service Africa award for the third time, presented at the Skytrax World Airline Awards in London.  The airlines were evaluated on the basis of customer surveys conducted amongst 18 million travelers.   SAA has a 4-star rating from Skytrax, the only airline in Africa to have achieved the service quality rating.

*  SA Tourism is working on improving Indaba, its Chief Marketing Officer Jan Hutton has said, adding that she is taking Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 3 July

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   The City Sightseeing Johannesburg & Soweto hop-on hop-off bus operation has won the international Best New City Sightseeing Operator of the Year, beating the service from three other international cities. City Sightseeing Cape Town won the award for Best Customer Services, not having ever had a complaint and receiving positive TripAdvisor reviews.

*   96 Winery Road is hosting a combined Thelema and Sutherland 5 course dinner, pairing each of 4 courses with a wine of each of the two brands, both made by winemaker Rudi Schultz, who will be present at the dinner on 18 July. Cost is R350. (received via e-mail from 96 Winery Road)

*   Nederburg Winemaster Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2013 won a Decanter World Wine Award trophy as the best South African sweet wine over £15.   Nederburg pioneered the production of Noble Late Harvest locally, its first Edelkeur being the 1969 vintage. (received via media release from De Kock Communications)

Continue reading →

Waterford and Rustenberg top Christian Eedes Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignons!

Christian Eedes Cab Sauvignon Top 10 Report 2014Earlier this week Christian Eedes presented the results of his third annual Christian Eedes Cabernet Sauvignon Report, sponsored by Sanlam Private Investments, at a lunch-time function held at Burrata.  A number of the Top 10 winemakers have collected Top 10 awards in the past three years, reflecting the consistency of the results for South Africa’s second largest varietal.  Eight of the Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignon winners are from Stellenbosch this year.

Eedes explained that sixty Cabernet Sauvignon producers were invited, on the basis of their performance in Platter’s, at Veritas, and other wine awards, to submit their wines for evaluation for his Top 10 Cabernet Sauvignon Report. Roland Peens and James Pietersen, both from Wine Cellar (James was formerly with Belthazar) were his fellow judges, as has been the case in the first two years.   The standard is higher every year, Eedes said, making it more difficult to judge than before.  He thanked Social Media writers for assisting him in spreading the results of his Reports.  Continue reading →

‘Astronomy Gastronomy’ a star at The Cafe Grill at Twelve Apostles!

12 Apostles Astronomy Gastronomy Poster Whale Cottage PortfolioWhat a clever idea of the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa to combine its special location at the foot of the Twelve Apostles and its starlit sky with a special dinner, calling it strikingly ‘Astronomy Gastronomy‘!  

I had invited my friend Bettie Coetzee Lambrecht to join me, and by luck we had chosen the perfect evening for the stargazing, having been offered a choice of two dates by FIVESTAR PR, from whom we had received the invitation on behalf of the Twelve Apostles.  The dinner was held at The Café Grill, but with a special reduced menu for the evening having been compiled from the Azure menu, and having been prepared by Executive Chef Christo Pretorius and his deputy Chef  Chris Mare.  We were welcomed with a glass of Nederburg Brut NV, and 12 Apostles Astronomy Gastronomy interior Cafe Grill Whale Cottage Portfoliosoon Kechil Kirkham, one of our astronomy guides came to greet us, being one of two partners of Over the Moon Astronomy Tours, with Chris de Coning.  Kechil is a presenter on FMR on Fridays at 18h00, talking about astronomy, Bettie shared, listening to her program regularly. Michael Nel, the new General Manager of the hotel after Horst Frehse was promoted to Executive Director of the Continue reading →