Tag Archives: USA

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 57 of Level 1, 26 November 2021

 

Friday 26 November 2021, Day 57 of Level 1, #BlackFriday 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a day of extreme contrasts, waking up to the dreadful news of the UK putting us back on the Red List, with the rest of the world (or so it seems) banning flights from our country, the UK, Germany, and the USA bans hitting our tourism industry particularly hard, my clients and tourism players devastated today, but we’ve been through tough times before and we will survive; for a wonderful 7 hour continuous sleep, and then firing away with the work which needed to be done this morning; for the rain holding off when I was in town to attend a Brand talk hosted by Tania Olivier, meeting such lovely marketing girls sitting next to me, exchanging restaurant news, especially about Continue reading →

SA Winners of 2022 Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism and Ambassadors Awards announced!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The winners of the South African leg of the 2022 Great Wine Capitals have just been announced by Wesgro. Two wine estates won in two categories each.

Added to the local Awards are Tourism Ambassador Awards, not an official category in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network annual awards, but added to the South African awards only.

South Africa is one of 11 wine-producing regions of the Great Wine Capitals network. The regions are Adelaide in Australia, Bilbao and Rioja in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Cape Town and Cape Winelands in South Africa, Lausanne in Switzerland, Mainz and Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal, San Francisco and Napa Valley in the USA, Valparaiso and Casablanca Valley in Chile, and Verona in Italy.  Awards are presented annually in a number of categories pertaining to Best of Wine Tourism.

The 2022 winners of the South African Great Wine Capitals Global Network Best of Wine Tourism Awards are the following:

#   Accommodation: Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch – the accommodation offers opulence, views of the Banhoek Valley, a relaxing stay, a private patio, and a pillow menu.

#.  Wine Tourism Restaurants : Creation in Hermanus  – wine is paired to food, instead of the other way around at Creation, its latest pairing being a Canapé Pairing Menu. It also offers a Brunch Pairing, a Wine and Chocolate Pairing as well as an aromatic tea and food pairing.

#.  Architecture & Landscape: Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for its Octagonal Garden, the Camphor Forest, the Reflection Garden, the Sundial Garden, and the Fynbos Garden.

#.  Arts & Culture : La Motte in Franschhoek – recognised for its history and curated art shows, and Cape Dutch architecture.

#   Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences : Babylonstoren in Franschhoek – recognised for its wine tasting offered to visitors arriving with the Franschhoek Wine Tram, going on a cellar tour, and visit the new wine tunnel, representing centuries of wine making and storage.

#.  Wine Tourism Services : Creation in Hermanus – recognised for their Voormanhuis accommodation, local art, commitment to sustainability, and sourcing locally.

#   Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices : Vergelegen in Somerset West – recognised for the 20 year journey of its commitment to sustainability and rehabilitation, presented as an Environmental Tour to visitors. It is self-sufficient in water, and the meat and seafood used in its restaurants are locally sourced and ethically raised.

#   Ambassador Awards, celebrating ongoing Transformation:  AA Badenhorst, Paardenkloof Estate, and Dewetshof Estate.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide

 

 

Notorious Chef Conrad Gallagher opens new restaurant in St Francis Bay, after leaving trail of debt in SA, USA and Ireland!

 

It’s not often that an Irish or any other international newspaper would take an interest in the opening of a restaurant in a holiday town in South Africa, or contact me about this news, requesting my reaction. The Irish Sun did so last week, and published its story two days ago.

I have written about Chef Conrad Gallagher’s  shenanigans before, when it became known that he did not pay his rental in the beautiful Breda Street Café Chic building in Cape Town, nor his staff, nor cake supplier Charly’s Bakery. He left in a hurry, only to return to Port Elizabeth, with a similar manner of escaping payment, leaving unpaid debt. Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 9 of Level 2, 21 September 2021

 

Tuesday 21 September 2021, Day 9 of Level 2 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a busy day, with an early start, having to be at Zest at 9h00 for a breakfast of newkings boutique hotel and Piazza da Luz staff, as a thank you gesture from owner Romao da Luz; for a chat and catch up with Michael MacKenzie who was also breakfasting at Zest, staying in the newkings hotel; for seeing Lynn Matthias, Therese Kallie and Renate Flint, who were attending a birthday lunch of 20 persons at Zest, a number of them being members of the International Women’s Club; for a quick shop at Woolies, and for being able to use the new Woolies NOW NOW Wifi when I Continue reading →