Art Scene

Open Art Studio

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We took a meander down Loop Street, anticipating a dreary lunch in some streetside shop, with a Coca-Cola sponsored sign. Luckily for us, good karma and the will of the gods places in front of Open Art. Nosey parkers as we are, we wandered up the stairs (and what may as well have been along the yellow-brick road) to have a peek. What a fantasmagorical place. Firstly, the gallery. It is so so rare that I like that much modern art in one place. In addition, my attending lunch-mate and I, NEVER agree on art. So that fact that we were both standing there smitten at the sight and smell of oils and enamels, is really quite something. The gallery has that "we tidied up the garage" feel to it. Nothing pretentious, nothing clinical.                  

Eating Out

Upper Eastside Hotel to host first MasterChef dinner

An evening out with MAsterChef South Africa

The Upper Eastside Hotel in Woodstock will be hosting a series of exclusive dinners prepared by some of South Africa’s very own MasterChef finalists. Kicking off on Thursday, October 18, diners at the hotel’s Liberty’s restaurant will be treated to the culinary magic of Sue-Ann Allen and Ilse Fourie, who achieved runner up and a top five position respectively in the inaugural local series of the global cooking phenomenon. Together with expert input from the hotel’s executive chef, Simon Kemp, the pair will be using the freshest seasonal ingredients including herbs from the hotel’s recently launched organic rooftop garden – the first of its kind at an urban hotel in South Africa. In addition to interaction with the                  

Eating Out

French Toast Wine & Tapas Bar

Lunch Cape Town

3 FOR LUNCH AT FRENCH TOAST WINE & TAPAS BAR --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FRENCH TOAST, the wine and tapas bar in Bree Street Cape Town is offering a superb lunch time menu that offers outstanding value following the exceptional "Reason to Love Mondays" promotion where all wines under the R400 price mark is halved every Monday. Everyday between the hours of 12h00 and 16h00, patrons can stop by for a quick "in-between-meetings" luncheon or enjoy a more leisurely affair with friends at the pocket friendly price of R89.00 per person. This lunch only menu starts with a hearty "soup of the day" followed by a choice from any two dishes off the lunch menu, which                  

Eating Out

Around the World Supper Club

Date: 8 Jun 2011 Time: 19:00 Cape Town Description: La Mouette is very excited to be launching our new Around the World Supper Club which kicks off in June.  It will be a monthly occurrence on the first Wednesday of every month and the first one being on the 8th June 2011.  There will be a different theme every month based on the cuisine from different countries around the world.  We’ll be starting with France and Chef Henry has prepared an amazing menu which will be paired with wines from Glen Carlou.  Arco Laarman, winemaker at Glen Carlou will be joining us so be sure to book. Arco Laarman has joined our French Table 19:00 for 19:30 pm R240 pp including wine                  

Festivals

The Stellenbosch Slow Food Fair

The-Stellenbosch-Slow-Food-Market

The city is frantic. Even the traffic is flying flagged allegiances. And although The World Cup hype is deliciously palpable, sometimes we need to step out of the red-robot-green-robot regiment that's currently on show and remember the slow, sultry offerings that lie outside of our mini metropolis. Take some time to slow down. This weekend the Stellenbosch Slow Food Fair exhibits South Africa's eclectic food culture. Over forty food stands will feature Indian, German, British, European and Chinese cuisines in a heated marquee - what better resistance to Winter than warm bellies inside and out.  For hot Gossip Girl XOXO - type convo and a good dose of estrogen in the air (which has been admittedly                  

Eating Out

Neighbourgoods Night Market

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Winter's swept in and our couches have become adorned with bum-shaped wear and tear,  while the soup bowls pile up in the sink and our energy levels seem to lag a little along with the weather. In the spirit of getting up and out, The Old Biscuit Mill opens up for warm Winter's night market, this Tuesday the 15th of June from 18h30 'til 23h30.   For us that know the Saturday Morning Market, The Old Biscuit Mill is a foodie's dappled-light haven of smoked olives, charcuterie and the smell of roasting, imported coffee. This Tuesday eve, the Biscuit Mill's boasting Cape Malay curries, Von Geusau gourmet hot chocolate and creative "sarmies" courtesy of the Kitchen Cowboys. And while we                  

Night Life

Cape Town Pub-crawl

They call it the pub-crawl for two reasons. 1. There are pubs. 2. The involvement of such pubs occasionally results in the action of crawling. This fact leads us to conclude, that it is our own best interest to rouse bedlam in pubs conducive to crawling. What characteristics determine crawl-worthiness? CLEANLINESS. To pub-crawl is one thing, but to be in a pub already crawling with bugs and Dickensian dodge-cats is a deal breaker. Moreover, hoping optimistically that visible symptoms of Hepatitis F don’t materialize, as a result of braving bar snacks, can somewhat suck the fun. Hence requirement two: GOOD BAR SNACKS. In a less then solid state, culinary surprises (and I’m talking about the Halloween trick rather                  

Eating Out

The Waterfront Wine Affair

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Cape Town's been very quiet this week - we've been nursing our once-flourishing social calendars and wishing for sunburn. But what we have fast forgotten is that winter brings wine, fireplaces and excuses for shared body-heat...  Until Friday, The V&A spends the week swaying with the inebriated influence of dozens of boutique and reserve wines. With curling leaves and early evenings comes the annual V&A Wine Affair. The backdrop of a Table Mountain-marked cityscape makes The Waterfront's look out a perfect rooftop for some indulgent-out-of-doorsness.    This well-loved tasting/sipping soiree is a palate party.  Think sushi, oysters, imported cheeses and charcuterie... the menu boasts the                  

Night Life

Balkanology

ballistic at Balkanology

Fortune tellers and flying carpets are the fan fare of Balkanology, 26th April 2010. Again the magic of Gypsy/Balkan music is made manifest in the carnivale festivities of a massive, manic party - A one night only affair. Here today, gone tomorrow - as the caravan children do.  Balkanology - the deliciously devilish circus spectacular - will lay love loose on the new Cape Town venue of spectaculars - whispered as a replacement to the infamous Madame Zingara's -  the wonderhouse that is Vaudeville. Think magicians, balkan bass and bare-bellied beauties, with the wonderment of dream and hallucination. The insatiable line-up lists tempos from Toby2shoes, Maoriginal, Hopa Banda and the Nomadic Orchestra. Tickets                  

Festivals

SA cheese festival

SA Cheese festival 2010

Next weekend, the South African Cheese festival returns to us in all it's stinky goodness! In truth, I'm still not convinced that Cheese festival is a and adequate name. While I dare not blaspheme against the quality and variety of cheeses at the SA Cheese festival, the name shneakily hides the incredible array of other appetizers and palate-pamperers on show.  In the sanctuary of Simondium, somewhere between Paarl and Franschhoek, the SA Cheese festival returns to Bien Donné farm from the 24th until the 27th of April. The Cooking Pot is the cheese festival's cookery corner. By now a renowned space for innovative cheese use (no, really), The Cooking Pot is great place for gourmet gurus and closet chefs to