People, Places and Things - Page 3 of 30

Winter is here which means cozy fireplaces, comfort food, and great wines, but best of all is that Franschhoek’s popular Mystery Weekends are back. A weekend of surprise, relaxation, and pure indulgence – and if you haven’t booked you’re definitely missing out on this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity. Ideally suited to couples, the Franschhoek Mystery Weekends are packaged to absolute perfection and holds the promise of revealing Franschhoek’s finest wines, world-class cuisine, bespoke experiences and so much more. And the best part is you don’t have to book anything. Registration for the weekend will take place at Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards.

Your unforgettable and unique Franschhoek Mystery Weekend includes the following:
• Two nights’ accommodation;
• Breakfast daily;
• A surprise event on Friday night;
• Dinner on Saturday night;
• A light lunch on the Sunday;
• A selection of fun-filled bespoke Franschhoek experiences which will be revealed upon your check in but are guarante..

Editors Pick, Events, Featured, See and Do, Uncategorized,

Taste the Helderberg 2018

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

Grab the chance to Taste the Helderberg every winter in Cape Town – an annual festival aimed at foodie fiends and wine enthusiasts alike. For one night, wine farms and restaurants in the Helderberg region showcase their products at this hip and happening event.

When
This annual showcase of excellent local wine and food, Taste the Helderberg is set to take place on Friday, 8 June 2018. This will be the first time the event is held on a Friday and gives wine-lovers the opportunity for a perfect weekend break-away to the countryside. Be among the first to sample latest wine releases and some of the region’s best on the Friday and then venture out to the farms on Saturday and Sunday to experience their provenance first-hand.

The venue
The 2018 Taste The Helderberg food and wine show take place at the NH The Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West. The Helderberg Mountain lies behind Somerset West and forms part of the Hottentots Holland range. With cool breezes blowing over from False Bay, t..

Vegitable-garden-in-Company-Gardens_Craig-Howes.jpg-e1526645576722

Editors Pick, Featured, See and Do, Uncategorized,

10 Unique Spots To Find Wifi in Cape Town

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

Cape Town has a good internet infrastructure that is rapidly improving thanks to the widescale roll-out of fibre. Our city has some of the most beautiful and interesting wifi spots on the planet, so if you’re looking for a little oasis of connectivity to upload your holiday pics or research the next phase of your trip then here are ten great spots you have to try.

The Company’s Garden
The perfect place to sit in the sun, feed the squirrels and check your email. The Company’s Garden in the CBD has several free wifi hotspots where you can browse the web and watch the world go by. The Garden also has QR code signs that you can scan to find out more about the local flora.

Website: capetown.travel

The Bandwidth Barn
Cape Town has been making a name for itself as an incubator for tech entrepreneurs in Africa and the Bandwidth Barn has been at the forefront. With two locations, in Woodstock and Khayelitsha, the Bandwidth Barn offers a co-working space with hot desks—perfect if you’re in th..

Table-Mountain-with-flowers-in-the-foreground

Nature & Adventure, Uncategorized,

The Cape Doctor

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

While visiting Cape Town, you might hear locals taking about the Cape Doctor and wonder what they could possibly referring to. If you want to blend in and brush up on your Capetonian slang, read on.

Capetonians love talking about the weather. In most places, weather-talk is a last ditch attempt to break an uncomfortable silence. In Cape Town, it’s taken very seriously. You’ll never pass as a local unless you can speak with authority about when it will rain, how long it will rain for, when to expect a cold front, whether the tip-top of table Mountain is in for a dusting of snow, and most importantly, what the wind is doing.

The Cape Doctor is the name locals have affectionately given the famous south easterly wind that batters our shores from spring to late summer. Most of the time, the south easter is a much-loved feature of the Cape Town summer. Occasionally, though, it does get a little overzealous. Every now and then YouTube videos go viral, showing desperate commuters as they clu..

Cape Flats, Editors Pick, Featured, Uncategorized,

Travel like a local: Your Neighbourhood Guide to Mitchells Plain

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

Nestled between the townships of Philippi and Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain was founded in the 70s, when thousands of Capetonians were forcibly moved here under the Group Areas Act. Today, Mitchells Plain is home to over 300,000 residents from diverse and colourful backgrounds. You’ll find evidence of this tight-knit community wherever you look – from the friendly locals found sitting on the stoep (patio) to the numerous braais (BBQs) held on a summer’s day. Mitchells Plain is edgy, quirky, and authentically Cape Town.

Where to eat and make merry: restaurants and bars
The Grillfather
The Grillfather is the “number 1 steakhouse in Mitchells Plain”, and is famous for their delicious basting sauce. It was inspired by the owner’s love for good food and the Godfather trilogy. They serve braai-inspired food: think basted steaks, barbecue chicken, and tasty flame-grilled burgers. For the extra-hungry, there’s the footlong boerewors (traditional South African beef sausage) roll.

Website: theg..

Members Blog, Uncategorized,

AND THE AWARD GOES TO…

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

We are delighted to inform you that Taj InnerCircle has won the coveted 210 Award at the recently held Freddie Awards in Seattle, USA.

The Freddie Awards is one of the most recognised and prominent awards for frequent traveller programs. The 210 Award is given to the program to watch out for, as voters who know about the program rate it extremely high.

The Taj InnerCircle also finished in the Top Four in the following award categories for the Middle East, Asia, Oceania region.

Best Hotel Promotion
Hotel Program of the Year
Best Hotel Elite Program
Best Hotel Customer Service
Best Hotel Redemption Ability

Global recognition and rewards only come about because of your support. They also assure us that our programme and the special benefits are being noticed, and appreciated, by you.

We look forward to offering you globally-acclaimed services as a Taj InnerCircle member and many more unforgettable experiences at the Taj.

Warm regards,
Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris

Aerial-view-of-Cape-Town-from-a-helicopter-e1526382509566

Uncategorized,

Save like a local: how visitors can help during Cape Town’s drought

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

Cape Town is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent history. The city is open for business and welcoming visitors, but the region is still severely water-stressed, and we need everyone to help by being water-wise when visiting Cape Town.

We need your help
We need you to save like a local, and keep your usage to under 50 litres per day. You can still have a fantastic holiday without wasting resources, and we ask that you take special care when you visit. We love Cape Town, and we want it to remain a wonderful destination for future generations. If we all work to conserve our precious resources, we can make a big difference!

10 tips to save like a local

Choose to stay in accommodation that has water-saving and contingency plans in place. Make sure you call and ask before booking, so you know exactly what to expect.
Re-use your towels instead of asking for a new one daily.
Try to flush the toilet as little as possible. Each flush uses between 6 and 14 litres, depend..

Editors Pick, Events, Featured, See and Do, Uncategorized,

The Franschhoek Literary Festival 2018

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

The annual Franschhoek Literary Festival is one of the highlights of the literary scene in Cape Town. Every year, people travel to the beautiful Franschhoek Valley to attend discussions, debates, talks, and workshops, and to get their hands on the hottest new South African literature.

Image supplied by Webtickets

When
The festival takes place on the third weekend of May annually, preceded by Book Week for Young Readers. The 2018 Franschhoek Lit Fest takes place between Friday, 18 May and Sunday, 20 May.

The venues
The events take place in various venues around the Franschhoek Village, all within walking distance of one another.

What’s on
Every year the programme is jam-packed with fascinating talks, lectures, and workshops. There are over 130 events associated with the festival. Themes range from social and political issues and economics to conservation, and everything in between. Take a look at the full programme for 2018 here.

The Authors
Lit Fest hosts authors across all genres..

Editors Pick, Events, Featured, See and Do, Sports & Fitness, Uncategorized,

The 2018 Slave Route Challenge

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

The Slave Route Challenge was born out of an idea to highlight the history and heritage of Cape Town, a city built by slaves. Thousands of slaves were brought to Cape Town between the 1650s and 1834, when the practice was abolished. They came from all over Africa and the Middle East, especially Indonesia and Malaysia. Many Capetonians can trace their ancestors through slavery, and the Malaysian and Islamic influence has shaped the city we know today.

The Slave Route honours this past, and takes in some of the most important areas and heritage sites tied to slavery in the city.

When
The Slave Route Challenge takes place just before the start of winter every year, around mid-May. The 2018 event takes place on Sunday, 13 May.

See details of the 2018 Slave Route Challenge

The Route
There are four different events which take place each year: the half marathon, a 10km run, 10km Big Walk, and a 5km fun run/walk. This means it’s open to everyone from seasoned athletes to total novices!

Th..

Surfers-Muizenberg-beach-Cape-Town-South-Africa

Editors Pick, Featured, Plan, Uncategorized,

The best time of year to visit Cape Town

by dean.kruger3 months agono comment

Planning a holiday can be a lot of fun, but there are some big decisions to make before you start. The biggest question: what time of year should you visit? Read on to find out what the weather is like, how busy the city is, and what things to do in each month of the year.

See what events are happening when you visit

Visiting Cape Town in January and February
January is one of Cape Town’s busiest months, and for good reason. It’s usually hot and sunny, and there are loads of summer events to attend. Summer is in full swing. The daily temperatures average between 17°C (63°F) and 28°c (82°F), although it can reach as high as 40°C (104°F). Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate, which means that it gets its rainfall in the winter months, so January and February are mostly dry. Expect long, warm days with blue skies, when the sun only sets after 8pm and there’s always something going on. It can be windy sometimes, and Cape Town is a fantastic windsurfing destination in January and Februar..