This will be my final post of the Cape Town Club (well at least for now). I love these old stairs – they remind me of the art by MC Escher (he used to draw the strange staircases that started and ended at the same place). If you have read Neverwhear by Neil Gaiman (if not you should – it is a great book), you will remember the “Down Street” section of the book, and these stairs really look like they could be Down Street.
While the formal lounge at the Cape Town Club has some lovely furniture, it is…well…just a little too formal for me.
Although I am a little intrigued about the organ on the right of the first pic.
But don’t you think the rooms are nice and spacious. They would make great band practise rooms – do you think the venue will agree?
There are some wonderful old buildings in Cape Town, and the Cape Town Club is no exception. If you go down into the basement there is a lovely old dark bar, complete with old carpets and period furniture – I am convinced the furniture was modern when the bar was originally built! This is where you go to watch magic. In fact the Cape Town Magic Club meet here (which is where I first found the bar). It is a lovely old building with some beautiful furniture inside.
Old bar (and rather well stocked) bar
Velvet cushioned chairs
The side room
Watch this space to see some more pics of the Cape Town Club.
Update: the Cape Town Magic Club now meet at Truth Coffee – still in the city bowl.
This sculpture is in the middle Cape Town on Thibault Square. I am not quite sure what it is of, but it looks like a few gargoyles looking around the city. According to this AVA, it was created by John Skotnes in the 1990’s, and is called “Mythological Landscape”. It was “an attempt to speak directly to, and become a celebration of, the diversity of people“. I just think it is a strange yet somewhat interesting sculpture.
Anyway if you want to see it pop over to Thibault Square in the city centre.
If you ever visit Newlands Brewery (their brew tour is amazing), don’t forget to stick your head into the garage on the side of the parking lot. They have an old steam engine, a wagon and lovely old car. Just a small piece of SAB history.
Lion Lager train (they still brew Lion Lager but only every 4 years)
“Charles Glass” wagon
Newlands Brewery Delivery car
Butterflies and a big heart are the perfect way to end off the year…
I met Sanea today on my traditional New Years Eve morning run to Kalk Bay. She was busy creating this amazing urban art using the outside wall of Olympia bakery as her canvas, and tiny-little paper butterflies as her ink.
It turns out that she offers free yoga classes to children at no cost, and uses her art to raise funds to cover the costs. I think that any form of exercise for children is good (and for adults); especially something like yoga that trains both the body and the mind, strengthening us and teaching us self-awareness.
Her butterflies have been known to land all over the place, so keep looking out for them. Below is her flyer, and you can find out more about her project on Facebook.
ps: the Snapscan link should work online if you scan it…
Mostert’s Mill was built in 1796 in Cape Town, and it is the only surviving windmill in Cape Town. It is perched on the side of the M3 freeway – just below the University of Cape Town, and is passed by thousands of cars every day. I have driven past it (quite literally) thousands of times myself. But when driving past I just get a glimpse. When running past I get time to pause, take a look and appreciate the wonderful skill that must have gone into the making of the mill. Luckily for me the mill is on one of my favourite running routes when I do some training in the Rondebosch area.
Occasionally they set the sails and the mill can be seen in operation – just like it was over 200 years ago.
More details are at http://www.mostertsmill.co.za/
Yes I know it is a cliche to shoot the so-called super moon. And Yes I know that the 14% bigger that it appears to be is almost impossible to distinguish with the naked eye. But I had a free evening, and the sky was clear and beautiful, so what not? These two pictures were shot on November 14 from Silvermine Nature Reserve, on one of the trails just past the parking lot. Hope you like them!
I had lunch with colleagues in Table view on Saturday, and it is not called Table View for nothing. Just look at that fantastic view of Table Mountain with the city in the front. If I lived in their apartment I think I would “work” from home every single day!
No I don’t know his real name, but I am going to call him Sam. Why? Because I can. Anyway, Sam has been living in Kalk Bay Harbour for many years. He is probably one of the most photographed seals in Cape Town, and he loves posing for the tourists.
When he gets tired of the attention he waddles over to the harbour wall and jumps over into the sea for a refreshing dip. If you want to see him yourself just head on over to Kalk Bay harbour and there is a pretty good chance you will see him basking in the sun.
Leave a Comment