Capetownbites

Goodbye Capetownbites Goodbye!

2009-02-03T14:59:00.002+02:00

Its time to say Goodbye to Capetownbites and hello to my new weblog address. After a long hard slog over the last few months, the new site is finally well on its way. Why? The new site is easy to navigate and a joy to read. You may find what you are looking for under the categories and enjoy the faster speed.

So adieu to all that! Out with the old and in with the new.

Visit me at www.astridstark1.wordpress.com

Astrid

Rocking the Daisies - the Ecstasy. The Agony.

2008-10-23T11:09:00.004+02:00

For easy reading: Click on article to enlarge.

An article published in The Event of October. PS: By far my favourite editor to write for...

Chicks with Tools

2008-10-11T09:08:00.008+02:00

Chicks With Tools

Since starting to make wooden frames I have added an orbital sander, a metric saw, a jiggsaw and a drill to my collection of toys. They all live happily together in Big Jim, "The toolbox" along with screws, nails, glues, hammers, bits of wire, clamps, pencils, measuring tape and other things that I don't quite know what they are yet. I restore old wood with chunky knots and strips of bark on them and turn them into earthy, natural looking and large wooden frames. My dad said I should try a bit of art-o-pyromania: burning into pinewood with a blowtorch! What! Not sure this is wise but I will definitaly give it a go.

Bikini shoot: Pocahontas in Sea Point

2008-10-10T15:58:00.006+02:00

The perfect day for a swimwear shoot. The photos are for Delray's modelling portfolio. She has high aspirations and a fair amount of talent. We managed to shoot a few pics before the Sea Point Pool management rounded up on us like a pack of hungry lions. The crochet bikini was created by Wi-We designs and its owner Wiedaad will be selling the concept to Design Indaba. Check out her website wi-we.com.

Theatrical Decadence

2008-09-03T10:06:00.008+02:00

On 1 September the NewSpace theatre project was launched at 44 Long Street.
Pieter Dirk Uys, Mannie Manim, Percy Tucker, David Kramer and string of theatre stalwarts were there to dip the baby's head in Sparkling Wine. Soli Philander MC'd the affair and the sexy Coda provided the music. In one of the rooms I discovered an incredible collection of old theatre artwork. Surely an invaluable selection of South African theatre memorabilia that is begging to be restored and preserved?

Astrid Stark Photography hits front page of Big Issue

2008-08-12T21:23:00.010+02:00

I did a shoot with South African musician Lonesome Dave Ferguson. Check out his music www.myspace.com/lonesomedaveferguson. Dave belts out raw country grooves and plays dirty twangs through his harmonica that makes you want to slap your thighs and grind your hips in a filthy way.

The Big Issue supports street trade. All the magazines are sold by street vendors, many who were previously unemployed and disadvantaged. The vendors get half the selling price of the magazine. The Big Issue's big mission is to create employment. Self respect and independence follow. Check them ut www.bigissue.org.za

Loch Ness Monster spotted in Cape Town

2008-08-07T16:13:00.006+02:00

Yesterday, as I walked along the Sea Point prominade, I thought I saw Nessie slithering in a pool of water!
Luckily I had my trusty picture catcher with me - so I fired away and captured this image.

I have sent it off to Drumnadrochit (in Scotland) and will wait for their authenticity report.

Meanwhile it is back to the beach and "Operation Deepscan"

Obscene Food Photography

2008-07-16T14:58:00.004+02:00

Creamy folds of Chocolate Mousse whipped and dipped
into a coco-crunchy layer of bittersweet chocolate,

resting gently atop pink voluptuous roasted
marshmallows that are wallowing their sticky fat bottoms

in a drippy, decadent mixed berry and mint Jus.

It's just obscene!

Women Engineers' Paintball Battle

2008-06-28T12:41:00.005+02:00

There are few creatures as dangerous as a sleep deprived woman with a paintball gun, 200 bullets and a score to settle. Well, maybe 57 cranky women in one forest might be worse.

The girls were nervous at first, but soon battled it out in Tokai like pro's.

There were reports afterwards of intimidation, cheating, breaking the 8m distance rule and tears. But they will remain rumours as the girls were again reunited in female solidarity at the end of the war.

The Victorious Red Team!

Fashion Photography

2008-06-27T17:06:00.010+02:00

The Sexy side of Engineering.

A photoshoot I did for SAwomEng (SA Women Engineers).
None of these girls are models but all of them leapt at the opportunity to swop overalls and goggles for satin and stillettos.

I have two big fat angels hovering over my head. They sent me Lee Miller, (the fabulous woman dressed in black). Watching the sweat break out on my brow, and the sheer panic in my face, Lee volunteered to assist me with styling the girls. She is actually and dancer and has her own studio in Houtbay, Lee's Dance Studio. But she is just a natural! She whipped the woman engineers into funky hip-hop frenzy. Lee can be reached at ragdolldancercat@gmail.com.

SA Women Engineers

2008-06-23T18:19:00.003+02:00

I am busy with conference photography for the SA Women Engineers' group. http://www.sawomeng.co.za/
Sixty bright sparks for 5 days @ around 14 hours per day is rather hectic. But they are a great bunch and are starting to fancy themselves as models now - strutting their stuff for the camera in their finest.

Kulula.com - City Guide Editor

2008-05-30T11:36:00.004+02:00

I edited Comic's life's City pages for two months in early 2008. It may seem light, and frivolous, but compiling 6 pages per month (with pics) takes a lot of research and completely filled up my mail box with event calenders, events and places of interest from across the country. A freelance writer has to carefully calculate the time spent on such assignments. The best part is that I made some excellent new friends, discovered precious gems and stumbled upon an old friend who is now the Executive Mayor of Eden Municipality - Rudi Laws. I remember the humble George settlement where he used to live. The township children adored him, and the people respected him for his gentleness, and his stubbourn determination. Rudi was alsways trying to find ways to improve the lot of his community. We used to sit outside in te sun and chew the fat over a half quart beer. We shared crazy fantasies of fame, friendship and fortune - I always had a feeling that he was destined for great things.

Article: Sunday Independent

2008-05-27T00:38:00.000+02:00

Writers and photographers unite

2008-05-26T23:56:00.007+02:00

Magic happens when writers and photographers work together. Munya Makoni wrote this piece for Big Issue magazine in May 2008. I took the photos. Munya is a qualified journalist from Zimbabwe. He trawls the streets of Cape Town, to find stories you and I can only imagine. Munya saw the potential in The Carpenter's dream and I captured it on film.

2008-04-17T00:49:00.001+02:00

Poem for the little ones...

If you….

If you’re feeling lonely
Like no-one’s loving you
Then there’s really only one thing.
One thing you can do.
Find a dusty corner.
One that suits - just you
And find a lumpy stick
Any kind will surely do.
Then all you need to do
All you really need to do
Is beat your largest toe
Until its black and blue

Article: ACC Liverpool inspires green CTICC

2008-04-16T15:18:00.004+02:00

I wrote this piece for The Event Newspaper after an interview with Jacquie Rogers, GM of the Liverpool ACC and Dirk Elzinga, CEO of the CTICC

CLICK ON ARTICLE TO ENLARGE FOR EASY READING.

Article: Paris Fashion Week - Pursuit magazine

2008-02-26T15:21:00.004+02:00

In January 2007 I flew to Paris for Gavin Rajah's Haute Couture fashion show. This piece I brought back for Pursuit magazine.
Please double click on article for easy reading.

Photography: Fruit & Veg

2008-01-28T16:35:00.001+02:00

Today is great day.

Photography: Super Bike Racing

2007-12-12T11:50:00.000+02:00

South African Superbike racer, Adam Wright burns rubber at the final race day, Killarney, Cape Town.

Photography: Dance/stage

2007-12-05T11:27:00.001+02:00

Photoshoot: La Rosa Dance School, Cape Town.
For: Big Issue Magazine
Camera: Canon EOS 350D (Digital) & Tripod

Taking photos of flamenco dancers twirling and swaying under smoky multi-coloured strobe lights is about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
It is also very tricky and unpredictable - especially when it is rehearsal day. The light technician continuously fiddled with the light sequence, speed and strength, making it near impossible to plan a good shot - near impossible. The most charming feature of this shoot lay exactly in that unpredictability. The shot that I carefully framed and timed came out lame. Nearly two hours later, I finally relaxed and resigned myself to a disaster. I stopped being intimidated by the fluctuating light conditions and fiddling with my camera settings, and simply concentrated on capturing the motion and essence of the dancers.

Keep an extra battery and memory card handy as it takes some time to find your own rhythm within the dancers. You are going to want to take a lot of pics. I'd also recommend shooting during rehearsals as your camera's flash, and yourself jumping up and down on the stage, is sure to irritate paying patrons.

"Sometimes we have to let go of all we think we know in order to absorb the authenticity of the moment" - Gonzo files.

Keep an extra battery and memory card handy as it takes some time to find your own rhythm with the dancers, and you are going to want to take a lot of pics. I'd also recommend shooting during rehearsals as your camera's flash, and you jumping up and down on the stage, is sure to iritate paying patrons.

Photography is for the birds

2007-11-28T13:25:00.000+02:00

Photoshoot: World of Birds, Houtbay.
Published by www.reporter.co.za

It is a tragic reality that in order for most humans to interact closely with wild animals we have to lock them up in cages.

As a photographer there are few things as frustrating as observing animals wrapped in wire. By playing around with your sport settings and manual focus, you can make those sad cages all but disappear - even if just for a moment.

Studio Photography - Glass

2007-11-28T13:19:00.001+02:00

It took three people, two hours, several broken glasses and a completely soaked studio to print this photo. I set the glass on a white sheet and ruffled it somewhat to add texture. The background is a cream wall with a very slight grain which was enhanced by the angled lighting. The light technician Juan Davy (who doubles as the owner of his own signage company) originally controlled the four lights, which included, hovering one light above the glass for extended periods while we drain the glass and soak up the mess. The second assistant, Murdock Macdonald, whose day job is owning an international automotive protection company, his duty included repeatedly tossing two litres of water from up high into the glass, without toppling the glass, electrocuting us, or killing my camera. And all I had to do was press the button.

Article - Rocking the Daisies Festival Review

2007-10-26T11:49:00.000+02:00

Published by: The Event, SA’s leading business and tourism industry newspaper.

Please double click on the article to enlarge it for easy reading.

Photography: Magical Western Cape

2007-10-23T13:39:00.000+02:00

Photography: Sushi Sushi

2007-10-22T16:18:00.001+02:00

Photoshoot for Sushi Zone Restaurant

I was commissioned by Sushi Zone, a chain of Asian style restaurants, to shoot a range of photos for their menus, flyers, brochures and website. The photos were taken in the restaurant using only natural light and a slow shutter speed. The best part was eating platters & platters of gorgeous sushi afterwards.

Article: Rocking the Daisies - Unrated

2007-10-02T10:25:00.000+02:00

Published by: www.reporter.co.za

On a Saturday morning in spring we loaded two tents, every blanket, duvet and pillow in the house, two cooler boxes full of beer, wine, sausages, two headlamps and three good friends into our van. Our Destination was the Rocking the Daisies festival in darling. We arrived around noon to the sound of rock and the sight of hundreds of tents scattered across fields of green. Colourful crowds were lazily strolling, laughing and swigging at plastic containers filled with toxic looking liquid. A dam of blue water glistened invitingly in the sweltering afternoon sunshine. A few pale bodies bobbed on makeshift inflatables. We popped up our tents in record time just to discover that we had left the fly sheet at home, and sent up a quick prayer for no rain. Then it was off to mainstage and entertainment area. Foodstalls (empty at this stage), a wine tasting area with the sweet hippy dippy staff from Darling, a tented hotel , Daycare facilities for kids, and bars (full at this stage) awaited us. We missed Goldfish and Max Normal that played on Friday night but Rastame and the warriors belted out chilling Reggae, and the lazy, mostly white, crowd managed to get to its feet and shuffle about in ragga style. This was followed by the Comedy hour filled with the usual load of toilet humour which did not go down well with most of the crowd. A lot of South Africans actually don't find jokes about body fluids, bad sexual experiences and abusive relationships funny. Now if only the stand ups would catch up. The all girl JacSharp stood out like a fresh Daisy in the searing heat with great vocals and tons of passion. Things started getting fuzzy at around seven-ish - I think. We had imbibed all our beer and wine and were aimlessly stumbling around making friends and influencing people. Striking was that most people at the festival were really on the upper end of the attractive scale: perfect bodies in nano shorts with life long legs ending with pretty daisy wellingtons, sculpted torsos and suspiciously white teeth covered by plum lips. Also present where the usual tie-dyed hippies blowing soap bubbles with blond children on their hips and scruffy dogs at their bare feet. As I said, things got a little blurry from here on. After a dodgy chicken burger we started a spot of spontaneous arm wrestling in the straw, followed by more beers, dancing wildly, making more friends and eventually the big stumble back to the tent that took hours because there were just so many people along the way to get along with. The following morning a twisted girl scout next us woke before dawn’s crack and chirped away like a Bulbul on acid. The contrast between her and about 3000 people or so is too vast and far too ugly to describe here. It did not rain but our tent mysteriously sagged and I woke in a sauna with half the tent stuck to my face and arms. After a cold shower and visit to probably the most horrific toilets I have encountered in Africa, it was back to our spot in the hay for Chinese noodles and yes, more beer. The popular Flat Stanley ended the Festival at two with a brilliant performance. Despite the heat, sore heads and sleep deprivation, the crowd actually managed to get back up on its feet and rock - hard. I noticed the gorgeous blond girl in the orange bikini with the pink plastic flower wreath around her head, and purple sash around her bottom. She was dancing on a bale of hay when we arrived Saturday morning and by the time we left she was still in the same spot – grooving to her own beat.

Restaurant Reviews: V&A Waterfront Restaurant Awards & Guide 2007/2008

2007-09-21T15:30:00.000+02:00

Restaurant Reviews: V&A Waterfront Restaurant Awards & Guide 2007/2008

Please double click on article for easy reading.

In 2007 I was , for the second year running, part of the team, under direction of Lannice Snyman and Donald Paul, that reviewed the Restaurants for the annual V&A Waterfront Restaurant Guide. The pocket-sized guide lists all the venues serving food and beverages at the Waterfront. Lannice Snyman is an internationally published, award-winning publisher, author and journalist. She has also been the editor of SA’s national restaurant guide, Eat Out for 18 years and runs her own culinary consultancy and publishing company. Donald Paul has more than 25 years experience in newspaper, magazine and book publishing. He is also a judge for the world’s 50 Best Restaurants. Six professional reviewers evaluated all Restaurants, Cafés, Fast foods and Bars & Taverns, anonymously. Attractive, full-colour photographs captures something of the essence of every venue – no small challenge. The guide offers a small write-up of the venues and includes opening hours, average cost per meal, and the full address and contact details. Basically it is the definitive guide to eating out at the Waterfront.

Below are just some of my photographs of the winners that were published by the V&Waterfront Restaurants and Public Relations.

Emily's Restaurant

Cape Grace Team

V&A Waterfront Guide MC Anna

Photography & Design

2007-09-19T17:42:00.000+02:00

This is a brochure that I designed for an automotive company, PermagardSA. Most of the photos and all the design work are mine. What a nightmare this was.

Photography: Flowers in Spring

2007-08-24T12:53:00.000+02:00

Studio photography - Roots

2007-08-08T14:21:00.000+02:00

Photography: World of Birds

2007-08-07T15:01:00.000+02:00

My Favourite old man...I captured this Maribou Stork's image at the World of Bird's in Hout Bay - Western Cape. He posed and strutted for me like a supermodel blissfully unaware that most humans might find his grisly head far from attractive. I instantly fell in love with his confidence and individuality. That was until the keeper started feeding him prematurely born chicken heads. The smell! The World of Birds is the largest Bird Park in Africa, with a serious collection of birds of Prey,owls, monkeys, porcupines - you name it. One of the biggest attractions is the Monkey petting enclosure where you can interact with the tiniest little monkeys that steal your credit card from your pocket and the elastic from your ponytail. Oh and the tame crow with the human ear fetish was pretty interesting too...

Photography: Cape Town's miracle mayor Helen Zille

2007-05-23T10:47:00.000+02:00

Published: www.reporter.co.za

After four months of cycling across Africa, riders of the 2007 Tour d'Afrique Bicycle Race/Expedition crossed the official finish line at the V&A Waterfront on Saturday, 12th May. Crazy maniacs from across the world cycle from Cairo to Cape Town (12500 km's). And to make themselves feel better about this completely self-indulgent trip of a lifetime - they donate bicycles to HIV workers along the route to help provide the workers provide better health care to the desperately ill in their villages. Worldwide, 70% of adults and 80% of children living with HIV/Aids are in Africa, so these bikes play a vital role. During the expedition I managed to cycle 140km's in one day through Botswana - dodging elephants. What a trip.
Check out the website for this cycling event: http://www.tourdafrique.com/

One thing I truly appreciate is someone who gives me love through the lens. Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille is one such person. At the arrival ceremony for the Tour d'Afrique she not only made a passionate speech about the importance of finding less harmful transportation alternatives, but she just blossomed in front of the camera.
Cycling in on a tandem with the gifappeltjie in front, she brandished our flag high and proud. She posed and strutted and hugged everybody giving us angles and options. She received a branded T-shirt and immediately pulled it over her own shirt. Great sport, fabulous energy and passionate being. We love her work!

Photography: In & out of studio for products

2007-04-25T18:41:00.000+02:00

Travel piece: Bushman, Shaman, Rock Star - Priest

2007-04-17T18:04:00.000+02:00

A hidden treasure about 40kms outside Clanwilliam in the Western Cape (South Africa).

These Bushman cave paintings are well preserved and largely undiscovered. Some claim that the Shaman painted animals on rock to capture their essence and open a portal to the spirit word. As Jim Morrison used whisky to open his Doors of Perception, the will and desire to reach out into the unknow and to know thyself remains untempered. It is just the poison that varies.
www.bushmanscave.co.za/

Stinky's holiday in Sutherland

2007-03-27T17:38:00.000+02:00

My brother Stinky went on a road trip to Sutherland.

On Christmas Eve he had a little too much to drink.

He fell in love with wind-me- up Sandy Claws

and after a night of sordid fun

Sandy Claws said to Stinky:

Thanks for the ride, babe.

Stinky cried all the way back to Cape Town

Poor Stinky

Article: Ride Magazine

2007-03-15T17:23:00.000+02:00

Published in Ride Magazine August '05

This piece on the type of bike needed for the Tour d'frique I wrote for Ride Magazine, Shortly after returning from the incredible journey.

Photography: Rodin, Oh Rodin!

2007-03-13T08:16:00.000+02:00

Augustine Rodin - 1841-1917

Paris - Cape Town - Jesus loves Calvin Klein

2007-03-08T17:33:00.000+02:00

I had the immense pleasure of experiencing Gavin Rajah’s Spring/Summer haute couture show in Paris.One of the fabulous ghd boys takes a flash break from fluffing hair at Paris Fashion Week.

One of the fabulous ghd boys takes a flash break from fluffing hair at Paris Fashion Week.
The ghd hair gel/mousse/glue is really brilliant. It will shape your hair any way you like it. You can also stick pencils or kitchen utensils to your head.

Paris Haute Couture - Holland's Next Top model

2007-03-07T09:16:00.000+02:00

During Paris Haute Couture week, one of these two hopeful Dutch models were chosen to walk down the ramp during Gavin Rajah's show. And no, it was not the one who didn't grasp the concept of Haute Couture and then sneered in contempt at the judges. It does raise a few questions; does it matter if a model 'gets' couture, or if she understand the designers' inspiration, and does this reflect how she walks? Is this why Heidi Klum and her cronies are still in the business? Or is it just a beautiful body, big mouth and the obligatory Bolivian March that keeps the beauties at the top? Gavin Rajah invited the loser of this game to watch his show - so she can come to grips with couture. She strolled in like a diva with cameras flashing and films rolling (so Peroni), and not in the least fazed. There is a lot more hard candy in this potential idols judge than in her sugar sweet companion.

Mirror Mirror on the wall... who is the sweetest of them all...

Paris - The Rajah's paternal instinct on show

2007-03-02T17:07:00.000+02:00

Paris Fashion Week (Couture)

It is fitting for a haute couture designer to flaunt his creativity in radical ways. A model with her baby and Gavin Rajah with - well, somebody elses baby still rates as one of the most striking images I have seen on the catwalk. Next up - a model on an Indian Elephant dressed in couture? (the elephant not the model). Size 0 models are so last year anyway. And since Gavin Rajah has aligned himself with Unicef in advocating the protection of children it all seems to fit well.

Article: Crown of Thorns for King of Plants.

2006-11-21T16:14:00.000+02:00

'Climate change killing SA's National Flower, the King Protea', says an article in the Washington Post. "Proteas are named after the Greek sea god Proteus, who could change his form at will. Global warming is heating up South Africa and Proteas are migrating upwards to cooler spots - but running out of space.

South Africa has designated 35 proteas as "endangered with extinction" and 46 as "vulnerable to extinction." Another 76 are listed as "rare." Although kind of alien like, Poteas came not from another place, but another time. They are remnants of the distant past, when Africa, Australia, India, South America and Antarctica existed as one landmass, called Gondwana, that broke apart about 130 million years ago and so the members of the Protea family live oceans apart …

Photography: Love leaves so soon

2006-11-17T13:59:00.000+02:00

To be confirmed

2006-11-08T15:59:00.000+02:00

Schlebs Photography:

2006-11-02T16:40:00.000+02:00

Good Hope FM's Natalie Becker with imported Fashionista Amanda Gowing.

TBC

2006-10-24T16:45:00.000+02:00

Poetry: Withered

2006-10-10T12:57:00.000+02:00

The V&A Waterfront Restaurant Guide – 2006 2007

2006-10-02T16:07:00.000+02:00

On Wednesday 27 September I was part of the team, under direction of Lannice Snyman and Donald Paul, that launched the V&A Waterfront Restaurant Guide, 2007. The guide is pocket-sized and lists all the venues serving food and beverages at the Waterfront. For those who do not know what or where the V&A Waterfront is – shocking. Visit http://www.waterfront.co.za/, and be enlightened. Lannice Snyman is an internationally published, award-winning publisher, author and journalist. She is also the editor of SA’s national restaurant guide, Eat Out for 18 years and runs her own culinary consultancy and publishing company that published the guide. Donald Paul has more than 25 years experience in newspaper, magazine and book publishing. He is also a judge for the world’s 50 Best Restaurants. Six professional reviewers evaluated all Restaurants, Cafés, Fast foods and Bars & Taverns, anonymously. Attractive, full-colour photographs captures something of the essence of every venue – no small challenge. The guide offers a small write-up of the venues and includes opening hours, average cost per meal, and the full address and contact details. Basically it is the definitive guide to eating out at the Waterfront and nobody that likes to eat out once a month or five times week should be without it. The awards attached to the guide recognized the Best Venue and its runner-up in six categories. Just a quick list of the venues that received top scores from the reviewers and is worth a visit: Belthazar Restaurant and Wine Bar, Society Bistro, Vida e Caffé (reviewed elsewhere on this blog), Simply Asia and Bascule Whisky Bar and Wine Cellar. I have visited each of the above venues and can agree that the awards are spot on. With safety becoming an increasing concern in South Africa and unfortunately Cape Town, it is good to know that secure parking and around the clock security staff will ensure a hassle free environment. With more than 70 different eating venues to choose from, the Waterfront has arrived as one of the top restaurant destinations in the world. Check out their website for the addresses of the venues as well as photographs. Reserve a Restaurant online at http://www.waterfront.co.za/eat - just follow the instructions.
http://www.waterfront.co.za/
http://www.lannicesnyman.com/

Restaurant Reviews: Coffee, coffee, coffee

2006-09-26T15:19:00.000+02:00

This review was published by http://www.diya.co.za/

Vida e Caffé

A well rounded experience at a your local Vida e Caffé is not necessarily dependent on the freshness in preparation of its coffee, nor the temperature at which it is served, but rather the beans from which the flavour is ground and equally important, the number of models fluttering about the tables. In the same category as the stallion and the princess, Vida e Caffé’s Estrela blend is made from100% Arabica beans, which lends itself to a complex coffee with robust flavour and espresso’s described as gourmet. The Arabica beans are grown on mountains, hand picked, very fragile and contain only half the caffeine of the ordinary Robusta bean. It is easy to become enchanted by Vida as the delicate aroma of this fragrant coffee filter through your being and the density of the Cappuccino’s foam is only somewhat upstaged by that of the clientele. It is easier still to fall prey to the enormous four-cheese muffins on display (see pic). Despite Cape Town’s growing Café culture, it is still a challenge to find a consistently good cup of coffee, even at some of the finest establishments. Perhaps this is why the cappuccino/espresso machine, imported from Italy, has become such a status symbol. After dinner guests gather around it, admiring its slick, titanium finish as it sighs and splutters out the latest blend. Fortunately, with more than eight shops across Cape Town, and ever expanding, Vida e Caffé is making it possible for us to enjoy a tasty caffeine fix outside the home. One of their finest outlets is situated on Kloof Street, Gardens. Here, at the foot of Table Mountain, it is almost possible to forgive the capriciousness of the in-crowd as you watch the boys watch the girls watch the boys go by while the setting sun slowly drenches everyone in a golden syrup.

Vida e Caffé Head office
Tel: 021 421 5755 fax 021 421 5765
www.vidaecaffe.com

Article: Tour d' Afrique - Odyssey Magazine

2006-09-21T15:43:00.000+02:00

One of my very first published pieces - 2005.

There are time when you just about sell your soul in return for R400.00 and you have to wonder if it was worth it. It makes for heart wrenching poetry and inpirational dreaming.

Article: TdA - Property Magazine

2006-09-19T16:48:00.000+02:00

In 2005 I had my own extreme adventure. I joined the Tour d'Afrique bicycle tour as on board diarist and all round care taker. See http://www.tourdafrique.com/ for this mind blowing journey.

Here is a piece I wrote for Property magazine.

As always. Just click on the article to enlarge it.

Article: The End is Naai. Darling

2006-09-18T18:12:00.000+02:00

It has been another bizarre weekend in Cape Town. A Cape Flats woman bit her best friend’s ear off in a drunken dispute over R6. The culprit then ran along brandishing her trophy throughout the township. The police returned the ear to its original owner, who is now keeping it in a jar as a reminder of an unusual experience. Hearing this, I feel the urge to just get away - quick. What better place than Evita se Perron for a dollop of white guilt, washed down with Darling wines and boerekos(enormous plates of home-style cooking).Darling is a tiny village (blink and you’ll miss it) about an hour from Cape Town along the West Coast road. It is here where you will find Evita Bezuidenhout se Perron (station platform) with a museum or as Evita calls it, ‘Nauseum’, that is probably the biggest collection of apartheid era, pictures, posters, symbols and letters in existence (unless there is more, buried in shame somewhere). Evita is South Africa’s most renowned political satirist and cabaret artist. Why would anybody want to take time out to be drenched in (more) white guilt? Evita explains: ‘Remember where we come from, so we can truly celebrate where we are going.’ The artifacts are presented in good humour and Evita performs her internationally acclaimed shows throughout the week. There is also a Boerassic Park filled with statues, kitsch and cartoons that reflect the, mostly ridiculous, political world and their laughable players. The most memorable being a statue of the AWB leader, Eugene Terreblanche falling of his ass.( an actual event). Once you’re done with reflection and laughter, you can sit down to a wholesome plate of South African boerekos and a show. This time of year you can take a slow drive through the Darling region and enjoy the spectacular fields of indigenous flowers and fynbos. It is recommended to stay over for at least a night at one of the cosy guesthouses and allow the tranquility to saturate your soul before returning to cannibalism and Cape Town.
www.evita.co.za

Articles: Three interviews with Cape Town Night Club Moguls

2006-09-15T16:49:00.000+02:00

A challenging assignment.

In life there are no real obstacles, only challenges. Or so I tell myself when the wheels start to wobble. This assignment was one of those CHALLENGES. I was asked to interview three of Cape Town's top Night Club owners. Free tickets! Not really. More like. Ok. ok money coming in. Rubbing hands in delight whilst feeling the draft wafting in through hole in very sad, very old pants. It is a fact that a lot of editors, sub editors, etc. will bribe your services with promises of fine wine tastings, multiple course gourmet dinners, concert tickets, free handsoap, linen and the use of their prestigious publication as home for your writing and photography. It is also a fact that you can't eat concert tickets or a reputable publication.

I had around 48hrs to set up the three interviews, host them, find a photographer, write, and finally e-mail the articles to the ed. A piece of cake!