Flamingovlei wedding

Vows were whispered and taken by the wind, 

a fly-by of flamingos hovered above,

the pig ate the confetti, the rooster impressed and the cat stood sentry.

A feast was laid, candles lit, fires warmed,

The sun set in a glory of colour, Table mountain a silent witness.

A wedding was celebrated, on the edge of the water, in a little nursery on  Flamingovlei

Amaryllis delight

I'm afraid we can't claim to have any hand in this splendour,

and if we did add something to the pot, we've long since forgotten.

We watched the long stalk race for height, four buds develop, then

boom

in all its splendor -  to brighten our day

Dave's in town- and better than ever

It's no secret how much we love Lonesome Dave Ferguson's sound, he's home for some gigs- fresh from international fame and hopefully a bit of fortune.

It's been a cruel year, invites to gigs at London pubs with cool names like- Filthy Macnasty's.

He's been home for November and we finally caught up with him at his old Friday haunt- the Granddaddy Hotel Rooftop Trailerpark-  it all seems to come together perfectly there, surrounded by the silver airstreams with the sun setting on Cape Town.

What we didn't expect was the new improved Lonesome Dave.... impossible you say and we thought, but here is a stronger, more confident, chatty, kick-ass Dave with some great new songs- what a treat!

I read that Counting Crows, offered him cash bucks to extend his set-  see what I mean?

Catch him while you still can,  he's playing at  The Table Mountain Blues Summit just after our legendary buddy Piet Botha and the Lyzyrd Kyngs and rumour has it he's playing new year's eve at the very fabulous Barrydale Hotel.

drive by- drive home

Dinner in the crypt of St Georges

If you know the right people you can have dinner in the crypt of St Georges Cathedral... it was our friends birthday and she takes 'friends in high places' to an entirely higher level.

A long table was set, bubbly in the wine cooler, delicious aromatic cape malay curry and breyani, bowls of homemade spicy chutney and sambals.

The curry was the kind when you taste it, you instinctively know it's perfection comes from the many years of cooking it.

Yes,  I did try my luck....but sadly it's his mother's secret recipe -not even imparted to him.

We did however, convince the charming young man to open the darkened cathedral for a little bit of a midnight wander.

I don't need to tell you how impressive it is, it's all there to marvel, but the small details remained with me, the exquisite memorial plaques and the stories they tell, the old flags waiting disintegration and the beautiful prayer posted on the wall for the flower arrangers.

The Crypt is also a witness and memory centre with an inspiring photographic exhibition 'Glimpsing Hope March for Peace'.

I'd recommend lunch in The Crypt-  just get there before the politicians, both parties are known to lunch there and things are a little tense lately-  then take a leisurely stroll through the company gardens next door.

Catching my breath

Taking a moment to admire the petals as they fall with such grace

to tread in the last of the puddles - they'll be dry for awhile

to remember the whirlwind visit - wishing there was more time 

for sisters to reconnect, for scenic drives

 and long delicious meals

to play a few games and to celebrate

but mostly, to just lie on the lawn and enjoy the last hours of a family reunited

Scenic route to Town

Leaving our daughter in Noordhoek, we took the scenic route to an exhibition in Town- Chapman's Peak drive,  narrow, winding roads clinging to the mountainside. Sometimes sturdy stone ledges, built in another lifetime to protect us from sheer cliffs and the turbulent sea.

Sneaking peeks downward, I imagine there must be secret coves, known only by the sea.

We were on our way to the very lovely A's first group exhibition at CTSP, where she has been honing her photographic skills.

An excited buzz everywhere, so many full time and part time students with their friends eager to see their work, a band playing in a corner by the bar, brave bartenders withstand the onslaught.

Large expensive new cameras around every neck...... I thought it wise to take the art teacher home.

drive by- drive home

The Dogs Bollocks and The Bitches Tits

I haven't had the pleasure of one of The Dogs Bollocks legendary 50 burgers- we're yet to make it from the suburbs by 5 pm to get there before they sell out by 7 pm, but we'll keep trying.

I knew we could manage The Bitches Tits, daytime name for the same inspired alley way venue.

We grabbed our coffees from Deluxe, you'll see it at the end of the alley way on the right. You know when the coffee goes down so well that you order another and it's never as good as the first? Well it was.

Mucky Mary's hub cab breakfast list is on the blackboard, everything from bacon, pork sausages, baked beans to tomato dip- hard choices, which is why you need that coffee-  pick and choose and build your own, all a served on a large hub cab of flat bread or rye.

Maggie expertly fried up my simple order of mushrooms and egg on rye- fresh rye just brought in, layered with a silken bed of mushrooms then topped off with a perfectly fried egg, slightly crispy yet when you bite the yolk oozes seductively on to the mushrooms- can you tell I enjoyed it?

We stayed through to the start of the lunchtime rush, the smells were tempting, a large table tucked into meatball heros, the philly cheesesteak and prego roll had me wishing we could stay longer and sweaty betty's sexy soup?- well who dares resist.

 We'll be back with empty tummies.