Olives anyone?

What a beautiful weekend! 

Autumn has to be my favourite season... lazing out in the sun with a picnic basket, leaves shedding their oily green coats to rich palette of yellow, orange and red, I rubbed my eyes in wonder as the trees celebrate a new season! Not to mention Fall Harvest gives the most supple fruits and vegetables... butternut squash, pomegranate, sweet potatoes, pears... AND OLIVES!

And there's no better way to enjoy the olives other than the 11th Annual Riebeek Valley Olive Festival! 

The most scenic drive from Cape Town, passing wineland and cow grazed field on your way towards Riebeek-Kasteel, the mountains line the horizon in the distance complimenting the fish-scale clouds!  It's promised to be a warm weekend with no rain!

The festival was bustling! Moms were treated to gourmet lunch at Old Oak Manor & Café Felix, with their special menu served buffet style! Alternatively, there were plenty of food stores at the Town Sqaure markets, from sandwiches with freshly sliced prociutto & tapenade to braai chicken rolls! Not to mention amazing 5 wine tastings for R30!  I was in heaven....

It didn't take long before we spoted the highlights of the day - OLIVES! There were plenty to go around!  Natural olives, olives in blueberry sauce, olives with garlic, olives stuffed with chilli... you name it! Even if you are not a HUGE fan of olives,  you will be sure to change your mind after the festival!  There were plenty of amazing olive products too - Still Pure body soaps and cream, Het Vlock Casteel olive oils, fig & olive vinaigrett, Olive-Boutique's olive breads, I even spot some chocolate olive salami among the stalls!

*Photos courtesy of  Mathieu Dasnois

We finished off with great cheese platters and wine at Kloovenburg Wine & Olives! Fantastic way to end the day, and we will be sure to check back next year!

Patrick, myself, Martin's Mom & Dad, Martin, Catherine

Quick take on the Creative mind!

Welcome Bienvenido 歡迎 Welkom Bienvenue!

These are the 5 languages I can speak! Or at least try to communicate in =)

Before moving to Cape Town in Oct 2010, I’ve lived in cities in Asia, North America, and South America! I have been very fortunate to start traveling at a young age, and always immersed myself in the culture of foreign lands. 

 

 

I grew up in Tainan, the historical capital city of Taiwan, with pebble-lined streets, bustling night markets and so much more!  Because of the vibrant culture and unique blend of urban/rural landscape, I truly appreciate food, music, cultural events, and just exploring what my home city has to offer!

Since leaving Taiwan, I’ve lived in cities across 4 continents! From one month to 8 years, it’s been truly amazing to integrate these different elements into my life! I have realized that I am a very hands-on person - I learn best from living the experience!  No matter where I am traveling to, I always seek out the BEST of the city a.k.a. the hidden gems!  From restored Victorian cafes to off-the-map beaches, authentic kitchens serving organic cuisines to community-run Rastafarian B&Bs, you name it!

 

Through the people I meet on my journeys, my mind has been expanded immensely! I love sharing this experience with my friends and family, and always give shout-outs to my personal networks! 

During my time living in Chicago, USA, I started “Yelping”! Yelp is a social media website, connecting people in various cities where users share reviews on local businesses!  It’s really anything (& everything) under the sun~  Best thrift vintage stores, Vinyl records collections, wedding venues, Chiropractors, even Chicagoan’s favorite bus route!  And I loved the idea!  What better way to get non-endorsed, REAL review from REAL people!  Local businesses really have to pull their weight, because every customer can be a “mystery shopper”!  Not to mention the great community of people Yelp brings together, I found my dentists & chiropractors here!

With this fresh in mind, I moved to Cape Town, South Africa in October 2010.  I fell in love with the city from the moment I stepped off the plane - fresh, crisp air with a blend of exotic spices, magnificent mountains lining green hills, surrounding vineyars and neighbouring oceans!  And the SPIRIT of the people! Wow!  I made amazing friends within the first month, and I continue to learn something new about this city every day!  Being me, you will find me proactively seeking new events, sampling chows at local restaurants, and rubbing shoulders with people from all walks of life!

One of my favourite South African saying is to collect memories for your rocking chair.  But with the fast pace of life, we don’t always take the opportunity to sit down, relax, and gather our thoughts to paint the memory into our minds!   This combined with many friends’ comments that “you are always out and about! It’s about time you share it with the rest of us!”  have led me to starting this blog! 

I look forward to sharing my stories of Cape Town, and other cities in South Africa with you!  I will be Twitting my adventures, as well as what’s happening around Cape Town real-time!  Follow me @bestcapetownSA!  If you spot any events/ venues / stories that intrigue you, be proactive! Make a booking, take a friend, and see it for yourself!

Get ready for new adventures around Cape Town!

CPT Love,

Lisa