Heritage & hospitality in Greyton...another Staycation discovery...

I was invited to celebrate the first ever Heritage Festival with the good people of Greyton this past weekend. It was a fabulous community event with all sorts of happenings… an outdoor market with arts, crafts, milktarts and more, horse and carriage rides, a street parade with amazing performances by local drum majorettes, gumboot and reel dancers, and afterwards, the cutting of the ribbon at the new Heritage Museum, by Mayor De Bruin.  

Greyton is a small town in the beautiful Overberg region, a breathtaking  area that stretches from Grabouw to Heidelberg, originally occupied by a Khoi tribe called the Hassequas. The village, named after Sir George Grey, Governor of the Cape at the time, was established in 1854 but in fact dates back to 1791 when the first farm called Weltevreden (meaning "well satisfied") was built and, some time later, subdivided into plots. Many of the town’s original buildings and features have survived, including the original leiwater (irrigation) system of street furrows, a blacksmith's house and forge and the first school's boarding house. There are also two very old churches (one is Moravian) and some of the earliest cottages that were built between 1854 and 1860 can be found in Vigne Lane (named after Herbert Vigne) and at the end of Vlei Street. There’s heritage everywhere you look, as I discovered on a short drive around the village, courtesy of Derek from Searle's.

Greyton is only 90 minutes from Cape Town and the journey is as amazing as the destination...the drive, partly via Route 406, is one of the most stunning in the Western Cape. Greyton is a perfect destination away from the city madness, an enchanting Staycation option to add to your list, and mine. There's a lot to do and see as well... the museum, mountain biking, canoeing or swimming for starters. Klaus Wehrlin does guided walks and hikes through trails lined with aromatic fynbos, and overlooking the most spectacular scenery….peaks, valleys, ravines, streams and waterfalls…it’s a truly gorgeous landscape, and is a must-do activity if, like me, you find being in nature therapeutic. Of course there's good food and wine to be had, and have it we did. To begin with, you simply can't do Greyton without spending some time at Searle's Trading Post where owner Naomi Herselman will make you feel like long lost family. She is the quintessential hostess with an incredible team... Netta, Nicolene and Fredwina, take a bow. Naomi is also one of the key people behind the Heritage Festival that is set to become an annual event around this time of the year.

 I had such a divine time in the village & really didn't want to go back to the city on Sunday. The tranquil atmosphere had really relaxed me and Lateral Paul, and the warmth and hospitality we received made us so reluctant to leave. I get the feeling we'll be returning soon.

So if you need a break and the holidays still feel so far away, then go have yourself a Greyton Staycation why don't you? Experience a change of scenery, where one night away will feel like many more, and where you can soak up a good dose of heritage until next year's festival comes around.  The Greyton Rose Fair is coming up soon...sounds like incentive to me. 

I can also recommend a few other fabulous places we experienced this time around, although believe me, there are many wonderful spots to enjoy, where you can indulge in great food and vino: Scarlet Pimpernel for accommodation where no two rooms are alike; The Hungry Monk for drinks and tapas in a gorgeous setting under the trees; Via's for a good coffee by Soa and of course Searle's where you should try the delish fennel and mango salad and thin based pizzas, enjoy a show in their cabaret theatre venue (check their Facebook page for details), and of course get loads of TLC.

First, the Heritage Parade...

A festive vibe...

Looking through the gate to the Heritage Museum...

Get your history game on...

The old Moravian Church...

The eclectic Scarlet Pimpernel were we stayed...

and Searle's...

where the mango & fennel salad is a must...

chased with a cider...

and then, walk it all off with Klaus Wehrlin...

such beauty...

quaint houses & lush greenery...

drinks at the Hungry Monk...a beautiful setting

Me checking my pics...I hope you liked them and that this blog post 

has inspired you to visit Greyton..

Thank you to Kathy Kelly for extending the invitation to myself and Lateral Paul to attend the Heritage Festival and for making us feel so welcome!

Staycation until vacation...redirect your eyes in your own city.

Time is tight. I am moving from one production into another until April 2016 and this means no gaps for me to flee to foreign lands, as I'm given to doing. Anyone who knows me will confirm that I'm a wanderluster, always picking a flight. Perpetually seeking a new destination, a different culture, interesting food, new friends...it all leads to a fresh perspective, takes the focus off myself and re-energises my life.

Make no mistake, I have a great job as PR in the theatre industry...dynamic, creative, never a dull moment. But I am allergic to office monotony. My day starts at 06h30, I nail the campaigns at hand and then I'm off, to a coffee shop in my hood to meet a friend, listen to other stories, absorb alternate surroundings and soak up the excellence I find in my beautiful city. It's amazing, seriously -  Cape Town is exploding with outstanding eateries, coffee, bars, design, style, theatre.

And nature. I mean where can compare? If you've no time for a trip out of town, and find yourself, like me, craving the Cederberg and its fynbos aromas, you can breathe it in deeply in the biodiversity garden of the urban park in Green Point....it's that simple.

People sometimes ask, in an irritated way most of the time: "I mean, do you ever work..you're always out somewhere...." Well yes. I work. Very hard. With passion and 150% delivery. But, I've discovered a formula that works for me, that negates stress and it's called hashtag #MixingItUpALittle. Monday to Friday, I do office work and then the virtual desk thing. Work continues, my gadgets are always close by. I don't miss a trick as I sip on a cortado and make small talk with the neighbouring table. I've worked from Tokyo, Istanbul and Prague without clients even knowing I was away. I'm quite enterprising that way.

So now, back to the 'no gaps to flee' dilemma. In lieu of this, I am opting for staycations. I am taking short breaks over the weekends to visit somewhere new, stay in a hotel, explore a little, walk a different path, take in new views. Making little holidays in my own town until I get a bigger break...staycation until vacation.

I'll take you with me via my blogposts and Steller montages because I am all about inspiring others (and myself), showing off Cape Town and what lies a little beyond its immediate borders...the winelands, the countryside, the mountains, valleys and beaches. Cape country....unique and gorgeous. Follow me and I'll take you places.

Have at look at this recent staycation post of mine on Steller, captured in the Franschhoek valley last weekend....

Two flights & a conversion

This past Friday has officially been clocked as one of my best days in Cape Town, ever. With two flights, a sublime food experience and an unexpected wine conversion, it was a gorgeous day and an unforgettable experience.

First stop on our outing was the five star 12 Apostles for lunch, a hotel & spa about five minutes from Camps Bay, perfectly positioned between the Atlantic and the Twelve Apostles mountain range, with superb sweeping views across an expanse of ocean towards Lion’s Head. Our gourmet meal was a delicious three course affair, made all the finer by the excellent service we received throughout at the airy blue and white Azure restaurant where Head Sommelier Gregory Mutambe, quite the expert, introduced us to the first flight of our day, a tasting of a selection of three amazing wines of our choosing. If it’s white wine I’m going to be having, then I’ll generally opt for a wooded chardonnay or chenin, but on this beautiful early winter’s day, let it be known that I was completely won over by the Bouchard Finlayson 2012 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve. Make no mistake, the other wines offered were wonderful, but that Reserve was something rather special and may just become my new favourite vino blanco.

After all that indulgent feasting that ended with panacotta and sorbet desserts and  'homemade' chocolates that were too divine for words, it was time for the second flight du jour, in a chopper, courtesy NAC Helicopters. We were escorted through the 12A, along a short trail behind the hotel that wound through aromatic fynbos (one of my best frangrances in life) to the helipad and then whisked off to the V&A Waterfront. What a breathtaking journey. We flew out over the bay, pulling up above Lion’s Head with Robben Island on the left and then cruised along the coast past Clifton, Camps Bay and Sea Point, coming in to land at the Waterfront facing Table Mountain flanked by Devil’s Peak and Signal Hill. 

Views to blow your hair back-it really doesn’t get any better than that. What a city we live in…it never ceases to amaze me.

This unique 12A offering costs R1650, and includes a one way helicopter flight (minimum two guests per flight) from the Waterfront to the hotel, a 3 course lunch at Azure with a flight of three wines, and a hotel shuttle back to the V&A. Spoil yourself with this…you deserve it. You may thank me afterwards.

An elegant entrance..

Foyer blooms...

A five star gourmet lunch...

A blue, silver-grey & white theme adds to the airy feeling of the Azure restaurant...

Bouchard Finlayson's Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, my conversion from Chardonnay is a fait accompli...

 Fans & fleurs...

Salads & sorbets...

Soft centred chocolates...

Masood Sadulla, Head Concierge, looked after us beautifully throughout our lunch and saw us safely on board...

Flight 2...ready for take~off...

In that...

Views...the scenic coast road, Lion's Head far left & the Twelve Apostles Mountains to the right..

Taking my Converse to new heights...

Looking down past a rotor blade onto the 4 blue flag Clifton beaches..

Sea Point...

Devil's Peak & Table Mountain, the City, & in front (right) the Cape Town Stadium...

Lion's Head & the V&A Waterfront in the foreground...

Back on terra firma with my fellow flighties, Janie van der Spuy (Five Star PR), Bianca Coleman (Saturday Argus), moi (Cape Town Diva/DIVA PR) & Hannah Deall (Cape Town Tourism)

All photographs by Allison Foat/DIVA PR

More About The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa

The five-star Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, situated on Cape Town’s – if not the world’s - most scenic route, recently celebrated its 10th birthday. Well established as the city’s leading boutique hotel, The Twelve Apostles Hotel is a member of Leading Hotels of the World and prides itself in offering guests that ‘personal touch’. Guests are five minutes from the most beautiful beaches and Camps Bay, 15 minutes from the city centre and V&A Waterfront, and within easy reach of many vineyards within the Cape Winelands. Helicopter transfers are also available to offer an exhilarating experience flying over the spectacular peninsula. Being at the water’s edge of a marine reserve means there are frequent whale and dolphin sightings in season. Surrounded by nature only, the hotel is flanked by the majestic Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles mountain range within the Table Mountain National Park. The interior design is inspired by its namesake, creating a fresh, calming environment that artfully combines sophistication with simplicity, comfort and elegance. Guests are spoilt with spectacular views of the ocean and mountain views in each of the 70  bedrooms each superbly designed to provide the utmost comfort and style. The hotel has two swimming pools perched above the ocean; its award-winning health and beauty spa, Azure, the Café Grill, and the Leopard Room Bar & Lounge; a 16-seater private cinema; and meeting and events facilities for up to 90 guests.

Say cheese!

Cheese, fromage, queso, qveli, ostur, jibini, kase, caseum, 奶酪, kaas. I love it & oh joy, a new artisanal cheese shoppe has opened up on my fave road in Cape Town: Bree Street. Or shall we now call it Brie Street?

Owned & operated by Luke & his wife Jessica, Culture Club is described as a 'cheese, fermented foods & artisanal hot house' that sells cheese of course plus breads, milk, yoghurt, condiments, charcuterie, utensils & other irresistible  things like chocolate bombs.

No restaurant in the Mother City is worth its salt without great coffee & Culture Club does an excellent Deluxe Brew, prepared by G.

Luke hails from England and has worked in top cheesey establishments around the world & also spent a year at Fairview in Paarl. He's connected to many amazing local cheese makers in SA & stocks a variety of top brands as you'll notice... products are preservative free & ethically sourced; animal well~being & happiness at source is important- that alone makes me a fan.

Be sure to get your cheese fix at 215 Bree Street! Trading Tues~Fri 08h to 17h & on Sat 09h to 16h. Follow the CC on Twitter & Instagram @lukecultureclub

"Age is not important unless you're a cheese" ~ H.Hayes

Allison Foat

DIVA PR

Specialist in Entertainment PR

+27214627384 | 0836356312

allison@divapr.co.za

@allisonfoat (CapeTownDiva)

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