Getting a dose of Vintage in Cape Town...

Vintage Day in Observatory, Cape Town. I heard about it from a friend of mind from Istanbul would you believe? On holiday here, she texted me Sunday morning asking if Lateral Paul & I wanted to join her there. A quick Google about the event and voila, we were on our way.
 
At first I wasn't terribly impressed... other than a few Mini Minors, an old Citroen, a Beetle and a Chevy Biscayne, it looked like a typical car show, just with way fewer wheels on display. And then we spotted Maria and Zigi from the Rockabilly fest, and the guys from Donford and the smallest of food trucks with a teensy pizza oven making those 'you want me' thin-based pizzas, and things starting looking up. And then, sadly for my bank balance, I came across Lolo from France, and her superb collection of vintage shoes, boots, coats and shirts. Yes, knowing I didn't actually need any of it, I browsed, shopped and departed with acquisitions. Well at least they're French acquisitions. Je suis ridiculous.

A section of the Obs Lower Main Road was closed off, and what a vibe! The most gorgeous classic and vintage cars lined the street, people were cupping hands against eyes and peering into car windows, ooh'ing and aah'ing at beautifully restored interiors and finishes...those sedans are such a great tribute to a great era that oozed style, class and a way slower pace. If only...

People-watching over a cider at a sidewalk cafe was very entertaining... Blue Haired Betty flounced by looking like an exotic bird and even a Penny Farthing wheeled by...it was amazing. I had a totally fab time...look out for the next event for your throwback to a time gone by. 


Interiors to envy...

Zigi Strydom from the Rockabilly Fest...

Ralph, Paul & a very cool guy in a onesie...

Penny Farthing...

Blue Haired Betty...

Fab thin base pizza from the smallest of food trucks...

Fantastic vintage show collection from Lolo from France...I dropped rather a few ZAR there...

That's me & Lateral Paul, the petrol head...

Adelaide Tambo

This pic was taken in Johannesburg in about 2004, with the late Adelaide Tambo, wife to the late Oliver Tambo, the great ANC leader who once ran a legal firm with Nelson Mandela. I was having tea with her at her home in Houghton. At the time she was the Honorary Patron of Cape Town City Ballet where I was Marketing Director, and I was in touch with her a lot when it came to arranging her tickets to ballet performances at Artscape. When in Cape Town, Adelaide stayed in Sea Point, as did I. She used to call me one of her 'daughters' and sometimes would call me to ask me to get her some cheesecake from the New York Bagels....they do a smashing one there by the way.

 

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Olde Ballet Photographs...

CAPAB Ballet, 1989~ The first pic is of me, Wayne Martin & Janet Lindup in Carmen, at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre in Stellenbosch...what a venue for dance! And what a ballet that was...Janet & I had a ball every night!

PACT Ballet, 1991~ me with Ashley Durrant, in our dressing room at the State Theatre in Pretoria....I was doing Nikiya in La Bayadere...not my best role....

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Me, 1967

 

 

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Famous Actor, & Moi

See, I once dated Arnold Vosloo, the actor from South Africa who was the lead in The Mummy....it was very brief but it was...

 

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Vintage Car

 

 

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Ballet poses in the Swiss Alps

I was having a massive clean out today of photos from way back & came across these pics of myself in Switzerland in 2004. I had taken a group of township kids from Jikeleza Outreach Project in Hout Bay to perform at a swanky Ballet Gala event in Zurich, hosted by the esteemed Zurich Ballet. They were taken to see some amazing places, the Alps amongst them. I had to pose of course...Diva's do that at every turn *

 

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PR Stunt, 2005

Chicago the Musical, the USA production with an all star South African cast, was my first PR gig when I started DIVA PR in 2005. For some mad reason, I thought it a good idea to dress up as a Chicago dancer & go on the roof of Artscape to draw attention to the banner that had just been placed on the top of the building... crazy!! But the stunt did the job: created the first awareness of the show that turned out to be one of the most successful to grace the Artscape boards.

 

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Ballet & Me, 1969

Here I stand, nervous, before my first ballet exam. My ballet teacher, Mignon Furman, on the right, was superb. She was my only teacher, from Grade 1 all the way through Solo Seal (Royal Academy method). She took me overseas when I was 14 & 15, giving me the chance to train with other teachers in London, Paris, Monaco, Cannes, Tel Aviv...she was an incredible connector. By giving me the opportunity to see other dancers, both professional & non professional, I learnt so much & was able to implement technique that not many of my age were able to do. It gave me a tremendous head start & I'm so grateful for what Mignon did for me. I thanked her for all this over lunch in New York in 2006 ~ I'm so glad I did that....sometimes we forget to say thanks. May she rest in peace.

 

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Luke, then & now...

My eldest son Luke wrote his last Matric exam yesterday at Camps Bay High & thus ended his school career of 12 years. He has been so blessed to be at all 3 Camps Bay Schools & have (for the most part, give or take one or two less-than- fabulous- borderline revolting teachers) an incredible school career. Now for the next adventures....bring on tomorrow!

 

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The House Where Dad Grew Up

Throw back Saturday! This funny little house is in Roodebloem Road, in an area called Woodstock in Cape Town. Every Friday night when we were growing up, we went here for Friday night supper...Granny Foat would make her famous soup. The entrance to the kitchen had a beaded curtain~ I can still hear the noise they made when they were pushed aside, & we'd spend many an evening around the retro formica table. And there were 3 flying ducks on the wall. My grandparents died in the early 70's & my dad died in 1974 of a heart attack & brain hemorrhage when he was just 35 years old.

 

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