Right Under Your Nose- Woman and Child Adorn Wall With Big Faces on Wesley Street, Gardens

There's a lot of stuff in the city that just doesn't get noticed. Its the place in which you live, work and shop. Where you get stuck in traffic or manoeuvre in intricate geometries to avoid it. Don't look around, dawdle or hesitate: a turn might get missed or some piece of flesh dressed in a vehicle will get stressed out and edgy. Not the sort of actions or attitude that will bring the lesser known, the unknown and the extravagantly mundane out of the dusty attic and into the parlour to be scrutinised and appreciated.

For travelers, tourists and visitors our "Right Under Your Nose" series should point your snout at a few home made quirks, wonders and oddities. There's no entrance fee and no queues (yet). None of them are featured in Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor or Rough Guides. Table Mountain, Robben Island, the Winelands might be essential things to tick off on the sightseeing list but here's a sniff of what else is cooking on Cape Town's pavements and side streets. The unreleased tracks and B-sides, if you will, of our town, right here. Here's Right Up Your Nose #1

The Wesley Street Wall gets a facial: This part of town is near Gardens Shopping Centre and in the shadow of Wembley Square: apartments, fancy gym and delis and coffee shops for when you aren't wobbling on the PowerPlate or lifestyling in the penthouse. The neighbourhood is made up of equal parts of light industry like panel beaters, residential houses and small businesses. This part of Wesley Street is a bit of an open air art gallery. I've been driving past here for the last 3 years at least every 2 weeks (for the PowerPlate Turbo Yoga class) and have not noticed this wall until last week. I will be more observant. Would the artist please identify yourself?

At first it just looked like the usual single colour all-in-one-spray-blast wall defacement. But then you notice the smock wearing woman, baby on back doing the painting at the end of the wall. Nice twist. I like the Shoprite bag in her hand with more cans of spray paint among the groceries.

It looks like this graffiti mural goes through changes. If you look at the street view of Wesley Street and take a trip to Wesley St now (that's 1 Dec 2010) you'll see that the old painting was a big sidewalk aquarium view. Have a look at the verandah scene on the building on the other side of the road, complete with painted-on rug and pot plants.

Find it here on Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/Tmzs (nice and neat little link morsels now. You can almost memorise them)

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Hairy and macabre at Canal Walk- the spiders, not you

Spiders weighing as much as half a hamburger and hairy like a Persian kitten after an altercation with some Wahl hair clippers. Go to the Cape Union Mart "pod" store located in a large building outside the main Canal Walk shopping centre, Century City along the N1 just outside Cape Town. Upstairs next to the sleeping bags are the spider display cases- each one housing a large and relaxed arachnid. There's a Brazilian Red Kneed Tarantula and another with an almost luminescent shimmer in its fur. And about another 80 legs worth of viewing. You'll be giving them pet names like Tickles, Sting, Princess Daisy and The Praline before you know it.

Spare yourself 15 minutes away from the shopping treadmill and go and visit the spiders at the outdoor gear shop; its like a little educational rain forest adventure in retail land.

Olympia Cafe, Kalk Bay- has it closed or relocated? I was there yesterday and it seems to have gone.

--

Greg Wood

Holiday Rentals Cape Town

Luxurious Apartments, Villas and Beach Houses

+27834570487

skype: g.b.wood

http://rentalscapetown.com

The Throng outside the F*FA ticket shop and 14 days to go to the tournament of ball kicking

Accommodation still available at the Icon- Jazz & Blues. No queues @ www.rentalscapetown.com.

Still Life of Giant Vuvuzela and Unfinished Bridge- Cape Town Foreshore

--
Greg Wood
Holiday Rentals Cape Town
Flats, Houses and Beach Villas of Quality and Distinction
+27834570487
www.rentalscapetown.com
skype g.b.wood

Swine, Wine and baked goods er... Divine. Joostenberg Deli & Bistro, Stellenbosch

A pork pie that would launch 1000 ships. The burnished pastry all crimped, crusty, chewy and rich filled with delicate and crumbly ground pork spiked with cider vinegar and garlic. Sixteen Rand is the price for this encounter. Add a take away coffee to the bill and take them outside to sit on the grass under a eucalyptus or shady shrub. There's Ludwigs Roses across from here- blooms bearing the names of infamous South African people and places brighten up the whole picnic scene. Barry Ronges, Steve Hofmeyers and Shirley Veals pose and radiate in the neighbourhoods of Eastgate Evergolds and Polokwane Pinks.

Let's get back inside- the sit down restaurant offers good croque monsieurs and meat platters. The Sunday lunch menu looks suitably rich, hearty and imaginative. But to me the real action is out in the butchery and bakery area. Pork is Joostenberg's bag, with the journey from piglet to bacon taking place from their adjacent farm to the in-house butchery. The traditional bangers and pork boerewors are special; how have you managed to put up with those food technology products from Woolworths for so long? Then turn the sausage appreciation knob a little louder and try the toulousse sausage: garlicky, herby and gently overpowering. And if Pig 1 and Pig 2 weren't the greatest builders in the world their fine attributes are done justice in the Joostenberg display fridges: belly, neck and trotter, reams of bacon and ham, racks of chops and fillets.

But in the perpetual struggle between bread and meat, for me bread will always win. The centre bench has an array of crusty stuff that will please the dough-lover. Real baguettes and round sourdoughs with gently scorched surfaces. The scones are big and buttery and the spirals of the raisin danishes would make Denmark proud. Eat both whilst driving: it makes for a good journey and a car full of crumbs and pastry flakes.

And there's Joostenberg own wine to swill it all down with. The Little J Rose for R40 is our favourite; more seriously named and dauntingly priced reds and whites will probably do a great job accompanying a fine dinner, film, bath or tax return. They have a full tasting facility to let you sip your way through any uncertainties.

All the other essentials and ingredients to stock up the pantry shelves for a while are here: dairy, fresh produce, pasta, flour, jams, cheeses, home made icecream and desserts, fresh and locally grown fruit juices. Good local produce, imaginative and quality goods often at prices not much more than those at a supermarket. In fact if you live in the vicinity of Joostenberg ditch the supermarket altogether except for the most mundane requirements like tooth paste and washing powder. A honey producer, plant nursery and garden cente as well as an importer of Indonesian furniture and un-run-of-the-mill home decor accessories are to be found within the Joostenberg complex.

If you are in Cape Town its worth making a journey up the N1 towards Stellenbosch and taking the R304 Stellenbosch turnoff. Roughly a 45km trip and a good starting point for a wine tour of this part of Stellenbosch with names like Villiera, Mulderbosch, Simonsig, Beyerskloof and Monterosso. Not quite the usual tourist route but high standards and lots of differentiation on this shortish segment ending in Stellenbosch town.

See it at www.joostenberg.co.za

Need a vacation apartment or self-cater holiday flat from which to explore finds like this in the Western Cape? Try our accommodation at www.rentalscapetown.com

#SPEAKZA: IN PROTEST AGAINST THE ANC YOUTH LEAGUE

Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of the ANC Youth League spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the Secretary General of the ANC, against Shivambu. This complaint letter detailed attempts by Shivambu to leak a dossier to certain journalists, purporting to expose the money laundering practices of Dumisani Lubisi, a journalist at the City Press. The letter also detailed the intimidation that followed when these journalists refused to publish these revelations.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the reprisals against journalists by Shivambu. His actions constitute a blatant attack on media freedom and a grave infringement on Constitutional rights. It is a disturbing step towards dictatorial rule in South Africa. We call on the ANC and the ANC Youth League to distance themselves from the actions of Shivambu. The media have, time and again, been a vital democratic
safeguard by exposing the actions of individuals who have abused their positions of power for personal and political gain.

The press have played a vital role in the liberation struggle, operating under difficult and often dangerous conditions to document some of the most crucial moments in the struggle against apartheid. It is therefore distressing to note that certain people within the ruling party are willing to maliciously target journalists by invading their privacy and threatening their colleagues in a bid to silence them in their legitimate work.

We also note the breathtaking hubris displayed by Shivambu and the ANC Youth League President Julius Malema in their response to the letter of complaint. Shivambu and Malema clearly have no respect for the media and the rights afforded to the media by the Constitution of South Africa. Such a response serves only to reinforce the position that the motive for leaking the so-called dossier was not a legitimate concern, but a insolent effort to intimidate and bully a journalist who had exposed embarrassing information about the Youth League President.

We urge the ANC as a whole to reaffirm its commitment to media freedom and other Constitutional rights we enjoy as a country.

Bloggers who are involved in the protest:

http://thoughtleader.co.za/siphohlongwane
http://rwrant.co.za
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/munadia/
http://vocfm.co.za/blogs/shafiqmorton/
http://blogs.news24.com/needpoint
http://capetowngirl.co.za
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sentletsediakanyo
http://thoughtleader.co.za/davidjsmith
http://letterdash.com/one-eye-only
http://boyuninterrupted.blogspot.com
http://amandasevasti.com
http://blog.empyrean.co.za/
http://letterdash.com/brencro
http://6000.co.za
http://chrisroper.co.za
http://pieftw.com
http://hamishpillay.wordpress.com
http://memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com
http://thoughtleader.co.za/azadessa
http://watkykjy.co.za
http://fredhatman.co.za
http://thelifeanddeathchronicles.blogspot.com/
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/common-dialogue/
http://www.clivesimpkins.blogs.com/
http://mashadutoit.wordpress.com
http://nicharalambous.com
http://sarocks.co.za
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/stompies/
http://helenmoffett.book.co.za/blog/
http://01universe.blogspot.com
http://groundwork.worpress.com
http://iwrotethisforyou.me
http://fionasnyckers.book.co.za
http://attentiontodetail.wordpress.com
http://blogs.women24.com/editor
http://www.missmillib.blogspot.com
http://snowgoose.co.za
http://dreamfoundry.co.za
http://www.vanoodle.blogspot.com
http://www.exmi.co.za
http://cat-dubai.blogspot.com
http://alistairfairweather.com
http://www.zanedickens.com
http://www.nickhuntdavis.com
http://guysa.blogspot.com
http://book.co.za
http://baldy.co.za
http://skinnylaminx.com
http://blogs.african-writing.com/zukiswa
http://www.mielie.wordpress.com
http://blogs.timeslive.co.za/gatherer/
http://thoughtleader.co.za/sarahbritten
http://stii.co.za
http://blogs.news24.com/FSB_AP
http://twistedkoeksuster.blogspot.com
http://whensmokegetsinyoureyes.blogspot.com/
http://trinklebean.wordpress.com
http://commentry.wordpress.com/
http://matthewbuckland.com
http://blogs.news24.com/colour-me-fran
http://gormendizer.co.za

Classy, rustic Philadelphia Village - Building land with architect designed plans for sale. R415000

The Village of Philadelphia- quiet, safe and tastefully rustic. With only about 30 properties in the oudorp, your chances of getting a house here are slim and the prices can be steep.

If you are after real country life but need to be within close proximity to Cape Town (40km), Durbanville (22km), Melkbos (22km) and Table View (30km) then Philadelphia is the perfect mix of unspoilt farm hamlet and easy access to work and urban convenience.

We have 1000 square metres of land in the old part of town and live in the landmark "Klipdakhuis". 400sqm of the original plot plus architect designed house plans are now being released. Currently the land is planted out with a micro olive grove. The new house has been designed with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, open plan living area and a massive outdoor entertainment zone. Total area of the house is approximately 125sqm. Ownership would be via a close corporation structure. Note that the 3D computer design shows the new house positioned in front of the existing double storey house.

Facts about Philadelphia-

Just off N7 and on Swartland border

Founded in mid- to late 1800's as church and farming town

Restaurants: Pepper Tree: doubles up as art and craft venue (Pottery, gallery, hand made knife workshop, leatherware); De Malle Meul- functions, shows, Sunday buffet, home to lots of Pieter van der Westhuizen art

Wine- great vineyards and 2 good estates: Capaia and Havana Hills

Large police station in village, 24hr Plaaswag available- added safety

Plenty of space for walking and mountain bike riding

Pony and horse riding

Excellent broadband internet (better than Telkom ADSL and iBurst) available by local service provider

Telkom, Vodacom and MTN coverage

2 General dealers, and a gem and crystal and gift shop

2km from the Engen Swartland 1 Stop for petrol, 24hr shop and Wimpy and ATM

Good primary school in the heart of the village

Look at the Philadelphia Village Bugle- a blog about the village- philadelphia-village.blogspot.com

How does the purchase and ownership structure work?

Usually a freestanding property is owned outright- the land and the buildings on it are yours and this is noted on a title deed stored at the Deeds Office. A modification of this concept is sectional title ownership- if you purchase a flat with a garage in a block of flats then the portions you own are clearly described on the sectional title plan. There are areas you share with other owners and you all contribute to the upkeep and maintenance of the parts of the scheme not owned specifically by owners/residents of the block: from public gardens and driveways to lifts and the roofing protecting the entire block.

The usual route taken when wanting to sell off a piece of your land is to obtain permission for subdivison. An application is submitted to the municipality, they circulate it through their departments and notify the community and neighbours for their comment. This is can be a lengthy process. Once approval is obtained and the relevant conditions fulfilled then the new plot gets its own erf number and diagram and becomes an independent piece of property that the owner can sell.

It is permissible in most suburbs, including Philadelphia, to construct a "second dwelling" on a plot- building plans have to be submitted and once approved construction may begin. The process is fairly straightforward. Usually the second dwelling is used by the owner of the primary dwelling on the same plot as a granny/teen flat or rented out to generate extra income for the owner. One way of selling off a portion of a property without going through the lengthy subdivision process with its uncertain outcome is to form a close corporation. This entity owns the entire property and members/shareholders own shares within the CC structure.

The most basic scenario would be a piece of vacant land of 1000sqm in a CC structure with 2 members each holding a 50% share corresponding to 500sqm each of land. This simple set up can be extended to our situation where there is one existing building and a planned second building. The crucial point is that all members enjoy real ownership of their own properties through the vehicle of a company structure governed by a founding constitution that caters for all (or most imaginable) eventualities in a joint residential situation.

A logical and legal company constitution will allow maximum freedom and independence for the owner/members and set out up-front guidelines for shared factors. An example would be municipal rates/sewerage/refuse removal: the council would still see one erf and issue one bill which would be split as per the CC guidelines. Electricity and water could be individually metered .

The good and the bad of property in a CC structure?

Cons:

1) Lack of access to conventional loan/financing: unlikely that a bank will give you a bond

2) Insurance/safety measures required to protect property owners'/members' interests

Pros:

1) No waiting period- once plans are approved you can build

2) Subdivision is more expensive (with costs passed on to the buyer); very long-winded and with an uncertain outcome

3) Shared infrastructure- lower building costs, less monthly costs.

4) Your shares (and therefore your property) can be sold

5) Allows ownership of scarce rural, serviced property that would otherwise be inaccessible to the market

6) Possible tax benefits?

7) Lower land/house cost- prices for freestanding erven in Philadelphia are well over R500000. Houses start at R1.25million. It is feasible to purchase and buy for less than R1million.

Ultimately the plan would be to subdivide the property but this would be a mid- to long-term goal dictated by market values and subdivision costs. The CC structure could hold indefinitely until subdivision or even converting to sectional title was realised.

Edible hats and accordian licks- La Masseria, Durbanville

The courtyard gently reverberates with the metallic wheeze and drone of the accordian - the player looks like he is gently wrestling with an old fashioned cash register thats trying to eat his hands. The restaurant owner does the vocals to this languid battle at a hen party table: all amor from here to eternity.

Where else, I ask you, as I pour half a cup of grassy fresh olive oil over the stretchy, crusty, celestial, thickly sliced bread; where else but at La Masseria, Evertsdal, between Tyger Valley and Durbanville Town? Set in an old mill or wine cellar adorned with early industrial age implements like mangles and grape destalkers and an old Multichoice decoder. As I pondered all of this and chewed on oil soaked bread washed down with pink De Grendal wine the duo came over to our table and filled the night with an earthy version of The The's "This is the Day". We let the music wash over us and just sort of grooved out for a couple of minutes.

The bit about the The The song at our table is fantasy- we like our live music to stay on stage or intrude on other diners. We use special repelling tactics like hiding behind the menu, climbing under the table or looking deranged to discourage table serenades. And off they drifted.

I had calf's liver with onions because it was cheaper than all the veal options whilst holding promise of more flesh mass. If you want something to accompany your dish is costs extra- I had the spaghetti in olive oil and garlic. The side dishes aren't expensive and are generous: R13 for the spaghetti and R8 for an extra serving of bread which would work well with some of the dishes. Rose had a custom built dish of ravioli with a creamy black mushroom sauce. They specialise in hand made pastas in various shapes: hats, ears, quills and the stuffed ones. The ravioli was a very good: super fine filling of what must have been pork and the mushroom sauce was rich and tasty. We stayed with the Durbanville wines because its sort of our neighbourhood: a glass of De Grendel pink was R20 and R29 each for the Altydgedacht merlot and Diemerdal pinotage: good prices- you would be paying nearly double that in Cape Town.

It is a long drive if you are not based in the northern suburbs of Cape Town for the night. Make a weekend of it and book a couple of nights in the farm village of Philadelphia about 24km away. Nice safe drive along farmy backroads. Try Die Blikhuisie or Die Malle Meul- both options are in the old village and very well priced. And the many charms of Philadelphia Village are another story altogether.

greg@rentalscapetown.com

Dazed, dejected, evicted- Somerset squatters' last stand

From the window of a moving car the scene looked like a street sale: furniture, appliances, clothing, bric-a-brac. Then the details of the image solidified- the clothing on display was laundry drying on the fence, the browsers were passers by on the pavement moved along by its anti-merchandise. The vendors inert on the chairs and boxes or asleep in their beds could have been another second-hand item on display.

Homes and shelters now replaced by the exposed open plan of Portswood Rd pavement, linking the bustling and totally rejuvenated Green Point to the glossy V & A Waterfront. BMW and Aston Martin showrooms providing some browsing relief 200m away.

Danny Khobo, one of the residents of the Somerset Hospital Complex, had been living there for 2 or 3 years. A neighbour of his for 10 years. Their dwelling had been a backpackers hostel until it had closed down and they continued to live in what appears to be City of Cape Town property until now. With the construction of the Green Point Stadium and the opening of Granger Bay Boulevard the old buildings in this neighbourhood have have finally come up for renovation. And with no lease or ownership in place Danny and the rest of the complex community live next to the busy road until the elements and municipal forces inevitably disperse them.



Danny Khobo