"As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again"

-Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), Gone with the Wind (1939)

          In her extensive food research, Sarah discovered a dinner at the Mt. Nelson, called "The Chef's Table." We were told this was a very special dinner that would be a huge amount of food and wine and would be a meal we will never forget. So, we went in knowing only what we were told of the Chef's Table , already having had a great deal of wine during our day. We were greeted by Emmanuel, who had become a friend over the course of the week we'd been here. He was our waiter the first night and we enjoyed his company and suggestions so much, we would stop by to say hello when he was working and Grandma ensured his pockets were lined with US 2-Dollar Bills. 

Menu for the evening at the Mt. Nelson Chef's Table

            We arrived at the Mt. Nelson around seven and Emmanuel seated us in the lounge for drinks before we were taken to the table. They didn't take our order but rather gave us all a flute of 2009 Genevieve Blanc De Blanc Brute (Sparkling Wine) to cleanse our palette for the meal they had in store. 

One of the Chefs introduces the next course, Mt. Nelson kitchen in the background

         Soon we were told our table was ready and were lead into the Mt. Nelson kitchen, past Sous-Chefs carrying all different plates and bowls of food at various different stages of production. There was cutting, sautéing, basting and every other culinary maneuver you could imagine happening all around us. We were given aprons to wear, since we were in the kitchen, that made great souvenirs and keepsakes of this incredible food marathon we were soon to embark upon. We were greeted at the table by 2 chefs, who explained how the evening would work and told us how excited they were. For them, this was their favorite way to cook. To choose the menu, cook it for a small group of people and get to show the people what they are doing and watch the people enjoy it. So, while we were eager and excited for the meal to begin, so too were the chefs.

All of us seated at the table in the corner of the Mt. Nelson kitchen

      When we sat down, we each had a menu printed out before us, showing each course as well as each wine that the chefs had chosen to pair with the course. It was in fact another wine tasting that we now found ourselves on, only with a small meal to accompany each glass. There was not a detail that had gone overlooked. Morgan and Laura have different dietary restrictions, vegetarian and gluten intolerance respectively, which the Mt. Nelson not only accommodated but solved some problems the girls had not been able to solve in their whole month here. Laura was finally able to find delicious, well made Gluten free bread, made right in the Mt. Nelson kitchen.

The menu for the evening at the Chef's Table

            The menus had an interesting quote at the top, which I had never heard before, but instantly liked and admired. "To eat is a necessity, to eat intelligently is an art." - La Rochefoucauld. Admittedly, I eat 95% of my meals out of necessity, but I could understand what we meant by the art of dining. Many of the best meals I've ever had in my life had been while I was accompanying Sally to Italy. I will never forget the nights my Grandmother brought us all to Spaltenna and then Badia, two different restaurants in Tuscany, for incredible feasts. Those were two of the top dining experiences I'd ever had, and right away I could tell my experiences tonight would be in the same ballpark. 

Peter & Sally in conversation at Dinner

            The meticulous focus on every detail from the dishes on which each meal would be served, to the accoutrements that accompanied the table and dress of every waiter were planned perfectly. It was a spectacle and we were all so lucky to be there. We lamented that more of our aunts, uncles and cousins couldn't be there with us, particularly uncles Ned and Sam. Ned is a fantastic cook who would appreciate the expertise being displayed more than most of us would, and Sam is a man who can eat more food and drink more wine than anyone I have ever met. This meal would get Sam's attention, which is not a light undertaking.

Bread to Start: with Olive Paste & Pesto

             There was bread all along the table when we sat, complete with olive oil, vinegar, balsamic, pesto and olive paste and all were top of the line products, many of which were made just feet away from us. The olive paste and pesto were both so fresh and delicious, especially when put on freshly baked bread still warm from the oven, I would have been completely content eating only bread, pesto and olive paste for the night.

Tuna Sashimi Sushi paired with a 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Vergelegen Vineyards

         The first course was sushi, done in an unorthodox style. The rice was laid out flat against the plate, with the tuna, wasabi and fixings laid on top of it. It was delicious and gave us more control to divide our bites into reasonable sizes with just the right amount of each fixing. The starter was light and paired with a nice white wine. Sally was not a huge fan of white wine, but the white wines that were selected were quite good. The sushi came with a Sauvignon Blanc and worked very well.

Crayfish Ceviche served on a block of Himalayan Rock Salt paire with a 2011 Chenin Blanc from Beaumont Vineyards 

            Next came the Crayfish Ceviche served on a block of Himalayan Rock Salt. This was one of the best plates and most creative style of serving. The block of Himalayan Rock Salt naturally added salt to the dish and was a beautiful shade of red. It made the Ceviche even more enjoyable and made the dish one of the most artistic culinary creations I had ever eaten. This was paired with a Cenin Blanc, which was not a favorite of mine, but was enjoyable as a cold libation to go with the salty Ceviche.

Fish & Chips; Pilchard, Chips & Peach Tomato Smoor paired with a 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Wildekrans Osiris Vineyards

         It seemed at this point as if we were touring around the world. The Chefs came out and introduced each course as it came, to tell us exactly what they did, who it was prepared and where in South Africa each wine was from. We moved from the Ceviche to an untraditional style of Fish & Chips. Our culinary excursion had started in Japan with sushi, travelled down to South America with the ceviche and now traveled up to Europe with the U.K favorite Fish & Chips, all done in a unique style. The Fish & Chips were served in the very can from which the fish came. The fish selected had been pilchards, which in the US means sardines. Most at the table said they had never had a sardine before, as you can imagine the imagery conjured up with the word sardine is not particularly appetizing. However, the chefs had won our trust after just two plates, so we all tried their rendition of Fish & Chips. It was very good once again, and while I may not eb rushing to buy sardines any time soon, I did truly enjoy the dish.

Just steps from our table, one of the Chefs prepares the Foie Gras Torchon

Foie Gras Torchon paired with a 2011 Bukettraube from Cederberg Vineyards

          Next came a dish that particularly pleased my Grandmother I believe. She is a lover of pate, and had ordered the pate on several occasions during the trip. Though not pate, the next dish was Foie Gras, which is not too unlike pate. This dish would ark the last of the white wine pairings and also the last dish with seafood or duck before meat became the primary ingredient. The Foie Gras was light but flavorful and was paired with fruits, including sliced grapes and strawberries which worked well together, especially with the final white. It was a small but delicious portion and though we had not come to the main entrees yet, we had already found ourselves five glasses of wine deep and four small dishes down as well.

Springbok Fillet with Parsnip Puree & Carrot paired with a 2009 Pinotage from Wildekrans Osiris Vineyards

        Now it was time for the main entrees, this point of the meal was not for the faint of heart. No longer would we be eating small dishes of seafood or duck's liver, now was the time we would move to meat, both gamey meats and more traditional meats, served with heavy red wines. My Grandmother was relieved that we had finally made it to the red wine pairings, as she had endured all of the white wine she could. The fifth course they brought out to us was Springbok Fillet. The chefs told us that this part of the Springbok was so small in each Springbok that it took eight different Springboks worth of meat to serve seven of us. Additionally, the wine that was paired with the Springbok, a Pinotage from Wildekrans Osiris Vineyards, was one of only ten bottles of Pinotage the vineyard made annually. It was indeed the best wine we had that night and the Springbok was among the best dishes as well. The tender, gamey taste of the meat was perfect and I knew my Grandmother enjoyed it, because she loves rare red meat and heavy but smooth red wine. We had truly hit a rhythm with the meal and were enjoying it, as stories were told from back home about my mother, aunts and uncles growing up outside of Princeton.

Sarah, Peter & Sally enjoying the Springbok

         By the time the Springbok course had been completed, it was clear that people were starting to get full, but were fighting their body's demands because they were enjoying the meal so much. While the internal battles were being fought the sixth course arrived by way of multiple cauldrons. As you can see in the pictures below, the Lamb Shank Potjie cam in a cauldron, and the various fixings of Beans, Potatoes and condiments each had their own cauldron as well. The table was filled by this meal, and there was enough food from this one dish to feed an army as my grandmother might say. The Lamb Shank Potjie was delicious, Peter took the liberty of serving everyones plate from the cauldron in which it was kept and the Cabernet Sauvignon paired perfectly with the lamb. We had all enjoyed several Cabs earlier in the day and now we were at it again. We came no where close to finishing the cauldron of Lab, however we were able to bring the remains home, which would come in handy for a couple of lunches.

Lamb Shank Potjie with Sweet Corn Pap & Gremolata paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Neil Ellis Vineyards

Pete serves Lamb Shank Potjie as others dig in

       The meal had been one that we would never forget, but, especially with Grandma Sal, a meal is never over until dessert has been served. This meal was no different, and the chefs menu told us there would be plenty of dessert on the way. Before we could manage to stuff ourselves with any mroe food, we were given a 10 to 15 minute break from constant eating and drinking in which we could sit back and relax, talk or get up and walk around the kitchen to watch or get involved in the preparation of our food. It was such a great setting being in the kitchen watching the preparation before you, seeing how it all worked. The staff were all so kind and nice accommodating our every desire, it really was the perfect meal. This only added to our admiration/ obsession with the hotel who had made all of our reservations for meals and events and shown us some of the most pleasant days of the vacation.

Somehow appetites are not satiated yet

Brie & Fig paired with a 2011 Nobel Late Harvest from Beaumont Vineyards

          During our meal intermission, I went up and watched the preparation of the Brie & Fig dessert. My Grandmother loved figs, and we knew this, so I asked the man preparing the fig jam if there was any way that a few fresh figs could be brought out for her to enjoy along with the dish. The man informed me the dozens of kilograms of fresh figs had just arrived and they were looking for creative ways to use them while they were still fresh. He was more than happy to bring out some fresh figs, and many of us tried them for the first time while my Sally enjoyed them just as she always has. The Brie & Fig dish was delicious as well, with two different kinds of Brie. One was far smellier than the other and too smelly for my taste. But the other Brie was the perfect texture and went with the fig jam perfectly. It was in Tuscany with my grandmother where I had some of the best Brie I've ever had and also first experienced jam on different cheeses which has become a favorite of mine. The Brie & Fig was paired with a very sweet dessert wine, not dissimilar from Vin Santo, which we always enjoyed as an after dinner drink in Italy at Spaltenna.

Morgan, Liv, Sarah & Laura looking on as Dessert is Prepared

S'mores; Macaroon, Ice-Cream & Marshmallow

           My grandmother loves ending every meal with something sweet from Creme Brûlée to Hoffman's Coconut Ice Cream, however it was rare, even with her, that two full desserts would be had in the same meal. But, keeping with the nature of the evening, that is exactly what we were about to do. Following the Brie & Fig, the Mt. Nelson chefs had prepared their rendition of "S'mores." Perhaps this was the American installment of the meal, and Grandma noted "I can't imagine it'll be anything like the ones Henry's kids cook out on the back porch." Sure enough, they were not, these were not your typical campfire s'mores, but rather gourmet s'mores. They were delicious and despite having eaten enough for a week, everyone managed to finish the last bit of the final  dish.

The whole group enjoying a meal none of us will ever forget

            It was an experience unlike almost any other meal I'd ever had, no matter how hard I try it was an experience that cannot be done justice through words and pictures. Sally had once again given us the opportunity to experience something that we would otherwise never have known. It was a meal I'll never forget with people I'll never forget. The stories we'll have to tell and stories we learned about at this meal from sally will remain with us long after our taste buds have forgotten the freshness of the Brie or the tenderness of the Springbok, but a memory was created that would last forever. One of the things I so admire about my grandmother is her ability to not only create experiences like this for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren but to ensure that everyone at the table has the best time they possibly could have. Whether it is making everyone chuckle with one of her timeless sayings such as "Oh my lands!" or encouraging a relative stranger to order another drink or dessert, every friend I have brought in contact with Sally always has something to say about her ability to make other people enjoy themselves. No doubt a quality that is hard to come by, but a great example for her children, grands and great grands to follow. This meal was extra special, considering she had come all the way around the world to visit me and I knew right away the movie quote that would sum up this experience in Sally's terms perfectly, from one of her favorite movies.

"As God is my Witness, I'll Never be Hungry Again"

"I don’t think I’ve ever drunk Champagne before breakfast before. With breakfast on several occasions, but never before, before."

-Paul Varjak (George Peppard), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

          After experiencing the first set back in the trip with some turbulent weather the previous afternoon, we were eager to get back into the sun. We had a leisurely morning and headed out to the wine country, Stellenbosch specifically, to spend the better part of the day touring different vineyards. We headed out from Camp's Bay mid-morning and arrived at our first vineyard at about 11:30. "If we'd arrived any earlier how would they expect us to be in the mood to drink wine?" My grandmother added, as we pulled in close to lunch time. The first vineyard we visited was Meerlust. We decided to visit this vineyard after having had 2 bottles of Meerlust before. We had a bottle of the 2008 Pinot Noir recommended to us at the Mt. Nelson, which was one of the most enjoyable wines I've ever had, and we have a bottle of their trademarked Rubicon at the Bungalow on Monday night. Both bottles came via recommendation by the staff on hand and both were incredible. So, we decided that we must check out this vineyard. We were greeted at Meerlust by a long avenue of palm trees that lead up to the main farmhouse. Beautiful grape vines surrounding us on either side and mountains all around off in the distance. It was such a picturesque scene, it appeared that this is what every vineyard should look like.

Meerlust Vineyard

              The farmhouse was very understated but very nicely done. We headed in for a tasting of wines that we had previously enjoyed and also to try other varieties they offered. The Rubicon that we enjoyed at the Bungalow was their signature wine and was exclusive to Meerlust. The 2001 Rubicon won the award for "Best Blended Red Wine" from the International Wine & Spirit Competition and was awarded the beautiful chalice pictured below to commemorate the recognition. We enjoyed the wines we had previously had and the Cabernet Sauvignon especially. We only tried reds as Sally and the three of us are partial to reds. The Merlot was not as good, but the Pinot Noir, Rubicon and Cab were all delicious. We decided to get a bottle of the Pinot Noir and the Cabernet Sauvignon to bring back to the villa and have with cheese and crackers at our leisure. We thanked everyone and headed off, ready to get some lunch at the next vineyard before we had anymore wine.

            The next Vineyard we visited was Spier. The wine at Spier is not supposed to be considered as good as the wine at Meerlust, but the Spier vineyard is much more of a consumer experience with the restaurants and attractions it holds. So, we figure it would be a fitting place to have some lunch and try a few different wines with Lunch. We found a lovely little cafe where we all had a lite salad with chicken, to tide us over for the afternoon while we were drinking the day away. We did a short tasting at Spier, but were not as impressed with the wines at Spier as we were with Meerlust's wine. We did pickup one bottle of Pinotage, which is a blend exclusive to South Africa, which was very good. 

Tasting at Spier

           Sally had essentially been responsible for all of the education I had on wine. In the summer of 2010 I went with her and some aunts, uncles and cousins to Italy. We stayed for a week in Tuscany, went to fabulous vineyards, incredible restaurants and it was there that I first acquired a taste for wine. Now, here I am at another international wine destination enjoying wine with my grandmother, and learning more and more about wine and which wines suit my taste. 

            Before leaving Spier, there was one more attraction we decided we must check out, a Cheetah Rehabilitation Center. My grandmother loves animal print and often times wears blouses that feature zebra or cat prints, so we knew that she must confront on of the animals responsible for some of her fashion in this situation. So she entered the Cheetah preserve and had the opportunity to pet a Cheetah and spend time up close with the remarkable cat.  By the time the visit had ended she was among the most knowledgeable on Cheetahs, explaining that they have 2000 spots, only 7,500 exist in the world today that they are the fastest land animal in the world and various other tidbits of knowledge.

Sally and Sarah with a Pedro the Cheetah

            We had one more vineyard that we planned to stop by before heading back to the villa for our daily sun and pool time. Our final stop was Simonsig Vineyard just outside of Stellenbosch, known for their sparkling wine (they do not use the term Champagne as freely as some of us do in America, and instead stick to the proper term "sparkling wine" for sparkling wine made outside of the Champagne region of France). We decided that since we had already had several glasses of red wine, it would be best if we switched to something cold and refreshing like Sparkling Wine. It was the perfect tasting to compliment the day and keep us interested in what we were tasting and learning about. Peter enjoyed the Simonsig Cuvee Royale so much that he decided to bring three bottles home to keep for a special occasion when celebration was necessary. At my uncle Henry's house in Bay Head, New Jersey, there are several lamps made out of magnum Dom Perignon bottles, because as Sally always tells us, her mother who we referred to as Mimar, used to only drink Dom and would get them in the biggest bottles she could get them in. I've always thought those lamps were so cool and hope one day to have an occasion special enough to warrant the purchase of some magnum Dom Perignon bottles. The Simonsig sparkling wine was delicious and smooth, but not quite Dom, however we enjoyed it greatly and were satisfied that we had such an amazing day touring very different vineyards. We decided it was time that we scurry back to the pool and relax for a bit before we headed back to the Mt. Nelson for a very special dinner we had planned.

Simonsig Sparkling Wine Tasting

The wine country was full of more beautiful views, surrounded by mountains and vineyards that seemed to go on forever. While Peter and I are not the biggest wine drinkers, experiences like this make us much more knowledgeable and interested in wine. It was the perfect way to spend the day and we all loved it. We headed back through the city to the villa, because the day was far from over. We were hungry, but knew it would be best to hold off on a snack in anticipation of the feast we had planned for the night. We enjoyed about an hour by the pool, before it was time to shower and get prepared for dinner.

"I Don't Think I've Ever Drunk Champagne Before Breakfast Before.  With Breakfast on Several Occasions, but Never Before, Before."

"The Rain in [Cape Town] Stays Mainly in the Plain"

-Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), My Fair Lady (1964)

               We woke up Tuesday morning to partly cloudy skies. We were unaccustomed to this, but before long the clouds were blown away and the sun was shining upon Camp’s Bay. We decided it was as good of a day as any to head to the beach and enjoy some time walking and sitting in the sand, Grandma Sal loved the beach and can often be found on the beach in Bay Head, with her toes in the sand listening to the afternoon Yankees game on a transistor radio. So we went down the hill to Camp’s Bay beach to enjoy the sun and also to settle a wager between Peter and I about the water temperature of the ocean. He did not believe that the water was as cold as I said it was, but he was proven wrong. Cold water currents bring freezing cold water right into Camp’s Bay. It does look like a tropical paradise with warm water and perfect conditions, but it is hard to spend more than 3 or 4 minutes in the water before you start to feel your core body temperature drop. Sally likes to stand with her feet in the water and enjoy the breeze, but the Camp’s Bay water was too cold to spend more than a moment in. Peter also decided that it was a cloudy enough day to go out without sun block, despite the fact he has been in an office in Boston for the last 5 months. Needless to say by noontime he was lobster red and it was time we left the beach before the South African sun reached its peak in the early afternoon.

A soon to be toasted Pedro, newly discovered beach cover up on Sally and Sarah 

So we headed to the waterfront to enjoy a nice lunch before we planned to do an unorthodox tour of the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Peninsula.  Peter had not yet seen the waterfront, so we got a table at Harbour House right on the water, with an umbrella to keep him out of the sun. After lunch we headed over to the Helicopter pad to take off for a tour of the Cape down to the Cape of Good Hope. Grandma Sal told us about the last time she’d been on a helicopter (in the 1970’s) and also about how she was supposed to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon with Pop during a General Counsel meeting in the early 1980s, but the weather was subpar so it had to be cancelled.
    

Peter, Sarah and my first trip on a Helicopter

              

So we headed to the helicopter pad and they told us the weather was clear and we were good to go. However, once we got into the air, some clouds moved in and blocked our course down to the Cape of Good Hope. It was clear that we would not be able to make it, so we went back down and had to reschedule our tour of the Cape of Good Hope. This was disappointing, but lessons had been learned today. The weather was not ideal and Peter learned how strong the sun in South Africa is. And after we landed and got off of the helicopter, clouds covered up the sky and soon it started to rain. So we headed back to the villa to seek refuge.

It was determined this was the perfect time to catch up on sleep, postcards or reading, while the weather was not perfect for the first time since Sally and Sarah’s arrival. Unfortunately I did not have the luxury of catching up on work, sleep or anything else, I had to fight the elements and go to rugby practice at 5:30. So I headed off to practice while the others stayed behind.

A gloomy day above Cape Town, but still a fantastic view

We had a tough practice that day, but it was a great workout. The 3rds and 4ths played together in the rain, playing tough rugby and other games against each other. We ran, and trained together and the cool weather and rain was actually pleasant considering how hot we usually get in the sun. When practice was over I brought two teammates, Ross and Levi back to the villa with me to go out to dinner with the family. Ross goes to Princeton and plays Rugby there and Levi goes to Tufts and used to play Lacrosse until he had an injury that ended his career. So we all went down to Blues in Camp’s Bay for dinner. Sally, of course, loved talking with Ross about all things Princeton; he is a member of Tiger Inn, which is where Teresa had her wedding reception and where Pop was a member during his time at Princeton. We had a great meal, enjoying some “Blues Burgers” and seafood while my friends and family got to know each other. Although the weather had not been great today, many lessons about the fickle nature of Cape Town’s weather and the strength of the sun had been learned. Ross and Levi enjoyed the meal and meeting my family. We headed back to the villa, with Aloe in hand for Peter and rest needed for our busy day ahead, where we planned to venture outside of Cape Town for the first time since their arrival.

"The Rain in [Cape Town] Stays Manly in the Plain"

"Made it, Ma! Top of the World!"

-Cody Jarrett (James Cagney), White Heat (1949)

        Monday brought about a busy day for all of us. I had some morning classes I had to attend and work I had to get ahead on to enjoy some activities later in the week, so I arranged some activities to entertain Peter, Sarah and Sally during the morning and early afternoon. At their leisure, they headed to Table Mountain to experience the views and sights all over Cape Town. There is a little restaurant atop the mountain where they got a bite to eat and they were lucky to have a clear day for it. I recently hiked up Table Mountain, but they would take the tram up, which is much quicker and makes more sense to accomodate my Grandmother (and sister probably). They loved the views from atop and spent a few hours on top of the mountain. After they had their fill, they headed back to the Mt. Nelson, for the Mt. Nelson's famous High Tea. I would meet them there after I got out of class.

Sarah, Sally & Peter enjoying sights above Cape Town

 
        It had been less than 24 hours since we checked out of the Mt. Nelson, but we were already back for High Tea. High Tea at the Mt. Nelson is commonly on lists of must-do activities in Cape Town and this was my first time. We sat out back on the terrace and enjoyed some sun in the beautiful gardens of the hotel. They had tea, sandwiches, and desserts while you enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. Peter, Sally and I opted for a beer to keep us cool on a hot day as we sat and chatted and enjoyed the beauty. We often talked about similarities we saw between Cape Town and Italy. The love of wine, beautiful places, food, villa, etc... We reminisced about lunch at the Hassler in Rome as we saw on the back terrace at the Mt. Nelson, and I could tell my Grandmother was very happy she was here. She is a remarkable lady, and at the age of 87 carries herself with grace and is able to do things many 65 year olds wouldn't do.

The spread for High Tea at the Mt. Nelson

        We finally were able to escape the lure of the Mt. Nelson and head back to the villa after a day of checking off a few popular sights around the city. We headed back for some time at the pool before the traditional wine and cheese hour followed by dinner. It just so happened that a neighbor of ours from Concord was in Cape Town for a week on Semester at Sea and we invited Thomas Livingston over for the rest of the afternoon by the pool and dinner. Thomas was at Bates but left after a semester and is doing Semester at Sea while he waits to hear from schools. He recently got into Michigan and is hoping to get into Brown. He is seeing the world a few days at a time and having a wonderful time. It seemed as if it had been forever since I saw him last and he has shot up to 6 ft. 6. He hung by the pool with us and enjoyed some wine, cheese and crackers with us.

Thomas, Peter and I reunited at the southern tip of Africa

           We had spent much of our childhood playing various sports and hanging out with both Thomas and his brother Matthew. It was fun catching up and thinking back to old times when Thomas was the youngest and remembered being treated unfairly in sports competitions including floor hockey in the Livingston's basement. We went with Thomas to a restaurant in Camp's Bay that is one of my favorites in Cape Town. It is called The Bungalow, with beautiful views of the water from the restaurant between Camp's Bay and Clifton. We enjoyed another delicious bottle of wine a "Rubicon" from the same vineyard that we enjoyed a Pinot Noir from our first night, Meerlust Vineyard. We decided we would have to visit this vineyard when we went to the wine country because all of their wine was so delicious.

View of The Bungalow from our table, rumor has it that pop singer Shakira was here the week before

          Along with our wine there was a delicious Filet and Sirloin that Peter, Thomas and I decided between and Sarah and Sally enjoyed some seafood. It was another beautiful day and evening and we began knocking on wood when we talked about the weather so we wouldn't jinx it. Everyone was enjoying themselves and we had big aspirations for the coming days as we checked a few things off of our list daily. The delicious food was the perfect accent to the incredible sights we saw each day and we came back from dinner each night exhausted from a day in the sun, activity and eating to our heart's content. My grandmother almost never ends a meal without something sweet, she loves dessert and we split a few desserts putting us into a coma before we called it a day.

"Made it, Ma! Top of the World!"

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           At last, I awoke to find Sarah and Sally waking up along with me at a reasonable hour. It was Sunday, Peter would arrive around 13:00 and we would move from the Mt. Nelson to a villa in Camp's Bay. We got up and headed to church in the city center, next to South African Parliament. St. Mary's had a mass at 10:00 and we found seats towards the back for the service. We had all failed tog et our ashes on Ash Wednesday, so we were hopeful we might be able to get them a few days late. We enjoyed the service and discovered we were unable to get ashes at St. Mary's so we headed back to the Mt. Nelson for brunch and to checkout of the hotel. The breakfast spread we had enjoyed each morning was something else, but Sunday Brunch reached a whole new level. We enjoyed our brunch very much, knowing it would be our last day as guests at the Mt. Nelson, though it seemed we would frequently visit and come say hello often, since we enjoyed our stay so much. The Citadel boys also decided to get up early and made it to the pool at about 11 to join us after brunch for some sun. We were all in paradise for a few more hours, as the sun climbed to the middle of the sky and before long, we knew Peter would be arriving shortly. We went back to pack up our room and checkout. Just before our checkout time, Peter rolled into the Mt. Nelson with our rental car and all of his bags. Excited to see him, we showed him around the Mt. Nelson, and were excited for him tog et into the mix. While Sarah and Sally had the luxury of two low-key days to get acclimated, Peter had no such luck. He would be thrown right into the schedule and would have to hit the ground with his feet running. So, we loaded up the car and said goodbye to our beloved Mt. Nelson, though before leaving we made a reservation for High Tea the next day, so it was clear we would see plenty more of the hotel in the coming week.

Grandma Sal walking across the pool deck with the side of Table Mountain in the Background

          So we drove across the city over to Camp's Bay to discover our new home for the next 7 days, Villa Luna at the top of Camp's Bay. While Sally and Sarah were sad to leave the Mt. Nelson, there was no disappointment in our new home. With beautiful views of the mountains behind us and a view over Camp's Bay into the Ocean on the other side we were surrounded by unparalleled beauty. With a pool, beautiful common spaces, 4 bedrooms and 2 porches we were in for quite a week of accommodation.

The Kitchen & Kitchen Table

The Living Room & Doors to the Porch

Beautiful Painting in the Living Room 

View from my Room

Pool Deck

               Peter was tired, but we encouraged him to stay up in order to get on the time schedule faster. It was already about 15:00 buy the time we started to move into the villa and we had a dinner being prepared for us at the villa by a chef at 19:00. So we had a few hours to lounge and move in before an outdoor dinner on the pool deck. I brought Peter with me to my flat to grab a few things, drop off a few things and show him where I lived before dinner. Sarah and Sally lounged by the pool and after a quick drive we joined them. We showered and got ready for dinner with some wine and cheese on the porch, a Lane family ritual enjoyed from Bay Head to Tuscany, as the sun set over Camp's Bay we enjoyed the splendor of the view.

Gorgeous sunset over Camp's Bay enjoyed with local red wine & cheeses on the porch

            As we enjoyed the company, sunset and wine our dinner was being prepared and just after the last ray of sun dipped below the horizon line, we were seated for dinner. The chef had prepared a meal with Springbok, the small antelope like animal that is the national animal of South Africa. I was the only one who had eaten it before, and the chef did a fabulous job cooking tender, rare Springbok, just the way Sally likes it.

Avocado & Prawn Salad

Springbok Entree

            Sarah was interested in the preparation and cooking, as she is a true foodie, and was impressed by the display, taste and meal as a whole. We had a beautiful view, good company, good wine and delicious meal. Perfect way to welcome Peter to Cape Town. Now that we were all here and had settled in the adventure and activities would commence tomorrow. That meant a quick turnaround for Peter who had sleep to catch up on and I had some school work to catch up on. We enjoyed our delicious dinner and enjoyed a local dessert, similar to indian pudding, another favorite of my Grandmothers, and my aunt Teresa. We went to bed happy, excited for the week ahead of us, together in Cape Town.

""

"Forget it Jake, it's [Cape Town]"

-Lawrence Walsh (Joe Mantell), Chinatown (1974)

          Saturday began very similarly to the way Friday began. Sarah and Sally were making up for lost sleep and sleep late once again. After grabbing a quick breakfast just before 11 at the Mt. Nelson, we headed out in search of some local culture to share with Sarah and Sally. While the waterfront offers a good introduction to Cape Town it is a mecca of tourism, and there are many other interesting spectacles more off of the beaten path. We took a cab out of the city towards UCT and my flat. We stopped off in the suburb of Woodstock to show Sarah and Sally the Old Biscuit Mill. I knew this would be one of the highlights of the trip for my sister Sarah. The variety of prepared foods, fruits, spices, treats, drinks and specialty items ensured she would be snapping photos, trying foods and interested in just about every inch of the market. We had just eaten breakfast at the hotel, so we didn't get much food if any, but enjoyed touring around and seeing some local foods and ways of preparing things differently. We also toured some of the craft shops around the Mill and enjoyed visiting the chocolate factory. Before we left, we picked up a bottle of Ginger Lemonade, my grandmother loves Lemonade so we picked up a bottle for all of us to enjoy over the coming week.

A welcome sight at the Old Biscuit Mill, both Sarah and Sally have a good size sweet tooth

            After we had enough of the Old Biscuit Mill, I decided we were so close to my flat and UCT campus, this was as good a time as any to show them a little bit more about my daily routine. SO we took a cab to the top of campus and then would walk downhill to my dorm. Sally always enjoys seeing campuses, since her husband and my Grandpa used to be in charge of Buildings & Grounds on the board at Princeton, he would always inspect other campuses to compare the work done at Princeton. While the University of Cape Town does not have the fine manicuring that Princeton has, the campus is much more naturally beautiful. I brought them to the view of Jameson Hall up the steps and over the rugby fields. Sally commented the steps up to the plaza reminded her of the spanish steps in Rome. After showing them some of my favorite buildings and views I showed them where I have rugby practice and we made our way down the hill towards my flat. 

Jameson Hall and the "Spanish Steps of UCT", 

       On the way down through campus, we happened to stumble upon a UCT Cricket Game happening on the Cricket Oval. Sally is an avid Yankee fan and baseball is a common conversation piece between us, despite our irreconcilable support for arch-rivals. We stopped and watched a bit of the match, and Sally said she was excited that she could now tell her Indian butcher back home that she had seen part of a Cricket match. Though we could not follow all of what was happening, the many similarities to Baseball made it enjoyable and truly feel like a summer day, despite the fact that it is still February. We continued along and I showed them my humble abode back in Rosebank. By the time I had toured them around my home, it was getting close to 15:00 and we had various appointments for hair and toenails. I got a haircut, Sally got her hair washed and blow-dried while Sarah got a manicure or pedicure, whichever one is for feet I can never remember. Freshly groomed, we headed back to the pool at the mt. Nelson, as had become our daily ritual to enjoy the late afternoon sun and rest up before dinner. 

Enjoying an afternoon Cricket match at UCT

         Our love for the Mt. Nelson was growing by the day and we were about to discover a new source of love for this magnificent hotel that would later blossom into obsession for us throughout the week. We found ourselves relaxing by the pool on a Saturday evening and realized we had no plans for dinner. No reservation in Cape Town on a Saturday night, so naive and unaware of what the night had in store for us, Sarah went to ask the concierge for some recommendation on what we should do for dinner given our predicament. When she returned to the pool, she told us we had been made a reservation, outside, on the water at a top restaurant in Cape Town. We had underestimated the power the Mt. Nelson had in affairs beyond the border of the hotel. Once we became aware of the fact that the Mt. Nelson could finagle us into places we wouldn't be able to get into by ourselves, we soon would become fixtures at the concierge. Just 2 hours after we sat at the pool without a clue of our plans, we arrived at Sevruga Restaurant on the waterfront to meet Bryson, Tripp and Jarrett for a nice dinner.

The V&A Waterfront at dusk, just as we were seated for dinner

         The three Citadel boys joined us for the evening and we had a great time at dinner. Their southern charm was welcomed by my sister, who dates a boy from Texas, and my Grandmother who thought it was adorable they referred to her as "ma'm" and were so polite. She invited them to come hang by the pool the next morning before we had to check out of the hotel. Though it seemed far-fetched they would wake up early enough to do so. Once again the temperature outside was perfect and the nighttime at the waterfront was quite a sight. A perfect summer evening, complete with local bands preforming and delicious seafood. We wished that Peter could be with us, though we knew he was currently in the air somewhere over the Atlantic, and in just a few short hours he would be landing in Cape Town. We finished our dinner and headed back to the hotel. The Citadel boys and I decided we would head out to Long Street for a jol, but Sarah and Sally would finally complete their adaptation to the new time schedule and be ready for Peter's arrival in the morning. So we said our farewells and headed off into the night, the perfect ending to a beautiful Saturday in Cape Town.

"Forget it Jake, it's [Cape Town]"

"Louis, I Think This is the Start of a Beautiful [Vacation]"

-Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), Casablanca (1942)

Finally, with a good night sleep our vacation was underway. I awoke at 9:00 eager to show them what I had discovered around Cape Town in the previous month. I was surprised to find that I was the only one awake. My Grandmother, who usually is awake hours before me had slept in beyond me for the first time I can remember. Usually she spends this time early in the mornings while everyone is asleep sending post cards to all corners of the world. The running joke in our family is that she single handily keeps branches of the United States Postal Service in business. This sounds far-fetched, but she will probably send roughly 200 to 250 post cards during her 10 days here. I have no such ambitions, so instead I took a shower and caught up on homework. At about 10:30 Sarah and Sally finally awoke, I was happy to see that they were well-rested with over 12 hours of sleep. My grandmother, clearly disoriented waking up at 10:30 couldn't believe we almost missed breakfast which ended at 11. Luckily, we made it just in time and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the hotel.

Breakfast with a view

          I decided that I would bring them to the V&A Waterfront. By bringing them to a big tourist hub the first day they could acclimate before seeing more foreign sights. I underestimated the fascination they would have with the crafts found around the waterfront. Sally continually found little trinkets and gifts she wanted to bring home to her children, grands and great grands. I also was fortunate to find some rugby cleats, and gear to prepare for my upcoming season at UCT. Sarah and Sally both found cover ups for the beach or pool that they liked and bought on the spot. We toured around all different parts of the waterfront, the swinging bridge, Nobel Square, the trading post home to the larger than life beaded elephants and ended up in the craft market to explore local crafts. We went to Mitchell's Pub for a quick bite to eat, since we'd been walking around in the sun all day, and enjoyed some local beers. After spending the better part of the afternoon out and around the waterfront, we decided to head back to the pool to relax and enjoy some sun. Still weary from their travel, they thought this would be just the way to acclimate.

Beaded elephant Sally and Sarah were smitten with

         The pool was as relaxing of a place as you can imagine, and we found a nice little niche out of the way so we could have some peace and quiet. The sun was still beating down hard at about 5 o'clock, and Sally remarked that catching the sun in the middle of the day must be unbearable if it was this strong still at 5. After catching some sun and resting at the pool, a few friends stopped by the hotel for drinks before they went out to dinner. So we sat with them in the garden, which was a beautiful place to relax with a drink in the evening and Sally and Sarah had a chance to meet a few of my friends from abroad, including Laura who is a friend from Lawrenceville. We sat out until the sun was completely gone and decided that it was time to wash up before dinner.

The back gardens at the Mt. Nelson

         After a day of activity, and still tired from their trip across the Atlantic, we decided it would be best to stay in and get something light for dinner at the Mt. Nelson bar called "Planet Bar." It was a beautiful night and we sat out on the back terrace overlooking the gardens and found the perfect temperature and atmosphere around us. Sally and Sarah tried Ostrich for the first time and I got the Mt. Nelson CLub which was one of the best sandwiches I've had in Cape Town. We sat on the terrace happily, reflecting on the first full day's adventures and looked forward to the coming week's activities and the arrival of Peter on Sunday. By the time we looked at a dessert menu, we were informed that the kitchen ahd already closed as it was past 11. We laughed but realized it was likely for the best and we headed back to the room to get a good nights sleep and prepare for a full day Saturday.

"Louis, I Think This is the Start of a Beautiful [Vacation]"