Woman at the ATM Spending money is a way of life in Cape Town. If you are not heading out for sushi with the girls, you are popping out for a drink after work or ordering a pizza because you are too lazy to play the domestic goddess. With the festive season (and its myriad temptations) coming up, this got me thinking about how I would manage my money when I am not in front of my computer 24/7. See, as a proud member of the perpetually plugged-in generation, I am thoroughly infatuated with the... Read Full Story

We’ve been having some seriously odd weather in Cape Town lately. A lot of Cape Town property has been damaged, most roads have been flooded, and us laid-back Capetonians are shivering in our Wellington boots. I posted recently on an international forum, complaining about the temperatures here on the southern tip of the continent. “My word!” I said, “It’s 15 degrees! I’m absolutely freezing, I’m sure there must be some snow on the Ceres mountains by now”. To which the reply... Read Full Story

I’m an amateur photographer. Amateur in the sense that I may have an unwieldy Canon with a lens that can take a photo of a gnat on Mars, but damned if I ever get a great picture out of it. I’ve attempted to put my lack-of-talent to good use, but find that it gets squandered on photojournalism and documentation – no payment involved, of course. But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. Recently I took a Cape Town safari trip out to one of the close-by game reserves. Being South African and l... Read Full Story

You know, not everything about Cape Town is so spick and span. The city crawls with the undergrowth which every developing city acquires, from homelessness to crime, litter to the daily offerings on Long Street of any drug under the sun. Scared yet? You shouldn’t be. As far as cities go, Cape Town is actually one of the best in the world in terms of safety, cleanliness and a transportation networks top in its class in the country. Yes, there may be down sides to this seaside town, espe... Read Full Story

My first chance to visit Cape Town was when I was four to see my grandfather moor his boat in the then-stark harbour. It was only three years ago when I came back on holiday to this Mother City that I seriously considered moving here. I had been located in the horrid confines of Johannesburg, working away and never seeing the sun. It was only when a job opportunity offered a chance to break from of the reef and join the laid-back few who live in this seaside town. The little bit that I knew ... Read Full Story

The heading of this blog is one of my favourite inspirational quotes from the movie Vanilla Sky; an adage can be used for almost anything you wish to accomplish in your life. Earlier this year I made a very professional-looking spreadsheet detailing what I wished to accomplish this year. We are nearly halfway through the year, so let’s have a look to see how far I have come, shall we? 1. Set up an annuity fund. I am glad to say that I have actually looked into this and have decided that it... Read Full Story

The heading of this blog is one of my favourite inspirational quotes from the movie Vanilla Sky; an adage can be used for almost anything you wish to accomplish in your life. Earlier this year I made a very professional-looking spreadsheet detailing what I wished to accomplish this year. We are nearly halfway through the year, so let’s have a look to see how far I have come, shall we? 1. Read Full Story

Surfers paradise We went surfing the other day, in the notorious area of Muizenberg. It’s generally not the Great Whites that you have to watch out for there, it’s the Great Wides, the boards and the tourists who assume that they own the beach. My other, much braver, half had decided he wanted to learn to surf – properly, like. None of this riding on a small body board on your stomach. No, he wanted to ‘Stand Up’ like the pros. So, he did his homework and looked up the surfing schoo... Read Full Story

Surfers paradise We went surfing the other day, in the notorious area of Muizenberg. It’s generally not the Great Whites that you have to watch out for there, it’s the Great Wides, the boards and the tourists who assume that they own the beach. My other, much braver, half had decided he wanted to learn to surf – properly, like. None of this riding on a small body board on your stomach. No, he wanted to ‘Stand Up’ like the pros. So, he did his homework and looked up the surfing schools that cr... Read Full Story

There is a certain inconsistency in my personality that allows me to spend R400 on a dinner without breaking a sweat, while at the same time balking at the idea of spending the same amount on a pair of boots or a handbag. In all fairness it should be the other way around – after all, in terms of the latter you can at least SEE and USE what you’ve purchased. Food is an instantaneous and fleeting type of gratification and dining, when taken out of its immediate context, is an indulgent ex... Read Full Story