Let me start by saying, I would move to Cape Town tomorrow if I could. I would pack my bags and never look back, that is how much I love it there.

One thing I love, is trying to spot the mountain wherever I am.

 

As I said in my last post, work sent me to Cape Town last week for the Design Indaba. What an awesome time. We didn’t get the chance to catch all the speakers, but I was throughly impressed with the ones we did see. My top four were:

Sissel Tolaas - Berlin – Scent Expert – She was talking so fast, in her heavy German accent, finally she said, I am sorry if you can’t keep up, I love what I do and get so excited talking about it. Her work is amazing. You can actually smell fear at one of her exhibits.

Porky Hefer – South Africa – Product Designer – Brutally honest about the design industry and working for large companies. Cussed like a sailor, maybe worse. Has brilliant ideas. Designed the red man in the pictures below.

John Bielenberg – San Francisco – Social Activist – He said, fail hard and fast. If you aren’t failing, you aren’t trying new things. If you aren’t trying new things, what are you doing? Loved this and the work he is doing around the country with young designers.

Hellicar & Lewis - London – Interaction Designers – Hilarious duo. The work they have created for children with Autism brought me to tears. Really, these guys are so freaking cool.

Enough with the boring stuff, let’s hear about the fun stuff! With a little complaining added in. I honestly think I should be paid to travel around and make lists for companies, as they don’t seem to know what they are talking about.

Dear Trip Advisor,

I would like to know how much the Grand Daddy paid you to include them as number 12 on your list of trendiest hotels in Africa? The rooms are okay, nothing extraordinary. The air streams up top are actually tacky and tiny, plus they block the view. Your roof top bar was closed 95% of the time we were there (which was for 4 days), can only seat about 20 people and has no view of the city or anything other than the air steams. The restaurant was also closed one of the nights we were there. So no bar, 1st floor bar had a private function, no restaurant and the room refrigerators aren’t stocked? Um, yeah, that’s annoying, I just wanted a water for goodness sakes!

Dear Cape Town Magazine,

I would like to know how much the Grand Daddy paid you to list them on your list of top five rooftop bars in Cape Town? Are there only five rooftop bars in Cape Town? As the Grand Daddy bar is so tiny and covered by an aging tent like structure, you don’t even feel like you are outside. It shouldn’t even be on the same list as Tjing Tjing or The Waiting Room. Both of those places are actually awesome. Tjing Tjing was by far my favorite place that we went to during the entire trip.

Enough of my complaining. I freaking love Cape Town and if I had to stay at the Grand Daddy every time I went, I’d still go back.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday flew right by. Johan arrived on Thursday. Friday was the last day of the summit and my co-worker flew home. Johan and I had a nice lunch and then drove out to Clifton Beach and stuck our toes in the ice cold water. For those of you who don’t know, you can’t swim in Cape Town. A) Sharks and B) the water is ice cold. The average temperature is between 10°C and 14°C (50°F and 57°F).

We met up with our friend Pieter at The Blue Peter, had a few beers. Headed home for a nap (because we are old) then out for the best and cheapest sushi I think I have ever had in my life. Dreaming now about the Miso soup and handrolls… Yum.

 

Saturday we woke up bright and early and headed out to The Old Biscuit Mill. I’ve read about this place on numerous blogs and in magazines. We stuffed our faces and I picked up a few gifts and an awesome new scarf, see pics below.

*Can you imagine my excitement when I opened my latest Goop on the flight back and saw gp showcasing all the cobalt blues for the new season? Even though it’s for spring and we are heading into fall, I will still rock it.

After The Old Biscuit Mill, we jumped in the car and started our 1.5 hour journey to Paternoster. A quaint little town with so much beauty.

We met up with some friends we hadn’t seen in awhile and let loose. Oh boy did we let loose. We bought about 20 fresh crayfish off the side of the road. Beer, wine, brandy, crayfish, biltong, bread, salads, cheeses (actually not sure if we got to the cheese course), singing. Oh the singing. Why do I try to turn into Adele after a few cold ones? Really Blair, it’s so unnecessary!

 

We also spotted a spaceship! As we sat out on the porch and watched the moon rise above us, my friend noticed an orange thing over the ocean. I was in extraterrestrial/paranormal heaven, silly American. I just knew it was a spaceship or ghost of some sort. Knew it. I hit up the web, searching for ghosts or sightings of some sort in Paternosters, no luck. I even tweeted our sighting. Hahahaha, it went like this

There is a weird orb in off the coast of #paternoster. Thought it was the moon, but it’s not…

Thankfully, our men finally believed us and came to check out the strange orb in the sky. All we needed was Johan to shed a little light on the situation. Which he did, he shined the flashlight right onto the “no swimming” sign that seemed to be hovering over the ocean…

By Sunday, I was more than ready to go home and see my baby. Would have been better if I just flew to pick her up and took her back to Cape Town, but that didn’t happen.

When we arrived at my in laws, Ava was in the garden with Ma and when she saw me, she took a double take and ran straight over to me. Crying thinking about it now. She hugged me so tight for about five minutes. Hugging tight, letting go to look at me, then hugging me again.  Oh and loads of kisses. It broke my heart and mended it all in the same moment and reassured me that she did miss me as much as I missed her.

Sometimes I feel like I need a break. Sometime to be myself again. Do what I want to do. This week away reassured me that I am right where I am meant to be. I want to Johan’s wife and Ava’s mother. I love that they need me all the time. I don’t want to be alone, going out into the world alone, doing whatever I want. It’s just not who I am anymore. This week really made me appreciate our lives. I am glad to be home and can’t wait to one day take Ava to Cape Town.

My friend Marissa arrives from Colorado on Thursday. Super excited to show her around South Africa. So sad we won’t make it to Cape Town, but we are headed to the Kruger National Park this weekend. Last time we were there, we saw four of the big five within the first three hours we were inside the park. I hope we are as lucky this time. Plus, I can’t wait to see Ava’s face when she sees all these animals for the first time.

Cheers!

Blair