Tag Archives: camps bay
A whale in Camps Bay
I've never seen a whale in off Camps Bay beach before - not that they don't enter the larger Table Bay area - but they're just more prolific on the False Bay side of the peninsula where the water's just that little bit warmer. I spent a long time watching this one roll about in the water until I finally got bored waiting for the perfect breach, or tail fin.
Sorry about that. :)
G-South Africa at the Bay Hotel
I was excited to attend the event - partly because of the interesting things that I thought I may learn and partly because it was being held at in the beautiful Camps Bay. Unfortunately the weather failed to play along, so the two days weren't quite as awesome as it could have been!
For those of you who are interested in what was presented - here's a link where you're able to find a few of the presentations offered over the two days.
If you've just realised that the end of the year is almost upon us, then you may be looking looking for a 2011 calendar. Click here to buy Cape Town Daily Photo's first annual calendar! :)
Hussar Grill, a traditional steakhouse in Camps Bay
We've always seen the uninspiring-looking Hussar Grill on Camps Bay Drive (just below the final hairpin bend leading into Camps Bay), but we've never bothered to visit for a meal. Finally we decided to give the steakhouse a try, so two friends met up with us for a quiet dinner.
Even though from the outside it looks (as I said) insignificant, inside is quite different. The restaurant brims with that old traditional steakhouse feeling. The staff were friendly, the seating was comfortable, the food was... well... the food was great!
I think the meals are slightly more expensive than Cattle Baron or Famous Butchers Grill, but I found Hussar Grill a little more upmarket, and the ambiance and décor (made up of classic books, '60s furniture, and old photos) make the extra few rands worth paying.
For the record, the 1kg of beef ribs that I had was awesome, and the Crème Brûlée was outstanding (I dipped into the one Kerry-Anne ordered). And, best of all, Hussar's has Jack Black on tap! :)
P.S. I'd love to, but I can't claim attribution for this photo. Jon (one of the contributors to our new Mobile Photos page) pinched my camera for a moment and managed to snap the best photo of the evening!
The Roundhouse Restaurant in Camps Bay
On Sunday we trooped through to Camps Bay for breakfast and, because of its reputation, ended up at The Roundhouse Restaurant (up above Camps Bay). We were unfortunately too late for breakfast, so we just had some Rooibos tea, admired the view for a little while and then left to hunt down some place still serving breakfast. (In case you're wondering, we were extremely late for breakfast. :) )
The restaurant's view and atmosphere certainly lived up to the reputation, and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The lunch menu mostly comprises picnic foods (like cold meats, cheeses, pickles, etc.). You place your order by ticking items on a sheet of paper, and a while later a picnic basket arrives with your selection carefully packed. While it would have worked for the two of us, I'd advise rather to visit in a party of 4 to 6 people so that your basket can contain a good variety of food without crashing your credit card.
Click here to read a little about the building's history when it was used as a guard house in the late 1700s.
Beach weather and sailing ships
Perfect bliss may well be lying on a beautiful (and windless) beach while watching sailing ships pass by at a pace significantly slower than life.
Cape Town has for many years been known as a city where the pace is somewhat slower than the rest of the country. I've noticed though that the tide has started to turn and even though there's a more relaxed feeling in parts (like at this beach), it seems to me that the pace of business has picked up. Average folk seem busier than before, working longer hours than ever, and generally being trapped in the great hamster-wheel.
The interesting thing about Cape Town is that whenever the weather is good you'll find loads of people on the beaches... and not tourists, I might add. I've come to the conclusion that these people most likely fall into four categories:
1. They worked smart and earned a lot of money, enough to retire early.
2. They're trust-fund kids.
3. They're locals on holiday.
4. They're bunking work or lectures!
And in the majority of cases, I'd place my bet on option 4. ;)
Breakfast at Café Caprice
Ever since James Small, a past Springbok rugby player, opened Café Caprice (on Victoria Road in Camps Bay) we've been meaning to pop in for a meal or drink. There's just never seemed to be space for us, though - we always seem to end up in Camps Bay at the same time as Cape Town's entire population of trendy people! Café Caprice has always been a very popular meeting-place, and I'm not sure that that's just because of the identity of its owner.
We managed to arrive in Camps Bay early (just after 9am is early, isn't it?), and so there was still plenty of space for us to pick a nice sunny seat at the window. So, our first visit to Caprice was pretty good, actually. Our young waiter was sparky and quick to attend. For breakfast we both chose the Madame Caprice (a pocket of French toast, buttered with mustard, filled with bacon and cheese and topped with a fried egg) with coffee.
Madame Caprice was flippin' awesome - except perhaps for the mustard, which Kerry-Anne loved and I felt spoiled the meal a little. I've never been a real mustard fan, and in retrospect I should have asked them to hold the mustard.
Café Caprice's website is one of those annoying Flash sites, but take a look anyway - their menu seems up-to-date and they have a small (though un-maintained!) gallery section with photos from parties held at the restaurant.