Inspired by the impact of scale in his sculptures and following the overwhelming positive response from the monumental sculpture show at Nirox Sculpture Park, Paul du Toit decided to revisit ideas from his early notebooks. With the technological advances in paints over the years and his own development of techniques, he feels the time is right to explore and push the smaller works in a new direction.
On any trip one takes one is bound to return with a little something….a memento to bring back the memories of those dreamy days away from the daily grind. Today I wasn’t on a trip…just a little jaunt in to meet Hanneli Rupert for coffee in New York. I did however want to leave with a certain memento – her Okapi! Not the antelope, her handbag. She very generously gave me a gorgeous silk beaded scarf as a momentum from her African concept store “Merchants on Long” in downtown Cape Town. The Okapi will have to wait until next month when I return to Cape Town.
It never ceases to amaze me just how stylish our spectacular city is…from the restaurants, hip hotels, to the wonderful interior décor stores and artists that weave their African interpretation into music, fabric, sculpture and paintings. Hanneli draws inspiration for her designs from the mystical traditions of Africa. The ethos behind Okapi is to produce luxurious artisanal accessories, handcrafted entirely in Africa. Okapi creates job opportunities and growth while striving for exceptional quality and an understated, timeless appeal. Okapi was named after the Central African antelope so exotic it was once believed to be mythical and has long been referred to as the “African unicorn”. The core Okapi line, launched in South Africa in early 2012, consists of three styles that express elegant minimalism with an original African edge.
If you don’t carry an Okapi on your return journey you might find one of Hanneli’s other creations to be the perfect African souvenir.
Here's story with little to do with travel, but a lot to do with art, culture, the unique history of South Africa, and a rock icon who didn't know it. If you're a South African who grew up in the 70's, 80's or perhaps even the 90's, you will remember Rodriguez. As Steve Segerman from South Africa said, he was the soundtrack to our generation. He was an important voice in the struggle against apartheid albeit known mostly by young, liberal, white South Africans. What you might not know is that he was unknown at home in Detroit, U.S.A. I learnt this only last night while watching a 60 Minutes feature on him and the documentary film about his life, "Searching for Sugar Man".
The odd thing is that when I heard about the film earlier this year I made a mental note to catch it sometime, but never realized the significance of the story to me personally. I had no idea that our rock legend had lived in poverty in Detroit. Just as Roderiguez had had no idea that in the 80's South Africans were buying half a million of his records. Not until Steve Segerman tracked him down through his lyrics and brought him to sold-out shows of thousands in South Africa in 1998.
This fairy-tale was discovered by a Swedish man, Malik Bendjelloul, while traveling in South Africa. His resulting documentary "Searching for Sugarman" won the Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance this year. Get a taste of the remarkable story from 60 Minutes feature right here:
We're supporting The Culture Project with a trip to southern Africa. The Producers' Weekend will kick off this Friday with dinner at the spectacular homes of our hosts Sting and Trudie Styler, Gregory Colbert, Izhar Patkin, and Julian Schnabel. It promises to be a fun evening with impromptu entertainment- we're looking forward to it!
Since 1996, through brilliantly conceived, expertly staged dramas, which blend prize-winning theater with urgent moral dilemmas, Culture Project has told stories as timely as the morning's newspaper and sparked conversation and political action. For more see their website here.
We have put together a fabulous trip that includes Cape Town, the Winelands, two safaris (the Karoo and Madikwe) and Victoria Falls. Thank you to our partners The Cape Grace, River Manor Boutique Hotel, Samara Game Reserve, Tuningi Safari Lodge and The Victoria Falls Hotel.
New Yorkers take note - March 23–August 14, 2011! In an upcoming MoMA exhibition called Impressions from South Africa, 1965 to Now, nearly 100 prints, posters, books, and wall stencils will be on view—many for the first time in the United States—providing striking examples of how printed art can be used as a tool for social, political, and personal expression.
Impressions from South Africa is organized around five themes: the use of linoleum cut, which exemplifies the accessibility and bold expressiveness of printmaking; the suitability of printmaking, particularly screenprint and offset lithography, for disseminating political statement; the use of intaglio, which has a strong history of graphically narrative work full of political allusion; the integration of photography and printmaking to expand on the notion of the documentary; and, finally, the variety of topics and formats present in post-apartheid printed works, many of which revitalize these other techniques and strategies. Many of the works were acquired after the worldwide cultural boycott of South Africa dissolved in the 1990's, and the collection is a firs-of-its-kind look inside South Africa's turbulent era of social upheaval. For more detail see the MoMA press release here. Dates: March 23–August 14, 2011 The Museum of Modern Art: 11 West 53 Street, New York, NY | www.MoMA.org
ROAR AFRICA invites you to be our special guest at the screening of The Last Lions documentary film.
Come and meet National Geographic Award winning film makers Dereck and Beverly Joubert at the screening of their dramatic storytelling and breathtaking footage of a gripping real-life saga.
Lions are vanishing from the wild. In the last 50 years, lion populations have plummeted from 450,000 to as few as 20,000.
Where: Angelika Film Center 18 West Houston Street (between Broadway & Crosby St) New York, NY 10012 When: Friday February 18, 2011 from 7:20 PM EST Please click on the link below to register or RSVP. Click to Register Now.
View the trailer here:
(Available on the original blog post.) Derek, Beverley & I look forward to seeing you at The Last Lions. Should you have any questions about the event or how to register please feel free to contact Deborah at ROAR AFRICA. email Sincerely, Deborah
The early settlers, in response to street width taxation in Holland, built expansive wide fronted homes when settling in the Cape in the 1700’s. Houses in this style have a distinctive and recognisable design, with a prominent feature being the grand, ornately rounded gables, reminiscent of features in townhouses of Amsterdam built in the Dutch style. The houses are also usually H-shaped, with the front section of the house usually being flanked by two wings running perpendicular to it. Furthermore, walls are whitewashed, and the roofs are thatched.
Generally they are wide fronted homes with small window panes; it is interesting to note that all glass was imported by ship. Front verandas were laid out to use the tiles from passenger ships ballasts. To provide shade vines were sometimes planted to cover the trellis over the veranda. Readily available local hard woods were used to make shutters. These shutters, apart from being a decorative feature of Cape Dutch houses, were closed at night to keep the family protected from both man and beast. Reeds (Restio sedges) were used as thatching. The Gables that were built at the end of the roof could be either straight, triangular or holbol. The front gable became the signature of each home.
Front doors were designed by the owner in collaboration with Malay artisans who were brought to the Cape by the Dutch East India Company. Homes were large with high ceilings. Floors and ceilings were made of local hard woods like yellow wood (Podocarpus spp). These homes usually comprised an entrance hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen and one main bedroom down stairs. Children’s rooms and attics were generally upstairs. As the family grew a ‘neck’ was build from the entrance hall and two more rooms built at the back of the house making the classical H shape with four gables.
Fortunately many homes remain. Famous historical Cape Dutch homes can be seen on the following wine estates: Boschendal, Vergelegen, Morgenster, la Motte or Zorgvleit
Cape Dutch architecture is a beautiful and distinctive feature of the South African winelands. For more on visiting the winelands, click here. Or for further references contact Roar Africa.
Last week ROAR AFRICA hosted a cocktail party at the home of Henry Buhl. This was a celebration of our 5th anniversary and the upcoming FIFA World Cup which is being hosted South Africa. In this vein we honored our friend and artist Joseph Peter. With his partners Coca-Cola and FIFA, Joey traveled 53 countries in 75 days with the FIFA trophy and produced an amazing work of art; The African Book of Happiness. What a wonderful project to share the inherent optimism of the African people instead of what we see on the news every day.
Many people wanted further information on Joey's book so he has kindly written up some more detailed information that I have attached. (Click each page below to enlarge).
It was a great honor to celebrate his incredible work and we look forward to the many new editions that will follow as Joey covers the globe.
Invictus: The Movie and what it means to South Africans
Clint Eastwood's latest movie, Invictus, about South Africa's World Cup rugby win in 1995 opens nationwide in the USA this Friday, December 11th. I have not seen a screening but I am already prepared to say that you must see it, especially if you have any plans to visit South Africa. It is about so much more than rugby-this was the tournament that changed our nation. Francois Pienaar, who is played by Matt Damon in the movie and who was the captain of the South African team said "Hollywood could not write a better story." So they just had to tell this one.
Every South African old enough to remember knows where they were on June 24th, 1995. I happened to be in Austin, Texas in body, but we were all in Ellis Park stadium in spirit, watching and feeling our nation defy the odds and come together miraculously as "One Team, One Country". In short, rugby was a sport that symbolized the old South Africa. It was played predominantly by whites, especially Afrikaners, who were extremely proud of their sport and after years of international isolation were desperate to prove themselves to the world.
Understandably, many black South African's wanted nothing to do with it. In fact many were hostile to the game, the players ("The Boks"), the emblem (the Springbok), and even to the green and gold uniform itself. Nelson Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman in the movie, was the visionary who realized that rugby could unite the nation. He and the captain Francois Pienaar then lead the team and the country to victory and to a united new South Africa. On that day Mandela, affectionately known as Madiba, was wearing that number six green and gold jersey of the captain, Francois Pienaar.
Now a new generation of South Africans can be reminded of the spirit their nation was built in. Despite not yet seeing the movie I am prepared to stick my neck out and say this should be required viewing for all South Africans. I got goose bumps reading excerpts from 'Playing the Enemy' last night. No, I am shrouding my emotions here like a good South African male - I have goosebumps right now, but last night my eyes were welling-up. Tough, grown men of all ages, colors and creeds were crying tears of joy, relief and hope in Ellis Park stadium on June 24th, 1995. That is still with us 14 years later and we will feel it again this Friday.
Watch the Invictus trailer here:
A few interesting tidbits about the movie and background:
The screenwriter is Anthony Peckham who grew up in Durban, South Africa.
Morgan Freeman who had wanted to do film about Mandela for a decade, found the right project when he heard about a book being written: 'Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation' by John Carlin an ex South African.
The name Invictus (Latin-invincible) is from a poem by William Ernest Henley that inspired Nelson Mandela during his years in prison. Read it below.
Matt Damon trained intensely to get in shape for the role but couldn't grow into a 6ft 3inches and 235 pound Pienaar. He first met Francois Pienaar for dinner at Francois' house. Amusingly, when Francois answered the door Matt said, "I'm much bigger in movies."
Matt Damon knew the basics of the game from friends of his who played at Harvard University.
In true Clint Eastwood style he kept the movie as close to the original facts and event as possible.
Action sequences include about 30minutes of game action and used mostly real rugby players from South Africa, New Zealand and Togo instead of actors.
Movie viewers will learn the basics of the game through scenes at rugby coaching clinics.
For most of his life Mandela rose at 4.30 am, made his bed and went for an hours' run. While in prison he simply jogged on the spot in his cell. Peckam says that on the day of the final he skipped his exercise routine and made more time to read the national papers.
On June 24th, 1995 the headline of the Argus newspaper read "Viva the Boks!". Viva was a war cry of black protest that was now being used to rally behind the Springbok rugby team. Before the game had even started the country was on a new road.
Drugs, diamonds, wine, prostitutes, frogs and books...
Last Tuesday ROAR AFRICA hosted a book launch for Douglas Rogers' "The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe" at the New York home of Henry Buhl. The party was primarily about Doug's excellent dark, comic and true-life thriller (more here), but it did have other purposes. Zimbabwe is in an awful predicament but we know how much potential Zimbabwe has in all respects. We know how much tourism to this spectacular country could help it's people pull themselves out of their current plight. It is helping in a few places. With careful planning, we are already hosting people safely in some specific and beautiful parts of the country. You can see the difference these visits make to the local population: employment, feeding programs for thousands, and a sense of hope.
Many Thanks to Henry Buhl for the use of his beautiful loft in SoHo, Durbanville Hills for the fantastic South African Wine, and Amarula for the evening's delicious signature cocktail.
We encourage you to read Doug's witty, sad and exhilarating memoir as you plan your next trip: 'The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe' published by Crown / Random House.
We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did. There seemed to be 150 people who were not in a hurry to leave, so we're assuming that they at least did.
Yesterday I watched the first screening of Mugabe and The White African here in New York with five good friends. The movie dives straight into a very personal account of the Campbell's and Freeth's courageous struggle for their farm. There is a strong message that the right thing to do is to stay and fight for what is yours. I wondered if some Zimbabweans who emigrated might feel implied disapproval of their decision to leave. However, everyone's circumstances and resources are different and the Campbells do not judge others, just themselves against their own strong ideals and their God's - they are religious people.
This is very much a close-up view. Some prior knowledge of the Zimbabwe situation and recent history would be helpful for the viewer but it is not essential. I found it gripping because it is so personal, harrowing, and the failure of law and order is so complete. Ultimately it goes far beyond the Campbell's and Freeth's because their tenacity and legal action at the SADC court sets an example for all of us and hopefully a legal precedent as well.
Mugabe and The White African is essential viewing to validate their struggle and help to bring change to Zimbabwe. We all needed a stiff drink after the show. Fortunately, unlike Mike Campbell in a scene in the movie, we did not have to head out into the night after our drink to protect our land.
Mugabe and The White African; an intimate and moving feature-length documentary, charting one family's extraordinary courage in the face of a relentless campaign of state-sanctioned terror. Directed by Lucy Bailey and Andrew Thompson
WINNER of the SilverDocs documentary film festival's Sterling 'World Feature' Grand Jury Prize This is the astonishing story of Michael and Angela Campbell and their daughter and son-in-law Laura and Ben Freeth trying to hold onto their farms in Zimbabwe. In fact the Campbells and Freeths are family friends farming right next door to where my brother and my sister-in-law used to farm (and where she grew up) before their farm was taken from them a few years ago.
Here are the screening times in New York for the film in August at IFC Doucweeks.
MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN
Fri 8/7 4:30 PM 9:45 PM
Sat 8/8 12:00 PM 6:10 PM
Sun 8/9 1:40 PM 8:00 PM
Mon 8/10 12:00 PM 9:45 PM
Tue 8/11 12:00 PM 6:10 PM
Wed 8/12 1:40 PM 8:00 PM
Thu 8/13 7:40 PM 9:45 PM
ADDRESS: 323 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10014 Ph (212) 924-7771 DIRECTIONS: West 3rd & 6th Avenue Online tickets
If you are interested and live in New York or nearby please try to attend and tell your friends. The more people who see it the better the ultimate distribution will be.
Postcard from Cape Town: Lunch with Pat Cavendish O'Neill
Peggy Healy Parker writes about her lunch with Pat Cavendish O'Neill, author of A Lion in the Bedroom: The Fabulous High-life of the Heiress Who Couldn't Say No. Peggy was hosted by Roar Africa and accompanied by Geoff Calmeyer who, like Pat, had a lion as a pet many years ago.
The article is online at Vogue here and pasted below.
Postcard From Cape Town: A One-On-One With The One And Only Pat Cavendish O’Neill
July 8, 2009 12:20 pm
I had a feast in Africa. No ordinary feast, mind you—I was the luncheon guest of Pat Cavendish O’Neill, heiress and author of A Lion in the Bedroom, a charmingly written and juicy chronicle of the lavish life she led as daughter of one of Britain’s most famous beauties, Enid Lindeman. Pat’s half brother was equally famous—Roderick (Rory) Cameron authored a number of books and designed the iconic mansion of the Côte d’Azur, La Fiorentina (later owned by Harding and Mary Wells Lawrence). So artistic was Rory that the interior walls of La Fiorentina had to perfectly match the color of the back side of the olive leaf. Pat called him “the most wonderful brother”—she clearly adored him. Other guests included Geoff Calmeyer, co-owner of the prestigious bespoke tour company Roar Africa, as well as former neighbors of Pat and three young volunteers working at an AIDS orphanage. Some 15 dogs trotted up the long, tree-lined drive to greet us.
At 84, Pat is still young, still interested in everything, and still a beauty in her own right—no one has such wide-set pale blue eyes. “I’ve had a wonderful life,” she said, ushering us to the shaded pool-side terrace. Thirty years ago Pat and her mother moved from Kenya’s Happy Valley to Broadlands, a stud farm outside of Cape Town, for her mother’s health and at the behest of Beryl Markham, aviatrix, horse trainer, and a reputed lover of Denys Finch Hatton—yes, Karen Blixen’s Finch Hatton. Beryl told Pat: “Broadlands has a wonderful paddock and horses, white fencing, and trees everywhere.” Like Beryl, Pat and her mother raised champion thoroughbreds and eventually Pat fell in love with South Africa. And why not? Cape Town is one of the most beautiful and welcoming cities in the world. Though there is still disparity between blacks and whites, it’s changing and you can feel the thaw. Here, hospitality has been raised to a fine art at such fabulous venues as the Steenberg Hotel, the Constantia Guest House, and the Delaire Graff Estate, the new über-luxurious hotel, winery, and restaurant conceived by diamond king Laurence Graff and designed by the brilliant David Collins.
After a surfeit of lunch, we toured the grounds of Broadlands to see Pat’s menagerie (and I don’t mean the glass kind)—four baboons, assorted goats, donkeys, pigs, cattle, 14 cats, 60 vervet monkeys, and another 20-odd canines. Pat rescued every last animal except for one magnificent dog, Cash, so named because it’s the only creature she paid money for. The walls of the drawing room are hung to the rafters with oils and watercolors surrounding a portrait of Pat and Tana, her beloved pet lioness who, she said, “taught me the beauty of Africa.” There are photographs of Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and many other family friends. There are paintings of her mother and paintings by her mother, of whom she said, “Men just adored her. Once they fell, they fell for the rest of their lives. She was also a brilliant painter.”
Best of all, Pat told us she’s writing a sequel to A Lion in the Bedroom. (If you haven’t read part one of her autobiography, beg, borrow, or steal to get your hands on a copy of the hard-to-find book.) I can’t wait to find out what happened next in her exciting, extraordinary, and eccentric life.
Do you like your life edgy? Do you long for the Trailer Park? Seriously! You can have both in luxury in the heart of Cape Town.
The Grand Daddy Hotel in Long Street
The Grand Daddy hotel in the heart of happening Long Street believes that "luxury shouldn’t exclude playfulness". We agree. The Grand Daddy is full of creative touches to ensure that guests are pleasantly surprised by the unexpected. The biggest and most talked about "surprise" is the Trailer park.
That's right! A fleet of 7 iconic two-sleeper vintage Airstream caravans sits on the roof with Table Mountain as a backdrop. They were each individually conceptualized and designed by local artists and make for possibly the most unusual and fun accomodation you can find anywhere. It gets better. Your air-conditioned Airstream with hot and cold running water, flush toilet and shower, is enclosed by a tidy garden complete with US Postal Service mailboxes. Watch an outdoor movie on hot summer nights at The Pink Flamingo Cinema. If that's not enough there is the Daddy Cool bar and The Showroom Café restaurant before you even step out onto hip Long Street.
Interiors of two of the Airstreams by local artists.
Prices vary by season but the Airstreams are from about $120 per night. There are Hotel suites and the Sugar Daddy Suite but I think you should one-up your friends by telling them you're off to the Trailer Park in South Africa!
Anne Landsman on 'The Last Resort' by Douglas Rogers
Having recently finished reading the galley copy of Douglas Roger's memoir I have to wholeheartedly agree with Anne Landsman, author of The Rowing Lesson:
"With breathtaking talent, wry wit and abundant heart, Douglas Rogers tells the compulsively readable tale of his parents’ daily struggles to hold onto their land in the nightmarish landscape of present day Zimbabwe. With every turn of the page, you fear for the Rogerses survival, as well as the survival of the country they love so much. But even as they face the most difficult of challenges, their indomitable spirit shines through, revealing the ordinary heroism of people in extraordinary circumstances."
THE LAST RESORT: A MEMOIR OF ZIMBABWE by Douglas Rogers
Roar Africa is eagerly awaiting the release of our friend Douglas Rogers' book The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe. Doug's impressive travel writing resume pre-qualifies his book for our reading list. Or is it the beers shared over the squat-years in London or in South Africa a decade or more ago?
We will also be hosting an event with Doug later this year. Watch the blog for details.
Here's a little about The Last Resort:
The Last Resort is a dark, comic, true-life thriller about Lyn and Ros Rogers, white Africans of many generations, struggling to hold on to their game farm and backpacker lodge in Robert Mugabe's war-torn Zimbabwe. Travel writer Douglas Rogers returns to the family farm from his home in Brooklyn, New York to discover that marijuana is growing instead of maize; prostitutes, diamond dealers, and refugee farmers prop up the lodge bar, and war veterans and youth militia loyal to Mugabe hover outside the gates.
In going back Rogers discovers the "big story" he had traveled the world in search of is taking place in his parents' back yard.
Thrilling, heartbreaking, and at times absurdly funny, The Last Resort is a remarkable true story about one family in a country under siege, and a testament to the love, perseverance, and resilience of the human spirit.
Published by Crown/Random House. Out on September 22, 2009. Pre-order now at www.douglasrogers.org On facebook here
Some of you attended and enjoyed the premier of The World Unseen with ROAR Africa here in New York last year. [See previous post] The film has been doing excellently and we encourage you to see it. If you're in South Africa or have friends there who might be interested, please pass on the this message from the Writer/Director Shamim Sarif. Many thanks, Deborah
*** Feb 13th, 2009
Hello Everyone
Today our movie, The World Unseen, is released in South African cinemas and I wanted to ask you to please go and see it, and to encourage everyone you know to see it also.
We won 11 SAFTA awards last Saturday, in addition to the 9 other awards we have picked up internationally.
And these are the cinemas where you can see The World Unseen: Nu Metro Hyde Park – Johannesburg Nu Metro Canal Walk – Cape Town Ster- Kinekor Rosebank Mall – Jhb Ster-Kinekor Gateway Nouveau – Durban Ster-Kinekor V&A Nouveau – Cape Town Ster-Kinekor Brooklyn Nouveau – Pretoria
I have also attached a review sheet.
Thank you so much for all your support up till now, and I hope you will forward this to everyone on your email lists!
Best wishes Shamim
***
Acclaim for The World Unseen Film (click to expand)
Steenberg Hotel: Heritage, Hospitality, Wine, Golf and Spa
Named in honor of the imposing mountain which towers over it, The Steenberg Hotel provides exquisite hospitality, wine, golf, spa and history amongst the vineyards just 20 minutes from the center of Cape Town, South Africa. It's part of Roar Africa's portfolio and is offering a "de Gustibus" special at the moment. Here's some more about this excellent property.
History, Hotel and Restaurant:
This is the oldest farm in on the Cape Peninsula. The land was originally granted to a widow, Catharina Ras, in 1682 and wines were first produced on the farm in 1695. Today Steenberg’s flagship Sauvignon Blanc Reserve has won awards year after year and the winery’s distinctive red blend – Catharina – is widely recognized for its elegant, old-world French style. The state-of-the-art cellar, completed in 1996, has the capacity to produce around 70 000 cases and boasts a vinotheque, where bottled wines can be kept under ideal conditions until ready to be enjoyed.
The hotel buildings (1682) with the Manor House, Jonkershuis (“young man house”) and the Barn have been declared a National Monument. They are lovingly restored and decorated traditionally with antiques in the elegant styling of the 17th Century - old world charm and modern conveniences. There are 21 beautiful, en-suite rooms and the 3 new luxurious Heritage Suites which celebrate Steenberg's National Monument status. The Heritage Suites have been created within the Jonkershuis and are a tribute to three distinct historic periods in the history of the Cape. The exterior was not altered in any way but the interiors have been changed dramatically to reflect the periods. The suites are The Cape Colonial, The Khoi Khoi and the Dutch East India Suites.
Catharina’s, the award winning Restaurant at Steenberg, is getting a new look but will open again before summer (that's December in South Africa) 2008. In the meantime The Cape Colonial Suite is being used as a temporary and unique dining area. This is one of the very special new Heritage Suites at Steenberg. Please note that Catharina’s famous Sunday Buffet Jazz Luncheons are on hold until the refurbishments are complete.
Golf and Spa
The Steenberg Golf Club is an exclusive, private golf club known for its hybrid plan - it offers traditionalists the opportunity to “bump and run” (a rare shot in South Africa) in the rough around the greens, and to meet the challenges of strategically placed sand pits and waterways. The par-three, not-so-short 14th hole, features the largest green in Africa at 76 meters in length; indigenous shrubs guard the green and the mound has been shaped to echo the distinctive mountain range behind. Steenberg has always been named as one of the best conditioned courses in South Africa Golf Digest’s annual Top 100, consistent in its improvement each year. The 18 hole course was designed to make full use of natural features and hazards such as the vineyards, pine forest and gentle waterways. Its environmental diversity gives the course its unique character. The Steenberg Golf Club is open to the public, but priority and special green fee rates are given to hotel guests and members.
Golf not for you? The Spa at Steenberg is operated by the experienced Ginkgo Spa & Wellness Group. Five beautifully fitted rooms each offering distinctive experiences are surrounded by lush vineyards, the championship golf course and the magnificent Steenberg Mountains. The ambiance is earthy and relaxing.
Heritage Suites "de Gustibus" SPECIAL:
The package includes accommodation for two in one of the spacious suites, all meals and drinks.
In addition, they will interact one night with one of Steenberg’s talented chefs who will demonstrate how to prepare a contemporary South African dinner. They will cook alongside the chef in their suite as he discusses the ingredients used and how the herbs and spices work together to create this unique cuisine. At the same time, the Steenberg wine steward will give them a private wine tasting of the superb Steenberg wines with tips on choosing a good wine.Another treat for guests on this package includes a 90 minute ScenTao Hot Stone Therapy Massage for both; an unforgettable experience for any massage enthusiast
VALID: 01 November 2008 - 30 September 2009 RATE – per person sharing per 2 night package: R13 500.00
Helping Zimbabweans with Peter Godwin and Eco Africa Social Ventures
Eco Africa Social Ventures is a U.S. based Non Profit corporation founded by Janice Ashby whose mission is to uplift the daily lives of artists, crafting artisans and their families in Zimbabwe who are struggling under extreme hardships owing to the economic catastrophe that has overtaken their country.
Roar Africa and partner lodges are donating a luxury safari to help families survive the food emergency. The safari includes 3 nights at Singita Pamushana Lodge in Zimbabwe, 3 nights at Steenberg Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, and 4 nights at Londo Lodge, Pemba Island, Mozambique. The safari will be donated at an event held at the home of Leila Straus on Park Avenue West, New York on November 12th.
Peter Godwin, the acclaimed author of "When a Crocodile Eats the Sun", will be at the event for a special reading and book signing. A magnificent photograph "The Dancing Wildebeest" by Chris Dei will also be auctioned at the event.
If you would like to attend please email info@ecoafricasocialventures.org for an invitation. You can also email info@roarafrica.com for a copy of the luxury safari worth $14,000.
You can help by referring others to this posting/invitation or by a direct donation through Pay Pal to Eco Africa Social Ventures.
Welcome to Roar Africa's blog. A selection of tales and anecdotes from Southern Africa where the Roar Africa team deliver private tours. Search our blog in the search bar at the top left of your screen.
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