Murder Mystery Evening at the Cape Town Science Centre - Wednesday 31 October 2012

For those of you looking for an alternative for Halloween, it looks like there is a mystery to be solved at the Cape Science Centre with a science twist - guaranteed to be both fun and educational.

Photo Journal: My backyard garden - the Table Mountain National Park

Recently we went on a homeschooling excursion up the mountains behind our house and we came across the most glorious plants.  I can't tell you what they are called. There were so many others to see but these are the ones that really caught my eye.

And for those of you that are wondering, we live in Kalk Bay in the Western Cape (according to South Africans) or in Cape Town (as the rest of the world views it).  We live between the Table Mountain National Park and the ocean - which often entertains us with dolphin pods, fishing boats and southern right whales breaching.  A beautiful part of the world.

Press Release: Cape Town's premier dance festival at the Baxter this October

As you know, we frequent the theatre often - on dates, family excursions or mother-son times.  And this is the next one we are headed to.  This looks likes a fantastical ensemble of talent.  Keep an eye out for our review and maybe we will see some of you there. 

Cape Town's premier dance festival at the Baxter this October

Dance lovers are in for a treat this year when the annual Baxter Dance Festival kicks off with a jam-packed line-up of the mother city's top dance talents and guest performers from Gauteng and Namaqualand at the Baxter Theatre from 4 to 13 October.

Now in its eighth year the popular festival is widely regarded as Cape Town's premier dance platform with over 300 dancers taking to the stage and nearly 50 choreographers showcasing their work. The festival has grown exponentially and has become one of the must-see activities on Cape Towns events calendar.  

Nicolette Moses, Associate Producer and Planning Manager responsible for the festival, says Its the perfect environment for dance enthusiasts to experience and see work by established professionals, as well as up-and-coming dance practitioners. The festival is here to showcase and celebrate the Western Capes rich and prolific dance history, the people who have influenced it and those who are making their mark for the future.

Highlights this year include the new commissioned work by Ananda Fuchs', guest choreographers Gregory Maqoma and Luyanda Sidiya with the Vuyani Dance Company, as well as performances by former Alvin Ailey dancer Bradley Shelver.  One of the much-anticipated performances in the Main Programme category this year is Ananda Fuchs' Fragile Falling which will be performed daily at Main Programme performances from 8 Oct. Fragile Falling is a dance piece that explores the meaning of hair and in particular how its strands hold our personal, cultural, social, emotional, psychological and inherited histories.

Award-winning choreographers Gregory Maqoma and Luyanda Sidiya will make their Cape Town debuts with their acclaimed Joburg-based Vuyani Dance Company. Maqoma's Mayhem and Sidiyas Umnikelo, The Offering were both performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in July.

This year over 50 entries will be seen, ranging in style from contemporary to neo-classical, flamenco, fusion, physical theatre, modern, African, jazz, hip hop, belly and Indian dancing.  Some of these include Vuyani Dance Theatre, Underground Dance Theatre, Amalgamated Artists, Dance, Wilvan School of Dance, Jazzart Dance Theatre, La Rosa Spanish Dance Company, Cape Dance Company and Brigitte Reeve Dance Company to name just a few. 

 Previous choreographers of the commissioned work were Ebrahim Medell (2005), Marlin Zoutman (2006), collaborators Yarisha Singh and Celeste Botha (2007), Levern Botha (2008), Mamela Nyamza (2009), Carolyn Holden from La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre in 2010 and Grant van Ster (2011). All these choreographers have continued to make their mark in the world of dance, both locally and abroad.

The Main Programme runs every night at 20:00 from 4 to 13 October and is made up of various works of different lengths and features work by established professional companies, the newly commissioned choreographers piece and that of invited choreographers or companies.

The Off Main Programme, which takes place on Saturday, 6 October, at 17:00, will showcase young emerging choreographers and student work.

The Fringe Programme at 14h00 on Saturday, 13 October will include work by youth groups, dance studios, school groups, traditional African dance groups and choreographers who have requested that their work run on this programme for practical reasons. It usually features great options for younger dancers and kids, offering variety for the whole family.

For further information contact Alethea Patterson on 021 680 3974 or email

Out and About: The Baxter Theatre: Worst of Both Worlds

I could quickly see why this play, Worst of Both Worlds, written and directed by Bulelani Mabutyana and starring Lubabalo Nontwana and Thando Suselo were the winners of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival for 2012.  Though both young actors (21 and 19) - they delivered a remarkable performance in this story of a girl who is abducted and trafficked at a young age, growing up under slavery, abuse and prostitution.  

I was led down the road of innocence in a town - Khayelitsha, where a young Xhosa girl's life is dramatically changed from a life of song and laughter, to abduction, abuse and prostitution.  I sat riveted in my seat as I felt my emotions rise and fall:  laughter, horror, pain, empathy, even anger.  I took offense at the violence and language of the child traffickers.  And yet hoped with her as she attempted to escape from those who would enslave her.  I wept with her when she found her family and then the subsequent sadness and sense of loss.

Though I have seen various productions at different theatres, none has touched me to my core as this one did.  Child trafficking is never a comfortable subject, and this production did nothing to hide its destruction.  And even with the humour which at times almost seemed uncomfortable, out of place - there was a grim reminder of the reality of the situation in our country and many others.  

Both Lubabalo and Thando, transformed into a multitude of characters, through changes in lighting, voice and mannerisms in a blink of an eye while never physically changing their appearance (they wore very simple clothing that you eventually didn't even notice, their performance was so gripping).  A simple set of a single table and chair was transformed before me with clever and effective lighting and some unusual changes in position.  I love well designed beautiful sets - pretty things and yet, what they achieved was beyond paint and canvas.  


After the performance we were privileged to be invited to the the Baxter Restaurant and while we were there I had the opportunity to chat to the writer and director of Worst of Both Worlds, Bulelani Mabutyana.  I asked him why he had chosen this specific topic and what I discovered is that he had personally lost his cousin in a similar way and some of his close friends too.  And then it really made me realise why there was so much depth and meaning to so much of what I had seen.    I find his own story, made this production even more meaningful to me!  How someone could take so much of what he had been through and present it to us, the audience. What a remarkable man, writer and director!

Worst of Both Worlds will be performed at the Baxter Theatre in the Golden Arrow Studio for the next two weeks from the 24th July to 4th of August at 7pm.   And if you book on a Friday night you can buy your ticket and have a meal at the Baxter Restaurant for only R100 per person.


This is not suitable for children under 13 and with good reason.  The language of the child traffickers and though a fair amount of symbolism is used, the reality is that the issues that are being presented are not sugar coated or to be made to look pretty but rather a stark reality.

Out and About: Cape Town: Ceres Zip Slide Adventures

 With 3 boys who brave the seas off the False Bay Coast, well known for its shark infestation and who swim amongst jelly fish, blue bottles and dolphins - I couldn't expect anything else than a life full of adventure.  So what do I do - do I raise my boys to quietly sit at home all day, spend their days filled with computer screens (you know my thoughts on this) - protected and cooped up?

Of course not.  This mamma looks online all the time to find the next adventure.  I'm always looking for new ideas.  

 Then we found this adventure:  Ceres Zip Slide Adventures .  Which also just happens to have the longest Zipline Tour in Africa. 8 slides - 1,4 km long in total - suspended above the rocky outcrops of the Schurweberg Mountains below the Koekedouw Dam in Ceres.  - Now that looked like something they would love!  I wasn't sure that I would - I am seriously afraid of heights.  By the time I climb 3 rungs of a ladder I am already shaking at the knees wondering where the safety net is.

Casting aside my fear, we took a 2 hour drive to the "Eden of the Cape".  Fruit country!  Hot weather, picnic packed in the back and me in the front wondering when I should throw open the door and hurl myself out like someone out of a Mission Impossible movie. Could almost picture myself in slow motion landing on the tarmac without a scratch and then dusting myself off while wearing a tight sexy leather outfit looking gorgeous.  Mmmh not likely - more like polyester gone wrong:)  Anyway back to reality.

So we geared up.

You may notice that my 4th baby wasn't in on the photo.  Now interestingly enough, they cater for children from the age of 3, and there are special harnesses for them - which are linked to mom or dad. However Ruthie, recently went to the Muizenberg Water Slides for Chad's birthday and she didn't even want to go down the baby slides alone, there was no way that she would be happy doing this.

After all the harnessing and safety checks, we climbed into a van and headed up the mountain.

I don't think there were any of us that weren't nervous!

 

 

 And then it was too late to turn back.  There was just a cable and no where to go but down.

There goes Ethan, he always went first.  A real adventurer!

Don't be fooled, I was laughing and screaming hysterically at this point - really!

Chad's first slide alone!

Sean was the expert.  He always landed perfectly - what can I say - he's the man!

When I see Declan, I can see his dad's confidence and courage!  So relaxed.

After the first slide (which was hair raising) I could actually sit back in the harness and enjoy the moment!  Each slide is a different length and height.  Sometimes I seemed to fly through the air and I wondered if I could stop in time (which was all in my hands because I control the breaks).  And at other times it felt slower (relatively speaking of course because it never gets really slow)

The children would have liked to have gone over and over again.  They thought it was their best excursion yet!  And as far as I am concerned it definitely will be one of those adventures that will never be forgotten!  A definite memory moment!  

Memory moments is what I live for!

And if you want to see even more, Pasella recently visited the Ceres Zip Slide Tour Adventures too! 

And if you would like to win some tickets to experience this adventure:  we have 2 tickets available in our latest giveaway valued at R800

A Super Giveaway for the Cape Dairy Experience at Sundringham

Some of you may remember that I mentioned in my post that we are heading to the Cape Dairy Experience in Sundringham on the 4 and 5th November 2011?  Well, we are soooooo going.  I am totally convinced that not only will this be an amazing learning experience, but so many lovely things for the parents too! Besides the inner child in me longing for those finger licking good yummy goodies like - ice cream, cheese, yoghurt and real butter; the children will love this event.

TheWoolworths Dairy Pantry will be teaching us how to make milk tart (proudly South African), roosterkoek and good old traditional pot bread.  So let's see:  Woolies (tick), milk tart (tick), roosterkoek (tick), pot bread (tick) - who could resist?

Oh and did I mention that there will be cooking demonstrations by food bloggers?! Go bloggers!  I didn't even know that bloggers could cook if my culinary skills were anything to go by - but then I am a uniquely unusual unculinary individual with a few bright moments of the ordinary.  My children think I should enter for Masterchef South Africa based on the fact that the only person they have really been able to compare my cooking skills to, is their dad? Did I mention their dad can cook? - oh yes! Fried eggs, french toast, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs and eggs with kind of left overy things in the kitchen.  So you can see why they think I am a chef;) But I AM getting a little distracted.

There are lots of things for the children to do: 

*  ice cream eating contest

*  milking demonstrations 

(be ready to answer all sorts of interesting questions about udders for those of you that have small children)

*  dog jumping competitions

*  tractor shows

*  they can milk a dummy cow 

(that wouldn't be a really dumb cow but just a prop)

*  boeresport games

*  jumping castles

and more......

The Price:  R30 for adults but children under the age of 13 go free! And in fact if you are a school group, provided you register before the event, you can go in free.  Our homeschooling group will definitely be going.

To find out more why not visit their website or call Mariana Rabie at 021 975 4440.

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Here's the Giveaway

Thanks to Mariana Rabie and the Cape Dairy Experience, 4 of you will be able to go free.  I will be giving away 2 tickets to 2 of you that enter. 

Here's how to enter:  Simply comment on this post and tell me:  

What is your favourite  Dairy Experience?

Are you in love with the new double cream dessert yoghurts?  

Do you love milk and drink gallons of it just straight out of the bottle?  

Do you hide a secret stash of chocolate under your pillow?  

Do you love smelly cheeses?   

Come on 'fess up!

(Winners will be announced on Monday!)