Image courtesy of Design Indaba

Cape Town’s annual celebration of design is set to prove once more that there is a better future for the Mother City, and indeed South Africa as a whole, through emerging creative talent and design.

The Design Indaba has been committed to a vision that the economic revolution in South Africa can be fuelled through creativity and the can-do spirit of the nation. It has attracted the world’s brightest talent since 1995 and has become a creative institution in its own right and one of the few global events that celebrates all the creative sectors.

Representing the very best of South African creativity, the Design Indaba Expo is a showcase of exceptional design across all disciplines.  Visitors are able to catch all-day fashion shows, short films, chat to the designers or simply browse the quintessentially South African creations on display.

The Design Indaba Expo takes place from 2-4 March 2012 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

What one can expect on the expo floor ranges from Emerging Creatives – a Department of Arts and Culture sponsored platform for showcasing the country’s most ingenious young designers – to the Pecha Kucha which sees designers and creatives talking about their work in a 20 slide presentation where each slide is shown for only 20 seconds.

Local trendsetters and statement-makers take the stage for the fashion shows, a DSTV kids workshop will be dedicated to promoting and nurturing creativity in childhood education and, this conference being set in Cape Town, the food market will tantalize the senses with the freshest selection of quality, local foods and beverages.

Considered to be an all-in-one creative stop, recognising and celebrating local creative work, it’s no surprise that the Design Indaba expo has become a key shopping destination for local and international buyers.

With graphic design, advertising, film, music, fashion design, industrial design, architecture, craft, visual art, new media, publishing, broadcasting and the performing arts sector represented, the Design Indaba is a true celebration of the diversity and the creative spirit of the nation.

Design enthusiasts who are looking for accommodation in Cape Town during Design Indaba 2012 will be pleased to know that the Taj Cape Town is located in the city centre, within easy reach of the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The hotel is able to arrange luxury transfers for guests wishing to visit the Design Indaba.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is situated within easy reach of many Cape Town attractions, historical sites and markets.

Image courtesy of B.T. Indrelunas

The Mother City is generally regarded as the epicentre of gay culture in South Africa. Cape Town abounds with gay-popular accommodations, restaurants, and bars and annually celebrates one of the biggest and most exciting gay pride events in the Southern Hemisphere – Pride Cape Town – which takes place over 10 days in early March 2012.

The Cape Town Pride Festival is a celebration of South Africa’s wonderful diversity, and from the 2^nd till the 11th of March 2012, Cape Town will once again be uniting cultures to create awareness around issues impacting on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities locally and throughout Africa.

The festival comprises a variety of cultural and arts events, parties, and other gatherings and one can expect everything from film screenings and relationship workshops to pool parties and the Mr. and Mrs. Pride Cape Town pageant. Included in the list of activities are an interfaith service, a beach picnic, a book fair and discussions led by the Institute for Humanities in Africa, as well as a “pink ball,” and pride hike.

The main event though, is the Pride Parade, which takes place on the final Saturday of the festival. Typically beginning at 11 am it starts at Cape Town Stadium and continues to Beach Road, passing along Sea Point’s Main Road, and ending back at the stadium for a large celebration featuring a number of music acts and performers.

Cape Town Pride is a Non-Profit Organisation that is committed towards being inclusive and encompassing and the annual Cape Town Pride Festival is driven by passionate volunteers who freely give their time, effort and energy to the event. More information can be found on the official Cape Town pride website including entry forms for the pageant, stall applications and float registry.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and its central location makes it the perfect launch point for exploring the many pride festival activities as well as other Cape Town events. The Taj Cape Town is also a proud sponsor for Mr Gay SA.

Image Courtesy of fabulousfabs

A key event on South Africa’s Parliamentary and political calendar is the opening of Parliament in Cape Town and the State of the Nation Address. This year the opening of Parliament will be taking place on 9 February 2012 as Cape Town once more hosts the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces.

Completed in 1885, the parliament building with its central dome and Corinthian porticos and pavilions was originally designed by Charles Freeman who, following a miscalculation of the foundations, was later replaced by Henry Greaves.

The building itself lies in the uppermost corner of Company Gardens, with an entrance on Parliament Street.  During parliamentary sessions between January and June, tickets to sit in the public gallery are available to visitors as well as guided tours though the Houses of Parliament buildings during the week.

The opening of parliament does come with its downside though as several road closures creates a challenge getting in and out of the Cape Town city centre.

Between attending the spectacle of the State of Nation address and chancing the tactical-plan-ahead-escape-routes out of the CBD, the opportunity to spend a relaxing evening in the city centre is too often overlooked.

With its large street-side windows which create a unique viewing room for glimpses of the Houses of Parliament and Table Mountain, as well as its plush comfortable décor, the Twankey Bar is perhaps the best place to be during the opening of parliament.

A relaxing evening of fresh seafood tapas, perfectly poured cocktails, a range of champagnes and excellent oyster experiences makes the end of any workday a celebration and the opening of parliament a breeze.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the Twankey champagne and oyster bar open weekdays from 16:00 till late.

A romantic night in the heart of the Mother City awaits those looking for the ultimate romantic gesture. A Valentine’s Day treat of exotic spa treatments, champagne and oysters, sumptuous dinners and luxurious accommodation and an evening of elegance, glamour and romantic indulgence.

Romantic foods, exotic locales and luxurious settings, the Bombay Brasserie will indulge your culinary fantasies with a sumptuous 5-course dinner in Cape Town’s finest modern Indian restaurant.

Enliven the senses with a special His & Hers Valentine’s menu featuring ‘dillwali’ macchi (dill flavoured tandoori salmon) and murg mumtaaz (cardamom and pandanus scented chicken curry), as well as a Valentine’s dessert sampler of anjeer halwa (fig and almond halwa) and rose petal kuli (rose petal ice cream) to be shared.

If your romantic tastes run towards the intimate dinner with jazz accompaniment, The Mint Restaurant is offering Chef Mark’s carvery and naturally aphrodisiac themed ‘love food’ inspired buffet.

The buffet features a fresh oyster bar with Namibian Luderitz and wild oysters from Mossel Bay, avocado and cherry salad, Alba truffle glazed asparagus, ginger duck noodles and a hearty dessert buffet with apple and toasted almond crepes, chocolate Grand Marnier cake and cinnamon poached pears.  Let fine dining amidst a jazz duet and roses whisk you away on a romantic culinary adventure.

For the ultimate in romantic relaxation, the Jiva Spa has a 2 hour ‘Nectar of the Gods’ treatment package. Two therapists will perform a candle-lit, Indian aromatherapy massage, using evocative oils to set the mood for romance.

Couples are encouraged to arrive 30-45mins prior to enjoy our steam, vitality pool & relaxation area. And after this indulgent massage, a rose petal bath together and some exclusive time alone with a bottle of champagne can be enjoyed.

As always, the Twankey Bar is available for that between locations interlude of Cap Classique and oysters as well as the ever popular ‘Twankey Teaser.’

To end the perfect Valentine’s Day evening, the Taj Cape Town is also offering luxury city view rooms and one-bedroom suites with breakfast for two included, special romantic turndown service, access to the private Taj Club lounge, as well early check-in and late check-out.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and will be providing a host of indulgent Valentine’s Day activities and luxurious accommodation from  11 – 16 February 20 12. Contact us to find out more.

The Taj Cape town is pleased announce the sixth and final event in our wine tasting series which affords wine lovers and viticulture aficionados the opportunity to taste some of the country’s best wines and meet the people who created them. The Wine Tasting and Dinner pairing event is scheduled for 24 November 2011 and includes wines from Raats, Warwick, Doolhof, Groote Post and La Vierge.

Raats Family Wines’ mission is to consistently produce Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc of outstanding quality from South Africa and to establish these wines as international benchmarks. Specialists in the crafting these two varieties and passionate about producing wines they believe are truly distinct, Raats have earned an international reputation.

Warwick Estate is a family-owned and run winery. A high quality boutique operation which has been lauded globally for excellence and consistency, Warwick Estate also implements an environment friendly approach to produce top quality grapes.

Named after the Labyrinth in Greek mythology due to the many hills and vales seen by the first settlers of the estate, Doolhof is known for its modern facilities, quality grape production and modern viticultural methods. Its labyrinth-like topography is put to use in the placement of their vineyards, where the many micro-climates and terroirs can be taken advantage of to produce award winning wines.

Groote Post wines are produced to reflect the uniqueness of their vineyards. Vineyard plantings on the south-facing upper slopes of the Kapokberg in the Darling Hills overlooking the icy Atlantic Ocean allow for cool climatic conditions yielding the superlative fruit for their world-class wines. The estate itself is an 18^th century historical farmstead.

La Vierge, French for “The Virgin”, are producers of premium quality pinot noir. Nestled in the folds of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley close to Hermanus, their vineyards are characterized by long cool summers influenced by the close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The La Vierge Collection of individually styled wines reflects the unspoilt beauty and provenance of their virgin terroir in their Garden of Eden themed branding.

Guests can attend the afternoon wine tasting or join winemakers for a four-course dinner, or do both. And if you’d like to spend the night at the luxury Taj Cape Town, we are offering a special bed-and-breakfast rate. Contact the Taj Cape Town for more details at restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com, or call us on +27 (0)21 819 2000.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is home to fine Cape Town restaurants, including the Bombay Brasserie, which serves some of the finest Indian cuisine in South Africa, paired with expertly chosen South African Wines.

Image courtesy of chintanmannan

An initiative supported by the City of Cape Town and Indian High Commission, the Diwali Festival was held for the very first time in Cape Town in 2009 and has since become a permanent feature in the Western Cape Province.

The heart of the Mother City will be lit up once again as the Festival makes its much anticipated return, reintroducing Capetonians to a variety of tantalising experiences which include the sights, sounds and tastes of India.

Celebrated globally with equal enthusiasm and zeal, Diwali or Deepavali, is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen ‘diyas’ (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for partaking in a sumptuous feast. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valour and fame.

In Hindu mythology Diwali celebrates the homecoming of Lord Rama, along with Sita and his brother Lakshmana, after a 14 year exile to Ayodhya.

Lord Rama had defeated the demon-king Ravana and in joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya lit the kingdom with diyas (oil lamps) and burst firecrackers to light the pathway for Lord Rama so that he would find his way home.

Commonly known as the Festival of lights, the ritual of the lighting of clay lamps signifies this victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness.

Celebrate Diwali at Taj Cape Town:

Taj Cape Town wishes all a joyous, peaceful and blessed Diwali and invites you to experience the taste of the Festival of lights at both the Mint Restaurant and the Bombay Brasserie with special menus running from 24 – 28 October 2011.

Birthday wishes poured in from across South Africa and the international community and as part of the festivities, Tutu was serenaded by U2’s Bono and danced with the Soweto Gospel Choir. As tributes poured in from the altar, Tutu covered his eyes with a handkerchief, embraced by Leah, his wife of 56 years.

The service at St George’s Cathedral, where Tutu served as the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town until 1996, combined the ceremony of the Anglican High Mass, with incense, organs and ritual. Songs by choirs and the beats of African drums filled the cathedral during the two-hour service attended by family and well-wishers from across the globe.

Guests staying at the Taj Cape Town included HRH Princess Mabel van Oranje, founder and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations; Holiness Lama Tenzin Dhonden,the Dalai Lama’s personal emissary for peace; entrepreneur and philanthropist, Pierre Omidyar,founder and chairman of the eBay auction site; Shannon Sedgwick Davis, partner at Bridgeway Foundation; and former Special Adviser to the United Nations, Lakhdar Brahimi as well as Veronica Mars star, Kristen Bell!

We’d like to wish Archbishop Desmond Tutu many more happy birthdays look forward to his signature warmth and good humour for many more years to come.

Image courtesy of Be the Spark

This year, Capetonians won’t have to travel all the way to Munich to experience the Oktober Bierfest as the Bavarian beer festival will be coming to Cape Town from 29 September to 1 October 2011.

The Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October. This 16–18 day beer festival is attended by six million people annually making it the world’s largest  fair.

The Oktoberfest has been held since 1810 and is an important part of Bavarian culture. The festival itself is held near Munich’s centre in an area named the Theresienwiese, meaning field or meadow of Therese, often called Wiesn for short.

Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich is allowed to be served in this festival and upon passing this criteria, a beer is designated Oktoberfest Beer.

It has now inspired numerous similar events using the name Oktoberfest in Germany and around the world, many of which were founded by German immigrants or their descendants and modeled after the Munich event.

The Oktober Bierfest in Cape Town is cited to be a recreation of Bavarian beer festivals of old, transporting guests to the metaphoric heart of Bavaria where they can embrace the spirit of the festival.

For the first time ever, Capetonians will be able to enjoy Royal Bavaria Oktoberfest Bier, King Ludwig’s Munich Dunkel and Protea Edelweiss Krystal Weiss at The Village Green, Newlands Brewery.

With three Bavarian-styled beer varieties especially crafted by brew masters from South African Breweries Limited, beer fans and aficionados have quite the festival to look forward to. This includes a range of Bavarian trinkets on sale, mouth-watering Bavarian food, world-class entertainment and a live Oompah band thrown in for good measure.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the Twankey Bar were excellent craft beers can be enjoyed with fresh seafood tapas or a variety of oysters.

Image courtesy of Trevor Wilkins

If you’re interests lie in miniature remote controlled boats, inflatable dinghies, speedy powerboats, huge catamarans or even the ever impressive dragon boats, this year’s Cape Town International Boat show will have something for you.

Now in its 11th year, the show continues to provide everything water sport related that boat enthusiasts could hope for. It is an opportunity for boating enthusiasts to keep up with the newest trends and see the latest the boating technology the market has to offer.

This year, boats of all shapes and sizes will be on display and the Cape Town International Convention Centre will have enough boating products and exhibits to put your very own boat together from scratch. The line up of exhibitors will be showing off the latest in boat design and technical requirements, interior design, décor and finishes, from the very latest in gizmos and gadgets to clothing, safety equipment and maintenance products

The event is also more than just a showcase of boating technology. It also provides the chance to learn about water sports and maritime leisure pursuits.

The show attracts thousands of visitors each year to view anything and everything to do with their personal water sport passion and its presence in Cape Town, where Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, make it a unique and unrivalled boat show anywhere on the African Continent.

The Cape Town international Boat show takes place 23 – 25 September 2011 and the entry fee is R70.00. Included in the tickets is a water taxi ride down the V&A Waterfront canals to the North Wharf   where ticket holders can view the world’s latest designs in luxurious, top of the range boats and enjoy the entertainment provided. A water taxi or shuttle service will take visitors back to the CTICC.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town in close proximity to the Cape Town International Convention Centre and a range of Cape Town attractions.

The Taj Cape town is pleased to present the 5^th in a series of wine events which afford wine lovers the chance to taste some of the country’s best wines and meet the people who created them. The latest wine tasting and dinner pairing is scheduled for 29 September 2011 and includes wines from Genevieve, Iona Wines, La Motte, Paul Cluver and Steenberg .

Genevieve Méthode Cap Classique is grown from Chardonnay vineyards planted on deep riverside soil to create a refined mousse with fresh zesty citrus aromas. A great Overberg terroir, this vibrant mouth-filling MCC makes an excellent aperitif which can also be enjoyed throughout meals.

The wines of Iona have quickly made a name as being among the finest in the world due in part to their unique location in the Cape Winelands, on a mountain plateau and surrounded by the Kogelberg Nature Reserve overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Considered South Africa’s coolest vineyard site, grapes for Iona wines ripen up to two months later than other Cape vineyards and in perfect balance.

La Motte is home to some of South Africa’s finest wines, recognized internationally for their exceptional quality. The variety in terroirs make a unique contribution to the flavour components of La Motte’s wines and the quality reflects the greatest expertise in viticulture, combined with experience, passion and a creative flair in wine-making.

Paul Cluver is a family-run wine business is located in the cool-climate Elgin Valley and are recognised as pioneers of wine in the area with a focus on producing elegant wines that are expressive of the terroir.  The wine business also forms part of a larger holistic farming business which offers apple and pear orchards, a Hereford stud and eco-tourism activities including amphitheatre concerts, on the farm.

Finally, Steenberg is the oldest farm in Constantia Valley, generally considered to be South Africa’s premier wine growing region. This vineyard has developed a worldwide reputation for producing excellent Cape wines and the estate boasts a state-of-the-art winery, producing some of the country’s finest award winning wines.

Guests can attend the afternoon wine tasting or join winemakers for a four-course dinner, or do both. And if you’d like to spend the night at the luxury Taj Cape Town, we are offering a special bed-and-breakfast rate. Contact the Taj Cape Town for more details at restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com, or call us on +27 (0)21 819 2000.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is home to fine Cape Town restaurants, including the Bombay Brasserie, which serves some of the finest Indian cuisine in South Africa, paired with expertly chosen South African Wines.

Images courtesy of Nederburg Auction

This year marks the 37th year of the prestigious Nederburg Wine Auction, showcasing the spectrum of award-winning and rare Cape wines created by the country’s most talented winemakers. It’s one of the premier events on the Cape Town wine calendar as local and international wine buyers bid for some of the finest wines created in South Africa.

The first auction was conceived by Lothar Barth, managing director of Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery who was inspired by his visits to the winelands of Germany, where he had seen similar events. Together with marketing director Jurgen Burmeister, the opportunity to convince the world that high quality wines were being made in South Africa in general and at Nederburg in particular took root.

The very first Nederburg Auction of rare Cape wines took place in 1975 with 15 wines on offer by the five founding participants; Delheim, Groot Constantia, Overgaauw, Simonsig and Nederburg. The event proved to be an unforgettable experience for all involved with a total income of R237,000, for which 12,400 cases of wine were sold.

There was no hint that it would develop into the sophisticated gala occasion it has become today and critics were outspoken at the time that South Africa wasn’t ready for this kind of auction yet. Nevertheless, the auction was allowed to continue and grow.

Today hundreds of wines go through a stringent selection process to find only the very best wines for the auction. The selection panel consists of winemakers, viticulturists, Cape wine masters, wine consultants and wine judges and three groups of tasters preside at blind tastings to ensure absolute anonymity, impartiality and the integrity of the selection process.

The annual auction of rare and fine wines is held once a year, over two days, at Nederburg in Paarl. The 37^th Nederburg Auction is set to take place over the 16 and 17 September 2011.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the Bombay Brasserie where fine South African wines are expertly paired with the best in contemporary Indian cuisine.  Paarl is a comfortable 40-minute drive from the Cape Town city centre.

The first Toffie Food Festival and Conference takes place at the Cape Town City Hall from Saturday 3 until Sunday 4 September and is considered by festival organizer, Peet Pienaar, to be more of a food salon than a food show, focusing on learning and forging food-based friendships and relationships as much as it does on food.

Produced by the same trend-making team behind the Toffie Pop Culture festival, guests can expect the two-day, dawn-to-dusk festival to be a cutting edge weekend of meals, tastings, workshops and food exhibitions.

The Toffie Food Festival is said to provide attendees a weekend to experience the quirkier, off-the-beaten-track side of food as well as create an intimate setting to experience meals, talks and tastes from some of today’s most exciting culinary experts. Visitors to the festival can enjoy s five meals and a variety of tastings, as well as access to an exhibition dedicated to spices from around the world, a cookbook and food shop, food stalls and artistic food installations.

Tickets are available through toffie@thepresident.co.za and there are only a limited number of tickets available. The exclusive festival is considered to be for serious foodies only and at R1500 a ticket, one can expect a small but focussed festival with the most creative food personalities to be found.  Among them, Julie Powell, the world’s most famous food blogger on whose life the movie ‘Julie and Julia’ was based.

There is also an authentic Argentine lunch braai between  13:00 – 16:00 on the last day of the festival (4 September) which is open to the public for R150 a ticket.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in the Cape Town city bowl and is home to the Bombay Brasserie where one can enjoy an authentic Indian culinary experience.

Image courtesy of meshmar2

The Taj Cape Town is delighted to invite select members of the press to a brunch experience with a difference today. Our chefs will be coming out of the kitchen and showing our guests how to create what could be crowned as the best filled croissant in Cape Town.

Our guests will have their inventiveness and creativity put to the test.  After they’ve had a chance to roll and shape their own croissants, they will be challenged to come up with the perfect breakfast croissant filling from the range of fresh produce available at the Earth Fair Food Market in St George’s Mall.

Our panel of experts will sample the final creations and name the best filled croissant in Cape Town. The winning croissant will be added to the Mint menu for diners to enjoy in the future..

The event does have a serious side though, and will also be raising awareness of the Community Chest’s Winter Warmers campaign, with Taj Cape Town encouraging other hotels to join it in supporting the soup kitchens and shelters in the city.

The Community Chest Winter Warmers campaign appeals for donations each year of non-perishable foods and blankets. These are provided to needy communities through its network of 400 social development organisations working throughout the Western Cape.

The Croissant Challenge will also mark the 1^st year anniversary of the Taj Cape Town’s grand opening in August 2010.

In the last year we have been honoured in top hotel lists for business and leisure in the UK Sunday Times, Conde Nast Traveller and Centurion Magazine as well as won South Africa’s best unique spa concept in the Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards.

We’re eagerly looking forward to another year in this stunningly beautiful and exciting city of Cape Town but for now we’re celebrating our first year in true Taj Cape Town tradition: good food, good cheer and a warm heart.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and fine dining experiences at the Bombay Brasserie and Mint Restaurant.

With such a strong beer culture in South Africa, it’s not surprising that a number of excellent micro breweries have arisen to produce some very fine craft beer.

The term microbrewery originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s to describe the new generation of small breweries which focused on producing traditional cask ale.

Although originally “microbrewery” was used in relation to the size of breweries, it gradually came to reflect an alternative attitude and approach to brewing flexibility, adaptability, experimentation and customer service.

With South Africans currently consuming just over 2.6-billion litres of beer a year, it’s easy to see the allure of the unique taste and refreshing variety of craft beer.

The Taj Cape Town is pleased to join Brewers & Union, Camel Thorn, Jack Black Beer, Darling Brew and Napier Brewery on 29 July as the combined front of independent brewing in South Africa for the We Love Real Beer and Curry Evening.

Brewers & Union have found some of Europe’s oldest family-run breweries in search of artisan-produced beers. Working hand-in-hand with different brew masters, they develop the finest, authentic lagers and ales.

Mitchell’s Brewery’s range of four draught beers are produced using the finest available ingredients and a carefully selected amalgam of British mashing and German lagering techniques. Each uniquely suited to South African conditions.

Camelthorn is Namibia’s only craft microbrew. It’s the brainchild of Jörg Finkeldey, who was born in Namibia, but was one of the pioneers of the craft beer movement twenty years ago in the United States.

Jack Black Beer is inspired by the legend of an American maverick brew-master from the 1920s. It’s an all natural premium lager, free from artificial additives and preservatives, brewed at their Western Cape microbrewery.

Darling Brew is inspired by the extremely rare geometric tortoise which captures the uniqueness and the unhurried character of their craft beer. They focus on supplying draught and bottled beers according to their slow beer philosophy.

Napier Brewery specialises in English-style malts which are brewed naturally on the outskirts of the village of Napier. This beer has become firmly established as a favourite of Napier locals and visitors alike.

These unique craft beers will be partnering with the finest curries in the land. This promises to be a night to remember as the country’s best craft beers are paired with 10 different dishes from the Taj Cape Town’s Bombay Brasserie.  There will also be an opportunity to try these beers at the Twankey Bar and meet the brewers behind each craft beer brand.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the luxurious Bombay Brasserie, famous for fine dining and contemporary Indian cuisine.

Once more The Taj Cape Town offers wine lovers the chance to taste some of the country’s best wines and meet the people who created them in the fourth event of our popular wine tasting series. The Taj Cape Town Wine Tasting and Dinner Series #4 is scheduled for 28 July 2011 and includes wines from Ken Forrester, Eikendal, Peter Falke, Noble Hill and Avondale.

Ken Forrester has a range of top quality wines which have received massive national and international acclaim with literally hundreds of awards and accolades over the last 16 years. Ken Forrester wines have been poured at numerous grand events including the opening of the Scottish Parliament and the 85th birthday of Nelson Mandela.

Eikendal concentrates on classic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and their Flagship Bordeaux-style Eikendal Classique. Numerous awards and accolades from around the world have born testimony to Eikendal’s fine wine heritage.

The Peter Falke winery is nestled against the slopes of the Heldeberg mountains in the heart of Stellenbosch. For Peter Falke Wines, the quality of an exclusive wine is achieved from the quality of its grapes. Their Signature and PF ranges appeal to the discerning wine connoisseur while still embodying a relaxed and stylish sociability.

Noble Hill’s focus on unique wines from estate vines have aided them in producing wines that are juicy yet austere, elegant, and above all unique to the place they are made. Noble Hill has been rated the #1 cellar in Paarl and their wines have been sold in South Africa, the United States, Japan, Belgium, and West Africa.

The Avondale commitment to promoting life has led to the creation of their healthy, balanced vineyard ecosystem making their individually-styled, classic wines certified organic. Excellent grapes bursting with fresh flavours are due to their practice of bio-dynamic agriculture, combining natural farming with the best 21st Century science.

You can attend the afternoon wine tasting or join winemakers for a four-course dinner, or do both. And if you’d like to spend the night at the luxury Taj Cape Town, we are offering a special bed-and-breakfast rate. Contact the Taj Cape Town for more details at restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com, or call us on +27 (0)21 819 2000. Or check our event page.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is home to fine Cape Town restaurants, including the Bombay Brasserie, which serves some of the finest Indian cuisine in South Africa, paired with expertly chosen South African Wines.

Image courtesy of African Fashion International

Cape Town Fashion Week is African Fashion International’s annual fashion extravaganza as selected design powerhouses present their latest collections at various venues around the city.

This premier event is expected to turn heads this year as established and up-and-coming designers from across the continent showcase their wares. Originally launched in 2003, the Cape Town Fashion Week has become Africa’s largest gathering of fashion talent and is open to the public rather than being a strict trade show. Special seminars are featured and introductory courses for those interested in a career within the industry will be on offer.

The collections being showcased are sure to set fashion trends for Spring 2011 and Summer 2012. Cape Town Fashion Week starts on 14 July with its line-up of local designers including: Thula Sindi, Stefania Morland, Leigh Schubert, Abigail Betz ,Gavin Rajah and David Tlale.

Additional collections are also being showcased by Daniella Margaux, Doreen Southwood, Habits, Undacova, Dax Martin, Lisp, Nucleus, Lalesso, Tart, Michelle Ludek, House of Monatic and Fabiani.

Spearheaded by Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, African Fashion International is also responsible for Joburg Fashion Week, Africa Fashion Week and the Africa Fashion Awards. AFI itself aims to improve the quality of fashion design coming from Africa, as well as promote African fashion brands, and increase the international recognition of fashion designers from Africa.

Cape Town Fashion week can be seen at such iconic venues as City Hall, the Land Bank and Cape Town’s own International Convention Centre as well as via a live stream on the African Fashion International website starting at 18:00 on the 14^th of July.

Interestingly, African Fashion International have partnered with SA Tourism this year as fashion joins sports, music and leisure as a tourism attraction for South Africa. Considering that 250,000 visitors have attended the AFI fashion weeks in the last five years, fashion tourism may be just one more reason why Cape Town is renowned as one of the top travel destinations in the world.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is conveniently located in the Cape Town city centre, close to the CTICC and other design hubs. Round out an enjoyable day in Cape Town with a visit to the exquisite Jiva Spa.

Images courtesy of Jazzart Dance Theatre

Danscape is Jazzart Dance Theatre’s annual celebration of dance where some of the city’s most talented young dancers celebrate the beauty and innovation of collaborative dance in all its forms.

In association with Artscape and presented by Jazzart Dance theatre, Danscape 2011 will be showing from 7–10 July and showcases the combined talents of Cape Town’s top dance schools and companies. The annual show has long been a platform for up and coming dancers and choreographers to showcase their talent and one can expect a performance that will delight, inspire and amaze.

Included will be dancers from Dance For All, Cape Academy of Performing Arts, KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre, iKapa Dance Theatre, Vadhini Indian Arts Academy, Sibonelo Dance Project and CAFDA Youth Dance Company 34/18.

Danscape has innovative new works in store for Cape Town audiences, incorporating contemporary, modern, Spanish and traditional Indian styles as well as a first-time collaboration between dancers from the La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre and the Wilvan School of Dance.

Jazzart is the oldest contemporary dance company in the Cape and has been pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance development since 1973. It was originally opened by Sonje Mayo as a dance studio specialising in modern jazz dance, welcoming dancers from across the racial spectrum.

The studio has since evolved into a sizeable contemporary jazz company. Jazzart’s educational schools’ programme has been performed at virtually every school on the Cape Peninsula and the company continues to train young dancers for the professional stage and careers in the arts.

The upcoming production also serves as a fund-raising initiative to raise awareness and funding for the many community arts projects that Jazzart has running throughout the Western Cape. The annual event raises funds for young dancers wishing to follow careers in the arts and Jazzart will also be awarding a percentage of the ticket sales from Danscape to one particularly talented participant.

Guests of the Taj Cape Town wanting to attend this event will be happy to know that the hotel is able to arrange transport in one of their luxury cars. Ask our friendly concierge staff for more information on this or any other upcoming attractions.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. What better way to top off an evening of contemporary dance than by enjoying a nightcap at the Twankey seafood, oysters and champagne bar?

The Taj Cape town is pleased to present the third event in our popular wine tasting series which affords wine lovers the chance to taste some of the country’s best wines and meet the people who created them. The Taj Cape Town Wine Tasting Series #3 is scheduled for 30 June 2011 and includes wines from Groot Constantia, Eagles Nest, Mischa, Kleine Zalze and Bartinney.

Groot Constantia is South Africa’s oldest and best known wine estate and is responsible for some of the most famous wines to be made in South Africa. Nine different soil types exist on the farm and careful planning ensures that the estate continues its tradition of creating a range of quality wines.

Eagles’ Nest produce predominantly Shiraz, Merlot and Viogner after extensive soil and climatic research to ensure that what was planted was best suited to the unique terroir. This terroir combined with a passionate attention to detail in the vineyards, which are maintained by hand throughout the year, allow Eagles’ Nest to craft wines which are rich in elegance, finesse and complexity.

Mischa Estate is a 3rd generation, family-run farm producing quality classical reds and is recognised as one of the top 10 wine farms in South Africa, having won numerous Double-Gold Awards. Their range of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot are always limited production runs as their emphasis is on quality over quantity.

Kleine Zalze combines full fruit flavours with elegance and structure to produce wines of character, complexity, and balance. Each vineyard block is vinified independently and extensive yield reduction is also done to produce the best quality, fruit-driven wines. Kleine Zalze’s personal touch that goes hand-in-hand with being a family-owned estate creates a South African style wine that is well suited to food.

Bartinney’s is a relatively young brand with their first bottling dating back to 1999, yet their balanced 2008 Chardonnay received the “Best Chardonnay in South Africa” award at 2010 South African Terroir Wine Awards. The three main cultivars planted on the estate, situated on the high slopes of the Helshoogte Pass, are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are produced on cooler elevated slopes while  the Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in deep red soils on the slightly lower foothills. A 2009 vintage is up for release early 2011.

You can attend the afternoon wine tasting or join winemakers for a four-course dinner, or do both. And if you’d like to spend the night at the luxury Taj Cape Town, we are offering a special bed-and-breakfast rate. Contact the Taj Cape Town for more details at restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com, or call us on +27 (0)21 819 2000

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is home to fine Cape Town restaurants, including the Bombay Brasserie, which serves some of the finest Indian cuisine in South Africa, paired with expertly chosen South African Wines.

To make this Father’s Day special for our Dads, The Taj Cape Town is pleased to invite all fathers to the Mint Restaurant for a relaxed jazz brunch at Mint Restaurant.

Dads will be able to relax to the accompaniment of a jazz duo as Mint Restaurant serves a lunch carvery from 11:30 till 15:00. Treat dad to a variety of delicious dishes, including exotic gourmet offerings such as sweet potato and peanut chaat, hummus with pita bread, malabar style fish curry with tamarind rice and grilled mussels with mustard and chive butter.

Dad will also be offered a choice of complimentary cocktails on arrival. To make the day extra special, fathers will stand the chance of winning an advanced off-road Land Rover driving course.

A Brief History of Father’s Day

Father’s Day was inaugurated in the early twentieth century through the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd who, after listening to a church sermon in 1909 about the newly recognised Mother’s Day, felt strongly that fathers needed recognition as well. She wanted a day that would honour fathers like her own father, an American Civil War veteran who was left to raise his family alone.

Dodd took the idea to the Spokane YMCA in Washington which endorsed her idea, celebrating the first Father’s Day in 1910.

Interestingly, one of the oldest versions of a Father’s Day Card was create by a young Babylonian named Elmesu, who wished his father good health and a long life on a clay tablet.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town in heart of the city centre. The Taj Cape Town is proud to invites all dads and families to celebrate this Father’s Day at Mint Restaurant.

Image courtesy of  Milan G

Cape Town’s Celebrate Life Festival celebrates healthy living and a holistic lifestyle. Celebrate Life Festival 2011 will feature speakers, demonstrations and exhibitions focused on health, nature and spirituality.

Cape Town is a city of rare natural beauty, and its residents are well-known for their relaxed and positive attitude towards life. So it’s not surprising that the city should develop a healthy organic and esoteric community.

The Celebrate Life Festival is an annual meeting of some of the leading speakers and practitioners of these ancient arts. If tarot, meditation and crystal healing is your thing, this is a festival not to be missed.

This year’s Celebrate Life Festival takes place on the weekend of 18 and 19 June 2011. In addition to a busy schedule of lecture, visitors can expect demonstrations and workshops covering activities such as yoga, tai chi, as well as musical offerings.

Visitors will have a chance to purchase books and music and to find a range of organic and uplifting products and services.

The festival is enjoyed for its lively energy, with delicious food and a vibrant atmosphere.  Celebrate Life Festival is a popular family event, and is a chance for all members of a family to explore different concepts and gain new skills.

Attendance to the festival is R60 per day or R100 for a weekend pass, with discounts for pensioners, children and students. All workshops and talks are free.

Guest of the Taj Cape Town who wish to attend the Celebrate Life Festival can arrange transport in one of the hotel’s luxury vehicles. The Taj Cape Town is happy to transport visitors to places of interest throughout Cape Town.

The Taj Cape Town is offer luxury Cape Town accommodation in the city centre. The Taj Cape Town features two gourmet Cape Town restaurants and the renowned Twankey Champagne and Oyster Bar.

It’s the first time that our luxury city centre hotel has participated in the Taste of Cape Town gastronomic festival – now in its fourth year – but clearly word had got out and on a couple of occasions the stand was nearly overwhelmed.

“We’ve been open for just over a year, so this was our first Taste, so we weren’t sure what to expect. We participated alongside 14 other, mainly well-established restaurants, so where surprised and delighted at the response,” says Taj Cape Town General Manager, Michael Pownall.

In fact the menu, which comprised dishes from the our two restaurants, Bombay Brasserie and Mint, was such a hit that the chefs were forced to prepare extra portions for the last two days of the show after running out of food on the second evening.

Bombay Brasserie is the Taj Cape Town’s fine-dining Indian restaurant and is open for dinner. Mint is an all-day dining restaurant offering a combination of classic grills as well as a selection of light meals

Restaurant manager, Francois van der Merwe, serves fine Indian cuisine as fast as he can. The crowds flocked to the Taj Cape Town stand at the Taste of Cape Town for four days, making it one of the most popular at the festival.

South Africa’s original and largest food exhibition comes to the Cape Town Convention Centre from 26 to 29 May 2011. The Good Food and Wine Show is a four day exhibition of live demonstrations and hands-on cooking workshops with celebrated top chefs producing culinary delights including the latest gourmet trends.

Considered to be the premier inter­act­ive food, wine and life­style exhib­i­tion in South Africa, visitors to the Good Food and Wine Show will be enticed by sample dishes from top restaurants and the chance to taste premium wines. There will also be a host of family entertainment with specially designed performances for children.

The line-up consists of some of the finest international celebrity chefs, including BBC stars, accompanied by South Africa’s first class chefs in nine state-of-the-art kitchen theatres.

The Chefs in Action Theatre consists of 30 minute cooking demonstrations and is considered by many to be the highlight of the show. Hands-on workshops are also available, in groups of twelve, for anyone who wants to get into the kitchen and prepare select recipes with the personal attention of a celebrity chef.

The wine theatre will thrill connoisseurs.  showcasing collections of premium domestic and imported wines for tasting and purchase at reduced show prices, as well as the chance to learn expert tips from Vicente Traviesa, a wine ambassador from Chile’s largest winery.

Lindt Chocolate make a mouth watering appearance, with delicious chocolate treats on offer and workshops conducted by one of South Africa’s finest pastry chefs, Dimon Simatos.

At the Wellbeing Theatre visitors can learn more about health eating from top chefs. Performances focused on healthy eating for the whole family promise to delight kids and keep parents informed. There is even a Little Cooks Zone will include cooking classes from Tots-n-Pots cooking school, as well as performances by Katy Ashworth from the BBC’s I Can Cook programme.

Outdoor dining on state-of-the-art Weber braais with the Amarula Outdoor Experience and sample menus with pairing selections from  top restaurants in the Taste of the Cape theatre rounds out the show. Tickets for the Good Food and Wine show can be bought at Computicket.

The Taj Cape Town is a culinary attraction in its own right. The finest in contemporary Indian cuisine is served at the Bombay Brasserie as well as delicious local and international dishes at the Mint restaurant.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is centrally located to many Cape Town attractions. Round out an enjoyable day in Cape Town with fine dining or a visit to the exquisite Jiva Spa.

Image courtesy of Emiliano De Laurentiis

The Taj Cape town is pleased to present a series of wine events which afford wine lovers the chance to taste some of the country’s best wines and meet the people who created them. The next wine tasting series event is scheduled for 26 May 2011 and includes wines from Bizoe, Hermanuspietersfontein, Lomond, William Everson and The Goose Wines.

Bizoe Wines are the creation of winemaker and tour guide Rikus Neethling, whose premium white blend, Henrietta, was awarded a gold medal in London at the International Wine Challenge, one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious wine competitions. Derived from the French word Bisous, meaning little kiss, Bizoe wines are handcrafted, and said to delight with their delicate and fruity aromas.

Hermanuspietersfontein is the realisation of winemaker Bartho Eksteen’s dream to make world-class wines using only the highest quality grapes from a single farm. Eksteen involves himself in the entire winemaking process from vineyard to cellar, delivering wines of distinctive style and character.

Lomond Vineyards, located near Gansbaai, is one of very few wineries with a Cape Agulhas District appellation. The farm is kept cool by the south-western and south-eastern winds that blow during the summer months. Lomond’s extreme southerly location, proximity to the sea and varied soils contribute to some very distinctive single-vineyard wines that strongly reflect their origins.

William Everson wines fuses a fresh and contemporary style with an ancient craft passed from generation to generation. Their wines are handcrafted in the long-established garagiste tradition. Their small barrel selections, limited quantities and an extra measure of care and attention combine to create distinctive and uncommon flavours.

Born of winemaker Morné Jonker’s passion for the grape plant and his love for the Klein Karoo, The Goose Wines aims to become a leading international brand. Not for volume or quantity in bottles produced but for quality, distinctiveness, and wines renowned for their complexity and elegance.

You can attend the afternoon wine tasting or join winemakers for a four-course dinner, or do both. And if you’d like to spend the night at the luxury Taj Cape Town, we are offering a special bed-and-breakfast rate. Contact the Taj Cape Town for more details at restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com, or call us on +27 (0)21 819 2000

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is home to fine Cape Town restaurants, including the Bombay Brasserie, which serves some of the finest Indian cuisine found outside of India, paired with expertly chosen South African Wines.

Image courtesy of Richard Taylor

The Cape Town Big Band festival is sure to please all jazz aficionados as the next generation of big band jazz musicians take to the stage.

Founded in 1999 by the late Dennis Barr, the Cape Town Big Band Jazz Festival is a community outreach project in support of music education for school and college students. The festival provides sponsorship and scholarship programmes to students for such musical establishments as the South African College of Music, the Beau Soleil Music for Africa Trust and the Manenberg High School Steel Band Project.

Twenty jazz bands will be taking part over the three day festival, from 19 to 21 May 2011. Participating bands include several offerings from SA College jazz bands, Rondebosch Boys High, Rustenburg Girls, Pinelands, Bishops and Bergvliet, as well as UCT and Stellenbosch.

Musical instruments have been donated from Beau Soleil Africa Trust, Athlone Music Academy, York Road Primary School, Lansdowne and Eluxolweni Primary School. The festival itself provides an opportunity for young musicians to display their jazz skills as well as encouraging them to develop their talents further on a tertiary level, and is considered to be a good launching point for those wanting a career in music

The Cape Town Big Band Festival celebrates a worldwide resurgence in popularity of the big band jazz styles and the sounds of the swing era, when such greats as Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Gerry Bosman filled swing halls around the world.

The Taj Cape Town is a strong supporter of Cape Town jazz which can be enjoyed live with fresh seafood tapas or fresh oysters at the Twankey Bar.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the Twankey Bar where flowing champagne, the freshest seafood, elegant décor and wonderful jazz tell a glamorous story.

The time has come again to give thanks and honour one of the most important people in our lives: our mom. They comfort and worry and fuss over us every day of the year – except for this one day when it’s our turn to treat our moms to the day of pampering and relaxation they deserve.

In honour of mothers everywhere, the Taj Cape Town is pleased to provide a Mother’s Day Jazz brunch of a delicious carvery at Mint Restaurant followed by a dessert buffet in the Taj Cape Town Lobby between 11h30 and 15h00 on Mother’s Day, 8 May 2011. The Mother’s Day brunch is priced at R185 for adults and R85 for children under 12. Kids under 5 eat for free.

Additional Mother’s Day Specials

For the ultimate Mother’s Day gift, the Taj Cape Town offers a superb Mother`s Day accommodation package that includes a double room for R1 850 per night, from 6 to 9 of May 2011.

The Jiva Spa package offers a very special treat. Pamper your mom with an hour long Indian aromatherapy massage and half-hour energising Spa facial including a Cut file polish on hands and feet for the special price of R945.

To make reservations for the Mother’s Day Jazz brunch or  any of the additional Mother’s Day specials contact the Taj Cape Town at  +27 (0)21 819 2000 or email restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com

Support the Amy Biehl Foundation

All moms will receive a complimentary beaded bracelet in support of the Amy Biehl Foundation, a non-profit organisation focussed on keeping vulnerable children off the streets by involving them in after school programmes.

The foundation’s activities are designed to empower 5-18 year old youth in the impoverished townships of Cape Town, giving them hope and a brighter future and alleviating problems associated with HIV/Aids, poverty, substance abuse, gangsterism, violence and crime.

Mothers everywhere need to be acknowledged for the love and care they so readily give every day. Treat them to something special this Mother’s Day to show how much love and appreciation we have for our moms.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and invites all moms and families to celebrate this Mother’s Day at the Mint Restaurant in the heart of the Mother City.

Double room per night at R1850,00

Spa Package

Indian Aromatherapy massage for 60 Min, Spa Energising Facial for 30 Min and a Cut file polish on hands and feet for R945,00

Contact Reservations +27 (0)21 819 2000, fax +27 (0)21 819 2001 or email restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com

Image courtesy of mollystevens

Of the many traditions celebrated on Easter, chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and the ever allusive Easter bunny are some of the most endearing symbols of this holiday and the source of many childhood memories.  As we prepare for the upcoming celebrations understanding some of these traditions can only add to our appreciation of the Easter holiday.

Easter Eggs

The Easter egg is one of the most recognised symbols of Easter in the world. Customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries. Easter eggs originally were painted with bright colours to represent the sunlight of spring and were used in Easter-egg rolling contests or exchanged by romantic admirers, in a tradition similar to valentines.

The first chocolate Easter eggs were made in the early 19th Century in France and Germany. This was often an expensive and painstaking endeavour and it was a process for making large quantities of cocoa butter made available by the Cadbury brothers in 1866 that led to the creation of the first Cadbury Easter Eggs – and in fact all fine eating chocolate today.

The Easter Bunny

The first mentions of the Easter bunny go as far back as the 1500s in south-western Germany and some of the first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany as late as the early 1800s, and were made of pastry and sugar.

When the Easter bunny was introduced to the United States by German settlers, the tradition quickly caught on and was considered similar to the arrival of Chris Cringle (another name for Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve as one of “childhood’s greatest pleasures”.

Hot Cross Buns

There are several superstitions surrounding the hot cross bun. One of them says that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or become mouldy. Another is that sharing a hot cross bun with a friend is supposed to ensure that friendship throughout the coming year.

There was an attempt in the 1500’s to ban the sale of hot cross buns as Protestant English monarchs saw them as a dangerous holdover of Catholic beliefs, but the buns proved too popular, and instead Elizabeth the First passed a law permitting bakeries to sell them, but only at Easter and Christmas.

The Taj Cape Town promises an unforgettable Easter venue for its over-night guests, starting with a bottle of Cap Classique and delectable hand-made chocolate truffles. Freshly baked hot-cross buns will also be served with a wake-up coffee and breakfast.

The Taj Cape provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and will be celebrating this Easter in the City with delicious chocolate tea offerings throughout the month and an indulgent Easter brunch buffet at the Mint Restaurant.

Easter is a joyous time for the family. From the anticipation and excitement of an Easter egg hunt, to the sweet smell of hot cross buns, Easter is a time for creating fond memories with our loved ones. And to perhaps indulge one’s sweet tooth with some good old-fashioned chocolaty goodness.

This Easter the Taj Cape Town has compiled a cornucopia of tantalising Easter temptations, including a decadent afternoon tea, a sumptuous city stay over and a jazzy brunch. Visitors to Cape Town who stay at the Taj Cape Town over the Easter can expect an unforgettable treat – at unexpectedly affordable rates.

Chocolate Afternoon tea

From 1 April you will be able to treat yourself to a serving a rooibos chocolate afternoon tea with a selection of chilli chocolate, éclairs, choc-chip scones, chocolate truffles and chocolate cake in the Lobby Lounge. An indulgently delicious temptation at R120 a head and an ongoing treat at the Taj Cape Town until the end of May.

The Easter City Slumber Package

The Easter City Slumber Package promises an unforgettable Easter weekend – starting the moment you’re welcomed with a bottle of Cap Classique and delectable hand-made chocolate truffles. Freshly baked hot-cross buns will be served with your wake-up coffee and breakfast. The package is available from R2 050 per room per night and booking a second room will get you an additional 50% off for families of up to three children, making this an especially affordable occasion to treat the family. Call the Taj Cape Town on +27 (0)21 819 2000 or email sales.capetown@tajhotels.com to learn more about this special offer.

Easter Jazz Lunch

On Easter Sunday, Mint Restaurant will be indulging Capetonians’ love of jazz, with a jazz duo providing a relaxing accompaniment to the brunch buffet. Brunch includes a choice of Beef Wellington, Louisiana-style fish cakes and butter chicken and is served from 11:30 until 15:00 at Mint restaurant. The carvery is followed by a dessert buffet in the lobby. The brunch is R185 for adults, R85 for children under 12, and children under five get to eat with our compliments.

The Taj Cape Town offers luxury accommodation in Cape Town and welcomes all to enjoy a very merry Easter in the City.

For more information or to book reservation feel free to call the hotel directly on +27 (0)21 819 2000 or email restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com.

World Design Capital is a bi-annual award bestowed by the International Council for Societies of Industrial Design. It awards a city that uses design in its social, economic and cultural development, and the winning city receives global attention during a year-long series of design lead events.

With the creation and submission of a Bid Book, Cape will be taking its first step towards the bidding process. Two cities will then be shortlisted by the middle of the year, and the winning city announced by the end 2011. That city is then given two years prep time to plan its year long programme of design driven events. Previous winners have included Turin in Italy, Seoul in South Korea and Helsinki, Finland, which will be the World Design Capital in 2012.

Cape Town will be submitting its own bid at the end of March to become World Design Capital in 2014. This would be an especially auspicious win as it would co-inside with the 20th anniversary of a democratically free South Africa. Cape Town will be competing with Bilbao in Spain and Dublin in Ireland, as well as several contender cities in China.

It is believed that the International Council for Societies of Industrial Design is looking for a city from a developing country for 2014, placing Cape Town in a good position with its bid theme of ‘Live Design. Transform Life’. Cape Town’s part in hosting the 2010 World cup and the infrastructure left over has laid the groundwork for making great strides towards becoming a World Design Capital.

Cape Town is well known for hosting big events, including the annual Design Indaba, international music festivals, the World Economic Forum as well as its One City, Many Cultures Project. The mother city is home to a large number of creative industries and boasts many design-related companies and design leaders.

Local and provincial government, creative industry organisations and institutions, the media and leaders in local design have come together in support of the initiative to ensure 2014 is a very creative year for Cape Town.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is a wonderful design destination, as the beautifully restored architecture represents an innovative twist on timeless elegance.

Image courtesy of warrenski

Table Mountain, the ‘Gateway to Africa’, is a South African icon and a natural marvel. So it will not surprise local to hear that Table Mountain is one of 28 finalists in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition.

Beating the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Azure Window in Malta and the Rock of Aphrodite in Cyprus, it is the only South African site in the contending to be a new seven wonder of nature and, with  Kilimanjaro, one of only two in Africa.

In 2007, the New7Wonders Foundation, a Zurich-based non-profit organisation, announced the New 7 Manmade Wonders of the World. The campaign to elect the manmade Official New 7 Wonders of the World drew in 440 participants from over 220 countries and in the end over 100 million votes were cast in what is considered the first-ever worldwide election.

The New7Wonders of Nature Foundation is expecting a billion people to vote globally as some of the most breathtaking marvels of the natural world go head-to-head until only seven remain. Entering the third and final phase of the competition, 28 finalists have been chose for a final round of voting and the winners are to be announced on 11 of November 2011.

South African Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, was the very first person to cast his vote for Table Mountain via cell phone. He did this from a giant handset that had been set up in one of the parliamentary squares that boasts an especially picturesque view of the mountain.

A number of South African celebrities and sports stars joined him in showing support for Table Mountain in the earlier round. The Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, comedian Marc Lottering, radio DJ Natalie Becker and Proteas cricketers have all cast their votes for Table Mountain.

At the launch of the SMS campaign, Sabine Lehmann the CEO of Table Mountain Cable Way Company explained that in initial rounds of voting nearly 98% of the votes were from non-South Africans and urges every one of South Africa’s 40 Million strong citizens to vote. Those interested in voting details can find them the Vote for Table Mountain website.

The Taj Cape Town is the pefect place from which to explore Cape Town’s natural wonders, fine beaches, breathtaking caves and the native flora and fauna of the Mother City’s most beloved mountain.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town along with breathtaking views of Table Mountain and fine dining experiences.

Saint Patrick, said to have chased all the snakes from Ireland, is perhaps one of the most famous of patron saints of Ireland.

Internationally celebrated every March 17^th, Saint Patrick’s Day originally was considered a Catholic holiday, but has become a more general celebration of Irish culture. It is a day for parades Irish music and songs and of course Irish food and drink.

These days, St Patrick’s Day is celebrated by both the Irish and the Irish at heart across the world. Notable celebrations occur in Argentina, Canada, New Zealand and the United states – even South Korea celebrates Saint Paddies.

Interestingly, Tourism Ireland has announced that it has received the approval from the City of Cape Town to turn the floodlights on Table Mountain to green on St Patrick’s Day. This is being done to highlight the work being done by Irish charities in South Africa who uplift the lives of people in various sectors of the community.

The Taj Cape Town will also be celebrating St Patrick’s day would like to invite you to come and paint the town GREEN at The Twankey Champagne and Oyster Bar. Fresh oysters ‘shucked to order’ from South Africa and Namibia will be made available as well as the freshest draught Guinness in Cape Town. So join the festivities at the Twankey Bar with Irish tunes and laughter, as we watch Table Mountain go green this St Patrick’s Day.

The Taj Cape provides luxury accommodation in the heart of the Mother City and welcomes you to stay the night after the Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations have wound down and to enjoy delicious Mint breakfast the morning after.

Annually celebrating the culture and heritage of Cape Town, the Cape Town Festival represents the best in South African music, performance, comedy, and visual art.

Starting on Friday, 18 March 2011 and culminating in the Human Rights Day celebrations on Monday, 21 March, the 12th annual Cape Town festival promises a mix of arts and culture across a range of genres from contemporary to classic.

The festival truly incorporates the city as a whole, using Cape Town’s museums for visual art experiences, its theaters for performance productions and even its universities and library’s for the literary events.  Celebrate Cape Town is an effort to bring art to the people and to unify the various cultures that make up the city.  The festival has also provided a space for both established and aspiring artists to showcase their work to diverse audiences.

To enhance the sense of cultural diversity, musicians representing a wide range of genres have been selected to perform at the festival.  Festival-goers will be able to enjoy a range of musical styles including afro-pop, world music, rock, afro-beat, jazz, RnB, urban-pop, hip hop and soul. Some of the most celebrated performers from across the continent will be in attendance, with the headline act seeing SAMA Award winner Judith Sephuma take centre stage.

Most of the action will be taking place in the Company Gardens with live street performances and other festival ambassadors adding to an atmosphere of excitement in and around the Cape Town city centre.

The Cape Town Festival will also boast a variety of traditional cuisine, a great selection of authentic arts and crafts, as well as a VIP court. With nearly 28,000 people in attendance last year over three days, this free-to-the-public art and music festival is sure to be even bigger and better this year.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in the heart of Cape Town and is a stone’s throw away from the Company Gardens. Enjoy a fabulous spa treatment at the Jiva Spa after a day of festivities or indulge in one of our fine dining experiences.

Promising to be the culinary event of the year, the Taste of Cape Town festival will once again bring together the city’s finest restaurants, award-winning wineries, premium drink brands, niche food exhibitors and fantastic entertainment for a culinary explosion at the Green Point Cricket club from the 5^th till the 8^th of May 2011.

Update: [Press Release on the New Dates]

Billed as the most innovative and exciting food event in Cape Town, the festival now enters its fourth year in the Mother City. Following its highly successful run last year, the festival expects to attract nearly 20,000 dedicated food lovers.

So get ready for four days of signature dishes served al fresco style and prepared by the top chefs from fourteen of Cape Town’s best restaurants. It’s the perfect occasion for Cape Town food lovers to experience a veritable feast of trend-setting signature dishes paired with the finest beverages in an atmosphere of music and entertainment.

A new feature to the Taste of Cape Town experience this year will be ‘The Small Producers Market’. It will showcase Cape Town’s local purveyors of hand-made cheeses, pesto, home-made jams and sweets, as well as exotic ingredients and herbs.

Some of the finest wine, beer, whisky and coffee makers will also be present at this year’s festival with offerings to compliment the various speciality dishes being served. These include the Grolsch Beer Academy which features classes with a renowned brew master; as well as the Jonny Walker Whiskey Theatre which will offer tastings of their various labels.

There will also be plenty to keep the children entertained at the Taste of Cape Town festival. A special supervised “Kidz Zone” will feature jumping castles, an obstacle course, face painting, balloon artists, characters and carousels.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and will also be represented at this year’s Taste of Cape Town festival, showcasing delicious offerings from our Bombay Brasserie and Mint Restaurants.

The Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle Tour has a reputation of being one of the most demanding and gruelling races. Therefore, this is one of those moments in life where you deserve to pamper yourself, and treat the family to the finest hospitality in town!

Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle Tour Package: R995 per person sharing

Package includes:

• Full English Breakfast Buffet in our Mint Restaurant
• Our Chef’s Special Carbo-Loaded Dinner, including a pint of Jack Black Beer (assists with carbo-loading!) in Mint Restaurant on the Saturday prior to the race
• Select 4 items from our “On the Go” Snack Station on the morning of the race which includes pastries, bananas, energy bars, dates with no pips, raisins, energy drinks and chocolates.
• Bicycle storage
• Complimentary transfers within 10 km radius of the Hotel for your spouse
• Access to our state-of-the-art, fully equipped, 24-hour fitness centre, indoor swimming pool and Jiva Grande Spa (worth-while for after the race! ! )
• Rates are valid per night and inclusive of taxes and levies

Terms:

• Valid Friday to Sunday night, 11-13 March 2011
• Single rates available at R1650 per night
• This package is commissionable at 10%

For reservations call +27 (0)21 819 2000, fax  +27 (0)21 819 2001 or email res.capetown@tajhotels.com

Images courtesy of cherie6c

February is often called the month of love, with many newly engaged couples inspired by Valentine’s Day to picture their fairy tale wedding.

Fortunately, the Canal Walk Bridal Fair, one of Cape Town’s most popular and prestigious bridal fairs, occurs just in time.

The 2011 Canal Walk Bridal Fair is geared towards helping excited future brides and grooms plan for their dream wedding. The fair boasts over a hundred expert suppliers, on hand to help with every aspect of the wedding. This includes menus, venues, gowns, shoes, photos and invites – making the bridal fair the one-stop wedding show that every prospective bride or groom needs to attend.

Breathtaking venues, glamorous gowns, chic grooms wear, alluring accessories, show-stopping hair and make-up artists, exotic honeymoon destinations, imaginative photographers and videographers, reliable transportation, magnificent flowers, delectable cuisine and superb music are amongst  the many showcase attractions you will find at Canal walk under its “Diamonds are Forever” theme.

The Canal Walk Bridal fair also provides an opportunity to try out merchandise and ask questions from suppliers, taking the guesswork out of planning a wedding.

Additional attractions include a wedding parade, a cake competition, musical ensembles, live entertainment, interactive displays and special goodie bags for selected lucky brides-to-be, as well as giveaways to make the fair more than just useful and inspiring but a fun day out for everyone involved.

The year’s event will mark ten years of the Canal Walk Bridal Fair, so it is bound to bigger and more stunning than ever. Entrance to the event is free.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town in Cape Town. A perfect honeymoon experience awaits you at the Taj Cape Town along with the finest in Indian cuisine and luxurious spa treatments all within the historic heart of this beautiful city.

Cape Town is about to experience an influx of the most stylish and sophisticated people in South Africa. That’s because Design Indaba 2011, the must-attend event for the country’s style elite, and for anyone  with an interest in design and innovation, is taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in February.

Design enthusiasts who are looking for accommodation in Cape Town during the 2011 Design Indaba will be pleased to know that the Taj Cape Town is located in the city centre, close to the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The Taj is a wonderful design destination, as the beautifully restored architecture represents an innovative twist on timeless elegance.

The Design Indaba is a focal point for creative thinkers and designers, assembling innovative thinkers and creative visionaries to share their ideas with the public.

The Design Indaba Conference is a three day event, held from the 23^rd till the 25^th of February 2011. The conference always attracts heavyweight speakers, and this year is no different. Speakers include Alberto Alessi, president of the world famous Italian product design firm Alessi, South Africa technology pioneer Mark Shuttleworth, as well as a host of designers and thinkers.

The Design Indaba Expo will be held from the 25^th till the27^th February 2011 at the CTICC. Billing itself as a ‘100% local-is-lekker celebration of South Africa’s ingrained creativity’ the Design Indaba Expo showcases the best new advertising, fashion, décor, jewellery and other creative design work.

Tickets for the Design Indaba Expo can be purchased online and are priced at R60, with discounts for students and pensioners and you can register for the Design Indaba Conference online as well.

The Taj Cape Town offers stylish accommodation in Cape Town in the city centre. The Taj Cape Town, situated close to the CTICC, venue for the Design Indaba, and other Cape Town attractions, boasts fine restaurants and the exquisite Jiva Spa.

Valentine’s Day, on which lovers buy each other gifts and trade glossy cards, seems a most contemporary of holidays. Shopping for flowers, chocolates and expensive jewellery can sometimes feel more like a celebration of consumerism than a meaningful opportunity to express one’s devotion.

The reality is that St Valentine’s Day is steeped in tradition and has a rich historical legacy. While Valentine’s Day has become little more than excuse for couples and would-be lovers to splurge on romantic gifts, appreciating the history of this day can contribute to a more meaningful celebration.

So who was St Valentine?

There is unfortunately no clear answer to this mystery, as there is considerable speculation about which Valentine the day was named after: the name, with its noble connotations, was once quite popular, and there are a number of saints called Valentine. In fact, it is not even clear that the holiday is named after just one martyred saint rather than a number of different Valentines.

What we do know is that the holiday was officially established as a religious commemoration by the reigning pope in 500 AD. The day was an opportunity to honour martyred saints, and was not associated with romantic love until much later. The first clear reference linking Valentine’s Day to romance occurred in the 14th century, in a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer.

This tradition, with its varying customs and traditions, has continued down through the ages and by the 19th century, Valentine’s Day cards were being mass produced in England, with some of these being quite lavish and ornate.

Today, millions of cards are exchanged around the world each Valentine’s Day, and while St Valentine’s is no longer a religious commemoration, it remains a chance to express the timeless qualities of love and devotion.

The Taj Cape Town, housed in an exquisitely restored building in the heart of Cape Town, is renowned for understated luxury, and ageless charm. This unique ambience, paired with the hotel’s impeccable service and facilities, makes the Taj ideal for a meaningful romantic dinner that you and your beloved will never forget.

The Taj Cape Town offers luxury accommodation in Cape Town, conveniently situated in the historic city centre. The Taj will host a range of Valentine’s Day promotions including his & hers spa treatment at the serene Jiva Spa.

Images courtesy of Earth Fair Food Market

Cape Town’s city centre, known for its historic buildings, restaurants and cafés, museums, nightlife, arts and crafts is about to become the home to another attraction – an open-air fresh food market.

The Earth Fair Food Market opens on 17 February on Upper St Georges’ Mall. It will offer visitors and city centre dwellers a smorgasbord of fresh, organic food. The choice spans smoked fish, speciality sausages, homemade pies, farm cheeses, fruit and vegetables, biltong, pâtés, organic nuts and grains, breads and a host of other products from small producers and artisans.

The St Georges’ Mall Market is based on the successful Saturday Earth Fair Market in Tokai, which has become so popular that is now also open on a Wednesday afternoon. The Earth Fair concept is one of a country market, where visitors can shop for fresh goods from local producers, building relationships with them in the process.

The driving forces behind the initiative include the Cape Town Partnership/ City Centre Improvement District, Cape Town Tourism and the Upper St Georges’ Mall Forum comprising a number of city centre companies, including urban developers Eurocape and the Taj Cape Town. The Forum’s objective is to promote the Cape Town CBD as one to rival that of other popular city centre experiences around the world.

Celebrity chefs, televised cooking competitions, the slow food movement and international culinary events such as Taste – in which Cape Town is one of the participating cities – have contributed to increased interest in food and cooking worldwide. This has prompted demand for quality, fresh ingredients and consequently the growing popularity of fresh produce markets.

The organisers believe that the market also provides an alternative for the increasing number of people living in the inner city and wanting fresh, quality produce.

The Earth Fair Market will offer fresh produce and food that contains no preservatives or hormones and is not overly packaged. It provides an outlet for small, local producers and artisans as well as city centre community upliftment programmes.

The Earth Fair Food Market @ St George’s is open every Thursday from 12.30 until 18.30, starting Thursday 17th February 2011.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in the historic heart of Cape Town and is home to the Mint Restaurant on St. Georges mall.

Begin your Valentine’s Day at the fabulous Jiva Spa by unwinding in the steam room and jacuzzi. Select an hour-long aromatherapy massage, to relax and energise you and your loved one for the night ahead, and enjoy a candle-lit rose petal bath, including Moet & Chandon champagne.

Before whisking your partner off for dinner, stop by the Twankey champagne and oyster bar to tantalise your taste buds with a Twankey Teaser.

This compromises three of different kinds of oysters paired with three deliciously different accompaniments – Big Bay Oysters with Genevieve MCC, Namibian Oysters with a Bloody Mary and finally Wild Oysters with Guinness draught.

Following the Twankey, the sophisticated luxury of the Bombay Brasserie will form the perfect setting for an unforgettably romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Enjoy a complimentary glass of Palmer Champagne before being shown to your table where executive chef Shyam Longani’s combination of flavour, texture and spices will take you on a culinary journey through India. Each sumptuous dish is paired with exquisite Western Cape Wines.

Alternatively, enjoy a relaxed and intimate evening at the Mint Restaurant. The chef’s A La Carte menu, featuring delicacies including local and international grills, will be on offer alongside a wide selection of fine wines, Cap Classique and Champagne. Your meal will be accompanied by the sultry sounds of a jazz duo to set the romantic mood.

For the ultimate Valentine’s treat, what could be more romantic than spending the night at a luxury five star hotel in the historic heart of one of the world’s most beautiful cities? The Taj Cape Town will be offering special Valentine’s rates on accommodation, with a gourmet breakfast included.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and has made all of these Valentine’s Day offers available from the 11^th until the 14^th of February. Also, if you book before the 5th of February you could win a spa treatment consisting of an exquisite Champi head massage for you and your partner on the day of your reservation.

Christmas Eve: the one night of the festive season where expectation mixes with wonder and most of the world is practically giddy with same kind of excitement that keeps us up late waiting for Santa Claus or sneaking in a few cookies and glass of milk before bedtime.

As we prepare for our Christmas Eve celebrations at the Taj Cape Town, it’s easy for us to realise one of the great joys of being a part of a holiday that transcends borders. It’s in discovering all the little cultural differences to be found that different countries take on Christmas.

For instance, in Australia they have a competing version of Santa Claus called the “Swag Man”, who wears a brown Akubra hat, a blue singlet and long baggy shorts. He is said to spend all winter under Ayers Rock “with his merry dingoes” and then comes out at Christmas, delivering presents in his huge four-wheel drive.”

In Eastern Europe, Svaty Mikalas is their version of Old St Nick, and is believed to climb to earth down from heaven on a golden rope. There’s a tradition in Poland that involves cutting a branch from a cherry tree putting it in water. It’s considered a sign of good luck if it blooms in time for Christmas.

The main symbol of the season in Greece is a shallow wooden bowl with sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross suspended by a wire across the rim. Once a day, the cross and basil is dipped in holy water which is sprinkled in each room of the house to keep goblins and sprites away during Christmas. These bowls are much more popular in Greece than Christmas trees.

In South America, the main focus of the season throughout the continent is displaying the presepio or manger. Some displays will even take up a whole room, complete with landscape and tiny figures made to scale, including the Wise Men crossing the desert on their camels, water mills, grottos, electric trains, and even sailboats on the sea.

But for us, celebrating Christmas will be about bringing the festive spirit to the heart of Cape Town. The Taj Cape Town will be providing luxury accommodation in Cape Town as well as a host of festive activities throughout this Christmas season, starting tonight with our Christmas Eve Dinner and continuing through to the New Year.

New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration. The raucous, unbridled kind of celebration that is sure to spill into every corner of Cape Town amidst an ocean of champagne and good cheer. With the passing of not only the year, but the decade as well, this New Year promises to be bigger, and louder than before.

And it is with this in mind that The Taj Cape town invites you to celebrate the New Year under our elegant rooftops as we celebrate this grand occasion in one of Cape Town’s most beautifully renovated historic buildings. The Taj has created a New Year’s experience sure to bring guests together.

Your evening will start in our Lobby Lounge, where elegant piano entertainment will form the background to a complimentary glass of bubbly.

Guests of Mint restaurant can expect a five course table d’hôte menu to be enjoyed in the presence of a jazz trio. Guests will be able to watch festivities on St Georges Mall from this intimate three-level restaurant, renowned for its tasteful modern décor.

Those attending Spice Junxion will be treated to a carousel of exotic Indian sights and sounds. Guests will be introduced to the extraordinary depth and variety of the flavours of India with a banquet style buffet of corn and almond soups, soft dumplings, spiced lamb and chicken kebabs and an exquisite selection of curries.The buffet promises to be a treat for the whole family, where children under five may eat with our compliments.

Seven magnificent courses have been prepared at the Bombay Brasserie’s celebratory tasting menu. An elegant dining experience to take guests on a journey through some of the finest Indian dishes in all of Cape Town, including char grilled Tandoori prawns; chicken marinated in yellow chillies and cumin tempered potatoes.

Finally, at ten in the evening, all of our guest will be invited back into the lobby lounge where acclaimed jazz musician Russ Nerwich and his band, Tones of Note, will be performing with guest singer Hayden Gardner, as they carry was all into the new year.

The Taj will provide luxury accommodation this New Years and special room rates to all those attending our festive events.

For reservations please call 021 819 2066 or e-mail restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com

From “Ano Novo” in Brazil to “la Saint-Sylvestre” in France and “Rass l’aam” in Morocco, countries the world over celebrates New Years in their own unique ways. But if there is one thing we can agree on around the world, it is that this New Year’s Eve is sure to be the party of parties.

This New Year is a chance not just in saying a fond farewell to the craziness of 2010, but also to bid adieu to “the noughties” once and for all. That’s right, it’s the dawn of a new decade and if you still have no idea where you are going to be standing when the clock strikes midnight, the let me tell you where it’s going to be celebrated six times in a singe evening.

This year, The Twankey champagne and oyster bar will be celebrating New Year not once, but six times as part of its Global Gathering as it toasts the arrival of 2011 along with a hundred and twenty countries across the world, with a party set to pump its way through six time zones.

We’re talking about non-stop dancing, swinging and swaying, kicking off at 20:30 with complimentary cocktails and taking you on a ride right around the world. Canapés and tapas will be served throughout the evening,  themed shooters served every hour, on the hour.  An open bar, offering selected wines and spirits, local beers, Guinness and soft drinks till midnight, when we break out the bubbly.

The Twankey house DJ will be serving up tunes to keep the party pumping all the way to 02:30 when Big Ben tolls midnight, bringing London late to the party. Anyone attending gets special room rates at the Taj Cape Town, so you can enjoy the party to its fullest.

The Twankey bar invites you to the Global Gathering, set to be the Cape Town hotspot this New Year as we say good bye to the past decade and party with the world. The Taj Cape Town will also be providing luxury accommodations and a variety of its own New Years events.

For reservations please call 021 819 2066 or e-mail restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com

The sun shines brightly on a magnificently decorated Christmas tree standing amid piles of torn wrapping paper, open cards and perhaps a lonely set of brand new socks hiding behind a plate of cookie crumbs and a half empty glass of milk. It’s Christmas day and time for one of the great family traditions this festive season, the Christmas Lunch.

Few things bring the family together in celebration and Christmas cheer quite like Christmas lunch. Glazed gammon, roast turkey, Christmas pudding: these are the meals that we have been looking forward to all year. Along with streamers, party hats and small plastic whistles. At the same time it also means that half the day and probably the evening before, never moves further away than the stove.

The Taj Cape Town bids you relax this Christmas and treat your family to a traditional Christmas lunch at The Mint Restaurant where you can leave the cooking to us. Our luncheon buffet boasts all the delicious meats, salads and puddings which make Christmas great.

Roast turkey, glazed gammon and Christmas pudding sit amidst assorted cold meat platters, butternut salads, homemade breads, trifle puddings and chocolate mousse. And for those among you hankering for something just a little bit different this Christmas, we have roast sirloin with Yorkshire pudding, spiced coconut fish curry and rose-petal ice cream. More than enough choice to keep the kids fed and happy; and if any of them are younger than five, they can eat with our compliments.

And Christmas would be complete without fun activities and entertainment for the kids beneath our Christmas tree and a visit from Santa himself during the course of the afternoon while we treat you to complimentary festive cocktail and jazz entertainment.

Mint, the Taj Cape Town’s all-day dining restaurant, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the festive season and will continue to offer its Simply Mint menu in St Georges’ Mall, including a jazz and Cap Classique brunch on 26 December, the Day of Goodwill.

For reservations please call 021 819 2066 or e-mail restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com

Christmas Eve is one of the most magical of nights this festive season. Soft multicoloured light coming from Christmas trees decorated in streams of tinsel, orbs of silver and gold, candy canes, tiny snowmen and topped with stars and angels.

The spirit of Christmas is never felt as keenly as it is on Christmas Eve. It easily feels as if a Christmas miracle is waiting just around the corner and that the sound of sleigh bells can barely be made out in the distance. It’s a time for Christmas carols, Christmas cheer and, of course, Christmas dinner.

The Taj Cape Town is featuring a number of elegant events for the whole family this Christmas. For Christmas Eve, the Taj Cape Town is delighted to invite you to the Bombay Brasserie for a magical Christmas experience and an offering of some of the finest gourmet Indian cuisine.

We have prepared for you an evening of Christmas carols, complimentary champagne cocktails and a feast that will take you on a gastronomic journey to make you feel like the Maharajas of old. Our specially prepared five-course tasting menus will excite the senses, drawing into an exotic world of flavours.  Tandoori fish with bishops weed. Lamb curry scented with fennel and Cardamom. Simmered black lentils tempered with poppy seeds. A selection of Naan breads, baked mango yogurt and more. An elegant and glamorous journey one can enjoy amidst the luxurious decor and rich atmosphere that Bombay Brasserie is renowned for.

Before the chaos of Christmas day, before the family, the friends, the best wishes, the crackers and party hats, before the streamers and whistles, is Christmas Eve. Take the time to enjoy this most magical of evenings with an intimate and exclusive experience. Especially for couples who want to treat themselves to an elegant, more formal occasion.

The Taj Cape town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and has prepared a host of festive events to delight the senses this Christmas.

For reservations please call 021 819 2066 or e-mail restaurants.capetown@tajhotels.com

Each year the decorative lights are ceremonially switched on, turning Adderley Street, in the Cape Town city centre, into an illuminated festive wonderland.

Those with younger children will find the ceremony an especially charming event, perfect for the whole family.

Last year’s event had special resonance, as it was anticipating the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Many of the lights featured a football theme.

The World Cup may have come and gone, but its legacy remains; with many Capetonians discovering anew the joys of public gatherings and celebrations.

Many, inspired by Cape Town’s very successful Fan Walk project, now look more forward than ever to mingling with their fellow Capetonians in grand public spaces.

The lights create a festive atmosphere, but the real fun is to be had browsing through the Adderley Street Night Market. The market is stands out as a venue where you can sample street food while strolling through the city.

The market also features crafts and other products and festive live entertainment.

The Taj Cape Town offers deluxe accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is located in the city centre, on the corner of Adderley and Wale Streets. The Taj is happy to provide transport for guests in one of the hotel’s luxury vehicles.

The Cape minstrel carnival is a landmark Cape Town event, and one of the most vibrant and exciting occasions on the Cape Town festive calendar.

Cape Town’s Mardi Gras begins on 1 January, but the real highlight is the next day, for tweede nuwe jaar, or the second New Year.

Be sure to get to the Cape Town city centre on at least one of these days, because the sight of thousands of brightly dresses minstrels parading though the city – singing, dancing and playing instruments – is something you will never forget.

For tourists and most locals, the event is a fun spectacle. For the performing troupes – the Kaapse Klopse – it’s a very serious business. The minstrel troupes are competing against each other for prizes, from best overall group to best dressed and best musicians.

There are a number of origin stories about the carnival, but its precise inspiration is not known. What is clear, though, is that the Kaapse Klopse is one of Cape Town’s great traditions.

The carnival begins in District Six and winds its way to the city centre.

For a New Tear experience to remember, don’t miss the sights and sounds of the minstrel carnival.

The Taj provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town. The Taj is located in the city centre, a short stroll from the minstrel carnival, and features fine dining and impeccable service.

The Taj Cape Town is offering a more sophisticated way to celebrate the new year. Fine cuisine, live entertainment, and plenty of champagne will ensure you see in 2011 in style and sophistication.

Those attending New Year dinner at the acclaimed Mint restaurant will enjoy a complimentary glass of Cap Classique on arrival – an appropriately festive way to prepare for the five-course meal to follow.

Mint is offering reduced rates for children under 12, making this a special event suitable for the whole family.

Fans of Indian cuisine will delighted to learn that the Taj is also offering a New Year’s ‘Spice Junxion Dinner’. Experience the sights, sounds and flavours of India, with special platters and a gourmet buffet, and entertainment from traditional Indian dancers. Again, children under 12 eat at a reduced rate and there is no charge for kids under 5.

For a supremely elegant New Year dining experience, the menu at the Bombay Brasserie is unsurpassable. The seven course tasting menu is paired with sommelier-selected wines. To set the tone for the evening, guests receive French champagne on arrival. The Bombay Brasserie is renowned for serving some of the finest Indian dishes outside of India, and the seven course menu is a rare chance to experience a range of Indian food at its very best.

The entertainment will be no less impeccable. The Taj is excited to announce that acclaimed jazz musician Russ Nerwich and his band will be performing in the hotel lounge on 31 December 2010, with special guest singer Hayden Gardner.

Contact the Taj to secure luxury accommodation in Cape Town.  The Taj features fine dining in Cape Town and is a sophisticated destination for New Year and Christmas events.

The Beach Boys will be performing in Cape Town at The Grand Arena at Grand West on 6 December 2010.  Fans can expect to hear such favourites as Good Vibrations, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Kokomo and I Get Around.

Booking is available through Computicket, and ticket prices range from R220 – R500.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town conveniently situated in the historic city centre close to the heart of Cape Town’s nightlife, Long Street.  The Taj Cape Town will happily arrange transport to this event in one of our luxury vehicles for guests at the hotel.

It began in 1903 when the Spartan Harriers committee (Cape Town’s oldest running club, founded in 1901 in Meadowridge in the Southern Suburbs) decided it was time to organise a long distance walk based on the popularity of walking races in the United Kingdom.

The Spartan Harriers had planned for the original route to leave from Montagu Bridge and to go as far as Somerset West and back. The route was subsequently changed, and in August 1903, 61 competitors set off from Greenmarket Square in Cape Town, becoming part of South African history.

Today, The Discovery Cape Times Big Walk promotes walking as a great way to make regular exercise a healthy habit. These days, there are 8 different Big Walk Routes, beginning at different points around the Cape Peninsula, but all ending at Rhodes High School in Mowbray. The routes consist of timed 80km, 50km, 30km, 25km and 20km walks and untimed 15km, 10km and 5km walks.

This year’s event will take place on Sunday, 14 November. Guests of the Taj Cape Town can get updates on this event, or any other Cape Town attraction, from the hotels exclusive concierge service. Transport to Cape Town’s many events is available should they require.

The Taj Cape Town has conveniently located Cape Town accommodation in a beautifully restored historic building in the Cape Town city centre. Tired walkers could recuperate at the luxurious Jiva Spa.

This year’s challenge will take place on 6 November 2010. Unfortunately, entries are already closed, but it’s worth getting a little background on this historic challenge.

The Three Peaks Challenge commemorates Carl Wilhelm Schneeberger’s March 1897  expedition, when he started out from the old Johannesburg Hotel in Long Street and climbed Devil’s Peak, Table Mountain and Lion’s Head in succession on one day, completing the venture in 9 hours 5 minutes (not counting rests).

One hundred years after C W Schneeberger’s attempt, Don Hartley organised another race – something he had contemplated for 35 years. On Saturday, 24 September 1997, 13 runners took part in the commemorative centenary run, which started at 108 Long Street, where the old Johannesburg Hotel used to be.

In 2001, The Scheeberger family produced a commemorative wine and presented it to participants in commemoration of their grandfather’s original personal challenge in 1897. They have continued the tradition producing a special wine each year for the occasion.

Guests of the Taj Cape Town who are interested outdoor challenges will appreciate the value of the hotel’s exceptional concierge service, who will gladly arrange an excursion of your choosing upon request.

The Taj Cape Town provides superb accommodation in Cape Town in close proximity to many of Cape Town’s main attractions, and with breathtaking views of Cape Town’s “three peaks”.  If the gruelling hike up the mountain isn’t your style, you can still enjoy the view from the top by taking the Table Mountain Cable Car.