Image courtesy of warrenski

Cape Town’s image as a premier holiday destination has been further entrenched, having won the World Design Capital 2014 bid and in Table Mountain becoming one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

In part two of our look at Cape Town’s twin honours we look towards 2014 and what this means for the future of Cape Town as a whole.

World Design Capital 2014

Capetonians can be proud of having been declared World Design Capital 2014, another incredible achievement as it beat the two leading contenders (Dublin and Bilbao), as well as over 50 other cities who took part in the bid.

Not since successfully hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup, has Cape Town taken on such an ambitious project as winning the honour of being World Design Capital in 2014. As is, the Mother City has two years of preparation time to plan a year long programme of design-driven events.

No small task for Cape Town considering it would be following in the footsteps of previous winners such as Turin in Italy and Seoul in South Korea.

Cape Town is eagerly rising to the challenge of positioning itself as a city of innovation, inspiration and creativity.  It has been the site of the world’s first heart transplant, it is home to such design driven events as Design Indaba, the Loerie Awards and the One City, Many Cultures Project; and it is currently where the Joule, Africa’s first all-electric car, is being developed.

Cape Town has an ongoing reputation for its high level of entrepreneurship in creative industries and design-led organisations; yet the real focus of World Design Capital 2014 is in the legacy it will leave behind. It’s an opportunity for the reimagining and reinventing of a Cape Town that is sustainable, resilient and more in line with the urban, economical and environmental landscape that future generations of Capetonians will call home.

It’s nevertheless an exciting time for Cape Town as locals and visitors alike look forward to this ‘transformation of a city’ taking place over the next two years; and a 2014 full of exciting events, opportunities and a bright new future for Cape Town.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is a wonderful design destination, as the beautifully restored architecture is representative of positive transformation through design.

Image courtesy of warrenski

Never has there been a better time to visit Cape Town as the city is literally abuzz with excitement over two great international victories which are sure to put South Africa and the Mother City at the top of global holiday destination lists for many years to come.

Winning both the World Design Capital in 2014 and having one of South Africa’s most famous landmarks become an official wonder of the natural world, it’s easy to see why Cape Town is solidifying its standing as a premier holiday destination.

New 7 Wonders of the Natural World

It’s been a three year battle in the race to choose the world’s seven most wonderful natural sites, and following an announcement just five days before the end of the race that Table Mountain had yet to reach the top ten list, it seemed unlikely that the beloved mountain would be declared a natural wonder of the world.

Yet South Africa managed to pull together and an unprecedented number of votes and support from locals and visitors alike resulted in a nail-biting finish for the mountain. Celebrations erupted at the V&A Waterfront on 11 November following the announcement that Table Mountain was officially a new natural wonder of the world.

Table Mountain joins the Puerto Princesa Underground River, Komodo Island, Jeju Island, Iguazu Falls, Halong Bay and the Amazon on this prestigious list. The new natural wonder is expected to increase the number of tourists heading for the Mother City by at least 20% according to independent tourism research company Grant Thornton. With 70% of this increased number of visitors expected to be foreigners, this could earn Cape Town as much as R1.4bn in revenue over the next five years.

The voting validation process is expected to be completed by early 2012 as the results are checked, validated and independently verified. Official inauguration events for each of the wonders will then be organised.

Table Mountain is one of the oldest mountains on the planet, estimated to be around 360-million years old. Given this fact, there is a sense that this honour has long been overdue, and there is an infectious sense of pride and excitement in Cape Town which is sure captivate visitors to the city.

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

On Secretaries Day, 7 September 2011, employers everywhere can really show their office assistants how much all their hard work and efforts throughout the year are appreciated. Stressful, demanding and often overworked, secretaries keep the wheels of business and industry turning.

The event is celebrated worldwide and Secretaries Day will fall on 7 September this year – always the first Wednesday of September in South Africa. The day is often celebrated by giving one’s assistant gifts such as flowers, chocolates, small gifts, lunch at a restaurant, or time off.

This year the Taj Cape Town has a special treat for those whose skills, loyalty, and efficiency are to be rewarded this Secretaries Day.

To celebrate Secretaries Day, for the month of September Taj Cape Town is providing a range of gift vouchers. These include a 3-course lunch experience to the value of R250 at MINT for only R200, a 30-minute Deep Tissue Back Massage to the value of R450 for only R300 or both for R500.

Officially known as Administrative Professionals Day the name Secretaries Day has stuck in South Africa. The day celebrates the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, and other office professionals for their growing and diverse contributions to the workplace.

Originally started in the United States, Secretaries Day was the idea of Mary Barrett, president of the National Secretaries Association and C. King Woodbridge, president of Dictaphone Corporation to address a national shortage of skilled office workers.

The official period of celebration was first proclaimed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer as “National Secretaries Week,” which was first held June 1–7 in 1952, with Wednesday, June 4, 1952 designated National Secretaries Day. The name was changed to Professional Secretaries Week in 1981 and eventually became Administrative Professionals Week in 2000.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and is home to the famous Mint restaurant on St Georges Mall as well as the luxurious Jiva Spa.

Image courtesy of Magic Robot

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.

Chocolate is the one gift that is always welcome and it comes as no surprise that the near universal love of chocolate has become an integral part of global traditions and cultural holidays the world over. As we enter Easter month, many will recall fond childhood memories of hot cross buns, Easter egg hunts and, of course, all the chocolate we desired.

The rich history of chocolate takes us from the Mesoamerican era – where Maya and Aztecs mixed ground cacao seeds with various seasonings to make a spicy, frothy drink – through to Spanish conquistadors bringing the seeds back home to Spain, where new recipes were created. The drink’s popularity eventually spread throughout Europe.

New technologies and innovations have changed the texture and taste of chocolate over the years, yet it remains one of the world’s favourite indulgences.  So much so that no expense is spared in the creation and presentation of the finest chocolate.

The most expensive box of chocolates in the world is sold in Harrods and is made by Lebanese chocolatier, Patchi. At an incredible £5000, each box of 49 chocolates is personalised and wrapped with leather and handmade silk. The chocolates are made from organic cocoa and each is decorated with gold and a Swarowski crystal flower or silk rose.

The Most expensive bar of chocolate bar in the world went on sale in Selfridges on the 4th August, 2009. It was a Cadbury Wispa bar covered in edible gold leaf, the cost of the bar, £961.48, was the precise value of the bar’s weight in solid gold.

Chocolate lovers in Cape Town are in for a treat. The Taj is hosting a Chocolate Afternoon tea where 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.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and will host a deliciously delectable chocolate experience along with their High Tea menus everyday this April leading up to a wonderfully memorable Easter in the City.

Image courtesy of Ixtla

Loved by locals and holidaymakers alike, cobble stoned streets and brightly coloured houses fill this lively little suburb which sits above Cape Town’s central business district. Built upon the stones of Signal Hill, the Bo-Kaap is a must see attraction when visiting the Mother City.

The people of Bo-Kaap are proud of their homes; Dutch houses from the nineteenth and seventeenth century which have been meticulously restored while adding a bit more of a modern touch and a lot of bright, colourful paint.

Characterised by either Dutch or British influences, Bo-Kaap houses are distinctive for their characteristic their front porches. Usually elevated from the streets with parapets and cornices of various shapes, the front porch serves as a place where family and friends meet and socialize.

A monthly community food and craft market is held usually the first Saturday of the month in the heart of the Bo-Kaap, between 10am-15 pm at the Schotschekloof Civic Centre, Upper Wale Street. Entrance is free and it a great opportunity to mingle with the residents of this beautiful and historic part of Cape Town.

The market has food demonstrations, traditional foods, biscuits, cakes, samoosas, crafts, gifts, pickles, smoked snoek, dried fruit, jewellery and lots more on sale. Other items include traditional Malay-style clothing and handmade craft items.

The Bo-Kapp Museum at 71 Wale Street is one of the oldest buildings in the street and home to the Bo-Kaap museum. It has been restored and furnished to represent the original look and feel of the home as it would have been in the 19th century.

Additions that were made to the structure were removed, the original teak-windows, teak-shutters, fanlight and doors replaced and even the roof has been covered in yellowwood to give the feeling of the old Cape Dutch beams. The museum is open from Mondays to Saturdays from 9:30 to 4:30.

The Taj Cape Town provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town and will happily arrange transport to this beautiful suburb in one of our luxury vehicles for guests at the hotel.

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.

Once considered the most desirable residential street in the Cape Colony, St George’s Mall has been through a number of name changes in its long and storied history.

Stretching from the Company’s Garden to the sea, the street was an important thoroughfare for Dutch settlers, before becoming a commercial centre in the early eighteenth century. It wasn’t until 1830, when the foundation stone of St Georges Cathedral was placed, that the street was named St Georges Street.

In 1992 St Georges Street was pedestrianised. What was once a central road was bricked up and blocked off to traffic, creating a promenade that stretches from the city centre almost all the way to the foreshore.

Today St Georges Mall, running from Wale Street to Riebeeck Street, is a pedestrian friendly walkway lined with trees, cafes and coffee shops. It’s populated with a multitude of street vendors with stalls selling everything from T-shirts to African arts, crafts, jewellery and clothing.

Buskers, drummers, street artists and dancers gather daily to entertain crowds of locals and visitors, making St Georges Mall a great walk for anybody wanting to get authentic Cape Town experience. There are also big-name stores, banks, art galleries and African curio shops lining the mall, making it overall an ideal shopping experience to fit all budgets.

Also known as Cape Town’s jewellery route, there are a number of jewellers based in St Georges Mall and a series of security guards police the street on horseback  making it generally a safe place for tourists and locals alike.

A key attraction along the mall is the headquarters of Mandela Rhodes Foundation, a landmark office building standing on the corner of St Georges Mall and Wale Street, with great views of Table Mountain, Parliament, and St George’s Cathedral.

St Georges Mall is also the historic site of the beautifully restored Taj Cape Town which provides luxury accommodation in cape town and to Mint Restaurant which opens directly onto the mall itself.

Image courtesy of jdickert

As we get closer to bidding 2010 a fond farewell and preparing for that New Year’s Eve party that will set the tone for 2011, you can’t help but be excited for all the wonderful events, technologies and new cinema releases we have to look forward to in the upcoming year.

Event wise, South Africa will be looking at some major musical talent flying in to blow our ear drums away. Rammstein, one of the most successful German-language bands of all time, are coming down in February, Roxette performing live at the Grand West in May and the biggest surprise this year:  Kings of Leon will here in March. But before all that, South African audiences will get their first taste of 2011’s musical buffet as U2 is going to blow the lid off stadiums in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

On the Technology front, we may all soon see the beginning of the end to house cleaning in 2011. A materials engineer in Australia is fast overcoming the hurdles keeping us from self cleaning products. Meanwhile next year is the due date for what AT&T is calling 4G and will result in blindingly fast wireless downloads. Toyota is also looking at drastically reducing the costs of all their hybrid cars, while lithium ion batteries are producing the biggest buzz in the electric car market which will pack more power and last far longer than anything else on the market today. Add to this the fact that the current trend in finding eco-friendly solutions is set increase by leaps and bounds in 2011, and the environmental prospects for this New Year look especially great.

At the Cinema, 2011 seems to be the year for bigger box office extravaganzas. The final instalment of the Harry Potter franchise, a new chapter in The Pirates of the Caribbean, and all new invasion movies with Cowboys and Aliens and Battle: Los Angeles. Hollywood has also gone super hero crazy with no less than five super powered movies compromising of Thor, Green Lantern, Green Hornet, Captain America and X-men: First Class.

The Twankey champagne and oyster bar will be celebrating the New Year not once but six times as its Global Gathering New Year’s event invites everyone to party across 120 countries through six time zones.The Taj Cape Town will also provide luxury accommodation at reduced rates for everyone attending their New Years Events.

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.

Indian cuisine was influenced by the rise of Buddhism and the belief that food had a profound effect on the body and the mind; that food should be balanced, natural and pure. Vegetarianism became very popular during this period and gave rise to a completely holistic form of cooking. Many of the earliest recipes can be traced back to this time.

One of the great influences on Indian cuisine came in the form of the Persian invasions which gave rise to the Mughlai cuisine that people now associate with India. It introduces the sealed pot method of cooking, also known as cooking in the “dum” and included the use of saffron as well as introducing to India the Persian culture of rich food with dry fruit and nuts and elegant dining experiences. A tradition of flavours and style kept alive today at the Bombay Brasserie.

Rich gravies, pilafs and other non-vegetarian foods such as kebabs, as well as fruits such as apricots, melons, peaches, and plums were also introduced under Islamic rule. Trade and cultural exchanges with China introduced the stir-fry to India along with adding the sweet taste to food.

During British rule, the Portuguese and British introduced foods from the New World such as potatoes, tomatoes, squash, and chillies and cooking techniques like baking. The British also made tea popular in India giving way to such “Raj” traditions like that of high-tea which is an elaborate late afternoon meal served with tea. This led to the formation of Anglo-Indian cuisine and the development of the curry.

The Taj, which provides luxury accommodation in Cape Town, is also the home of the Bombay Brasserie where the true essence of Indian cuisine can be enjoyed in the same elegant atmosphere enjoyed by the Maharajas themselves. An affordable dining experience that promises to take you on this very same journey through Indian cuisine this festive season.

Top station of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (image by Cape Town Media – http://www.capetown.travel/media/images-video/entry/1375/)From the time it was discovered in 1488 by Bartolomeu Dias, the Cape was celebrated for its beauty and maritime importance. However, when the Portuguese explorer first came upon the region it was its perilous seas, rather than its scenery or nautical significance, that made the greatest impression upon him. Thus, he named it The Cape of Storms - or Cabo das Tormentas - for the dangerous waters and inclement weather that had put paid to many an exploration.

However, although treacherous, the Cape of Storms also presented much hope and relief to the sailors who later arrived on its shores. Not only did it mean that fresh water and supplies would soon be available, but it also provided a valuable channel to India and the East. Thus, it was later renamed Cape of Good Hope - Cabo da Boa Esperança.

From then on, the term “Cape of Good Hope” was used to refer to the entire region, until it became the Cape Province in 1901. It’s also interesting to note that during the time of Jan van Riebeeck, Cape Town was known as The Tavern of the Seas, due to the fact that it provided vital supplies to sailors travelling around Africa.

That means we’ve excelled for 107 years in the notoriously competitive hospitality industry – which is a remarkable achievement, even if we do say so ourselves.

As a brand the Taj has seen some fantastic things and lived through inventions that have forever changed the way the world works. Over the course of the 107 years we, at the Taj, have had to learn to adapt to the changes, without losing the charm and magic that makes every one of our hotels so spectacular.

At the Taj Cape Town we plan on tackling the fine art of blogging in the same manner the Taj group has always handled changed, by taking it in our stride.

We believe that blogging will allow us to share what we know makes our Cape Town city centre hotel so unique and spectacular.

Over the course of the next few weeks, months and years you can expect – through this blog – to be included in our whirlwind Cape Town adventure.

Welcome to the Taj Cape Town.