average food

Noop has always been one of our favourite restaurants to go to in Paarl. There are after all, not too many around. We took two guests so there were four of us. We had a different Salad starter shared between two people. Three of us had the Green Thai Curry and one other beef main. No desserts but just two coffees and one expressio. We brought our own bottles of wine so corkage was added. The total bill came to R724 and with tips, it was over R800. Our mistake was ordering the specials with no idea of how much it costs.

Medi-skin Clinic

Just a stone’s throw from us. Anything from a pedicure to an Environ facial or a hot stone massage. A most relaxing time. If you need pampering or wish to give someone a treat, try it here. You can even buy Environ products to take home or buy a gift voucher for friends and families.

Kikka

Kikka is just two minutes up the road from us. My breakfast consisted with sunny side up quail’s eggs, salmon, roasted tomatoes, rye bread and baby spinach. The rye bread was from next door at the Gelato ice-cream shop. Coffee was good. Orange juice was freshly squeezed. This shop began as a coffee shop selling cakes, flowers for gifts and weddings and sweet gifts too. I have bought a few beautiful box containers. Recommended too are the light lunches and before that: dinners. A few years back, we used to be able to have dinner but eventually it grew too big, so a restaurant was formed approximately 2km away and they named it Noop. A great place for all ages, to relax and re-connect with friends and families. Highly recommended.

STAR GAZING 21 JAN 2012 PAARL

The following is from Carol Botha.

''Shortly - the Pleiades and African folklore

Khoikhoi and the San
When the Pleiades appear in the east, little ones are lifted by their mothers and presented to the stars . . . The Pleiades are considered friendly and the children are taught to stretch their hands toward them.
The Pleiades, named Khuseti or Khunuseh by the Khoikhoi, are called the rainstars. Their appearance indicates the rainy season is near and thus the beginning of a new year. Hahn. The Khoikhoi, or Bushmen (1881).
. . . when rain is accompanied by lightning, girls who are out in the open become killed by the lightning and are converted into stars. Therefore young unmarried women and girls must hide themselves from the rain. Schapera (1930).

Namaquas:
the Pleiades were the daughters of the sky god. When their husband (Aldeberan) shot his arrow (Orion's sword) at three zebras (Orion's belt), it fell short. He dared not return home because he had killed no game, and he dared not retrieve his arrow because of the fierce lion (Betelgueuse) which sat watching the zebras. There he sits still, shivering in the cold night and suffering thirst and hunger.

Sotho,Swazi,Nguni:
isiLimela or the Pleiades were the `digging stars', whose appearance in southern Africa warned of the coming need to begin hoeing the ground. All over Africa, these stars were used as a marker of the growing season. `And we say isiLimela is renewed, and the year is renewed, and so we begin to dig'. (Callaway 1970). Xhosa men counted their years of manhood from the time in June when isiLimela first became visible.

http://www.saao.ac.za/public-info/sun-moon-stars/african-starlore/

I hope the seven sisters will be in full regalia on Sat evening''.
Carol Botha

The Greenhouse at Cellars-Hohenhort Hotel, Constantia

We had a wonderful evening with our neighbours at The Greenhouse a fortnight ago. It was sublime! Expensive yes, but worth every penny. Beautiful decor at the Conservatory, great ambience. It was a long drive to Constantia but we were all looking forward to a superb dinner. I would like to think that the evening's meal was overseen by the Executive Chef, Peter Tempelhoff. Whether he was there or not, his team did a splendid job. The appointed waiter and the sommerlier knew their job inside out. Their recommendation was perfect. Exquisite! The boys had so much fun, so much so, that their Pinot Noir was all over the table cloth and my husband's shirt (our guests was drunk, I might add). Will definitely go again if they will allow us in.

Glen Carlou

Lovely lunch at the restaurant at Glen Carlou. The wine estate owned by the Hess group from Switzerland, including the Hess Museum. Not my type of art, I must add.
I had the confit of duck, with pickled mushrooms, and arancini, roasted shallots, washed down with Glen Carlou's of course) Pinot Noir. It was unusually good if not a bit salty. We brought our neighbours, Yvonne and Reg along and they, along with Ron who had the slow braised pork belly. Amazingly good. Highly recommended.

Stargazing at Taalmonument in Paarl on 26th November

The following is from Carol Botha.

''Our OOGkasie will be on Saturday 26 November. The guest speaker will be Chris de Coning of ASSA’s historical section. After his speech we will be treating the public to stargazing. I am again counting on our regular volunteers to help in this regard. If you have friends that have acquired telescopes and would like to help, please let me know as we would like to strengthen our team of regular volunteers''.

Wanneer: 26 November 2011 van 18:00 tot 22:30
Waar: Afrikaanse Taalmonument, Paarl
Gasspreker: Chris de Coning, Historikus van ASSA
Tema: Die geskiedenis van sterrekunde in Suid-Afrika
Toegang: Volwassenes R25 / Kinders R10
Bespreek by Amira 021 872 3441
Pak 'n piekniekmandjie, bring vriende, teleskope, verkykers en STOELE en kom geniet die aand saam met ons.

All you have to bring along: telescopes, eyepieces and chairs

Don't miss this, try to come along.