Cape Town South Africa

The only consolation we are deriving from winter spewing its icy breath on our Mother City right now, is that it is at least providing us with the perfect excuse for escaping to the movies.

Luckily for us and all fellow flick fans, the Encounters South African International Film Documentary Film Festival will soon grace us with its entertaining presence at the V&A Waterfront.

Now in its 11^th year, the festival has survived a recent near cancellation (due to a last minute withdrawal by a cash-strapped sponsor) and has moved to Cape Town from its former base in Johannesburg. Encounters is renowned for showcasing the doccie making prowess of both local and international film talent. Ever since its inception, the festival has screened over 1 241 films. This year’s line-up will include a record 14 South African films making their world débuts.

Award-winning full-length features and documentary shorts from as far afield as Afghanistan, the UK, the USA, Canada, Cuba, France, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Senegal, Israel and Cameroon will also be screened.

Encounters will take place from 2 – 19 July 2009 at the Nu Metro, V&A Waterfront. Apart from attending the screenings, festival-goers will also be able to participate in workshops, panel discussions and master classes. Visit the fest’s official website for more information. We hope to encounter you there!

This Sunday, 21 June 2009, fathers all across the world will be faced with an array of gifts which will include staples like socks, ties, and cologne (Old Spice, anyone?).

But whether the father figure in your life is gifted with standard father’s day fare or not, you’ll at least have the rest of the Sunday to make it up to him.

The Mother City is filled with activities and places that will warm any father’s heart… and stomach. Our restaurants are among the best in the country - and even the world - and dads can be treated to cuisine from any part of the globe.

As always, Cape Town Magazine has been our go-to source for ideas on what to do with and for Dad this Sunday. Their original suggestions include sharing a rare whisky with your dad at Bascule Bar, treating him to a night of culture at the On Broadway Dinner Theatre and renting him his own mid-life crisis… we mean… Harley Davidson motorcycle on which he can tear up the city streets. 

Of course, you can always venture a few kilometres out of town and have Pops pop a few corks at any of the wonderful wine cellars in nearby Stellenbosch. 

Whatever you do to let Dad know that he is your all-time super hero? We hope that you both enjoy the time together so much that he will be inspired to generously increase your monthly allowance! 

Intellectuals, scribes and readers from all over Africa and the rest of the world are about to descend upon Cape Town for the fourth annual Book Fair.

The Cape Town Book Fair is the largest book related event in sub-Saharan Africa. This year, more than 50 000 visitors are expected to attend the event where 250 exhibitors from across the global publishing industry are going to be showcased.

Despite the international presence, this year’s fair will shine the spotlight on African literature. As host country, South Africa in particular will be well represented. Award-winning South African author André P. Brink will read from Touch, a compilation of essays by leading South African writers.

The fair begins tomorrow, 13 June 2009, and will last until the 16th at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

For more information, visit the event’s official website. 

In both 2007 and 2008, over 350 000 people across the globe voted him the world’s best DJ. Now Armin van Buuren is bringing his mad spinning skills to the Mother City.

For one night only on Monday, 15 June, he will wow Capetonian fans with the Godskitchen Boombox at the Bellville Velodrome. This enormous, rectangular structure is over 16 metres wide, 8 metres high and six metres deep. It contains state-of-the-art DJ equipment which Armin will control. The Boombox is a large screen onto which lighting and visuals are projected, turning the entire event into a huge musical spectacular. According to Cape Town Magazine (www.capetownmagazine.com), "Godskitchen has become renowned for combining the biggest DJs on the planet with groundbreaking production values that bedazzle crowds in excess of 15 000."

Ready to be entranced by this Dutchman who has had a lifelong passion for dance music? Then book your ticket today for what promises to be Cape Town’s concert of the year! Early bird, general tickets are available for R190.