The Dogs Bollocks and The Bitches Tits

I haven't had the pleasure of one of The Dogs Bollocks legendary 50 burgers- we're yet to make it from the suburbs by 5 pm to get there before they sell out by 7 pm, but we'll keep trying.

I knew we could manage The Bitches Tits, daytime name for the same inspired alley way venue.

We grabbed our coffees from Deluxe, you'll see it at the end of the alley way on the right. You know when the coffee goes down so well that you order another and it's never as good as the first? Well it was.

Mucky Mary's hub cab breakfast list is on the blackboard, everything from bacon, pork sausages, baked beans to tomato dip- hard choices, which is why you need that coffee-  pick and choose and build your own, all a served on a large hub cab of flat bread or rye.

Maggie expertly fried up my simple order of mushrooms and egg on rye- fresh rye just brought in, layered with a silken bed of mushrooms then topped off with a perfectly fried egg, slightly crispy yet when you bite the yolk oozes seductively on to the mushrooms- can you tell I enjoyed it?

We stayed through to the start of the lunchtime rush, the smells were tempting, a large table tucked into meatball heros, the philly cheesesteak and prego roll had me wishing we could stay longer and sweaty betty's sexy soup?- well who dares resist.

 We'll be back with empty tummies.

Roger Ballen/Die Antwoord

Roger Ballen opened his new exhibition Die Antwoord at Heidi's Erdmann Contemporary. I imagine it's difficult to give a speech about your own work, but he spoke with a lovely sincerity, integrity and a poetic measuring of his words.

His photographs usually disturbing to view....confronting, dark realities, scary thoughts and all that- but with Die Antwoord, familiar subjects, there was security in the known and I lingered longer.

His naive graffiti like drawings in the photographs, on the walls and sometimes on the subjects completely intriguing, adding layers of depth.

As usual, Heidi and her great team pulled off a hugely successful exhibition, larger than any previous, gallery full to bursting, pavement and road cobbled with Cape Town's art lovers.

art teacher's drive by -  drive in

5 rooms- one party

The renaissance man had a birthday, and as is his way, he did it in grand style- it doesn't get more stylish or more grand than 5 rooms restaurant at the Alphen Hotel.

Think 17th century old Cape Dutch manor house, thick walls, huge teak sash windows, then step inside to voluptuous velvets, gilded mirrors and walls adorned with art.

Add to that the echoes of opulent parties past - a heady mix of anticipation with a hint of decadence hangs in the air.

That's my starter above, a sublime mix of salmon, avocado, creme fraiche and caviar- the art teacher's was a delicious potato and leek soup with crispy crouton, simplicity bursting with flavours.

My Asian duck main course had me swooning, I was set on another until our waiter described the duck in such appetising detail that he swayed nearly the whole table- his service was perfection.

We left well past the time when the estate's ghosts roam the grounds, a sobering chill of morning air to greet us and the happy thought that I could drive home instead of gallop on horseback.

little birthday bash

At least that's what the invite said... but as usual, it was a fabulously big and raucous affair with all the lovelies coming out to play.

The birthday boy dashing in his favourite cowboy hat, the gallerista cooked a sublime thai chicken curry, the bar men were as charming as ever,

and as always, we were sorry to have to leave.

Barend's Maximalism

You leave Barend's latest exhibition with a sense of wonder, a feeling of playfulness and a serious desire to own everything.... well, at least one of each medium.

I restrained myself from burying my face in this beauty below, soft, textured- surely those joyous colours would imbue my very soul.

Barend at play

The metal sculptures, design simplicity and intricacy,  'sailor tattoo' stole my heart, 3 dimensional, shadows titillating.

Stretched knitted pieces, a riot of colours- everywhere Barend's eye for design, colour and style.

Respect for this impressive artist, who filled the gallery space as well as the few hundred people at the opening with wonderful lightness of being.

 Barend de Wet's Maximalism at SMAC in town- see it and spread the joy.

drive by- drive home