Sea Point is one of those places you would say has “character”.
That means it can be a bit sleazy in places, maybe quirky or offbeat, but also with an old-fashioned sophistication and timeless elegance. A juxtaposition of contradictions, if you will.
In the space of half an hour you may encounter an orange-robed Buddhist monk, a crazy man eating ice cream while cheerfully chattering gibberish to the row of pigeons looking solemnly down on him from their perch, and two motorists shaking fists and hurling colourful insults at one another.
After a few minutes of defensive driving down Sea Point’s main road you will understand their rage – the taxis cruising up and down hoot constantly and slide up to pass on the left with centimetres to spare, only to pull over in front of you with hazards flashing. It’s not for the faint-hearted.
The commercial stretch, where parking is more plentiful and the attendants much friendlier than in the city centre, has every conceivable retail outlet imaginable – Chinese supermarkets, a kosher butchery and deli, fetish gear (for men), ice cream, massage and tattoo parlours, African markets, budget barbers, a slew of bars and restaurants offering cuisine from Italy, Portugal, Lebanon, Pakistan, Korea, China and Japan, hardware stores, fancy dress and party shops, laundromats and more.
There is fast food and 24-hour food and fancy food, pizzas designed for late-night munchies and burgers the size of your head.
There is a restaurant that revolves on top of the Ritz hotel, one inside a train carriage and another affectionately known as The Duchess (of Wisbeach). Some places, like Ari’s Souvlaki and Buzbey Grill, have been there for decades, while others look suspiciously like money-laundering operations.
The Heartache and Vine is a tiny bar, the kind that you have to check before you sit down that you have not inadvertently taken the seat of a diehard regular who will cast sullen glances your way all night because you are sitting on his favourite bar stool. Decodance is the nightclub that plays everyone’s favourite hits from the ’80s and beyond and is located in the same place as Charlie Parker’s, a legendary club of oh, about 30 years ago.
Down along the beachfront, it’s a different vibe. You get restaurants like the high-end trendy and overpriced La Perla, which is another one which has been around for donkey’s years despite employing the meanest, rudest waiters in Cape Town, and Sunday sundowner favourite La Vie, where you go for mojitos and pizzas and blues harp magician Dave Ferguson.
Somewhere in the middle is Winchester Mansions, which has a bar called Harvey’s At The Mansions. It was revamped during the course of last year and is a great place for sundowners. Inside is one of my favourite secret spots – a beautiful New Orleans-style courtyard with waterfalls of cerise bougainvillea.
The whole stretch is known as the promenade and it’s a popular place to walk, jog or take children and dogs. In all cases, it’s common courtesy to keep the place clean. Take a plastic packet and ensure it stays pleasant.
At one end there is the Sea Point swimming pool, an Olympic size pool filled with filtered unheated salt water, and two children’s pools. The diving pool is still closed. It’s one of our nicer public pools, with lawns and trees, so it’s great to pack a picnic and spend the day. It’s inexpensive too – R15 for adults, R7 for children, and pensioners get in free.
The pool is open from 10am till 6pm. Phone 021 434 3341 for details.
Of course, you could go to the beach if you prefer. There are a few good places along this stretch of coastline, but many of them are rocky and full of sharp shells.
At the other end of the promenade are a few other iconic activities: Putt Putt, the children’s Blue Train and the Serendipity Maze, still only suitable for very short people. There are two Putt Putt courses of 18 holes each, open daily from 9am till 9pm. It costs R14 a person (R10.50 a person for groups of 10 or more) to play a round. Phone 021 434 6805 for more details.
Managed by Rotary of Sea Point, the cute little Blue Train has been running for more than 60 years, which is a remarkable achievement. It costs R10 a person to ride, daily from 9.15am till 6pm (weather permitting). In addition there is a tricycle track, rock climbing, jumping castle (R10 to jump, when available) and basketball. For more information phone Carlo at 021 434 4297 or 072 383 8195.
This used to be known as the Cape of Storms and many ships have come to grief on our craggy shores. There would be a lot more wrecks if it wasn’t for the Mouille Point Lighthouse.
Built in 1824, its haunting foghorn is a familiar sound to Capetonians. Nowadays it serves as the head office of the Lighthouse Services Business Unit and you can take a self-guided tour daily between 10am and 3pm (R16 adults, R10 pensioners, R8 children under 12). If you’d like more information, there are books available for sale, souvenirs and a very helpful woman on duty. Phone 021 449 5171.
Moving along towards the V&A Waterfront you can stop in at Newport Deli, have a high-rise cocktail at Wafu or an extravagant pizza at the Grand Cafe and Beach at Granger Bay. They’ve been running a summer festival which continues until the end of the month, and this weekend is extra special with the Café Peroni experience, today till Sunday.
It is, they say, the Italian’s desirable way of life, complete with appetising Italian cuisine, designer fashion, iconic Italian vehicles, superb international music, open-air Cinema Peroni and more.
International DJ Prosper Rek of Ibiza fame will be at Café Peroni creating a backdrop of relaxed lounge sounds befitting of the exquisite Granger Bay setting. He will be supported by local acts such as Hassanda, Peter Abrahams, Magic Carpet Ride, Collective Imagination and Craig De Sousa. - Cape Times