mama (in) africa: part 1

Finally! Mom touched down in Cape Town and spent 10 days here. It’s so hard to explain everything, so it was really amazing to have her see what it’s like here and what my life is like in this crazy-different place. She’s staying (completely coincidently) around the corner in my hood, Rondebosch, at this beautiful b&b, Little Scotia. Didn’t go to class once all week, so it was a mutual vacation really.

Obviously, I made sure the trip was planned around food. For those considering visiting Cape Town at some point, keep these places in mind: We went to Muizenberg to (1) Knead on THE windiest day with friends, Peter and Kosa. And she met and hit it off with the girls (Anna, Julie, Emma, and Talya) at (2) Café Ganesh in Obs. I also took her to (3) Old Biscuit Mill on Saturday, (4) a Greek restaurant in Little Mobray named…wait for it…"Greek,” (5) an amazing Indian restaurant, Bukhara, (6) a hidden high cuisine gem in the neighborhood, Cargills, and (7) a hip tapas restaurant on Long Street, Fork. My stomach is always a fan of parental units.

We went to the Gardens to high tea at the most beautiful hotel, Mount Nelson. This place is insane! It’s really more like a town than a hotel. There was a “tea ceremony” and we sat, British-style, under a little tree in the garden, munching on all-you-can-eat pastries and cucumber sandwiches.

Her exercise instructor’s neighbor (…random…) who is getting a masters at UCT and who is getting married in a couple of weeks is here. In exchange for hand-delivering his wedding suit, we were treated to a perfectly low-key Italian dinner one night and hanging out at Clifton beach #2 at sunset with his friends on another. I think it was a pretty fair trade.