In November we played for the first time at Babylonstoren Wine Farm, between Paarl and Franschoek, deep in the Winelands. www.babylonstoren.co.za
This is really a magnificent place, I am putting it on my must-see list for overseas visitors! It has an enormous and beautiful vegetable garden inspired by the very first Company Gardens in Cape Town. We played in the so-called ‘Plaas Winkel-the Plaas Winkel to end all Plaas Winkel.’ Its wonderful stone floor was reclaimed from an old French Chateau and the decor is both simple and stunning. The epitome of Old Cape Dutch in its most beautiful form imaginable.
Our dear and long-standing client, Letitia Snyman, of the Institute of Culinary Arts, wished us to play for husband’s birthday. www.icachef.co.za
The Institute and Babylonstoren together planned a splendid banquet- rainbow-coloured salads, a whole suckling pig, and organic vegetables-the crinkly green Savoy cabbages looked exquisite next to the rustic roast pig!
Of course, music was the final ingredient in this magical evening, our favourite romantic serenades and French tunes to go with the floor, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, especially for our dear clients. A wondrous evening!
