Parlotones rock Cavendish

VISITORS to Cavendish Square today got a fantastic treat - South Africa’s biggest-selling indie rock band, The Parlotones, were there performing.

Together since 2003, these four guys from Joburg shot to stardom 2006 when they signed a European license deal on the back of their debut single Beautiful being used in a Fuji film commercial. They’ve just released their third album Stardust Galaxies on the back of a massive world tour and were in the centre court at Cavendish Square between 12pm and 2pm, just across from Col’Cacchio.

Kahn Morbee, Paul Hodgson, Neil Pauw and Glen Hodson met their fans and signed copies of Stardust Galaxies and also performed an exclusive acoustic session.

The Parlotones are known for their electric, polished stage performances delivered against the backdrop of their deftly crafted and darkly romantic lyrics. Their sound, described as alternative in their formative years and influenced by the likes of Muse, Radiohead and the Smiths, has evolved substantially becoming more refined and focused with each album.

Their debut album Radiocontrolledrobot took two years to reach gold status, but their follow-up, A World Next Door To Yours, achieved this in just three months, testimony to their evolving sound and popularity. Three months later the album was certified platinum and remained on the South African top 20 sales chart for more than a year, making it the country’s biggest selling rock album of this decade, with seven hit singles. Stardust Galaxies will no doubt reach even greater heights.
With hundreds of thousands of album sales, multiple awards, global tours and scintillating stage performances in dozens of countries, The Parlotones are one of our local music industries greatest success stories.

Watch this space for all the pics of the Parlotones at Cavendish Square!

Man Cannot live on bread alone - but we can give it a try!

By Bianca Coleman

There can be few things more comforting than the aroma of freshly baked bread, or more satisfying than popping a morsel of soft dough, still warm from the oven, into your mouth.

With an on-site bakery, Doppio Zero not only serves a selection of breads to your table before your meal, but you can buy to take home. The range includes ciabatta – plain, with olives, or sundried tomatoes, seed loaf and Turkish (with sesame seeds and an extra brushing of olive oil to crisp the crust), among others. Each of these is baked, from scratch, in a certain order each day and customers in the know make sure they are there when the loaves come out the oven.

With a vast menu running to several pages of more than 200 items, Doppio Zero offers something for everyone, from breakfast (they open at 7am) through to dinner (9pm on weeknights, 10pm weekends). Choose from gourmet sandwiches on ciabatta, seed bread, bagel, rye or Turkish bread; croissants and tramezzinis; hearty soups like minestrone, butternut, Moroccan bean or goulash; light meals and salads; and main meals of chicken, meat, fish or vegetables, done Italian style. Many of these are available in half or full portions and priced accordingly. The health conscious can also swop out chips for caprese salad with some options.

This is all fantastic enough, but Doppio Zerio does specialise in pizzas and pastas, says owner Viron Manolos. On his recommendation we sampled the Costa Plenty pizza topped with roast lamb, rosemary, feta and tzatziki, which is making me hungry just thinking about it. We also had the spaghetti frutti di mare – a tomato based sauce with mussels, prawns and calamari, and to offset the kilojoule guilt, a Thai chicken salad. Absolutely delicious, darling.

For more information or to find out what time the bread will be ready, call 021 683 6527.

INDULGENT PAMPERING IN A TRANQUIL OASIS

WIN INDULGENT PAMPERING IN A TRANQUIL OASIS WHEN YOU SIGN UP TO BE A MEMBER OF CAVENDISH VIPS

They say that Kobe beef – the cows drink beer and get massaged every day - is the best in the world on account of how happy they are. After spending a blissful afternoon at Edge, I think I know how they feel. Literally.

On the one side of the salon is Edge For Men, where guys can get their hair cut, or a good old fashioned hot towel shave for the smoothest, most kissable cheek, as well as a range of other grooming, facial, scalp and hair treatment. Edge is owned and managed by one of Cape Town’s leading men’s stylists, Mark Page, who has been in the business for some 20 years. He has assembled a team of professionals who offer some rather unique services, including the threading method of hair removal.

On the other side of the salon, is Edge Skin & Hair where Carien will whisk you away into her treatment room for as many hours of pampering as you can handle. She gives the gentlest waxes, ladies, and magical massages. After that, having been offered a very civilised glass of wine, you can move to the basin for the most heavenly scalp massage that will have you melting in your chair, before Tanya applies her expert hand at cutting, colouring and hair styling.

Carien specialises in Dermalogica facials and is offering a back and neck massage to the value of R200 with every facial this month. For more information call Edge on 021 671 8404.

Edge for Men is also one of the sponsors of a prize for Cavendish VIPs - a style makeover which includes treatments, Redken hair products and Dermologica Shave for Men products worth more than R5 600 (see details on the programme above).

Cavendish Square and Top Billing take the guess work out of Christmas Shopping

CAVENDISH SQUARE AND TOP BILLING TAKE THE GUESS WORK OUT OF FESTIVE SHOPPING

With under a month until Christmas, if you’re not one of those super efficient people who starts their shopping mere moments after the January sales, chances are you’re about to spin into a panic.

Stop right there…take a deep breath, pour a glass of something nice and chilled, and flip through the pages of the Top Billing Gift Guide brought to you by Cavendish Square.

Top Billing, both the television show and the magazine, is the epitome of the aspirational lifestyle so who better to turn to for advice on the most perfect gift for that special someone. You’ll be tempted by the lavish photographic spreads themed for Darling Dads, Might Moms and Cool Kids as well as luxurious and unique items like a Swarovski-encrusted brassiere which I am coveting, and much more.
Get some tips from Top Billing’s decor and food editors Colin O’Mara Davis and Amor Engelbrecht on how to set the most glamorous festive table this season, and find out what the Top Billing presenters and celebrities are planning for stocking stuffers. “What to get the special man in your life? I recommend a stylish money clip,” says presenter Jeannie D. “I think it is so sexy and sophisticated when men use old style money clips – it’s a very James Bond look!”

Dip into the Top Billing Gift Guide and get some guidance from models Tanya Fourie and Lyndell Jarvis, comedian Stuart Taylor – whose brilliant show Learner Husband is currently on at the Baxter, Idols winner Jason Hartman, and Top Billing presenters Jo-Ann Strauss and Janez Vermeiren among others. With a full list of stockists at the back of the guide, you can plan your entire festive shopping spree in comfort and the minimum of fuss.

Get your copy free with the current issue of Top Billing magazine, or from Cavendish Square from November 30.

Free parking at Cavendish

FREE PARKING AT CAVENDISH SQUARE

Have you been out to the Cape Town International Airport lately? The new parking garages they are building are about three times the size of the international and domestic terminals put together, and I’m willing to put money on them all being full.

As the world grows, so too does the number of cars and there are few things more stressful than finding somewhere to park yours. Cavendish Square has bays for thousands of cars, and a very clever system with little red and green lights which show you where there is an empty space. It sure beats driving up and down, getting frustrated. Besides that, the cost of parking at Cavendish is probably the lowest anywhere in Cape Town, including the street. Even so, they’ve gone and made things even easier and more convenient with the introduction of the Cavendish Parking Card.

Available from the Parking Concierge Desk on the P1 parking level, it costs just R10. It can be recharged and topped up at any time, and will allow you to skip the queues when leaving Cavendish. No more standing behind those people fumbling in their wallets for loose change – what bliss!

The card is being launched with a special promotion – get yours now and you’ll get a bonus of three hours free parking to be used anytime, plus free – yes, you read right – free parking between 6pm and midnight from now until December, 31 so there’s no reason not to linger longer and enjoy everything Cavendish has to offer. Don’t dilly dally over this offer though; it’s for the first 1000 customers only.

WIN YOUR SHARE OF R150 000 WORTH OF PRIZES WITH CAVENDISH VIPs

Let’s face it – being one of the classiest centres in Cape Town, shopping at Cavendish Square is always a special experience. With more than 200 highly desirable stores, cinemas and restaurants under one roof, and plenty of parking, it’s the destination of choice in the leafy southern suburbs.

To make it even more singular and unique, Cavendish is introducing a loyalty programme – CAVENDISH VIPs - which will give its members benefits above and beyond those of the average shopper. You’ll be the first to hear about what’s hot and happening at Cavendish, for example, and you’ll also be invited to exclusive events like book launches and movie premieres. There will be special offers from stores just for you, as well as from partners like the Baxter Theatre and Old Mutual Summer Sunset Concerts at Kirstenbosch.

But wait, as they say, there is more…not only will you be in line for ticket giveaways from Big Concerts for mega stars like Elton John, Kelly Clarkson and Cliff Richard, but if you sign up for the programme between the end of November and January 10, 2010, you could walk off with your share of more than R150 000 worth of prizes from some of the Square’s generous tenants.

How would you like to have dinner for two at Col’Cacchio – every month for a year? Heck, I’d say yes to that; their pizzas are fantastic and the giant salads are to die for, doll. Fossil watches, sunglasses from Eyelights, beauty and pampering sessions from The Edge (see below for more on that) and all manner of fashion vouchers are up for grabs...and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The way I see it, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Go to www.cavendish.co.za to sign up now and become a winner!

By Bianca Coleman