Some good service

Sadly, SA is not noted for its customer service. Or rather, it is, but not in a good way. That’s why when I have some good customer service, I like to tell people about it. And this week has been a revelation in what other countries would call “service”, but what we here in SA call “fantastic service”. These companies should be celebrated and rewarded. I will do the celebration bit here, you sort out the rewards bit by doing business with them.
Companies must adapt or die. As this unnatural form of natural selection proceeds, so poor customer service will die out like the dinosaurs (but without massive meteorite involvement) and good customer service will evolve to be the dominant species.

Hi-Q Wynberg
After my op, I wasn’t allowed to drive for a while. And when I did want to drive, my car wouldn’t start. Even trying  to jump-start it via its big sister didn’t work and I deduced that it needed a new battery. Cue a call to Andre (021) 761 7063, who did exactly what he said he would, exactly when he said he would and got me back on the road.
Nice.

Geysol
Having decided that we needed to save money on electricity (who doesn’t?), we turned to Geyerwise for assistance. They got one of their distributors – Leon from Geysol (076 036 0623) – to pop around and fit our unit for us. One prompt, fast, friendly, helpful and clean job later, we are saving money on our electricity. How much, I’m not sure yet, but I’ll let you know. I’m hoping that the unit will pay for itself inside three months. After that, it’s pure saving goodness.

ADM Home Appliances
With two kids and an annual Cape Town winter, a tumble dryer is a luxury necessity. And it’s only when it goes wrong that you realise how much you rely on it. Not so much yesterday, with its 29.5°C temperatures – more on days like today with its 29.5mm+ of rain.
Ours went badly wrong last Friday and so we called in Deen from ADM Home Appliances on (021) 797 2321. He came, he saw, he took the machine away, he gave us a quote, he fixed the machine and he brought the machine back. What’s not to like?

Pool Doctor
Ironically right next door to my friends at Hi-Q (see above), Pool Doctor (021) 761 9121 dropped in right when they said they would to sort out my leaking pump. Then they sorted out the leaking pump and my pool is looking ready for summer already. This seemed like such a good idea in yesterday’s sun. Today, I’m going to see how the overflow works.

So, if you need bits for your car, to save money on your electricity bill, an appliance repaired or your pool sorted out – please give these guys a call and do your bit to promote decent customer service.

Le Onde

It might not seem like a big deal for many people, but I didn’t enjoy being stuck in hospital, even though it was just for a couple of days. I was bored, sore, drugged, a bit scared. It wasn’t nice.

What kept me going was Ludovico Einaudi – more specifically his music – and even more specifically, his “Greatest Hits” collection Islands. One favourite track therein is Le Onde which translates as “The Waves” and it’s no big surprise to me I like it. As I said before I went in, the thing I’m looking forward to more than any other (save maybe from avoiding future excruciating abdominal pain) is getting back down onto the beach for some blustery walks near the sea.

Sadly, while I wanted to share the goodness of Le Onde with you, I couldn’t find a decent version online. Sure, there’s plenty of Einaudi stuff on Youtube, but I don’t expect you or anyone else to enjoy staring at a picture of an album cover for 5½ minutes (pretty though it may be).
The music is evocative, delicate, powerful – it deserves more than that.

So I did my own version:

 

The music is Einaudi’s (obviously – that’s the point of this whole thing).
The images are mine – taken in and around beautiful Cape Agulhas, South Africa. (Flickr)

And sure, it’s not professional in any way, shape or form. I have neither the software nor the talent to produce a masterpiece.
But it sums up what the music means to me. And that’s what’s important, right?

In addition, it gives you something to look at while you enjoy a few moments of calm in your otherwise hectic day.
You will feel better after watching this.  

Please feel free to let me know what you think. Be gentle. I am a sick man.

Dinner with a view

There’s a new kid in town. Step forward The Executive Club at the Westin Grand.
It’s probably not new at all actually, but it was new to us. And it has finally deposed that amazing 2007 meal at the Cape Grace’s One Waterfront from the prestigious top spot in my Best Meals I Have Eaten In Cape Town list.

As a choice for Mrs 6k’s [redacted]th birthday celebrations, I couldn’t have landed with my bum more firmly in the butter. When it comes to choosing awesome restaurants for big events, it seems that I officially rock.
So here’s how it happened. Read and learn.

Start by getting in touch with Shireen (021 412 9050) at the Westin Grand in Cape Town (that’s the “old” Arabella Sheraton above the CTICC). Book your table.

Arrive, park under the hotel and jump into a lift heading to the 19th floor. Don’t forget to collect envious glances from other elevator users who have to exit at other lesser floors, such as 3, 8 and 12.
12. Pfft.

Enter the restaurant through the thickest plate glass door ever; card-activated to keep the riff-raff out.  Enjoy the dimmed lights, the intimate ambiance, the soft jazz and the beautiful night-time vista of downtown Cape Town:

Is that my Stadium in the distance? I think it is.
(Live webcam here)

Enjoy complimentary bubbly and a rather unusual prawn cocktail appetiser as the Maître d’ and chef appear and wish your wife happy birthday.

Delight in the starters: Carpaccio of Smoked Duck (mango chutney sorbet, masala vinaigrette) and Summer Squash Soup (home made ricotta and sage stuffed zucchini).
Unsurpisingly, it was me who had the duck – and wow – what a combination of textures, temperatures and flavours. Utterly superb.

Revel in (not literally) the tart raspberry sorbet as it cleanses your palate.

Be blown away by the mains: Study of Lamb (pulled lamb terrine and grilled loin with truffled pomme purée, and pan juices) and Norwegian Salmon (poached in smoked olive oil on burnt citrus endive, potato gnocchi and a white chocolate emulsion).
I cannot describe how tender the lamb and how rich and flavoursome the accompanying terrine were. And when joined by a damn fine Rupert & Rothschild Red Blend, well… I was in heaven.

Just remember that it’s not over yet. You still have that Hazlenut and Praline fondant with roasted banana ice cream to endure.
And coffee.
And that’s before they bring out a chocolate and mandarin mousse in a dark chocolate basket to wish your Mrs a happy birthday. Incredible.

And then, cringe with embarrassment when the entire bill (including all drinks) comes to R427, for a meal and an experience I would gladly have paid twice, three-times as much for.

It’s difficult being this good at being lucky at organising a special meal out.
And it was a toughie as to whether I should tell you about this place. I was hugely tempted to keep it all for myself, but then I imagined your poor little faces gazing up at me, blinking back tears, with that “we’re longing for somewhere that can give us an absolutely awesome meal for a very reasonable price” look in your big eyes,and I simply had to share.

But hey – let’s make this our little secret, ok?

Full menu
Dinner with a view special

Popcorn

Something amazing happened on Saturday evening: I went to the cinema.

Now, that might not be amazing for you, but it is for me. I don’t do films. I maintain that there’s no detrimental side to my feelings around the film industry, save for the fact that it does tend to be my Achilles’ heel in pub quizzes. But I make up for that by being brilliant at science and obscure 90s music, and by sitting with people who know about films.

Now, I thought that the film we went to see was all very nice – it was called All Good Things and it starred Kirsten Dunst, who is a good-looking young actress, together with some good-looking young actor and a somewhat distinguished older actor who has been in some stuff before.

Before the film, however, we were treated to some advertisements, imploring us to buy things, including whisky. You’ve probably all seen this a million times before, but like I said, I don’t do films, so it was a first for me.

Here is Robert Carlyle’s The Man Who Walked Around The World, for Johnnie Walker:

Now (said he, in the style of Robert Carlyle in The Man Who Walked Around The World), I found myself rather impressed by the monologue and I began to wonder if it had been created in a single take. Well, turns out that it was and moreover, that it was filmed by a gentleman sat in a rickshaw pulled by two grips. Much like a certain lubricant, the first 39 efforts were none too special and so this work represents take 40, which was the final take from the final day of filming up in Bonnie Scotland.

Consider yourselves informed.

I recognise that this ad is 2 years old. I recognise that I’m behind the times. But I don’t care.
This “short film” had everyone in the cinema transfixed. Transfixed to an ad with a bloke talking about history  for 6 minutes – and they’d probably all seen it before.
I’m not in advertising, but if I was, I think I would probably think that that was a pretty special achievement. And Robert Carlyle was also pretty amazing, although nowhere near as pretty as Kirsten Dunst.

Now, keep walking and go and buy me some whisky.

Running Doula update

Incoming from Melinda, one half of the comedy charity duo that is the Running Doulas.
It’s a brief account of their weekend away in Knysna and their experience of the dreaded Knysna Half:

 The Running Doulas got off to a somewhat unfortunate start. Unhelpfully, disaster struck the day before the race, when I woke up with the beginnings of a cold. This led to a stressful day of indecisiveness before eventually agreeing to leave the decision to a doctor in Plett. After initially suggesting I decide based on how I felt on race day (which I naturally interpreted as ‘full steam ahead’), the GP called back having consulted another physician, and told me unequivocally not to run. Nothing like being banned from doing something to bring out the pig-headed in me! Decision made.

Race day arrived in a cold, dark and early fashion. An hour-long wait for taxis was followed by a hair-raising taxi journey up to a freezing cold, mid-forest start. We barely noticed. Wrapped in bin bags and Jet blankets, we joined the thousands of nervous runners lined up and waiting. A delayed kick off does nothing for the already frayed nerves, but happily four months of training and plenty of terrified projecting all evaporated as the Running Doulas headed off into the forest for our first ever half marathon.

The first 3kms of the race were mostly uphill. The next ‘undulating’ section could better be described as, um, uphill. The views were spectacular which almost made up for the pain. Almost. And just when the relentless uphill came to an end, the route led to the longest steepest downhill I’ve ever had the misfortune of encountering. Many runners walked it. Others ran it backwards or sideways in the interest of using different muscles. All of us cursed it. And then possibly the cruelest part of the race – on finally reaching the last flat 6km section, the route passed under a bridge before leading us to stairs. Stairs! I’d just run 15km. I very nearly sat down and sobbed.

Kim and I both struggled through the last few kilometres on exhausted legs to cross the finish line in under 3 hours. So enormous was our delight that you’d be forgiven for thinking we’d finished in the medals. There were hugs, cheers and probably unsurprisingly, tears.

Without a doubt, it was the support that carried us through the hardest parts of a tough course. Donations are still coming in but it looks like we’ll raise at least R27000, nearly double of original target. To all who supported either by donating or spreading the word – thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You’ve genuinely made a difference.

Great stuff!
My favourite bit was when they put stairs in the route after 15km. That’s like someone throwing broken glass into the long jump pit from the 8m mark onwards. “Congratulations on your fantastic achievement in getting this far. Now, in recognition of your efforts, we’re going to scar you. Permanently.” (a bit like this)

But I think that the real takeaway message from this is that fat figure in the last paragraph: R27,000. I’ve been doing some rudimentary calculations and I reckon that equates to 180 MatPacks. And that’s going to make a huge difference to 180 new mothers and their children. We’ll try and get another follow-up later this year to see how that money has been spent.

Well done Melinda and Kim.

P.S. It’s never too late to donate™ – here are the banking details you require!

P.P.S. Corroboration of the chilly, delayed start story by PamieJane here.