Monday, March 05, 2007
From BBC Food to T*M*A*S
The day before we arrived at the Beach Camp last week, there had been a mini production going on with the filming of the second series of Justin Bonello's Cooked: Weekend's Away for BBC Food. The idea of taking a whole lot of friends away for a weekend, and cooking up some storming meals, while filming the lot, just does not seem like hard work to me!Thing is that I went to school with Justin, and was in his sister Tanya's class, so it's great how leaving your secure home area by visiting a new place, you not only get to meet people from around the world, but from your own past too!
I think I need to sit down and find more reasons to go and chill in Paternoster!
But, back at the office things have been running very nicely, and Angie & Denise have had quite a few awesome bookings come through, that I'll chat about as they come on in time.As a small hint about one of the artists we've confirmed, we do want to congratulate Dozi on getting engaged yesterday!
He will be sending through some material for me to upload and get out there, so more about this English/Afrikaans/Zulu singing man who also gave us that wonderful version of 'Die Donkie' (The Donkey):
Ja die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding (Yes, the donkey is a wonderful thing)
O, die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding (o, the donkey is a wonderful thing)
Hy trek as hy staan en hy vrek as hy gaan, (He pulls as he stands, he dies as he goes)
Die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding (The donkey is a wonderful thing)
On another exciting note - it looks like we have our first tentative date for the official launch of our new sites, and iaminawe is going to be working their butts off to get the whole Peak stable streamlined and looking funky!
They have been very busy of late, and now that they have the 2007 Design Indaba behind them, we are next in line! Gregg sent me a short clip of some of the stuff they have been putting together for Corne & Twakkies T*M*A*S (The Most Amazing Show), and so I'll end off with some of their animations!
Have a great week folks!
Labels: beach camp, Corne and Twakkie, Dozi, iaminawe
Sunday, March 04, 2007
An African star - Vusi Mahlasela
We have been enjoying some time up the West Coast the last few days; 2 nights at the Beach Camp, in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve just outside Paternoster; and a few nights at a little self-catering in Jacobsbaai.I have been watching the first phase of the lunar eclipse, during breaks in the clouds and when it's not pelting down rain, and was lucky enough to catch it almost completely before the next downpour moved in.
The moon was a stunning soft red colour, with just the slightest sliver of silver shining out, while very dark, ominous clouds crept in from the sea. Now - it is pouring again.
But this is a West Coast, where rain is very welcome. All around Jacobsbaai, Vredenburg and Paternoster the veld is a palette brown's. Such a stark contrast to the little white fisherman's cottages that cluster along the coastline. Small villages in wide open spaces.
The Beach Camp has been attracting all kinds of personalities to the West Coast; Stuart Taylor and Kurt Schoonraad were there as part of the Going Nowhere Slowly series; many Afrikaans musicians frequent the campfire and add atmosphere to the starry nights with their guitars. It has such an amazing relaxed allure, with the excitement of nature just 'doing its thing' around you. Turns swooping off the same rock 20 times a day, but never recreating the same pattern twice; the tide rising and falling quietly with just the smallest of waves to remind you its ever moving; and of course a sky full of stars to finish the scene at the campfire.
Speaking of stars - Vusi Mahlasela's new album Guiding Star, on ATO Records, is set to be released on 6 March! It's a follow up to his last highly acclaimed album, The Voice, and features artists such as Dave Matthews, Jem, Derek Trucks, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and other artists he has met on his world-wide travels.Vusi is going to be launching Guiding Star in the USA at the end of March, including a 46664 benefit event in San Fransisco on the 29th, and then in May he will be appearing in Jamestown Virginia, at the America's 400th Anniversary 3-day festival.
Vusi is really focusing on breaking the US market with the success he has already had, and I think it is a great thing. Getting South Africa's name out there to the sticks, and making 'them Americans' that music is being made everywhere - and some of it is just darn good!
Labels: 46664, beach camp, Dave Matthews, Guiding Star, Kurt Schoonraad, ladysmith black mambazo, Stuart Taylor, vusi mahlasela
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hemel oppie Weskus
The Peak office has reopened! And we’re gearing up for a bumper 2007, full of exciting performances and magical music, and many memorable moments for our clients!We started the week by taking all the staff to the Beach Camp at Paternoster, needing to be able to all get used to seeing each other again, and that we could all come to the office feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle all the enquiries that came in while we were closed.
And there were many many emails waiting to be sorted out!
So Lenny, Jasper, Kai and I went with our friend Wendy, and also took Angie and her boykie Alex, plus partner Andrew, and Denise, to a part of the world that is relaxing, beautiful and hot. Nestled up against an outcrop of rocks, in a very sheltered little bay, the Beach Camp is pretty unique! You have all the comforts of hot showers, working toilets, a real bed, and if you’re as lucky as we are, a sea-fronted tent. They cook meals for those who need it – things like paella, crayfish, fresh fish caught that day, muscles, and to wash it down there is a great bar to lean against to really admire the view.So returning yesterday, we all felt refreshed, sun kissed and glad for a great ending to our holiday.
Not that we weren’t working during our off time – we have been working closely with the Jupiter Drawing Room in supplying them with a number of exciting celebrities for the 2007 Woolworths summer campaign, focusing on Proudly South African personalities that we are all proud of.
It started with Roland Schoeman – he flew down to Cape Town last week while we were camping at Hoeppoe Camp in Swellendam for the photo shoot – followed by Zamajobe and Thuli Sitole (ex-Miss South Africa) on Tuesday, Mary-Ann Barlow (known as Jane from Egoli & lead actress in Snitch) on Wednesday, and the lovely Tanya Fourie was in fact being photographed when I started writing this… (Damn. Makes me wonder what I am doing here, when I could actually be there!)So. 2007. It started with a little bit of heaven on the ‘Weskus’ and so can only be a rocking year ahead. Which is why I thought I would start off with an energetic Fokofpolisiekar’s Hemel op die Platteland.
Enjoy!
Labels: beach camp, fokofpolisiekar, paternoster, zamajobe
