apr, 19th - where we stayed....

day 436:

the de Waals are living what i hope is my future life. they have the most beautiful family home in the centre of a magnificent city.....with easy access to cafes and fantastic shops but also nature: mountains, beaches, green spaces. but best of all....they are a close family who completely embrace the amazing social spaces throughout their home to come together and enjoy each other's company. i've never fallen in love with a kitchen like i did Doreen's....and who wouldn't want to gather a collection of people around that table above to break bread and toss olive oil.

Doreen de Waal has a successful career in the creative industry and this is reflected in the collection of holiday rental cottages that they have transformed on their property. we stayed in Olive's Cottage which is a one bedroom, self-catering gem......it felt like we had stepped right into Summer and it takes a special place to immediately make you feel at home (especially when travelling with a one year old).

from all the crisp white to the quirky touches, especially the view down Kloof Street, one of Cape Town's main streets, that dominates the bedroom wall, it immediately felt familiar.

 i don't have any family left in Cape Town and although plenty of fantastic friends offered to have us stay, we felt like a couple of days of complete autonomy. the fact that Doreen and her family are so welcoming and that we were looked after with such care by Robert and Ellen, staying at Olive's Cottage felt just like coming home should.

we can't thank them enough for making the first few days of our holiday so carefree.

aside no.1 - i stupidly, initially declined to use their cot for Limi and was just about the pop up our black plastic-tastic travel cot when Robert convinced me to let him put together their one......so glad we did.....

aside no. 2 - our own little terrace for enjoying a coffee and some of Doreen's homemade rusks.

aside no. 3 - sadly no time for lazing about in the sun this trip.

aside no. 4 - Limi thrived with all the outside space and would wake up at 6am walk straight to the front door and say dogdogdogdogdogdogdogdogdogdogdogdog........until we took her outside (although the dogs were still asleep until at least 7:30)

finally, to book one of the holiday cottages go to InAWEStays.

ps. thanks loula for knowing about these gorgeous places.