| February 07, 2009 |
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 Park off – in a caravan penthouse Brian Hayward WEEKEND POST REPORTER A FORMER Eastern Cape chartered accountant is making waves in the Cape Town business world with his off-the-wall ideas, the latest of which is a hotel in the city centre with “a world first” penthouse made up of classy 1950s- styled caravans. While most visitors would expect plush suites when they check into a hotel, former East London schoolboy Jody Aufrichtig came up with the bizarre idea to convert the roof of plush Long Street hotel The Grand Daddy, which he co-owns with business partner Nick Ferguson, into an up-market penthouse consisting entirely of silver dome-shaped US Airstream caravans. Having launched last week, the Airstreams Penthouse Park has featured in top international travel magazines and already Aufrichtig is planning his next quirky idea – converting the rest of the hotel roof into a ‘50s-styled drive-in, screening only classic movies and with candy-floss and chocolate milkshakes on tap. After that, he wants to take the popular Tsitsikamma tree-sliding concept to the big city, where visitors can slide between high-rise business blocks using a suspended steel cable and landing on the hotel‘s rooftop – provided he gets the thumbs-up from Cape Town authorities. “Guests love the caravan park,” said Aufrichtig, a Selborne College past pupil. “I even stayed in one with my wife and baby. We stayed in the caravan called Dorothy and I woke up in the morning, put on the little polka-dot gown provided and walked onto the terrace with my coffee. It was fantastic.” With seven snazzy caravans dotted around the rooftop, each designed and decorated by top South African artists, guests can choose between themes like Afro-Funkd, The Ballad of John and Yoko, and Moontides. Each is air-conditioned and has an en-suite bathroom. Also hailing from East London, Brigitte Dewberry designed Moontides with business partner Susan Woodley. “It‘s fantastic up there, a unique experience.”
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Shut these hotheads up! OVER the past month there have been increasingly disturbing signs that political tension is reaching boiling point in some parts of the country in the run-up the general election and it is time for maturity and cool heads to prevail to ensure this does not bubble over into violence. No one could ever accuse ANC Youth League president Julius Malema of being either mature or of having a cool head. On the contrary, this not-so-youthful acolyte of ANC president Jacob Zuma is a loose cannon who, with his inflammatory rhetoric and populist claptrap, has done his party irreparable harm and continues to do so virtually every time he opens his mouth.... 
Holidays on wheels take family all over the country Luyolo Mkentane IF YOU want to invest in your family you had better get yourself a caravan. So says a Port Elizabeth couple who have been camping since their youth. Businessman Gert Cronje and his wife Rika, from Heatherbank, say they have made life-long friends on the caravanning circuit and have grown closer to their children.... 
Relegation-threatened Bay ready for Free State Stars Chumani Bambani SOCCER REPORTER DESPITE the emphatic 3-0 midweek loss to defending champions SuperSport United and facing relegation, Bay United still remain confident ahead of their clash against Free State Stars at the EPRU Stadium tomorrow.... 
Bay businessmen forge German link Bob Kernohan BUSINESS EDITOR A VISIT by a German business delegation paid potentially immediate dividends for a trio of Mandela Bay businessmen yesterday.... 
Music show set to hit even higher notes Clive Muller FANS of the music trivia show Noot vir Noot can prepare themselves for first-class fun when Johan Stemmet, Johan van Rensburg and the Musiekfabriek return to brings smiles to all dials and get the toes tapping to the music on Friday evening on SABC2. In December 2007, the show reached a milestone when it aired its 400th episode on TV. This was celebrated by the hosting of former guest artists and memorable Noot Vir Noot champions on the show – including series one winner (now turned musician) Jurie Els.... |
