2oceans Vibe

Judging by the number of views, most of you would have seen episodes of The Compound, which was filmed at the 2oceansVibe Media compound. Pretty plush offices, I’m sure you will agree. With all the “mod-cons,” including Cape Town air conditioning. Which is what I want to chat to you about today.

Summer is just around the corner and as you know things can get pretty hot – especially in Cape Town. Without good affordable air conditioning in Cape Town, you’ll be sweating like a fat kid at a hot dog eating contest in no time. That is why I want to point you in the direction of these guys – Air Nova – because when it comes to air conditioning in Cape Town, they’re the most affordable – believe me…

Give them a call on 021 557 8092

Or email info@airnova.co.za

Cape Town Air Conditioning here.

Mention 2oceansvibe for further discount…

(chat to Brendon)

Okay, calm down. Step away from the water cooler. The office gossip can wait. Come sit down over here, and read this.

Men, and empowered women.

It’s 2011. We’re not our grandfathers, okay? 99% of us don’t have access to a fully equipped woodworking shed. We don’t while our own door knobs, or plane our own shelves. Hell, most of us don’t even hang our own shelves. Why? The evaporation of knowledge, friends.

The move towards digital technology has given birth to a slew of skills that gran and gramps could never have imagined. Conversely, some of the skills that were central to their lives, like the ability to make your own butter, or construct your storage space from timber and guile, are no longer necessary in today’s world. Well, not to each of us as individuals. We’re too busy. And besides, there are people like Homefixers to do it.

And my word, do they do it well. What is “it’? “It” is basically any home task that you can think of. Really. Check out what they did for us:

Picture hanging:

Disclaimer: Model is mobile (i.e. not mounted)

All. Over. The. Office.

Some pictures are bigger than others…

Latch installation:

Window

Bathroom

Restoring and installing a solid oak bar:

The Compound Bar. Nicely.

Installed with a door!

Shelf mounting:

Sign mounting:

Dry walling and painting:

Dry walling installed all the way around the top. Yeah baby.

TV mounting:

Nice brackets

Custom carpentry:

Storage space. Built. With wood. From scratch.

Bear in mind that this is by no means an exhaustive list of tasks that Homefixers nailed for us. It’s just a sample, my lovelies. Really, give them a call. Tell them Seth sent you. Ask for Ian, or Philip. Oh, and if Davie comes to your place, treat him nicely. The guy is a gentleman, and a wizard with a tool belt.

If you’re anywhere in the Cape Town area, you can’t go wrong with these guys.

Check out the Homefixers website HERE!

I’m going to jump straight into this because everyone I have told has begged me for the name of these guys – so there is no need to sugarcoat it – This shit sells itself. Their name is PrintWild.co.za and this is how their website works. It’s basically a joke. In a good way.

It doesn’t get easier than that!

1) You choose what kind of print you want (framed or mounted or canvas) as well as the physical size of the thing.

2) Choose the size you want, as well as the number of copied.

3) Upload the image file from your computer or camera memory card.

Then you give your address and pay online, either with a credit card, or EFT and BOOM – it arrives at your door a few days later!

But PLEASE TAKE NOTE – it’s not JUST canvas that they do. They do mounting, box-framing and all sorts!

Check out some of the stuff I had made at the new 2oceansvibe Media headquarters.

Above is the massive canvas print we have in reception

Check out these other ones below. One is the white-box-frame and one is mounted. We’ve got them all over the office. All done online. Oh, there is also the canvas print of our shoot which featured in the March issue of Marie Claire..

Upload file. Choose style. Choose size. Pay. Boom!

Seriously, there is not much more to say. It’s like a dream machine!

PRINTWILD.CO.ZA

CLICK HERE and do it now. You can literally spend the next 7 minutes doing it and the print will arrive at your door in a few days time!

Yes, this is EXACTLY the course you need. You enjoy taking pics and you want to get better. You keep on telling people that you would like to improve, but just haven’t found the right course. Here it is, my friend – just look at the title – “University of Cape Town (UCT) Digital Photography Course.” Boom – that’s the the one right there! It’s part of the famous GetSmarter courses you’ve been hearing about. The course is presented completely online and is aimed at beginners, intermediates and photography hobbyists.

Raise your game – switch to manual mode..

Finally you can change that camera setting to ‘Manual’ and start taking yourself a little more seriously. It’s no wonder SA’s leading street fashion blogger, La Muse from PopYaCollar.co.za has already enrolled!

Check it out:

The course in a nutshell:

- Learn to use your digital SLR camera to its full potential and take better photographs

- Deepen your photography skills and learn to shoot in full manual mode

- Become part of an online photographer community and share work, photographs and ideas while being guided by experts.

- 10-week course presented online throughout South Africa

Results in a Certificate in Digital Photography issued by the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Film and Media Studies

Course modules:
Module 1 Getting to know your camera
Module 2 Aperture
Module 3 Shutter speed
Module 4 ISO
Module 5 Understanding light the way your camera does
Module 6 Using basic flash
Module 7 Composition
Module 8 Portraits
Module 9 Landscape
Module 10 Basic photo editing techniques

Who should attend this course?
The course is suited to both prospective photographers, who are unfamiliar with their digital SLR cameras, and current photographers who are not yet shooting in full manual mode or who want to refresh and deepen their photography skills. Students may use any type of digital SLR camera.

For more details, please contact:
Contact person: Claire
Telephone: +27 (0)21 685 4775
Email: claire@getsmarter.co.za

Check out their website HERE for more info and signup

For 10% off simply quote “2oceansvibe” when you register – note this applies only to the upcoming presentation.

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Just yesterday a friend of mine who recently quit his job to live the holiday said this to me.

“You know, it’s amazing, I actually have time to get things done now. I can actually complete admin tasks.”

I knew what he was getting at.

The majority of us are roped in to 9-5 jobs. And what time are shops and services usually open? That’s correct, from 09h00 to 17h00. So that begs the question – when the hell do we ever find the time to complete admin tasks when they come up?

There are three options. Either you don’t work from 09h00 to 17h00 (ahem), or you don’t get it done.

The third option is a lot trickier – you work a miracle. Somewhere between baby-sitting your boss’s stress levels, acknowledging the existence of your spouse and children, and bringing home the bacon, you manage to make it to that place, within business hours, to get that thing done.

But miracles like that only happen once a week – anything more and you would literally die from stress and self-loathing. So the inevitable happens. Tasks keep piling up, along with new work commitments, and the constant nagging from your parents that they don’t hear from you anymore, and then you get a speeding fine in the post, and the library sends you the twelfth snarky letter informing you that David Hasselhof’s biography is still overdue, and then your domestic executive informs you that she’s been implicated in a ponzi scheme bust and that you’re likely to be indicted, and then you have a nervous breakdown.

Just. Not. Enough. Time.

Let’s avoid all of that, mkay? Let me tell you a little secret.

Public Service Announcement: How to get things done AND live the holiday!

Toodu is an innovative service that will basically change your life.

This hot little baby is a sweet idea from a Cape Town startup that puts your to-do list to work while you get on with other more important things, like cuddling your money, or harpooning marlin off the back of a yacht.

Just put everything you need to do on your Toodu list, then sit back and let the service providers come to you.

One of the most attractive features of Toodu is that it’s free. And I especially like the fact that my contact details aren’t shared with anyone unless I want them to be. Usually I don’t.

Living the holiday has never been easier. Here’s a little peak at my Toodu list for this week.

Seth’s Toodu List

• Get back to Kim Jong Il re drinks on Wednesday.
• Get quotes on aircon for office.
• Source guy for Dolphin Aquarium construction at Safe House.
• Get tracking system for Mini Countryman.
• Renew bike drivers license for the Vespa.
• Interview prospective lion tamers for Vibe Party.

Toodu is only available for Cape Town vibers for now, but the guys assure me they’ll be rolling out digital to do lists across the rest of South Africa soon. Internet, meet humanity. Humanity, meet internet.

It’s like we were made for each other!

To all the ex-pats and foreign readers out there…it’s October already and you’re leaving it pretty late, if you still haven’t booked your villa for your Cape town holiday. I mean, you ARE coming to Cape Town over December, right? Best you get moving – and 2oceansvibe Villas has something for every pocket. See what’s available after the jump.

‘Madonna Chef,’ Neill Anthony offers exclusive services

Top Cape Town Chef Offers Everything From Master Class To Supper Clubs – Branded “The God Of Food” by News24′s Cathy Marston, Neill Anthony is Cape Town’s most exclusive private chef and has cooked for the likes of Madonna, the Beckhams, U2, Elton John and can now cook for you! He offers a range of bespoke services from master classes to supper clubs! Follow him on Twitter and Facebook under “Neill Anthony” and always remember to use two LL’s! [neillanthony.com]

Britney Spears’ Bodyguard Filing Sexual Harassment Lawsuit – a bodyguard who claims to have been sexually harassed by Britney Spears is filing a lawsuit today, claiming Britney repeatedly exposed herself to him. According to the suit, Fernando Flores claims, “She was wearing a white lace, see-through dress. She walked over close by, intentionally dropped her cigarette lighter on the floor, bent over to retrieve it and thereby exposed her uncovered genitals.” Hilarious! [tmz]

Rising Tide Of Acid Mine Water Threatens Johannesburg - A toxic tide of acid mine water is rising steadily beneath Johannesburg which, if left unchecked, could cause earth tremors, power blackouts and even cancer among residents. The water is currently around 600 metres below the city’s surface but is rising at a rate of between 0.4 and 0.9 metres per day, meaning it could overflow onto the streets in just under a year and a half. Stunning! [telegraph]

With a Little Help From His Friends - At 19, Sean Parker helped create Napster. At 24, he was founding president of Facebook. At 30, he’s the hard-partying, press-shy genius of social networking, a budding billionaire, and about to be famous—played by Justin Timberlake in David Fincher’s new film, The Social Network. In theaters this month, the movie purports to tell the story of Facebook’s first year, partly by focusing on a darker side of Parker’s persona. [vanityfair]

Google Debuts ‘Instant’ Search – Because nine seconds is an eternity on the internet, now you can conduct a search in a “Google Instant.” The iconic search site Wednesday unveiled the new feature on Google.com and to a packed auditorium of tech writers in San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art — no doubt doing vanity searches to see how quickly their names came up. And they do come up fast. Google Instant is like the familiar ’suggested search’ type-ahead, but on Javascript steroids. [wired]

Piers Morgan To Fill Larry King Slot – After months of speculation, Piers Morgan, the British newspaper editor best-known to U.S. audiences as a judge on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” has finally completed talks to take over Larry King’s weeknight talk show on CNN. CNN, hoping to bolster its flagging prime-time lineup, has settled on Morgan after delicate and wide-ranging negotiations that cleared numerous obstacles. [latimes]

Is Caroline Wozniacki’s US Open Dress Too Short? - Caroline Wozniacki is enjoying a terrific U.S. Open. On Monday, the 20-year-old sensation ousted Maria Sharapova to advance to the quarterfinals. Her dress, which barely covered any of her legs, was noticeable to many viewers. After the match, Wozniacki was asked about the outfit during a press conference.”I think it’s nice,” she said, adding that she will “get a lot of male fans now” due to the revealing dress. No doubt.. [huffpo]

Condoleeza Rice Got Into Heated Debate With Bush During 9/11 - Condoleezza Rice has revealed that she shouted at President George Bush and banned him from returning to Washington to run the country in the chaotic few hours following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Roughly 30 minutes after terrorists flew a second hijacked airliner into the World Trade Centre in New York, Ms Rice, then the National Security Adviser, became involved in a heated exchange with President Bush. [independent]

Russians Urged To Smoke And Drink More – What a wonderful initiative, as we cross to Moscow. Smoke and drink more, Russia’s finance minister Alexei Kudrin said to citizens on Wednesday, explaining that higher consumption would help lift tax revenues for spending on social services.“If you smoke a pack of cigarettes, that means you are giving more to help solve social problems such as boosting demographics, developing other social services and upholding birth rates.” Brilliant! [thestar]

Manual on How to Molest Children Is Legal, Cops Say – A 170-page manual explaining step by step how to molest children which police in Orange County, Fla., believe has been circulating there for months, is not illegal. Investigators have stated that they still want to know where it came from. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It was pretty amazing when I first saw it just because how detailed it was,” said Orange County Sheriff’s Office Det. Philip Graves. [abcnews]

Did Tony Blair Add Spice To A Section Of His Book? – Good artists borrow, great artists steal, and then there is the question of Tony Blair.In an article published in The Daily Telegraph of London, the screenwriter Peter Morgan suggests that an account of Mr. Blair’s first meeting with Queen Elizabeth after he became prime minister in 1997, as recounted in Mr. Blair’s memoir, “A Journey,” is at least heavily inspired by a similar scene Mr. Morgan wrote for the 2006 feature “The Queen.” [nytimes]

News Corp Is Freaking Out – “You don’t get it,” a member of News Corporation’s inner circle in London told me last night, about the phone hacking scandal. “If there was a conspiracy in the company, the conspiracy was to keep Rupert from knowing.”That is called the circle-the-wagons defense. That’s called everybody-else-is-expendable. That’s called a total freak-out. The company has been caught as on the ropes, as it ever has in its 60-year history. [michaelwolff]

Snoek Town Calling – Fans of Living Stylishly Well will be aware that our boy is taking a break from Provence and is in the Mother City with “Madame.” They took a turn at Kalk Bay’s Live Bait restaurant. “It’s September in Cape Town. It’s snoek season. Pop down to Kalk Bay harbour and envelope yourself on the sights, sounds and smells of the snoek season.” More.. [livingstylishlywell]

It is always a joy when you back people or brands that you believe in, and they excel. As you know, 2oceansvibe doesn’t get behind just anyone or anything. We’ve had a pretty shit-hot record at backing the right horse/s and we’re not gonna risk that track record for anything.

That’s why we are so proud of Marina and The Little Black Book who have just launched their new website, which gives an astounding showcase of everything they do (and have done – my God!) – from events, functions, PR, weddings, decor and promotions, this full-function agency’s list of successes is OUTRAGEOUS!

You should check out their website and find out more about the ridiculous list of clients and testimonials they have.

THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK – FIRST FOR CUSTOM EVENTING

The thing about Marina and The Little Black book is Marina has known virtually every one of the people and celebs on her guest list since they were kids. You can’t train someone to have connections like she has. I’ve been mates with her since I was 12, this chick IS Cape Town. Who do you think organises all The Vibe parties?

And don’t even get me started on her guest list – the mixture of sports personalities (real sports personalities) models (real models), corporates/ execs, glamorous socialites and a media list to die for, is simply off the hook! Who do you think orchestrated the recent World Cup party which Leo Di Caprio and Mick Jagger attended? Come on, man – get real!

They always over-deliver when it comes to generating media coverage and I can vouch for this from my personal experience – there are always flashbulbs and guaranteed post-event media coverage due to the excellent way Marina, Jules & Gabi (check out the team here) handle the press no matter how hectic the event. Top Billing, Showbiz Report, SKY News, Cape Times, Heat, All Access, Argus, Sunday Times – whatever, I’m getting bored – the list is too long.

You only get one shot to do it properly – don’t mess around – do yourself a favour and get in touch with THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK .

Not content with public notices blatantly confirming they will turn a blind eye to gay sex in the bathrooms, Virgin Active are taking the sexual innuendo messages even further. This time they are encouraging members to strip naked and help the “drainage” problem they’re having.

The notice requests members to “bare” with them.

Virgin Active can’t help themselves

Given the fact that your management are capable and literate (right?), is the choice to use the word “bare” rather than “bear” really necessary?

Just because Virgin Active gyms feature on most gay “cruising websites,” doesn’t mean that you should impose this penchant for same-sex casual bathroom shinanigans on the rest of us.

Or does it?

[thanks bartlett]

Remember the “alleged” tale of the Grand Daddy Valet who stole a customer vehicle and rolled it 70 kilometres away in Blue Downs?

The Grand Daddy Hotel left a comment on that story. Let’s enjoy it with our morning coffee:

A response to this post from the Grand Daddy:

It is regrettably true that this incident took place. One of our (now ex)staff illegally (and silently) took a guest’s car home to get a change of clothes. The car in question was a Mini Cooper but it is not the one pictured in the blog post – the damages in that picture are a somewhat exaggerated version of the real damage. The staff member has been arrested and criminally charged and the Grand Daddy’s insurers are currently dealing with the situation in order to settle with the car owner.

Okay so, this happened, and Grand Daddy admit the illegality of their staff’s (and therefore their own) actions. Also, the police happen to agree that the valet committed a crime. So this thing is pretty clear cut. Grand Daddy will sort the owner of the car out, right?

Sadly, not all hotels have service at the heart of their business model.

On Friday I got a somewhat troubling email from Rosanne Turner, the owner of the jacked Mini Cooper S, some of which is posted here.

Rosanne picks up with the tragic narrative the day after her car was wrecked by a Grand Daddy employee. As Black Beard would say, “Woe betide thee not to listen, for tharrr be lessons!”

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A lot of people have been hucking me for “the name of that online shirt company” I use. So I couldn’t think of a better way to show you, than with this announcement I received about their winter special. Those of you who understand what tailored shirts are all about will be quite aware of how good this price is – especially for the quality you’re getting. And they are 100% customised – from lining, to thread detail (I like a red thread for the top button and hole), to collar shape and angle.

Seriously – there is no end to what you can do.

It’s basically just all a big joke.

COLLARANDCUFF.CO.ZA

And those of you who don’t get it – it’s cool – don’t get upset, it’s just not for you..

The FIFA 2010 World Cup™ kicks off this week and it is clear that soccer fever has hit Cape Town. With the sound of vuvuzela’s throughout the city and every second car dressed with flags and mirror socks, it’s easy to see that Cape Town is ready to welcome the world.

Cape Town Tourism has launched a Facebook Fan Page for those who love Cape Town to stay up to date with all the news, what’s on and places to see in Cape Town, click here to become a fan and write on the wall, post a photo or just see what the other 60,000 fans have to say about Cape Town!

Why?

Because Cape Town is awesome – that’s why..

First it was Green Market Square, and now it’s the V&A Waterfront.

Yes, ladies and gents, we’re talking about free Wi-Fi.

We recently ran a story on Skyrove’s offering of free Wi-Fi in Green Market Square, Cape Town. Things have developed ever so slightly.

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While we wait for our winning lottery numbers to come in, it’s nice to know that you can still live the holiday on your own terms. Choose the place, choose the time, and live the holiday whenever it suits you!

I received an update of the new 2oceansvibe Villas properties and I must say, they knocked my socks clean off. We now have properties available in Mauritius for you to rent -as well as some new killer options in Camps Bay!

Check out this one in Mauritius – for as low as R1,916 a night! For a three bed? With daily housekeeping included! That’s ridiculous – so for six people you’ll be paying R320 a night per person. Shame, haven’t they made it easy enough for you? And it’s a peach too – check it out:

Umm.. yes please!

Villa Alira is a beautifully positioned villa located right next to The Paradis and Dinarobin Hotels and within close proximity to Le Morne kitesurfing spot and the white sandy beaches of Le Morne.

The house comprises a large garden with its own private pool, sun-loungers and a large open terrace, perfect for outdoor living.

Inside, the property enjoys a large, open plan lounge and dining room which leads to a fully equipped kitchen and the bedrooms, which are located at the rear of the house.

The master bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom and four poster bed, while the second double bedroom shares a large bathroom with the annexed twin bedroom.

The house is a perfect combination between luxury, position and affordability and is one of the most popular properties on the Easyrent portfolio.

[more here]

And here’s a new one in Camps Bay – looks pretty sweet hey?

Back in “The Bay”

The imposing three-level Sea and Rock villa reflects its name as it occupies a mountainside site with superb seascape views over Camps Bay. The dimensions of this commodious retreat are most generous, sleeping up to eighteen, especially in respect of expansive decking areas being as large as the adjoining interior floor space. Pergolas, controlled-water fed pot planting and a large ying and yang-shaped Zen garden furnish what are essentially outdoor rooms. The design reflects the environmental textures of its rocky backdrop while maximising exterior living space and incorporating saltwater pools and jacuzzis.

The ingenious versatility of this six-bedroom villa/ one bedroom apartment is its ability to function as either three separate apartments, each sleeping six on self-contained floors, a main home and guest storey, each with its own pool and jacuzzi, or as one triple-level villa interconnected with and accessible from each level via steep stone steps. The design is wrought in indigenous natural materials of signature ‘balau’ timber decking and in the interior travertine tiling and caesar-stone. The villa is environmentally-friendly in minimising water use by means of an electronically controlled watering system, rain-water tank irrigation recycling and rooftop solar panels.On the first level above the garage and storage rooms, the guest suite/master bedroom opens onto a very large deck and unique feature of a swirling pebble and grass-effect Zen-style garden of cacti plants and quartz boulders.

[More here]

“Tick all the boxes,” basically!

I find it hysterical when property descriptions boast by calling the property “imposing!” It’s hilarious! And awesome. All at the same time!

So there you have it, my loves – and that is only the beginning! Go to www.2oceansvibe VILLAS.com and check out the rest – there is something for everyone!

I tell you, “living the holiday” has never been easier.