An Ode To Cape Town!,
In re: to my PlayJumpEat Project:
I’ve been back in the States for 2 months now, & the San Francisco Bay Area is not hurting for creativity. But – there’s something about Cape Town on this level that I So uniquely connect with. I was just thinking about it while driving the other day…it almost felt like a Playground or a “fairytale-land” for me…a video game perhaps (I can hear the soundtrack)!?… It felt like everything was set up so beautifully – the people, the color, the light…
I felt like Cape Town was set up/is set up? to: facilitate incredible creative things…
I feel like the place Thrives on it – on ART.
It places it at it’s epicenter.
And, I’m talking fresh, interesting, clean, colorful stuff…
It almost felt surreal, literally like I was “playing house”, but I was playing “let’s be as creative as possible!” – literally taking all these creative visions in my head & making them real in this context: having meetings with people taking my ideas as close to heart as their own…writing about the initiative in magazines, & jumping on “the bed” themselves!…why? – because this is the stuff they take seriously.
Thank you, Cape Town. I love it!…
It seems to me there is a perception in this space which values Human Life in a certain way…Of the Simple things that seem to Not be taken for granted!…
Playfulness as Priority!
ooo – key phrase!! Playfulness as Priority!! I’m liking that!…
Look – S. Africa has been through a Lot, & it’s…well – perhaps this is in great part why?… Perhaps this is what helps them always remember the Heart. the ART. the Soul. the People…
And, from here, I’m going to put out a Huge, Special thanks (in no particular order!) to so many of you who helped make the Cape Town leg of the project Real & come to life! – (This includes a few of you who were willing to give time & donations to shoots that for whatever reason did not actualize)…MUCHO THANKS!! TO: *And, of course, I so apologize for anyone I might have missed! Know that I truly am grateful for all of your help & participation!…
Brian, Alain, Terri, & Craig at Complete Events
Shafeeka at Rabbit in a Hat Communications
Rory at the City of Cape Town
Marisah et al at Cape Town Tourism
Brett Bailey, Isla, E, et al at: Spier, Africa Centre, & Infecting the City
Nadine & Maciek at Design Indaba
Shani & Nikki at The Imaginarium
Deborah at Misael Space
Linda, Sarah, & Fernando at Exposure Gallery
All the editors I worked with, including those at: O Magazine, Elle Decor, the Property Mag, etc.
All of you bloggers & tweeters that picked it up & shared the Love, Play, Jump, & Eat!, including: The Freedom 2 Be Me,
Crafy Muslimah, Aestheics of Joy, Life is Savage Blog. …& the Lovely Vanessa Raphaely
My Photographers!: Inge Prins, Antonia Steyn, Charley Pollard, & Saul Wainwright.
My huge list of sponsors!, including:
Mervyn at Bed King
Sandi at Restorabilia
Andrew at Peninsula Runners
Celeste et al at One League Management
Knead Bakery
Lakeside Build & Decor
Yoel at Excuse My French
Karen of Core Catering
Tracy at Shine Shine
Leora at Prelude Textiles
Anton at Kinetic (lighting rental!)
Sergio & Jody at The Grand Daddy
All the Participants (including tree dressers, fashion designers, make-up artists, & models) of Oak Couture:
| Mekeka Designs | Stiaan Louw | Annette Van Staden | Morné |
| Jeannette Unite | Marize Malan Claire Homewood |
Talia Barak | Camilla Van Blerk |
| Liezl Odendaal | Moira Meyer | Annette Van Staden | Zandile Benya |
| Miss Texas 1977 | Jane | Nathaline Arendse | Ole |
| Marc Nicolson | Caitlyn Collins | Meike Lutzow | Ndumi Matiwane |
Porky Hefer of Animal Farm
Doreen Southwood of MeMeMe
Kenneth & staff at the Olympia Cafe & Bakery
Jean-Paul and Farran at Still Image
Sven at Golden Arrow
My over 100 models (& jumpers!) who volunteered their time!: including Archbishop Desmond Tutu & Freshlyground
All the assistants & designers I worked with (& also volunteered their time!)
Benita at the Mt. Nelson Hotel
Sarah at the Cape Farmhouse
Sorel at Imoff Farm
Anna Marie at the Tokara Olive Shed
Jo & Mr. Zsa Zsa Zsa for helping us find our shack in Khayelitsha!
Mzoli of Mzoli’s
Richard & Francois at All Weather Marketing
Carol of CODA
Suzette of Bell Roberts
David of David Roberts Architect for the truck loan!
Karen P. for wool donations!
Teva & the kids of the Tertia Kindo Arts Project
Pete at Jacana
Brom, Sol, Nick, & Leo for the trikes! (and an extra special thanks to Sol for being involved on so many levels: model & stylist as well!)
Anita Van Zyl – freelance photography at Olympia shoot
Lara Taylor – video + Kiran Goldman for final edits
Michaelle Goodes – huge cheerleader, & 10,000 favors! Thank you!
Dave Duarte of Huddlemind Labs – for getting me all my striking & simply, no less than Awesome, trike riders! 🙂
Jane Mull – you’ve got a future, lady! Intern Extraordinaire! Thanks, Max, for connecting us! And thanks, Jane, for all your enthusiastic help!
Caitlyn Collins – I still remember the day, sitting in my cottage talking about this. She came on several of the first shoots as “stylist”, was a fashion designer in Oak Couture, & helped me find Inge Prins, my first photographer. Thank you, sister, for helping to get the ball rolling! love.
My HUSBAND!!: for climbing trees, brainstorming, enthusiastically going on shoots, being a constant cheerleader, hauling & driving beds all over Cape Town, being my “behind-the-scenes” social media marketer…this list goes on!…
Julian Gordon for all his generosity on my website – thank you!!
My daughter, who (this is SUCH an understatement) – LOVES to Jump! (she is my hero!) 😉
There are many, many more who helped out & participated in this leg of the project on many levels – be it through tangible involvement, brainstorming, cheerleading, recommending contacts, etc., & of course all of you who came to jump on the bed at Infecting the City, Exposure Gallery, & Misael Space!, whom I am Mucho, Mucho grateful for. HUGE, heartfelt thanks!!!
images from:
– Antonia Heil
– Cape Town Tourism
+ Dirty Kelly Productions 
heart heart heart
Mr. Price Home! I forgot to mention you!! Yes – thank you for the sheets, pillows, duvet, & duvet cover!! This would OBVIOUSLY not have been the same without you!! gracias.