village people
Words Mandy Allen
Once Cape Town’s best-kept secret, De Waterkant is a serious charmer, attracting locals and out-of-towners with its offer of interesting history, cobbled streets and quaint architecture, not to mention hefty doses of retail, eating and socialising prospects. And all in a three-by-two block radius
To some, De Waterkant is an urban utopia, a quaint enclave with a village-style atmosphere, hemmed in by the swank of the Atlantic Seaboard on one side, the sex of the city with its global ambitions on the other, and the almost perfectly preserved Bo-Kaap that looks down on it from its position on the base of Signal Hill. To others, it is a tourist trap – a cleaned-up, postcard-perfect version of its former slave-quarter self, where astronomical property prices keep locals from living there. Those who do, can never find parking thanks to the see-and-be-seen bright young things who come for designer shopping, skinny lattes, teeth whitening sessions and late-night sashimi. (Indeed, many of the once private homes are now guest houses, B&Bs, self-catering apartments, luxury manors and suites.) The majority, however, are of the opinion that the balance between local flavour and cosmopolitan cool is just right: tourist visitors and foreign homeowners (who the locals call ‘swallows’, with obvious connotations) lend an international air to De Waterkant; swish restaurants and shops give further credence to Cape Town’s claim to being a global style destination; and the comings and goings of disparate groups – from sophisticated trendsetters and low-key locals to gay holidaymakers spending their pink pounds (dollars, euros and yen) – all make De Waterkant the perfect embodiment of the city’s eclectic, multicultural character.
Until fairly recently, most Capetonians and visitors weren’t that interested in this little hillside spot overlooking Table Bay Harbour, nor its rich history. De Waterkant’s cottage architecture – a mix of Cape Dutch, Georgian and oriental styles – dates back to the early eighteenth century and is attributed to the Malay slaves and ‘free natives’ who made it their home. Narrow cobbled lanes are a reminder of the days before indoor plumbing, when household waste was discarded into and washed down the middle of the streets. For almost two centuries, De Waterkant formed part of the Malay Quarter and was otherwise known as District 5. With the passing of the Group Areas Act in 1966, the landscape altered irrevocably when the mostly Muslim community was banished to the Cape Flats. Although the area was vacated to make way for white people, those who moved in didn’t quite fit the old regime’s definition of upstanding citizens. De Waterkant became known for (and largely avoided by more genteel society because of) its Bohemian residents that included liberals, students and a large gay population. By the late Eighties and early Nineties, young urban professionals had become part of the ethnically and socially diverse melting pot, attracted by its close proximity to the city centre and reasonable property and rental prices. Sitting on the suburban sidelines for so long allowed De Waterkant to develop its unique, avant-garde personality.
Like NoLita in New York, Palermo Viejo in Buenos Aires and London’s Notting Hill before it, De Waterkant became Cape Town’s newly fashionable neighbourhood (in the mid-Nineties), attracting a new breed of residential and commercial tenants (some of the best local architecture, interior design and advertising firms are in De Waterkant or on its cusp). Its regeneration owed as much to savvy property developers who viewed ‘quaint’ as a commodity, as it did to the modern pioneers who set up shop simply because they loved the area, grit and all.
‘My wife and I always thought it was a beautiful place,’ says Stephan van de Ven, owner of one of De Waterkant’s most popular cafe-style eateries, Dutch. ‘Establishing our business here wasn’t about profit, but rather about being part of the community. Yes, it was quite run-down, but we knew it was going to get better. We never dreamed it would take off the way it has. We’ve been here for almost seven years and have seen phenomenal growth and its side effects – good and bad. De Waterkant is much more commercial now; there is a sense that the original community has been squeezed out. There are fewer residents, more foreign owners and so many guest houses. In season, parking is a nightmare. But what’s amazing is that it still has authenticity, which is why people keep coming back.’
And while some traditionalists like to lump property developers together as the devil’s spawn, there is no question that the actions of groups like Village & Life (who are credited with kick-starting the urban renewal of the area with their De Waterkant Village concept, and who now own and run over 80 properties in the locale) were instrumental in preserving and highlighting to the world the intrinsic charms of what makes De Waterkant so special.
Even the developers of the popular Cape Quarter, opened in 2003, drew on the Cape Dutch vernacular for the retail centre’s design and incorporated original finishes like clay brick into its architecture so as to merge with the existing environment. ‘Modern-day De Waterkant does have something of a movie-set feeling to it,’ said one local, nursing a cappuccino at a pavement cafe. ‘I feel at home here, but sometimes think I’m living in Disney World, with perfect streets for tourists who stay in perfectly renovated houses. The facade is the same as it was ten years ago, a lot more cleaned up, but it’s a village that seems tailor-made for visitors. It’s surreal.’ As if on cue, a well-heeled French gay couple in holiday mode stride past a bergie trying to make a buck, stopping long enough at the table next to us to greet their elderly German neighbours who are ‘here for another four days and will then join our children and grandchildren on safari’. A builder’s truck carrying cement bags narrowly misses dinging the side of a Jeep Cherokee with its Gauteng licence plates, and a stylist with a local fashion magazine who ‘just ran in to get some things for a bloody shoot’ swaps heated words with a traffic cop about to issue her with a ticket for parking on a red line. Over the clanging of plates, ordering of lattes, multilingual chattering and swiping of credits cards, the Noon Day Gun rings out as it has for close on 200 years. Where else could you be but in De Waterkant?
FUTURE FORWARD
The landscape of De Waterkant is set to change once again, with several new developments located on its perimeter that are in progress or near completion, promising an influx of even more people. The most significant of these are The Hudson (zoned for retail and office use) and The Waterkant, (a mixed-use residential, retail and restaurant complex). The Hudson is due to open early this year, while residents and tenants are expected to move into The Waterkant towards the end of 2007.
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
Kick-start the day with a fresh brew at Origin Coffee Roasting, 28 Hudson Street, 021 421 1000, where those in the know swear the espresso is the best in Cape Town and coffee connoisseurs swing by to pick up bags of their favourite beans. If you don’t do coffee, the beautiful brick tobacco warehouse (circa 1903) that it’s housed in is worth a look-see. Always a good choice for breakfast is the ever-popular Andiamo, Cape Quarter, 72 Waterkant Street, 021 421 3687. In season you’ll more than likely have to queue to get a table, but the wait is worth it for the sun-dried tomato, feta and spinach scrambled eggs followed by a cappuccino con pana (with cream). Dutch, 34 Napier Street, 021 425 0157, has stood out as a highlight on the local easy eating scene for almost six years. Owner Stephan van de Ven’s menu includes uitsmijters (a traditional Dutch breakfast), syrup-soaked waffles and delicious daily specials. In this homely eatery, orange is the decor colour of choice and everybody knows your name. Café Maxim, 126 Waterkant Street, 021 425 5102, brings a touch of Paris to the area. The pretty but pared-down interior pleases the eye, but it’s the palate that really benefits here thanks to a simple menu featuring one key ingredient – handmade Poilâne bread. This artisanal sourdough bread (flown in regularly from Paris), is topped with chef and manager Anna Ridgewell’s tantalising and sophisticated inventions including poached apricots and honey-drizzled mascarpone. Paris also comes to De Waterkant in the incarnation of La Petite Tarte, Shop A11, Cape Quarter, Dixon Street, 021 425 9077. Exquisite tarts and irresistible quiches are on offer in this tiny cafe, as is a selection of imported teas.
FASHIONABLE DISTRACTIONS
The shopping in De Waterkant is some of the best on offer in the city, with everything from high-end furniture shops and fashion boutiques to decadent emporiums with goods for the home – all concentrated into a small, easy-to-navigate area. The Cape Quarter with its great mix of stores and restaurants is a good place to start, followed by a gentle ramble up and down the narrow cobbled streets. Trade Roots, 13 Hudson Street, 021 421 0401, Private Collections, corner Hudson and Waterkant Streets, 021 421 0298, Indofurn, 15 Hudson Street, 021 425 7676, and Global Heritage, Shop A15, Cape Quarter, 021 419 3133, are the places to head to if you have a yen for interiors with an Eastern flavour. For something completely different, Cape to Cairo, 125 Waterkant Street, 021 421 3518, is a treasure trove of exotica. You’ll need lots of time here. Explore the baskets filled with carved jade Chinese birth signs and strangely compelling objet like Chinese warrior gloves, caress- and weather-worn door panels featuring hand-painted nightingales, or imagine how wonderful an ornate gold-leaf screen with painted lotus flowers will look in your boudoir. And all to Cole Porter playing in the background. Don’t you just hate it when you arrive somewhere special and your carefully chosen outfit is being sported by half the room? Carnival, Shop A2, Cape Quarter, Dixon Street, 021 419 2468, will help you avoid such unpleasantness with its collections of imported designer clothing (for men and women), sourced in small batches to ensure exclusivity. Bohemian stylistas head here for their fix of French designer Gabriella Cortese’s free-spirited Antik Batik dresses, shifts, kaftans and tops. At La Provence Interiors, 74a Waterkant Street, 021 418 1230, owner Harriet Nawrocki has avoided all the usual French-style interior clichés with her carefully edited collection of homeware. Delicate hanging glass hurricane lamps sit side by side with Japanese lanterns, locally commissioned artworks and handmade fragranced candles. Her philosophy is to keep it fresh: every Monday a range of products is discounted to make way for new stock, and price reductions continue until the first Saturday of each month, when goods are auctioned off against a back-ground of bubbly and live music.
BEST OF THE REST
Fusion, Cape Quarter, 021 421 1996
Designer Simon Croft specialises in contemporary glass furniture and interiors products.
Africa Nova, Cape Quarter, 021 425 5123
Well-loved by tourists and locals for its fresh take on Africana and South African craft. Haldane Martin’s pink Zulu Mama chair is a must-have, and is fast reaching iconic status.
Jo Carlin/Muralto, Shop 1, 1Jarvis Street, 021 421 6657
Fashion, furniture and art meet in this spacious, modern boutique with pieces that reflect the owner’s contemporary sensibilities.
Palette de Fleurs, Cape Quarter, 021 421 8258
The scent of fresh-cut flowers and buckets of colourful blooms has a mood-lifting effect. One of Cape Town’s loveliest florists.
Limeline, 4 Jarvis Street, 021 421 3545
For imported furniture with all the right credentials.
CULTURE VULTURES
Two of Cape Town’s best contemporary galleries have De Waterkant street addresses: visit the VEO Gallery and Art Warehouse, 8 and 28 Jarvis Street, 021 421 1568, and Michael Stevenson Contemporary, Hill House, De Smidt Street, 021 421 2575, for a visual exploration of the modern
art scene.
LIFE IS A CABARET
While day walkers enjoy De Waterkant’s many eating and shopping options, social butterflies who come out after dark will have fun meeting and greeting fellow revellers in the area’s buzzing streets. The bold and beautiful sharpen their chop-sticks (and social skills) at Tank, Cape Quarter, 021 419 0007, an LA-style sushi restaurant featuring a 20 000 litre saltwater tank. Wine connoisseurs opt to sip pretty at The Nose Restaurant and Wine Bar, Cape Quarter, 021 425 2200, where the bistro-inspired menu changes every month and the drinks list comprises 35 wines served by the glass (12 of which change every month). Opium, 6 Dixon Street, 021 425 4010, bills itself as one of the city’s more sophisticated club venues, and indeed it is. However, if you really want to get the party started, follow the yellow-brick road to Somerset Road on the border of De Waterkant and enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere that results from the gay bars and clubs that dominate this colourful strip.
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.dewaterkant.co.za
www.villageandlife.co.za
www.capetownvillas.net/dewaterkant
www.capequarter.co.za