We get this question every day: “I love your shop. Where did you get your inspiration?”

After about the 100th time, we decided to provide a very definitive answer… but necessary to fully comprehend why the artwork on our walls was chosen; why every book is selected; why every mug is different, but strangely the same, why there are no screens on the premises.

When we arrived at the Southern tip of Africa, we felt as though we had stepped into a Norman Rockwell painting. We were suspended somewhere between the real world and fantasy. On the one hand, the real world showed us daily images of violence, scandal, and hopelessness, punctuated with occasional distractions to keep us from total despair.

On the other hand, we sat together sipping glasses of sauvignon blanc, and watching a beautiful sunset behind the blue/green Klein River Valley mountains as the wind swayed the tall Blue Gums around us. Bliss.

We loved those mountains. They greeted us every morning for nearly five years of our residency there. On hot days, the clouds would spill over them like a white tablecloth preparing the banquet of our day.

And every day was a banquet— a banquet for the senses. The birdsong, the sound of the river, the Ibis calling, the wind and the dancing blue gums, the wine, and the smell of someone’s braai cooking.

We were surrounded by vineyards because the Cape of Good Hope produces a lot of wine…delicious wine. And we enjoyed quite a bit, patronizing all the farms in our district, and beyond. And we didn’t eat. “Eating” is a mechanical response of the body to appease a demand for more calories. In the Cape of Good Hope, we dined on a culinary wonder of combinations not found anywhere else we’ve traveled.

If this sounds like heaven to you, why wait until death to experience it?…we’ll take you there.

We’re calling this a “living tour,” because it’s focused on experiencing and enjoying the good things in life: good food, good wine, good views, good ambiance, and good company.

Most people associate a vacation in Africa with a Big Game safari, and these experiences are wonderful, don’t get us wrong. But this “living” tour is not necessarily about experiencing new things (although you certainly will), but savoring things everyone should have, but often don’t because the treadmill of life keeps us running with no breaks.

Well, take a break! Sit at a cliffside cafe’ along the Whale Coast and feast on fresh fried calamari paired with a bottle of Brut Rose’. Enjoy a campfire sundowner with gin and tonics and charcuterie boards featuring exotic game meats. Hike along the top of Table Mountain, then take the cable car down to Cape Town for sushi and bubbles at Willoughby’s by the Waterfront. Then trek off to a hidden vineyard in Constantia for wine-tasting.

Live a little.

Ten days. Eight guests only (so hurry).

$3,255 Per Person (Double Occupancy)

$750 Single Supplement.

$500 non-refundable deposit to hold your space

What’s on offer:

> Beautiful accommodations.

> All meals and wine tastings

> All ground transportation

> Select spa treatments, entrance fees, and other goodies.

(Basically, once you land, you only spend money on souvenirs. Otherwise, you’re pretty much covered).

What’s not included:

> Round Trip International Airfare to Cape Town (we let you decide how to get there and get home).

> Trip Insurance (recommended)

Sound amazing? It is. Truly. We guarantee it. We lived it. We’ll show you.

Write us your questions at matt@mattchancey.com

Sincerely,

Jennie and Matt Chancey

Coffee Corner

Day-by-Day*:

DAY 0 (Thursday, May 15th)

Leave the USA and fly to the Southern Tip of Africa

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DAY 1 (Friday, May 16th)

CAPE TOWN

Arrive at Cape Town International Airport.

Be greeted at arrivals by your host, Coffee Corner’s Matt Chancey.

Transfer to the beautiful 5-Star Taj Hotel (or comparable) in the center of Cape Town across the street from St. George Cathedral, Parliament buildings and the Company Gardens. Check in and dinner at one of the Hotel’s highly-rated restaurants (if your arrival is early enough)

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DAY 2 (Saturday, May 17th)

TABLE MOUNTAIN/WATERFRONT

Sumptuous buffet breakfast at the Taj followed by transfer to Table Mountain (weather permitting), one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Ride the cable car up the mountain for picturesque views of the city bowl, the sea, and the beautiful “fynbos” of the mountain.

Take the cable car back down the mountain and transfer to the popular Waterfront district, where you’ll enjoy ample shopping opportunities and a seafood lunch with bubbles at Willoughby’s.

After shopping, transfer back to the Taj Hotel and walk across to the famous Cape Town Club, founded 1858, for a whiskey tasting.

Walk back to the Taj for an amazing dinner at the Bombay Brasserie restaurant.

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DAY 3 (Sunday, May 18th)

CONSTANTIA

Enjoy a free morning to sleep in, have another magnificent breakfast, take a dip in the pool, or book a spa treatment.

Around Noon we will transit to the Klein Constantia Vineyard for a wine tasting and lunch. You’ll have an opportunity to collect some bottles to take home with you, or have them shipped directly to your residence.

Time permitting, we will then transfer to another nearby vineyard, High Constantia, for a tasting of their famous Cape Classique sparkling wines (our favorite!). We’ll end the day at the Hussar Grill, which is one of the most famous steakhouses in Cape Town.

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DAY 4 (Monday, May 19th)

FRANSCHHOEK/STELLENBOSCH

After breakfast, board our van for the hour-long drive to the beautiful Franschhoek Valley, where French Huguenots settled to teach the Dutch colonists viticulture in the 1600s. Let us just say, the Dutch took good notes!

We’ll have lunch at a French restaurant and give you plenty of time to explore the numerous shops in this beautiful town surrounded by vineyards and mountains. We’ll then drive up the hillside to the Haute Cabrière tasting room to sample their award-winning wines. We’ll then start our drive back to Cape Town, stopping at the Matra Cafe in Camps Bay for dinner on the beach.

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DAY 5 (Tuesday, May 20th)

CAPE POINT

After breakfast, we’ll board our bus and head out for a scenic drive down to beautiful Cape Point, stopping along the way for a delicious lunch at the Noordhoek Village Food Barn. We’ll complete our circuit at Beau Constantia for a wine tasting in a gorgeous garden setting with view.

Our final dinner in Cape Town will be at the nearby Gigi Rooftop Restaurant.

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DAY 6 (Wednesday, May 21st)

WHALE COAST

After breakfast, we’ll check out of the Vineyard and begin our drive along the enchanting Whale Coast, pausing in the historic fishing village of Hermanus for lunch at a cliffside restaurant.

We’ll then continue to the Good Luck Organic Farm, where Chef Tabby and her partner, Alex, will welcome us to their beautiful working farm a few miles from the village of Stanford, where Coffee Corner was born. We’ll get a tour of the farm, enjoy an afternoon swim at the farm dam and then sundowners and a welcome “braai,” featuring food and drink exclusively from the farm.

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DAY 7 (Thursday, May 22nst)

Goodluck Farm

After a hearty breakfast by our hosts, Chef Tabby will take us on a foraging mission to find ingredients for our lunch— which we’ll cook together.

Then we’ll head to Stanford Cove for a bit of therapeutic sea bathing in one of the many tidal pools.

Then we will dress for dinner and head back to Stanford Village to enjoy a homemade Italian dinner by a father/son duo at La Trattoria. Corrado and Lionello are old friends and moved to Stanford at roughly the same time as your host. Their food is simply brilliant and the gelato has won national awards in South Africa.

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DAY 8 (Friday, May 23rd)

CAPE AGULHAS/STANFORD

After another beautiful breakfast of farm fare, we’ll drive down to Cape Agulhas, the southern most tip of Africa, where the South Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean. We’ll then lunch at a little cafe in the nearby fishing harbour of Struisbaai (excellent fish and chips!)

We’ll then detour through the village of Stanford, where you can browse the quaint shops with lots of local treasures you can bring home to envious friends and relatives!

Dinner will be at the beautiful Stanford Manor House.

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DAY 9 (Saturday, May 24th)

KLEIN RIVER VALLEY

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Hermanus for some antiquing and souvenir hunting (who knows, maybe the whales will have arrived early in the bay?), then break for a luxurious lunch at the Stanford Hills Vineyard, which boasts one of the prettiest valley views around.

After lunch, we’ll stop at the Pantera Big Cat Sanctuary… which is exactly what it sounds like: a home for large cats (lions, leopards, etc., even a tiger!). This isn’t a big game safari trip, but it would be a shame to go to Africa and not see at least a few large animals! We’ll then prepare for our final evening together, which will back at Goodluck Farm. Chef Tabby and Alex will host an epic braai. We’ll sit around the fire and fill our glasses with the best vintage from the farm and eat an endless supply of roasted meats and veg.

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DAY 10 (Saturday, May 25th)

KLEIN RIVER VALLEY/CAPE TOWN AIRPORT

After breakfast, pack up and we’ll begin our journey back to Cape Town. Depending on flight schedules, we’ll stop along the way at Peregrines Farm Stall for a light lunch, or the Wild Fig in Observatory for an early dinner (their roasted bone marrow is excellent).

We’ll toast the success of our time together and you’ll be shuttled to the airport in time to check in for your flight home.

Alternatively, you can skip going home, rent a villa at Sea Point, and decide you don’t want to leave the southern tip of Africa!

*Itinerary subject to change— but only if it makes the tour EVEN BETTER!

FAQ

Do I need shots or special medications?
No. None. South Africa has no Yellow Fever and we will be nowhere near malaria zones.
Can I drink the water?
We did for five years and it didn’t bother us. That said, we don’t drink the water from the tap where we live now! So we recommend drinking bottled water (provided) but would not worry about bottled water to brush teeth and things like that.
What’s the tipping policy?
We generally tip at 10%, which is considered very generous and isn’t expected except at touristy areas. That said, we will be paying all the bills once you arrive (including tips), so if you want to tip on top of this, it’s up to you. Nothing wrong with adding more generosity in the world.
What about safety?
We will be staying in VERY secure locations and NOT driving through or visiting “dodgy” areas— especially after dark. So you can leave your bazooka at home.
Will there be time for shopping?
PLENTY. However, the majority of time will be spent indulging the senses, not mindless consumerism. The South African Rand rate to the Dollar is very favorable for us. So you’ll find amazing deals on souvenirs — and wines!
What is your recommendation regarding International Flights?
We believe the most direct is better. By far the best flight available is the Atlanta to Cape Town on Delta. It is direct (roughly 15 hours… but you don’t have to worry about changing planes, flying another 10 hours extra to stop in Europe, etc). Of course, the most direct is the most expensive. You’ll pay double what you can pay for a lower-cost carrier using a longer route. For example, Ethiopian Airlines flies from Washington to Addis to Cape Town for around $1,000 round trip. But that is adding 10 hours to your journey… and the airline is not as comfortable as Delta (although it has cheaper upgrades). Emirates and Qatar are even longer flights… and sometimes just as expensive as the Delta flight. Your preference.
7. Do I need a passport?
Yes. You need a passport that will not expire within six months of your travel dates. No visa is required to enter South Africa if you’re an American.