Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Long Street
It's not the mountain (or should that be The Mountain?) that I miss most about Cape Town. What I miss most is Long Street. I spent most of the long weekend in Cape Town, sadly virtually all for work purposes, and satisfied my longing with a brisk stroll on Saturday night. Hell, that street has an existence all of its own. I've heard that people don't walk in Jozi, although I do (but not at night!). But the walk up Oxford Road and into the Rosebank mall is pitiful compared to a brisk stroll up Long Street. Long Street is alive & interesting, all manner of folk. From Mohamed selling the best cure for the late night munchies at his stall throughout the night, to David McLennan at Select Books selling great Africana, hunting and rugby books. And the people. The crowds of West Africans queued & mingling barefoot with the locals outside mosque for Friday prayers, the tarted sophistos heading for the clubs that have heavy bouncers and a cordon of red rope, the drunken louts, the car guards, the rastas at 'Cool runnings', the backpacking tourists on the balconies dipping into the bowls of Cape of Good Dope. It's all quite real to me, not artificial. Sure it has it's commercial element, good god - Kennedy's Cigar Bar now has an Irish themed pub!, but not overpoweringly so. Is there anywhere else like this in Jozi, or the world?
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ATW - It was the first thing I missed about CT too. As a result, its the first place I go the moment I step off the plane. I miss the Cape Coloureds and I miss Long Street. There is no place in JHB like it unfortuantely, I've looked, God knows I've looked. The closest thing to Long Street is probably 7th Avenue Melville. Or Grant Avenue Norwood. Not close, but the closest.
My favourite little place on Long Street is almost obscure in relation to what the street offers as a whole. (Lola's, the corner coffee shop.) I also enjoy a Tin Roof milkshake at Mr Pickwicks :)
Now look, you've got me all nostalgic like...
Hi Peas.
Nostalgia is where it's at.
Maybe Louis Botha ave for uniqueness & ? Interesting but I certainly wouldn't take a stroll down it (anytime). Parkhurst's OK in an olde English way & has a jolly good pub.
Any ideas where I can get vinyl lp's in JHB. Missing Long St's Mabu Vinyl as well?
What about Oxford - great pizzerias, prostitutes, Nigerians, some fabulously stupendous houses. Or Rocky Street - much of the above, minus the pizzerias and stupendous houses, but with many bars (all selling quarts), curry dens, public swimming pool, frequent police raids. Not to walk this road alone at night!
vinyls - you'll have to go to Capitol Records for new vinyls (if you're a dj), I haven't the foggiest where second-hand ones are sold. Have you scoured Melville properly?
golly gosh ant. do you think my music taste lends itself to being a dj? (although the last cd I bought was kruder & dorfmeister).I find the ladies of oxford st rather scary, they hang around in gangs!
I clearly haven't spent enough time in Melville yet.
Time to start broadening your horizons - go to Melville Koppies (are they still safe to walk through??) Around the Emmarentia Dam (if it is still there, I love the rose garden there and what about the Zoolake - I am not sure if any of these places are still viable as I have not lived in SA for 13 years. I think the real difference with CT (I went to UCT) is the air, it just fills you up and gives you a boost. I used to walk along the waterfront and main street in Sea Point but that was 20 years ago.
How about Corlett drive?
Hi Tammy, The mind & horizons are broad enough, (I think). Restrictions are time and a consideration for my safety. Discretion sometimes being the better part of valour. Looking for a place that is alive with vibe & laughter when folk are just going about their ordinary days. Love the ZooLake thing. Done Corlett Drive, not overly impressed. How do things compare stateside?
Didn't think you were the wicky-wicky on my turntables kind of guy (though being the unGoogleable phantom that you are I don't know how I arrived at that conclusion). Odds are if second-hand vinyls are what you're after, Melville is the best chance at finding them. But I'm going to ask a friends or two for better guidance, then sort out your problems. If only to prove Joburg has everything and more to offer that CT does (minus the mountain, though...)
Hi guys
Corlett Drive is great if you want to shop for porn. Ant and I know. ;)
As for vinyl - ATW, I was at Rosebank fleamarket on Sunday and found a dude there selling all sorts of lps, cheap and in good condition too. Take a look. Otherwise Melville is a good option.
After living in CT for three years (also a UCT grad Tammy :) I am still partial to JHB. I'm not from here originally, but for me Jozi is home. Long Street or not.
Thanks Ant & Peas, for your vinyl hunting efforts. Keep me posted. Wicky wicky!!
I don’t think I need too much convincing that Jozi has plenty to offer even in less than 6 months here. Folk are far more receptive & social here, took nearly seven of the 8 years I was in CapeTown to crack the social nod with many of the CapeTown locals. Originally a kzn native, hence my support for the sharks. Did spend one of my 3 years of first year at UCT, and a postgrad year. Although unlike peas I can’t call myself a UCT grad because they won’t give me a piece of paper saying that. Great institution though.
ATW - I'm also a born and bred KZNer. 18 years in KZN and probably won't be back.
And tis true about Capetonians, they can be very cliquey (sp). I reckon its because there's more outdoorsy stuff to so there. Like climb mountains, do the beach, walk around, that sort of thing. In Jozi, people use each other for entertainment. Hence the braais every weekend. I love it.
"Jozi, people use each other for entertainment". Wonderful chirp from Peas. Probably needs to be elevated out of the comments page into a real post. I'll mull on that.
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