Greater Stellenbosch 2010

National Ser Finals

GS2010 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:57:24 +0000

This week is a stressful, 24/7 practice, practice, practice week for some students, as they prepare for the final serenade.

Photo by Bernard Bravenboer

The National Ser Finals is taking place this coming Saturday, 4 September. The event will showcase the best of the best as different University’s battle it out for the best serenade.

Ser (short for serenade), is an annual competition between universities across South Africa. It starts with different hostels battling it out, then it becomes a provincial competition until the final where one university will walk out as the “ultimate serenader”.

Photo by Stellenbosch University's Facebook page

So get your tickets or tune in on Saturday to watch it via live streaming.

Details:

Where: Endler Hall, Stellenbosch

When: 18hoo, 4 September 2010

Also check out these videos and pictures to get a glimpse of what you can expect.

Demolition of towers causes buzz

GS2010 — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:50:28 +0000

The demolition of Cape Town’s “Two Ladies”, the Athlone Towers, caused a buzz. Over the weekend many people took the time to say their goodbye’s by taking pictures with the towers in the background. This was of course the last time they had the opportunity to do so as the towers was scheduled to be demolished at 12pm, 22 August.

Twitter was yet again one of the sites who were buzzing with people tweeting about the towers. There was even a hashtag for the event: #capetowers. Click here to see the tweets of Athlone Towers and #capetowers

Below are some of the videos that we thought captured the moment best. Please feel free to give more suggestions!

Cape Town Athlone Towers go boom! slow motion from HUMAN on Vimeo.

Silent gigs by TONIK

GS2010 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:23:18 +0000

Many of you might respond to “Silent Gigs” with a big “HUH?” But local band, TONIK came up with an idea that enables each audience member to listen to gigs at his/her desired volume level.

TONIK, Jann Krynauw and Ronan Skillen, creates an unique atmosphere by supplying each audience member with a pair of wireless earphones with its own volume control.

It provides a detailed and very personal atmosphere. However because of the very ‘live’ environment and highly detailed microphone transmission one is actually more part of the whole event than ever before. People are literally in control of their own sound. If you like it loud you can turn up your volume and down for more sensitive listeners.

I would image that to watch this from a distance would be quite a funny sight, but if you are part of the audience, the experience will be amazing! When listening to their songs, you quickly feel the need to put on headphones and, depending on your mood, turn the volume to create the perfect atmosphere in which you can just close your eyes and forget about the world around you! Now imagine that with a live band…

Great news!

TONIK is coming to Stellenbosch:

This gig will be silent in that every audience member will get their own pair of now wireless headphones to listen to us playing live. For more info on the venue go to [Oude Bank Bakkerij Facebook Page]

Date: Saturday, 28 August 2010
Time: 19:30
Address: Shop 5 Oude Bank Building (Old Boland Bank), Church Street, Stellenbosch, South Africa (map)
Cover: R100
Bookings: [email Fritz here] or call him on 021 883 2187. (essential as seats are limited)

Book your seats and experience a whole new world of music!

For more information visit their website: www.tonik.co.za

Adios Athlone Towers

GS2010 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:32:51 +0000

The Athlone cooling towers has become part of Cape Town, but soon it will be only a memory to those who crossed its path…

They have loomed over the Cape Flats for more than 50 years, but it will take just 30 seconds and 7 000 exploding charges to reduce the Athlone cooling towers to rubble. - IOL

Designed in 1958 and completed in the early 1960s, as cooling towers for a coal-power station, these “two ladies of Athlone” are nearing the end. Being built so long ago, the structures were not designed to withstand strong winds, causing the structures to become dangerous. One of the bands that were placed around cooling tower one for reinforcement, collapsed in February this year which lead to an even higher risk of danger.

Because these towers has become part of Cape Town, many people are planning to watch it fall to the ground. A Facebook Event was also created under the name: “Saying goodbye to a Cape Town landmark – The Athlone Towers go boom!“. People are advised to go to areas that are high, and the back of UCT is also recommended to watch this spectacular, yet sad event on Sunday at 12pm.

Click here to see road closures due to this event.

Source: IOL

Bafana vs BaGhana

GS2010 — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:24:03 +0000

Article via EyeWitnessNews

Wednesday, August 11 is exactly “two months” since the first FIFA World Cup on African soil wrapped up in South Africa.

Host team Bafana Bafana will mark this day by taking on Ghana at Soccer City.

The match will be the first game for both sides since the tournament ended with Spain emerging victorious.

It will also be Pitso Mosimane’s first game in charge of the national team since taking over the reigns from Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Most fans said they have mixed emotions about who will win the game on Wednesday night.

South Africans have been urged to back Bafana Bafana on Wednesday by wearing their supporter’s shirts.

Kick off will be at 8:35pm.

Read full article…

Stellenbosch University Serenades once again

GS2010 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:52:57 +0000

It’s that time of the year again – the annual Kleinsêr (Serenade) festival.

Though the event already started with auditions and rounds are taking place currently, we are getting excited for the Finals! So here are those dates that you might want to add to your diary:

2-6 August – Endler Auditions @ R15/25
11 August – Semi-Final @ R40
21 August – Finals @ R80

To make sure that you know what you can expect, watch this video of 2007′s Sêr or watch the video of Metanoia (The Metanooiens) singing Zombie – Cranberries at the 2007 Stellenbosch Serenade Finals at the CTICC.

Also join their group on Facebook for more information: Standard Bank Stellenbosch Kleinsêrfees 2010

On the lighter side of life – let’s kiss…

GS2010 — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:05:41 +0000

When all else fails, why not just… kiss?

On Friday, 20 July 2010, the following could be found on StelliesJol.com:

Hey all,

It is that time of the year again. Soen in die Laan 2010 is here!
Just some important information so you don’t miss out on the event.
Gates open at 11:50, kiss will be at 13:30 and event ends 14:05.

Kiss at 13:30

The bands that will be performing are as follows:

- Project Brakefree

- Antioch

- B-rad

- Kaleidoskoop.

We hope to see you there!

Unfortunately we missed this interesting event, but we did find two videos relating to it, and we could not NOT share it with you.

So here it is, the advertisement of the “Soen in die Laan”:

Click here for a video of the action…

What weird event would you like to see in Stellenbosch

The Stellenbosch Restaurant Route

GS2010 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:01:19 +0000

The WhaleCottage has come up with a great concept: The Stellenbosch Restaurant Route. The Whale Cottage blog is dedicated to the region of Franschhoek as well as 3 other coastal towns. As some of you might know, Franschhoek is known as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa. But with a recent visit to Stellenbosch the blogger, Chris von Ulmenstein, confessed:

My visit to Stellenbosch last week, to experience recently opened restaurants, confirmed my view that Stellenbosch by rights now should be called the Gourmet Capital of South Africa, not only due to the Eat Out Top 10 listings, but also in terms of the newer restaurants bubbling under. I believe that the tourism authority should be ahead of the game, and introduce a Restaurant Route for Stellenbosch, given the wealth of its creative and gourmet talent. It is easy to see that opening good quality restaurants on wine estates is a growing trend in Stellenbosch, and is good for business, as Werner Els told me at Haskell Vineyards, its Long Table restaurant leading to wine sales from restaurant patrons.

Chris von Ulmenstein went further and created her recommendations for the Stellenbosch Restaurant Route:

Rust en Vrede
Overture
Terroir
Restaurant Christophe
Delaire at Delaire Graff
Indochine at Delaire Graff
Restaurant at Majeka House
Jordan Restaurant with George Jardine
The Long Table Restaurant and Cafe
The Big Easy
Warwick wine estate
Nook Eatery
Tokara DeliCATessen
Eight at Spier
Melissa’s
Wild Peacock Food Emporium
Mila, The Cake Shop
Cupcake
Bonthuys
Umami
Wijnhuis
Pane E Vino
Cafe Dijon
Bodega @Dornier
Cuvee Restaurant
De Oude Bank Bakkerij
Tokara
Stellenbosch Slow Food Market

To get more information on the above restaurants, as well as reviews on some of the mentions, click here…

Which Stellenbosch restaurants will you add to the list?

HOPE Project launched in Johannesburg

GS2010 — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:32:47 +0000

Article from Stellenbosch University’s News Blog

“The project presented by the University today indicates a commitment to renewal and relevance that is based on sound academic principles and an accurate assessment of national and Africa wide needs.”

These were the words of Ms Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, at the launch of the HOPE Project at a gala event in Johannesburg on Monday night. Prof Russel Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, presented the project to among others, business leaders, diplomats, alumni and members of the media.

The project, officially launched in Stellenbosch last Wednesday, is the University’s long term strategic plan for the next decade in which it will be focusing its key strengths around some of South Africa and Africa’s most pressing challenges and aligning its core strengths of research, teaching and community interaction with five key international development themes, in a bid to tackle the issues specific to the country and the continent.

Read the full article

For more information on the Hope Project, click here…

The Hope Project

GS2010 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:10:02 +0000

Stellenbosch University is proud to announce their new project:

The University has positioned itself as a builder of hope by aligning its core activities with the following development themes from the international Millennium Development Goals:

Eradicating poverty and related condition
Promoting human dignity and health
Promoting democracy and human rights
Promoting peace and security
Promoting a sustainable environment and a competitive industry

EyeWitnessNews – Stellenbosch University unveils transformation plan

The University of Stellenbosch has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform itself into a more relevant and practical institution.

The decade-long plan known as the Hope Project will cost around R1.75 billion.

It aims to help the Western Cape’s poorer citizens by establishing outreach programmes to take higher learning into rural and disadvantaged communities.

Stellenbosch Rector Russel Botman said the university cannot overlook its responsibilities.

“Stellenbosch University must play a role in land reform. It sits there, around significant questions of land, with all those many land owners and many farm workers,” he said.