With Woodstock becoming the ‘it’ place, we sometimes forget that a lot of hard work and faith goes into the various projects that have sprung up over the last few years. While the Neighbourhood Market in the Biscuit Mill is without a doubt a force for good, the success of the Saturday market has not yet translated into everyday street life such as Long/Kloof Street or even Lower Main Rd., Observatory. The hope of course is that Albert Rd. Woodstock (or anywhere in Woodstock for that matter) becomes a thriving place any time during the week and not just on the weekend.

One of the people very much aware of this is Ernie Seegers of ‘The Artisan Baker’, a newish venture on Albert Rd, just at the entrance to the Biscuit Mill (going for just over 2 and a half months now). He has been involved in Woodstock in some form or other for more than 10 years (his wife runs Annie’s Angels, the Wardrobe & Fancy Dress hire store which is well-known in the film industry and just around the corner in Salt River Rd.); and he has stated he wouldn’t want to live anywhere else than Woodstock. They even live upstairs from the Bakery.

In any case, I’m sure you’ve all experienced the Biscuit Mill on a Saturday. If you’ve slept in like most of us, managed to find legal parking, and gotten your weekly exercise walking to the Biscuit Mill, the sometimes overwhelming crowd in the food market may just be a little too intimidating. The wonderful thing though, is that it’s now possible to have your cake and eat it too in the warmth and comfort of The Artisan Baker where you can safely watch the crowds go by.

With more than 35 years in the film industry under his belt, many of those as an art director, Ernie Seegers finally decided to start his lifelong dream of having his own bakery/bistro. He has even had a pair of oven doors in tow for the last 24 years and they proudly take central place as the doors to his wood-fired oven, where all the wonderful breads, pies and foods are made.

He is not a trained baker/chef but rather is self-taught which he sees as an advantage over the more traditional model of the ‘trained’ chef, as he feels it allows him more freedom to experiment. It started out as a hobby that became increasingly important as he baked for friends and family over the last 10 years, getting the recipes right, which we can now taste for ourselves.

His aim is to make authentic dishes, the way they are supposed to be made; he describes the food he makes as “honest food made good”. The menu is certainly not limited to French dishes, even if the venue has a warm and rustic French atmosphere. As an example, he mentions the chili con carne he makes, and emphasizes that he is always looking to experiment with new dishes (also definitely worth trying are the ‘steak, chocolate and chilli’ pies). The menu includes cakes, croissants, pies and various warm baked meals, as well as a Charcuterie with a wide selection of meats (all made on the premises). We asked him what he is most proud of and after a little thought, said he would probably choose the rustic sour dough with chopped pecan nuts, olives, Italian herbs, and grated lemon rind. Yummy.

So if you’re in the neighbourhood, pop into The Artisan Baker. It already has a growing number of regular customers.

The Artisan Baker is open for breakfast and lunch every week day and Saturday.

They also cater for private functions and dinner clubs and menus can be made to order.

Visit the Artisan Baker webpage. And the Facebook page is here.

Furniture store Vamp has just moved from the quaint but cramped little church just off Lower Main Rd., to a spacious and more conveniently located store across from the Biscuit Mill. The new store has significantly expanded their range of wares by local designers such as Skinnylaminx, Gwen loves Harold, Mengsel, Lauren Fowler, Moonbasket, John Bauer and more.

The new store consist of three rooms, the first containing a cheerful collection of vintage Kitchenalia as well as the above mentioned designer pieces. Owner Paula has a great eye, and the affordability of the smalls makes it hard to leave without snapping up some treasures. It’s also a great place to shop for gifts.

The second room focuses on their signature style upcycled and painted furniture, as well as popular products from the Smac Harry range, a group of students they have been mentoring. The third room is a treasure trove of mid-century finds, either in original condition or subtly refinished and updated. With the recent surge in the popularity of pieces from this era, they are getting harder to find and more expensive, so best invest now.

The owners are very excited about what the move to the new premises will mean for their business. Says Paula: ‘We have so many fabulous and loyal customers that will always make the trip to us wherever we are, but being on this end of Woodstock should mean that we get more foot traffic, especially over the weekend . The shop itself is much bigger and shows off our furniture so much better.’

We also asked Paula to share their favourite Woodstock eateries and inspiration haunts: ‘We love Superette, The Artisan Baker and of course the Test Kitchen for special occasions. Quirky Me always have great gifts and homeware stock and I love seeing what our neighbour Katie has been madly recreate-ing.’

Go visit Vamp at their new premises at 368 Albert road (opposite the Biscuit Mill and next to Re-Create). You wont be disappointed!

Popular with film shoots, the Valley brothers at Alfreda Hairdressers have their own kind of fame, a recognition that comes from perseverance, longevity and a kind of serenity.

Born in Salt River/Woodstock, they have spent their entire lives here, in the barber shop where they work and in the residence behind the shop where they live. Grandfather Cassiem “Old Man” Valley who came out from Bombay, India, started the barber shop at the current location sometime around 1903, though the exact date is a little unclear.

Grandsons Ismail Mohamed Cassiem Valley and Cassiem Mohamed Valley still actively ply their trade, though sadly, brothers Ebraim Mohamed Valley and Isaac Mohamed Cassiem Valley have passed on. They attended Wesley Training College, Salt River and then started working in their grandfather’s shop, where they have been for the last 60 years or so.

They still have many regular clients (and at R20 a haircut it’s not hard to understand why), though the pace is a little slower these days. They have no thoughts of retiring, as Ismail says “What am I going to do at home? You have to keep your mind busy.” Their opening hours, however, are still 7am to 5pm, even at the more leisurely pace they claim to maintain.

When asked if anyone has been in business for as long as they have, they say all have retired or passed away. The longest ‘rival’ was the family firm of I. Marx & Sons which owned several buildings including the Duchess Overall Factory, but they too sold up and moved away, leaving only the Valleys as the longest remaining institution in the area. They seem unphased by the changes around them over the many years they’ve worked and lived here.

The street used to be residential, and they have seen it transformed into small businesses by locals as well as by the more recent influx of African immigrants. These immigrants have also opened smaller ‘salons’ but according to Ismail they don’t last long.

The family lived through Apartheid’s attempts to push out non-white residents first from District 6, then Woodstock and Salt River, but luckily managed to remain where they have always been.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the next few years as the area continues to be upgraded, as old and new Woodstock continue to meet. When asked what the future holds, whether they have sons to take over the business, Cassiem shrugged and said that their sons are professionals, and that they had no interest in continuing with the barbershop. Though the way he says it, it’s simply part of life; though it will definitely be sad when this place, a holdover from a past time disappears from the streets of Salt River.

All interior photographs courtesy of  Melanie Cleary.

Exterior photograph courtesy of Ruan Benade.

Turn a corner in Woodstock and you’re bound to find a new shop, project or building. There is some creative energy here which is hard to find anywhere else in Cape Town. In this case, some of you may have noticed a new sign that went up at the corner of Roodebloem Rd. and Salisbury St.

Hoodwinx aims to be the a platform for South African independently published and produced books, poetry, film, documentaries, music and art, as well as a platform for information sharing on relevant issues, the raising of consciousness and self-awareness.

They have a gallery which is currently showcasing SA artists. The gallery is rotated on a monthly basis.  The currently exhibiting artists are Ross Hillier (photography), Mike Hillier (sculpture), Misha Hillier (sculpture), JesseJames (light box installations), Cassie Hellberg (mixed medium illustrator) and Andrew Sutherland (fine artist).

Hoodwinx is always on the lookout for artists wishing to exhibit, as well as musicians and writers.  The book library in Hoodwinx contains only self-published South African literature and is growing all the time.  The venue itself has a beautiful bar and wraparound balcony for the neighbourhood to meet and enjoy the breath-taking view of the mountain and harbour.

Launching soon is the coffee shop where locally produced music can be heard while reading SA literature and sipping great coffee. Hoodwinx has been created as a home for artists and creative South Africans to express their unique creative voices.  It is a space for the public to take ownership of and make it their art society.

The space aims to attract book clubs, dinner clubs, performances, conscious discussions and talks.  It is set up to be used for book launches, art exhibitions, CD launches, showcasing fashion, films and poetry evenings.

Hoodwinx is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in July 2011 so check it out.

Thursday: Gallery opening

Sunset drinks on the balcony – open 5pm – 1am

Friday: Breathe Sunshine Sessions: -  open 5pm – 1am

DJ’s Mr Bong, Trentin Birch and Filthy Lucra playing chilled out beats

Breathe Sunshine are a group of local musicians that have started a foundation for the upliftment of Mandela Park.  They are using these events to create exposure and awareness to their cause.

Saturday: Cheese and wine tasting from 12:00 – 5:00pm

Gallery open

Every week there will be different wines to taste from local wine farms.

First 20 people get in free R25 thereafter.

Wine selling at cellar door prices.

Visit the Hoodwinx facebook page here.

Black hat and Nimbus, a Cape Town based graphic design company, has created a very interesting design for Woodstock’s very own MyCiti bus terminal. Their infographic explores the changing population demographic of the suburb of Woodstock in Cape Town, from 1865 to 2001. They sifted through the census data and decided to use race to track the changes as this was the only consistently captured demographic over 136 years.

It’s also rather beautiful especially when caught by our special Woodstock light. Read more on the design concept and the demographic history of the suburb here.

Get your own copy of this great A2 illustration by Bruce Mackay for a steal of a deal on Citymob – only R120 including delivery till the end of the week! In conjunction with Cape Town Tourism, six of Cape Town’s top illustrators were asked to create a poster inspired by their own Cape Town icons. The collection was curated by design site Between 10 and 5,  and online buyers can choose an original piece by Bruce Mackay, Chris Slabber, Michael Tymbios, Jaco Haasbroek, Simon Berndt of One Horse Town, Daniel Ting Chong or even snap up the whole collection. The posters are all great but of course we are partial to the Woodstock one!

Says artist Mackay: “Woodstock is a South African cultural gem. The mix of cultures and history make it my favorite place to be. I want, with this artwork, to pay tribute to the architecture, sign writing and people of Woodstock that makes it so appealing.”

In recent years there has been a massive revival in popularity of mid century furniture in design circles, and not just because of Madmen (the TV series) – the classic, timeless designs have lots of modern appeal. Mid-Century Modern, who recently moved from the Biscuit Mill, specialize in pieces from this era. Their new spot is just off Salt River circle in Durham Avenue, in a former 1960’s sports car showroom where the light filled premises showcases their furniture perfectly. ILW chats to owners Ernst and Gawaine about the unique pieces in their store.

The term Mid-Century modern generally describes mid-20th century developments in furniture design, product design and architecture. It began just after WW2 and continued into the 1960’s. The aesthetic movement flourished in Europe, especially Scandinavia, where designers such Eero Saarinen and Arne Jacobson reached iconic status. Interestingly enough even here in SA the style was quite popular among Afrikaners, and according to the owners they still source some amazing pieces in small dorpies across South Africa.

The car, a Daimler Sovereign 1968, is for sale too!

This Arne Jacobson Egg chair is the most expensive piece in the store, and it’s worth a visit to the store just for the pleasure if sitting in it. Since it’s so hard to find originals from this era many companies are producing reproductions, but there is no denying the appeal of an original. The owners don’t sell any fakes or knock-offs, only the real thing in the original condition. If a client wants a piece restored they work with the best restorers to get the job done. Personally I find the patina and history in the unrestored pieces, not to mention the design credentials, irresistible.

Dining chairs by Folke Palsson for FDB Mobler, Denmark c.1960's

left: Danish teak "Vertebra" chair, Denmark c.1950's ; right: Le Corbusier chaise lounge

left: Teak sideboard by A.H. McIntosh, Scotland c.1957; right: West-German ceramics

Danish glass is tipped to be the next big thing for collectors.

I am in love with these hand-blown glass pendant lights by Luciano Vistosi, circa 1957

They also have an extensive design library to browse.

Their coffee lounge and furry friend 'Yoyo'.

Most people want to know where they source their furniture. Many of their items were imported from Denmark, but they do still source locally as well, and occasionally buy something off the internet.

Visit their store at 10 Durham Avenue, they  have a coffee shop to hang out in and apparently they serve the best cappuchinos in town. They also do rentals to the film industry.

Since May 2011 Brett Herron, a long-time Woodstock resident, is also the Ward 57 councillor (DA) representing the neighbourhood in the city hall(s) of power. He’s to be seen on his website, on facebook, on twitter, and at your local café. Brett thinks ILOVEWOODSTOCK is a great idea, and here he reveals a bit about his experiences, his plans for the ward and his love of Woodstock.

1) What brought you to Woodstock?

I have been living in Woodstock for about 5 years. I moved here from Observatory after I sold my house there at the height of the property boom in 2006.  I couldn’t seem to make a quick enough offer on another house in Obs – the market was on fire and houses were being snapped up so quickly (perhaps I move too slowly!).  I found a house in Balfour Street that I really liked, put in an offer and ended up moving here. I really didn’t know much about Woodstock at the time but after moving in I felt instantly at home and I am still here!

2) What’s been your most interesting moment or place in Woodstock?

There isn’t really one – the fabric of the entire suburb is interesting.  It has a rich cultural and architectural heritage that is fascinating and when it ties together to create an interesting urban landscape that is easy to live in and enjoy.

3) What do you reckon are the biggest challenges in the Ward and how do you want to tackle them?

One of the biggest challenges to the area is rapid development, business creep and unauthorised building work. These pressures have the potential to destroy everything that makes Woodstock so special. I am not opposed to development – a built environment that attracts no development is a stagnant one, and that can lead to urban decay and a whole host of social problems. I would like us – as a community – to plan how development and regeneration takes place in the area, which is why I have been campaigning on the commissioning of a Local Area Development Plan. I want to bring a motion to the Sub-Council (when they are re-constituted) that calls on the City to commission such a plan.

4) What do you like about Woodstock?

There is so much: I love the diversity of the people who live here. I love that it has a sense of community. I love the pedestrian activity…that you see people walking in the streets, with their dogs or children etc. I love its ideal location – it feels convenient to everywhere! I love the mountain (Devil’s Peak) looming as a backdrop.  I love the creativity it has attracted or inspired. And, I love that some people are still discovering it.

Thanks Brett!