On Sunday May 2, my family and I visited the South African Festival presented by the Olympian City Mall, in association with the South African Consulate in Hong Kong.
The kids were quite excited at the prospect and tried to see who would be the first to spot anything South African upon entering the mall from the Olympic MTR Station Exit D. Micaela won when she was the first to see the South African flag draped on the stage!
As is the case at any mall around Hong Kong on a Sunday around lunch-time, Olympian City2 was buzzing with shoppers and the lunchtime-crowd.
I was pleased to see that quite a number of shoppers were carrying bags with products bought at some of the stalls that make up the South African expo. This is Hong Kong so needless to say, the stalls that offered free tasting of their products had the most shoppers buzzing around.
Jim Lai’s uniquely South African liqueur was very popular!
I stopped over at the Africa 2 Asia stall, where the passionate Claire and Dom were exhibiting their unique South African products. The girls are the sole representatives for NoMu, a designer range of meat rubs, spice grinders, dips and other deeee-licious products. They also import some really delectable dressings and condiments from So!Go. I don’t want to tell you too much, save to say: try and get out to Olympian City Mall by Sunday and visit the girls to see all the products they have. If not, you can always contact them online.
Work it! Dom & Claire working the early shoppers on Day 1 of the SA Festival at Olympian City2.
If it wasn’t for the fact that I still have a decent stock of SA goodies including NoMu spices from my last trip home, I’d have loaded my shopping bag at Africa2Asia even more. As it were, I already had to carry home a case of Castle Lager beer, a selection of Mrs Ball’s chutney, some organic RooiBos tea and a couple of cartons of Cape-brand berry fruit-juice!
Wendy Ramokgadi and his Diski Dancers were also working the crowd and, like they do every single day, invited members of the audience to the stage where they took them through their paces. By the look of it, by the end of the Festival they will have trained quite a number of HongKongers to do the Diski Dance!
Edith Poon from Olympian City told me that the dancers also “worked the crowds” in the big shopping centers like Times Square, Mon Kok as well as Central. Have a look:
The South African Festival is on at Olympian City2 Mall until Sunday May 9.
As I am typing this, I am also watching the Stormers vs. Crusaders Super 14 rugby game at 2:45 on Saturday morning. I don’t know if I’m more excited tellling you about what I found today, or at the fact that the Stormers are currently beating the New Zealanders at Newlands in Cape Town. Let’s just say I’m doubly excited!
Earlier today, I visited the South African Festival hosted by the Olympian City Mall and the South African Consulate in West-Kowloon. (More about all the activities later.) There I found a stall hosted by my old Saffa friend Leonora Sullivan who is the MD of Sheffied Limited, a locally-based company that imports SA goodies to Hong Kong.
Fresh off the plane
Imagine my excitement upon seeing this:
I support any brand that supports South African sport! Hello and welcome back to HK, Castle Lager…
Every South African’s favourite Antie… Mrs Ball’s Chutney (Pic: Mike Jansen)
Leonora told me that these two brands are literally fresh off the plane and that Sheffied has some more surprises up their sleeves for the local Saffa expats (and locals of course).
To get your hands on this limited stock (for now) of Castle Lager & Mrs Ball’s Chutney, make your way out to the Olympian City Mall where you can buy them at the Sheffied Stand.
To get to Olympian City Mall, take the Tung Chung MTR line, get off at Olympic City MTR and exit at Exit D
At 3:10am on Saturday morning, I’m the happiest South African in Hong Kong: I have a case of Castle Lagers, 3 bottles of Mrs Balls Chutney AND my team the Stormers just comprehensively beat the Crusaders 42-14.
What more does a man want this time of the morning?!
(Featured pic: Hugh Bladen in the Boerewors Corner)
Colleen Thane, one of the most patriotic South Africans you will find in Hong Kong,corrected me the other day when I referred to the spot on the main level of the Hong Kong Stadium where the Saffas congregate during the HK Sevens as the “South African Corner.”
In fact, she said, these days it is referred to as the Boerewors Bend. She continued to say that:
“It used to be called “The Castle Corner, until some sod stole our 20 foot banner some years back!”
Well Colleen, in the interest of all those Saffas who are already planning their 2011 trip to the Hong Kong Sevens, this is where you want to be:
In our oppinion, Colleen Thane should be the un-official Mayoress of the Boerewor Bend! She’s the Saffa blowing the Vuvuzela in the picture slideshow below.
Here are some pics we took of Saffas in Boerewors Bend over the last few years:
You may remember my recent report about certain South African wine estates’ accusation that the SA Consulate in Hong Kong gives them very little support with breaking into the local market. Well, I know that the report was probably one-sided, but I have asked to Consulate to give a written rebuttal (which I am still waiting for).
Be that as it may, It seems that the SA industry’s participation in the recently held Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair is paying dividends because there is a noticeable increase of SA brands on the Hong Kong shelves. I noticed that Park ‘n Shop is selling some Nederburg brands called Twenty Ten, of course referring to the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup that’s taking place in SA in about five months’ time.
Shephard Brothers is an active supporter of the activities of the SA Association in Hong Kong and can be reached on +852 2542 0081 They have Windhoek Beer too!
Braaivleis, sunny skies, Castle Lager and a bit of rugby of course!
The organisers of the second Cape Town Tens rugby tournament has announced that yet another South African icon has joined the growing number of corporate supporters for the second tournament. In fact, they’re not just joining the club, they’ve decided to become the title sponsors of one of the major stops on the South African sports and social calendar. The Tens will henceforth be known as the:
Vaughan Croeser, the South African Breweries’ Trade Marketing Manager expressed his company’s support in the following way:
“We are really excited to be the naming sponsor of the Castle Cape Town Tens. The Cape Town Tens is definitely becoming a big event on the Cape Town social and sporting calendar.”
He continues, saying: “Castle has a proud heritage of national sport sponsorship and we really look forward to the future affiliation with Tens rugby and the opportunities to grow this property.”
No one will deny the obvious ’bed-partners’ that maketh the Cape Town Tens and Castle Lager and Croeser expressed it in the following way: “What makes the Tens unique is that it captures both the competitive nature of the game and the social aspect of the game. Rugby, beer, braai and South African pride; it all comes together with a Castle.”
I’m sure hosts Bob Skidstad and Robbie Fleck are rather chuffed at having clinched this sponsorship and can happily check that off the list of what-to-sort-out-for-2010!
