Open Design Cape Town

We briefly popped in to check out this years Open Design event, especially interesting was the Madiba posters. We will be sure to put it in the diary for next year.

The Argus

We were in no shape to ride the Argus this year (last year we watched), but we are planing to do it next year... Crazy idea. But more tempting when thinking about having our own team-kit... Maybe.

We were there in spirit this year, check out the team-kit we designed for Casa Labia, well done guys!

Handmade tree trunk stools

We are making stools out of tree trunks, each one with the K&i logo engraved on top. Godfrey, a local and very talented wood sculpture artist has been helping us out. The plan is to use these at Design Indaba to hold our work. We're busy painting them white at the moment.

Beach sunrise

After seven years abroad, great jobs, and a good network of professionals and friends the time had come - Africa was calling.

When we made the decision to leave the UK and head back to the dark continent to set up our own company my tummy turned for weeks on end. I'm not going to lie to you -  as much as we were excited, we were also incredibly nervous. The nerves haven't subsided just yet but every now and then, like this morning, I get a really good feeling inside and it lets me know that everything will be just fine.

Being able to go for an early morning walk, watch the sunrise over Muizenberg beach while holding my business partner, wife and best friend's hand, reassures me that we've done the right thing…

Wipe that little well from under your eye Karl and stop worrying so much - embrace every moment and get back to work (you need to put food on the table).

Silvermine - good times

A few of us went for a beer, meat and sun session at Silvermine Nature Reserve yesterday - 'K' adds another wrinkle to his now thirty-one year old face.

A pigeon dances to the beat - video

A short video we put together a few years back in the UK, those English pigeons do know how to step to the beat.

Take a hike - Enchanted forests

South Africa is totally amazing, if you dig the great outdoors that is.

We set off from home in Muizenberg on our two best feet and joined a gentle path from St James that heads up and over the mountain on Saturday. The path takes you along beautiful fynbos which leads to Spes Bona forest - indigenous trees flourish with amazing greenery everywhere. It's definitely something comparable to 'Lord of the Rings' and quite good for smaller people like us hobbits as there's a fair bit of crouching/ducking to be done with all the overhanging trees. Exiting the forest takes you on path which forks a little later, we followed the path to the top of the mountain where we found an awesome natural amphitheatre. We continued our walk which takes you down towards Kalk Bay via another forest - Kroon se Bos, also called the Amazon Forest.

From the bottom of Kroon se Bos you get a good view of Kalk Bay harbour, at first sight of the harbour memories of crispy fresh fish and chips came flooding back. With salivating mouths and Kalkys fish and chips being the the only thing we could now think of, we made a speedy descent and exited onto Boyes Drive at Kalk Bay. It was a great walk, highly recommended and the fish and chips stop afterwards…

Check out our tumblr account for some more pics of lichen and beautiful fynbos.

What a weekend - Yzerfontein

A massive thanks goes out to Jacques & Dani from Noon Gun for an awesome weekend away in Yzerfontein. We had the most beautiful setting for a traditional South African braai one could ever imagine.

The Wacky Wine Festival

Was quite a busy weekend for us. We were visiting clients in Swellendam (see below the work we've done so far for the innovation summit), but not all work, also pleasure! The Wacky Wine Festival was on and we were sure to enjoy it! Had such a good time exploring the local wines, foods and the walks in the country side. Ah, fresh air and quietness... Check out Flickr and Tumblr for more pics.

This kinda stuff makes us happy inside

These pics were taken just a few km's from us at the Porter Estate Produce Market in the Tokai forest. See higher res images and more happy shots on our tumblr account.

A dog, circles and cross processing

Spotless

What a day, and what a pleasure… Spirits were high and the kids had a blast, both in the water and on the beach cleaning up.

Tash cooked up a frenzy on the mic as all gathered to hear who had won the surf contest. Prizes were given away, food supplied for all the hungry mouths and of course water and energy drinks flowed too. We all did our part to clean up the beach too, Karl even found a little model of Tigger from the cartoon Winnie the pooh. Ida helped 'up-cycle' some of the trash into cool little shakers for the kids who had the pleasure of listening to some sweet tunes by Roland Albertson (plus family on the drums) and a set by DJ Just Be…? Overall it was an amazing day, great camaraderie and a joy to be doing our bit. Shoh, and did that beer go down well afterwards!

Well done to Pat for organising the event and to all the sponsors too. Not to forget the guys who put together the good tunes and everybody else who collected the kids, scored the contest, got the word out there, cleaned the beach, then cleaned again… you are all champions.