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Good Morning, locals

There are 57 days left of 2026. That’s eight weekends, a handful of long lunches and one very full December. We say make them count, and this week makes it easy.

Paarl throws its biggest plaaspartytjie at the Winelands 10s, Simonsig raises a glass to 55 years of Cap Classique, and Spoegwolf and Eden both play on Saturday night. Tonight, Stellenbosch stays up late for First Thursdays.

Pack a rain jacket for Friday, then sunscreen for Monday’s 31°. Let’s go, shall we!? 🫴🏼

Together with Checkers

Pop into Checkers on Mill Street this week and you might forget you came in for milk. Running “through” the revamped store is a section of the Meulsloot, or Mill Stream, one of the oldest gravity-fed water furrows in the country.

Dug shortly after Stellenbosch was founded in 1679, it once turned the town’s wheat mills, and the store stands on the site of the third. Today it’s a Provincial Heritage Site, and the star of the redesign. One shopper admitted online that he completely forgot he was in a grocery store. We get it.

“The Mill Stream is an important part of the town’s story,” says Checkers COO Willem Hunlun, “and incorporating it into the design allows customers to experience that heritage as part of their everyday shopping.”

Once you’ve had your moment by the water, there’s a butchery, a hot and cold deli, a bakery, fresh produce and a wine cellar, plus a Starbucks, a Lindt shop-in-shop and a Money Market counter. Next door are an upgraded LiquorShop, a Medirite Plus pharmacy and a Petshop Science.

The best part might be the people. The revamp created 142 new local jobs, and store manager Shaun Adams leads a team where careers grow. Asenathi Sitwayi went from till packer to trainee manager in just over a year, and Leston Pietersen has just reached twenty years.

Say hi next time you’re in. 👋🏽

📍 Corner of Dorp and Mill streets, Stellenbosch | 🕗 08:00-19:00, Mon to Sun

One not to be missed. Fun and gees, guaranteed. 🔥

Winelands 10s
📅 Fri 6 + Sat 7 Nov | Gates 08:00 Fri, 07:00 Sat 📍 Boland Landbouskool, Paarl
The Winelands’ biggest plaaspartytjie is back, with more than 200 teams battling it out across five sports and a few rugby legends and celebrities in the mix. Between games, there are food stalls, a beer tent and a VIP area. Friday ends with a sokkie evening and a best-dressed prize, and Saturday’s league prize-giving rolls into a big Afrikaans music line-up. Live entertainment from 19:00 both nights. Under-10s get in free, and numbers are limited. 🎟 From R140 | Grab your pass

🎁 Win 1 of 4 double passes
We’ve got four sets of double tickets to give away! To enter, head to our Instagram:

🌙 Tonight: First Thursdays (Thu 5 Nov, 17:00-20:00). Stellenbosch’s galleries, studios and wine bars stay open late, with 14 stops on the map. Full programme and map

In Praise of Flowers at Spice Route
📅 Opens Fri 6 Nov, 18:00 | Daily 09:00-17:00 until 29 Nov 📍 The Space, Spice Route, Paarl
Twelve South African artists take on one theme in oils, sculpture, fibre, ceramics and paper collage. Go to the opening, or pair it with lunch any day this month. 🎟 Free | More here

Pride & Prejudice under the stars
📅 Sat 7 Nov | Doors 17:00, film 19:45 📍 Nederburg, Paarl
The Galileo screens Joe Wright’s 2005 classic on Nederburg’s lawns. Bring a picnic, watch the sun go down over the valley, and leave the alcohol at home (there’s a bar). PG. 🎟 Tickets here

Met die Maan Gepla at Heuer Pianos
📅 Wed 11 Nov | 18:00-20:00 📍 Heuer Pianos, Dorp Street, Stellenbosch
Niël Rademan and pianist José Dias turn a piano showroom into an intimate concert hall for a playful, slightly moonstruck evening of song. An easy one after work. 🎟 R360 | Get tickets

Blood Drive at Koelenhof
📅 Fri 6 Nov | 10:00-15:00 📍 Koelenhof Wine Cellar, Stellenbosch
It takes under an hour, and one donation can help save several lives. Donors need to be 16-75 and 50kg or more. Eat well beforehand and bring your ID. 🎟 Just walk in

Pizza Friday at Play By Nature
📅 Fri 6 Nov | 16:30-20:00 📍 Play By Nature Play Café, R44, Stellenbosch
Kids aged 8 months to 8 years make their own pizzas while you order from the menu and enjoy a glass of wine. Stay as long as you like. 🎟 From R70 | Book here

Courtrai Celebration with Bernice West
📅 Fri 6 Nov | 19:00-21:00 📍 Laerskool Courtrai, Paarl
Bernice West headlines a lively evening of choirs, drumline and marimba band, and every ticket supports a local school. 🎟 From R180 | Get tickets

Jamestown Strawberry Festival
📅 Sat 7 Nov | 09:00-15:00 📍 Webersvallei Road, Jamestown, Stellenbosch
Generations of small-scale farmers, a village that dates back to 1902, and strawberries picked that morning. Enjoy tea gardens, local dishes and live music, with proceeds going to the community trust. 🎟 Free | More here

TITAN Trail Run at Avontuur
📅 Sat 7 Nov | 10km 07:30, 5km 07:45 📍 Avontuur Wine Estate, Somerset West
Vineyard trails on the slopes of the Helderberg, with wave starts and two newcomer-friendly distances. Groups of six or more get a discount. 🎟 From R260 | Enter here

Banhoek Valley Wine Walk
📅 Sat 7 Nov | 08:00-13:00 📍 Le Pommier Wine Estate, Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch
Walk through the vineyards to tastings at Thelema and Zorgvliet, then loop back to Le Pommier for lunch and a final glass. Mountain views between every pour. 🎟 Book here

Healing Herbs at Babylonstoren
📅 Tue 10 Nov | 10:00-15:30 📍 Babylonstoren, Simondium
Spend a day in the Healing Garden, laid out in the shape of the human body, with Gundula Deutschländer. You’ll go home with simple home-remedy recipes, and lunch at the Greenhouse is included. These fill fast. 🎟 R1,600 | Book here

PowerHER Fit Fest with Kayla Itsines
📅 Sat 14 Nov | 11:00-21:00 📍 Allée Bleue Wine Estate, Franschhoek
Global fitness star Kayla Itsines brings a full day of workouts, wellness experiences and honest conversations about women’s health to the Winelands. Round up the gym friends and make a day of it. 🎟 Info here

Doolhof Winemaker’s Evening at WYN
📅 Thu 5 Nov | 18:30-20:30 📍 WYN, The Forum, Somerset West
Taste the wines behind Tim Atkin’s Rosé of the Year (two years running) with the Wellington team who made them. Relaxed and good for every level. 🎟 From R130 | Book here

Cavalli Sunset Sessions
📅 Fri 6 Nov | From 15:00, music 15:30-18:00 📍 Cavalli Estate, R44, Somerset West
Timothy De Monk plays soulful originals on the lawns as the Helderberg turns gold. Order a chilled bottle and a charcuterie board, and stay for sunset. 🎟 Email to book

Merroir Caviar Experience at Vergenoegd Löw
📅 Wed 11 Nov | 18:30 📍 Clara’s Barn, Vergenoegd Löw, Stellenbosch
Four courses, four caviars, each paired with the estate’s wines. Only 30 seats. A splurge, yes, but that’s what the last weeks of the year are for. 🎟 R3,500pp | Email to book

Wine Appreciation Evening at Annandale
📅 Thu 12 Nov | Arrive 18:00, dinner 18:30 📍 Toevlug, Annandale Wines, Stellenbosch
Annandale’s last winemaker’s dinner of the year, with three courses under the oaks and a first taste of two new releases. 🎟 R695pp | Book here

Harvest Table Dinner at Pink Valley
📅 Fri 13 Nov | 17:30 for 18:00 📍 Pink Valley Wines, Somerset West
Three globally inspired courses cooked straight from the award-winning Harvest Table cookbook. Each one is paired with wines from Pink Valley and its Helderberg neighbours Le Chant and Taaibosch, plus a few international bottles. There’s a non-alcoholic pairing too, and seating is limited. 🎟 R715pp | Email to book or 021 855 3744

Heads-up, Saturday drivers: the sold-out Winelands Marathon runs between Stellenbosch and Somerset West from early morning until about midday. Leave extra time if you’re heading to Simonsig, Jamestown or a trail run. Want to cheer? The finish is at Coetzenburg.

The Cape Epic finishes in Wellington. Wellington hosts the last three days of the Absa Cape Epic from 26 to 28 March 2027, including the Queen Stage and the finish at Imbuko Wines. Expect a big boost for local tourism and businesses.

Stellenbosch tap water is safe to drink. After residents raised concerns about discoloured water, the municipality says samples met drinking-water standards. It blames natural tannins washed into the river after the rain, and affected lines are being flushed. There’s no need to boil.

Franschhoek Creates runs all month. Galleries across the valley join in with sculpture, ceramics, botanical works and contemporary art. Nic Bladen’s botanical sculptures open on 7 Nov. See the programme

✨ Black November at Skin & Laser Co. Get 20% off 4D and skin-rejuvenation facials and 40% off when you book six or more laser hair-removal sessions. Body sculpting is also 40% off per area (Stellenbosch only). Start now and you’ll see results by the festive season. Book here

🏉 Boks, pizza and a free beer: LEO Sky shows the Springboks vs Italy on its terrace on Sat 7 Nov (kick-off 13:40). Order any pizza and your beer is on the house. Booking is essential. 📞 067 598 0585

Thursday reaches 23°, with a chance of afternoon showers. Friday is the wet one, with a 68% chance of showers and 19°, so pack a rain jacket for the 10s. Saturday is crisp, starting at 11° (perfect for the marathon) and staying at 19° under passing cloud. Then summer kicks in: Sunday is mostly sunny and 27°, and Monday hits 31°. Tuesday is 28° and Wednesday 25°, with a breezy westerly most of the week.

☀️ Best days: Sun to Tue. Monday is a beach-after-work kind of day.

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In the leafy, established Little Hampshire Estate in Heldervue, this three-bedroom home looks out over beautifully kept communal gardens. From the lounge, you can see all the way to the sea.

It’s made for easy living. There’s a separate dining room for long Sunday lunches, and the private garden is just big enough for morning coffee and a few pots of herbs. The estate’s gardeners look after the rest. The main bedroom has its own bathroom, a 5kW solar system with battery backup keeps the lights on, and the double garage plus extra parking means nobody fights over the driveway.

Keen to see that sea view for yourself? Give Jaco a ring on 📞 082 448 2201 or take the tour here.

Good dates don’t need to be complicated. These take about 10 minutes and only need a couple of ingredients. They’re the kind of snack that feels like a treat but still counts as fruit, so keep a batch in the fridge for when the 4pm slump hits. Get the recipe here

And if it’s the other kind of date you’re after, Somerset West local Garry Buckland has just launched Meet Your Mate. It’s for friendship, companionship or romance across Somerset West, the Strand, Gordon’s Bay and Stellenbosch, and early access is free. Snacks optional, but we’d recommend bringing these. 😉

Fifty-seven days is just enough time to do the things you keep saying “we must” about. So this week, grab a pen and write down five things you want to fit in before the year ends. Keep them small and doable, and make them yours.

Need ideas? Watch one sunrise from a mountain pass. Book the long lunch you’ve been talking about since winter. Call the friend you keep meaning to call. Buy one Christmas gift from a local maker. Have one evening with no screens, just a picnic blanket and a sunset.

Stick the list on the fridge and tick them off as you go. By New Year’s Eve, you’ll look back on these 57 days, not just the 308 before them. 🥂

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