📲 your week in the Winelands: all in one place

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Good Morning, Insiders ☕️

School bags are packed, lunches are made, and just like that, the Winelands’ is back in its weekday rhythm. If your house feels a little calmer (or a lot quieter) this week, you're not alone. Term's back on, and so are we, with a lineup that's got something for everyone.

And can we just say - what a joy it's been watching this community grow. We've had so many new faces join us over the past few weeks, and if you're one of them: welcome, we're so glad you're here. Whether it's your first newsletter or your fiftieth, we do this because we believe knowing what's on, who's doing good in our towns, and where to spend a Saturday morning makes life here just a little richer (there’s no FOMO here).

Speaking of Saturday mornings - lace up for the Wine Town Walk & Run at Dornier, or join the Somerset West Run Crew's 7:30am demo run and rave (yes, really, before 8am). Prefer your weekend a little slower? Candlelight: Long Live the Rock Legends turns Endler Hall into something magical, and Vergelegen's Camellia Weekend is the prettiest excuse for tea and a stroll we've seen all winter.

The sun's back too (22-23° through the weekend) so get out there.

Here’s what we’ve got for you 👇

Stellenbosch Eisteddfod 2026 Prize Winners Concert
📅 Sat 25 Jul | 15:00-18:00 📍 Endler Hall, Stellenbosch • Afternoon of standout performances from this year's top young talent. 🎟 From R50 | Info here

Half-Day Watercolour Painting with Claudia Faber
📅 Fri 31 Jul | 09:00-14:00 📍 La Motte Ateljee, La Motte Wine Estate, Franschhoek • Hands-on birdlife watercolour workshop with materials, coffee & pastry included. 🎟 R1,150 | Book here

Watershed LIVE at Franschhoek Cellar
📅 Fri 31 Jul | 18:00 📍 Franschhoek Cellar • 25 years of SA rock hits including Indigo Girl & Letters. 🎟 R295 | Info here

Vergelegen Camellia Weekend
📅 Fri 31 Jul-Sat 1 Aug | 10:00-12:00 📍 Vergelegen Wine Estate, Somerset West • Guided garden talk through Africa's only International Camellia Garden of Excellence, plus tea & cake. 🎟 R195 | More here

Jack Parow, Van Pletzen & FakBoiz - Live at Daisy Jones
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 17:00-23:45 📍 Daisy Jones Bar, Stellenbosch • Big SA music night, crowd favourites & DJs. 🎟 From R200 (no under 18s) | Book here

Candlelight: Long Live the Rock Legends
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 18:00 📍 Endler Hall, Stellenbosch Conservatorium • Rock anthems performed live amid hundreds of candles. 🎟 See listing | More here

Synesthesia at Thelema Mountain Vineyards
📅 Sun 2 Aug | 10:30-12:30 📍 Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Stellenbosch • Violinist Dr Elinor Speirs improvises live as each wine is poured. 🎟 R350 | Book here

Winelands Square Pop-Up Market
📅 Sat 25-Sun 26 Jul | 10:00-16:00 📍 Winelands Square, Paarl • Local makers, gifts, food & live music. 🎟 Free entry

Paarl Interskole Rugby: Paarl Boys' High vs Paarl Gimnasium
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 12:00 📍 Faure Stadium, Paarl • One of SA school rugby's biggest rivalries returns. 🎟 Booking essential | More here

Wine Town Walk & Run
📅 Sat 25 Jul | 9:00 (10km) / 9:10 (5km) 📍 Dornier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch • Scenic vineyard trail routes for all levels. 🎟 From R180 | Book here

Somerset West Run Crew: Demo Run Activation & Rave
📅 Sat 25 Jul | 07:30 📍 Somerset West • Run or walk community event with live DJ, HOKA shoe demos, free donuts, ice lollies & bagel discounts. Win HOKA and Totalsports vouchers. 🎟 Free | More here

Sportsmans Warehouse Winter Trail Run
📅 Sun 26 Jul | From 08:30 📍 L'Avenir Estate, Stellenbosch • 6km or 11km trail routes through vineyards & orchards. 🎟 From R170 | Enter here

Reclaim Your Centre Retreat
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 09:00-16:30 📍 BE Hive, Boschendal Estate • Restorative yoga, breathwork & SoulCollage with farm-to-table lunch. 🎟 Info here

Faith Fund Oggend: 5 Vrouens en Ek
📅 Sat 1 Aug | 10:00 📍 Vredenheim Wine Estate, Stellenbosch • Comedian François Boyce hosts a charity morning with breakfast & live music. 🎟 R485 | Email to book

Wine & Dine at Oude Werf Hotel
📅 Sat 25 Jul | 18:30 📍 Oude Werf Hotel, Stellenbosch • Four-course menu paired with Neil Ellis Wines & live music from Ezra Lingeveldt. 🎟 R545 | Email to book

Triggerfish Brewing Winterfest 2026
📅 Sat 25 Jul | 11:00-18:00 📍 Triggerfish Brewing, Somerset West • Craft beers, live music & food vendors. 🎟 Free entry (tasting packages available) | Book here

Beeslaar Winemaker Dinner at Muse Restaurant
📅 Thu 30 Jul | 18:00-18:30 arrival 📍 Muse Restaurant • Five-course menu paired with Beeslaar Wines, hosted by Abrie Beeslaar. 🎟 R650 (RSVP by 26 Jul) | 📞 041 582 1937

Blaauwklippen Winemaker's Brunch
📅 Fri 31 Jul | 10:30 📍 Tasting House, Blaauwklippen Vineyards • Four breakfast small plates paired with wine, hosted by Narina Cloete. 🎟 R450 | Book here

Klippe Kou Syrah & Estate Lamb Dinner
📅 Fri 31 Jul | 18:30 📍 The Kraal Restaurant, Joostenberg Wine Estate • Syrah tasting paired with a three-course lamb dinner. 🎟 R590 | Email to book

Perdeberg Old Vine Pairing
📅 Until Sun 2 Aug | From 10:00 📍 STEEN Restaurant, Perdeberg Cellar, Paarl • Four Old Vine Certified wines paired with gourmet canapés. 🎟 R245 | Book here

Eikendal Winter Fondue Evening
📅 Sat 1 Aug | Evening 📍 Eikendal Vineyards, Stellenbosch • Swiss cheese fondue with Glühwein welcome drink & live music. 🎟 R495 | More here

Winter Wine Lounge Fireside at Hazendal
📅 Until 31 Aug | Wine lounge hours 📍 Hazendal Wine Lounge, Stellenbosch • Cape Malay curry or braised beef, each paired with a Bottelary Hills wine. 🎟 From R165 | Email to book

Worth the drive…🚗

Wynstok & Biltong Fees
📅 Fri 31 Jul-Sun 2 Aug 📍 Die Stalle Family Restaurant, Rawsonville • Wine, biltong & live entertainment incl. Jay & Sunset Sweatshop. 🎟 From R250 | Book here

Wine Town Stellenbosch is Back
The week-long celebration of the region's wine and culture kicks off Saturday 25 July to Sunday 2 August, held at various venues across town. A proper excuse to explore Stellenbosch's tastings, culture and community spirit all in one go.

Proe Paarl Restaurant Month
📅 1-31 Aug 📍 Nine restaurants along the Paarl Wine Route • Exclusive seasonal menus at great value all month.

Back to the Books (and Back to Bedtime)

Term's back, and so is the school-night scramble - lunchboxes, homework, and somehow always one missing shoe. A gentle reminder for the week ahead: kids (and let's be honest, parents too) settle back into routine faster with small, consistent anchors - a set bedtime, a five-minute afternoon check-in about their day, or a Sunday-night lay-out-the-uniform ritual. It won't fix the Monday grump, but it takes the edge off.

💡 Insider tip: Stellenbosch's newly reopened Plein Street Library is a lovely low-key outing this week - a fresh, upgraded space that's perfect for reigniting a love of reading now the holidays are over.

Reading Morning with Patricia Schonstein
📅 Sat 25 Jul | 11:00-12:00 📍 Oude Leeskamer, Stellenbosch • Storytelling with acclaimed author Patricia Schonstein, bringing beloved character Phoebe to life through poems & interactive readings. 👧🏼 Ages 7-10 | Book here

🥩 Steak Lunch & Wine at Waterkloof
Treat yourself to a 300g free-range Steak Au Poivre with pomme frites, salad and a 250ml carafe of red or white wine for R430 pp. Perfect for a relaxed business lunch or catch-up with friends, with private dining available upstairs for groups of 8-12.
📅 Daily | 🕛 12:00-15:00 | 📍 Waterkloof Wine Lounge, Somerset West

🍷 Pensioners Discount Thursdays at Perdeberg
Every Thursday, pensioners get 20% off wine and food at Perdeberg Restaurant & Cellar. Bring a friend, settle in on the farm and let them spoil you a little. 🎟 Every Thursday | 📍 Perdeberg Cellar, Paarl

Rain clears out fast this week - after a wet start today, we're in for a stunning stretch of sunshine right through the weekend, with highs climbing to 22-23° Saturday and Sunday. Perfect timing for all those outdoor markets, trail runs and wine estate outings. A bit of cloud drifts back in early next week, but nothing to worry about - pack a light jacket for the mornings and evenings, lovely sunshine in the afternoons. ☀️

A Mountain-View Retreat in Pearl Valley

Tucked into a quiet cul-de-sac in Pearl Valley Golf & Country Estate, this newly completed home is the kind you don't want to leave. Walk through the olive tree-lined garden and double doors into a chandelier-lit entrance hall, then take in those lake and mountain views stretching out to the Groot Drakenstein and Simonsberg.

Downstairs flows easily between an indoor braai room, open-plan kitchen and lounge, plus a guest suite opening onto the pool. Upstairs, three bedrooms include a main suite with its own TV lounge. Outside, a braai pit faces the mountains, made for sundowners as the light shifts. Solar, inverter and water filtration included - because Winelands living should be as easy as it is beautiful. Take a peek here, you won’t regret it.

45, Fitter Than Ever: One Mum's 5-Point Reset

If you've ever thought your fittest years are behind you, this one's for you. A 45-year-old mother of two recently shared how she got into the best shape of her life - no shortcuts, no quick fixes, just five honest changes. Here's what worked:

1. Progressive overload, not random workouts. She started tracking her weight, reps and progress, giving her body a small reason to get stronger each week. That steady, gradual challenge is exactly what builds muscle over time.

2. Chasing strength over a certain look. Once she stopped training for aesthetics and started training to feel strong and energised, her body changed anyway. Turns out performance-focused goals are far easier to stick with long-term.

3. 10,000 steps, every day. Simple daily movement - not races, not workouts - kept her metabolism ticking, stress levels down and recovery on track. Sometimes the basics really are the secret weapon.

4. Eating to build, not shrink. She leaned into eating more, prioritising protein to support her hormones and muscle. A reminder that undereating often does more harm than good, especially in your 40s.

5. Letting go of the comparison to her 30-year-old self. She found freedom (and results) in training for the body and life she has now, not the one she used to have.

Bonus tip: rest isn't optional - it's where the real progress happens. Sleep, rest days and stress management made the whole plan work.

Insider take: proof that your 40s can be your strongest decade yet - no injections required, just consistency and a little self-compassion. 🫶🏼

This week why not try this comforting yet high protein, simple Loaded Hot Honey Beef Sweet Potato (ps. swop the beef mince for beans or halloumi to make it veggie)

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