Art to Heart Day
Valentine’s Day: day of love and what could be more lovely than sharing the day with those who need it. Keep the Dream Alive is tirelessly working to make life better for those who need it in Cape Town. They are holding an art auction on the 14 Feb at Cafe Schwarz. Along with paintings made by children from their school project in Cape Town, they are selling paintings or photographs donated by local artists. Cafe Schwarz will serve african food, author Diana Feuerbach will read some of her work, singer/song writer Dolus Mutombo will play and there will be clothes by diallo design, african accessories and hair braiding. It should prove a fun day for the whole family.
You can donate items for the auction like I have. Just send an email to: mariamutombo@hotmail.com
The line up for Art to Heart Day
5.oo coffee, cake, stands with lovely things to look at and take home
7.00-9.00 African Choir
8.00 Buffet
9.00 Auction
10.00 Dolus Mutombo
See you there!
Of Rugby, Kakapo and Castlepoint
We are the champions – New Zealand that is, and rugby is the game (or religion, if you prefer)!! On Sunday morning in a very crowded Irish pub on the Karli some very loyal Kiwis agonised with 4.3 million others (at least!) half a world away – geographically, but not in spirit – over much more than a game with a funny shaped ball. The country’s mental state was at state.
Hayley Westenra, singing sensation from earthquake stricken Christchurch, sang our national anthem very sweetly, to be followed by our warriors giving the haka their all. The French response was to create an arrow formation and advance to eyeball the Kiwis. Off-putting to say the least! They continued by not making it at all easy to put points on the board, and grey hairs were in the making. Kiwis are fairly modest types and the All Blacks have been known to lose their nerve when put under immense pressure, but finally the full-time whistle blew and we were on top. On top of the world!! The final score was 8 – 7, but who cares if there was only one point in it! The team who had played like champions throughout the competition, and only too happily welcomed so many so warmly while hosting the competition, had pulled it off. The Web Ellis Cup can now be tucked up with a hottie in a Kiwi nest for – at least – the next four years.
It was enough to make any Kiwi more than a bit tearfully homesick, but a trip to Leipzig’s Natural History Museum today helped as I came face to face with a couple of Kakapo (long deceased, but still a fine looking pair of native birds)! Then there was Wairarapa’s Castlepoint that featured in (and inspired – at least the dead whale did) the impressive DOK film ‘Vivan Las Antipodas!’ and thirdly New Zealand documentary film guru Alex Lee who made the trip to LE to talk business at the festival. So, Kiwi connections there are to be found and cherished in Leipzig, even if we are a long way from home.
The pride of all Kiwis
Festival of Lights 2011
Last night we went along to the Festival of Lights, to celebrate, along with many other Leipzigers, the amazing events in 1989 that led to the fall of communism across eastern Europe. Joining us via satellite link-up from Danzig were the Polish Baltic Philharmonic orchestra, who gave a concert which was screened onto the front of the Opera. The effect was quite impressive, as images from the concert hall were interspersed with historical photos from the period.
As with previous festivals, Leipzigers were invited to create an ‘89′ out of tea-lights, and short speeches were given by the Mayor of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung and Dr. Marek Prawda, the Polish Ambassador for Germany.
Watching the Polish Baltic Philharmonic perform live from Danzig. Photo credit: Saskia Rupp
The concert from Danzig was shown along with historical images from the struggle for freedom in Poland. Photo credit: Saskia Rupp.