Merentia Van der Vent is a news editor at radio
station Tygerberg in Cape
Town. She always wanted to write and tell people's stories. While
she loves to meet friends and exploring her town (she loves dancing, especially at
the Cape Town Carnival) she is also the spokesperson for the Twitter Blanket
Drive. The Twitter Blanket Drive (TBD) is a South African,
community-driven project to support the poor during the winter months of the
year. The initiative started in 2010 with a tweet by founder Melanie Minnaar: “What
if each person on Twitter donated a blanket?”
Merentia said she feels proud that “the campaign is
literally done by just normal average people and no money is ever used. If I
need a logo, some graphic designer would donate time to do one, the hotel where
we host the event, give us sound, stage and a venue for free, so ja, just
normal people involved” when I asked her what she likes best about the project.
The Twitter Blanket Drive
kicks off in April and concludes in seven weeks on Thursday
26th May 2016. The Fire and Ice Hotels are again the main drop-off zones in
Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
The Touristin: Three words that
characterize Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: Beautiful, happy, love.
The Touristin: How do you get
around Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: I have a small car that can fit
into any parking and myself and Tarah (a 2005 Tata Indica) travel all over the
Peninsula on a daily basis because I like to see the different parts of my city
every day.
The Touristin: What is the best
kept secret about Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: That our people are really very
friendly and helpful.
The Touristin: What is your
favourite borough/suburb/area in Cape Town and why?
Merentia Van der Vent: I have too many favourite
suburbs. I've recently taken up jogging and jogging in areas I've never been
and totally loving the UCT, Rosebank, Rondebosch area, which is lying just
under Table Mountain.
Then sometimes I house sit on the West Coast side of the city (West
Beach), which includes that postcard photo, you always see of Table Mountain
lying majestically in front of you.
I live in the northern suburbs (Durbanville), which also gives you those
vantage points of other majestic mountains in the distance always hovering over
you. I also like Muizenberg and Tokai in the southern suburbs, which have more
charms of their own.
The Touristin: The best place for
a hot chocolate or coffee in Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: I am always trying out new coffee
and hot chocolate places but have not found something that stands out. I do
however adore the way the coffee gets served at the Cullinan Hotel on the
Foreshore. It comes in a really cool glass.
The Touristin: What is one
restaurant we must try out while in Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: Sawadee's in Rheede Street is a
personal favourite of mine. It is a Thai restaurant. Ever since my friend
Philida took me there, many years ago, we always try and make a plan to visit
it a few times a year and I always just have the one dish, their crispy fried
duck in garlic and pepper sauce. I've not ordered anything else from the menu,
these past few years I've been going there, lol... (This reminds me I must go
this month).
The Touristin: Where would we
meet you on weekends?
Merentia Van der Vent: Markets, markets and markets. If I
have free time, I love to visit the Tokai Forest (outdoor) market where I buy
special unpasteurized cheeses and "eating clean" bakery items. I buy
my free range double-yolk eggs from the Milnerton market on the West Coast
side, the Earth Fair (indoor) market, in Tokai, is another favourite.
If I can sneak away from the craziness of my life, I love to hang out at
the Hillcrest Berry Farm, just outside Stellenbosch and overdose on berries.
Also I like to go to spice shops in Athlone, to find spices and vegetables I've
never seen or used. I literally go on mini adventures (I call it
#merentiasadventures) every weekend to learn more about and explore my
beautiful city. Oh and sometimes on weekends I hike. How can I not hike in this
beautiful city of mine?
The Touristin: Do you have a
favourite museum/gallery we all have to visit when in Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: I love the Iziko Museum in the
Company Gardens although I spend more time outside the museum, walking in the
gardens. I was once locked up in the dark hallways of the emergency exit of the
museum but thank goodness, someone inside heard my shouting through a door.
The Touristin: What are some of
your favourite places to shop for
Merentia Van der Vent: A)
groceries: Checkers Hyper, Pick n Pay and Woolworths (if the pocket allows) and B) clothes: I like to buy
clothes from Pick n Pay Clothing. I always get compliments and they are not
that expensive.
The Touristin: What souvenir
shall we bring back from Cape Town?
Merentia Van der Vent: A fridge magnet of Table
Mountain, that way whenever you look at the fridge and you see the magnet, you
remember the wonderful special and beautiful time you had in Cape Town.
The Touristin: Thank you so very
much Merentia, all the very best to you and good luck with the Twitter Blanket
Drive. Keep up the very good work.
Find lovely Merentia van der Vent on Twitter and other Eyewitnesses here. If you would like to know what else there is to do in Cape Town, please read 10 fantastic things to do in Cape Town.
From Berlin With Love