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Friday, May 24, 2013
Pauline Nakios Lilla P Cape Town

Postcard From Cape Town

Pauline Nakios of Lilla P shows you the best of the South African city.

Pauline Sokol Nakios, Owner and Creative Director of the clothing line Lilla P, first visited South Africa with her husband in 2000 for business. Niakos and her husband brought their sons Theo, 7, and Elliot, 3, to Cape Town for the first time in 2011 for a family vacation and has fond memories of sipping tea with friends from Johannesburg while sitting on the veranda of a house the family rented in the beach neighborhood of Camps Bay. One on side was the sea; the other had a view of Table Mountain. Since the seasons are flipped in South Africa—it’s summertime during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere—Nakios suggests planning a trip in December. Not only are residents in “holiday mode” but the weather is spectacular, too. “The days are long,” and easily filled with family activities, she says. “[It’s] a nice reprieve from the short, cold, New York winter days.” Using Cape Town as a home base, there are great day trip options, such as Franschoek and Wine Country or Greyton, a charming town 90 miles from Cape Town with small art galleries and great hikes and bike rides. See why the destination is great for family travel.

Table Mountain Cable Car Cape Town

DO

Cape Town is rife with activities the whole family will enjoy. Make sure not to miss a trip to the top of Table Mountain—get there either by cable car or a hike along the moderately difficult garden path—and Lion’s Head, another dramatic peak in the Cape Town landscape. The Cape of Good Hope, once believed to be the place where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, is another must-see. The scenic cliff-side drive to the point is breathtaking, and the sign marking the location of the “most South-Western point of the African Continent” makes for a great picture. On the way, stop by Boulders Beach, to see the colony of African Penguins that settled there in 1982,

Langoustines Cape Town La Perla

EAT

Lazari is a great option for a meal with kids. “[Owner] Chris Lazari is a dear friend,” says Nakios, “His restaurant, an amazing café in the Gardens, is as wonderful as he is. La Perla is an old-time favorite. With one of the best views in town this Italian restaurant is “right across from the ocean and has the best Langoustines,” she says.

Old Biscuit Mill Cape Town

SHOP

“The Old Biscuit Mill is a great new shopping area [in Woodstock]. They have a farmer’s market on Saturdays and adorable local shops. It can get crowded, so go early or on a weekday.”