Interview With Featured Blogger: Karisa Nicholls, CapeTownMyLove.com

by Alyssa Ramos

1. How long have you lived in Cape Town and what do you absolutely love the most?
   I moved to to Cape Town in January of 2003.  I love all the diverse options the city has to offer.  From being able to enjoy the beautiful outdoors, touring the winelands, spending the day at the beach, climbing mountains, indulging in some great shopping and top quality food, and being inspired by local art & design, it’s all here.
2. How would you describe the people/your friends? (personality/lifestyle wise)
   I think my group of friends are all similar to me.  We love exploring and trying new things.  We’re always busy and up for pretty much anything.  You sleep when you’re dead right?
3. What is the absolute must see/do in Cape Town?
   You simply have to do the big touristy stuff – Table Mountain & the cableway, a hike up Lion’s Head, the Camps Bay strip, Clifton Beach, the V&A Waterfront, a wine route, and in summer a Sunday afternoon concert at Kirstenbosch Gardens.  One thing Cape Town also does extremely well is a market and we have so many to choose from.  I personally love the V&A Market on the Wharf (open 7 days a week), the Hope St Market on a Thu eve, the Neighbourgoods Market at the Biscuit Mill on a Sat morning and the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay on a Sunday.
4. Where is a fun place to go for wine?
   I love the Constantia Wine Route.  It’s only about a 15min drive from the city centre and there are some beautiful wineries with some really great wines on that route.  Some of my personal favourites are Eagle’s Nest (makers of the best Shiraz in the word according to a recent international award), Constantia Glen (their cheese & charcuterie platter is a must!) and then Beau Constantia for an elegant setting with some incredible views.  Then in town, if you’re just looking for a good drinking hole / wine bar, try Publik or WeinHaus+BierGarten (formerly known as &Union – they do great craft beers too)
5. What is your typical day like?
   I’m a freelance online copywriter/social media manager/website creator, so typically you’ll find me huddled over my laptop in my PJs during the day.  Then in the evenings I’m at some kind of launch (I get a lot of invites through my blog) or trying out new restaurants & bars.  On the weekends I love to hit the markets, some wine farms, or if the weather’s good you’ll find me poolside or on the beach.  I’m also always up for getting some fresh air into my lungs with a hike or a promenade run.
6. What is the fashion like right now?
   You can buy pretty much any kind of fashion here.  We have most of the big international stores like Zara, Topshop, etc.  Also all the luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry & Gucci.  We’re even getting our first Forever 21 soon.  The only thing we need now is an H&M… but Mr Price is like our local version for low cost, fast fashion.
   Then we also have some great street style shopping and local clothing & accessory designs if you hit up areas like Long St, Kloof St and Woodstock (mainly Albert Rd where you’ll find The Woodstock Exchange, The Bromwell Boutique Mall, The Woodstock Foundry & The Biscuit Mill).  The hipster scene is quite big in Cape Town, so skinnies, thick-rimmed glasses, bow ties & vintage looking knits are common place.  But in general you’ll see a good mix of different fashion.  We’re very much on trend with what’s happening around the world.
7. What fashion/style/packing advice would you give to someone visiting from the U.S.?
   Cape Town weather can be rather unpredictable.  We joke that you can literally experience all 4 seasons in one day.  So come prepared to layer on and layer off.  Easy walking shoes are a must to explore the city streets and then if you’re the adventurous type, some trail running or hiking shoes are advisable too.
8. Do you have any special advice for girls traveling to Cape Town?
   Safety wise, I’d give the same advice as travelling anywhere really:  Don’t accept drinks from strangers, stay with your group as much as possible and be weary of over-friendly strangers.  Basically just stay alert and trust your instincts.  Most Capetonians are super friendly and we really do love showing travellers around (because we’re so damn proud of our city), but just don’t put yourself in any compromising positions.
9. Have you ever been on a safari, if so where and do you have any tips?
   I haven’t yet been on a full safari, but I’ve been on plenty of game drives.  Most game reserve websites will have plenty of tips & advice on their websites around what to pack, what to wear, what to look out for, etc.  Also if you’re unsure, just pop them an email.  From my experience the safari & game drive operators in our region are all really helpful and professional.
10. What would you say is a common misconception about South Africa/Cape Town?
    That it’s a dangerous place to travel to…  I think all cities/countries have areas that you should avoid and it’s just about applying some basic street smarts.  Keep a watchful eye over your belongings for example, don’t flash too much cash when you’re out and about, and if an area doesn’t feel safe, it probably isn’t, so stick to areas where there are a lot of people around you.
11. What are some items/products that are must-haves in your purse every day?
    Cash, credit cards, sunglasses, sunscreen (this is Africa after all, the sun can be quite harsh), and my iPhone.
12. How involved are people with Social Media there?
    Social media is big – FB, Twitter & Instagram are all very popular.  Foursquare (not technically social media, more of a social information sharing app) is also becoming very popular and I find it’s a great tool when I travel to get tips on great places to eat/drink/play/explore in my area.
13. I noticed you also do a lot of internet-based work – do you have any advice for people who are thinking about/trying to work while traveling?
    I used to have a very serious “desk job” as an IT Project Manager.  It was interesting & challenging, but I hated being stuck in an office.  I wanted the freedom to work from anywhere, only needing my laptop & an internet connection.  This is why I recently decided to start doing freelance writing/social media/website work.  I think the most important thing is to plan ahead, because the money’s not likely going to be rolling in from day one.  Make sure you have some backup savings to live on while you’re still building your client base, and try to stick to a good working routine.  Also network, network, network!
14. What are the best places to “see and be seen”?
    Anywhere on the Camps Bay strip (particularly Caprice), and then there are a lot of what we’d class as “hipster” spots in town:  WeinHaus+BierGarten, House of Machines, Orphanage Cocktail Emporium, La Parada (actually a tapas spot, but also great for drinks & they have a new bar downstairs called the Catacombs).  Cape Town’s not really big on mega nightclubs, intimate/trendy bars are more the scene.  If a bit of dancing is your thing, try Shimmy Beach Club, The Assembly (they do lots of live acts as well, so a great spot to see local music), Club 31 (31 floors up, so great views) or Decodance (for older hits that you can happily sing along too).
15. What are the most popular places for locals?
    All of the above. Everyone in Cape Town loves to be seen (at all times) 🙂
16. If I wanted to buy some clothes that are in fashion there (on a budget) what would you suggest?
    Mr Price, Cotton On, Factorie & Legit.  Then of course you’ll find great deals at the markets too.
17. If you had to choose a word to describe your life as a movie, what would it be? (i.e. “My Life’s a __travel____Movie”)
    My life’s an adventure film for sure.
18. If you could tell the world one thing, what would it be?
    Once Cape Town gets hold of you, you’ll never want to leave…

Blogger Guides are a collection of interviews from top bloggers in different countries who I contacted via Twitter to help give me local/insider insight on things to do and see in each country I visit rather than only researching the area on the Internet. Bloggers know their cities inside and out, not just as residents, but as dedicated researchers and writers about them. Blogger Guides also aims to show how connected we all really are, both on a human level and a digital level.