From Gingko’s newsletter: 

With February being the month of love, we thought we’d put together a programme that would celebrate some of the world’s greatest love songs. Michèle Corbin (soprano) and Donato Somma (tenor) will perform a wonderful selection of operatic, traditional Napolitan and more contemporary works to the accompaniment of pianist Susan Harrop-Allin.

Works include (among others) the beautiful Libiamo from Verdi’s La Traviata, Morrcone’s Nella Fantasiamade famous by Sarah Brightmanand more recently by Il Divo, the fabulous-for-singing-in-the-shower-on-your-own O Sole Mio,

We’ll be serving a special array of typical Italian street food, including antipasto platters, bagnacauda with grissini & raw veg for dipping, loads of different but equally delicious bruschetta, polenta fritta croccante otherwise know as polenta chips with muffaletta to dunk them in, popcorn w garlic & parmigiano and then luscious strawberries with balsamic glaze and tiramisu for dessert!

The concert is R100.00 per person. Book your table soonest as seats are limited as you know! Email Catherine@gingko.co.za. You’re welcome to come earlier for lunch and simply stay on, or plan on a late lunch accompanied by some of the world’s most delightful music.

Such seamless but thoughtful touches in all areas:

• a splendid, attractive notice board in main core public area
• guest internet station provided
• high attention to energy-saving measures including solar geysers, CFLs, solar garden lighting, water-saving shower roses, etc.
• generous provision of heating, a real plus for travellers including under-carpet heating
• complimentary bottled water & quality home-baked crunchies, Liz’s own muesli & a delightful easy-pour honey tube on breakfast tables
• breakfast room with LED DSTV
• easy instructions for complimentary internet access in rooms
• various menus, maps, evacuation & fire procedures in all rooms, quality paper holder, recycling info on waste bins
• generous DSTV in rooms
• fridges stocked incl fresh milk, and so on.

Really excellent & indicative of high levels of general efficiency.  The exceptional provision of guest comforts for both leisure & corporate guests and the high standards of personal yet professional service and hospitality continue to set this establishment at an exceptionally confident Superior level.

We at Liz at Lancaster Guesthouse are fortunate to have hosted many patients who have been recovering after surgery at various Clinics within easy reach of Liz at Lancaster: the Rosebank Clinic, http://www.netcare.co.za/live/content.php?Item_ID=171 Wits Donald Gordon Medical Institute http://www.dgmc.co.za/   in nearby Parktown, Morningside Clinic http://www.mediclinic.co.za/hospitals/Pages/about.aspx?h=16  and the Milpark  http://www.netcare.co.za/live/content.php?Item_ID=161   

There are many advantages of staying in a guesthouse for post-operative care. Apart from the obvious advantage of lower rates at guesthouses as compared to hotels, there are many other pluses : the biggest being privacy and being able to recuperate out of the public eye.  With rooms opening out onto private enclosed courtyards guests can make the most of fresh air and secluded privacy. And during the day when business guests have all gone off to work they can venture further and enjoy a tranquil garden setting with sparkling pool, shaded areas and Joburg’s significant bird-life.  All units at Liz at Lancaster have intercoms to the main house and staff so there is 24/7 access to Liz, Catherine and Zac all of whom live on site. As a registered transport provider Zac provides on-site transport needs: airport transfers, drop-off and collection at the hospital and drives to any attractions or shopping destinations.  Many guests choose to have their breakfasts served in their rooms or in their patios – at the time of their choice.  Although Liz at Lancaster also provides healthy post-operative lunches and suppers, with fully equipped kitchenettes in all units, once guests feel strong enough, they really appreciate the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of being able to prepare their own light meals.  Walking in the area is completely safe with a 3 minute stroll to the shops at the end of the block, being an ideal distance for those wanting to do some gentle exercise. Here there is a coffee shop, hairdresser, 7.30-7 grocery store, chemist, etc. And finally, the caring and nuturing attitude of Liz, Catherine, Zac and Thandie counts for a lot when recovering from a medical procedure.

While we have hosted patients recuperating from a wide range of medical procedures, most of our ‘medical guests’ have been recovering from plastic surgery.  Over the years Liz at Lancaster has been fortunate to host patients from many of South Africa’s top plastic surgeons:  Dr. Saul Braun  http://www.drbraun.co.za/rosebank_medical_facilities.htm  and Dr Fayman http://www.doctorfayman.co.za/  who both practice at the Rosebank Clinic; from the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Institute , Dr Richard Stott; as well as Dr Peter Scott who works out of  the Morningside Clinic. 

Here are just two of the many letters of thanks from our medical patients:

June 2006

Thank you Liz for everything. I had a really relaxing time with you all. You run a lovely place and I will recommend Liz at Lancaster to anybody who is coming to SA in future. Thank you for the jigsaws – it will be a long time before I will be doing a jigsaw again!. Loved the peace and quiet – it contributed to my fast recuperation. Thank you.

January 2012

I have now settled back home and into the office as well.  I am healing superbly well with only occasional discomfort.  I wanted to thank you again for the warm hospitality that you accorded to me during my stay there.  It is not every day that I come across the kindness and personal touch with which I was treated – and this extended to Catherine, Zac, Marley [the lovable Labrador] and Rosemary. Thank you again, I look forward to my stay in April.

Jessica Webster’s exhibition Mainly Benoni. And Paintings opens at 12 pm today at Nirox Projects on Arts on Main

Showing at In Toto is She@Intoto a group show on women by women. The invite includes Georgia O’Keefe’s aphorism: ‘I feel there is something unexplored about women that only a woman can explore’.   Closes 28th Feburary so plenty time to visit.   6 Birdhaven Centre, 66 St Andrews St Birdhaven

Closing on 28th January is John Phalane’s Malete an exhibition of his map art , currently showing at AOP at 44 Stanley Ave

Voice and Citizenship is a group show with a difference.  Showing at Artist Proof Studio at the Bus Factory in Newtown until 31st January, this exhibition depicts the visual journey that five Artist Proof Studio students and Cloudia Harwig their facilitator have undertaken over the last year as part of her masters study titled: ““The role of screen-print projects in enhancing awareness of active citizenship: a case study at Artist Proof Studio”.  The exhibition presents the processes, concepts and final artworks in the sequential stages that took place throughout the study. The screen-printed results present the different varieties of stencil-making techniques that screen-printing has to offer.   

Diane Victor’s exhibition at University of Johannebsurg Gallery finishes on Wednesday 25th Jan with a closing ceremony at 19.00

Anton Momberg’s show at Circa Gallery opened on 13th January and runs until 11th February.

Tinsel the fabulous store with jewellry designed by Geraldine Fenn and other award winning SA contemporary jewellers is moving at end January to Parkhurst . So visit them at their current location (until 31st January) in the Bamboo Centre in Melville. 

But still to open are:

Candice Breitz’s Extra! at the Standard Bank Gallery which runs from 8th February to 5th April.  

And it seems Goodman’s 2012 programme only opens on 2nd February with a Group Show Advance/…. Notice with a stellar line-up including works by Candice Breitz, Mounir Fatmi, Robert Hodgins, Sam Nhlengethwa, Sigalit Landau, Walter Oltmann, Willem Boshoff ,William Kentridge, Langa Moshekwa, Mikhael Subotzky, Kudzanai Chiurai ,David Goldblatt, Frances Goodman, Gerhard Marx, Hank Willis, Thomas Hasan & Husain Essop,Jodi Bieber, Kagiso Pat Mautloa, Kendell Geers, Kentridge and Gerhard Marx – many of the who’s who of contemporary South African art.  Closes 25th February.

From all the team at Liz at Lancaster

Emilio Coelho receives the American Express Fine Dining renewal reward for Osteria Tre Nonni

La Cucina di Ciro, set in a delightful old house off 7th Ave Parktown North, and Osteria Tre Nonni in Grafton Ave Craighall Park  (5 minutes from Liz at Lancaster Guesthouse),  have both  had their membership renewed for the 2012 American Express Platinum Fine Dining Awards.  The prestigious programme has strict criteria relating to quality, cuisine, decor, service, creativity, ambience, wine list and acceptance of American Express Cards.  The judges of the 2012 awards were the well-known Johannesburg-based writer and food critic, Victor Strugo, who has been a judge since the inception of the programme in 1999, and Cape Town-based ‘foodie’  Tamsin Snyman.   These 2 restaurants are amongst 78 around the country who meet the strict standards of the programme.   Congratulations to them both – more fine dining expriences on offer in the Parks area of Joburg.

• Best steakhouse countrywide: The Local Grill Parktown North
• The City Press ViP Sunday Breakfast Award: The Salvation Cafe 44 Stanley Ave
• no 7 in Best Restaurants nationwide D-W 11-13, Dunkeld Square (All other 9 restaurants in the top 10 were in the Cape.)

D-W 11-13 is 5 blocks from Liz at Lancaster, Parktown North is adjacent to Craighall Park. 44 Stanley is 10 minutes from Liz at Lancaster.

For the full list see http://www.eatout.co.za/News/Category/General/1620/The-winners-of-the-2011-Eat-Out-DStv-Food-Network-Restaurant-Awards