Christy Bragg

The shops are awash in tinselled green and red festive splendour and you’re busy drafting your Christmas gift list.   Perhaps this year you are wondering about choosing Christmas presents that are gentler on Mother Nature. If you want a greener Christmas this year, Cape Town is full of sustainable shops, eco-markets, and online gift options that are beautiful, light on planet resources and will give lots of festive joy to your loved ones. ICYMI: Shopping Trends 2025: How South Africans are shopping this festive season Pampering the person and the planet If your mom or sister needs some TLC this Christmas, consider wrapping up an earth-friendly self-care kit, such as Holisteeq’s Zero-Waste Minimalist Self-Care Essentials Gift Set, for some guilt-free, luxurious pampering moments. This low-waste gift set is packed with goodies that pamper while protecting the planet. Think bamboo toothbrushes, exfoliating washcloths, mini shampoos, facial cleansers, and body butters in travel tins. It’s the small things that make a big difference. Holisteeq’s Zero-Waste   Alternatively, splash out on the ocean-inspired luxury Healing Ocean gift set, a self-care bundle with a marine theme, containing: body wash, body soother, a mist, foam bath and bath oils, all wrapped up in sustainable packaging. Their products are free from synthetic fragrances, colourants, petrochemicals, DEA, preservatives, and parabens, making them good for you and the planet.  Sweets for the stocking Sweeten up your l

It amazes me how many little pockets of natural wonder are still hanging out in the nooks and crannies of this beautiful city. The citizens of Cape Town are, in the majority, careful stewards of the biodiversity found in the city, and they guard its wild wonders with pride and care. So let’s take a walk on the wild side, and discover some of the best-kept secrets of the city. Time Out Tip: As with all wildlife, resist the urge to get too close. Respect their space and take a moment to simply sit still and watch - that’s when the magic truly unfolds. When it comes to tracking endangered species, sharing citizen science alerts can make a real difference for conservation experts in the field.  

I recently had the great pleasure to chat to Roushanna Gray, the woman behind Veld and Sea, about her work and its roots in sustainability. Roushanna describes Veld and Sea as “an immersive education space offering wild food foraging workshops and unique nature based events and experiences”. She takes people into nature and shows them the wild delicacies, nature’s treats. She teaches people how to find these treats, how to harvest them sustainably, and how to craft them into nourishing and beautiful meals. As I listened to Roushanna describing how foraging for natural food feels like “returning to home’, I had an uncanny sense of deja vu. Forgotten foods and wild ingredients  Her philosophy resonates very closely with the lovely traditions described in the bestselling book ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’, written by Potawatomi professor Robin Kimmerer. Braiding Sweetgrass explores reciprocal relationships between humans and nature, with a focus on the role of plants in Native American traditions. Roushanna’s joy in teaching others to find the nurturing elements in nature, and her credo of reciprocity for nature (a form of mutual giving, where each gives the other equal benefits/or gifts), makes her the South African version of Robin Kimmerer. Her excursions are lessons in treating nature with reverence and appreciation, and creating connection through the culinary arts (or through the relationship of food). Food, she says, is a way to connect us to each other and to nature. That is why

Cat owners, everywhere, have been celebrating cats on this day since 2002, when th International Fund for Animal Welfare declared it a day to raise awareness and learn about ways to support our feline friends. If you are a cat person, and even if you're not, Cape Town offers some cat-chy places to learn more about them, with a fun selection of things to do in honour of these fluffy kitties of the world.  From petting near-hypoallergenic cats, supporting endangered caracals, to high tea with your tamed pussycat - try this list for a day in the Mother City that will leave you purring with pleasure.  ICYMI: 10 Best spots for a fun day with your pets in Cape Town  

Cape Town has something for everybody to enjoy, including the fur babies!  From parks where your pets can frolic and owners can watch over a steaming cup of joe, to restaurants with menus specially designed for pooches - there are plenty of haunts where hounds and humans can eat, meet and be merry. Let’s take a walk through some of the options.

When the raindrops are sliding down the windows and the north-wester is whistling in the chimney, when the kids are using “I’m bored” as a mantra, then it is time to get the family out of the house. Luckily, Cape Town has many fun and creative ways to entertain kids (and parents) on those wet and cold winter days. There is something for everyone, from the kid with enough energy to power up Eskom, to the child who could sit for hours drawing pictures on your dining room walls. Read on for our guide to the best winter indoor activities for kids in the Mother City. Pro Tip: Be sure to check age limits before booking activities and don’t forget to take pictures! TIME OUT RECOMMENDS: 😋 The best restaurants in Cape Town🏨 The best hotels in Cape Town🍳 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town🍕 The best pizza in Cape Town Follow Time Out Cape Town on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok!

Everyone knows that Africa is famous for its wildlife, with its giraffes and elephants roaming the African plains, but not many people know that the cities also have wild creatures, from porcupines snuffling down the city streets to bright-eyed dassies staring at you on the top of Table Mountain. Cape Town bustles with an extraordinary diversity of animals, many of which are rare and unique. When encountering wild animals, remember to please always be respectful of their space and keep your distance, but at the same time savour the sighting. Not many cities can boast the menagerie of critters that the Mother City offers! So, the question now is: where can you find these furry, feathery and scaley urban-dwellers? Let's take a look... TIME OUT RECOMMENDS: 😋 The best restaurants in Cape Town🏨 The best hotels in Cape Town🍳 The best breakfast and brunch spots in Cape Town🍷 The best wine farms in and around Cape Town🍕 The best pizza in Cape Town📍 The best things to do in Cape Town

Did you know there’s a shaggy mountain resident living rent-free on one of the world’s most famous landmarks? In fact, it’s not supposed to be there. But this is the intriguing story of the Himalayan tahr, a goat-like creature that’s been roaming Table Mountain for decades, ever since a few crafty escapees bolted from the old Groote Schuur Zoo back in the 1970s.  The zoo was established in 1931 by the state using Cecil Rhodes' private menagerie, and closed around 1980. Today, the zoo is abandoned, but in its heyday, it housed lions, crocodiles and a shaggy-looking mountain goat called the Himalayan tahr.  Mwgielink, Wikimedia commonsLion's den after abandonment at the old Groote Schuur Zoo. The zoo animals’ enclosures were not very big and wouldn’t be considered acceptable according to today’s zoo welfare standards. They were small and easy to break out of (and into). For example, in 1974 three inebriated UCT students who had just won a rugby game tried to steal a lion cub from the zoo. One of the students was bitten by one of the lionesses and rushed to hospital, where he took six months to recover. Clearly, tipsy students have been doing silly things after rugby games since forever! Similarly, other animals found ways out, including several Sambar deer. The tiny pens might have been why two of the Himalayan tahrs staged a breakout, escaped from the zoo and eloped to Table Mountain, where they didn’t ta(h)rry but immediately started a big family. This family has since gro