So, me and Aunty Lorraine’s next Kiff Coffee stop was Cafe Mozart in Church Street which, as locals know, is something of an institution, having been around more or less since P.W. Botha. I never visited in the olden days so I don’t know how much it’s changed, but it’s quite blinged up now, with lots of fake roses adorning its small picket fence (which unsuccessfully keeps out buskers), and fun brick-a-brac-y things lining its walls. It’s totally unpretentious, and sometimes you’re just in the mood for unpretentious. And what’s cool about this cafe is that it’s located on a pedestrian street lined with antique stores and stalls where the same people since I worked on Greenmarket Square in 1992 arrive to arrange their hodgepodge of treasures on probably the same blue velvet cloths. It looks like they still haven’t sold anything.
Since we’d both had breakfast and it’s just wrong not to eat, we decided to share a toasted croissant with bacon, lettuce and tomato. It was so yum we had to have another, and the coffee was pretty good, too. Not that I’m an expert, as I’ve explained. My friend, Alison, and I had lunch there not too long ago and they do a very cool and madly inexpensive buffet. For R42 you get a glass of wine, soup with home-made bread, a full buffet (which that day included lamb stew, cauliflower bake, lasagne and several salads) and dessert. It’s a good deal whichever way you look at it.
My mom and I laughed about how, as a child, I hated tomato (I still kind of do unless it’s on a BLT croissant or in a pasta sauce or they’re teeny and exceptionally sweet) and every time we were in a restaurant I’d take my tomato off my burger and every time my mom would ask me if she could have it and for some reason – knowing full well I wasn’t going to eat it myself – I’d say no. I have no idea what that was about, but just about every time we’re in a restaurant now she reminds me of that betrayal. I guess I’ll never live it down. That, and the time I ate dagga cookies on the afternoon of my 16th birthday and, in my deeply stoned state, had to sit at the dinner table with my parents’ best (quite posh) friends and eat a roast dinner, trying to stay on my chair and not completely die of hysterics when my best friend and partner in crime forewent the roast potatoes and lamb and gravy and only dished herself peas which she then found quite impossible to keep on her fork. It was a long dinner (sorry, mom, you cooked good food. I hope I’m still seeing you next week after reading this).
After a second cup of coffee we wandered around Greenmarket Square which is quite boring and same-y now, but we did watch a woman demonstrate 13 ways to wear a cardigan which was pretty impressive. And it was made of bamboo, what’s more. And then we congratulated ourselves on coming up with such a fun and clever tradition as regular coffee meetings. Talking in real life – as opposed to all this cyber stuff – is really very lovely.
The Disco Pants Blog 
What a wonderful thing- these coffe appointments with your mom. I am sure she treasures the time you spend together.
I am keeping a list in my head of these coffee places and hope to visit them one day when I get back home!! Great piece. Had me giggling like mad to myself as usual. Love the dagga cookies referral. I can just picture it. I look forward to your posts! Keep us laughing!!
Thank you, darling girl! I’m expecting a small phone call from my mom this morning :-)
Love reading your posts Susan xxx
Wendy
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Thanks so much, Wendy! :-)
Try R Caffee on Long street. Great food and stunning interior. Even the loo is tastefully done.
Love seeing your post pop up in my email and was MOST sad so see that my last response wasnt wanted somehow? Said it was closed and I was so quick to reply cos I could relate SO much with the other mums! But onto Cafe Mozart, mums, leopard skins, and real talking…such alot of stuff to respond to …shoo, I’m exhausted already…..!
It was me who was in the” leopard skin outfit” (slightly awkward and aware) at Cafe Mozart not that long ago when I sat opposite a rather appealing lawyer, sipping coffee as we chatted about the case confronting us. It was definitely the place to meet as a young impressionable young upstart, and I remember thinking that it was quite a cozy, almost romantic- kind- of- movie type setting…you know, with raindrops creeping down the windows outside while the coffee steamed up the inside…and the BLT croissant …untouched on the table between us
And so how wonderful it is to read that you and mum had some real time in this old CT city institution which must hold special memories for all kinds of people
And of course…dont even bother to write more without a pic of you in the coat.,,lovely cant wait for our next update!!!
Smiling! Thank you for this – what a kiff comment :-) Absolutely to all. I had to remove the leopard skin refs as people were getting a bit antsy, hee hee. Lots love and can’t wait for our next lunch! x
I will do! Thank you!
Hi, please unsubscribe me, I’m one of the people who got a bit antsy, I don’t know if I really fit in here.
I can’t unsubscribe you, Charmaine, you need need to unfollow the blog. Should be easy enough to do :-)
Café Motzart is one of my fav spots (ever since my dad took me there as a little girl – I felt very grown up at the time!)
I am very late to this party. I only saw this now in my inbox and I had to say something, which once again you’re so spot-on about. This may upset people as well, but it wasn’t my doing. My mom gave me her stunningly beautiful fox -fur cape with its paws. I love animals, but in the ‘old’ days it was something they wore and nobody got antsy back then. The cape is so beautiful, its still almost in a ‘new ‘ condition, but I obviously cannot wear it now. As a youngster I wore it to Artscape when people dressed up. Now there is nowhere to wear it to and I would probably end up being stoned. :)
Ha! I’m sure it’s gorgeous. What I wonder is whether the folk who get so upset are all vegetarian? :-)
Susan, could you tell me where your mom had it valued? I would like to do that, if I could.
Thank you in advance.
I’ll ask her!
Thanks again.
Ja…nee. I’ve wondered about that as well. So many double-standards.