A Little Secret....

On Jan Smuts avenue, nestled in the gardens of Villa d'Este, a world heritage site, right next to the Camelot Spa is one of Johannesburg's well kept secrets.

The house, built in 1923 combined both Spanish and Cape Dutch styles, which, at the time, set the it apart from its neighbors.  In 1955, David Morrison, an architect, purchased the house and spent the next 26 years transforming it to a perfect replica of a Florentine Villa, complete with formal garden modeled in the same style and is filled with statues, sundials and columns.  Nestled on one side of the house, which since 2008, has been home to a day spa, is a quaint little restaurant.

Its tables are neatly set, and deliberately scattered amongst the trees creating the ambiance of being in a wide open space.  The cottage like feel, to the indoor part of the restaurant, is further enhanced by the dark wooded counter that stretches almost the full length of the room.  The white of the walls are broken by a few mirrors, a chandelier in all its brilliance, all complemented by two Tretchikoff's, the  famous "weeping rose" and "chrysanthemums".  Next to them a huge black board announcing the specials of the day.  Against the far wall, a fountain fills the room with the sound of running water.

Sitting at the modern white table with its white chairs, which blend perfectly with the decor, and seeing the "weeping rose", I was transported back, to a place where a little boy stood before a fireplace, staring up at the huge print of the "weeping rose" that had been placed above.  The sounds of pots being moved around the kitchen, the smell of onions being fried to perfection. The sound of my grandmother singing softly to herself as she lovingly prepared the evening meal for those who had been working all day.

The rich aroma of coffee breaks the spell as a cappuccino, with a home baked biscuit, is placed before me.  My companion, the owner watches as I dunk the biscuit into the rich foam filled coffee, and place it in my mouth.  I am at a loss for words as the flavors of chocolate with a hint of coffee burst in my mouth.  My companion smiles knowingly.

The name of the restaurant, The Birdcage, appropriate, cause I could get used to being trapped here :-)

Comments

  1. HafsaApril 22, 2010 at 8:17 PM

    i think i actually remember the picture you talking about.

    ReplyDelete

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