Racing driver David Perel grew up in Hout Bay and now calls Granger Bay home.
“I lived in Sea Point for three years before moving to Granger Bay, but I’ve run to Granger Bay along the promenade from Sea Point all my life.” Running is his relaxation and Granger Bay is perfectly located with the whole length of the promenade extending from Sea Point around Mouille Point. “I have a running route and I don’t change it. It’s super central. My office (I have a business here) is literally 2km away and I run there. I don’t own a car in South Africa so I either run or catch a taxi.
“I live with one of my oldest friends. He found the place and I joined him a year into him living there. It’s an apartment that faces the ocean and it’s magic.” The ocean is what makes Granger Bay feel like home for David. “I’ve been to places like Lugano in Switzerland and it’s phenomenal there, but you come home to Granger Bay and it looks just like it. We’re super lucky here with the ocean literally not even 100m away. The last two or three weeks, the ocean has been dead calm, like a big glassy lake, quite nice to wake up to.
“It really is such a beautiful place and, another plus for a car-lover, a lot of wealthy people live in the area, so I get to look at a lot of cool cars. On a Sunday, plenty of Ferraris drive past.” Granger Bay is also convenient for the airport. “I travel somewhere every three weeks: Barcelona, Abu Dhabi, Italy. I stay in Cape Town because I love it so much. It would be much more convenient for me to live in Europe, but every time I come home it feels like I’m on holiday.”
Granger Bay is beautiful, right on the ocean. It’s mostly very quiet in summer and central to everything I need when I'm in Cape Town.
David Perel
Best in food:
- Newport Deli: for breakfast
- Sotana: for lunch and sundowners
- The Butcher Shop and Grill: for steaks
- Grand Africa Beach and Cafe: for seafood and sundowners
- Tobago’s at Radisson Blu: for stunning location right on the water
Things to do:
- Kayak in the bay.
- Visit Oranjezicht City Farm Market on Saturdays.
- Play golf at the Metropolitan Golf Club.
- Picnics in Green Point Urban Park
- Walk, run and cycle the promenade to Sea Point.
About David Perel
His big break came with the offer to drive the 2015 season with Lamborghini Bonaldi Motorsport in the Italian GT Championship.
Signed with Kessel Ferrari in 2016, he represented the team in the Blancpain GT Endurance Series in only his second year of GT (Gran Turismo) racing. davidperel.net
Take a trip through the beautiful Atlantic Seaboard here:
Estate Agent Q&A on Granger Bay
What are some of your favourite things about the Granger Bay area?
I love what the Granger Bay and Mouille Point areas offer in terms of lifestyle with direct access to the world-class park, golf course, promenade and unbelievable north- and west-facing views of the ocean. Granger Bay includes the world-famous Radisson Blu hotel, Hotel School and the low-key and very exclusive Waterclub residential and commercial office precinct, a yacht marina for the residents, a boat club and the well-known Grand Beach. No further new development can take place here as there is no more free land on either side of Bay and Beach Front roads. In my opinion, this area is the city’s still-to-be-discovered gem!
Vangelis Doucas: RE/MAX Living
What do you love about the area?
Granger Bay is a precious and irreplaceable natural treasure – a protected marine reserve bounded by the shimmering Atlantic, and frequently graced by passing pods of playful whales seeking sanctuary from more turbulent waters. The area is also of historic importance, being home to Fort Wynyard, established when diplomatic relations with Great Britain and the US became strained in 1862. It is also home to the Hotel School, the oldest in the city, and the Maritime Engineering Department and Survival Centre. For me, Granger Bay's allure lies in its tranquillity, and the scents of the pine trees and ocean breaking on its black stone beach.
Audrey Matthews: Ronnie Matthews Property
How would you spend a free day in the area?
I’d start the day with a magnificent buffet breakfast on the terrace at the Radisson Blu hotel, enjoying the dolphins play. After this, for a bit of exercise, take a kayak for a paddle through the bay, admiring the beauty of the mountain towering above the city and enjoying the birds, dolphins and seals. Or take a leisurely cycle along Beach Road and ride through the stunning urban park to the V&A Waterfront. After a sunset cruise around the bay, having taken in all the breathtaking views, enjoy a cocktail and some super-yummy food at the Grand Africa Cafe and Beach Restaurant.
Petra Grassie: MyWaterClub
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
