Top Father’s Day gift ideas in Cape Town

Your old man deserves more than a pair of socks

Father’s Day is that one day of the year specifically dedicated to honouring dad and all he’s done for us. It’s a day to say thank you for reading to us as children, for patiently teaching us to ride a bike and to drive a car, for subsidising our wants and for providing for our needs. When choosing a gift for the occasion though, it’s easy to fall back on the old clichéd faithfuls: a pair of socks, a bag of nuts, a rushed card. This year, for the big day on Sunday 17 June 2012, go the extra mile and get dad something really special. To help you out, we’ve rounded up a few original ideas for gifts that’ll simply scream your appreciation.

1 - The Stormers Rugby Tickets
Newlands Stadium typically draws the highest average attendance figures of any ground during the Super Rugby. Buy your dad tickets to the match between the DHL Stormers and the Lions on 30 June, and stoke up the braai. Alternatively, as a real treat you could get him a ticket to the opening Castle Rugby Championship game between South Africa and Argentina being played on 18 August. Tickets are available from Computicket.

2 - Jorgensen’s Gin
Honour your old man with a designer bottle of quality local liquor – and support the little guy in the process. Handcrafted by a master artisanal distiller on home soil at the Jorgensen’s Distillery in Wellington, this soft, smooth, multi-layered gin combines unique character with rich flavour born largely from wild African ingredients. Good enough to be sipped neat, it’s bound to get dad in the ‘spirit’ of the day. Read more about Jorgensen’s Gin (R220).
Versailles Farm | Regent Street | Wellington | +27 (0) 21 864 1777

3 – Vodacom Funny Festival Tickets
There’s no better gift than the gift of laughter, so why not treat dad to a ticket to Vodacom’s 8th annual comedy festival. Running quite conveniently over the Father’s Day period from 11 June to 8 July at the Baxter Theatre, this major event features a great line-up of hysterical stand-up comics, jokers and jesters from both here and farther afield. Tickets go for R140 per person and are available from Computicket; be sure to get yourself one too – side-splitting skits tend to make for good bonding material.
Baxter Theatre |Main Road | Rondebosch |Cape Town | +27 (0)21 438 2595

4 –WOW! Spa Treatments
Dads deserve to be pampered too. Spoil yours with any of the many treatments on offer at organic spa Ways of Wellness (WOW!) – a soothing, stress-relieving back massage (R250) perhaps? What’s more, any Father’s Day purchase you make comes with a fish therapy session thrown in for free. For those not in the know, fish therapy is an entirely unique foot cleansing and refreshment treatment; it involves relaxing with both feet in a tank of warm water while hundreds of small fish suck away dead and dry skin.  One thing’s for sure: dad’ll never have experienced anything like it!
103 Kloof Street | Gardens | Cape Town | +27 (0) 21 424 5503

5 – Stokkiesdraai Biltong
You’d be hard-pressed to find any local dad that doesn’t love himself a little salty, spicy sundried meat. So this is sure to be an appreciated choice. For quality, carefully selected cuts, we recommend couple Sam and Mariana’s homemade craft biltong produced from wholesome, free-range meats. Pop down to the Earth Fair Food Market at St Georges Mall on Thursdays or the Tokai Market, Laborie Lazy Days Market or Stellenbosch Slow Food Market on Saturdays and pick up a packet of their chilli beef, some slices of cured kudu or a few sticks of gluten-free ostrich droëwors . They’ll also gladly supply from their home in the northern suburbs – just call +27 (0) 81 270 2277.

6 – Lessons at the South African Golf Institute
If dad’s a golf fanatic then he’ll certainly delight in receiving private tuition from PGA qualified coaches. “We use video analysis to teach movement, swings and improve posture,” says golf instructor Ryan Randall. The chip-and-put course has ample grass hitting bays, short game areas and a nine-hole mashie – all perfect for practice. And once dad’s mastered his swing, he can hone his handicap at any one of our recommended 10 top places to play golf in Cape Town. 
Liesbeek Parkway | Observatory | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 300 0140

7 - Groote Post Wines
The Old Man’s Blend range is a collection of vintage wines from the historic wine farm owned by the Pentz family. The Old Man’s Blend Red 2010, The Old Man’s Blend White 2011 and The Old Man’s Sparkle Brut Rosé are available at leading wine retailers, for seriously good prices. Your old man will love it.
Darling Hills Road | Darling | Western Cape | +27 (0)22 492 2825

8 - Barnet Fair: Day at the Barber
“A hot towel shave or one of our Edwin Jagger aftershave balms would make a great Father’s Day gift,” says owner Steven Pitt. This minimalist barber shop features authentic barbers’ chairs and a warm, friendly atmosphere, as well as quality music from Johnny Cash to Depeche Mode. Oh, and dad can drink a whisky while he’s getting spruced up.
98 Bree Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 424 1302

9 - DV Artisan Chocolate
At their charming chocolate factory in Hermanus, Cornell and Peter de Villiers handcraft micro-batches of delectable chocolate from bean to bar. Their premium range not only tastes incredible but looks good too, making it just the perfect present to satisfy that sweet tooth. Find DV Artisan Chocolate at: The Cape Quarter Spar (+27 (0)21 418 0360), Chef's Warehouse (+27 (0)21 422 0128), Giovanni's Deli (+27 (0)21 434 6893) and Melissa's (+27 (0)21 424 5540).

10 - Brewers &Union Beer
Most men love to guzzle cold, refreshing beers, so this gift’s a safe bet. Sourced from some of Europe’s oldest, family-run breweries, their artisan beers include unfiltered lager, dark lager, Berne and Steph Weiss. Buy dad a pick-and-mix four pack (R90), or a case of 20 beers (R400). Read more about Cape Town’s craft beers and brewery tours.
110 Bree Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 422 2770

11 - Status Luxury Vehicles
Your dad’s probably dreamed of owning a Ferrari since he was a little boy. Rent the superman of luxury sports cars, the Ferrari F430 Spider, and he’ll be traversing panoramic farmlands in the Ceres Valley in no time, wind tearing through his hair. His for the day, for R19 500 (+ R2 500 insurance and R250 per km travelled after the first 150km). Read more about moving along swiftly in a Ferrari F430 Spider.
38 Neptune Street | Paarden Eiland | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 510 0108

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