Mokena Makeka on Cape Town

I was born in the farming community of Mathathiele, just outside of Lesotho. When my father, then Lesotho’s ambassador to the UN, was posted to New York, our family moved to the US, and I was raised in New York and Washington DC, before we returned to Maseru, where I completed high school.

The things I love most about living in Cape Town are the stunning sunsets, excellent food and the proliferation of really interesting people beavering away on cool ideas. I love how easy it is to find healthy things to eat and to escape into the mountains, sky and sea. It’s a world-class film destination, home to some really impressive designers. I often feel that the world is just a phonecall away.

When out-of-towners come to town, I have a long list of can’t-miss moments that I like to take them on. The pubs on Long Street, driving to Hout Bay via Devil’s Peak, Bascule Bar for great whiskey and sterling service, Green Point Urban Park, a cable-car ride to the top of Table Mountain, Robben Island, Franschhoek, Pepenero Restaurant in Mouille Point, Club 31, Bukhara on Church Street, Asoka for the live music, Khayelitsha for a reality check… it’s all part of Cape Town.

I don’t have a favourite building in the Cape but I think the BP Centre on Thibault Square remains the classiest tower in the CBD. Also worth noting is the Convention Centre, which is contemporary and flooded with natural light. And when it comes to amazing and intimate public spaces, I rate Green Point Urban Park, Sea Point Promenade and St George’s Mall. There’s also Heritage Square – an amazing and compact jewel that gives a lot of energy to Bree Street.

The best restaurant meal I’ve eaten recently was the sirloin and chips at HQ. Classic perfection. Order it medium rare.

My other favourite restaurants include:
La Perla for the amazing lamb chops
Bukhara for the lamb chops and tandoori chicken
Mynt Café for the salmon roses
Hudson’s Burger Joint (Green Point)
Col’Cacchio for pizzas in the CBD
Doppio Zero for the caesar chicken wrap – it’s worth the wait…
Pepenero for the fillet and scallops and the tasty caipirinhas
Sinatra’s at The Pepper Club for the African caesar salad
Paranga for the langoustines
Reuben’s at One&Only
Panama Jacks for the langoustines
Kitima at the Kronendal for anything, frankly! I love the Tom Yum soup with prawns and the Angry Beef stir-fry.

There is no Cape Town event that I always attend. I hate habits, aside from eating and sleeping.

My favourite weekend getaway is The Twelve Apostles… simply another world.

My bucket list of things to still do in the Cape is quite long: paragliding, bungee-jumping, a helicopter flip, and having a spit braai on the Heerengracht and Green Point Urban Park.

For the best coffee I head to De Waterkant.

The best place to jog in the city is the promenade. I live 10 minutes away, in Green Point.

My drink of choice for a special occasion is a double shot of Jack Daniels and lime. Or a caipirinha with fresh lime and cachaça – muddled, never stirred. Or a Harvey Wallbanger – fresh orange with a triple shot of white vodka, one shot of rum and sprig of mint. I am man enough to drink pink drinks.

I’m currently busy living. Chasing love. Trying to draw. Pushing back. Hugging more. Getting paid. Looking for laughs. Listening better. Loving myself.

All good architects know when to say no, are curious, and have stamina.

The Banting diet has been the diet of Africans since the dawn of time. Our food was never cooked for too long. We’ve always enjoyed a protein-rich, high-fat, low-processed, unrefined-carb diet, with lots of meat, sometimes raw. I am glad that Western science has finally caught up with what we have known for decades. It’s modern and industrialised eating economies that have produced SA’s obesity levels. So back to basics makes sense.

On Sundays I go to gym, plot the week ahead, read the papers, call relatives and play with my kids.

Buildings that stand the test of time are often the ones in which the client has suspended their taste and trusted their architect.

Money comes and goes. It’s nice to have, but not so much that you get bored. It should be enjoyed, not hoarded.

Straight after this, I’m going to look for an apartment, catch up with old friends and then hit the gym.

When I wake up in the middle of the night I often wonder whether I am still dreaming and why am I here? Who is that next to me? Oh it’s just the pillows…

One day I will dance in a summer sunset with my beloved while we wish that time could stand still, and angels in hiding will marvel at our joy.

Mokena is the founder of Makeka Design Lab.