Some things work . . .

Our daytime allocation at home this week was Monday morning. Chete! (only) The explanation from the only public interface offered by Zesa (i.e. faults – all other numbers go unanswered) is that according to the announcement in the newspaper, load shedding will continue till 2014. Is this really the best they can come up with?
Hopes of a revamped and rebranded Zimbabwe International Film Festival were somewhat dampened on opening night. The Film Festival has bravely relocated its main screenings to the Harare Gardens using what has become the HIFA main stage.  Open-air cinema needs the creation of intimate space to allow you to be drawn in to that other world.
The audience were not really engaged – washed up on bleachers 100 metres away from the screen. (Well it felt like 100 metres.) Sitting on the damp ground is okay for a live show where you can chat to your neighbour or get up and dance but didn’t work for a movie.
The screen flapping in the wind and bad sound made it difficult to concentrate on the picture. Sad – but so is the general state of cinema in Zimbabwe. Just as locals are     making more feature films – the     cinemas have all disappeared. Nothing left in Avondale except the huge 7 Arts which functions as an expensive hire out – mostly for live shows and occasionally a film premiere.
Eastgate and Westgate are both defunct which leaves only the rather sleazy cinemas on Robert Mugabe – unlikely to attract a clientele downtown for an evening out.
Another festival venue is the intimate Alliance Francaise. I am sure that will work out better otherwise we need to figure the future of Zim cinema totally online and with DVDs on street corners.
A pleasure this week was a wine tasting event with special guest Nederburg white winemaker, Tariro Masayiti. After majoring in bio-chemistry at UZ he developed a passion for wine in the 90s while working at Mukuyu Winery.
Relocating to Stellenbosch, he continued his studies in the heart of South African wine lands. He loves his life and his job and was delighted to be spending a week in Zimbabwe courtesy of Afdis, training their staff and infecting a wider public with his wine enthusiasm and expertise.
This particular tasting was held      at La Serenata – newly opened         on Enterprise Road – in the spacious custom-built outside function       room.
A new moon low in the clear sky welcomed us along with sparking Nederburg Brut a nice prelude to the formal and guided tasting of a range of Nederburg wines. 
The restaurant looks promising and will try that sometime soon, but on the way back from the film festival – power still out – opted to call in at Paula’s Place for a quick and comforting peri-peri chicken. Which didn’t disappoint. It is the Cascais recreated – bigger, brighter and cleaner – down to replicated crazy paving floors, white tiles and the same generous ambience.
There were lots of large tables that night – at least three celebrating birthdays – but service was quick, efficient and friendly.
They have kept their winning formula and we stuck to it – sharing a plate of chicken giblets  (US$4) to start followed by peri-peri chicken (US$11) – mine with salad (too many onions) and my husband’s with tasty rice. The wine – a Simonsvlei red (US$12/bottle) was not as classy as Nederburg – but just right for the night. 
Back home to candles in the ongoing dark – but replete with nice food – it was okay. Some things work – and some just don’t!

– g.jeke@yahoo.com