The Grand Daddy Hotel in Long Street is offering a cinematic trip down memory lane with their Pink Flamingo rooftop cinema, which is dedicated to experiencing the pleasures of old-fashioned cinema viewing.
The Pink Flamingo aims to celebrate the occasion, the glamour, the ritual and the wonderful world of make believe that is wrapped up in the movie-going experience.
Creative director Robin Sprong says “it is all orientated towards entertainment and offers a little kiosk that sells popcorn, toffee apples and chewing gum”. Pre-movie ads and a cartoon are also reminiscent of outings to the movies in the “good old days”.
“On an open-air rooftop, it is fun and informal for the family, and there is an interval to get up and stretch the legs and buy a drink.”
The hotel rooftop has been creatively converted to house seven vintage Airstream trailers (old fashioned round-top caravans) operating as penthouse guest accommodation. Hailing from the 1940s and 1950s era, the Airstream trailers were bought from trailer parks and farmers in the mid-western US, and have been individually decorated by local artists.
This outdoors bioscope is set in the middle of the trailer park. It is heated in winter with UV heaters and cooled in summer with mist sprayers, making it an experience to enjoy all year round. The Airstream Penthouse Trailer Park’s sky-bar serves drinks before and after the show.
The 35-seater cinema, with a five-by-four metre screen, showcases contemporary classics twice a week – on Sundays and Thursdays at 7.30pm – possibly a little later in mid-summer.
“The idea is to offer people a cinematic experience” says Sprong.
“The title of the movie is not the drawcard, but the experience is – watching a movie outdoors, with Table Mountain as a backdrop, and all the city lights, providing the magic of a great evening’s entertainment.”
The Pink Flamingo is part social event and part adventure. Included in the ticket price of R50, each guest receives an old fashioned candy cone, a welcome drink and a choice between an Eskimo Pie ice-cream, candy floss or popcorn.
A greater splurge of R200 will secure a comfortable front row couch (for up to three people) with all the goodies above and a selection of cold drinks in a private cooler box.
“The experience is intimate and social,” says Sprong. “Creating a memory wrapped up in the nostalgia of a cool time outdoors, watching a movie.”
Private bookings can be made by hiring the Pink Flamingo as a personal cinema for an evening at a cost of R2 500, with free choice of movie and refreshments included for 35 people.
The open-air rooftop cinema screens Breakfast at Tiffany’s on Sunday, Smoke on November 5, and Howl’s Moving Castle on November 8.
Sally Britton
source-http://tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5224684&fSectionId=362&fSetId=251
Footie fans should make a pit stop at Mitchell’s Brewery (+27 21 419 5074) on Dock Road. It is sure to be a popular spot during the World Cup as it’s only five minutes’ walk from the Cape Town stadium and has seven TV screens for watching the games. Billing itself as a Scottish ale house, it offers six of its own beers. Sadly the accommodation at the hip Grand Daddy Hotel (38 Long Street, City Centre, +27 21 424 7247, granddaddy.co.za, from 1,500 rand, around £130, per room/trailer) is fully booked for the tournament – but visit The Daddy Cool bar downstairs, which sports white leather chairs, bling gold decor, DJS and cocktails. The quirky new Penthouse Trailer Park, with retro Airstream caravans decorated by artists is on the rooftop. Also on the roof is the Pink Flamingo open-air cinema – screening modern classics such as Bullitt and Boogie Nights, with blankets and directors’ chairs provided.
