The festive season might be over, but the party in Cape Town is just beginning to sizzle! The mother city’s Summer Series started on the 12th of December 2011 and is currently running until the 13th of January 2012.

If you are partial to a bit of horse racing then you are in for a treat, Cape Town is celebrating the running of the 151st Queen's Plate race at Kenilworth Race Course on Saturday, 7th of January 2012.

The thought of trawling the mall for Christmas gifts always elicits feelings of dread for me - firstly because I hate shopping and secondly because I hate being inside when I know it is a beautiful day out - however, there seems to be a solution to that problem, The Fab Ideas Christmas Gift Fair!

If you enjoy wine and Jazz then you are in luck, on November 26th Nederburg will be hosting a classical music and jazz event at the Estate in Paarl.  This promises to be an afternoon filled with sun, family fun and of course music and wine.

On Saturday, it happens to be my favourite wine festival of the year - Pinotage on Tap.  If you like red wine, especially one which has a chocolate coffee taste, then you will want to be at this festival.  Barrels of the Diemersfontein Pinotage are rolled out onto the lawns  in-front of the farm house, taps are plugged into them and wine stewards are sent out to man each barrel - which are only a few of the factors which makes this a must-be-at event.

It's that time of year again, when flowers are blooming and trees are in blossom - which of course includes vines, grape vines to be more specific.  This time of year also heralds the promise of long lazy days in the sun, with a fresh, chilled glass of wine and a picnic basket packed to brimming!  If this all sounds rather appealing to you, then I'd suggest you head to Nitida Wine Farm in Durbanville on Saturday and Sunday, October 1st and 2nd for the Season of Sauvignon weekend.

When winter hits, all I want to do is curl up in-front of an open fire with a good glass of red wine and consume bowl after bowl of soup or stew with friends who want the same thing.  

If you feel like celebrating Christmas in 'true' style with log fires, snow (if you're lucky) and roast dinners, then perhaps you should head to Tulbagh on the weekend of June 25th and 26th. 

The Encounters International Documentary Film Festival is currently being held in South Africa until June 26th so if you are an avid film lover, especially of the more serious style of documentaries, then you are in the perfect place at the perfect time. 

From June 13th to July 10th you have the opportunity to watch some of South Africa's finest comedians in action at the Baxter theatre for the Vodacom Funny Festival.  This is an annual event currently in it's 7th year and has grown from a small, little known event to a large, well funded showcase of international as well as national comedians.

If you are in Cape Town on June 9th and if you love wine then you won't want to miss the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show's public tasting.   This wine show is South Africa's most respected national competition and can boast a decade of bringing the best wine to the South African consumer's table.

If you are the type of person who enjoys live music but festivals can get a little too much for you, then you are going to love Sowing the Seeds Festival!