About Cape Town Kids
Profile of Eli Alperstein – owner of Cape Town Kids
I was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway, where I grew up with nature, sport, outdoor life and close bonds to my family. I studied sport science in Germany and came to South Africa as a volunteer in 2001. The country captured my heart and when I was offered a contract in Cape Town, it was easy to accept. I don’t think anyone can fly in to Cape Town without being mesmerised by the majestic Table Mountain, and this is exactly what happened to me. Eight years on, I am married to Neil, who is South African, and have two gorgeous daughters who keep me on my toes and very happy. And they are also the reason Cape Town Kids exists!
The journey
When we went from being a couple to having a family, life seriously changed. Somehow we didn’t, though, especially around the things we want to do in life. We still wanted to have spontaneous trips to nice breakfast restaurants or go for hikes in the mountains; we still wanted to visit wine farms and bookshops and galleries; we still wanted to see new places.
We just realised one crucial thing – the places we go to have to work for both us and the kids! So we started exploring in a new way – observing closely our own responses to staff attitudes, safety issues and simple solutions. We discovered that the label ‘child-friendly’ didn’t always equal ‘parent-friendly’ – which was ultimately what we were looking for.
Cape Town Kids is born
Informal discoveries became targeted research. Our personal recommendations became formal listings. In 2007, http://www.capetownkids.co.za was launched, and it was clear that there was a need for a website like this in Cape Town. Visitor traffic continues to increase, advertising requests keep trickling in and in 2009 we are proud to introduce a new look and improved functionality, thanks to the 2009 Cape Town Tourism marketing opportunity fund.
We hope that you find what you are looking for and maybe something that you never knew existed! If you have comments or suggestions, please use the opportunity to write your own reviews or contact us directly.
I would like to thank everyone who has been or is involved in the process – supplying advice or recommendations, photos, links and comments, creative input or a critical eye. And lastly, nothing would have happened without the constant support of my incredibly creative husband and our children, who ask ‘where are we going today?’
I hope you enjoy your visit to Cape Town Kids! If you do, return often and tell your friends about us. If not, let us know why!
Have a fabulous day!
Eli
