Yet another fantastic function at Casa Labia, Saturday 11th May 2013

My performance starts at 12 noon. I normally arrive a hour before lunch to get my fix for the day; my first coffee of the day; and that really spikes me to a waking state of no return; even my fingers glides over the keys like Speedy Gonzalez – go go amigo = jp (:>

Walking into the Ballroom to open the Kawai Grand Piano stopped me in my tracks by the stunning layout of the tables set by none other than the staff of the Café: Tania, Lwazi, Edith, Kevin, Chantelle and Lydia.

The exquisite detail was commendable. They used serviettes to match the corporate colours of the company Beier Safety Footwear www.beiersafety.co.za who on this day launched a marketing campaign  of their new catalogue. The campaign was appropriately  titled “The World is a Dangerous Place – We’re Making It Safe”

30 members of their company – comprising of owners, managers and their sales team attended the launch. There was a motivational talk upstairs in one of the function rooms where the Gallery and Casbah Design Boutique is. They enjoyed the motivational talk, followed by the campaign launch and then the stunning lunch.

Nick Bryant, Key Account Manager for Beier Safety Footwear, who was introduced to me by his sister, Sally, administrative assistant at Casa Labia Cultural Centre,  told me that it was a highly successful day and enjoyed by all whom attended.

Most of them have never been at Casa Labia and were totally in awe with the opulence and ambience, which I noticed on their facial expressions when they entered the Ballroom.

Here are some of the photos taken during their lunch:

Nick, kindly sent me some of the photographs that was taken during the day of the launch which some of them are included here.

An email from Nick Bryant:

“Hi JP,

Thank you so much for completing the ‘perfect day’ for my customer function. You added a wonderful element to lunch today. Many of my clients came up to me and said they had wanted to “clap” between each of your pieces of music but didn’t know if this was the “done” thing.

Nevertheless, it was brilliant. Thanks again.”

Mother's day at Casa Labia

As usual, Casa Labia, has been so busy with birthday celebrations, anniversaries, functions, conferences, photo shoots that there is no time for a breather really. It's a dedicated job to set up tables and the staff is well trained in their tasks and it pleases the patrons how elegant and classy it looks. The ambience of the venue with all the rooms takes a new visitor by surprise.

Mother's day was particularly busy with the most stunning climatic conditions in Muizenberg; hardly a whiff of a nippy Atlantic sea breeze that we are so accustomed to here on the peninsula.

Some patrons had reserved certain rooms for double celebrations; both mothers’ day and birthday.
In the background you could hear me tinkling away on the piano as usual. A mixture of different styles of music repertoire to cater for both young and the more mature, from classical to popular modern songs.

Tania Mill,  the Events & Café Manager , earlier during the morning, were putting some of the finishing touches in place at the tables on the veranda. The serviettes were as colourful as some of the variety of birds on the plants and flowers around the fish-pond of the Italian garden outside the Casa Labia Cultural Centre.

Here is Tania, her elegant self, completing her task at one of the tables on the veranda:

A thanks to patron for their support and the subject of gratuities

As a trained concert pianist and qualified music teacher I have been performing at Casa Labia, Muizenberg, South Africa for some time now.

I perform on a Kawai Grand Piano model RX-7 in the splendid and wonderfully ornate ballroom, home to many concerts and soirees. For more information on these events, please visit the Casa Labia website www.casalabia.co.za

The piano is a delight to play on. The action is responsive and the tone really superb for this venue.

I perform from 12 noon until 3pm every Saturday and Sunday. My repertoire includes classical and a diverse style of popular, standard jazz as well as some original material.

The venue hosts weddings, high teas, corporate functions, anniversaries and birthdays and I am available to play for all these events. Other than my extensive repertoire, I am only too happy to play guests favourites provided I am given advance warning.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those patrons who kindly supported me with generous gratuities. It’s really not expected and it gives me a tremendous feeling of satisfaction to know that my art is appreciated.

 I chose this career from very early in life.  I began playing at the age of 5, continued at school and then studied music at university. Being a performer takes years of dedication and hard work - hours of technical exercises, preparing for exams, practicing “note perfect” performing.  Another skill which takes some mastering is the ability to read music for both right and left hands simultaneously.

Many passers-by at Cavendish Square where I promote the Kawai Grand Piano for Ian Burgess-Simpson Pianos, twice a week on Thursday and Fridays are flabbergasted by this ability. It’s really not that astounding thinking about it. It’s like any form of vocation where you become skilled in your particular workplace; the typist can rapidly type a letter within a few minutes without looking at the QWERTY keyboard. They know through practise which finger to use for each letter of the alphabet; the same applies to being a musician (you know which key to play without glancing down from the sheet music you have in front of you).

Being a musician is sometimes difficult in our present economic climate. Musicians are everywhere: subways, street corners, inside restaurants, outside restaurants, and of course in front of sidewalk cafés (even now in trains, especially here in the Western Cape). I've learned to ignore the bad ones and reward, whatever I can afford, the good ones.

I know how is it to struggle to make ends meet and when a gratuity is presented (for waitrons or musicians) it really is very much appreciated.

Many people do not know what the protocol is for is for entertainers. They know they should tip their waitresses and waiters but not everyone knows if it’s ok to tip the entertainment. Of course a gratuity is always welcome for the musician, depending on the patron’s appreciation of the music and the overall contribution it makes to the ambience, relaxation and the opulence of the venue.

The money I receive in the form of gratuities is primarily used to purchase new repertoire material.

In my opinion, requests from the public must be honoured and I normally make it my business to obtain and practise a requested song on their next visit to the venue. Thus, makes the patron happy and they would in turn frequent the place more often.

Jean-Paul Grimaldi-Lasserre

Kenilworth, Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Enjoy Mother's Day at Casa Labia

I wish you love, Everything I do for You, Fascination, Memories and many more Mother's day songs on my CD. A perfect gift for your mother for relaxed listening pleasure,

Obtain a copy from CASBAH at Casa Labia (http:// www.casalabia.co za )and from me at Cavendish Square where I promote the Kawai Grand Piano (http://www.ianburgess-simpson.com/) every Thursday and Friday from 12noon until 2pm.

Also receive a complimentary invite for scones and tea to Casa Labia from me at Cavendish. My scheduled performances at Casa Labia, Muizenberg is every Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon until 3pm (see map where it is)

A wonderful menu for a perfect day. Come and celebrate.
To book a table to celebrate this special day contact Tania Mill, Events and Café Manager. 

High Tea at Casa Labia, Saturday, 20th April 2013

It was Margret Carelse’s 80^th birthday on Friday, 19^th April.

Her granddaughter, Laa’iqah Anthony was responsible for the surprise High Tea at Casa Labia and everyone that was invited had managed to keep the secret, with the result that her grandmother was completely surprised as she had been led to believe that the immediate family was going out for an informal lunch.

I think the invited guests were also very surprised by the setting organised for this special celebration High Tea by none other than the Café Manager, Tania Mill. She just has this knack to add a special design touch for setting up a memorable table filled with rose petals, flower arrangements, seating allocation and the picturesque culinary delights.

All the high teas I've attended in the past at various venues and hotels did not match up with the thought of detail that went into this celebratory event. What’s more worth mentioning is the High Tea menu under the guidance of the chef, Franco Rousso and the kitchen staff was entirely made and produced on the premises of Casa Labia, Muizenberg.

I always without a miss do enjoy the taste of the old traditional cucumber sandwiches. It’s to “die for” so to speak. These made by the staff was superb (how do I know?… well when I presented a complimentary CD of mine to Margret I was offered one to taste). What more can I say, but take a look at the rest of the high tea menu (it looks scrumptious):

HIGH TEA MENU

A glass of Villiers Bubbly on arrival

Cucumber & dill créme fraiche sandwiches

Egg & chive sandwiches

Mini pancetta & mushroom tartlets

Mini salmon trout & dill tartlets

Mini butternut & feta quiche

Mini scones with strawberry jam & mascarpone

Chocolate éclairs

Mini lemon curd tartlets

Selection of cupcakes

Selection of biscuits

Mini pavlova with seasonal fruit 

Coffee/Tea

Here are some more pictures of Margret Carelse's birthday celebration:

Email from Laa’iqah to Casa Labia:

“Thank you once again for making my Grandmother's 80th Birthday such a memorable occasion. Wow! You guys are truly something else.

Coming from the Events Industry myself, I know what goes on behind the scenes and you made it all seem so effortless and yet you maintained your level of professionalism throughout the process.

I have to compliment each and everyone that was involved in the High Tea i.e. Lwazi who I first made contact with, you who then dealt with my booking and Kevin who looked after us so well on Saturday. Your service all round was absolutely amazing.

Jean-Paul's appearance a few times through the afternoon was also welcomed by the guests and my Grandmother felt very special indeed.

Needless to say, all the guests were most impressed with the venue, the great service and delicious treats and will no doubt be back in the future.

I, too, will definitely be seeing you soon and have been recommending you to everyone that will listen to me.

Have an awesome day.

Kind regards

Laa'iqah Anthony”