Hello Ladies
SUMMER!
Most people's favourite time of the year. And what is there not to like about summer? Floral dresses. Sun downers at the beachfront cafe. Ice-cream. Handsome European tourists 🙂
Cape Town especially comes alive in the summer. SUMMER IS WHAT I CALL THE SEASON FOR THE SOCIALITE! It is that time that every savvy social butterfly will give their last Prada for VIP access to Cape Town's HOTTEST EVENTS. It is definitely MY favourite time of the year.
As someone who has been blessed to have attended some of these events whilst in Cape Town, I have learned a few things in the process that I have decided to share with you. Firstly, in Cape Town, there is a distinction between "VIP" access and "VVIP" access. What is the difference you may ask? Well, in simple terms, VIPs are generally distinguishable from the general public access. The general public access tickets are cheaper (with varying degrees of affordability of course), if not the cheapest of all tickets. VIP tickets are anything but cheap. VIPs receive their own seating, and depending on the event they sometimes even have their own marquee). Having VIP access may make you feel important. But believe me ladies it is all an illusion. The VIP access is there simply to make us believe that somehow 'crossing the red rope' makes you NOT the plebeian. When in actual fact that is not always the case. You see, you may be the VIP but there will always be a select group of guests who will be VVIP - which means in comparison to those guests YOU are the PLEBEIAN.
Aah...the joys of social hierarchy. LOL
I learned these unspoken rules the hard way when I attended the J&B Met for the very first time.
What is the J&B Met?
The J&B Met is one of South Africa's most prestigious horseracing event of the year, and one of the highlights of Cape Town's social scene. It is always held at the beginning of the year, on the last Saturday of January. A small percentage of attendees are equestrian enthusiasts and are the for the actual races. A majority of the attendees (myself included) are drawn to the Met because of the glitz and glamour of the event. And of course, for the opportunity to rub shoulders with high profile celebrities.
I remember the days of law school when I used to watch the highly televised J&B Met at home - whilst simultaneously attempting to complete a research essay that I had waited until the last minute to write. I remember being captivated by the haute couture and decadence of it all. I remember specifically being mesmerized by the CELEBRITY MARQUEE. I vowed to myself that the year I moved to Cape Town will be the year I bought tickets to the J&B Met. And not just any tickets mind you, but the VIP tickets as those were the tickets that would gain me entry to the celebrity marquee. Or so I thought. I mean what other tickets could possibly gain me access to where all the celebrities get to be? It HAD to be the VIP tickets. You would think so right? Well, turns out I was wrong. The year I moved to Cape Town (2010) my *then* friends and I decided that we were definitely not going to miss an opportunity to attend the J&B Met. 2010 WAS THE YEAR FOR THE J&B MET. And we were not going to settle for just any tickets either. We were going BIG. We wanted VIP access. And why shouldn;t we get VIP access. We were on top of the world. Just graduated from law school. Living in (arguably) the best city in South Africa. Working for one of the top law firms in South Africa. We deserved VIP. And so I contacted the events person and purchased 4 VIP tickets as advertised on the J&B Met website. The day of the event arrived. Outfits? Fabulous. Make-up? Flawless. We made our way to Kenilworth Racecourse, and when we arrived we were directed to our marquee. When we arrived to our marquee we were utterly disappointed. No seating. No free food. No free drinks. And particularly, NO CELEBRITIES. Just other normal people like us who obviously could afford the more expensive tickets like we could because VIP tickets do not come cheap either. But we still felt DUPED.
But I learned thereafter that in fact we were not duped. We just did not know the social scene. We were new to the Cape Town socialite scene and therefore did not know how it really worked. And after my first J&B Met experience, having now navigated my way through the Cape Town social scene in general, I learned that VIP guarantees you just that - VIP treatment. But if you desire to be part of the elite's elite, then VVIP tickets are for you.
So how do you differentiate between the two - VIP vs VVIP?
Well, what I have observed is that VIP tickets are generally easily accessible. Meaning that they are almost always advertised. If they are advertised, they are likely NOT VVIP. VVIP tickets are generally never advertised. A majority of VVIP tickets are reserved for celebrities and other important people in the media industry. Only a minority of VVIP tickets can be purchased - depending on the event as sometimes none of the VVIP tickets can be purchased and are issued on an "invite-only" basis. If unsure, my advice is to simply ask. Get hold of the event organisers' contact details and simply inquire.
God Almighty being the amazing God that He is, provided me the opportunity to attend the J&B Met for the second time - this time two years later (2012). And this time around I DID IT RIGHT. I had VVIP access. Through God's Grace I arrived into the "promised land" - THE CELEBRITY MARQUEE. It was FABULOUS. It was everything I had hoped it would be. It was everything I had seen on television back when I was a mere law student. Plush seating. Free food. Free drinks. And of course - there were celebrities everywhere. I rubbed shoulders with the "Whos who" of South Africa's media scene. It was honestly one of the best times of my life. And it is only the beginning 🙂
So if you are ever in Cape Town during the summer, ensure that you attend the J&B Met. And if you are going to do so, do it right. VVIP is the only access to an event 🙂
Here are some of my favourite highlights from my J&B Met experience - VVIP experience that is:
Until next time
Love, Silindile