The Afropolitan Edition 37 by Contact Media

C O N T E N T S

EDITOR Brendah Nyakudya

CONTRIBUTORS

In This Edition 4 EDITOR'S LETTER Hitting the ground running!

6 READER'S EXPERIENCE Siyabulela, Dalibhunga

11 COLUMN Mandela's dead, what now?

14 FEATURE Being African Abroad: Are we a lost generation?

18 CULTURAL CORNER

Eli Nyakudya Alyn Adams Langa Malimela Eric Miyeni Damian Murphy Stacey Vee Elizabeth Croeser Dominique Wolf Xolani Mancotywa Iman Hassan Mutsa Mkondo Carmen Petre

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MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PUBLISHER Donna Verrydt

FINANCE AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Lesley Fox

Tanzania: What I like about you...

SALES MANAGER

23 BUSINESS PROFILE

SALES

Chioma Didi Okoro

26 ART & FASHION

Damian Murphy Quincy Matonhodze Luey Naicker Melanie Scheepers Luvo Mxoli

Underwater fairytales by Ilse Moore

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Africa's digital hero

34 REVIEW

Janine Steyn

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

The best bubbly on earth

Ilse Moore

38 LUXURY PROFILE

Stacey Vee

Jet-setting in Africa

SUBBING & PROOFING PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Gwen Sebogodi

43 HOT SPOTS

IT AND WEB MANAGER

Out and about in Joburg

REPRO AND PRINTING

48 BEAUTY

Mircea Nicolae & Carmen Petre Kadimah Print

The best of M.A.C

50 BUSINESS FEATURE The new creatives

54 TRAVEL Yas Viceroy: Sparkling desert ship

58 WINE REVIEW Waiter, there's jargon in my wine

61 RESTAURANT REVIEW

DISTRIBUTION Edward Macdonald & Distributed by:

Camissa, Table Bay Hotel: New kid in the bay Wind down at the Winehouse

66 ART FEATURE African Art Sculptures

74 BUSINESS FEATURE Keeping up with the Nigerians

78 AUTOMOTIVE Wheels to make your heart race

80 COLUMN Ballot boxes fuel high expectations

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E D I T O R ' S

L E T T E R

Hitting A the ground running!

t the Afropolitan offices, we were all pleased to be back here safe and sound after the holidays and doing what we love, which is bringing you the best in news, fashion and luxury from across the continent. In this issue, Eric Miyeni looks at life after Mandela and attempts to put minds at ease. Iman Hassan gives his take on whether Africans abroad are the lost generation when it comes to holding on to their culture, and world-class sommelier, Xolani Mancotywa, breaks down all the terminology wine lovers need to know in his debut wine feature.

Being the month of love, we list some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expensive champagnes, should you feel the need to celebrate! We all love a bit of luxury infused with some fun so we have explored Johannesburg and listed all the things we fell in love with over the recent holiday season. Beyond our shores we also visit one of our favourite countries in Africa: Tanzania. All this and more in this first edition of Afropolitan for 2014! Enjoy the read and have an Afropolitan year!

@brendahnyakudya @AfropolitanMag Facebook: TheAfropolitanMagazine

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E X P E R I E N C E

Siyabulela,

Dalibhunga WRITES READER LANGA MALIMELA

n the wake of Nelson Mandela’s death, even the most hardened cynics must surely stop and reflect on the life and legacy of a man whose death brought the entire leadership of the world, past and present to a football stadium in Soweto last December. Wallowing as we are in the anti-climax that is post-apartheid South Africa, led by the fiercely incompetent Jacob Zuma, its easy to be dismissive and to underestimate exactly what Nelson Mandela meant to and did for this country. Aside from the moment I actually found out that he was dead, which was around 03h30 on the morning of the 6th of December, while I was trying to find out the score in the Ashes cricket test, a key moment for me came while I was driving my car listening to the radio a few days later, and a certain station happened to play a recording of Mandela

speaking from the dock at his trial in 1963. Every word pierced my heart, and my eyes welled up. Like many like-minded people I had grown tired of any talk of Mandela, because of the almost sickening way in which he had been packaged and sold to us over the years. Relentlessly presented as the centrepiece in our nation-building project, Mandela was everywhere and

you could buy and sell him at will, and with him, the story of South Africa’s freedom. He was the Messaih, and he along with that painful history was branded and marketed rather glibly in ways that ranged from the annoying to the disrespectful. On the reverse side Mandela also became a symbol of a dream unfulfilled. He was unfairly cast as weak, as an appeaser who

RELENTLESSLY PRESENTED AS THE CENTREPIECE IN OUR NATION-BUILDING PROJECT, MANDELA WAS EVERYWHERE AND YOU COULD BUY AND SELL HIM AT WILL, AND WITH HIM, THE STORY OF SOUTH AFRICA’S FREEDOM.

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bowed to whites and whose reconciliatory stance compromised black South Africans’ dream of full emancipation, and of economic freedom. My friends and I used to joke that when Mandela went abroad to Europe and the United States to raise funds for the ANC after his release the white people there probably sat in their boardrooms and said, ‘Nelson, we’ll give you the money, just as long as you stand on the table and do that shuffle one last time.’ I guess it was funny at the time.

Mandela’s legacy will be fought over for a long time, there is no doubt about it. And it is clear from what we have seen that that battle begins within his own family. But as disappointed and even apathetic as we may be about the political trajectory of the country, Mandela ought not to be the subject of that disappointment firstly, and secondly we cannot let our history be hijacked, either because of the actions of others or because of our own inaction. We must engage in the battle. We must do so to The question of the relationship between explain to our kids, nephews and nieces the Mandela legacy and the ANC now is a for example, exactly why putting the vexing one. On the one hand the effort to names Mandela and Rhodes together try and divorce Mandela from the ANC is a travesty of colossal proportions, by many is mischievous, while on the no matter which way you look at it! other, the ANC under Zuma has become Otherwise the lie will become the truth. so rotten that it actually does diminish Mandela’s stature, and you could forgive A misplaced anger towards Mandela those who want to dissociate him from must not cause us to keep quiet because it. But having separated Mandela from we then become complicit in the hoax. the ANC, it’s what then happens to him that is of greatest concern because there In that recording from the dock a man stood; a black man in a white court; a seems to be a free for all on his name, subject, not a citizen and with his voice and no one seems to have any qualms quivering with anger as well as fear, he, about conflating his legacy with that of in effect said, I am prepared to die for the thief and genocidaire that is Cecil what I believe, in a context where being John Rhodes for example.

sent to the gallows was a very distinct possibility. No amount of ‘rainbow nation’ propaganda will ever diminish the courage of that moment. You know it’s one thing to read Mandela’s words from that day; even another to hear Idris Elba relay them, but when I heard Nelson Mandela himself say, in his own breath, ‘my lord, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die,’ I succumbed. Maybe because I realised then that he was just a man; fallible, mortal but brave and true to himself, and I wanted to be like him. Mandela was not going to put everything right in South Africa. The steely revolutionaries and cynics are as guilty of making a Messiah out of him as anybody else. He was just a man; he picked his battle, he fought it with immense courage and with every fibre of his being and he took us forward. There is no more that you can ask of a person than that. All you can say is, ‘Siyabulela, Dalibhunga.’

Images courtesy of Shutterstock

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Tribute site outside the home of the late former President Nelson Mandela

MANDELA’S DEAD,

WHAT NOW?

A FRIEND OF OUR EDITOR WAS AT A BEAUTY SALON RECENTLY WHEN SHE SAW A WOMAN CRYING. ASKED WHAT WAS WRONG, THE WOMAN SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT NOW THAT MANDELA’S DEAD, THE BLACKS ARE GOING TO ATTACK. I PRESUME SHE FEARED FOR HER LIFE, AND IN ADDITION TO THE PASSING OF AN ICON, SHE WAS DOUBLY SAD THAT MANDELA, WHO HAD APPARENTLY BEEN HOLDING BACK THE FLOOD OF ‘ANGRY BLACKS’, WAS GONE FOR GOOD. BY Eric Miyeni

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ill South Africa lose the plot now that Madiba has passed on? I heard this asked in Europe and suspect that the question did the rounds on a global scale. The answer is simple: if South Africa descends into chaos, it won’t be because Mandela has left us.

decision to set up a commission to investigate South African rugby for racism, graft and nepotism because a certain Louis Luyt saw this commission as a personal vendetta.

The former state president left his offices in Luthuli House – his political party’s headquarters – and those in the government buildings, for retirement in 1999… 14 years ago. Yes, we heard him admonish George W. Bush for striking Iraq. He hinted that Mugabe had to retire. However, he made these remarks in his personal capacity, as a retired elder statesman. The new South Africa, the country of which he is the founding father, continued to thrive.

In his speech at the launch of the ANC’s 2014 election manifesto, President Zuma insisted that members of the ruling party who are found guilty of wrongdoing by a South African court of law will be removed from political office. This is a man who sat through his own rape trial, which he eventually won – a bittersweet ending. Citizens have gone as far as to depict this president’s penis as part of an artwork. This happens on a continent where it is rumoured that some African presidents send assassins to murder their opponents in foreign hotel rooms. I am confident that if South African courts found President Zuma culpable of any wrongdoing, he would step down.

The more relevant question is this: why didn’t South Africa fall apart when Mandela retired? This he did after only one term as the country’s first black president, on a continent riddled with presidents who refuse to step down, like Zimbabwe’s Mugabe, Uganda’s Museveni and Rwanda’s Kagame? The answer to this question showcases Mandela’s true power. South Africa stayed on course, got stronger as a democracy, complete with one of the freest media in the modern world, because Madiba taught us the importance of institutions. Our elections are monitored by an Independent Electoral Commission. We have a Public Protector with an office that shields us from our politicians’ shenanigans. Mandela went even further. Not only did he appear in court for his divorce proceedings, he also did so for an internationally unprecedented order to appear again. (President Mandela had sent an affidavit, which was questioned as untruthful – thus the order for him to appear in court in person.) He did this so that he could defend a presidential

Madiba took what was designed to humiliate him, and used it to cement the doctrine that, in a properly functioning democracy, no man is above the law. This remains a defining moment in Mandela’s life. Even as men tried to spit in his face, he created a wind of change that blew that spittle back into their own faces, and in the process, made the world a better place.

SOUTH AFRICA DOES NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MANDELA’S PASSING. WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE THANKFUL FOR HIS EXEMPLARY LIFE.

South Africa does not have to worry about Mandela’s passing. We have every reason to be thankful for his exemplary life. Given the foundation Madiba laid, President Zuma boasts an administration that has increased the average South African’s lifespan from 54 to 60 years of age. That’s a six-year improvement in five years. Today, President Zuma can look to the vast improvements his administration has made in health, job creation, infrastructure development and, most importantly, in education, and say that he is inspired by the legacy of those who came before him: who include the giant that is Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. That legacy does not include attacking and murdering whites. So, weep not, oh ye fair one, thou art just fine.

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BEING AFRICAN ABROAD:

ARE WE A LOST GENERATION? By Iman Hassan

few weeks ago, I was approached by an elderly Somali man who asked about my ethnicity. I responded that I was Somali. He then began to ask for help in Somali. As he described what he needed, I stood there blank-faced, staring at this man and trying to figure out how to explain to him that I could not understand Somali. I mean, yes I am Somali. But I do not speak the language.

Reprinted courtesy of Voices of Africa (www.voicesofafrica.co.za)

When I finally mustered up the courage to tell him, a wave of frustration appeared on his face. He was dumbfounded. “You do not understand,” he said. “Your language is your passport. Without it, you are just a Somali by appearance and nothing else,” he protested rather poetically. I realised he made a very valid point. I truly had nothing that separated me from my fellow Canadian peers besides

GROWING UP, I WAS ALWAYS THE TOKEN BLACK KID IN MOST OF MY CLASSES. I HAD THE DARKEST SKIN, THE ROUGHEST HAIR. TO PUT IT SIMPLY, I WAS ALWAYS THE “SORE THUMB” IN ALL MY CLASS PHOTOS.

my skin complexion. I could not speak my language and the older I became the more I realised I had picked the ‘westernised’ card over the ‘embracing my ethnicity’ card. It was time I found my roots. Growing up, I was always the token black kid in most of my classes. I had the darkest skin, the roughest hair. To put it simply, I was always the “sore thumb” in all my class photos. Despite being born and raised in Toronto, I was still subjected to societal segregation due to my appearance. It was nothing drastic, but I was still bullied or stereotyped by my peers and teachers. However, over time, I learned to adapt. Like a turtle, I mastered the ability to live both in water and on land. Or, I should say, I learned to survive at home and outside of my home. I was taught at school that unlike the United States and their forceful melting pot, Canada embraced all of our various ethnic descendants. Usually, when a teacher would discuss Canada and our ‘tossed salad’ analogy, he/she would make it a fact to point at my direction while enthusiastically claiming I was an example of this wonderful multicultural nation, then ignorantly ascribing me to a random African country of his/her choosing to prove their point. During moments like those I wished that I was not a case study for my social studies class; that I could fit in with the Rebeccas and Ashleys sitting around me. To me, fitting in was entirely different from belonging. I did not feel as though I wanted to belong as I understood that I could never truly belong in this society. Instead, I felt I needed to learn how to adapt mannerisms, so that I would avoid such situations in the future. Being westernised seemed ideal.

Images courtesy of Shutterstock

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WE TEND TO FORGET THAT WE ARE THE FUTURE OF OUR CULTURES. WE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL CARRY FORWARD OUR LANGUAGE, AND OUR TRADITIONS.

My parents made it a point to make sure I acknowledged that I was both Somali and Muslim, as these descriptors became almost entirely interchangeable. However, at school I was just the black kid so these descriptors truly meant nothing to my classmates. As Christian beliefs dominated throughout my schooling life, trying to explain an Islamic holiday or fasting during Ramadan became irritating, as my classmates could not fathom why I was not eating during lunchtime. They would ignorantly assume I forgot my lunch – every day for a month. This explanation appeared to be more logical for them to believe, rather than to care to understand that I was fasting for God. The reality was that westernised values collided with my a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with traditional Somali values. suitable snacks that I could be able to trade with the other kids during lunchtime. A “double identity” was not easy to achieve. My parents were traditional I highly doubt my parents or parents Somalis living in Toronto; my peers were of other second-generation children all Canadians. I spent most of the day would imagine that their kids would with my peers rather than my parents, be put in a situation where they would so as time passed I slowly began leaning have to deal with the clashing of values. towards my Canadian identity rather As I grew older, I began to witness the than my parents’ traditional Somali one. extremes: some second generation The task of forging an ethnic identity children began rejecting their culture is compounded by opposing demands or even effectively removing themselves from the two worlds. At school and with from interaction with members of that my peers, the more “westernised” I was culture just to avoid the stigmatisation of the easier and more relatable I became. I being associated with their nationality. wouldn’t call my parents ‘hoyo’ (mother) Others began to develop a heightened or ‘abo’ (father) in public, I would address sense of ethnic pride, often in reaction them as mom and dad. I would not carry to discrimination or hostility from the any Somali food in my lunch bag, I’d take host society. Either way, both seemed

extremely drastic to me. The manner in which Somali youths, or even second-generation African youths, understand their identity is complex. The majority of second generation Somalis struggle with the notion of identity simply because identity and culture are deeply intertwined – as religion is an identity, and nationality is an identity, and so on. It seems as though rather than incorporating various aspects of both the western culture and our traditional culture, the majority of Somalis seems to have lost the overall Somali culture in their process of attempting to assimilate into society. There are more of us, who are unable to speak the language, or who do not generally uphold our cultural values. We tend to forget that we are the future of our cultures. We are the ones who will carry forward our language, and our traditions. However, if we are too busy attempting to assimilate into a society that essentially rejects us, who will continue to keep our traditions alive? I would like to think there is hope. We have a chance to change our situation. Rather than suppressing one’s identity, I feel as though it is time we began embracing the variety of identities. If not now, when will we? Iman Hassan is a specialised political science student at York University in Toronto, Ontario.

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TANZANIA

What I like about you… By Mutsa Mkondo

Famed Tanzanian Tinga Tinga Art

he experience of living and working in Tanzania has afforded me the opportunity to get up close and personal with a country that I would never have thought I’d visit if you’d asked me 10 years ago. It has been a beautiful journey of discovery and enlightenment for which I consider myself to have been truly blessed. The path has been long and winding, filled with highs and lows that have contributed to the person I am today. So, Tanzania, here’s what I like about you…

LANGUAGE With more than 260 tribes and more than 100 tribal languages, Swahili is the unifying language of the country. While families will strive to maintain their tribal language and dialect, most Tanzanians can speak Swahili and thus

communication across the tribal groups is not an issue. Being a ‘bantu’ language, it was relatively easy to pick up, using common words and similar sentence structure. I was able to make myself understood despite not being fluent. I enjoy the musical sound of the spoken language and, of course, as with any language, there are some phrases that only sound good in Swahili and can’t be translated into an English equivalent. The Tanzanians believe that their Swahili is pure in comparison to the Kenyan version, which they find to be more “street-wise” and interspersed with slang. In my humble opinion, I’d agree.

time and place, and in other instances can be very frustrating, but on a social front it really helps you settle in. The converse is also true: there are some very rude and confrontational people out there too, but my experience has been a pleasant one. A person will always enter a room and greet all present, then go about their business. Respect for elders is also key; you must always offer the greeting “Shikamoo” when with an elder. I thoroughly enjoyed being on the receiving end of such greetings from young children shyly mumbling their salutation, without any coercion from a parent or older sibling.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

TINGA-TINGA ART AND ZANZIBAR DOORS

No hurry in Africa. Peace, love and all things good seems to be what they live by. Granted, such an attitude has its

Art made to order and art while you wait. The tinga-tinga artists are fairly

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versatile in presenting their work to you in a format that you request or you can browse through endless pieces of their work for your purchase. Tinga-tinga art is bright, hand-painted art depicting various aspects of life, from nature and animals, to urban areas and villages. The artists are often found painting in the open and it really is amazing to witness their creativity and the ease with which they work. A school of fish on a wheel cover or a caricature of animals in the wild is presented in this quirky, attractive artform.

BAJAJIS AND PIKI-PIKIS Tanzania was my first introduction to the bajaji, a three-wheeled motorcycle more commonly known as a tuk-tuk, and to the piki-piki, which is a motorbike taxi. The drivers of these vehicles are definitely intrepid thrill-seekers, capable of weaving between traffic and swerving around the sharpest corner at alarming speed. The bajajis are pimped with plumped seats, rain covers, sound systems, quotations, stickers and many other paraphernalia that depicts the driver’s pride in his vehicle. It is amazing to see how many passengers and luggage a driver can fit onto the back of his bike (unfortunately without helmets), but this is an accepted norm.

It’s terrifying and intriguing to see the piki-piki screaming around with their passengers holding on for dear life, or music booming from a piki-piki that is chugging along, leaving a trail of smoke behind it.

MUSIC Tanzania is a mixture of sounds, and their traditional sound was another presentation of the mixture of the various cultures that have influenced the country. There’s the lazy, melodic sound of the older music, which makes you want to sit under a palm tree and enjoy the sea breeze. Then the wail of taarab music with its distinct Islamic influence, the hip-hop of local bongo flavours, complete with oversized pants and dark glasses, and of course, the energetic waist-winding and twerking that accompanies the Ndombolo music punted by various self-proclaimed orchestras.

FOOD Tanzanian/Zanzibar door

WHEN YOU TRAVEL TO ZANZIBAR AND WALK THROUGH STONETOWN, THE BUILDINGS, AND IN PARTICULAR THE ARTWORK CARVED INTO THE DOORS, COMPLEMENTED WITH BRASS FEATURES, IS A REAL MARVEL.

Street food! Chips mayayi – basically a greasy chip and egg omelette – is best served with beef mishkaki (kebabs) and fresh chillies that will cure any hangover. Roast chicken and chips, fried plantain, roast banana and a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables straight from the market. Kiti moto, literally meaning “hot seat”, is the colloquial term for roast pork, an appropriate term considering the vast Islamic population for whom eating pork is a sin. Then there is the seafood: fresh, straight from the ocean to your plate, or the buttery taste of Tilapia found in lake Tanganyika. Roast sweet potato served with a fresh tomato mix, fragrant rice, pilau rice, freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, coconut water straight out of the coconut (I never acquired the taste) and a locally produced ice cream by a company called Azam. The eastern influence on Tanzanian cooking makes for an abundant use of spices, jazzing up the simplest of dishes.

Images courtesy of Shutterstock

When you travel to Zanzibar and walk through Stonetown, the buildings, and in particular the artwork carved into the doors, complemented with brass features, is a real marvel. The amount of time it would have taken the artists to work on these pieces must have been extensive and the weight of some of the doors is incredible. The style of the doors is a depiction of the mix of Arab, Persian and African culture and aesthetics and how it shaped a style that is uniquely found in the maze of streets and alleyways in Zanzibar.

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THE BEAUTY The beautiful beaches of Zanzibar Island, the vast Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater, home to a spectacular range of wildlife. While I haven’t made a trip to the top of the Kilimanjaro mountain yet, I have seen the island, roamed with the beasts and enjoyed so many other experiences and yet, there is so much more to share and experience. Tanzania, it has been a fun ride. I can’t wait for us to meet again! Asante sana.

THE EASTERN INFLUENCE ON TANZANIAN COOKING MAKES FOR AN ABUNDANT USE OF SPICES, JAZZING UP THE SIMPLEST OF DISHES.

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Africa's

digital hero

HIGHLY ACCLAIMED ZIBUSISO MKHWANANZI, CEO OF AVATAR DIGITAL, WAS AWARDED “TOP ICT INDIVIDUAL IN AFRICA” FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION TO BUSINESS AND SOCIETY. WE SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD, THE BUSINESS OF DIGITAL AND GIVING BACK. By Brendah Nyakudya

ON HIS BACKGROUND “I grew up in Soweto. I was a normal kid who just had a keen interest in the world of technology. The influence largely started when a friend of mine got a laptop in primary school. We were all so enthralled with it and as a result I would always visit him after school and at weekends so I could use it.”

HIS GREATEST MOTIVATION “My mom. Without a doubt she is one of the bravest and most daring people I know. Someone I should also mention is my uncle Mafika Mkwanazi. He always inspired me and challenged me to push boundaries and not be content with mediocrity or the status quo.”

“At a point in my schooling years I came to the realisation that, due to various reasons, there was little to no prospect for me to continue my studies, so I did the thing that I loved the most, which was providing technology services. I was fortunate that my peers and my community took this seriously and my first clients were my high school and library. It was a tough decision to start a business during an economic slump but I had been brought up to never back down from a challenge so I just ignored everyone and did it.”

Image courtesy of Zibusiso Mkhwananzi

HIS FIRST BUSINESS

Zibusiso Mkhwananzi, CEO of Avatar Digital

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BEHIND THE NAME ‘AVATAR’ “Firstly, the name was inspired by the movie but, then again, the name is very relevant to the digital world because an avatar is a digital representation of self in the digital world.”

ON WHAT SETS HIS BUSINESS APART “Think Avatar; imagine something out of the ordinary! That is what we are offering our clients. We are an integrated agency for the digital world. We use a multichannel approach to create awareness and digital channels to engage, convert and measure on our campaigns. In all we do we aim to provide something that is over and above the norm. What’s key to our clients is that we can show the value that we provide.”

“A QUALITY EDUCATION IS THE ESSENCE OF AN EXPLODING ECONOMY AND BUSINESS.” THE DARK DAYS “Being young and a black person, I found it a challenge for people and businesses to take me seriously. Regardless of what you are offering, that issue alone can create a wall that will try and stop you from pursuing your passion. On the other hand, hardships are also things that motivate us in life; they groom us and make us strive for perfection. Did I mention that I am a hectic perfectionist?”

ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARKET “The 21st century has gone digital. Our

focus now is to establish ways to make it easier for our clients to reach their target market, to encourage involvement and interaction in both parties. Consumers now have the power in their hands on their mobile phones and social platforms. So to answer the question: Yes, South African businesses are slowly realising the need for digital marketing, but really slowly, judging by the money spent on digital. But then as we know, the term ‘digital marketing’ is going through some changes and the focus is more on content of digital platforms.

INSPIRING YOUNG MINDS “I run a Christian mentorship programme in Vosloorus where I shape many young entrepreneurial minds and challenge the ways in which we are taught in universities. I also serve God in my community every Sunday.”

DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA “Just be humble and willing to listen. We’ve been stereotyped as very arrogant and know-it-alls as South Africans. There is value is realising that we are not an island, we are part of a continent and we need to create meaningful and respectful connections with people we come into contact with. Internationally, we are not just a charity case for the world; Africa is a rising continent full of hope. In summary: trade not aid.”

LESSONS LEARNED IN AFRICA “There are just too many lessons but the big one that comes to mind is that a quality education is the essence of an exploding economy and business.”

ROLE OF ICT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA “With the stringent regulations around the telecoms industry, which drives the entire ICT space in a big way, we are still some time away. There is light at the end of the tunnel with the increasing projects providing bandwidth to the continent and the rise of Kenya in the

innovative tech space. Now the problem is connectivity between the various African countries to distribute this bandwidth. The essence of ICT is that it empowers people with knowledge, which means that people are better informed and lead better quality lives through innovations in the tech space. Our big challenges are still big innovations by Africans for African problems. They are few and far between.”

MOTIVATION BEHIND ‘DAVID’S LEAGUE’ The story of David and Goliath motivated me to start this organisation. David is a great example of lateral thinking. He had a problem that could not be solved in any traditional way. He was a young boy with a young boy’s strength, and he faced an enemy who was mightily strong, an experienced fighting man, and one who held all the cards, so to speak, in psychological warfare. The man whom David faced had a long history of violence and intimidation, and David sensibly realised he could not beat this ogre by fighting him in the traditional manner. In essence, David’s League is a forum to find new ways of solving problems. God is the driving force to move people to a certain objective. When people believe in something greater than themselves, they get inspired. When they are inspired their dreams become a foreseeable reality.

THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND EDUCATION TRUST (NEET) IN FURTHERING THE CAUSE OF THE UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILD “We provide ICT bursaries to underprivileged students for them to study ICT-related studies at higher education facilities.”

WHAT SOME MIGHT NOT KNOW… I am a preacher.

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ILSE MOORE

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

“WHILE MY UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY OFTEN INVOLVES COMMERCIAL, FASHION AND BRIDAL SHOOTS, MY CONCEPTUAL WORK SPEAKS OF A SUBCONSCIOUS DENIAL OF REALITY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO SURREAL IMAGERY. I BELIEVE THAT PHOTOGRAPHY AS A MEDIUM LENDS A KIND OF REALISM TO THESE ‘FANTASIES’, ALLOWING IT TO EXIST IN CLOSER RELATIONSHIP TO THE VIEWER. I LIKE THAT IT SUGGESTS THE POSSIBILITY OF AN INDISCERNIBLE TRUTH. SHOOTING UNDERWATER SEEMED LIKE THE LOGICAL NEXT STEP IN FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE SURREAL WORLD AND MY OWN REALITY…”

& F A S H I O N

Images courtesy of Ilse Moore

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WE SPOKE TO UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER ILSE MOORE ABOUT HER ENCHANTING ART FORM. What draws you to the underwater world? There is something magical that happens underwater, not only due to the weightlessness and freedom, but the feeling of being in a surreal world where I have my own creative playground. It is very challenging, but I find it extremely exciting at the same time due to the unpredictability. Water also contains so many inherent qualities that make it such a rich environment to shoot in conceptually.

What is the best setting for a camera when shooting underwater? It depends on what you are looking for. I shoot fully manual which allows me to make subtle changes during the shoot. It will take a short course to explain all the settings that ensures the best exposure, but knowing your camera is key. A safe aperture setting for example, will be around f8 for sharpness, although I often shoot wider than this depending on my needs. I also shoot with a 16mm fisheye lens to allow me to get closer to my model and thereby not lose visibility by having to shoot from far away.

Above or below the surface, which is the hardest to shoot and why? As far as planning, it is definitely much harder shooting underwater than above. Not only is it harder to move around, but also everything else moves when the model does! Visibility and communication is probably the hardest to compensate for. It’s a whole different ball game, you have to be ready for a certain shot without knowing when it’s going to come and due to the unpredictability of the water, you cannot necessarily create exactly what you had in mind.

Are there other artists that you admire or feel that you relate to?

How do you usually communicate with your models since you really can’t talk underwater?

Images courtesy of Ilse Moore

WATER IS SYMBOLIC OF SO MANY THINGS INCLUDING LIFE, TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGE.

I try my best to shoot what I feel most comfortable with and what I believe is unique to me. When I first started, I looked at as much as I could to get an idea of what is out there, but one can so easily be distracted and lose faith in one’s own ability when there is constant comparisons made between ones own work and others’. So, while I admire many photographers in different fields (underwater, art and fashion alike), I try to take their advice by simply discovering my own voice.

We discuss everything before the time. If we did shoots in deeper water and the model needed an air regulator, then this would change. In between shots when we come up for air, I usually guide her through the different poses. It is very important for the model to understand what I want because there is simply no communication underwater. She has to control her hair and outfit and constantly be aware of her facial expression, hands and feet… all at the same time. It’s not easy. For my personal shoots, I prefer to use the same models because they are confidant in their abilities and they understand my method.

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the inherent qualities of water to achieve a conceptual meaning. Each art series I create is also different from the next and deals with a separate issue under the umbrella of the concept of “subconscious awareness of self”.

What procedure or method do you use to get to a concept? I keep a visual diary/workbook in which I write down, draw and explore different ideas. This book becomes my starting block and the concepts usually evolve from there. Of course I also allow the process to build on itself, meaning I often let the visuals happen and change naturally underwater. Allowing room for change and surprise ultimately forms part of the concept.

In which type of media have your pictures been published?

Model: Courtneigh Sinead Jacobs, MUA: Maureen Grobler Headress, jewellery and lingerie: RUBY

My work has been featured on various international fashion blogs and magazines. So far I’ve worked with an international designer from Turkey “Feline Blush” as well as a prominent South African designer “Joel Janse van Vuuren” and more recently with lingerie designer RUBY. I was also recently invited as a guest photographer on Africa’s Next Top Model, cycle 1 which was an amazing experience.

Ilse's equipment: This image was part of an Ocean Life Conservation campaign (SOS- Save our Seas) with RUBY

Why underwater photography? When I was busy with my Visual Arts degree, I worked a lot with the concept of flight, which more and more made me consider going underwater with my shoots. Water is symbolic of so many things including life, transformation and change. With that being very much in line with the concepts I was working on, I decided to start experimenting underwater. I immediately fell in love with it and now can’t wait to get underwater between shoots.

What do you want to represent conceptually with underwater photography? And what features or elements make it conceptual? A lot of my personal work deals with a subconscious awareness of self and often takes on a dark or surreal feel, while I try to balance this with images of simple beauty and mystery. This balance stems from the conflict between the individual’s feelings of peacefulness and pain while being submerged. I use

Nikon D4 with a custom housing Old equipment: Nikon D90 with an ikelite housing Most common lens: Nikkor 16mm f2.8 fisheye, followed by 50mm f1.4G 2x ikelite Ds51 strobes More commonly: continuous lighting.

www.ilsemoore.com http://www.behance.net/ilsemoore Email: ilsemoore@telkomsa.net +27 84 602 8687

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The best bubbly on Earth

IT IS SAID THAT ‘IN VICTORY YOU DESERVE CHAMPAGNE, IN DEFEAT, YOU NEED IT!’ GOOD QUALITY FRENCH CHAMPAGNE IS CONSIDERED A LUXURY FOR THE UPPER-CLASS AND LIKE ALL LUXURIES THESE BOTTLES OF DELICIOUS SPARKLES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR BEING EXPENSIVE – BUT WORTH EVERY CENT!

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By Dominique Wolf

here was a time when Champagne was produced only for the elite, but now it is available in every corner of the world and a must-have for any celebration. If you are a Champagne enthusiast and want to impress dinner party guests or wow your significant other on Valentine’s Day, get your hands on one of these world-renowned, very special bottles of heavenly bubbles. Most are very scarce, so good luck on your search.

Handcrafted from 18-carat solid gold, Goût de Diamants’ Superman-style signature logo has a single, flawless deepcut 19-carat white diamond in the centre, replacing the Swarovski crystal that normally inhabits the space. This is the most expensive champagne in the world and at R12.5 million this is one bottle that won’t be tossed into the recycling bin. UK designer Alexander Amosu, who, in 2009, set a Guinness World Record for creating the most valuable suit, designed this one-of-a-kind bottle of bubbly for an unnamed private client. If you could extract the diamond from the bottle, this champagne could double up as one hell of an engagement ring!

3 quick tips for quaffing A

Images courtesy of Google Images

DESIGNER DRINK - GOÛT DE DIAMANTS’

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A DELICIOUS WRECK - THE SHIPWRECKED 1907 HEIDSEICK

LARGER THAN LIFE - MOËT & CHANDON

Considered to be the holy grail of champagnes, Shipwrecked 1907 Heidseick was discovered perfectly preserved under the sea in 1997. A whopping 200 bottles were recovered and champagne lovers all over the world are fighting for it. Sold at more than R2.8 million per bottle, this vintage is highly sought after.

The most stylish and one of the most exotic champagnes is Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon 1995 White Gold Jeroboam. This champagne masterpiece, of which only 100 bottles were produced, is laser-engraved with the Dom Pérignon label. This huge three-litre Jeroboam of prestige cuvée appeals to the more extravagant champagne buyer who loves to show off. The Jeroboam is four times larger than a standard champagne bottle and the plated white gold bottle sheath is what commands the enormous price of around R127 000 at Harrods, London. For the record, Moët is pronounced “mow-ette” not “moweh”. Now you know.

MO POPU S T L AR CRISTAL CLEAR - CRISTAL BRUT 1990 For many champagne-lovers, Cristal is the most opulent prestige cuvée. This champagne has a truly loyal and exclusive heritage, which is reflected in the superior presentation of the bottle which is made of a type of lead crystal. The very beautiful Champagne Cristal Brut 1990 is famous worldwide, named “Methuselah”. The bottle, with its incredible gold label and royal vintage look, is eight times larger than standard size and was only produced in very limited quantities. This liquid gold can be yours, if you can find it, for a mere R180 000.

THE TASTE OF ROYALTY - KRUG 1928 Described recently as “one of the greatest champagnes ever made” by the head of Sotheby’s wine department, Krug 1928 is an exquisite vintage which is a little more accessible and affordable. This acclaimed champagne was served for King George VI and his guests at the first royal banquet at Buckingham Palace after the Second World War ended in Europe. The very first bottle of Krug 1928 was manufactured using the best variety of grapes and has since managed to please generations of champagne lovers with its unbelievable taste, which has increased with each passing year. In 2009, Krug 1928 broke the world record for the most expensive bottle of champagne sold at auction, going for a whopping R225 500, which was R60 000 more than the highest estimated price. As the flavour improves, so does the price, and today a bottle of Krug 1928 will set you back just short of R220 000.

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WELL-AGED - PERRIER-JOUET Prepared from special fruits and made from their vintage liquors, Perrier-Jouet Champagne is rich in taste and has an exceptionally mesmerising aroma. Since the early part of the 19th Century, the prestigious Perrier-Jouet champagne house has saved and stored bottles from its greatest vintages. Amazingly, in 2009, their 1825 vintage was one of the oldest drinkable champagne on earth. To own a bottle of this wonder from ages past, you will have to shell out at least R69 000.

Bespoke Bubbles Imagine having the option of personalising champagne according to your own taste? Well, if you have R520 000 to spare, you can buy yourself the Perrier-Jouet champagne, which is a pack of 12 bottles that you can mix to create your own personal, unique champagne. If you’d like to stand out among champagne connoisseurs, this tailor-made option is a winner.

SINGULAR SPARKLING SENSATION - CLOS D’AMBONNAY Krug Company, which produces some of the most expensive champagnes on the planet, unveiled the extraordinary Clos d’Ambonnay in 2008. It is an exception to Krug’s unique and traditional style of champagne cuvées because it is produced from a single grape variety, in a single year and from a single vineyard. It is also Krug’s only white champagne made with red grapes – making it 100% pinot noir. The production of this exceptional champagne was limited to only 3,000 bottles and at R37 000 apiece, is certainly not your average bottle of bubbly.

TRUE TO ITS ROOTS - BOLLINGER BLANC DE NOIRS VIEILLES VIGNES FRANCAISES

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If you are a champagne-lover and you have never popped open a bottle of ‘Bolly’, get ready for a treat. If you think the name Bollinger Blanc De Noirs Vieilles Vignes Francaises is a mouthful, know that its marvellous taste is worth more than a mouthful. Uniquely, it is produced with grapes from Bollinger’s pinot noir vines, which, unlike most other fine wines worldwide, are not grafted onto American roots. Every year Bollinger produces around 5,000 bottles, with a price tag of about R7 000 each. Lily Bollinger was quoted as saying, “I only drink Champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.”

A bubbly Box - 3 Quick Tips... • Do not over-chill champagne. Although it should never be warm, it is far worse for it to be icy or nearly frozen. • Do not under-fill your ice bucket; you will only chill half the bottle. Add cold water to ice cubes to make sure the bottle is well submerged. • Do not chill champagne glasses ahead of the time. This will have a negative impact on the release of the bubbles and the bouquet of the champagne.

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JET-SETTING

in Africa By Brendah Nyakudya

Images courtesy of Bambardier

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ne of the privileges of the wealthy is criss-crossing the globe in business- and first-class aeroplane cabins, commuting between Johannesburg, London, Hong Kong and Abuja. Airlines go over and above to provide creature comforts for the travellers able to pay the premium fares. But as is the nature of human beings, we are always in search of bigger and better – and the latest craze is taking to the skies in your own personal jet! Execujet’s Regional Marketing Manager for Africa, Melanie Leloup, gave us some insights into the business of private jets in Africa.

unsafe. There are increased business opportunities as mineral wealth is discovered, particularly oil, gas and manufacturing metals like iron, nickel and copper.

Is the increase more in the chartering of jets or the sale of them? There is certainly an increase in the charter of aircrafts; most companies or individuals will ascertain the sustainability of the use of a private aircraft before purchasing one. Aircraft sales have been affected by the worldwide

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economic downturn over the past four years but it is slowly picking up.

What would you attribute this increase to: more wealth or people realising the benefits? It’s a bit of both but there’s also a third factor: image. Certain African countries are starting to flaunt their wealth through the purchase of private jets – especially Angola and Nigeria. However, it should be said that infrastructure development is lagging and there is business to be done now – that’s where private aviation is beneficial.

CERTAIN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARE STARTING TO FLAUNT THEIR WEALTH THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF PRIVATE JETS – ESPECIALLY ANGOLA AND NIGERIA.

What services does ExecuJet offer?

Has there been an increase in the demand for jets in Africa? This continent is a huge growth area for aviation largely due to the poor ground infrastructure; many African airlines are banned in Europe and considered

Images courtesy of Google Images

ExecuJet is a global business aviation company offering a turnkey solution to high net-worth individuals, corporations and governments. We sell a range of turbo-prop and jet aircrafts, we manage them on behalf of the owners (for whom aviation is not a core focus), we charter them to third parties (where the owners require a revenue stream) and, of course, maintain them.

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With commercial airlines offering more and more benefits and comfort to fliers – what benefits do personal jets offer that commercial flights don’t? Personal jets offer significant intangible benefits over airlines that, by their nature, the scheduled air services cannot match. Time flexibility, protection of proprietary information, on-board security, and less travel stress are just a few advantages. Where time has value you can’t beat a private flight. Some of the larger, inter-continental business jets such as the Global Express, Gulfstream 550 and BBJ offer comparable comfort to any business class or first class cabin, but it comes at a price. There is increased investment in inflight entertainment systems for business aircraft but most of the development is driven by the airline business.

Do you get more business from South Africa or from Nigeria?

What kind of clientele do you service? We are predominantly a business aviation service so typical clients will be Fortune 500, JSE and several large private corporations. Approximately 85% of our charter business is corporates with the balance being private individuals and the high-end leisure traveller.

What is your most popular make of aircraft? Our most popular aircraft brand is Bombardier and we operate all the business jets they manufacture such as the LearJet, Challenger and Global Express families of jets.

Are there any myths you would like to dispel about the services you offer? Probably the biggest myth is that private air travel is only for the rich and famous. The days of the company aircraft being the “Chairman’s Chariot” are over – there is a definite cost

justification for use of private air travel for those forward-thinking companies or individuals for whom time has value. When a proper, true trip cost comparison between different modes of transport is done (including labour cost, travel risk, nights away, entertainment, connecting flights etc.) private air travel often proves the best solution.

ongoing crew simulator training, quality and safety systems and maintaining ever-changing regulatory knowledge to ensure that any flight meets and exceeds safety standards as laid down by a large corporations risk management department. We even consult to those companies or individuals wishing to set up a flight department, sharing best practice to international standards.

How can a large corporate organisation benefits from using ExecuJet?

What are the challenges that you sometimes face in your business?

There are so many areas ExecuJet benefits organisations. Some own their own aircraft and have their own flight departments. Whenever they visit a country with an ExecuJet base we offer fuel, aircraft and crew services to help them on their way. They may recognise the need to own their own aircraft but don’t want the risk of operating it – ExecuJet becomes their out-sourced flight department. The international trend is for large corporations to scale down their internal flight departments and sell off non-core assets (e.g. business jets). This is where ExecuJet fulfils a service need – an organisation may still require non-scheduled air services but contract with a third party operator like ExecuJet to handle their charter contract safely and professionally. ExecuJet invests millions of Rands in

The obvious one is high input cost – aviation is a US dollar-based industry and typically fuel accounts for between 20% and 35% of any flight. Therefore we have to manage exchange rate fluctuations and the aviation fuel price. The Civil Aviation Authority in SA is trying to mirror the regulatory standards of their European and US counterparts but is woefully under-skilled and often issues policy difficult to understand or implement. The African aviation safety record is abysmal – depending on your source only 4% of the world’s flying occurs in Africa but accounts for 38% of the accidents. Whenever there is an accident (e.g. the December 2013 LAM Embraer E190 airliner crash in Namibia) there is a negative impact on Africa’s aviation image, which affects all operators – it’s a small community.

Images courtesy of Bambardier

Our South African operation has been established for more than 22 years and is our largest base in Africa. Since we opened our new Fixed Base Operation (FBO) at Murtala Mohamed Airport in Lagos, Nigeria in 2012, we have seen the potential this market has to offer and we do expect to grow this business unit dramatically over the next five years.

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Out and about in

Joburg By Brendah Nyakudya and Stacey Vee

Images courtesy of The Saxon Hotel & Google images

FROM VIBEY VILAKAZI STREET, TO THE INNER CITY ROOFTOPS, AND TO THE TEA ROOMS OF SANDTON, JOHANNESBURG IS JUST WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED

Johannesburg skyline at dusk

ELEVATE Move over Randlords, there’s a new rooftop venue in town. Located on the top floor of the Reef Hotel in Anderson Street in the CBD, Elevate has become the place for sunset drinks and night-time views of the inner city’s lights. It’s operated by the same owners of the nightclub Taboo in Sandton, and it the kind of venue that attracts movers and shakers, and young executives, in their droves. We love how the lighting inside is dotted with pinpoints of light, like a starry night sky. During last year’s Johannesburg City Festival showcasing the best of the best, Elevate was one of the stop-off venues for journalists and celebrities. Where: 16th floor, Reef Hotel, 58 Anderson Street, Marshalltown Hours:

3pm until late

Info:

www.elevatevenue.co.za, 011 689 1010

EACH AND EVERY DELICATE INDULGENCE USES ONLY THE FINEST IMPORTED AND LOCAL INGREDIENTS, FROM VALRHONA CHOCOLATE AND GOLD LEAF FROM FRANCE TO THE CLOTTED CREAM FOR THE SCONES THAT ORIGINATES FROM THE CAPE.

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Images courtesy of The Saxon Hotel & Google images

BELLE’S PATISSERIE Belle’s Patisserie in the Blubird centre in Birnam has been delighting the tastebuds of Jozi with its delicate pastries, so Afropolitan was thrilled when their new Belle’s On-The-Go kiosk opened in Sandton City recently. If you only sample one item from their mouth-watering menu it has to be the Bar One cupcake, which was voted the Best Cupcake by Joburg.co.za (we’re big fans of their salted caramel flavour, too.) Belle’s is also the place to go if you’re looking for a crois-nut, which is a doughnut made with buttery croissant pastry, inspired by the new American craze: the New York Cronut (R25). Where:

Sandton City (corner of Sandton Drive and Rivonia Road), lower level, near Edgars

Hours:

9am to 7pm on weekdays, 9am to 6pm on weekends

Info:

www.bellespatisserie.co.za, 082 968 5389

Crois-Nut

Yswara Luxury Tea

THE ART OF HIGH TEA AT THE SAXON HOTEL The culinary team at The Saxon have re-invented the art of high tea and introduced a new look, new feel, new taste experience for those with a penchant for tea and all things scrummy. From the moment you walk into the Piano Lounge you are surrounded by numerous miniature delights that range from sweet to savoury, traditional to exotic. Each and every delicate indulgence uses only the finest imported and local ingredients, from Valrhona chocolate and gold leaf from France to the clotted cream for the scones that originates from the Cape. Adding to the experience, tea sommeliers are

on hand to guide guests through the extensive tea selection, which is exclusively Yswara, an African tea collection of rare leaves sourced and blended on the continent. Where: The Saxon Hotel, 36 Saxon Road, Sandhurst, Johannesburg Hours:

11am to 4pm from Tuesday through to Saturday

Info:

+27 11 292 6000 or by email reservations@saxon.co.za

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S P O T S lining the entrance, and quirky signposts galore. (Seen on a tree: ‘Please mind the falling pine cones.’) There are now just more than 60 different stalls to explore on a lazy Sunday, with plenty of seasonal and artisanal wares. Think fresh-fromthe-farm butter, old-fashioned soda floats, Belgium waffles, paella, homemade jams, aromatic shawarmas, craft beer and even treats for your pets. You’re even allowed to bring them along as long as they’re on a leash. You can eat your freshly prepared meal under the breezy canopy of trees. Since opening a year ago, the Fourways Farmers Market has become increasingly popular; get there early so that you can nab a parking space (trust us on this).

FOURWAYS FARMERS MARKET It’s like Braamfontein’s Neighbourgoods Market, with many of the same vendors – but in a refreshing outdoor setting, and surprisingly, right across the road from Montecasino. It’s a country style open air market, with rose blooms and lavender

Where: Earth Outdoor Living Nursery, corner of William Nicol Drive and Monte Casino Boulevard, Fourways Hours:

Sundays, 9am to 3pm

Info:

www.ffmarket.co.za, 011 465 5276

MOOOI The 03cubed showroom hosts a jawdropping collection by Dutch designers Moooi. Moooi’s bold, playful style results in lighting, furniture and accessories with a distinct type of sophistication: curved, clean lines with a dash of sexy. South Africans will recognise the brand name as being the Dutch/ Afrikaans word for ‘beautiful’, and you’d be right – the founders say that the extra ‘o’ is for ‘an extra value in terms of beauty and uniqueness’. Unique is certainly the word: the Moooi collection is filled with one-of-a-kind pieces, like the geisha-inspired Juuyo lamps by Lorenza Bozzoli, and the Blow Away Vase by Front. If you are looking for an unusual centrepiece for your home, a visit to 03cubed to peruse the Moooi collection is a must. Where:

03cubed, 3 Desmond Street, Kramerville, Sandton

Hours:

9am to 7pm on weekdays, 9am to 6pm on weekends

Info

www.03cubed.com / www.edgeinteriors.co.za, 011 262 0258

THE FOUNDRY CAFE A sure sign that an establishment is any good? It’s packed! The Foundry is often bursting at the seams after 5pm, as people from all corners of the city pull in for an after-work beer. Despite it being smack in the middle of the restaurant-lined streets of Parktown North, you don’t just visit the Foundry for the food (there are some great items of the menu: pork belly, salt and chilli squid, baked bone marrow and Eton mess for dessert) – you go for the awesome selection of craft beers, and… the vibe! Booking is essential over weekends. Moooi Altdeutsche Cabinet

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Where:

Shop 7, Parktown Quarter, Corner of 3rd and 7th Avenue, Parktown North

Hours:

11am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm Sundays and public holidays

Info:

www.foundrycafe.co.za, 011 447 5828

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REVIEW: ENMASSE MASSAGE City living can leave your shoulder muscles feeling tense, and an indulgent massage is just the thing to help you shake it off. Afropolitan has been hearing good things about Enmasse Massage, and got 2014 off to a good start with a visit to their sanctum at Illovo Junction (in the same centre as The Griffin gastropub and around the corner from hipster hideaway Wolves.) Enmasse is different – they see a massage as something you should do regularly and not as a treat. You are encouraged to become a member, and it’s almost like going to the gym – except a massage therapist is doing the body workout for you. After checking in a reception, you are invited through to a relaxation area where you can relax on a sofa and order something from the ‘tea tree’. A central part of the Enmasse experience is the 47 different tea blends on offer – there is something for everyone. The décor is starkly modern-oriental, dark blue with white screens; the dimmed lights making for a relaxing atmosphere. From there it’s through to the changing room where you stow your clothes and change into a cotton robe. The massages are done while you are still wearing your robe – without any oils. There are Thai, Shiatsu and Reflexology techniques on the menu depending on your type of membership. A 60-minute massage will cost you in the region of R335 to R375 and R425 for non-members. Something that Afropolitan loves is that if you do take out a membership, your massages are transferable – meaning that you can gift an Enmasse experience to your loved ones or a friend. Where:

Unit 14, Illovo Junction, 1 Corlett Drive (corner with Oxford), Illovo

THE RUINART DINING EXPERIENCE

Hours:

7 days a week, including public holidays, 8am to 10pm

Every so often, we at the Afropolitan feel the need to indulge in a decadent affair set in lavish surrounds. The Ruinart Experience at The Saxon Hotel five hundred restaurant is one such experience. A collaboration between world class experiental restaurant, Saxon five hundred and champagne brand, The House of Ruinart, this a perfect mix of food, passion and art. The deep-rooted tradition of the world’s oldest champagne house meets the innovation of one of South Africa’s finest and award winning chefs in a space that synonymous with elegance, history and sheer magificence. On the evening guests are escorted down a sleek black hallway through a discreet door into the restaurant and treated to the intimate private dining experience at the Chef’s Table with decadent food pairings that will please those with a taste for luxury and the finer things in life.

Info:

www.enmasse.co.za, 011 880 3020

Ruinart Champagne

Where:

Saxon five hundred, The Saxon Hotel, 36 Saxon Road, Sandhurst, Johannesburg

Hours:

Thursday to Saturday, evenings only, from 18h00

Info:

(011) 292 6000

Enmasse treatment rooms

Digital Hot-spot! Jozilicious Maintained by travel and lifestyle journalist Hasmita Nair, over the last two years Jozilicious has become the definitive guide to what’s hot in the city of gold. What sets this blog apart are Hasmita’s honest reviews of restaurants, spas, shops and events – she’ll tell you which dishes are tasteless, which treatments are a slice of heaven, and what the hot tickets

of the season are. Hasmita is something of a globetrotter, and posts photo stories, hotel reviews and travel tips for other cosmopolitan cities like Paris, Dubai, Rome and Singapore. Check out her growing Restaurant Directory for her tastiest establishments in Johannesburg. www.joziliciousblog.co.za

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The best of M.A.C. THIS ICONIC BRAND HAS BEEN BOLDLY GOING WHERE NO MAKE-UP ARTISTS HAVE GONE BEFORE WITH ITS RICH PIGMENTS, LUXURIOUS LIPSTICKS AND CATWALK-READY COLLECTIONS OF COLOUR By Stacey Vee

RED, RED LIPSTICK

Images courtesy of MAC

Back in the 80s, pop icon Madonna was famous for only wearing a specific shade of lipstick from M.A.C. Cosmetics, called Russian Red – which is still one of the brand’s best-sellers today. In 1994, the brand introduced its Viva Glam lipsticks, to raise money for its Aids fund, and 100% of the profits from its sales of the Viva Glam lipsticks go towards it. The campaigns have featured everyone from Missy Elliott, RuPaul, to Dita Von Teese, and this February the buxom Rihanna has lent her face and name to the effort. We just love the sexy packaging of her Viva Glam lipstick and lipgloss. It’s also worth mentioning that M.A.C. lipsticks smell incredible. (R185)

BRUSHING UP An artist is only as good as her tools. If you buy just one M.A.C make-up brush from their huge range, it has to the famous 217 blending brush (R265), an oval shaped brush that is made for shading and blending colour. If you are going to invest in a collection of M.A.C. make-up and brushes (and it really is an investment), be sure to also buy a bottle of Brush Cleanser (R170) so that you can take good care of your tools. M.A.C. has recently released its Masterclass Brush Collection, a line of brushes that are designed with a special grip, with lush synthetic fibres, starting from R630.

LONG LASH LOVE M.A.C. is well known for doing dramatic eyelashes well and one of the consistently best-rated M.A.C. mascaras is Studio Fix Lash (R185), which is great for every day wear. Also try Opulash (R185) for extra volume that lasts all day. If you want to get the full-on power-lash look, start with apply their Prep + Prime Lash undercoat, and then try one of their thicker formulas like the Haute + Naughty two-in-one range (R215). M.A.C’s range of false eyelashes has something for everyone: barely noticeable and over-the-top and playful.

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LAY THE FOUNDATION Ask any professional make-up artist: M.A.C’s foundations are all some of the best in the business. Never one to miss a trend, M.A.C’s mineral newest make-ups are light on your skin and kind to your pores. A popular choice is the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural range (R305), that – being M.A.C – caters for every skin tone imaginable. Another big seller is their Studio Fix Plus (R310) pressed powder compact, which is perfect for patting away that oily sheen that comes from our sunny climate.

COLOUR ME CRAZY M.A.C regularly releases collections of colour palettes for lips, eyes, cheeks and nails that are sold as limited editions. They take the hassle out of coming up with a look that ‘works’ and is trendy. Keep in mind that M.A.C’s main market are our American and United Kingdom brethren, and their collections are often seasonal. For instance, the just-released Punk Couture collection is meant to be worn in the northern hemisphere’s spring. It’s still February here – temperatures are blazing – so we can easily see ourselves rocking a splash of bright, punk-inspired pigment: True Chartreuse (lime green), Neo-Orange and Magenta Madness for R260 each. If you prefer to keep your make-up on the subtle side, try the Magnetic Nude collection – its soft, natural shades should see you looking pretty and peachy right through autumn and winter.

Your virtual M.A.C. store Looking for a M.A.C. store near you? Last year M.A.C Cosmetics announced plans to open 20 stores in Sub-Saharan Africa in the next five years. So if you have been patiently waiting to get your M.A.C. fix, there could be one popping up in your neighbourhood. But why wait? The good news for fans is that now you can purchase your must-haves online, at www.maccosmetics.co.za. The M.A.C website also has an amazing collection of ‘Get the Look’ videos and how-to tutorials. There is free delivery on all orders over R500.

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE One of M.A.C’s big selling points is how versatile some of their products are, especially their cream blushes, which can be dabbed onto cheeks, lips and even be used as eye shadow. One product: multiple purposes. (R450)

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The new

creatives

BOUNDARIES BETWEEN CREATIVE DISCIPLINES ARE BLURRING AND EVEN, IN SOME CASES, DISSIPATING ALTOGETHER EXPLAINS ELIZABETH CROESER.

Nelisiwe Xaba

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enowned British fashion photographer Nick Knight admits that he doesn’t create photographs anymore, he ‘creates imagery’. Knight is inspired and motivated by the digital culture and increasingly uses smartphones to capture images, which he says provides a lot more freedom. Through the use of design and photo manipulation applications, photographs turn into images.

valued creativity as the most beneficial attribute in business, outranking integrity and intelligence.

Design and art are no longer restricted to galleries and the champagne-sipping elite. Instead, good design and a unique creative voice have become increasingly important to the success of most brands. In the 2010 IBM Global CEO Study, 1500 CEOs were asked to list the most important leadership quality. The outcome revealed that CEO’s

book The Pop-Up Generation: Design Between Dimensions (BIS Publishers), that vague divides between art and culture, design and economy, science and glamour and between the virtual and the physical, are igniting dynamic and ever-evolving parameters.

Access to information and self-promoting platforms via the Internet have played an integral part in creating possibilities to acquire and develop new skills. Meet three inspiring South Africans that Availability of graphic and design applications and shared knowledge makes are shifting boundaries and creating a new generation of hybrid designers. learning to use these tools accessible and

Photographers are becoming graphic artists, fashion designers are being influenced by technology, musicians are traversing into movie-making and fine artists are creating interactive, tech-inspired installations. As a result, a new kind of creative has emerged. Creatives are changing concepts and artistry through fusing and combining diverse expressive languages. These processes are reshaping what we previously regarded as art. New measures, devices and approaches are making this fluid shifting between fields possible and producing exciting hybrid creatives.

JAMAL NXEDLANA

Image courtesy of Andrea Pugiotto

Knight uses the term ‘generalist’ to refer to a creative who moves between various inventive spheres and becomes a type of crossbreed innovator. These ‘generalists’ use multi-disciplinary tools to explore and to create art, images, brand awareness and commercial products.

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Jamal Nxedlana

effortless. With online display space and social media, presenting work is as easy as uploading it. Further motivating this evolution is increasing demands for flexibility, sustainability and creative solutions incorporating technology. Dutch trend forecaster Li Edelkoort affirms in her

Co-founder of the clothing label Misshape, stylist, photographer and creative director of the Cuss group, which incidentally he also helped start up, Jamal Nxedlana truly is a jack of all trades and master of well, all. Nxedlana describes himself as curious, ambitious and never content, the latter most likely being the reason for his long list of achievements in various disciplines, including spending two months in Milan on a fashion internship, showcasing work in Paris as part of the Cuss group and staging work as a solo artist at the Goodman Gallery, as part of the Basic Reality Group show.

Trained as a fashion designer, Nxedlana started venturing into alternative disciplines as a result of working on collaborative projects with graphic designers, photographers and filmmakers. Inspired by them, he discovered new ways of communicating his design aesthetic through photographs and images and started acquiring the skills necessary for this method of communication. “It's about finding imaginative ways to create which lies in the connections between the different techniques,” he explains.

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“Sometimes the connections are obvious, but sometimes the dialogue between them is more subtle, more sub-conscious and inside these connections one finds a larger, more amplified expressive voice.”

NELISIWE XABA

Xaba strongly believes that no matter how proficient you are in various disciplines, you must have a clear and relevant message in your work for it to be successful. “Working with technology gave us new energy for the project. It excited us but if we had nothing to say it would not have mattered if we used technology,” she says. In partnerships that produce multi-disciplinary projects, she often finds that strong messages emerge as you learn and grow from working with people. “When you work with someone they have their own language, and you have yours. When these merge, they produce a new language.” Xaba says that there is beauty and value in working with specialists in a particular field, but that innovation can happen when working with someone who is self taught. “When someone hasn’t been trained in something, they have no rules, they are open and that sometimes creates interesting narratives.” She doesn’t consider herself a conscious merger of disciplines. “I answer to what’s being asked, in which ever way,” she says modestly.

MARIETTE BERGH Having had a keen interest in art from a young age, Mariette Bergh decided to study something creative she knew nothing about. These curiosities led to her studying how to conceptualise for creative communication and resulted in

Image courtesy of Mariette Bergh

Contemplative, confident and captivated by her five senses, Nelisiwe Xaba creates through the art of performance but has found that exploring technology, fashion and art in her work spontaneously develops new creative articulation. Uncles & Angels, the collaborative dance and film project that won Xaba and Mocke J van Veuren the coveted 2013 FNB Art Prize, demonstrates how technology can enable performance to speak in a different voice.

Mariette Bergh

her working as an art director. After her time in advertising she worked as a solo artist and most recently, co-created baby furniture for newly found company, Bunny & Clyde. The transitions and explorations were born mainly from a need to keep things both stimulating and practical, she says, and it has been an exciting journey. “Making art can be expensive and I wasn’t willing to compromise on the quality of the pieces just to get them out quicker.” From the unwillingness to settle on poorer standards, came a receptivity and interest in new methods

to create. This led to the birth of Bunny & Clyde. Bergh says that cultivating an art and design mind has permeated into all of her work in different ways. “Whether it is in the planning or in the designing or in the understanding of the aesthetic language, everything I craft is shaped by my artistic vocabulary.” Bergh says she hopes that the next leg of her journey will offer her opportunities to explore avenues she might not have considered ten years ago and she is confident that having a creative and flexible environment will fuel success.

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The Yas Viceroy Hotel, Abu Dhabi

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Sparkling

desert ship ARCHING GRACEFULLY OVER THE YAS MARINA RACETRACK, AT NIGHT THE ICONIC GRIDSHELL OF THE FIVE-STAR YAS VICEROY HOTEL IN ABU DHABI DANCES WITH THOUSANDS OF COLOURFUL LIGHTS AGAINST THE DARK, VELVET SKIES OF THE DESERT.

he hotel is an architectural wonder in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is the first new hotel in the world to be built over an F1 Grand Prix circuit. While many a visiting tourist is fascinated by the contrasts of the young city springing up in ancient Abu Dhabi – water parks and sand dunes, neon-lit night clubs and traditional Arabian restaurants – the Yas Viceroy is not so. Inside and out, she is a gleaming, futuristic ship anchored in the marina of Yas Island. Afropolitan boarded the premier hotel in the richest city on Earth for a luxurious adventure at the invitation of Nokia, for the launch of their 2014 range of Lumia and Asha smartphones.

BUILDING ‘THE NEST’ The construction of the Yas Viceroy is such a feat of modern engineering that it was the focus of an interesting episode of the Discovery Channel’s Build it Bigger series (which is on the television viewing menu in your room). Building began in 2007, and it was officially opened on 1 November 2009, the day of the first-ever Formula One race in Abu Dhabi. That particular

Images courtesy of Yas Viceroy

BY STACEY VEE

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race also marked the first day-night Grand Prix, and the LED light-studded roof of the hotel was a breath-taking backdrop to the excitement of the track. No feature on the Yas Viceroy will be complete without mention of the gridshell. It is a marvel, with almost 5 400 diamond-shaped LED panes that pivot and change colour. It hovers over the hotel like a protective dome. There is something reminiscent of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek in the spaceage curves of the Yas Viceroy. The hotel itself is made of two 12-storey structures: one in the centre of the Formula One circuit, and the other in the water. When booking your suite, your rooms will be in either the main wing or the marina wing. They are joined by a bridge made of steel and glass, where guests can take in the views of the turquoise-edged lanes of the racetrack, with the yachts of the rich and famous moored in the yas blue waters (a shade of blue named after the island) of the marina.

View of the Formula One circuit

‘THE YAS VICEROY IS A GLEAMING, FUTURISTIC SHIP ANCHORED IN THE MARINA OF THE RICHEST CITY ON EARTH.’ Bedroom Interior

INSIDE THE HOTEL The interior of the 499-room Yas Viceroy is best described as contemporary cool. Afropolitan loved the library and reading room that is in the foyer, which was refreshingly quirky with its comfortable leather armchairs, in turquoise – just like the pops of colour on the racetrack. Even the plush carpeting in the hallways looks like a long-exposure photograph of a night race, a deep black with streaks of bright colour. That’s where the motorsports theme stops; the interior designers showed restraint.

Luxurious Bathtub at the Yas Viceroy

The suites are bright, airy and spacious to the point of decadence. Foreign visitors used to cooler climates (that’s Afropolitan included) will sigh with delight as you step into the air-

T R A V E L conditioned room. We washed off the travelling dust in the one of the deepest bath tubs we’ve ever encountered in a hotel room before exploring the balcony, the mini bar (hidden behind a wooden panel) and the channels on the 42-inch flatscreen. Plenty of features in the suite are automated, such as the curtains which open with a whisper at the touch of a button, and the mood lighting. We stayed in the marina wing of the hotel, and had a beautiful view of the sparkling waters lapping at the boats docked against the jetties.

DAY AND NIGHT After your arrival, resist the urge to check your email using the high-speed Wi-Fi available throughout the hotel.

Instead we recommend you unpack your suitcase, and make your way to a table on the terrace of the Origins restaurant overlooking the Yas Marina Circuit, for a happy hour mojito. (Abu Dhabi does allow non-Muslim visitors to consume alcohol, and it is available in most of the hotels in the city – but it wise to remember that public displays of intoxication are frowned upon.) You might notice that there are sometimes cyclists peddling around the track. Access to the track is free on Tuesday evenings, and throughout the week there are community fitness events taking place. There is also a well-kitted out gym inside the Yas Viceroy. If you’d rather relax than work up a sweat, book one of the signature treatments at the

ESPA; all consultations begin with a foot cleanse and rosehip exfoliation, and you have full access to the steam room while you are there. In the evenings, let your palette do the choosing from one of the 11 restaurants and lounge venues in the hotel serving Japanese, Arabic, Mediterranean, South East Asian, Italian and Indian cuisine. After dinner, head to the swanky Skylite rooftop lounge for DJs, dancing and umbrella drinks. For rates and packages at the Yas Viceroy, go to their website wwwviceroyhotelsandresorts.com. Accommodation is priced from AED$638 per night (approximately R1850) for a deluxe room.

Top 4 things to do in Abu Dhabi Visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Splashy fun at Yas Waterworld

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the largest in the world, with 82 domes and perfectly still water pools that reflect the pure white of the floors and walls. The beauty of this architectural wonder will make your soul sing.

Much of the UAE is desert, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that Abu Dhabi is all sand. The city is actually a cluster of islands on the Persian Gulf, and Yas Waterworld on Yas Island has 43 water rides, including a tornado slide and a 550m coaster.

Go on a dune safari

Go for a spin at Ferrari World

The most popular tourist outing is the dune safari. You are transported to the desert on the outskirts of the city for a day of camel rides, dune bashing in a 4x4, sandboarding, quadbiking and falconry.

Located within walking distance from the Yas Viceroy, if you are a motorsports fan then a Ferrari World visit is compulsory. If you’re looking to buy a Ferrari keepsake, don’t put it off for duty-free at the airport – the selection of branded goods is not great there.

For more information on tourist attractions in Abu Dhabi, explore www.visitabudhabi.ae.

Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi

W I N E

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Images courtesy of Shutterstock

Waiter, there’s jargon in my wine By Xolani Mancotywa

PALATEGASM; WORLD IN BALANCE; SUNSHINING, AT NIGHT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE POSITIVE EMOTIONS BROUGHT ON BY WINE, IN THE MOMENT AND IN THE MOUTH. HOW CAN WHAT WAS ONCE A GRAPE MAKE US FEEL THIS WAY? AND HOW CAN SOMETHING WE LOVE SO MUCH BE SO CONFUSING?

t can be daunting ordering wine from a wine list. The sommeliers and wine waiters become the Busta Rhymes of grape varieties, throwing out words like ‘dry’, ‘wooded’ and all terms complex to convince you to buy the more expensive bottle of wine. Too intimidated to question them, you order the suggestion

wine and realise too late you don’t like it. “I smell freshly cut grass, asparagus, vanilla and it is wooded.” This is how wines tend to be described. It sounds like a fruit salad. I used to search for the fruit and wood pieces in the glass. Once you master these terms, the script

flips with terms like Bordeaux, Sancerre and Chablis, to name a few. I never got this technical when I was eight years old downing Drink-o-Pop. It was either cherry-flavoured or apple. The best way to try and understand wine and all its Busta Rhymes lyricism is to appreciate the way it: looks, smells and tastes in your glass.

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STEP 1: APPEARANCE The colour of wine. The most basic is knowing whether it is white or red. This sounds obvious but this distinction straight away removes half the world’s grape varieties from your glass. When at the dinner table of a corporate deal, you can safely call a glass of red wine a Cabernet Sauvignon and mention some of the aromas you can detect.

STEP 2: NOSE If it smells fresh, fruity and pleasant you may proceed to step three. As children we learnt how an orange smells and instinctively when we are about to consume one, we first look, smell and eat. If the orange smells like a kiwi fruit, we would pause and investigate. The same with wine…

STEP 3: PALATE Would it not be great to skip steps one and two just start with the taste? This is why we have opened a bottle of wine: to consume it. Skipping all other protocol, does the wine in the glass flow down your throat pleasantly? If not, “I think my wine is…”

THE BEST WAY TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WINE AND ALL ITS BUSTA RHYMES LYRICISM IS TO APPRECIATE THE WAY IT: LOOKS, SMELLS AND TASTES IN YOUR GLASS Oxidised! Oxygen is necessary in a controlled amount to allow the wine time to age and grow up. We are better as people the older we get (well, most of us). Too much uncontrolled oxygen leaves the wine ‘flat’ with little or no ‘nose’ and a bitter finish, like a grapefruit.

Wooded! The term wooded refers to wines that have contact with wood during the maturing phase. Once the grapes have been turned into wine, the winemaker must choose how to mature the wine before releasing it to Corked! Cork taint is a fault in the wine the market. To incorporate wood the that gives off a musty smell. Think of wet winemaker can use barrels or staves cardboard and mold. If you smell this in (pieces of wood inserted in the tank, step two, then there is a slight issue. much like a tea bag effect in a tea cup).

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Generally wines that incorporate wood have a nose of spice and smokiness. Dry! Dryness in the wine is measured by the remaining sweetness. The less sweet it is, the dryer it is. Think of a fresh Sauvignon Blanc. For something sweeter think of the naturally sweet rosé found in the supermarkets. Bodied! This is just the weight the wine has in your mouth. Compare three glasses of milk: Fat-free, 2% low-fat and full cream milk. The full cream will be richer and feel heavier than the rest – almost like a full bodied wine. My name is Xolani Mancotywa. I am a Xhosa wine-lover and just keen to share food and wine moments with the world, from a South African viewpoint. @XolaniSomm Blog: www.cheninnoir.co.za

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New kid

in the bay AFROPOLITAN DINED OUT AT CAMISSA, THE NEW BRASSERIE OPENED AT SUN INTERNATIONAL’S TABLE BAY HOTEL IN CAPE TOWN. By Carmen Petre

Image courtesy of Table Bay Hotel

served on thin stone platters. The soup was creamy, with a strong but not overpowering seafood flavour while the chicken livers were perfectly spicy. The restaurant offers a five-star dining experience at very attractive prices, with main courses ranging from R120 to R170. For main dishes, I tried the vegetarian option on the menu and my dining partner chose the parma ham wrapped pork loins. The vegetarian dish was composed of a mushroom and rocket pie, smooth mashed potatoes and crisp vegetables. Although it was not spectacular, it was fresh and presented beautifully. The pork loins on the other hand were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and delicious. The meal was quite filling, so we decided that we would have to return to try sample the dessert menu. The service at Camissa was excellent throughout the evening. We were greeted warmly upon arrival and led to our table, where we took a moment Camissa, Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town to admire the beautiful cutlery. The waitrons were attentive to our needs, ffering an amazing view of the though they are not too far from one boats and the busy harbour inside another, and the chairs are comfortable, without being intrusive, and seemed very knowledgeable about the food. the V&A Waterfront, Camissa is luxurious leather. The décor was We were kept updated regarding the named after the Khoi-San name for Cape complemented by the live band and status of our order and we were asked singer that entertained us throughout Town and translates to “the place of if we were satisfied with our food at an the evening. sweet waters” (referring to the Camissa opportune moment – not when chewing, River which was the primary source of a detail that does not seem bother most potable water for the Khoi people before Camissa provides an extensive wine waitrons in Cape Town. Our drinks were list, with approximately half of the the Dutch colonial settlers arrived). topped up discreetly during our meal, wines also being available by the glass, and the clearing of the table was done giving you the opportunity to sample We were welcomed to the restaurant swiftly after we finished eating. We were different vintages from a variety of local through a beautiful antique door. Inside, thanked by the staff upon departure, wine farms. We decided to go for an old it is reminiscent of a typical brasserie, favourite and the Graham Beck Brut Rosé. another detail that sets Camissa apart with the leather banquette seating from regular dining spots. running the full length of one wall. The For starters I chose the soup of the décor at Camissa has an art deco twist The restaurant’s operating hours are day, which was seafood served with a with bold prints providing colour to the Monday to Saturday, 11am to 3.30pm and fresh bread roll. My partner chose the 6pm to 10.30pm, and Sundays 6pm to dining space. The cast iron tables on chicken livers, also served with bread, 10.30pm. Free parking is available within the opposite side of the restaurant are and we were both very pleased with the hotel premises. small and have an air of privacy, even the presentation – the starters were

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Wind down at the

Winehouse WE REVIEW AN EATERY INSPIRED BY THE LATE, GREAT SONGBIRD: AMY WINEHOUSE

Image courtesy at Winehouse at Ten Bompas

By Tilly Smith

Winehouse at Ten Bompas, Dunkheld, Johannesburg

pon the invitation it was a bit peculiar to imagine a restaurant and Amy Winehouse going together, however, the Winehouse is a wonderful spot. As we enjoyed a Saturday lunch it was a little quiet, with only one other table of about eight people sitting down for a meal downstairs around the pool.

Lunch was really beautifully presented. We chose to sit outside – but the restaurant inside is full of framed photographs of the late Amy Winehouse. I had the duck ravioli to start – homemade pasta filled with duck ragout covered with porcini mushroom sauce) – which

was outstanding. My sister Trudy had the salmon tartare which was fresh salmon with a mix of quail egg, avocado, red onion and tomato drizzled with lemon and crème fraiche, which she thoroughly enjoyed, rating it a 10 out of 10. We chose not to have wine with our lunch but we did take a walk around the wine

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cellar which was so welcome and cooling as the outside temp was mid-thirties. For mains I ordered the sirloin with a rich béarnaise sauce. It was beautifully prepared, but I just could not finish it if I was to leave room for dessert. Trudy had duck confit served with sweet potatoes and orange-and-ginger sauce, which impressed her.

WE CHOSE NOT TO HAVE WINE WITH OUR LUNCH BUT DID TAKE A WALK AROUND THE WINE CELLAR WHICH WAS SO WELCOME AND COOLING AS THE OUTSIDE TEMP WAS MID-THIRTIES.

For dessert: the best Amarula crème brûlée I have ever tasted, so smooth and rich. Trudy had the soft-centred chocolate pudding, which was a real delight. I had to taste it and was in complete agreement. After lunch we walked around the herb garden and chatted with the gardener who proudly showed us all the efforts of his hard work, a glorious way to allow lunch to settle. We saw the new building in progress for the conference centre, which will host delegates. We then had the treat of seeing a few of the 10 suits available – luxuriously fitted out with lounge, balconies and en suite bathrooms, including steam showers, a TV and sound system and even a guest loo! Very nice indeed – and all in the heart of Dunkeld!

Image courtesy at Winehouse at Ten Bompas

011 325 2442 www.tenbompas.com reservations@mix.co.za

Winehouse at Ten Bompas, Dunkheld, Johannesburg

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AFRICAN ART

Sculptures By Brendah Nyakudya

Anton Smit - Faith

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Images courtesy of The Saxon Hotel

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Anton Smit - Vortex

THE SAXON HOTEL IN JOHANNESBURG RECENTLY HELD A CELEBRATION IN HONOUR OF AFRICAN ART. THE PIECES ON SHOW INCLUDED LARGER-THAN-LIFE SCULPTURES REFLECTING A VIBRANT AFRICAN CONNECTION. IN THIS FEATURE WE SHOWCASE SOME OF THESE REMARKABLE EXPRESSIONS OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE.

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Anton Smit - Queen of Kungwini

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Anton Smit - Beginning of Wisdom

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Anton Smit - The Man who has Peace

Mark Swart - Bird

Guy du Toit - Hare-piece

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Azwimpheleli Magoro - Forest Figure II

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Willem Boshoff - Prehistoric Dice 1 - Homage to Chance

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Nigerians

KEEPING UP WITH THE FROM CHAMPAGNE TO JETS, NIGERIA IS AFRICA’S BIGGEST CONSUMER OF LUXURY GOODS. WE LOOK INTO THIS MARKET, HOW IT HAS GROWN AND WHAT IT HAS A TASTE FOR… By Eli Nyakudya

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aija, Nollywoods or Ogas are all common terms associated with the new kingpins of Africa. Although the country has been plagued with recent outbursts of civil, political and religious turmoil, Nigeria has become an international player in the luxury goods market, and has the potential to become the largest economy in Africa.

“Africans are big-spenders across the world, but they cannot spend their money at home,” said Franca Sozzani, editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue. “We need to help them.” Yet she cautioned that: “Africa is a continent, not a country, and must not be considered as one market.”

Nigeria is a middle income, mixed economy and emerging market, with burgeoning financial services, communications, technology, and entertainment sectors. It is ranked 30th in the world in terms of gross domestic product as of 2013 – a leap from 40th place in 2005, and 52nd in 2000. It is the second-largest economy in Africa behind South Africa, and is on track to become the richest country in Africa in 2014, when their new GDP rebasing result is out early this year. By 2020 predictions see Nigeria becoming one of the 20 largest economies in the world.

Despite the extreme levels of poverty and inequality currently bereaving the continent, high-flying fashion brands such as Hugo Boss are already operating in Nigeria, while Prada, an Italian fashion label specialising in luxury goods, has disclosed plans to enter the market next year.

Its re-emergent, though currently underperforming, manufacturing sector is the third-largest on the continent, and produces a large proportion of goods and services for the West African region.

NIGERIANS SPEND MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN AFRICA ON LUXURY GOODS, BUT MOSTLY WHEN THEY TRAVEL ABROAD BECAUSE SO FEW OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT HOME

Even though 63% of the Nigerian population still lives on less than one dollar a day, the elites, who control the nation’s resources, are the big spenders. (Perhaps it is worth noting that an estimated $600 billion of Nigeria’s wealth was appropriated by corrupt industry executives and politicians between 1960 to 1999.) In 2003 it was estimated that $170 billion lies hidden in foreign accounts. Whether they are in Paris or in Harare, Nigerian tycoons make sure they leave a trail of expensive colognes and flamboyant cars. Contrary to the common Western stereotype of an African man wearing beads and animal skin, the modern Nigerian man is easily identifiable: by expensive clothing, jewellery and luxury vehicles. In the stores of Lagos and Abuja, liquor retailers are making more shelf space for rare whiskies and French Champagne, as the premium alcohol consumer market in Nigeria is developing rapidly. According to the latest figures on the global champagne market by Euromonitor International, champagne consumption in Nigeria will reach 1.1 million litres by 2017, with 2011 consumption at almost N8 billion (R553m). Nigerians spend more than any other country in Africa on luxury goods, but mostly when they travel abroad because so few options are available at home.

It comes as no surprise that luxurious car brands such as Porsche and Rolls Royce all have their latest editions being showcased at exhibitions in Nigeria and South Africa.

Porsche Nigeria General Manager, Julian Hardy, estimates that around 200 Nigerians currently own Porsches. The firm aimed to sell 100 vehicles in Nigeria during 2012, rising to 300 a year thereafter. Over and above this, Nigeria is the second-largest market of private luxury jets. According to Nigerian paper, Punch, private jet ownership in Nigeria increased by 650%, from 20 jets in 2007 to over 150 jets in 2012. A staggering $6,5bn has been spent in the acquisition of private jets in Nigeria in the last five years. (See Jetsetting in Africa on Page 38) Lack of infrastructure is holding Nigeria back from producing its own luxury goods… for now. Brands looking for new markets will be well-advised to set up shop in this African powerhouse.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

BY 2020 PREDICTIONS SEE NIGERIA BECOMING ONE OF THE 20 LARGEST ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD

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MONTBLANC “HOMAGE TO NICOLAS RIEUSSEC” A NEW INTERPRETATION OF RIEUSSEC’S CHRONOGRAPH FROM 1821

icolas Rieussec’s first patented chronograph from 1821 inspired the watchmakers at Montblanc to create the Nicolas Rieussec watch collection with manufacture movements and distinctive styling.

The timepiece’s unmistakable appearance combines an off-centre hour-circle in the upper part of the dial and the chronograph’s elapsed-time displays in the lower portion of the face. As on the original from 1821, elapsed time is shown on two rotating discs, above each of which a motionless hand indicates the passing seconds and minutes. Nicolas Rieussec, watchmaker to the French royal court, invented this construction to precisely measure the running times of individual horses at a horserace. When the starting gun was fired at the track, the patented “ink chronograph” was set in motion so that two white enamelled discs began to turn: one disc was calibrated for 60 elapsed seconds, the other for 30 elapsed minutes. The user pressed a button each time a horse crossed the finish line: this pressure momentarily lowered an elongated rhombic carrier with two ink-filled tips onto the enamel discs, where each tip left a droplet of ink. These inky markings on the scales of the chronograph’s discs enabled the user to

read the exact running time of each horse. Rieussec’s device was literally a “time writer,” so he accordingly named it a “chronograph” from the Greek words chronos (time) and graphein (to write). In 1822, the Académie des Sciences in Paris granted a patent on this device to Nicolas Rieussec, who went down in horological history as the inventor of the world’s first patented chronograph. In 2014, Montblanc pays homage to this great clockmaker with a new interpretation of his chronograph from 1821. The Montblanc “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec” chronograph faithfully replicates every detail of the colour scheme and the styling of the hands as they appeared on the original “time writer”, but relies on innovative materials and technologies to transport the historical device into our contemporary day and age. An incredible feature that showcases this innovation is a second dial only shown at night, this is due to the numerals, similar to the existing Rieussec range, being inlaid around the chapter ring and Super-LumiNova-coated, thus only being revealed in darkness. The new “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec” chronograph from the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec collection shows the date, indicates the time in two different time zones and also offers a day/night display. The timepiece will be manufactured in limited editions in rose gold and steel.

Specs

Features

Calibre: Montblanc manufacture Calibre MB R200 Type of movement: Mechanical movement with double barrel and automatic winding Chronograph: Monopusher with column-wheel and vertical coupling No. of components: 319 No. of rubies: 40 Power reserve: 72 hours Balance: Screw balance, diameter = 9.7 mm; moment of inertia = 12 mgcm² Frequency 28,800 A/h (4 Hz) Hairspring: Flat Plate: Rhodium plating and circular graining Bridges: Rhodium plating and Geneva waves Gear-train: Special tooth profile improves the efficiency of the power transmission Displays: Hours and minutes on an off-centre subdial Second Time Zone with day/night display Date on a rotating disc Power-reserve display on the back Chronograph: 60 elapsed seconds and 30 elapsed minutes on rotating discs under motionless hands Special feature: Travel function with rapid reset of hour-hand and date display either forward or backward

Case: 18 karat rose gold (5N); Cambered sapphire crystal antireflective treated on both its surfaces, screwed back includes transparent pane of sapphire crystal Watertightness: 3 bar/30 m Dimensions: Diameter = 43 mm; height = 14.8 mm Crown: 18 karat rose gold (5N) with inlaid Montblanc emblem made of motherof-pearl Push-piece: Monopusher at “8 o’clock” Dial: Grainé dial, enamelled hour-circle with black minute-circle and SuperLumiNova-Coated Arabic numerals that are invisible under daylight conditions Rose gold-plated Super-LumiNova-coated hour-hand and minute-hand, Skeletonised, rhodium-plated hour-hand for the second time zone Guilloche-embellished day/night display for the second time zone in a window at “9 o’clock” Date window at “3 o’clock” Chronograph has two enamelled discs (one counter for 60 elapsed seconds at “8 o’clock” and a second counter for 30 elapsed minutes at “4 o’clock”) with rhombic double index made of blued steel Strap: Black alligator-skin strap with large reptilian scales and triple folding clasp made of 18 karat rose gold (5N) Limited edition 193 timepieces Available in stainless steel with a limitation of 565 timepieces.

A U T O M O T I V E

Heart Race

Images courtesy of Igola Studio Photography

IN OUR FEBRUARY EDITION AFROPOLITAN IS CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE CARS ARE OVER THE TOP, OTHERS ARE SEXY AND SOME CAN EVEN BE DESCRIBED AS CUTE. BUT ONE THING THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON: WE ARE SMITTEN.

Ferrari 458 Speciale

THE FERRARI 458 SPECIALE Sometimes love can be ridiculous and makes no sense whatsoever! When you see the Ferrari 458 Speciale, you feel that kind of giddy love. This is no ordinary Ferrari; it is a super Ferrari which has been built for the purest of driving enthusiasts. Ferrari South Africa cleverly launched this four-wheeled beast in the company of lions. The king of the jungle was a fitting companion for, arguably, the king of the road. Ferrari is one of those iconic brands that, when you hear the roar of that Italian engine, it sends a shiver up your spine. At the launch we were able to experience what the Speciale means to Ferrari and its potential owners. Not since the Superleggera has there been so much chatter about a car out of this Italian stable. Ferrari refined an almost perfect formula to deliver a car that can handle the road as well as it handles the track. They have used their Formula 1 pedigree to produce a super sports car. The Speciale is lighter, stronger and can handle more

than previous versions. It can go from standstill to 100km/h in a shade over three seconds, maxing out at well over 300km/h.

This Italian goddess will set you back more than R4 million, but when love speaks, you hear nothing else.

need to, you can pop the rear seats down and maximise your load capacity. The Volvo has come a long way in the last few V40 is reasonably priced in the low to years with the look of their vehicles. The mid R300,000s, but when you weigh up what you get for your bucks, your wallet brand is no longer positioned as a car will love the V40 too. It is light on fuel, for ‘old people’. Volvo is now hip, cool yet delivers great performance and it and very distinctive, without losing the essence of what made Volvo so popular in the past. They are still exceptionally good to drive, delivering above par performance without making you feel out of control of your vehicle. They also still score extremely highly on the safety charts and it is for this reason that we fell in love with the Volvo V40. Anything that takes as much care to protect our family becomes a part of our family. The V40 is not a station wagon like the V70 of the past, but a large, sporty hatch-back. It has been designed with the young, trendy family in mind, offering ample space in the front and rear. The interior design over-delivers on our expectations and we are highly impressed with the modern finishings. The old analogue speedometer has been replaced by a crisp digital one and the entire interior is cutting edge. The boot space is not incredibly generous, but if you really

handles like a mini sports car. Off the line it won’t win a drag race, but you’re unlikely to be the type to dice at the traffic lights if you’re a Volvo aficionado. Like a lover left in the lurch, we were bereft to return the V40 at the end of our review period.

THE MERCEDES-BENZ E400 CABRIOLET

imaginable. It handles the bends like a race car and moves like one too. At a price tag that is slightly under a million rand, the E400 Cabriolet is by no means cheap, but the 3.0-litre engine does go from zero to 100km/h in 5.3 seconds, which gets the heart pumping. We loved our time behind the wheel of this convertible and can’t wait to see what comes next from Mercedes-Benz.

Like Volvo, Mercedes-Benz has really sexed up their cars in the looks department lately. It no longer feels like Mercedes is lagging behind its German counterparts, but rather leading the way, producing good-looking cars that speak to every kind of driver. The E400 Cabriolet is one such car. On our recent test, we couldn’t help but notice how much we got noticed. Men, women, children – passersby of all sorts would turn and have a look. It didn’t matter if we were stopping for fuel, or racing past, you could feel the eyes of the world drawn to you. The E400 has gorgeous

Mercedes-Benz E400

lines that take your eyes from front to back and you appreciate the little touches that have gone into making this sleek sedan so eye-catching. The model we tested had all the bells and whistles. It had heated and cooled seats, a superb sound system and an accurate GPS. Being a convertible, the boot is really nothing more than a storage facility for the roof, but if you needed to, there is enough space for the shopping. The E400 is a magnificent car to drive. The suspension is without rival and it offered up probably the smoothest drive

Volvo V40

Follow Damian Murphy on Twitter at @CarandGameGuru.

Image courtesy of Quickpic

THE VOLVO V40

Image courtesy of Google Images

A U T O M O T I V E

C O L U M N

Ballot boxes fuel BY ALYN ADAMS

t’s an election year. Time to trot out the cynic’s motto again: “If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal”. That little bumper sticker was given to us by Emma Goldman, a Lithuanian-born Russian anarchist who emigrated to the USA in 1885, aged 16. Her involvement in radical left-wing activism eventually saw her imprisoned and then deported to Russia in 1917. She fought for the Communists in the revolution, but later became thoroughly disillusioned with the Soviet Union and wrote a book denouncing it. She was also active among the anti-Franco forces (ie, the democratically elected losers) in the Spanish Civil War, so she’d seen enough revolutions begun with high idealism degenerating into brutal contests over wealth and power to form a strong opinion. And she did know how to boil down a whole tangle of political theory into one snappy eight-word epigram: Russell Brand tried to say much the same thing a while ago, but he needed an entire page of The New Statesman and a thesaurus. It’s becoming obvious to even the most idealistic all over the world that it doesn’t really matter which party wins an election. They all serve their corporate paymasters – I beg your pardon, donors – much more faithfully than they do the electorate. Before we throw up our hands and join the “no point in voting” brigade, however, we must remember Plato: “The punishment which the wise suffer who

– Unless I Can’t Rake Off Enough For A Luxurious Retirement In Five Years” again?

refuse to take part in the government, is to live under the government of worse men.” He makes a good point: get involved, or have someone else decide your fate for you. So I will vote. The alternative would be starting a popular movement to reform our entire economic and political system at grassroots level, from the Neighbourhood Watch Committee up – but that would involve meeting and getting to know my neighbours. There are some sacrifices a middle-class suburbanite shouldn’t have to make, even to change the world. The question is, which party can an antisocial socialist vote for these days? I voted ANC back in 1994, when the party still was socialist, if the Freedom Charter was to be believed. However, AIDS denialism, arms deal dirt and the swamp of self-enrichment, wasteful spending and personality cult into which the movement has sunk now leave me stymied. How can I trust Mr “I Only Want One Term

The alternatives are not inspiring. Cope hasn’t lived up to expectations and the EFF makes all the right noises but shows no sign of the functional, administrative competence needed to make their ideas work (he said, diplomatically). It would be nice to be able to vote for an actual labour or communist party, but the ANC’s alliance partners do like their Mercs and Beemers, so they’re unlikely ever to contest elections independently. The DA has the skills and a modicum of transparent accountability, but I can’t trust them on social/economic policy – and the Agang merger fiasco just made them look ludicrous. Apparently, it was “a joint mistake”. Never take serious political decisions stoned, kids... The IFP, FF+ and ACDP are simply out of the question, I’m afraid – the Nats encouraged tribalism and theocracy, and look where that got us. Which disqualifies all the serious contenders – although who knows what bold new alliances will have been announced by the time you read this? Perhaps I’ll just vote for the Dagga Party, on the grounds that at least it’s crystalclear about its priorities. After all, voting isn’t the only tool of fundamental change that shouldn’t be illegal. @alyndenzel www.alynadams.com