THE FRENCH CONNECTION Magazine of the Le Domaine Life Style Estate Estate Number 031 716 8000 Estate Fax Number 086 500 2115 Office hours of admin office 8:30am – 4:00pm (closed 12h30 – 13h00 for lunch) Developer Trustees Andrew Aitken - Chairman John Bezuidenhout Nico Van Rooyen Keith Wakefield Body Corporate Trustees Barry Fletcher Guy Wayne Laurie Smith Peter Leah Bill Duncan Ed Goushe Christiane Weir Key People & Contacts Mike Collins – Estate Manager – ext 8010 Tricia Gardner – PA to Estate Manager –ext 8025 Sue Diamond – Client Liaison –ext 8017 Care Centre – Sister in charge ext 8450 Maria van der Heever Reception/Switchboard – ext 8000 Di Ward – PRO / Events ext 8018 Clive Deacon - Maintenance Facilitator ext 8899 Frans Diamond - Maintenance Manager ext 8007 Brenda de Oliveira / Carolyn – Sure Travel ext 8063/4 Convenience Store – Brian & Dot ext 8065 Marius Earle – GM of Life Style ext 8483 Oltman Botha – IT ext 8048 Health Hydro - ext 8056
Community Intelligence Centre (CIC) 0861 123 242 – Strictly emergencies Medical Help line. Short dial number for residents dialling from Le Domaine is 9111 - Do not dial 0 first just dial the number
Le Domaine EDITOR Justin Scott
justin@estatepress.co.za
GRAPHIC DESIGN Lorinda Scott
lorinda@estatepress.co.za
SALES Laura Myers
sales@estatepress.co.za
ESTATE EDITOR Di Ward PRINTING Fishwick’s Printers OFFICE NUMBER +27 32 946 3187 FAX NUMBER +27 86 605 0098 EMAIL info@estatepress.co.za
If you would like to find out more about advertising in the French Connection magazine please contact Laura Myers
083 271 5243 or email sales@estatepress.co.za
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents Estate Press cannot be held responsible for any omission or errors, or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise therefrom. Estate Press is a privately owned and funded company and is not subsidized by LeDomaine residents or board of trustees. Estate Press is a dynamic and passionate publication company that provides uniquely branded magazines to high profile estates in South Africa. Focused on partnering with estate management teams and home owners, Estate Press believes in delivering real value to all involved through collaborative partnership and interaction.
AUTHOR John Bezuidenhout
a la carte for two
By now all Le Domaine residents should be aware of the fantastic competition that we are currently running in conjunction with Wakefields and Sure Travel – the VA VA VOOM RESIDENTS REFERRAL SCHEME. The launch evening was a great success and we are expecting a great turn out at our next residents’ update function. As a reminder, here are the ‘Va Va Voom Residents Referral Scheme’ event dates for the next two months - we hope to see you there!
Monthly Prize Giving for July 2008 | 4th August Developer’s Evening for August 2008 | 20th August Monthly Prize Giving for August 2008 | 1st September Developer’s Evening for September 2008 | 17th September One major change that will be happening during the course of this month is the hand over in management of the restaurant at the Club de Vie to the partnership
of Gary Benporath and Judd Campbell for a three month trial period. We encourage all residents to visit the restaurant and to tempt your taste buds (and your pockets!), we have included a R45 ‘meal for two’ voucher in this edition of the French Connection for you to enjoy. The voucher is valid until the end of September 2008 and only one voucher is redeemable per couple dining. Your opinions of the service, pricing and food quality are needed, so come to the club house and enjoy an A La Carte meal or the Sunday Carvery! Good news has come through with regards to the power lines – the Department of Manpower has permitted Le Domaine to continue with the construction taking place under the power lines, dependent on strict safety controls, of course. The laying of the underground cables has also been completed and the eThekwini Municipality is ready to do the switchover as soon as final approval has been obtained from the SG Office of Cable Servitude. So at the end of September the removal of the power lines will commence – the
grey monstrosities will finally be coming down and we will be well on our way to finishing the final phase of construction within the estate! The rates issue has also been resolved. Duncan Ross and I met with the eThekwini Real Estates Department and by the time you receive this missive, all units should have been revalued in line with current sales prices. Another plus that came out of this meeting is that the rates on the Life Rights options in Normandie Mews are to be marginally lower than the equivalent unit in Montpelier – great news for all those perspective Life Rights purchasers! Make sure that you speak to Jenny and the team at Wakefields for more information. The Le Domaine Lodge will also be changing direction – more news on this to follow in the next edition of the French Connection. Until then, Viva Le Domaine, Viva la difference! John Bezuidenhout
French Connection 3
EDITOR’S NOTE
This month has flown past! It was just the other day that my 3 amazing kids were at home on school holidays, and then somehow after they got back into routine the deadline for the French Connection crept up on us and like they say in the movies, the rest is history. Speaking of routine, movies and history, this month’s edition of The French Connection is jam packed and has alot of great reading. Di Ward has written a great piece on taking time to break out of routine and savour life. Its a great piece and so relevant in a time where everything is about how busy we keep outselves. As usual we’ve got our monthly regulars in, like events at Ledomaine (slightly revamped), humour on the back page and the review of this months movies, which all look very good. We also have updates on shedding and the TV channels (this is where I plug into “history” from the history channel!). Overall is a bumper edition with so much reading it’ll definately keep you busy between all the events in store for you this month. We at Estate Press hope you have a great month and we look forward to seeing you next month, with our Spring edition ! God Bless
4 French Connection
and the Estate Press team
Load Shedding Trial
AUTHOR: Mike Collins
The Body Corporate Trustees have entered into an agreement with Paltrow/Voltano Joint Venture to run a 5 month trial period during which time geysers on the Estate will be switched off over peak demand times of the day. The trial period started in June and will run to the end of October, 2008.
The main purpose of this exercise is to ensure that Le Domaine will be equipped to avoid penalties on Maximum Demand (MD) and Time of Use (ToU) tariffs which could be imposed by Eskom and/or eThekweni. By shedding the load from peak times the tariffs based on MD and ToU will be significantly reduced. Looking ahead there will be even greater benefits as electricity tariffs escalate. The Trustees and Management will be
equipped to make informed decisions based on the results achieved as measured over the trial period. Your co-operation is appreciated. On the same subject of geysers there has been a disappointing response from residents for the fitting of geyser blankets at the very special rate of R200.00 – believe me it’s a give-away price! As at the time of writing just over 200 residents have put their names down and 95% of the blankets have already been fitted. We are led to believe that this is the single biggest cost saving action that occupants can take to reduce consumption and, once again, you are encouraged to add your name to the 200 or so others who have made what we consider to be the right decision.
French Connection 5
CARE FOR THE AGED STAY IN THE COMFORT OF HOME Qualified & Affordable
031 7085999/084 556 1092 (office hours) email: admin@consolecare.com
Careers needed for local & overseas placements. Fax CV with refs to 086 651 8321
11-hwm-care
• Care Givers / Companions • Nurse Visits / Wound Care • Drivers • Live in/out placements
French Connection 9
6248-Livingst Ad_Half pg_p 7/16/08 9:29 AM Page 1 C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY CMY
K
Composite
French Connection 11
Sure Travel Brenda and I are delighted to be in our new offices and what a difference this has made. It is so much warmer, quieter and more professional and as someone asked us the other day if we were “Real Travel Agents”? we now feel like real Travel Agents.
researched the possibility of putting together an Inspirational Tour and Cruise of Greece and Turkey, and would appreciate feedback as to whether there would be an interest in this sort of pilgrimage. I would look at a departure in the first quarter of next year.
For the benefit of the new residents to Le Domaine, we are situated downstairs in the Club de Vie and a satellite office of Sure Travel Traders in Durban North. We are a fullyfledged Travel Agency being both members of ASATA and IATA. Brenda and I are Independent Consultants each retaining our own small business but sharing the expenses and are always available to back each other up when the need arises.
Emirates - BAGGAGE WRAPPING Wrapping of Baggage at O.R Tambo International Airport
As promised last month, I have
14 French Connection
Please note that all passengers travelling ex Johannesburg must have their baggage wrapped prior to passenger acceptance at checkin. The baggage wrapping service is at the Emirates check-in counter’s and is free of charge. Once the baggage has been wrapped an Emirates sticker will be placed on the baggage for identification purposes.
Mediterranean Venice Cruise Brilliance of the Seas **** 12 Nights from US$1607 per person sharing Sailing Dates : · 9 August 2008 · 2/26 September 2008 · 20 October 2008 · 13 November 2008 Many other specials on offer – Brenda and I welcome you in our new home. Why not come down and see us? We both would really love to be of service to you, the Le Domaine residents. Carolyn Brymer
A Run in with Edna Leo-Smith Edna Leo-Smith née Edna Maskell (now 80 years old) lives a quiet life in Brittany but reflects on a time in her past when she was a top athlete in South Africa and has many medals proudly displayed. In 1951 at the SA championships held in Pretoria she won the 100 yards in 10.9 seconds (the world record at the time was 10.8) and then went on to break the 80 metres hurdles record. Edna was a member of the 4 x 100 yards relay team when they broke their own world record in 1950. She was then chosen “Athlete of the year” (male or female) and the trophy was so valuable that it remained locked in the Standard Bank Vault. Then in 1952 she had just starting training for the 1952 Olympics when she had to undergo an emergency appendix operation which at that time was a serious procedure. This was possibly the lowest point in her career as she was only able to do light training six weeks after the operation but no hurdling was allowed. She had to travel for 66 hours to reach her destination so conditions were not ideal – but she “achieved an astonishing degree of success”, so said Jack Crump, Manager of the British Olympics team. Her first hurdles race after 18 months was at the Olympics and reaching the semi-finals was one of the successes of her amazing career; two weeks later she travelled to London to compete at White City. In 1954 she had moved to Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and was chosen to represent that country and won the 80 metres hurdles at the Empire Games in Vancouver. This equalled a World Record as she also achieved 3rd place in the 100 yards. This was to be the highlight of her career. She was then made sportsman of the year for Northern Rhodesia after Independence and the Trophy was given to her to keep. During
this time she met the Duke of Edinburgh on many occasions at sporting events and caused a stir by being photographed alongside Prince Philip as it was the first photograph of the Queen’s consort alone with a woman other than his wife and against Palace protocol. She still has the tattered Cape Times poster which reads “How I met the Duke by Edna Maskell” Such is the illustrious life of one of our residents…. although Edna had outstripped all her peers in senior school athletic events “always ahead and watching the field come in after her”, she only started serious training when she was 18 years old during which time she also played hockey and was the youngest player ever to be chosen to play for the SA hockey team. Apart from her running career Edna has always supported her husband Keith who is a Mechanical Engineer. Before coming to Le Domaine they were owners of a 690 hectare game farm called “Ihlanze Ranch” in the Cramond area outside Pietermarizburg. Their farm is still rated as the 8th National Heritage Site in South Africa and apart from their evergreen forest area and thornveld, they stocked impala, mountain reedbuck, warthog, bushbuck, nyala, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, and kudu – in fact all types of game that are not aggressive in any way– but in 2001 their daughter decided that it was time for them to down-size and they moved to Durban for a few years before their move to Le Domaine. They have three sons, two of whom live in Johannesburg and one who contacts them once a week from a
yacht …wherever he is in the world at the time! They both enjoy living in Le Domaine for its lifestyle, security and friendship and Keith, at the age of 79, still rides his bicycle and takes their dog for a run.
French Connection 15
their weight and execute airborne manoeuvres that would make a bird or plane fall out of the sky! Moreover, scientists believe the hundreds of tiny sensors covering bat wings are the key to their impressive airborne manoeuvres, a discovery that could be replicated on military aircraft. This would revolutionise aircraft design. This research into biologically inspired flight, combines technology with biology and evolution, studying an animal that has existed for more than a 100 million years. Unlike birds or insects, whose wings are comparatively rigid, bats have wings with more than two dozen independent joints, much like a human hand. This allows them to manipulate the thin, flexible membrane that covers the wings in ways that can generate more lift or greatly reduce drag. Surfaces of bat wings also curve more than a bird’s thus creating greater lift for less energy, while
their extraordinary flexibility allows them to make a 180 degree turn in a radius impossible for any bird or existing plane. During flight they have precise control over the shape of the wing, making them much more manoeuvrable than birds’ or insects’ wings. This allows movement in caves and forests – all difficult, obstacle filled environments in which conventional flying machines normally cannot operate. Bats can tilt their wings at angles as steep as 60 degrees with little or no stalling whereas, after a tilt of 10 or 15 degrees, an aircraft just stops and plummets. Furthermore bats can fly with badly damaged wings and show no discernible changes in flight control, a fact that could have drastic implications for aircraft flight safety. Pregnant female bats can fly throughout the gestation period, even though it amounts to hauling half their body weight. Understanding
the physics of supporting so much weight in flight could help aircraft designers increase the loads of current aircraft models. Neuroscientists are studying what role the sensory cells or tiny hairs covering the wing surfaces may play in sending instructions to the bat’s brain allowing it to make wing adjustments. So the next time you see the bats begin their nocturnal flights around Le Domaine, take a moment to wonder at and enjoy yet another marvel of nature. Thought for the month: “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. “ Helen Keller, author and activist
Pool and Garden fencing
FERRO art pool fencing
Specialising in Building Alterations Renovations Flooring - Laminate & Solid Plumbing Electrical Tiling Painting
Jac van den Berg 082 556 9035
40 Years of quality & service
ferro art
Tel: 031 700 2489 082 880 1267 072 979 6219
French Connection 17
Hearing Clinic Opens at Frail Care Le Domaine You can now enjoy the benefits of having a SATELLITE-HEARING clinic at Le Domaine Frail Care. Facilities Offered: Hearing screening Hearing aid fittings and Adjustments Earmoulds Batteries Consumables Hearing aid trial fittings using DEMO products If you’re not sure whether to really have a hearing aid, then maybe this is your option. Have a quick test and see the new products on offer. Pick up booklets or get website information so you can investigate before actually getting a hearing aid. Did you know trials are free so you can make the correct decision? Mandy Pillay Audiologist & Speech Therapist Contact Le Domaine Frail Care for Appointments 0r 031- 7633859/ 031-7018429
RECYCLING to support Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust: Feeding Scheme Many thanks recyclers!
to
all
regular
The feeding scheme supports around 35 families for six months while members are introduced to one of the income generation projects at the centre. The scheme asks for: 1) Jars glass or plastic: all sizes except very small, with lid 2) Plastic tubs yoghurt; margarine: large, with lid 4) Plastic bags: large, (with handles) AND breadbags Thank you for helping by placing containers in the box at the front door of No. 37 Monaco (adjacent to open field). If this is not possible, please contact: Gill or Ronald on ext 8237
Tel | 031 765 6920
French Connection 21
Activities at LeDomaine
Would you like to see your pic’s in the mag? Send us (Di or Justin) your pictures of fun happenings, going ons or interesting sightings and we’ll put them in the magazine!
Learner art students from Le Domaine - they were learning how to paint “from life” the strelitzia in Le Domaine wetlands.
Lesley Sugden, Sue Cox, teach Anne Pelham, Anne Gibson and Judy Bonsor - Thursday mornings are the hi-light of their week.
June and Dave Alborough from Picardi with armfuls of flowers and pick ‘n pay bags full of fresh produce. Looking on is Bill Howie of Normandie. They all enjoyed their morning enormously.
A buzz of activity out and about Le Domaine.
Members of the The BINGO Clan on Sunday - seen around at Le Domaine’s Club de Vie . These were the residents who were NOT tennis fans and watching the awesome Wimbledon Final.
The Social Bridge Brigade doing there thing at Club de Vie. Read on for details of joining them for a fun time.
22 French Connection
Hi Villagers, Well, we have launched our RoyalSaver product. Judging by the reception it has received, it meets the insuring public’s needs and is going to be very successful. Just to recap on last month’s newsletter, I believe RoyalSaver gives you what you want from an Insurer: • • • • •
the ability to participate in the Risk and receive a portion of the premium for doing so the ability to become part of a low claiming pool resulting in even lower premiums the ability to fund for a self insured loss the ability to accept more self insurance as your fund grows the ability to “push” the insurer and related frustrations further away from you
RoyalSaver is designed to allow you to select a self insured amount and in return have a portion of the premium paid into a savings account in your name, so that if you are unlucky enough to suffer a loss, you will have money in the savings account to help pay for it. If
you don’t have any claims the money accumulates in your savings account for you to do with as you want. The savings account earns above average interest, as the interest rate payable, is higher because you are participating in a corporate saver account, which has a larger balance than an individual is able to accumulate. We recommend that you allow your savings account to accumulate so that you have twice the self insured portion to hand at any one time. The balance you can draw to use for whatever you like and as the money going into your savings is money you would normally have paid to insurers anyway, it’s like receiving a “free payout”. As I mentioned before, unlike other “cash back” bonus policies, you don’t have to wait a few years to get something back, nor do you have to be claims free for those years in order to have your money paid back to you – we give it back to you each time a premium is paid.
you are a co insurer, effectively entering into a partnership with the Insurer and in so doing, are entitled to receive a portion of the premium, in return for having accepted and managed a portion of the risk. Logical! RoyalSaver is designed for anyone who manages their risk well, but is of particular benefit to those who have more valuable assets as, the higher your premium the more meaningful the savings become. If you would like to talk to us and find out how RoyalSaver can benefit you, please contact Jenny Fuller, who as you know, is the Royal Union staffer charged with looking after you. I look forward to welcoming you as a RoyalSaver client. Till next time…. Barry Pringle MD Royal Union (Pty) Ltd
The policy follows the usual comprehensive domestic policy format and no cover is sacrificed to accommodate “cheap” premiums. You benefit because
French Connection 27
Over 50’s lifestyle at its finest! Alsace du Lac... the ultimate choice! Talk about leaving the best till last! Alsace du Lac is the final village at Le Domaine and comprises 34 of the finest units ever launched at Le Domaine including 2 breathtaking penthouses. Alsace du Lac occupies probably the very best position at South Africa’s premier development for the active 50’s and over. Add to that Le Domaine’s
Priced from
R2 257 000 no transfer duty
STYLE, ELEGANCE & LOVELY VIEWS
R2 450 000
This stunning three bedroom MES home offers lounge/dining room leading onto deck with magic views across the gardens towards the ponds. Open plan kitchen and scullery, enclosed courtyard and extra large double garage suitable for caravan storage, plus all the amenities that are provided within the estate.
To view phone JENI MOCKRIDGE 082 552 1719 or 031 716 8009
Jenny Aitken 082 414 3853
Gretchen McCormick Jeni Mockridge 082 451 2729 082 552 1719
impressive amenities and facilities and you have the recipe for an unrivalled lifestyle of luxury hassle free living!
STUNNING SIMPLEX
R1 550 000 Stylish & tasteful is your first impression on walking into this immaculate & spacious unit privately positioned amidst tranquil indigenous gardens. This unit boasts 2 spacious beds, 2 baths MES & study. Welldesigned kitchen with granite worktops & fitted cupboards. Single garage with direct access to unit, parking bay & fenced garden.
To view phone JENNY AITKEN 082 414 3853 or 031 716 8013
Mandy Pannell 082 323 1868
Tel: 031 716 8008. Visit the Wakefields sales centre. Open Monday to Friday 09h00 - 16h00 Saturday 09h00 - 14h00, Sunday 11h00 - 16h30 Follow the Wakefields pointers from cnr Old Main and Inanda Roads to 100 Acutts Drive, Hillcrest, Durban, KZN