The Crest 107

MAY 2022 ISSUE 107

JANE & JESS Taking a chance on life

Distributed to the communities of Everton, Gillitts, Hillcrest, Kloof, St Helier & Winston Park

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*ed's letter

LEFT: A recent breakfast

where we connected with community members.

BELOW: Enjoying the gardens at Makaranga Garden Lodge.

United we stand A s we find ourselves in yet another national state of emergency following the recent widespread flooding, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families who have lost loved ones, and honour our community members who stepped up to help during this time of crisis.

The aftermath of one of the worst floods to hit our province in more than 62 years will be felt for many years to come. We as a community are united in our grief, but we are also united in our commitment to help others and restore the devastating damage.

While the Covid-19 pandemic caused its fair share of damage, it is inspiring to read the number of success stories that have risen from this time of isolation and lockdown. For a lot of people it was a time of reflection, and we salute those who have shown the courage and determination to start a new business. One such person is young entrepreneur, Jordan Sum Yuen.

Don’t miss his story on page 22.

Siblings, married couples and friends working together is not always advisable and can test the strength of any relationship. In this issue we chat to young married couples who are making it work.

They are finding the balance and reaping the rewards, allowing the family to join the business adventure, creating a family affair.

It is encouraging to witness the emphasis on the family unit, and the gradual fading of traditional gender roles. Read more on page 12.

We loved connecting with our

community at a recent breakfast. Our readers and advertisers are the essence of our magazine and chatting and sharing the morning with you all was insightful and extremely helpful. We have answered your call and included more social pictures, courtesy of local resident and business lady Kim Griffiths Jones. Take a look on page 8 at social highlights during the past few weeks. Your other request – to keep the community informed and updated about new adventures and family outings – has also been addressed. Don’t miss our feature on Wynnifreds on page 18.

Don’t panic, your favourite editor Katrine has not jumped ship. She is enjoying a well-deserved break with her family and will be back to produce the next issue of The Crest. She has left the magazine in the very capable hands of the Famous Publishing team with me as your guest editor.

Keep your ideas rolling in.

We love hearing from you.

New Website

Our brand new website has just launched – and it’s nothing short of fabulous! Please pop over to www.famousdurban.co.za, browse through our fresh community news, and let us know what you think. You can also enter a competition to win a FREE banner ad on our website for a month – valued at R2 000.

TALK TO US

doody.adams@famouspublishing.co.za www.thecrestonline.co.za W Crest Magazine

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in this issue*

GROUP EDITOR Doody Adams 083 325 7341 EDITOR Katrine Anker-Nilssen 083 309 6736 PRODUCTION EDITOR Lorna King GRAPHIC DESIGN Stephanie Osborne SALES CONSULTANT Tracy Hardouin 083 236 3202 DISTRIBUTION Mphumzeni Thusi ACCOUNTS & DISTRIBUTION QUERIES Meghan Dewet 083 533 5898 ONLINE EDITOR Sarah Mackintosh CONTRIBUTORS Jess Basson, Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Cathy Clark, Ant Ellis, Christy Herselman, Kelly Kidgell, Lorna King, Shirley le Guern, Jane Linley-Thomas, Anne Schauffer

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Copyright: All material in this issue is subject to copyright and belongs to Famous Publishing unless otherwise indicated.

No part of the material may be quoted, photocopied, reproduced or stored by an electronic system without prior written permission from Famous Publishing.

Disclaimer: While every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this publication, neither the authors nor the publisher will bear any responsibility for the consequences of any actions based on information contained herein. Neither do they endorse any products/services advertised herein.

Material which appears under ‘Advertorial’ is paid for.

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*To the people of Everton, Gillitts, Hillcrest, Kloof, St Helier and Winston Park, the office parks, the residential estates and, of course, all our advertisers, thank you for your continued support.

COMMUNITY DIVING IN THE DEEP END COUPLES WORKING TOGETHER

Printed by Novus Managed distribution by Vibrant Direct

11 12

The best roast pork belly yet

CONNECTING WITH OUR READERS 16

MINDFUL MAKING

THE HEART OF MAKARANGA

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ADVERTORIALS

30 34

MJ CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS DYKES VAN HEERDEN HIBISCUS HOSPITAL CATO RIDGE FMGH MARITZBURG ORTHOPEDIC CENTRE

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with

WE ALSO PUBLISH ...

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Meet Dawn and her quirky clothing ranges Guidance to help maintain and respect boundaries

46

REGULARS

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Two grannies combine their talents for success

DISCO DAWN

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AT

2

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

THE FUN NEVER ENDS

ED’S LETTER TAKE NOTE SOCIAL SCENE LAST WORD

Digital help for small businesses

PARENTING: BOUNDARIES ISSUE 14 WINTER 2022

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Young entrepreneur's aquascaping business

GROW YOUR VOICE

42

All year round is fun time at the Wild Coast Sun

A love for beautiful gardens

NOT JUST WATER WITH FISH

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This year create something beautiful

Camperdown family destination

APRIL 2022 ISSUE 131

AIR FRYERS

Getting the balance right for the family

COUNTRY CHARM AT WYNNIFREDS 18

In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4, if you do not want to receive The Crest magazine for free, please email sarah.mackintosh@famouspublishing.co.za For more information visit: www.famousdurban.co.za

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46 LIFESTYLE

With Jane and Jess Published by Famous Publishing www.famousdurban.co.za

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JANE & JESS

The beautiful mess Distributed to the communities of Ballito, Durban North, Gateway, La Lucia, Mt Edgecombe, Prestondale, Somerset Park, uMdloti, uMhlali, uMhlanga Ridge, uMhlanga Rocks, Zimbali

W E H A V E WA L K E D T H I S J O U R N E Y T O G E T H E R !

Siya Kolisi Touching lives

Gadgets & Gizmos Time savers in the kitchen

TV’s Lorna Maseko Shares her fave recipes

Food Fads 6 Health trends

ON THE COVER: Jane Linley-Thomas and *Jess Basson. Picture: Val Adamson.

Make-up: Aldytha da Silva. Hair: Priya Harilall.

Clothes: The ReJoyce Collection

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CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION +27 (0)11 268 6545 infoglobal@global-education.co.za www.globaleducation.co.za

take note*

KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP MILA-GRACE - A Legacy Worth Supporting

SUPPORT LOCAL

ROENTGEN & LARSEN - Bespoke Men's Accessories Cheryl Klug (nee Roentgen) and Sharlene Schulze (nee Lind Larsen) have collaborated on a brand new bespoke men’s range of waistcoats, flat caps, man bags and accessories. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, Cheryl’s grandfather, was the German mechanical engineer and physicist, who, on November 8, 1895, produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range known as X-rays or Röntgen rays – an achievement that earned him the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901.

“Both Cheryl and I love our history and

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Courtney Merle fell pregnant while studying education, but when she gave birth prematurely at 32 weeks and her daughter was diagnosed with Trisomy 21, Down’s Syndrome, she knew that the long hours working for someone else and the lack of freedom was not going to work going forward with the needs that would now need to be met with her daughter. “My amazing mother and I both quit our employment and started Social Cause Agency together, where we help out numerous charities by having a charity shop,” says Courtney. “During lockdown many people lost their jobs and I saw a need to open a second shop, where local crafters and businesses who couldn’t afford to rent out an entire outlet could have an opportunity to sell their items and grow their businesses.”

Courtney started off small with a 40sqm shop in Pinetown, and a year later launched Mila-Grace in Botha’s Hill – a 200sqm shop. “Mila-Grace is a legacy I started for my daughter, I am hoping with the lack of

jobs for people with disabilities that moving forward she will be able to be a huge part of running her own shop – as well as offer opportunities to others with disabilities to be employed,” says Courtney. “We hope to eventually have many Mila-Grace stores all around and expand our little idea to many new areas.”

Mila-Grace is very family oriented and everyone has had a huge part in its success. “Being a mom to a special needs child, the importance of education and awareness around Down’s Syndrome to me is huge. In a country where not much support is offered for those with disabilities, it becomes a mom’s responsibility to provide that support, awareness and showcase their capabilities and prove how amazing they are and what a huge part of our economy and lives they can be if we afford them the opportunity. I am very blessed to have an amazing husband who works tirelessly with me and has helped grow Mila-Grace. My mom is also very involved.”

WIN WIN WIN

FOR MORE courtney@milagrace.co.za; StandINFO: a chance to win a fabulous hamper 073 052 4599 containing all 8 Tipsy Cup flavours!

roots, German and dare I say Viking,” laughs Sharlene – whose grandparents were Norwegian settlers. “So the hipster, tattooed, biker, casual but spunky and edgy look both suit our personalities and passion for hard work – with an edge of class, finesse and sophistication.”

The dynamic duo have so many ideas for growing the brand. “First we will add kiddies waistcoats and flat caps to the range. Men’s crossbody sling bags are already in production, and there’s much more in the pipeline. Our range lends itself to the modern groom and groomsmen, so watch our space for all things men’s accessory-wise.”

FOR MORE INFO: sharlene.schulze@gmail. com; 083 635 0744

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Enter via www.famousdurban.co.za

Tasty, Wholesome And K A R M A FREE

Funky, Environmentally-friendly SUITCASE COVERS “I was very fortunate, growing up in a game reserve,” says Sharon James – who has always been an entrepreneur at heart. “At the age of 14, my gran taught me to knit on her knitting machine, so over weekends I would knit five black jerseys for local schools and then pay my gran to sew them up for me. That way I made good pocket money.”

Sharon is always thinking of better ways to tackle things, or better ways to make things work. “My husband and I live to travel. We are constantly on the lookout for a good special or somewhere different,” she says. “It was on one of these trips, in 2016, that we were on a long layover in Dubai and a family came and sat next to us. They had made their own suitcase cotton covers, the idea then resonated in the pit of my stomach and I Googled case covers.”

Back home, with the help of her sister Jenny, who is a designer, the prototype was made. “I travelled with it and saw where the problem areas were. I have changed the design slightly four times, and now we are happy.”

Case Closed offers unique suitcase covers, making your luggage easily identifiable on the conveyor belt. “No one will take your case by accident, it discourages theft, and protects suitcases from scratches and general travel damage. It’s a lightweight stretch fabric which fits most cases, offers fun designs – and lovely corporate branding and personalised covers are also available. Last but not least, no plastic is used – the covers are washable and reusable.

“It takes a village to raise a child, I have surrounded myself with a group of people who each specialise in their field – from my website designer and social media family, to my graphics lady, the printers, the CMT factory, and last but not least Doreen who does quality control and packs each order. I could not run this business without all of them,” says Sharon.

Jenni Jackson has loved cooking as long as she can remember. “Growing up on a farm there were always events – such as bull sales and farmers meetings that needed catering for,” she says.

Jenni, who loves sourcing ideas and developing new recipes, could see that there was a need to provide a service to people who did not want animal products in their food. Not so fond of all the contrived food substitutes that are available to vegans, Jenni’s food philosophy has always been to keep it simple.

“I studied food and nutrition, so there has always been a tendency to keep food healthy and natural,” she says. “Make it delicious and do it with love … but don’t try to get too clever.”

Karma Free Kitchen prepares meals that are wholesome, nutritious,

filling and healthy. “Eating a plant based diet is not just vegetables – there is a world of nuts, beans, and lentils that are full of flavour and protein. We take the time to make our own stocks and slow cook the beans to get the best nutritional value – these processes take time and most of us who work are time poor.

We aim to support busy people by giving options that can help them maximise family time and provide meals so life is more than cook, sleep, work.”

Available at local supermarkets, lots of coffee shops and online, Karma Free Kitchen has 12 offerings – with two more coming soon. Jenni’s favourite is spaghetti and lentil balls. “I am a comfort queen,” she laughs – adding that she employs two lovely ladies who prepare all the food, and can cater for weddings, parties and corporate events.

FOR MORE INFO: www.karmafreekitchen.co.za

FOR MORE INFO: sharon@caseclosed.co.za; www.caseclosed.co.za; 082 774 4788

WIN WIN WIN

Stand a chance to win a cover of your choice from the Case Closed website!

Enter via www.famousdurban.co.za

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take note*

KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP 80 Children Gifted With FREE SPECTACLES World Optometry Week was celebrated in style at Watercrest Mall, with 80 children with compromised vision who are unable to afford eye care each receiving a free pair of prescription spectacles – thanks to the collaborative joint efforts of the Order of St John and Ster-Kinekor.

“This is life changing!” enthused first-time spectacle wearer, 15-year-old Okuhle Mthembu. “You have no idea.

Now, today, for the first time ever, I can see properly. I just keep wanting to take my spectacles on and off to compare the difference. Seeing everything so clearly is absolutely magnificent!” Okuhle was one

of 30 children who attended a special film screening and hand-over ceremony at Watercrest’s Ster-Kinekor on March 25. Since 2018, the eye clinic at local government Northdale Hospital has been experiencing a critical backlog with their ability to dispense spectacles – such is the demand for eye care from people unable to afford private options. St John’s Eye Clinic in Pietermaritzburg, on hearing about Northdale’s predicament, appealed to Ster-Kinekor’s proactive Vision Mission CSI project requesting their help. Without hesitation, the team from Vision Mission came onboard to offer support.

FOR MORE INFO: www.watercrestmall.co.za; www.stjohn.org.za; www.sterkinekor.com

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*advertorial

choosing your

ABOVE: Salo Reddy,

ACCOUNTANT

Zelda Muir, Melissa Jacobs, Gail Pereira, Charmaine Bester and Suné Alexander.

MELISSA JACOBS OF MJ CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS TALKS US THROUGH KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING THIS IMPORTANT DECISION

C

hoosing an external accountant for your business is an important decision, as your accountant becomes a vital “partner” in your business.

We have put together five factors you should consider.

1. Connection Did you feel a connection when meeting with your prospective accountant? It is true that people do business with people they like and trust.

Since the accountant performs such an important role in your business, it is critically important that you like them and have rapport with them – as they are going to be the custodian of your numbers in terms of reporting and compliance.

2. Track Record Always do your homework on your prospective accountant before appointing them. Ask them for references and call a few of their existing clients. Ask specific questions about the things that are important

to you. Avoid general questions, as this will only give you vague feedback. Ask the references if they would re-appoint their accountant given the chance.

3. Responsiveness You want to choose an accountant that is highly responsive to your emails and phone calls. We often take on new clients where the reason for leaving their past accountants was due to a lack of communication and responsiveness. Ask your prospective accountant what their turnaround time on emails and phone calls are – hold them to this. You want an accountant that is available when you need them and not one that you have to chase for feedback.

4. Tax Expertise Ensure your accountant has strong skills and expertise in tax. You want them to advise and help you structure your affairs in the most tax efficient way. They need to be proactive and not reactive when it comes

to matters of tax.

5. Latest Legislation Not only will a good accountant keep you up to date with upcoming changes to the law, but they will also be able to tell you exactly how they will impact your business and how you can best prepare for them.

WHY CHOOSE US? We believe the following five points are our key strengths: • Qualified – With two Chartered Accountants on our team, you can rest assured you are going to get accurate and sound financial information about your business.

• Budget Conscious – We understand the plight of small to medium size enterprises and offer a range of services to suit all budgets.

• Tax – We are strong on tax and will look to maximise your tax efficiency within the legal parameters of the law.

• Deadline Driven – We will always get everything done on time.

• Personalised Service – We are not just number crunchers, we focus on getting to know our clients and building longterm relationships with them.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

A complimentary consultation to review your current financial and tax position, and to make some recommendations for improvement.

Email Melissa on melissa@mjacc.co.za to book your consultation.

MJ CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

FOR MORE INFO melissa@mjacc.co.za | 087 821 7110 | www.mjacc.co.za

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social scene*

Get in touch with Kim on kim@kimgriffithjones.com if you want more info on events and happenings in our community or have photos of a recent event you’d like to submit for consideration

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 LIVING LIFE IN FULL COLOUR KZN Women in Business, a not-for-profit organisation passionate about connecting and supporting local women in business and encouraging each other’s growth, hosted their monthly meeting at the Jewish Hall, with keynote speaker Karen Monk-Klinstra inspiring the ladies with her talk on living life in full colour. Pictures: Tilanie Grote Photography  Thembeka Makhubela and Khanyi Mkhize.  Bianca Johnson, vice-chair and Sue St Leger, chairperson of KZNWIB.  Shirley Berko, Kim Griffith Jones, Tracy Klokie.

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 TRAIL SHED RUN The Trail Shed Trail Run was organised by KZN Trail Running and hosted by Talloula in Botha’s Hill. There was a 15km race, a 10km race, as well as a 5km fun run in which many of the kids took part.

Pictures: Freedom Photography

 EMBOCRAFT AWARENESS A wonderful event was held with the fantastic team at Embocraft Training Centre Trust, donors, supporters and partnering NGOs to raise awareness on the incredible work they do in and with the community to upskill, empower and change lives. Their motto “Value From Our Hands” speaks of the beautiful handcrafted, bespoke and truly South African items on offer in their Botha’s Hill craft store. Pop in to support them – you’ll find the perfect gift here!  Preshni Bangar, Kashmira Maharaj and Alice Leah.  Councillor Mthe Sbisi and Sue Barnes.  Renske Fitzjohn and Candace Davidson.

 CONNECTIVE CONVERSATIONS

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Connective Consulting hosted the second in their Connective Conversations series of networking workshops at Khwezi Skills Development training facility – with well-known author and psychologist Paul Bushell as guest speaker. Guests were treated to delicious snacks and drinks, and an interactive and inspiring talk by Paul – who shared snippets from his new book and also generously gave away 10 copies of his book #raisingmindfulkids.

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 Jaclyn Holmes, Anamica Ramdin and Tash Pillay.  Karen Monk-Klinstra, Paul Bushell, Kim Griffith Jones, Kashmira Maharaj and Pearl Holdstock.  Lucille Gillit and Genai Scholtz.

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advertorial*

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WELCOME

to our new home

D

ykes van Heerden KZN were proud to welcome local property professionals to the recent launch of our new “home” at 76 Old Main Road in Kloof. As a conveyancing attorney, dealing with property transactions is an exciting experience which we provide daily to our clients – and it was awesome to be able to enjoy the moment as new owners ourselves.

Dykes van Heerden now have offices in

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Amanzimtoti, Pietermaritzburg and in the Upper Highway, making us officially local.

We are fully invested in KZN. In true DvH style, this roof wetting was coupled with a charity drive to support The Baby House. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the surrounding property practitioners which resulted in a successful “DriVing Hope” charity campaign.

We are passionate about KZN property and love the fact that we can now call this area “home”.

  DvH’s Angela, Jackie and Zinzi collected donations for The Baby House on behalf of the Upper Highway real estate community.  Janelle Alford (Pam Golding Kloof), Gregg Wilson (Seeff Upper Highway), and Kate Butler (Wakefields Kloof).  Dave and Samantha Jones (Seeff Upper Highway) with Lisa Boniface from Dykes van Heerden.  DvH's Lisa Boniface, Thomas van Heeswijk, and Claire Crabb at the launch their new office space.  Josh and Scott (Shelley residential) with Lisa Boniface of DvH.  Dykes van Heerden KZN have opened their doors to the Upper Highway community.

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the beautiful mess*

diving in

THE DEEP END

O

ur hair was freshly styled. Our makeup professionally done. We were wearing gorgeous glam clothes.

“Let’s jump into the pool for this one!” said Jane, with a wicked glint of mischief in her eyes as we wrapped up the photoshoot.

Both our husbands had been out of town for the week, meaning we had each been “home alone” trying to cope with one of those relentless, demanding weeks – extra parenting and extra problemsolving had left us walking that edge of sanity where if you stop concentrating for a minute, you’ll go off the deep end.

It was a disgustingly hot day, and the cool pool looked so tempting. Jess knew there would be something so liberating about leaping into a swimming pool fully dressed.

It seemed wild, silly, awkward and exhilarating – in fact, just plain fun which was something she longed for after the rigid responsibility of solo parenting for a week.

She hesitated.

“But my hair and makeup are so nice. I was kind of thinking it would be great to make it last,” she sheepishly

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE THE PLUNGE, AGREE JANE AND JESS admitted.

Have you ever been tempted to let your hair down and throw caution to the wind? Had an opportunity to embrace a spontaneous moment of silliness at the expense of composure? Have you ever felt reluctant to give up on the cover up?

Jess really needed her hair and make-up to stay in place

What does your inner life long for? Can you truly have a deeper sense of peace while you hold on to the shallow sense of perfectionism?

Facing that depth about ourselves requires a deep breath, because one day you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it.

You’ll have to choose if the joy of connection is worth the vulnerability of letting go

because on the inside she was feeling out of sorts.

It’s something so many of us do. We keep the exterior layered and painted, while our interior lives feel safe, lifeless and grey. Some would perhaps say boring. So often we are gallantly holding it all together on the outside but it’s really on the inside that we need a source of energy to draw from.

What do you cover up with?

Picture: Val Adamson of control. Is it worth diving into the deep end of life, fully clothed with everyone watching?

Luckily, Jess had Jane.

Someone to grab her hand and stand alongside her. Someone who would take the leap and put herself out there in that vulnerable space between the paving and the pool. And when they both came up for air, it was not only the sheer hilarity,

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but also the shared joy that they emerged with.

It was a rush. A relief. It was ridiculous – but it was totally worth it. After fishing Jane’s sunglasses off the bottom of the pool, Jess peeled her no-longer-straightened hair off her face.

“That was brilliant! Just what I needed. Honestly, Jane, that was totally worth it. Let’s do it again!”

Which is exactly what we did – only because the photographer told us we’d messed up the shot. It was a beautiful mess, which is very on-brand for us.

The deep dive was just the beginning – but the conversation continues in The Beautiful Mess Podcast on www.famousdurban.co.za.

Jane opens up about the risk of taking off her signature sunglasses for this photoshoot, and what follows is a gorgeous dive into vulnerability. We’ll see you in the deep end!

Listen to Jane and Jess here, as they further unpack their thoughts!

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community*

COUPLES WORKING together

COUPLES WORKING TOGETHER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NO-NO. BUT INCREASINGLY, THEY’RE NOT ONLY NEGOTIATING THAT MINEFIELD SUCCESSFULLY, BUT SURVIVING AND THRIVING, WRITES ANNE SCHAUFFER 12

A

generation or two ago, you had to be an extraordinary couple to work together. It was a standing joke that it was the kiss of death for a relationship.

But that was then, when far fewer women worked, child-raising was exclusively women’s work, and gender roles were clearly defined. Today, it’s entirely different – yet still, chatting to new and seasoned husband and wife workmates, working together is no walk in the park.

Clearly there are numerous advantages, notably the flexibility these moms have with children, and there are others too. For these wives, it’s about working with, not for – and that good working relationship doesn’t happen by itself, or overnight.

Abi Suttie joined husband Roland at

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Quattro Finance three months ago. She was a La Lucia stay-at-home mom, and an artist: “Roland’s PA resigned, and I offered to help as our kids are getting older, and stay at school longer. I was also keen to use my brain again.” Abi admits to having a lot to learn: “I’m even rusty with a computer,” she laughs. “But seriously, there are a lot of legal requirements, and at times it feels like I’m learning Chinese, but I’m getting there.” She admits, “Roland and I are both strong individuals who go about our day differently. Communication has perhaps been the hardest, as he says I’m cheeky. I do push back when I’m not happy with something, which he’s not used to, as employees usually comply and don’t ask questions.” What do you do to make sure it works, I ask? Abi laughs loudly, “Drink lots of champagne … no seriously, we have worked hard on our marriage, and have had to learn to listen without reacting.”

LEFT: Abi and Roland Suttie: “Communication has perhaps been the hardest as he says I’m cheeky,” says Abi. Picture: Jon Ivins

BELOW: Alex and Brett Jones: “I wanted to

help build our family business and be part of his success,” comments Alex.

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Employee or wife or partner or all?

It’s a fine line, but to work it must be a team. Roland admits it was tough in the beginning: “Still is. Showing your wife the ropes, and also setting boundaries with clients that this is no ordinary PA, it’s your wife. “Still,” he laughs, “she is cheeky, and I’ve suggested she listen better, and call me Mr Suttie.”

From the outset, a sense of humour is essential. So, too, some rocky roads in the early days: “There might be some voice notes on my husband’s phone of some interest to you,” says Alex Jones drily.

Alex was in the interior decorating industry and joined husband Brett three months ago at Ancient Waters, a water treatment and purification business based in La Lucia. Her motivation was clear: “I wanted to help build our family business and be part of his success. He had become very busy much faster than he thought he would, and needed help.” Alex describes herself as “an absolute organiser of note (her nickname is Badger)”. “To be able to organise Brett is the cherry in my champagne! Brett knows how I work, and that I always gave 110 percent, so for him it was a no-brainer.”

Another advantage of couples working together, is the absolute knowledge that the finances are in trustworthy hands.

Alex recognises her biggest challenge: “Being told what to do. I’ve realised I’m not someone who takes well to step-by-step instruction, especially when I’ve been given a task – I need to be trusted to action it.

I have had to be strong with myself, to stop, listen and learn about how his brain processes – and how he wants certain things done.

For Brett, the toughest aspect initially, was learning to delegate. The proverbial Catch 22. You’re so busy you bring someone on board to assist – but being hectic there’s no time to fill them in: “I realised I had to make time. Alex made it work though. I need her in our business, I can’t do it all by myself. Her having a vested interest makes all the difference.”

Alex’s advice to others walking this »

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community*

LEFT: Samantha and Calvin Thompson:

“Knowing Sam is involved in the company and taking care of the kids, is an absolute win-win,” says Calvin.

path: “Breathe. Don’t take things personally.

And a must is a de-briefing most days to talk about what happened during the day, and how you could have done it better. That is my best time of day actually, sitting down with Brett, a glass of wine and chatting about how we can improve OUR business!”

Considerably more seasoned are Samantha and Calvin Thompson of Hillcrest, working together in DMY Accounting (Pty) Ltd – financial services – which Calvin started in 2012. Prior to having children, Sam was in PR: “I loved my job, but it wasn’t conducive to how I wanted to parent, so we made the call for me to work from home.” Why? “Sheer madness I suppose,” she laughs. “But we are the sort of couple who don’t let feelings linger, and we knew this would be part bed of roses, part boxing ring.”

Sam does the internal bookkeeping: “Self-taught, or rather Calvin taught me.

The accountant babble definitely took time to learn – still learning – but it was key for both of us that I could be flexible and around for the kids. Luckily my role is just that – something that can be caught up at night or during odd hours.”

Sam says her biggest challenge was being able to tie down Calvin to get work

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decisions or answers finalised: “With a spouse, it’s far easier to put them off for a day later.” She adds: “Oh, and being made to feel like his glorified secretary at his beck and call – with requests he probably wouldn’t have asked of another colleague.”

To make it work, Sam says, “Having defined roles and expectations is key, and we are a constant work in progress, always finding new challenges and ways to improve.” She adds, “It also takes a special sort of person to work with a married couple.”

Calvin, too, found those early days challenging: “The constant questions and teaching was tough. I realised we all learn and communicate in different ways, and that was hard.

“When you’re in a relationship with someone you work with, accountability and responsibility are sometimes blurred, because you are supposed to share

Another advantage of couples working together, is the absolute knowledge that the finances are in trustworthy hands everything equally. In business, it’s often nice to have an employee where you can say ‘just do it like I said’. In relationships, one of you is always making a smart-ass comment back to the other and in business that’s not productive.

“Knowing Sam is involved and fulfilling those needs for our company, while being at home and available to the kids, is an absolute win-win.”

Sam’s advice to others? “Go for it – if it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger.

I believe you need to know your partner extremely well before you decide to work

together. Know their faults, their strengths and how they deal with people (clients) before you sign on the dotted line. Many couples have no idea what sort of person their partner is when they’re in their office space, or how they fill their working day. If you have that understanding then why not – just try to leave work at work.”

Separating work and home is a challenge, and all four couples put that as a reality, and a priority.

Of course, couples working together don’t necessarily work 24/7 in the same space. One partner can be largely or fully out in the field. Leanne and Shaun Saddington of Mount Edgecombe are that couple – Saddington Electrical handles industrial, commercial, domestic and residential, and “Shaun’s often spinning,” says Leanne. Me being in the business frees him to be out there with his teams.

In her previous life, Leanne was a beauty therapist, then did her honours in psychology. Once her children were born, she chose to be a stay-at-home mom: “My mom worked for Shaun for about seven years before I took over. To have an absolutely trustworthy person doing his books, invoicing, checking bank statements, and chasing money is essential. The job’s not rocket science, but you have to keep on it.”

Leanne identifies the biggest challenge as switching off at the end of the day, and not discussing work again: “We are really patient with and understanding of each other. I would definitely say speaking nicely and communicating in a respectful way is key – not him talking down to me or losing his cool. We have a lot of respect for one another, so we have a good working relationship.”

Not being together 24/7 makes life easier, but still she laughs, “More than once I’ve resigned on a Friday, and rehired myself on a Monday.” For her, it’s toughest when Shaun is under heavy stress: “I say ‘You’re not a surgeon, no one’s going to die on the table if they don’t get their chandelier hung before Christmas. Breathe’.”

Shaun talks about the early days challenge. “If I needed something done, I would tell Leanne in a very straightforward

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LEFT: Leanne and Shaun Saddington: “More than once I’ve resigned on a Friday, and rehired myself on a Monday,” laughs Leanne.

way exactly what I needed. But if I was under pressure she sometimes took me to be rude or demanding. But once we established a few working parameters, everything went pretty smoothly.

“In the beginning the most difficult aspect was differentiating between the working and non-working environment,” says Shaun. Leanne is adamant about two things: “Take time out for yourself, and schedule a date night.”

It’s all about a new kind of balance, and not unlike building a marriage, it takes hard work, commitment, and mutual respect. Enjoying that level of trust and accountability, sharing the same vision of success and being able to celebrate that together, is a big deal. A really big deal.

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Pantone Blue 295 100c69m8y54k Pantone Warm Grey 3 9c11m13y20k

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readers breakfast*

CONNECTING with the community

WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW, REGULAR CAFE MAYFAIR READERS BREAKFAST - A BEAUTIFUL PLATFORM WHERE WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH YOU, OUR READERS, TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IN THE CREST

ELIZABETH ROUX The Crest’s celebration of our local brands and businesses is great – I love reading about their beginnings, inspiration and where they are today.

I also enjoy the historical pieces on our landmarks and treasures. Would like to see a dedicated page to local courses, so that we can be inspired to try something new!

GREGG WILSON I love the upmarket editorial look and enjoy the diversity of the magazine – whether you are interested in property, cooking, fashion, lifestyle – there is something that will spark your interest! Would like to see more hyper local features – especially on restaurants.

KIM GRIFFITH JONES I love The Crest’s homegrown local highlights – they show you what you can do, what’s happening, and what’s growing in our beautiful community.

And they are often things that I have never seen or known about, after living here for so long! Would love to see more socials.

KHOSI ZWANE The Crest magazine is very informative and provides great content that is useful to my community and surroundings. What I would like to see more of is interesting things to do in the Hillcrest and surrounding area – such as places to visit with family and friends.

TC CHETTY The Crest always encourages family discussions around the content, it’s so great to have a high quality local magazine that focuses on positive community stories. Would love to see more on local cultural diversity and new and undiscovered places to visit in KZN.

What would YOU like to see MORE of in The Crest? Email the editor with your suggestions and you could be a guest at our next breakfast! katrine@famouspublishing.co.za

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*advertorial

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hat an amazing two years it has been. Up against the many challenges the health sector faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have not lost our focus. We took it in our stride, adapted protocols and by doing things differently, continued serving our patients the best we could. “We could not have done it without our amazing staff and doctors,” said Mr Poorun, the General Manager of Hibiscus Hospital Cato Ridge.

Located 400m from the N3 Cato Ridge off-ramp (exit 53), on the corner of Uitskomst Street and Mazeppa Road, Hibiscus Hospital Cato Ridge is ideally situated between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, with quick access to Hammarsdale and the Upper Highway.

Offering scalable multi-discipline medical services, with a level two trauma unit, two operating theatres as well as a host of supporting medical services, the hospital is fully equipped to accommodate any casualty.

The Radiology Department provides the latest diagnostic equipment, including a 64-slice CT scanner and high-tech fluoroscopy equipment onsite.

Other procedures available include mammography, general ultrasound, colour Doppler ultrasound, dental, general X-rays and bone densitometry.

HIBISCUS HOSPITAL Cato Ridge

IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE HIBISCUS HOSPITAL CATO RIDGE OPENED ITS DOORS – AND WE HAVEN’T STOPPED GROWING The specialist doctors consulting suites house a wide range of permanent and sessional doctors and specialists who ensure patients have access to the best medical advice and services available.

The Hibiscus Hospital Group consists of Hibiscus Hospital Port Shepstone, with 150 acute beds and two major theatres, while the adjacent Hibiscus Day Clinic offers 20 beds and two day theatres. We are expecting to open the new Hibiscus Hospital Scottburgh with 20 day beds and two theatres, 18 sub-acute beds and four paediatric beds soon.

Being part of the Hibiscus Hospital Group gives the community the reassurance that they will receive the best and consistent medical treatment and that the hospital will utilise the most up-to-date technology.

Hibiscus Hospital Cato Ridge will continually evolve and expand its service offering to ensure that Cato Ridge and surrounding areas have access to the best medical care available, without the need to travel to Durban. Remember “We are here when you need us®”.

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profile*

country charm at WYNNIFREDS YOU’LL FIND A RELAXED FARM FEEL, GREAT FOOD AND LOTS OF SPACE FOR THE KIDS TO RUN AROUND FREELY AT THIS INVITING DESTINATION CAFE IN CAMPERDOWN, WRITES KATRINE ANKER-NILSSEN

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ABOVE: The Allan family.

onia and Greg Allan relocated to KZN five years ago – when their youngest daughter Chloe was only six weeks old. They also have seven-year-old Frances. “Our daughters have so enjoyed growing up in the wonderful farming community of Eston, and love to run around catching frogs and fireflies,” says Tonia.

Tonia, who has a B.Com in Industrial Psychology, is a people’s person – so her line of work has always centred around that. “I worked as a florist in London, I owned several businesses in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and I have also worked as a tour operator – creating beautiful itineraries for travel across South Africa,” she says.

Greg has always had a passion for food and operations, and at one point was the operational manager for 60 stores of a restaurant franchise across Johannesburg and Botswana. “Greg loves to cook and we often create our own dishes at home, taking inspiration from sampling many different food styles while travelling through Europe,” says Tonia. “We love travelling, and we love variety.”

Wynnifreds Café and Shoppe was started by Wynne and Marc Smith, who own the farm that Wynnifreds is situated

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on. “After a year of managing the business, they approached us about taking over, and I felt the cafe was too beautiful and special not to continue running,” says Tonia. “I had always been in absolute love with Wynnifreds, so we didn’t hesitate at the offer and jumped at the opportunity.” A year later they are still as excited about the

business and continue to work on creating awareness to all the local communities about their awesome little “destination” cafe.

Wynnifreds offers a simple yet delicious menu of breakfast and lunch items. “We have the most perfect setting for families to come and enjoy the outdoors, get fresh air and just relax on the lawns,” says Tonia.

“We pick most of our veg and herbs from our garden, and will soon also have our own honey and eggs.”

Supporting the local community is very important to the Allans. “Our team have been with us for some time and understand the importance of friendly yet efficient service. They love what they do, which makes it a great environment to be in.”

Always looking at something different to offer their clientele, there are trails for walking and running. “We have some awesome trails on the farm with the best views. There’s even a toilet on top of the mountain! Check in with us before you leave and pay a small fee of R20pp,” says Tonia.

“We also offer a private venue for functions.

This beautiful historic building can seat about 60 people and creates a lovely setting for any occasion.”

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FOR MORE INFO wynnifredsinfo@gmail.com; 082 940 7058

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advertorial*

A FORCE

to be reckoned with FMGH GROUP GM FOR MARKETING, BRONWYN FYNN, IS MAKING WAVES IN THE MOTOR INDUSTRY

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ith only two years in the motor industry, Bronwyn Fynn, the General Manager for Marketing at the FMGH Group, was recently nominated for the Motoring Women Of The Year Awards 2022.

The Motoring Women of The Year Awards is a non-profitable organisation solely sponsored

by MFC, a division of Nedbank which aim is to acknowledge and encourage women in Motoring South Africa who have willingly devoted their all in this male-dominated industry.

Bronwyn is a highly skilled marketing specialist with over two decades of experience in brand management, public relations, media and marketing.

She has taken the fledgling FMGH Group and helped establish it as one of KwaZuluNatal’s leading car dealerships.

Having cut her teeth in the fast-paced world of marketing and branding at a major poultry company before moving to the media industry, Bronwyn then climbed the ladder to become National Events Manager for South Africa’s largest English newspaper group.

Bronwyn has built and

conceptualised the branding and marketing for one of South Africa’s oldest newspapers, The Mercury, managed provincial and national events such as CraftFest, the National High School Quiz and the Santa Run. In addition, she has helped launch language Isolezwe lsiXhosa – South Africa’s first IsiXhosa newspaper.

And this is not all, Bronwyn has also demonstrated her business acumen after opening her very own consulting company – where she conceptualised market and event strategies, project management, event management and corporate gifting for companies.

While her experience is dominated in the media sector, it has been in the motoring industry where Bronwyn’s versatility, insight and leadership has shone through.

As the General Manager for Marketing at the FMGH Group, responsible for Marketing and Communications, she has the Volvo Cars Hillcrest, Volvo Cars Pietermaritzburg and Fiat Chrysler Hillcrest dealerships under her watch.

These were all fairly new dealerships when Bronwyn

was brought in, and she had to develop and execute their marketing and communication strategy from scratch. She has done this with aplomb by driving the dealerships marketing through the establishment of digital platforms that have resulted in exponential sales growth.

In addition, Bronwyn has forged partnerships

through eventing at premium and inaugural events like the Bubbles at Fordoun Champagne Festival, Black JEEPERS SA Club Ride, Durban Sunrise and the Amashova Cycle race.

FOR MORE INFO 39 Old Main Road, Saint Helier | 031 716 5000 | www.volvocarshillcrest.co.za | www.fcahillcrest.co.za | www.fmgh.co.za

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community*

the heart of

MAKARANGA

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A PLACE OF HEALING. IT IS EVIDENT HOW MUCH LOVE THE FLACK FAMILY HAS POURED INTO THESE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS OVER THE YEARS – SHARING AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE WITH THE COMMUNITY

n 2000 Danna and Chick Flack bought the property, then Fern Valley Estate, that surrounded their private home on three sides. There was no plan for what to do with the beautiful gardens initially, however the opportunity seemed too good to pass up on. Danna immediately conflated her love of gardening and her work with the disability community into the dream of creating a world-class garden and property that was completely accessible to persons with mobility impairments.

Chick, who had moved down from Zimbabwe with Danna in 1975 with not much more than their clothes and personal belongings, built up a successful business in the finance sector. Over the years it had become habitual for Chick to make Danna’s dreams come true, and this purchase was no exception. Chick was also recently retired and ready for a new challenge, and so Makaranga was born – named as such after the Makaranga tribe from Zimbabwe, Danna’s country of birth, and for the Macaranga capensis trees that line the main avenue in the 30-acre garden.

For 21 years the Flack family has poured significant blood, sweat and private funding into developing and maintaining the Makaranga that people have grown to know and love, and shared this incredible resource with the community. Makaranga was designed for complete accessibility, being the first hotel in South Africa where a disability architect was involved to enable wheelchair users access to every part of

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the hotel and gardens. For years the Flack family has supported and given as much assistance as possible to persons with disabilities who couldn’t afford to visit or just needed to enjoy a break. Makaranga was, and is, designed as a place of healing.

A lesser known fact is that the hotel and gardens are owned, at Danna and Chick’s behest, by a not-for-profit Charitable Trust.

The Flack family donated a significant amount of money in their personal capacities to the Trust to upgrade the

The garden needs all of you, she misses you as much as you miss her gardens and develop the hotel. The family, alongside two professionals, sit as the trustees but not beneficiaries of the Trust – the beneficiaries of the Trust can only be bona fide registered charities.

The Makaranga Charitable Trust opened in 2002 as a little 10-bedroom lodge with a quiet tea garden, but by the time Covid-19 and lockdown happened, it had more than doubled in capacity to a 23-sleeper lodge with four conference and function rooms and a bustling restaurant. These trading

RIGHT: Danna and “This man who flies” by Andrew DeVries – the statue dedicated to the late Chick Flack, located in the heart of the Makaranga labyrinth.

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TOP LEFT: The much loved Makaranga alley.

ABOVE: The ideal place to sit and ponder.

LEFT: Venus pond, one of the 18 waterways in the gardens.

aspects of Makaranga existed solely to contribute to the enormous cost of maintaining and improving the gardens and property. Makaranga has never received government support despite being a jewel in the crown of KZN tourism, it has always been privately owned and funded. Many thought it was a public park because of the unfettered access that was given for the use the gardens and swimming pool; a privilege which was unfortunately abused by some. Despite this, the gardens have offered a respite to many, have witnessed many an engagement, have offered a

sanctuary for grief, and a platform for celebrations. People have wheeled their children in prams, their dying loved ones in their hospital beds, their ill, injured or ailing in wheelchairs along the wide paths and around the many waterways. The garden really is the lead role in the Makaranga story; it is her “why” – her reason for being.

The ramifications of the pandemic since March 2020 have created such loss – financial loss, loss to the gardens’ people and loss to the extended Makaranga family.

Makaranga has been in a fight for her survival. Without having had the normal M A Y

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revenue to contribute to the expense of keeping the property and gardens in top condition, the board of trustees had to act decisively to save Makaranga and secure her future.

Makaranga was too large to just keep opening and shutting in response to the ever-changing landscape of government enforced restrictions. In evaluating other opportunities that have greater viability in a restriction-heavy environment, the board decided to engage in short to medium-term private rentals as a viable stop gap to try cover costs and basic overheads for the gardens. The board is also fully engaged in the process of deciding on what the best possible future for Makaranga looks like. There are several iterations under discussion, and this is not an easy or a simple decision.

A reopening date is not yet known, nor is there clarity of what Makaranga will be like in the future. However, the board do know that their desire remains strong to preserve the gardens along with their aspiration to keep Makaranga as a place of healing.

Danna’s remarks are touching, “The garden needs all of you, she misses you as much as you miss her.”

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profile*

not just water

WITH FISH

SHIRLEY LE GUERN MEETS A LOCAL YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR WITH A FLEDGLING AQUASCAPING BUSINESS

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ish tanks are making a comeback as people spend more time at home post-Covid. The problem is that they are finding out that this is not as easy as those You Tube videos make out, says Jordan Sum Yuen, the plucky young entrepreneur who founded The-Clean-Up-Crew.

Jordan matriculated at Waterfall College in 2019. When Covid-19 lockdowns scuppered his plans to study further that year, he took a job at Exotic Pets in Hillcrest.

He says a mentor had told him that he had a natural talent for entrepreneurship.

When he began fielding queries from customers looking for someone to help

maintain their fish tanks, he jumped at the opportunity to fill that gap.

Today his fledgling business not only takes the hard work out of maintenance by doing water changes, water testing and repairs to filtration equipment for tanks and ponds, but also advises people on the choice of products, plants and fish to keep their tanks looking shipshape.

“How I explain it is that this is not a decoration. People need to realise that these are living things. A fish tank is not just water with fish. It is an eco-system and you need to replicate the natural environment and keep everything in balance. They are not self-sufficient. Many people like the

idea but not the hard work.”

His most memorable clean-up was a 26 000-litre tank at a lodge. The majority of the tanks that he cares for are around 400 litres, and he was convinced that the calculations were wrong – until he arrived.

His crew took a day to clean it with one member having to don baggies and a snorkel and climb into the tank.

But what Jordan enjoys most is tank installations – either setting up a shop-

Getting the tank is easy. It’s what you do with it that counts bought tank or facilitating the design and manufacture of a bespoke tank for a specific home or office space.

He keeps up to date with latest trends.

Whereas, up until recently, marine fish were most popular, the latest fashion is aquascaping – which puts the focus on the plants rather than the fish.

“Marine tanks become too expensive.

It has also led to many exotic fish becoming endangered in nature because of overfishing to supply aquariums. Our oceans are under threat and it doesn’t

LEFT: Jordan Sum Yuen with the very first tank that his business helped set up in a Waterfall home.

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ABOVE: One of the patio ponds that The-Clean-Up-Crew takes care of.

make sense to have a hobby that has us stealing from the ocean,” Jordan points out.

As a result, shops are selling a wider variety of plants and experts like Jordan have developed far broader knowledge of which water plants grow best in particular conditions.

“Getting the tank is easy. It’s what you do with it that counts. Aquascaping is not just about putting plants in a tank of water.

You need a substrate and to make sure that the plants have the right nutrients and the right light to grow. You have to make sure that there is carbon dioxide diffused in the system. If you don’t, your plants will not succeed,” he explains.

Apart from all the technicalities, Jordan says there is definitely an artistic element in setting up a tank. This includes positioning found objects such as rocks and pieces of driftwood and then placing plants using

a gradient of large at the back to shorter ground covers in the front of the tank.

“The skill is in combining different elements. You have to be artistic and have a vision. With time, everything grows and you can create a natural picture,” he says.

The fish are the last element. “A lot of people get confused because most fish come into a fish shop when they are small and colourful. They usually go for the most unique ones but they are usually the ones that grow up to be the biggest and most aggressive. Then, they realise that they’ve probably made a mistake,” he says.

With more focus on plants, Jordan says that, these days, new tanks are often left to develop without the addition of fish for months. “I guess it’s a patience game,” he smiles.

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FOR MORE INFO 071 951 2789; thecleanupcrewkzn@gmail.com

digital footprint*

M

eet Craig Brigg, entrepreneur, business owner and digital marketing strategist. Craig is a local Upper Highway community member and owns the successful media agency UHI MEDIA GROUP. He has developed a number of large social media platforms on Facebook to assist communities and businesses to grow their voice, reach and engage. The UHI MEDIA GROUP also assist small to medium-sized enterprises with managing their social media strategies, brand growth and audience reach.

“Upper Highway Info was born when we realised there was a need for an online community group, where locals could ask for assistance with finding a lost pet, sourcing a new job or asking the community for a recommended service provider,” says Craig. The Facebook group was created and has adapted beautifully to meet the community’s needs. “We now provide an audience platform that allow business owners to promote their services/products to a large audience they wouldn’t normally reach.”

Over the past 10 years, Craig has grown and developed

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grow your

VOICE the Upper Highway Info community groups, a number of platforms that allow locals to reach out to the community for self-help, to request recommendations, and for small to mediumsized businesses to showcase their services and products.

“However, the face of social media and digital marketing changes daily, and many businesses have lost touch with how to keep pace with these challenges,” says Craig.

“The introduction of Meta is creating a headache for many business owners, with little understanding of the impact on their business.”

A business without a digital

ARE YOU FACING THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF BUILDING YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT AS A SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS?

footprint is lost and will quickly fall behind its competitors.

How your business engages across your social media platforms is equally important, and can significantly influence the sales and leads for your business. “Many businesses struggle to understand how to project their message in a valuable manner, how to gain the engagement on social media that is necessary to build a brand, and how to gain a business following,” says Craig.

Over the next few editions of The Crest magazine, Craig will unpack and tackle these issues – providing valuable insight for you and your business.

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If you would like to contact UHI MEDIA GROUP and gain some immediate insight into how you can grow your audience and brand, email craig@upperhighwayinfo.co.za or WhatsApp 072 680 2352.

S E R A B E L L A – M E A N I N G A B E AU T I F U L E V E N I N G I N I TA L I A N – I S A N E W D E V E LO P M E N T I N T H E H E A RT O F I Z I N GA I N U M H L A N GA C O N S I ST I N G O F M O D E R N C O N T E M P O R A RYI N S P I R E D V I L L AS T H AT E M B R AC E A S E N S E O F S PAC E A N D E L EGA N C E A N D F E AT U R E STAT E - O F -T H E -A RT F I N I S H ES W I T H I N I TS AU T H E N T I C BA L I N ES E A EST H E T I C S .

No transfer duty payable Stunning architecturally designed modern contemporary / balinese inspired homes embracing a sense of space and elegance situated in a prime position in the prestigious Izinga open suburb, Umhlanga making it one of the most sought after addresses in the area.

Gated with an electrified perimeter fence and surveillance cameras with a 24 hour security guard manning the access control from the guardhouse providing residents with absolute peace of mind.

The guardhouse area will also incorporate domestic help washrooms, change rooms and toilets.

Only a few kilometres away from the famous Gateway Theatre of Shopping complex, as well as in close proximity to some of KwaZulu Natal’s most prestigious schools and hospitals. A short drive to the Umhlanga coastline beaches.

Location, security and privacy translates to peace, happiness and a coveted lifestyle that only Sera Bella can provide.

Peace of mind: Situated within a double gated security precinct, in addition to patrolled security and tactical presence, Sera Bella also has an electrified perimeter fence with surveillance cameras and a 24-hour security guard manning the access control from the guardhouse.

Location is key: Sera Bella is ideally located to Gateway Theatre of Shopping, hospitals, prestigious private schools, King Shaka International Airport, restaurants and beaches.

Privacy is paramount: Ranging from two- and three-storey villas to three-bedroom apartments, each villa’s garden is totally private and fenced off, offering total seclusion. Within the complex there is also a communal pool and braai area.

TO FIND OUT MORE Website: www.serabella.co.za / Email: sales@serabella.co.za Mobile number: +27 83 786 8999 / Address: P.O. Box 22115, Glenashley, Durban 4022

profile*

LOVE

always wins DEVASTATION MEETS DELIGHT IN AN ENCHANTING TALE OF HOW A LITTLE HEDGEHOG NAMED HOUDINI UNEXPECTEDLY UNITED THE TALENTS OF TWO GRIEFSTRUCK GRANNIES, WRITES KELLY KIDGELL

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loof granny, Gillian Clark, has an endearing disposition and a charismatic sense of humour that matches the twinkle in her eye. “I’m as old as my tongue, and a little older than my teeth,” she laughs.

We share an instant resonance about life as the only females in homes filled with boys, and giggle at the somewhat majestical mayhem of the noise, dirt and chaos. With a quick stroll down memory lane, I’m entertained by a few of her boys’ antics whilst growing up in Westville. She fondly brags about her four successful sons, nine grandchildren and wonderful husband, Pete. “None of this would’ve been

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possible without my family,” she beams.

And before I’ve even had a sip of my coffee, Gill (AKA, Gilly Flower) has me captivated with the story of Houdini the Hedgehog and how, at 74 years young, she became a published author. It’s a story borne from tragedy. A story that inspires a deep sense of trusting in your faith. A story that feels almost romantically surreal.

The year 2020 had barely begun when Gilly received the devastating news of the sudden and catastrophic passing of her beloved brother, Paul, not long after a global pandemic shattered our lives, and South Africa was forced into full lockdown. Isolated and riddled with grief as

a mourning widow, Jane Schouten (Paul’s wife), began doodling in an attempt to ease her heartache. Jane (AKA, Daisy Jane) posted her doodles on social media – a “silent signal” for family and friends to see she was hanging in there.

Who could’ve known this quietlyunspoken, yet powerfully-communicative gesture would be loud enough to lure the universe into listening? So, when Gilly joined the masses in assuring Daisy her illustrations definitely belonged in a book, Daisy’s response was, “Fine! If you write it, I’ll draw it.”

I ask Gilly – why a hedgehog? “It was midnight, and he just crept into my mind,” she says. Her eyes twinkle even more. “He said, ‘I’m Houdini, and you are going to write my story’.” And so, she did. “I wrote and wrote and wrote, and then I wrote some more, and it just kept flowing. I had never written anything in my life!”

But before long the instantly loveable Houdini had been on countless escapades, and the first two books were as beautifully written as they were illustrated. I ask Gilly what lessons their books may inspire in young readers.

“My hope is that each story teaches children the importance of friendship. If Waffles the Dog, Houdini the Hedgehog, Paulie the Penguin and two little mice can forge friendships despite being hairy, prickly, big, or small – us humans can certainly look past our differences too. No matter how difficult life gets, there is always

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good to be found in this world, so long as we treasure and value our friends.

“The pictures are as important as the story,” says Gill. “Our books have brought Jane and I so much closer together; we share an incredible bond, and just know that Paul has been with us along our entire journey.”

Daisy Jane has since relocated to the UK to be with her three children, one of whom insisted their books be published. “We laughed! This was never meant for that,” says Gill. But once again, the universe had heard.

And the quiet whispers of fate landed these two grannies an international publication deal with Austin Macauley.

A triumphant plot twist cast from the

therapeutic healing of anguish and sorrow.

“I believe that God had this plan for us. He has carried me throughout my whole life,” says Gill – and shows me a colouring-in book filled with more of Daisy’s adorable illustrations. I’m told a puzzle might be in the pipeline too.

Could there be more adventures for Houdini and Friends? Well, there’s certainly no stopping this fiercely determined granny! I come away with a serendipitous reminder that despite life’s trepidations, heartbreak and our existence in a world filled with uncertainty, love always wins.

Weavers’ Nest is Highbury’s co-educational pre-primary school for Grades 0000 – 00 (from age two to five). Here, your child will be at the centre of everything we do and, through our dynamic pre-school programme, will be given the wings they need to fly.

Weavers’ Nest is Highbury’s Weavers’ Nest is Highbury’s co-educational pre-primary school We will inspire your child with a love of co-educational pre-primary school for Grades 0000 – 00 (from age two learning and their deep curiosity and forfiGrades 0000 –child 00 (from age two to ve).

Here, your will be at the innate sense of adventure will drive to five).

Here, your child bethrough at the centre everything we dowill and, their of interest to understand the world centre of everything we programme, do and, through our dynamic pre-school and their place within it. Your childwill will ourbe dynamic pre-school programme, given the wingsas they need capable, to fly.will be acknowledged strong, be given the wings they need to fly. resilient and full of wonder We will inspire your child with a love of and potential.

We will inspire your childcuriosity with a love learning and their deep andof learning and their deep curiosity and innate sense of adventure will drive innate sense of adventure will drive their interest to understand the world Our dedicated and and placetowithin it. Yourthe child will theirtheir interest understand experienced teachers areworld be acknowledged as about strong, capable, and their place within it. Yourthe child will passionate resilient and full of wonder be acknowledged as strong, capable, development of your child and and potential. resilient and full of wonder encourage discovery through play in a and potential.providing our nurturing environment, young girls and boys a solid Our dedicated and foundation for the years ahead. experienced teachers Our dedicated andare passionateteachers about theare experienced development of your child passionate about the and encourage discovery through development of your childplay andin a nurturing environment, providing encourage discovery through playour in a young girls environment, and boys a solid foundation nurturing providing our forand theboys yearsaahead. young girls solid foundation for the years ahead.

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FOR MORE INFO theclarks@yebo.co.za; 082 578 2604

Some Fun Gilly Flower Facts • Gilly takes a dip in her swimming pool almost every single day, even in winter.

• Gilly loves trips to the bush and learning the collective nouns for animals – it’s a Prickle of Hedgehogs.

• She was nicknamed Gilly Flower by her best friend’s mom when she was five.

• Gilly is not only a bookaholic, but a “tea-a-holic” too.

• Gilly makes book and pencil bags for a living. “I’m a Mad Bag!”

BOOK A PRIVATE TOUR www.weaversnest.co.za

Maritzburg Orthopaedic Centre Optimum Mobility | Live YOUR Best Life Maritzburg Orthopaedic Centre has a tradition of excellence in orthopaedic care, and the fine reputation of its member physicians is known throughout KwaZulu-Natal. Each surgeon in the group is board certified and many have additional sub-specialty training.

Dr Nitesh Bhagwan is an Orthopaedic Surgeon with a special interest in shoulder replacements, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, and shoulder reconstructions.

He was awarded the South African Shoulder Society Fellowship in 2007 and continues to maintain a strong interest in orthopaedic research and teaching.

He treats patients at both community level as well as high performance athletes, and has performed more than 3 500 shoulder arthroscopies and 600 shoulder replacements.

Dr Bhagwan combines clinical knowledge and experience with scientific evidence to provide the best advice and management possible to patients from Pietermaritzburg, the Midlands and the Upper Highway areas.

MEET THE TEAM Dr Andre Morrish Hip and Knee Specialist

Dr Paul Hatfield Hand and Wrist Specialist

Dr Nitesh Bhagwan Shoulder and Elbow Specialist Dr Ian Cochrane Spine and Arthroplasty Specialist Dr Greg Van Osch Hip, Knee and Trauma Specialist

Dr Ruvyn Frank Foot and Ankle Specialist Dr Jacques De Wet Tumour, Reconstruction and Deformity Specialist

CONTACT US PMB ROOMS: Suite D, Block 2 Mediclinic Payn Street. Tel: 033 342 0416 reception@pmborth.co.za HOWICK ROOMS: 50 Fraser Street. Tel: 033 330 7809 howickreception@pmborth.co.za HILTON ROOMS: Suite G3, Hilton Life Hospital, Monzali Drive. Tel: 033 329 5712 hiltonreception@pmborth.co.za

WWW.PMBORTH.CO.ZA

*medical

S

houlder arthritis is damage to the cartilage inside the shoulder joint.

When the cartilage – which covers both the ball (the humeral head) and the socket (the glenoid) – begins to break down on the surface and eventually in the deeper layers, arthritis develops.

TYPES OF SHOULDER ARTHRITIS There are several different forms of shoulders arthritis. Each may have different origins, and some causes of shoulder arthritis are still unknown.

Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is also known as degenerative joint disease, and is often associated with wear and tear related to ageing. It can also affect other joints and is the most common form of arthritis.

Rotator cuff tear arthritis can develop after a massive and prolonged rotator cuff tear. The four rotator cuff tendons in your shoulder wrap around the ball portion of the shoulder joint, and hold it in place. If one or more of these tendons is heavily torn, this may cause the humeral head to rub against other bones and develop arthritis.

SYMPTOMS The amount of cartilage loss varies from person to person and so do symptoms of shoulder arthritis. These are: Pain in the shoulder joint is the major sign of arthritis.

Stiffness of the joint may be experienced as a loss of range of motion in the shoulder.

Grinding, clicking or cracking (crepitus) may be felt since the surface of the cartilage is irregular.

DIAGNOSIS To diagnose shoulder arthritis, your orthopaedic surgeon will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms and medical history. The degree of arthritis and the amount of bone in the socket can be evaluated and confirmed with an X-ray or, if needed, with a CT scan.

TREATMENT The initial treatment for shoulder arthritis is non-operative. However, range-ofmotion exercises are usually necessary to keep the shoulder mobile. Strengthening the shoulder that has arthritis is usually

shoulder

ARTHRITIS

DR NITESH BHAGWAN OF MARITZBURG ORTHOPAEDIC CENTRE EXPLAINS SHOULDER ARTHRITIS – A COMMON MEDICAL CONDITION – WHICH CAN BE EASILY TREATED IF DETECTED EARLY ENOUGH

not recommended, as in some instances it could cause more pain. A physiotherapist may help with a home-based programme.

Lifestyle Modifications: The idea is to avoid, within reason, the things that make the shoulder painful. If shoulder pain lasts for several days and wakes you up at night, it may be reasonable to question how important that activity is to you.

Pain Control: Medication such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatories can be used (in consultation with your family doctor). Injections for shoulder arthritis include cortisone which has a potent antiinflammatory effect, and hyaluronic acid which is a naturally-acting lubricant.

Shoulder Replacement Surgery: Shoulder replacement is the preferred procedure for the bone-on-bone shoulder arthritis. It relieves the pain of arthritis, and has been shown to last for many years.

A standard total shoulder replacement procedure replaces the ball and the socket parts of the shoulder joint with artificial parts. However, in a reverse total shoulder replacement procedure, the ball and socket sides of the joint switch places.

This procedure can be done for many conditions, but it’s mainly used when there is a rotator cuff tear in the shoulder with arthritis.

CONCLUSION Shoulder joint arthritis can be disabling and have a significant impact on quality of life. Fortunately, there are both effective non-operative and operative treatments, depending on the severity and degree of

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impairment.

Early detection and treatment can go a long way to avoid pain and discomfort. It is worth consulting with a professional in the field at the first signs that something could be wrong.

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Shoulder Replacement

Reverse Shoulder Replacement

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pictures jacques weyers

“I

want to have fun doing what I’m doing,” says Dawn MacNab aka Disco Dawn. You get the feeling if she wasn’t, she’d move on to something which did bring her joy: “I absolutely love what I’m doing,” she grins. “I feel like I’m in a dress-up box all day.” Step inside the Disco Dawn space, and it’s hard to keep your hands to yourself.

For Dawn, this venture wasn’t planned, it just mushroomed … and continues to do so as she explores new avenues, discovers new creatives, and turns play into work. Or vice versa.

It began during lockdown: “I needed to do something to distract myself. That distraction was a little Instagram post selling imported jackets to my girlfriends.

Gorgeous branded jackets, inexpensively priced, all online and couriered to your door – they flew off the site.

For the photoshoots, the MacNab’s uMhlanga home has the perfect backdrop – a dramatic copper-covered wall.

Dawn sourced a vintage mannequin, and photographed her clothing on the mannequin or herself. She laughs, “I was having such fun – it was a wonderful artistic outlet.”

Dawn’s not new to the world of art or clothing. She studied art at school, and was soon headhunted by an iconic Durban entrepreneur. After many years at the rockface of his thriving advertising agency, she went solo, and built her own successful little advertising agency: “It just grew to the extent where it was impacting on my life.

I chose family.” But she never let go of her love of art – Disco Dawn was the perfect creative outlet.

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pictures jacques weyers, tony christie and dawn macnab

ABOVE: A Gideon and Dawn collab: Dawn wears a dress made from table linens, table runners, napkins and doilies.

Disco DAWN THE DISCO PART OF DAWN MACNAB’S EXUBERANT, QUIRKY ONLINE CLOTHING RANGES, WAS BORN WHEN LOCKDOWN MADE US YEARN TO BE FREE, EXPRESS OURSELVES, DANCE AND HAVE FUN. SHE’S DOING JUST THAT, WRITES ANNE SCHAUFFER The jackets sold well, then summer arrived. Dawn had other ideas to explore: “I met up with friend and Durban designer Gideon, and described my vision. He was keen to collaborate.” Dawn opens a cupboard to reveal not only a massive collection of fabrics, but antique table linens, cloths, doilies … and she showed them to Gideon: “I wanted elegant, pretty, wrap dresses, shorts, jumpsuits – one-off pieces you won’t find in a store. I wanted to create art in my clothes.” Gideon did just that, and although Dawn provided a loose brief, she was adamant – as with her later collabs – their signature styles must come through.

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Gideon’s range was just as she’d imagined: “My own clothing is very different,” she says, as she whips a corset with denim and tapestry off the rack.

“I’m always scouring antique shops for tapestries and other interesting finds. The denim is recycled from some of my reject denim jackets, or old pairs of denim jeans.”

Recycling and repurposing is a big driver for Dawn. She loathes any kind of waste, and if she doesn’t repurpose it, the SPCA benefits: “Look at this. I bought all this underwear trim from a warehouse that recently shut their doors. Gideon used it in a range of dresses.”

Then Dawn met young, talented Alex van Heerden – Vanklan – or rather, saw a window she’d dressed for Country Road.

She hunted her down, found out she was a student of Gideon’s and had won the Sustainable Fashion Award for 2020, and promptly asked her to collaborate. Alex, too, is passionate about recycling and the SPCA, so the synergy was perfect: “Look at these jumpers she made out of Lucky Star shopping bags I bought,” grins Dawn.

“And this dress made out of a hammock.

Completely unique.” »

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she says, “I thought rentals. Because I love to dress up – I’m the most dressed-up person at any function – I thought rentals of headdresses, wigs, feathered things, you name it, perfect for festivals or fancy dresses?” Dawn’s dress-up box.

Heard of Champagne Fridays? From a regular Friday event when Dawn opened the doors to her home – popped corks off the bottles – and women rifled through the clothes racks, to a thrice yearly sleek and

Creative Naomi is another find of Dawn’s: “Four original All Saints jackets, decorated with these gorgeous pieces she sourced from the SPCA. She’s made bags, too, from the reject denim.” The brief? “I felt like a bit of a Dolce & Gabbana feel.”

The wonder of Disco Dawn for its owner is that she can do exactly as she pleases.

When she was going on a summer holiday, she designed her own range – a looseflowing dress, soft flowing pants and wrap top: “I designed it for me, but in a range of colours and sizes … and they sell.”

Art is the thread through her collaborations, her own range, even her

photoshoots. She loves to source creatives and collaborate with them. Whether it’s her mom knitting sleeves for an outfit, the talented guy from the municipality painting takkies, or the week-long shoots which are holidays in disguise. “I want to keep it real.

I don’t use models – it’s either myself or friends. No filters.” She does, however, have a number of wonderful assets – she’s very comfortable in the social media space, and has photographers Jacques Weyers as a brother-in-law, and Tony Christie, a good friend.

And naturally, there’s more. The Vintage clothes section is in high demand. “And,”

I wanted elegant, pretty, wrap dresses, shorts, jumpsuits – oneoff pieces you won’t find in a store. I wanted to create art in my clothes stylish event, with a DJ, music, champers, and giveaways. It’s a wonderful girl-only space, for safe dress-ups and lots of fun.

It feels as if Disco Dawn has been as much of a surprise to Dawn as it has to her clients, collaborationists and others: “My energy comes through here, from

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this place, right here. I’ve met so many new people, bonded with women who feel the same way about things as I do, found and promoted young artists who want to showcase their work, and just had the most wonderful, creative time. Still am, and still open to other artistic avenues. I’m thinking of young artists’ paintings printed on fabric and T-shirts …”

Disco Dawn will continue to dance, until Dawn MacNab stops loving it and having fun.

Listening to her, it’s not anytime soon.

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FOR MORE INFO

www.discodawn.co.za

R E PA I RS

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maintaining and respecting

BOUNDARIES CHRISTY HERSELMAN PONDERS OVER WHAT ACTOR WILL SMITH TAUGHT US ABOUT BOUNDARIES, AND THE LACK THEREOF

“L

ove makes you do crazy things.” This was the justification given by Will Smith at the recent Academy Awards after storming onstage to slap Chris Rock for making a joke at his wife’s expense. Will’s actions have been widely condemned for many reasons, and as I watched the

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spectacle unfold, what struck me was his complete lack of boundaries.

Boundaries can be defined as the invisible line where I end and the world around me begins. They affect both my incoming and outgoing interactions.

Without them my identity and behaviour is dictated by what others think and do.

Developing healthy boundaries not only

creates a sense of autonomy, but also bring clarity to relationships.

So what can we learn from Will’s “love made me do it” moment?

Self-control There should be a boundary between what happens to me and my response.

Will was offended; lost control and reacted.

Healthy boundaries help us respond appropriately to situations. Our children are often slaves to whim and emotion.

Modelling a self-controlled response to tough situations teaches our children that our lives should be governed by discipline, respect and mindfulness.

Ownership What Will should have done after his Oscar outburst was to own it. Instead of blaming his violence on “love” he should have taken responsibility. It is important that our children learn that they alone control their thoughts, emotions and choices. One way to model this is to apologise when we make mistakes. There is something so humbling about asking your five-year-old to forgive you for an angry outburst, and by doing so you show her what it means to take ownership of our choices and actions.

Respect When Will flew off the handle, he violated

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The Chat

The Chat is a culture-shaping movement which exists to start conversations and impart accurate information around issues like sex, identity, social media and pornography.

The Chat believes that if these issues are left unaddressed, they threaten to derail a generation. The Chat was founded and is led by Christy Herselman, and is overseen

his relational boundaries with both Jada and Chris. He decided Jada needed to be rescued and that Chris needed to be taught a lesson. Chris, too, crossed the line when he made a very personal joke at the expense of women grappling with hair loss in a world obsessed with appearance.

In reality, neither man had the right to do these things. Respecting the boundaries and autonomy of others is key to healthy relationships.

We will not always get this right, and let’s count our lucky stars that we don’t have to make our mistakes in front of billions

by The Table Church in uMdloti. Christy has a background in journalism and teaching.

She has written two books and currently divides her time between researching, writing, speaking and being a wife and mom. She lives in uMdloti with her husband Brad and her children Emily, Ryan and Blake. Please contact Christy on info@thechat.co.za or visit www.thechat.co.za for more info.

of TV viewers. But let’s use this teachable moment to help our children understand that maintaining and respecting boundaries is key to healthy autonomy and relationships. Not only do boundaries help us retain our own identity, but also foster mutual respect and trust with others.

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VIEW JUNIOR PRIMARY VIDEO

VIEW SENIOR PRIMARY VIDEO

Is it time to Downsize?

DO YOU THINK IT’S TIME TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY? Seeff shares what you need to know about downsizing.

Downsizing is an appealing option for many people, as compact living is one of the fastest-growing housing trends today. Downsizing can be the best decision you make for your future as there is a lot to love about a smaller, lowmaintenance property.

WHY DOWNSIZING IS A GOOD DECISION: Less Maintenance - A small home is easy to maintain, requiring much less time and effort to keep clean and organised.

Save Money - You will save on monthly expenses as insurance, rates, and interest payments all increase with the size of your home.

Pay off debts - Profit generated from the sale of your big home could be a welcome cash injection to reduce existing debt or improve your quality of life in a new location.

FOUR GOOD REASONS TO DOWNSIZE: SECURITY: Security can be a concern in a big property compared to a smaller property, and the benefit of smaller apartments is that they often have a strong focus on security.

LIFESTYLE: What you lose in size, you gain in lifestyle.

VALUE: Downsizing is also an opportunity to declutter and clean out your property. Due to demand, smaller homes often enjoy higher capital value appreciation.

CHANGE: Changing your property and lifestyle offers the same benefit as a holiday. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and drained, maybe it’s time to sell your property and downsize. It could be your solution to feel re-energised during your retirement.

Downsize and choose a new home with Seeff Contact Seeff today for guidance and to find the perfect smaller property for the next chapter of your life.

031 765 5326

hillcrest@seeff.com

For more visit hillcrest.seeff.com

decor*

Kipekee

STUDIO

MICHAEL AND KYLIE BORNMAN ARE KIPEKEE STUDIO, AN INCUBATOR OF DESIGN CONCEPTS AND A WORKSHOP FOR THEIR UNIQUE, SCANDINAVIAN STYLED RANGE OF FURNITURE – HENCE THE NAME KIPEKEE, “UNIQUE” IN SWAHILI, WRITES ANNE SCHAUFFER

K

ylie Bornman describes Kipekee Studio as “a family adventure.

It’s run solely by us, and our two little wildflowers Fynnley Grace (four) and Willow Wylde (two), and our youngest little dude Jory Judah (nine months). They’re fiercely beautiful, and keep us on our toes.”

Michael and Kylie have a wonderful love story: “We went to primary school together, lost touch through high school, and reconnected in 2016 – when our love story began.” She adds, “Growing up, we were

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both passionate about creating and making things. As a child, Michael was free to go wild with his dad’s tools and create things, and this love has never left him. Fresh out of school and during his university years at the University of Cape Town, he began making furniture for himself.”

Trained as a teacher, Kylie has always been designing and making, passionate about all forms of art, and creative and talented at whatever she tackles. She believes her vision to see a creative process is a gift, something that has blessed their

business and furniture designs.

The couple started Kipekee Studio in 2017 when they returned to Kylie’s hometown of Ballito – they’d been living in Cape Town where Michael was a quantity surveyor: “The seed for Kipekee Studio was planted when we, together, built a bed for our nephew – we constantly spoke about our big dreams of merging our talents, and love for creating beautiful things together.

“In 2017, after Fynnley’s birth, we took the leap to pursue passion and a dream,” says Kylie, “but also to be able to put

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our family first. With Michael working in corporate, the hours were not his own.

My very tough pregnancies and us both wanting to be very present in our children’s lives, was the impetus.”

Kipekee Studio’s factory moved into a beautiful space called The Makers Yard in uMhlali: “We are mainly online and haven’t had a showroom before, but are currently attaching one to our factory where visitors can have a full experience of seeing the process, the making and crafting of Kipekee Studio furniture and, at the same time, sitting on, seeing and feeling the finished product.” They do have a small space in Cape Town with a few select pieces, one that gives the public the opportunity to experience their furniture.

Michael’s woodworking skills have developed over the years through passion, trial and error, and is constantly learning from other skilled carpenters and applying this to his craft. The conceptual design, vision and dreaming up of furniture pieces is done by Kylie. She explains, “There is however a lot of design work that continues through the prototyping and manufacturing of each new item. So, it’s »

RIGHT: The Bornman tribe – Michael and Kylie with little ones Willow, Jory and Fynnley.

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largely a combined effort, bouncing off of each other to create the final product. We have so many beautiful ideas and products we want to develop and create, and we’re slowly ticking them off the list.”

The furniture style is very Scandinavian, very Danish, sometimes with a Japanese element. They’re both drawn to and inspired by minimalistic beauty: “We’ve always wanted to create functional, yet breathtaking, unique pieces of furniture that speak for themselves when standing in a room. Handmade furniture is a craft, it draws on knowledge gained over centuries of experience. It is the same practice today as 100 years ago. There is a real grounding in having your hands as your tool – I’m

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sure any artist or crafter would agree.”

At Kipekee Studio, each piece of furniture is handmade using traditional craftsmanship, modern technology and the highest standard of solid, sustainably sourced furniture-grade timbers: “We design and build products to last, and don’t aim to make those that trend with the season, but rather create simple pieces that hold the integrity of their design for many years.”

What about the wood? “First and foremost, we select environmentally friendly and ethically sourced timbers – forested timbers from North America, parts of Europe and Australia fit this profile best.

Secondly, we look at structural properties and workability, and, thirdly, aesthetics.

As such, we have ended up narrowing

our offering to American white oak and American walnut. We found that these two are by far our most requested and indemand timbers for furniture.”

But it’s not all work and no play. “We’re a full, busy and wild household – it’s been a crazy, beautiful juggle the last five years being full-time parents and starting Kipekee Studio. Navigating this has included hard days and glorious days, but we’ve learnt so much about ourselves, and the power of grace and gratitude. We don’t always get

We create simple pieces that hold the integrity of their design for many years things right, but our children thrive off their little routine and are very adaptable when things don’t go according to plan.”

Inevitably, the couple’s roles have changed over the past five years, and Michael is full-time furniture making with his team in the factory, from early morning so he can finish around 4pm to be home for family time. After school drop off, Kylie is committed to Kipekee Studio, and Sunny and Bear (her children’s brand): “My afternoons are for the three wildlings. Some of the time they join in on the afternoon work journey, lots of factory visits, but we think it’s important to bring your kids along on the journey. They can learn a lot.”

FOR MORE INFO

www.kipekeestudio.co.za

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E

ish. The air-fryer dilemma plagued Karin and I for a good year-anda-half before we caved in to the not-insubstantial peer pressure (well, mostly people saying ‘how can you not have an air fryer?’) and joined the locked-down masses – starved as much for something delicious as for inspiration – in an investment. At the time, it felt like I was committing cooking treachery, that this purchase was an all-too-trendy betrayal of everything I had learnt at culinary school … ultimately that I had thrown technique out the window in favour of a convenient and new-fangled kitchen gadget. Plus, most of ’em look kinda hideous in my kitchen work area. Hmm. So what’s the verdict? Did we find a shortcut to culinary nirvana? In a word, no.

There’s obviously nothing an air fryer can do that we couldn’t do before, but there are some definite benefits to owning one – not the least of which were cutting frying oil out of lots of tasty everyday foods, and some proper speed. Oh, and the guilt associated with eating French fries by the bucket was pretty much halved.

At the end of the day, an air fryer is a convenience gadget that makes food crispy without the oil, pretty fast – I have made peace with it on that basis alone – but they’re more valuable than for pubby frozen chips, meatballs and samoosas. You actually can roast a chicken beautifully, many owners bake muffins and cookies in theirs, and I’m trying new things every week (crispy, spicy chickpea snacks anyone? Google it).

Get an air fryer, or don’t. If you’re on the fence, I wouldn’t push you either way. But if you do own one, I would encourage you to try some new things. Chicken pieces rubbed in paprika, oregano, lemon zest-infused salt and pepper, with a salad. Asparagus tossed in garlic, oil olive oil and seasoning, then topped with grated Parmesan and a squeeze

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AIR FRYERS: yank Õem or crank Õem?

I DIDN’T START OUT AS A FAN OF AIR FRYERS, BUT SLOWLY, AND WITH EXPERIMENTATION, THIS WAY OF COOKING HAS ITS MERITS, WRITES ANT ELLIS of lemon juice. And yes, try baking a batch of New York style chocolate fudge cookies.

You’ll be very, very pleasantly surprised.

Here’s something I did recently that a chef friend of mine recommended. Could this

be the push I needed to fully embrace this terrifying new paradigm. It felt risky. I backed out and recommitted. My brothers were there for me as I worked myself up for the big day. I went for it. And it ruled.

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Simple, Crispy Roast Pork Belly • 1kg skin-on pork belly • 3 teaspoons coarse sea salt • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper • ½ teaspoon baking powder • olive oil There are two important steps you don’t want to miss when prepping this recipe.

Firstly, you absolutely have to score the rind. This should be almost as deep as the rind itself in lines, or a cross/diagonal pattern of about 1,5cm between cuts with a sharp knife. Secondly, this must rest uncovered in your fridge for as long as possible (minimum 4 hours, but overnight to 12-14 hours is preferable). Moisture is the absolute nemesis of crispy crackling, so don’t skip either of these steps.

Preheat your air fryer for 6 minutes.

While preheating, mix together most of the salt, most of the pepper and all the baking powder, then spread over the pork rind, getting into every nook and cranny.

Season the underside with a touch of salt and pepper and olive oil. Flex the pork to

open up the cracks. Set the pork in your air fryer (highest shelf if you have a front loader) and cook at 160º C for 35 minutes.

Carefully give your porky dude a flex and then push the heat to 200º C, and cook for a further 10-20 minutes, checking regularly until you’re satisfied. The crackling may not puff up, but tap with a knife and you’ll know when it’s crunchy. Remove and rest.

Disclaimer: Results, of course, may vary as air fryers models do. If you have a meat thermometer, you’re looking for a minimum internal temperature of 65º C. Serve this as a classy Sunday roast with gravy, roast potatoes, apple sauce, vegetables and yes, you most certainly can pair this with a full-bodied red wine. If you’re feeling adventurous, sliced for a sweet and sour, crispy, crunchy Vietnamese-style banh mi sandwich on a crusty baguette will blow you away.

Until next time: If all you’re doing is French fries in your expensive air fryer, that’s cool with me. But don’t say I didn’t at least try. Veggie fans, fear not. I’ve got something up my sleeve for you soon.

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mindful

MAKING

RELAX, UNWIND, FOCUS AND CALM YOUR MIND – MINDFUL MAKING IS ALL ABOUT CREATING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL … AND THIS YEAR EVERYONE’S DOING IT

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s we slowly heal from the side effects of the pandemic and adjust to changes in our home and working lives, we are becoming more and more conscious of how we spend our free time.

This year will see us practicing mindful making, using arts and crafts to relax, find calm, and to connect with loved ones, friends and even TikTok followers in new and meaningful ways.

After spending so much time at home daydreaming of travelling and fulfilling our wanderlust, makers will craft designs inspired by their bucket list destinations and favourite places.

Nostalgia and comfort will reach mainstream through crafts such as embroidery, knitting and needlepoint.

Foraging for and collecting unexpected natural materials to incorporate into crafts will encourage us to explore the outdoors and environment and get us out of the house.

Thoughtful personalisation such as hand stitching, printing and appliqué will mean personalised gifts and DIY branding will be huge in 2022. Makers will lean into technology and tools in order to create custom leather, vinyl, paper and fabric crafts at home.

Sustainability and environmentally friendly choices will see the upcycling of furniture and textiles as part of this trend.

Furthermore, handmade clothing, chunky knits and crochet pieces will make a statement about slow living and conscious

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values. More people will turn to creating their own garments; boycotting fast fashion and the impact it has on landfills.

Our homes have taken on extra significance since the pandemic, so it’s no surprise that makers want to lavish handmade love on their homes. Whether it’s a terrazzo side table, a needlepoint cushion or an heirloom quilt, this year we will make our house a home with handmade items we love and cherish.

This is the year to become makers, together.

1. PERSONALISATION WITH TECH

Cricut is a hot new trending tool – the ultimate smart cutting machine. A musthave for creating personalised projects, allowing you to design and make things like stickers, cards, personalised T-shirts, or even wall decals. It can write and draw designs and has the flexibility to cut a wide range of craft materials, from cardstock, vinyl and iron-on to glittery paper, polished foils and bonded fabric with the precision to deliver exactly what you need.

Versatile fine point blades enable Cricut

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2. NATURAL TREASURES

Turn an oyster shell into an anthroplogiestyle trinket dish, paper clip holder, jewellery holder or a salt or pepper dish. These unique and beautiful handmade treasures are the perfect gift for anyone who loves home decor and pretty things.

Oyster art and decoupage is easy and a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon crafting. The designs are endless and are created using tissue paper or paper napkins and decoupage techniques.

3. NOSTALGIC MOMENTS

machines to cut light- to medium-weight materials quickly and accurately, cutting the most intricate shapes to perfection.

The Cricut handles pens like your very own calligrapher, embellishing projects with beautiful text and delicately drawn shapes. With a variety of styles, the possibilities are endless. Use your own images and fonts in a variety of standard file formats, or choose from 50 readyto-make projects. With a Cricut machine, you’ll be able to design and make whatever your imagination allows.

This year is all about nostalgia. Capturing those precious memories and creating items that give us a feeling of comfort, cosiness and cuddles.

Expect to see chunky knits everywhere in the form of blankets, socks, sweaters and jerseys, all crafted by yourself or granny (if need be). Create a family heirloom that can be passed down through generations.

Scrapbooks, bullet journals or photobooks will be the papercraft of nostalgia, the photo collage memoirs, which will become treasured keepsakes in the years to come.

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getaway*

THE FUN never ends

WITH WINTER WELL AND TRULY HERE THE SUN MAY HAVE LOST SOME OF ITS HEAT, BUT AT THE WILD COAST SUN 24-HOUR SUMMER FUN IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, WRITES LORNA KING

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hen the Wild Coast Sun opened its doors at the end of 1981, a kilometre from the KZN border in the then Transkei, one of its main attractions was the casino, offering South Africans the opportunity to take a break and try their luck at gambling legally.

Fast forward to 2022 and the Wild Coast Sun has mushroomed into a one-stop holiday resort offering families – from the young to the elderly – enough activities to keep their days and nights filled with fun,

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adventure, leisure and pleasure.

The weekend I visited the resort it rained most of the time, but that didn’t discourage visitors from making the most of the Wild Waves Water Park. If it’s adventure you’re after, these water ride attractions are sure to tick all the boxes. A nice touch was the “private space” with guaranteed shade and loungers one could book in advance.

But the outdoor water fun doesn’t stop there. The Riverside – based on the banks of the Umtamvuna River – offers amongst others, water-skiing, paddle boats, canoes, Wake Snake rides, and the ever-popular

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cruise up the river. Order a cocktail from the Riverside bar (where there’s also a braai area), climb on board the cruise boat and relax – what a way to end the day.

The resort boasts two outdoor swimming pools and one indoor pool where you can enjoy cocktails and sundowners as you unwind before tucking into a buffet-style supper at Chico’s.

If watersports are not your thing, there are plenty of other options: horse riding on the beach, quad biking tours, karting, Segway rides, tennis, lawn bowls, a guided beach walk to the Petrified Forest to see marine fossil beds which are actually fossilised logs embedded in rocks, and, of course, the 18-hole champion golf course.

Saturday afternoon turned into an afternoon of treats. First stop was Mangwanani Spa, where every knot was banished from my body as we enjoyed a couple’s full body massage. After leaving the spa feeling like a new couple, it didn’t take much temptation to try out the high tea which was in full swing. What a delight!

A selection of savouries, more sweet treats

than I could actually eat, and a long list of teas to choose from. Well worth every cent.

Indoor entertainment activities are just as vast as the outdoor offering. There’s a fully equipped gym if you’re needing to work off the calories, a Netflix chill room, ten-pin bowling, an escape room, and for the little ones there are three separate areas filled with fun and adventure.

Parents can leave their children at Squawkers Cove knowing they will be supervised and safe.

It has been a while since I last visited the Wild Coast Sun, but one thing general manager Peter Tshidi and his team have done, is successfully transformed this stretch of beautiful coastline into a playground where families can enjoy life.

A place where dad can play golf, granny can chance her luck in the casino, mom can relax by the pool, and the children have fun, make new friends, and go home with memories to cherish.

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FOR MORE INFO www.suninternational.com

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Rooms: The bed was comfortable, and the room was spacious and clean with all the standard facilities. We could have done with an extra power point.

Staff: All staff carried out their duties with a smile on their faces, and were happy to go above and beyond.

Food: Catering for a diverse clientele,

the food was in abundance. From a choice of soups, carveries, curries, pizzas, fish, salads, vegetables and desserts for supper, to eggs anyway-you-want-them with all the normal trimmings, fruit, yoghurt, waffles, pastries and much more for breakfast.

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last word*

“W

e have to go to this wedding,” I said.

“But you hate weddings,” said my partner.

“But I want to go to this one.”

“We don’t even really know these people.”

“I know! But it’s in a castle! In Tuscany!”

All my life I’ve wanted to go to a wedding in Tuscany. Oh, how glamorous and sophisticated it would be – the rolling hills and white mountain villages and lines of dark cypress and me in a linen suit on the ramparts of a castle, sipping a Chianti and wearing dark glasses and eating crostini and fried zucchini flowers and saying “Ciao!” and “Bella!” And what better way to say goodbye to lockdown than a summer wedding in Tuscany? We had to go.

It’s quite a long way to Tuscany, and the connecting flights aren’t very convenient, and the first thing I noticed in the rental car – besides that it was the size of a microwave oven – is that the airconditioning didn’t work.

“It’s too hot!” I yelled.

“Take that suit jacket off then,” said my partner.

“Never! A man must dress elegantly in Tuscany! I must present la bella figura!”

One thing they don’t tell you about linen suits when you see them in the movies is they crease quite easily. By the time we arrived at the castle I looked like a Kleenex that someone had used, scrunched up then stuffed down the back of a sofa.

“That suit wasn’t two-tone before, was it?” said my partner.

Another thing they don’t tell you about linen suits is that when you sweat through them you make large unsightly patterns like a rumpled Holstein cow.

Oh man, it was hot. It felt like someone was hitting me with a heavy stick made of rolled-up sun.

We checked in with a bored-looking woman then carried our luggage up four flights of stairs to our room.

“It’s authentic,” said my partner. “They didn’t have elevators in medieval castles.”

I tell you what else they didn’t have – rooms with en suite bathrooms. Also,

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longing for

TUSCANY A SUMMER WEDDING IN A CASTLE IN TUSCANY. NOW THAT’S MY STYLE, SAYS DARREL BRISTOW-BOVEY OF A TRIP HE COULDN’T MISS AND WILL NEVER FORGET rooms big enough to accommodate two people and their luggage at the same time.

We struggled and sweated until finally I just put my suitcase out in the corridor. Tuscan castles look good from the outside, but you can understand why princesses in fairy tales want to be rescued from them.

We wandered down for the rehearsal dinner. The bridal couple were American, from the great state of New Jersey. We were surrounded by a cast of extras from The Sopranos. Women with big hair and men with ill-fitting suits kept shouting and jostling over the meatballs.

It was good so many people were smoking, because it helped keep off the mosquitoes. At 3am we were still awake in our tiny beds, sweating and staring at the very low ceiling, listening to drunken

mafiosi trying to sing Sinatra down in the courtyard.

“Ah, Tuscany,” said my partner, slapping at a mosquito but somehow hitting me instead.

“The glamour.”

The next day we stumbled exhausted to our car and drove into the countryside. We didn’t know where we were going, we just drove. We found a shady pine tree and lay down to nap for an hour before we had to go back to the castle, and those people, and that tiny room, and get ready for the wedding.

We woke in the cooling purple dusk.

Swallows wheeled and dipped. It was quiet and lovely and the air smelt of lavender. My partner checked her watch. “The wedding ceremony ended about two hours ago,” she said, and sighed in relief.

“I told you we’d have a good time,” I said.

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Francois Vedemme Fashion B E S P O K E

L U X U R Y

Est. 1994

031 312 0281 | www.vedemme@mweb.co.za | @francoisvedemmefashion