United Maverick Magazine 01

KICK THE TYRES AND LIGHT THE FIRES

/01

Welcome onboard

feel free to leave your shoes at the door

004

Contributors

008

Letter from the Editor

009

Foreword

010

Thank You

VINTAGE Golden Age

052

Rand Club

058

Fashion

080

Mad Men Mod

084

Howard Hughes

090

London Underground

096

Paper Plane

MOTORING 138

Ferrari

144

Mercedes-Benz C63

146

Audi A6

148

Volkswagen Scirocco

LIFESTYLE 012

Diamonds

016

London

022

Umcebo

030

Ageless Lasers

036

Jozi

042

Ozwald Boateng

132

042

138

046

TRAVEL 098

Monte Carlo Grand Prix

106

Hotel de Paris

When Magnum PI howled across

120

Lake Como

the little screen in a 308 GTS with

126

Exotic Europe

132

Santorini

the targa top off (the only way the 6 foot 4 actor would fit) an entire generation fell a little in love – and not only with Tom Selleck!

AVIATION 206

Aircraft Specs

212

Charter Broker

216

Baron Ferry

226

Challenger

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT Rupert & Rothchild

174

Select Wine Trails of the Cape

180

Raw Food

186

Coffee

BUSINESS

190

Tim Flach

150

Economic History

202

Festivals

154

Ezulwini Chocolates

156

Economic Future

162

Business Jets

234

154

186

170

A few decades ago, South Africa ordered their coffee two ways. There was moer-koffie, a pitch-black potion conveniently strained through the teeth that you could also float a horse-shoe on should the need arise. And, at the other extreme there was instant Hot Brown Liquid (named to reflect the fact that it contained very little actual coffee).

“Grow a tough skin – you will need it when things heat up. But never forget to enjoy the ride.”

- Nontwenhle Mchunu

TECHNOLOGY 234

Ancient Zodiac

MAVERICK’S STARS DEMYSTIFIED “experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing.” oscar wilde | tiger/libra

INGRID IRSIGLER Hare/Libra | Creative Director

The poster child for truancy, Ingrid thought matching chips of paint colours and hanging out with family at the top interior design projects was, frankly, far more important than school.

At 16 she took over her mother’s paint finish business and ran developments for top hotels and decorators. A decade later she was creative director for the UK-based Guardian, managing an international award-winning stable of designers and developers. Six years ago she started her own design agency BigCityStudio and popular online design magazine BigCityLife. Never having played by the rules, Ingrid is very comfortable developing magazines with a madcap skeleton staff who periodically subscribe to cults that frown on leaving the house, love unreliable cars, hate kisses in emails, have an unhealthy fascination with questions, suffer from terminal insomnia and summarily vote anyone who doesn’t work with Dropbox off the Maverick island.

SANJA CLOETE-JONES Rat/Gemini | Editor-in-Chief

Sanja started life in the Kalahari Desert where, instead of a car, her parents owned a Cessna 150 – so behind the only two seats she shared space with the luggage, the dog and a pillow. Unlike the rest of her family she did not pursue a career in aviation but followed her heart and wrote her way around the world instead. She lives in the wild North West of England with the love of her life and their three wayward offspring.

ANTHONY DART

Ox/Scorpio | Typographer and Graphic Artist An obsession with creativity that can be traced to a fine line in Kindergarten graffiti transgressions has catapulted Anthony to the White Rooms exhibition in Hong Kong, Neo2 magazine in Spain and the inspirational mood board for David Fincher’s ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. His work is heavily based in an enduring love for listening to and creating music; and a pleasingly anarchic approach, that redesigns the drawing board before he lays down the first line for every new brief, sets his design apart. A newfound appreciation for moderation as far as his workload is concerned does not extend to his regular indulgence in an array of death-defying adventure sports.

RONEL VAN HEERDEN Snake/Sagittarius | Layout Artist

Saturday Night Fever premiered the day Ronel was born and set the scene for a life filled with the Bee Gees, MacGyver, The Rolling Stones and Donkey Kong. Always keen to try her hand at new and exciting things, Ronel has worked in a maximum security prison as a student social worker and observed an autopsy as a student of criminology. When her chosen field did not quite satisfy she turned her gaze towards the flickering lights of graphic design. After many years of late nights behind the computer, she decided to calm her fire element and moved to a place where there is an abundance of water – the Western Cape. Today, Ronel practises Tai Chi in order to keep one foot on the earth while the rest of her being floats around the creative plane.

CLAUDIA FERREIRA Rat/Aquarius | Writer

Claudia was born and raised in Benoni, SA and graduated from Wits in 2005 with a degree in Media Studies and English Literature. She’s written a popular entertainment column for South Africa’s premier television website and is regularly published on South Africa’s largest web portals. Claudia has an eye for the unconventional and lives for the thrill of discovery. She avoids following the crowd, choosing rather to live her life according to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s philosophy that, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”

JANE GARTON Pig/Libra | Chief Sub-Editor

Jane grew up on the not-so-mean streets of Belfast before crossing the Irish Sea to study art history at St Andrews in Scotland. After travelling the Karakoram Highway on the back of trucks, crossing the dark heart of Borneo on foot, and a stint baking Holy Communion wafers in a Melbourne convent, she forgot all about art history to work as a writer for a leading humanitarian organisation. These days, when she’s not running around after her kids, Jane runs a sharp red pen from her kitchen in Oxford.

LARRY BEAMISH Dog/Libra | Writer

His father was a ground breaker at South African Airways but Larry Beamish learnt to fly in secret.

He is often found in the Challenger or some other business jet on his way to a place that no one can pronounce, or wowing the crowd with his performances on the air show circuit. Larry holds a unique position in South African aviation. As one of its most versatile pilots, he is an authority on flying business jets – and his insight into the world of non-scheduled flying is pure entertainment.

WORDS Editor-In-Chief SANJA CLOETE-JONES Chief Sub-Editor JANE GARTON Sub Editor NICOLA SUTHERLAND Writer CLAUDIA FERREIRA Vintage Writer NICOLA SUTHERLAND Motoring Writers GEOFF JONES, BRENWIN NAIDU Business Writers PROF STAN DU PLESSIS, CHRIS ROGERS, DR LANCE VOGEL Food & Entertainment Writer JACKIE LARGUS Aviation Writers LARRY BEAMISH, DAVE HOWARTH

IMAGES Creative Director INGRID IRSIGLER Typography and Graphic Designer ANTHONY NEIL DART Layout Artist RONEL VAN HEERDEN Illustrators KATHERINE ASHER, HANNAH DAVIES, SARA HINGLE , CHRISTIAN DAVID MOORE Photographers MAXIM BEUSELINCK, FIONA ELKINS, AARON GEDDES, EDWIN JONES, ADRIAN TURNER, GUY WHITBY

FASHION SHOOT Photographers SEPPI HOCHFELLNER Stylist LEKSA MENZIES Make Up @ RHO ALEX BOTHA Hair SAADIQUE RYKLIEF Fashion Assistant RIAAN HULLEY Production RED HOT OPS Models CALISTA, HUGETTE, ELRISSA, ELMARIE Clothing 2A, LANVIN Accessories CHARLES GREIGG

RESEARCH Lifestyle Research JEN STERN Motoring Research JAMES SIDDALL Business Research FRANCESCA BOURKE Food, Art & Entertainment Research JACKIE LAGUS

PRINTING RENFORM Tel: +27 114931575/6 Email: inquiries@renform.co.za

DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION DESIGN Maverick is published by BIGCITYSTUDIO Tel +27 847422402 Email: info@bigcitylife.co.za

EDITOR’S LETTER

B

sanja cloete-jones

etween 1912 and 1991, the Pravda was published in Moscow. It was owned by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and so it was a newspaper that happened to not print news. A century after Pravda first hit

the streets, we find that the democratisation of information is no longer the problem. Instead we have information overload, excessive online retrievability and less and less understanding. As it turns out, having no information and too much information can be equally toxic.

When we set out to produce Maverick, information was a secondary concern. Creative engineering, great design, intriguing ideas, social conscience and aspirational lifestyle choices… were the notions we found ourselves grappling with instead. You might think that it is not the most efficient way to produce a magazine (you would be quite right) and that it is all a little serious for the frivolous arena of entertainment. But then Maverick is part of a larger company that is in the business of literally taking people’s lives in their hands – so serious is simply part of the day job.

We know that you will not think Maverick is more important because of its magnificent size and sturdy binding – but you might consider that thoughtless design for thoughtless consumption is no longer sustainable… which is why we designed this edition for your bookshelf where, like a good vintage, it will age gracefully.

We hope that this rather unusual in-flight magazine might take you on a virtual journey where you find space to think about your personal definitions of life, living, wisdom and knowledge.

Welcome to Maverick – the Vintage edition.

UNITED CHARTER

W

maverick

elcome to the inaugural

with content that reflects the diversity of our

edition of Maverick, your

clientele, the articles you will find within are based

luxury lifestyle magazine

on up-to-date, ‘real world’ information. To this end,

in the air. We wish you a

we have enlisted the services of industry leaders in

warm welcome from the

their particular fields of expertise, as well as a top flight

flight deck and look forward to spending many hours with you aboard a United Charter Services or Owenair operated flight.

team of internationally-sourced writers and editors.

If you would like to know a little more about the company you choose to fly with, you’ll find a United

As you rest and unwind during the flight, please

Charter Services and Owenair biography of a sort in

accompany us on a journey through Maverick. We

the ‘A Charter Broker?’ article in our Aviation section.

are confident that the contents will live up to your

Wishing you many hours of comfortable and

expectations and provide you, our esteemed guest,

stress-free flying with United Charter Services

with an insight into both United Charter Services

and Owenair.

and Owenair.

From the outset, Maverick aims to provide a

Warm regards,

wide variety of interesting articles ranging from destination guides to luxury vehicles, art and fashion… and of course, the mesmerising world of aviation.

As we strive to provide a unique reading experience

Jonathan Wolpe CEO, Managing Member and Director

THANK YOU for making our magnificent girls & their flying machines dream a reality, with maverick gratitude to

Miles van der Molen from CemAir at Lanseria Airport for allowing us to bring bedlam to his hangar for 48 hours.

Kenneth Cloete and Riaan Cloete from Classique Aviation at Rand Airport for our foxy De Havilland Tigermoth pin up.

Captain Flippie Vermeulen from Springbok Classic Air for the magnificent Douglas Dakota.

Charles Greig for the fabulous jewellery.

2A from Hyde Park for their exquisite clothes. ‌ and Dr Lance Vogel for the use of his beautiful E type Jaguar.

CemAir Hangar 31 Lanseria International Airport info@cemair.co.za +27 (11) 659 2171 Charles Greig 1899 Shop U34 Upper Mall Hyde Park Corner Jan Smuts Avenue Hyde Park melanie@charlesgreig.co.za +27 (11) 325 4477

Classique Aviation Rand Airport Rand Airport Road Germiston caviation@mweb.co.za +27 76 048 5533

Springbok Classic Air Hangar 5 Spitfire Crescent Rand Airport info@springbokclassicair.co.za +27 (11) 824 2142 2A 2A Upper Mall Hyde Park Corner Jan Smuts Avenue Hyde Park 2a@apsleygroup.co.za +27 (11) 325 4545

Captain Flippie Vermeulen and Brian Stapleford from Springbok Classic Air.

Distinction – the inspiration of a team of specialists at work Fabergé eggs only carry the name of their designer, Peter Carl Fabergé, while in actual fact it took a team of highly skilled crafts people a year or longer to create each one. An Aon Private Insurance Broking solution, brought to you by Aon Household and Motor Insurance, also comes into being with the knowledge and insight of a team of inspired experts.

We offer you a combination of specialist knowledge, expert advice, incomparable service, more options and greater flexibility – all the requirements demanded by a discerning client for the protection of your personal assets. But our experience goes even beyond skilled advice and innovative solutions, to ensure you get a bespoke offering defined by one-on-one support, guidance and a dedicated partnership approach.

Call us today on 0800 400 400 for a quotation or email quoterequest@aon.co.za. Alternatively, visit www.aon.co.za for more information.

Distinct. Inspired. Bespoke.

Aon South Africa (Pty) Ltd is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP #20555).

Aon is the Principal Sponsor of Manchester United.

underwritten by

LIFESTYLE | 13

The problem with marketing decorative diamonds is that – unlike chickens – the rocks are essentially useless. ntil the early 18th century, all

U

Rhodes understood that the value of

services of the oldest advertising

diamonds came from India.

a diamond was inextricably linked to

agency in the US, NW Ayer. The brief

They were exotic, mysterious,

its rarity. If too many diamonds hit the

was to create a need for diamonds – to

extremely rare, very, very expensive and

market at once, the price would drop

democratise them. A diamond on every

(no surprise) owned and worn almost

disastrously. So he bought up every

hand to complement Herbert Hoover’s

exclusively by royalty. No-one else even

small claim he could and merged them

promised ‘chicken in every pot’.

bothered to fantasise about them.

into De Beers Consolidated Diamond

The

problem

with

marketing

Things changed a bit in 1730 when

Mines, giving him a virtual worldwide

decorative diamonds is that – unlike

diamonds were discovered in Brazil.

monopoly. By controlling the supply,

chickens – the rocks are essentially

Within a decade, the world’s supply had

Rhodes could keep the demand high

useless. Beautiful but useless. You can’t

doubled, the price had dropped by more

and ultimately control the price.

make soup with them, you can’t fuel

than 70%, and the beautiful stones were

Rhodes’ plan suffered a bit of a wobble

available on the open market for any

after the discovery of the Premier mine

bourgeois tradesman who could afford

by Thomas Cullinan, who gave his name

NW Ayer’s President, Gerold Lauck,

them. But as far as the great unwashed

both to the town that sprung up on the

decided to go with a time-honoured

went they were still relatively rare – and

edge of the mine and the biggest rough

theme

still seriously expensive.

diamond ever found. But Cullinan and

romantic connotation of the diamond.

your car with them, and they are not going to keep you warm.

and

concentrated

on

the

Then on the banks of South Africa’s

De Beers soon worked out that they

The precedent was well established –

Orange River in 1866 a young boy

needed each other – and so began one of

the first recorded diamond engagement

discovered a shiny stone and, a few

the most remarkable cartels the world

ring was given in 1477 by Archduke

years later, the first diamond-bearing

has ever known.

Maximillian to Mary of Burgundy.

Kimberlite pipe was found. Soon every

Supply was controlled, but the

Of course Mary did bring along the

hopeful who knew his way around a

sheer number of diamonds that could

Netherlands and Belgium as a dowry,

shovel was heading towards Kimberley

now be mined still brought the price

so it was a pretty good deal. The real

and the diamond world stood on the

down significantly. At last, owning a

genius, though, was not the association

very brink of complete change. The

diamond was well within the reach

with proposals per se, but the essential

market was set to be flooded, turned

of many ‘ordinary’ people. ‘But the

element of surprise. To get around the

on its head, possibly even destroyed.

expected rush of eager buyers simply

sensible idea that money should be

And so it might have been, but for the

didn’t materialise.

used for something more practical, like

shrewd foresight and avarice of one

Determined to turn things around,

a down-payment on a house – or more

powerful, forceful and decidedly astute

in 1938 De Beers’ new head honcho,

chickens – Lauck’s marketing campaign

man – Cecil John Rhodes.

Harry

relied heavily on product placement.

Oppenheimer,

enlisted

the

LIFESTYLE | 15

The most successful advertising campaign of all time was also backed by a very special love affair.

Close association with celebrities, great

men who splash out more than they can

Today diamonds have become so

artists and even the church affirmed

afford at the very point in their lives that

much a part of the fairytale that in

a very simple message. Diamonds are

they can least afford to do so.

the USA, Europe and Japan, more

an indispensable luxury. Not content

It didn’t hurt that the most successful

than 80% of marriages are heralded

with having pushed sales up by 55% in

advertising campaign of all time was

by diamond rings. Even in China,

the USA, NW Ayer decided the next

also backed by a very special love affair.

where diamonds were traditionally

campaign should make 70 million

The relationship between Hollywood

valued only for their ability to carve

people believe that diamonds are a

and diamonds was played out publicly

jade (which was considered far more

psychological necessity.

– on and off screen. While Audrey

valuable), the proportion of brides-to-

Which brings us to the long dark

Hepburn played a penniless adventuress

be wearing diamond rings is rapidly

night of a young NW Ayer copywriter’s

in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, she is one of

approaching 50%.

soul. Tasked with penning a slogan, an

only two women to have worn the

exhausted Frances Gerety probably

Tiffany Yellow – a 128-carat gem that was

no actual use, but now they are most

had visions of herself sitting at her desk

crafted into a whimsical little brooch

definitely desired. Okay, they’re not

forever. As her sleep-deprived brain

called Bird on the Rock. The gorgeous

particularly practical. They’re symbols,

cried out for release, she scribbled the

necklace Grace Kelly wore in To Catch a

and like most symbols they can mean

phrase ‘A diamond is forever’ on a scrap

Thief almost eclipsed her legendary ice-

whatever you want them to mean. Or

of paper, left the office and went home

goddess looks. Elizabeth Taylor, in the

not – as in the case of the inimitable

to sleep.

1958 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, wore a simple,

Zsa Zsa Gabor, who clearly preferred

elegant diamond pendant that inspired a

the substance to the symbol when she

whole new market of younger women

stated, “I never hated a man enough to give him back diamonds.”

The next morning, she realised she had a winner. Diamonds are forever.

Decorative

diamonds

still

have

It certainly has – as they say in the

who had previously been put off by the

advertising world – legs. More than

stuffy styles and dowager associations of

Yes, diamonds are about love, but

half a century on, the slogan is still in

traditional diamond jewellery. In Inside

they’re also about wealth and power.

constant use, and has been translated

Man, the Clive Owen character sacrifices

Owning and wearing a diamond is one

into over 30 languages, including

two diamonds from the big haul – one

way of saying that you – or someone

Chinese. The connection between the

easily identifiable Cartier ring that will

who loves you – can afford to have a few

physical resilience of diamonds and

incriminate the baddy, and one decent-

hundred tonnes of earth moved just so

the tenuous but hopefully permanent

sized loose gem of about two or three

you can tilt your finger to the sun and

nature of romantic love created an aura

carats that he surreptitiously slips into

flash fire and ice… or another way to say

of magic that has sustained hundreds of

Denzel Washington’s pocket to inspire

that business has only two functions –

hopeful, bright-eyed, sore-kneed young

him to finally propose to his girlfriend.

innovation and marketing.

LIFESTYLE | 17

Minimalist might be classy, but is it frolicking fun?

PYLONES

Not so much! And for proof of this one only has to visit the very French Pylones shop in Carnaby Street which has made a business of bringing unadulterated amusement to weary shoppers for the last quarter of a century.

They say they have something for everyone, which initially might sound like a well-hackneyed marketing line, but hey ho, five minutes into a

Pylones browse and I have to admit they are right. Putting a twist and a spin on a wide range of everyday objects, a Pylones acquisition is guaranteed to surprise and delight even the hardest-to-buy-for family and friends.

Pylones is a riot of unapologetic colour and a little anti-establishment in a pleasingly avant-garde way. Founded in France by a group of designers, 25 years on quirky and fun designs are still the order of the day. Today Pylones works with designers from all over the world and they design for every aspect of modern life – from home to office, playtime, personal grooming, cleaning and of course the wonderful world of gifts for pets.

The Queen is said to believe that expensive presents are vulgar and amusing gifts like the shower cap reading ‘Ain’t life a bitch’ that Prince Harry gave her are the way forward. In England, Pylones carries a great range of Royalty-inspired gifts, so whether you agree with the Queen’s irreverent approach to largesse, or simply fancy the idea of a William and Kate teabag, Pylones will deliver in psychedelic spades.

The world’s largest toy store? What’s not to like!

HAMLEYS

Hamleys’ flagship Regent Street shop is a bona fide tourist magnet in a city that is known to boast the odd notable attraction.

William Hamley originally founded a toy shop at 231 High Holburn Street in 1760. It was called Noah’s Ark and the wealthy Bloomsbury set loved it. The Regent Street branch opened in 1881.

Queen Mary gave Hamleys a royal warrant in 1938

and whilst the shop was bombed five times during World War II it survived to be given a second royal warrant by Queen Elizabeth II in 1955.

The current Regent Street address has seven floors and covers 5,000m2.

Every floor has its own section of toys. The basement has interactive toys ranging from Lego to novelties. The ground floor has soft toys ranging from life-size giraffes to valuable Steiff bears. The first floor has a Build-a-Bear workshop and a sweet shop as well as board games. On the second floor there are toys for young children. The third floor is dedicated to girls and the fifth floor to boys. Cushioned in between on the fourth floor are model kits and remote-controlled toys.

The job description for a Hamleys shop assistant includes playing with the toys in the aisles, and no sooner have you ducked out of the flight path of a flashing boomerang or flying saucer you are side-stepping another Hamleys employee shooting past on some later incarnation of the wheel. It’s impossible not to get caught up in the mad elves on a deadline for Christmas atmosphere. The big shop is an experience, but if you run out of time the good news is that you can catch Hamleys at the airport on your way out of London at Heathrow Terminal 1, Stansted and Gatwick.

LIFESTYLE | 19

Aldous Huxley believed

LA CHAPELLE & CAFÉ A VIN

the difference between being

a

pessimistic

determinist

and

an

optimistic believer in freedom of will is down to whether or not one has eaten lunch.

To lunch in London we go,

and we stop in historic Spitalfields – a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, Spitalfields straddles Commercial Street in the East End of London. The name is a contraction of ‘hospital fields’ as it once lay to the east behind the ‘New Hospital of St Mary without Bishopgate’ that was erected in 1197. Old Spitalfields Market was founded in the 17th century and today the Sunday UpMarket and the Brick Lane Markets imbue the area with an open- air fair atmosphere.

It is here that we find the perfect Galvin eateries side-byside – whether you want to take your time surrounded by storied architecture and a Michelin star, or simply take your time with great food, La Chapelle and its neighbour Café a Vin deliver perfection.

GALVIN LA CHAPELLE The grade II listed Victorian school chapel of St. Botolph’s Hall has 30-metre high vaulted ceilings and is the setting for one of the most impressive destinations for lunch in London.

The restaurant design has won awards and Chef Patron Jeff Galvin’s modern French menu earned the venue a Michelin star in the 2011 Red Guide within a year of opening. And the list of awards continues very reassuringly, but at the end of the day it’s not the awards that make the restaurant, it’s the food. Jeff and Chris Galvin specialise in fine cooking that is an evolved, contemporary take on classic cuisine bourgeoise. The destination restaurant does have a doorman with a bowler hat to go with its movie star interior and guests can choose from a menu gourmand, prix fixe lunch, early dinner menu and a ‘Sunday Roast’ lunch.

Classic French bistro cuisine includes lasagne of Dorset crab with chantrelles and chervil and veal cheek with zingara garnish and pommes puree, and if you really want to set the experience apart you should book the half-mezzanine floor that is suspended in elegant glass and steel within the cathedral-like setting.

GALVIN CAFÉ A VIN A funky café that exudes cool from its six-metre pewter bar designed by Sir Terence Conran, to its lavish helping of baguettes and the finest French butter that precedes its fabulous Italian and French menu. Separated from the more formal La Chapelle by a narrow aperitivi bar, the cafe has the perfect dish for every occasion, from gratinated onion soup to fabulous pizza and Alsatian-influenced tarte flambée – a woodfired, thin dough base topped with smoked bacon, onion and tangy fresh cheese.

The tradition of dim

PING

PONG

sum started on the Silk Road. Travellers needing

a

rest

stopped to drink tea at teahouses along the roadside and eventually teahouse

owners

started

provide

to

various snacks. The art of dim sum has evolved from its Cantonese roots to a modern day dining experience that is enjoyed across the world.

Traditionally dim sum was only served until midafternoon but the happiness keeps on coming well into the night at the restaurant chain Ping Pong which has branches across London. Dim sum literally means the point of the heart and at Ping Pong, dim sum is also referred to as ‘little steamed parcels of deliciousness’.

The menu includes not only steamed dim sum but a variety of seasonal specials, nibbles and sauces, soups, rice dishes and of course dessert.

Vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free dishes can also be ordered. The dim sum is prepared by specialist chefs but the real beauty of the meal lies in the ancient tradition of meeting over food.

The flowering teas are incredibly delicate and beautiful and taking the time to wait for the buds to open up and infuse the water through tall clear glasses leaves you feeling you have escaped the fast lane‌ if only for the duration of lunch!

Remember to pour tea for others before filling your own cup. You should also tap your bent index finger if you are single or both the index and middle finger if you are married to give a symbolic bow, and so thank the person pouring your tea.

Between youth and age Between perfection and flaws Between regret and dreams There lies a space Where you determine your future Choose wisely…

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LIFESTYLE | 23

LIFESTYLE | 25

“a remarkable feat entirely constructed from the discarded pieces of society – blooming, luscious trees, riotous colours and birds in full flight speak of hopefulness and optimism”

W

alking into its deliberately modest

The artists themselves are the heart and soul

after working as a special-needs art teacher,

Durban headquarters, it’s clear

of the Umcebo brand – the poor and displaced

when he had plenty of opportunity to observe

that Umcebo isn’t defined by

men and women who have been cast aside and

the positive impact of creativity on his students’

celebrity clients or international exhibitions.

ignored by the rest of society; the unheard, who

lives. While the brand went from strength to

Umcebo Design might not care for money

have found their voice through art.

strength, public funding still proved difficult to

or status – but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t

For creative director Robin Opperman,

come by. Opperman conceded that he needed to

got shedloads of both. The press pages on its

Umcebo is not just a design studio. Nor is it

tweak the model, and in 2011 the Umcebo Trust

website read like an artist’s bucket list, with

a charity in the strictest sense of the word.

officially became a commercial enterprise and

Umcebo’s creations gracing the boardrooms

It’s his way of making a positive impact on

changed its name to Umcebo Design.

of South Africa’s top corporates, appearances

disadvantaged individuals by nurturing their

Even as it takes its place among the

at the prestigious Maison & Objet in Paris and

self-expression and, in doing so, fostering self-

trendsetters and market leaders in the arts,

Frankfurt’s Ambiente exhibition – and a star-

sufficiency. Or as the mission statement puts

crafts and design field, Umcebo remains deeply

studded client base that includes the likes of

it: “We use creativity as a commercially viable

committed to its original vision of community

Rita Marley, Richard Branson and Our Lady of

means of empowering marginalised community

empowerment. Opperman works with refugees

Favourite Things herself, Oprah Winfrey. But

members. In this way we create opportunities,

from countries including Zimbabwe, Burundi,

you have to work hard to find these achievements

overcome barriers and generate sustainable

DRC and Rwanda, and regularly enters into

– the prize Umcebo chooses to showcase is an

income for crafters and their families.”

creative collaboration with local community

Impumelelo social innovation award.

Opperman founded the Umcebo Trust in 2003

groups that are trying to change lives.

LIFESTYLE | 27

The UN climate change conference in Durban

materials. The words ‘intricate’, ‘ambitious’

Indaba – the Oscars of South Africa’s arts and

in autumn 2012 presented a great opportunity

and ‘otherworldly’ are often used to describe

design world – where, Opperman says, the

for putting local crafters on the creative map.

Umcebo’s

blooming,

brand received an amazing amount of exposure

The tree they created, using landfill-bound

luscious trees, riotous colours and birds in

and potential business, in spite of the tough

scraps from a local T-shirt factory, could be

full flight speak of hopefulness and optimism.

economic climate. The secret of Umbeco’s

seen as a grand metaphor for Umcebo itself: a

No matter how bad the artists’ situations in

success? That would be telling – although it

remarkable feat entirely constructed from the

life may be, with Umcebo their talent thrives,

must at least partly lie in the fact that the studio

discarded pieces of society. Another giant tree

potential is realised and ambitions soar. This is

functions as an interface between customer

was created for World Refugee Day in June 2012,

dream-craft.

and artist. Clients can commission a piece and

creations,

and

the

the leaves of which contained messages from

It’s hard to believe there could be so much

the refugee community – again drawing

undiscovered talent in the less salubrious

attention

major

corners of Durban, but Opperman has long

culprit causing the displacement of African

been aware of the untapped creative potential

philanthropy don’t mix, but Umcebo Design is

populations.

in the city’s downtrodden communities.

proving them wrong. It proves that community-

to

climate

change

as

Opperman will find artists to bring it to fruition.

If you can dream it, Umcebo can bring it to life.

Cynics

might

say

that

business

and

As diverse as Umcebo’s designs are, each

“Finding artists is never a problem,” he

focused business models can create visionary

one is infused with the spirit of its creators.

explains. “In KwaZulu-Natal you can throw a

work and enjoy international success while

Designer lighting features strongly, as do beads

stone and hit the most incredible artists.”

changing lives and empowering communities.

and wirework, metal, ceramics and recycled

In 2012 Umcebo had a very successful Design

This is art with heart.

A

s well as designing bespoke work, Umcebo offers training and corporate team-building workshops: www.umcebodesign.co.za

LIFESTYLE | 29

R

obin fine tuning and assembling one of their bespoke light installations.

LIFESTYLE | 31

“Beauty has never been absolute and immutable but has taken on different aspects depending on the historical period and the country.”

– Umberto Eco

Let’s be superficial All through the ages, philosophy, literature and art have

make them appear larger. Pale, clear skin was a sign of

imitated that which people find beautiful. Or fascinating.

wealth as it signified that you did not work outside or live

In the modern world ugliness has lost many of its ties

in cramped conditions where disfiguring diseases such

to morality, religion and morbid curiosity, but beauty

as smallpox were rife. In the 21st century being thin and

and what is considered its antithesis still reflects the

glowing (if not actually tanned) signals wealth.

underlying morals of our complex universe.

Then there are the extremes– the Padaung women of

So what is beauty? It is quite clear that a strong cultural

Southeast Asia increase in desirability with the length

component is at work – what is considered beautiful

of their neck, that is stretched with metal rings until it is

at one time and place simply isn’t in another. Ruben’s

so long that the girls are also known as ‘Giraffe Women’.

‘Venus at a Mirror’ is pale and plump but the Chinese and

And never mind Angelina – the Surma women in Africa

Egyptians consistently portrayed a slimmer female figure.

and the Suya Indians of Brazil favour lip stretching using

In 1885, Lorings sold Fat-Ten-U and Corpula Foods to help

lip plates. In recent years of course, these practices can’t

ladies put on weight – whereas today you can never be too

compete with what is considered normal amongst Western

rich or too thin. An accelerated portrayal of how the ideal

women. From breast augmentation to liposuction, being

weight has changed within the last century is the torch-

injected with botulism and fat to attaching fake hair and

bearing Columbia Lady… who has obviously been on a

fake nails, plastic surgery is an industry that is bursting at

pretty steady diet since she first graced film screens back

the seams.

in 1924.

In the face of all this excess, and considering the

In some parts of Africa obesity continues to be a sign

fleeting nature of the latest trends, trying to live up to

of wealth. Size is not the only thing that has changed – in

the standards of beauty endorsed by your culture might

Elizabethan England women plucked their foreheads to

quite rightly be considered a vain, shallow and ultimately

LIFESTYLE | 33

impossible quest, as the concept of beauty changes as

your level of adherence to cultural preferences and fads,

quickly as our cultures evolve. As our world develops and

if you really want to make the most of your natural beauty

everything becomes more sophisticated our approach to

you can invest in treatments that guarantee real and often

beauty follows suit. Today the pursuit for good looks is also

lasting solutions. Ageless Lasers in Johannesburg’s Hyde

linked strongly to our health and our humanity.

Park is a clinic that does not dabble in the arbitrary and

Let’s get real

artificial but offers exclusive laser and dermatology clinic services, with three dermatologists and two aesthetic

So, how do you tell the difference between superficial

doctors as well as beauty therapists and other medical and

beauty that changes with the times – and the kind that

specialised laser personal on the staff.

reflects health and wellbeing?

This is where you come when you don’t want to

First of all we look at collective indicators of beauty.

make good with unwanted spider veins and broken

Evolutionary psychologists have discovered that there is

capillaries or fancy never having to look a bikini wax in

a universally preferred waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7. And by

the eye again. This salon specialises in treatments that

universal we mean that the ratio even applies to blind men

change lives and offers a unique service that is tailor

as a study by a Dutch psychologist proved. The Venus de

made for every individual by competent and caring

Milo has it, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn had it,

doctors and therapists. The setting is elegant and well

and so do Kate Moss and Jessica Alba.

thought through and clients often enjoy a snack to

Facial beauty has three important aspects: symmetry,

ensure they do not feel faint after treatment. Adequate

clear skin and (believe it or not) averageness. These are

pain control is a priority. They have an anaesthetist who

all ultimately indicators of health, fertility and good genes.

can do conscious sedation on standby for clients with

So, while you can trade your genetic fitness up or down by

extremely low pain thresholds.

It is all becoming increasingly clear What are the latest developments in skincare?

Zeltiq

dioxide gas (a gas that naturally occurs within our bodies)

A system that was created with a clear objective – a cooler

for therapeutic purposes is used in the treatment of stretch

you! Breaking down fat cells that are eliminated by the body’s

marks, cellulite and hyperthrophic scars. It improves skin

lymphatic system, with a 25 to 45% reduction in fat with each

elasticity, circulation, encourages collagen repair, improves

treatment, is technically called Cryoliplysis. ‘Coolsculpting’

the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and destroys

smoothly contours the body with minimal downtime and

localised fatty deposits. Large areas are treated in one

no loose skin. Or, in layman’s terms, it freezes those pesky fat

session but multiple sessions are needed.

cells that defy all your exercise efforts into oblivion.

GentleLASE Alexandrite hair removal Ulthera

The very last word in effective hair removal – this treatment

A non-invasive, instant facelift that uses medical ultrasound,

emits an exact wavelength of light (phytothermolysis) that

Ulthera works deep below the surface without harming the

is calibrated to attach to the melanin in the hair, damage

outer layer of skin for dramatic and long-lasting benefits.

the follicle and ensure maximum efficacy. Unwanted dark

It tightens the skin through contracting collagen and deep

hair is history with just one treatment. The treatment is

skin tissue – the new collagen stimulation also results in a

not completely pain free and sensitive patients are offered

more youthful look.

anaesthetic cream prior to treatment. (Ageless Lasers specialists do not recommend laser treatment for light

Fraxel

hair removal.)

Don’t think your laugh lines are funny? Fraxel dual™ resurfaces the skin by promoting the natural

Your genetic make-up, lifestyle and personal history all

rejuvenation process through proven laser technology.

contribute to how your skin looks and feels. There is no

It’s you in the mirror… just a younger version with fewer

one-size-fits-all, and it is essential to develop an individual

fine lines and wrinkles, reversed sun damage, improved

treatment plan that takes what you have and what you want

texture, less scarring and pigmentation. Fraxel is also

into account. Ageless Lasers also offers tattoo removal with

great for wound care.

the Q-switched Nd Yag and Alexandrite laser combined.

Pigments are shattered with pulses of light and energy and

Microdermabrasion with infusions

this new laser treatment has the added benefit of being

Pampering that is underpinned by medical science,

almost pain free.

this treatment combines the known benefits of

Other routine treatments include chemical peels

microdermabrasion with infusions designed to enhance

and stretch mark reduction as well as Botox and

skin response. The treatment will plump the outer skin

fillers. The doctors offer mole-scanning and the laser

and the collagen and elastin in the middle skin – resulting

therapists are involved in countrywide training. The

in improved texture and tone.

entire approach combines therapy with great skin care products for maintenance.

Carboxy therapy

The perception of beauty is subjective – and the wise

Originating at the Royal Spas of France in the early 1930s,

woman knows that the only beholder’s eye you should

the cutaneous and subcutaneous administration of carbon

heed is the one gazing back from your mirror.

LIFESTYLE | 35

This is where you come when you don’t want to make good with unwanted spider veins and broken capillaries or fancy never having to look a bikini wax in the eye again.

Ageless Lasers specialises in treatments that change lives and offers a unique service that is tailor made for every individual by competent and caring doctors and therapists.

Contact Details 1st Floor Hyde Park Shopping Centre Corner Jan Smuts Avenue & 6th Street Johannesburg Tel: 011 022 9771 /2/3 Email: info@agelesslasers.co.za Web: www.agelesslasers.co.za

Top tips for small changes that have big results No, it isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but there’s no harm in going over the essentials… · Protect your skin from the sun – wear SPF 15 or higher, daily. Choose broad spectrum creams and apply (and reapply) liberally · Don’t smoke – it’s a no-brainer as it simply accelerates ageing · Minimise alcohol – it expands the small blood vessels in the skin · Eat well – your skin needs nutrients to repair damage and stay healthy · Reduce stress – frowning and wrinkles go hand in hand · Take 40 winks – most people need between eight and nine hours every night · Be gentle – limit hot baths to 15 minutes, use warm (never hot) water on your skin and gently remove waterproof makeup with an oil-based product · Moisturise – as soon as possible after cleansing · Shave carefully – press a warm washcloth on your skin before shaving · Conduct self-screenings – familiarise yourself with your skin and look for changes

LIFESTYLE | 37

It was not all that long ago that the Johannesburg CBD was synonymous with the idea of a city in decline. Escalating crime rates and poor city maintenance contributed to a mass exodus out of the city centre and into the surrounding suburbs.

Jozi CBD

LIFESTYLE | 39

O

ne would be hard-pressed to recognise today’s Johannesburg as the same place that detractors wrote off as

crime-plagued, run-down and hopeless. A great amount of work has gone into recapturing its former glory and transforming it into a vibrant centre for arts, culture and business. Over the last decade, the city council has poured billions into urban regeneration. It has adopted safety and security initiatives, adopted enticing tax incentives to lure investors back, promoted arts, culture and heritage projects, and upgraded and expanded its public transport infrastructure.

The result is that the inner city is buzzing

once more. The fruits of the regeneration schemes become increasingly apparent as you travel through certain parts of the city. Despite some teething problems, the Rea Vaya transport system is up and running, funnelling commuters, residents and consumers to all corners of the CBD. Public art can now be seen at key locations in the city, beautifying what was once an ugly and utilitarian cityscape.

There are several areas of the city where the benefits of these urban renewal initiatives are most visible. Places such as Newtown, Juta Street, Arts on Main and 44 Stanley are the standard-bearers for the inner city’s rebirth, drawing in creative and cultural industries from around the country and continent.

The most famous of these hubs is Newtown, widely considered the bellwether of the city’s cultural renewal. When one looks at the area’s heritage and artistic cache, its popularity is easy to understand – one hardly needs mention the likes of the Market Theatre, Gramadoelas, the SAB World of Beer and Museum Africa when one speaks of Newtown.

Newtown’s proud arts heritage is celebrated across the district, from the street names to the public art. Bars and restaurants such as Sophiatown, Niki’s Oasis, Klippies and the Bassline, as well as the annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival keep the area’s jazz legacy going strong.

The Bus Factory, once a site where trams were repaired, now serves as a space for the development of young artists. The Unity Gallery provides training and a platform for up-and-

coming Johannesburg artists to sell their

history. The hotel holds regular theatre shows

work, while Artist Proof Studio is primarily

and cabaret, stand-up and improv evenings,

an education centre specialising in printwork.

and can be hired out for events and shoots. Next

The nearby Market Photo Workshop focuses on

door to the hotel is the Bioscope, an independent

photography education.

arthouse cinema and live music venue.

Although newer developments such as Arts on

Situated just across from the celebrated Milner

Main and Juta Street have eclipsed Newtown’s

Hotel, 70 Juta has emerged as the Braamfontein

reputation somewhat, the precinct is set for even

hub for artists and designers to strut their stuff.

greater development in the future. Armed with

One would never guess the colourful building

an arts and culture subsidy, the district plans

at 70 Juta was once an army surplus store. Now

to convert derelict buildings behind Museum

the space is home to a variety of exciting fashion,

Africa into offices, apartments, a shopping mall

music, design and photography stores and the

and a hotel.

regular hangout of Braamie’s bohemian crowd.

While Newtown might reign supreme in the

The designers and artists who sell here tend

heritage stakes, Arts on Main is the undisputed

towards the young and ambitious – it’s an easy

nucleus of the inner city arts scene. Arts on Main

bet to say that 70 Juta’s tightknit collective of

started life in 1911 as a bonded warehouse and

designers will produce future superstars.

has been used as a liquor store and construction

More established names like David Tlale can

company during its history. Taking its cue from

also be found at 70 Juta, while Dokter and Misses

the SoHo district in New York, the warehouse

have a co-op just down the street showcasing

was converted into an artists’ space and now

their larger furniture items. The Afronova

functions as a multi-discipline arts centre.

Gallery, formally in Newtown, can be found

The

district

houses

galleries

focusing

around the corner.

mostly on photography, contemporary art and

Another draw to the Juta Street area is the

installations; among them GoetheonMain, the

Neighbourgoods Market, a gourmet food market

Goodman Gallery project space and the Bailey

based on Cape Town’s famous Old Biscuit Mill

Seippel Gallery. Several prominent artists have

market. Held every Saturday, the market is a

private studios here, including the legendary

one-stop shop for foodies and eco-conscious

William Kentridge, who was one of the space’s

shoppers alike to pick up fresh and organic

first tenants. Other spaces of interest within Arts

ingredients like buffalo mozzarella, truffles, and

on Main include a David Krut-owned bookstore,

even organic beer.

a rooftop bar and the inimitable Bailey’s African

But for shopping, one location stands out as the

History Archive, which holds 40 years of

CBD’s finest – 44 Stanley. Like Arts on Main and

photographic material from Drum magazine

70 Juta, it is an example of a clever architectural

and its sister publications.

repurposing – what was once a set of warehouses

On Sundays, the space hosts Market on Main,

is now a unique kind of mall, with open-skied

a food and design market. Downstairs, one can

courtyards, steel walkways and unpainted

find Ethiopian coffee, bagels, crepes and sinfully

walls. A variety of furniture shops cover all time

delicious cupcakes. Upstairs is an array of stalls

periods and tastes from 18th century antiques

selling handmade items, jewellery, sunglasses

right up to contemporary local design . Quality

and vintage clothing. The African Contemporary

fashion is another highlight of the area – African

Emporium, dedicated to exclusively selling

Mosaique in particular stands out with its high-

pieces by African and South African designers,

end collections from pan-African designers.

opens on market days. It’s an excellent way to spend a Sunday morning.

The future looks bright. The success of these ventures promises a vibrant urban scene well on

Down the road from Market on Main is the

its way to matching those of the major European,

12 Decades Hotel. This conceptual hotel has

Asian and American cities of the world. There

only 12 rooms, each designed by a well-known

has never been a better time to live, work and

artist to represent a decade in Johannesburg’s

shop in the inner city.

DOKTER AND MISSES Behind Dokter and Misses is the dynamic husband-and-wife duo Adriaan Hugo and Katy Taplin. Their modernist and idiosyncratic

approach

to

furniture,

lighting and interior design has cemented their position as one of South Africa’s leading

design

teams,

with

several

branches in Johannesburg and Cape Town. www.dokterandmisses.com

PRINCE OF NEWTOWN Sthembiso Twala, aka the Prince of Newtown, is widely recognised for his inventive range of cutlery jewellery. Twala reshapes utensils such as spoons, forks and teaspoons into rings, necklaces and armbands. With these innovative silverplated or solid silver pieces Twala has made a name for himself in South Africa and beyond. Check out his work at the Unity Gallery. www.unitydesign.co.za

PATRICK MABENA

DAMIEN GRIVAS Damien Grivas specialises in bespoke art

Hailing from Thembisa, Patrick Mabena

pieces and décor products for corporates,

has been working as a product developer

hotels, restaurants and the interior design

and craft artist at the Unity Gallery for the

industry. He primarily uses concrete,

last five years. He transforms hardware and

plaster and resin as his raw materials and

waste materials such as ring-pulls from

will soon be launching a range of African-

soft drinks cans into technically complex

inspired hanging ceiling lights.

interior décor products.

www.damiengrivas.co.za

www.unitydesign.co.za

Little Black Book, Jozi

LIFESTYLE | 41

SHINE SHINE Shine Shine sees African Image founder Tracy Rushmere team up with fabric designer Heidi Chisholm to create a cheeky and colourful range of products inspired

by African commemorative cloths. Choose from handbags, cushions, sac bags and aprons. www.shineshine.co.za

BABATUNDE Gareth Cowden started Babatunde as an Afrocentric take on headwear. It has since expanded into a concept brand with the hope of becoming a global name. Each Babatunde print is a unique piece, fusing

YDA WALT

African colours and prints with Western

Yda Walt’s urban-inspired screen prints

shapes. www.babatunde.co.za

evoke the complexities of Johannesburg street life and examine the relationships between formal and informal, modern

MAKERS OF STUFF

and traditional. Her playful prints adorn

Makers of Stuff is an innovative design

cushions, bags, wall art and linens.

team tackling everything from huge brand

www.ydawalt.co.za

roll-outs through event organisation to product design. Clients have included Nando’s and Stuttafords, as well as a number of shops at Braamfomtein’s newest design hub, 70 Juta Street. Get in touch at makersofstuff@gmail.com or visit www.makersofstuff.posterous.com

JOZI DESIGN Jozi

Design

showcases

experimental

product design and is run by Martin Bolton, a qualified industrial designer.

Approaches include sustainable product design, recycling or re-use of products and materials, ‘up-cycling’ and energyefficient

design.

Find

Jozi

Design

at the Market on Main in Jozi or at www.jozidesign.co.za

LIFESTYLE | 43

“W

orking for the Russians was an aesthetic choice as much as anything else.”

As a defence for high treason it may lack a certain gravitas, but John le Carré’s spy could not be faulted for his general reasoning. Truth is – tinker, tailor, soldier or sailor – few can claim to have truly escaped the seductive pull of beauty.

And beauty is Ozwald Boateng’s stock in trade. At a towering six foot four the downright fine-looking Ozwald Boateng is the darling of bespoke fashion and reigning king of Savile Row. The man bounds where others walk and even in still images exudes a crackling of potential energy. He exerts not so much pull as a sucker punch to the solar plexus.

Courtesy of Varon Bonicos’s documentary ‘A Man’s Story’ that premiered last year we have an intimate log of the last 12 years of Boateng’s life. The highlights are impressive and – let’s face it – on

myself. I just worked it out. And every time I did it, it just

celluloid the man even loses breathtaking amounts of money and a

worked. And the confidence of a 16-year-old who gets it

couple of wives with unwavering elegance.

right is outrageous, right?”

Curiously, in print it is a different story. It is all but impossible

In spite of the fact that Ozwald was already supplying

to find an interview that does not contain oblique comments and

trendy boutiques by the time he was 18, he says that when

in-jokes about the size of Boateng’s ego, his great knack for deflecting

he decided to make fashion his life (leaving his computer

questions to make the answers prettier and even his overuse of certain

studies on the altar of dreams) his father seriously

speech patterns.

considered brain damage was to blame. Ozwald, true to

Could it be a simple case of rampant jealousy? Possibly, but

form, was utterly unflappable. “At that time, menswear was

considering that our obsession with beauty is closely followed by our

very different. Things were very deconstructed. It was the

adoration of success, unlikely. This tinkering with the story of Ozwald

time of Armani and Comme des Garçons and Yamamoto.

Boateng is intriguing and warrants a reconstruction of the tale.

Nothing had any formal structure.” And so the field was wide open for preaching the gospel of Boateng.

“EVERY TIME I DID IT, IT JUST WORKED. AND THE CONFIDENCE OF

Oswald spent five years paying his dues before opening

A 16-YEAR-OLD WHO GETS IT RIGHT IS OUTRAGEOUS, RIGHT?”

his first shop in the melting pot of culture and wealth that

OZWALD BOATENG

was Portobello Road. He decided to educate men on how their form can look in something that is well cut – taking

When Ozwald speaks of his childhood in London he often makes

something traditional and making it modern.

references to Ghana. Ozwald Boateng OBE might be quintessentially

He tells a great story about his first celebrity client, the

British, but his African roots have never been in doubt. “The economy

legendary guitarist Jimmy Page: “I didn’t know who he

of Ghana is controlled by women. My mother is an instinctive trader”

was. All I knew was that he had this great house in Holland

he says, and the very footings of the Boateng Empire might be found in

Park. I was making him trousers and I asked, ‘What is your

the Singer sewing machine that Mary Boateng always found work for.

music like?’ and he said, ‘You know, I’ve done some good

Mary was also responsible for ordering a mohair suit made for Ozwald’s

stuff,’ and I said, ‘Like what?’ and he said, ‘Oh, you know,

fifth birthday. It was purple.

Stairway to Heaven...’”

Ozwald’s father was an English teacher who subscribed to the

And then, finally Ozwald arrived at the birthplace of the

proud opinion especially ingrained in immigrants from Africa, that

perfect suit: Savile Row – a place that, according to Boateng,

intellectual achievement paves the way to success. Ozwald is a little

was little more than a temple of formal if dusty elegance

hazy about his academic achievements – and can’t remember if he

when he arrived. He was careful to embrace the spirit of

shared classes with other black children – but he vividly recalls his

the tradition of the Row whilst proposing an entirely new

Muswell Hill school uniform and the general sophistication of eating a

take on the traditional suit – and understanding the magic

three-course meal with a knife and fork every day. He is also clear on the

of every individual.

fact that his father had an instinctive belief in him, although he is quick to admit that the only two people who really impress Mr Boateng Sr

“STOREKEEP THE BELIEF.”

are Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali. Ozwald quotes Kwesi Boateng

OZWALD BOATENG

frequently, giving his father credit for many of his own principles, such as ‘a problem is only a problem if you make it a problem’, and ‘you make

Somewhere along the line, somehow, Boateng the Great made

a decision about something, you stick to it’.

some big mistakes and he found himself in receivership.

At 14, Ozwald spent a summer working in a factory sewing linings

Today, he is philosophical about his errors. He is very clear

into suits. Then the prettiest girl in school asked him to assist with her

that the only way to deal with a dire situation is to treat it as a

fashion show, and next thing he was making suits and selling them at

beginning rather than an end. Oswald attributes his recovery

the grand old age of 16. How did he do it? “It was instinctive. I taught

to his ability to hold on to his vision and faith, so strongly in

LIFESTYLE | 45

Back to the beginning “AFRICA DOES NOT NEED AID.” OZWALD BOATENG “They taught me the value systems,” Boateng says about his fact that he convinced the company who came to close him

African roots. “We have a very strong culture, people tend to like

down to bankroll the future of Boateng.

to intellectualise everything, so we have a lot of red tape, we talk a lot but not a lot gets done. I’d like to see a lot more get done, but

“STYLE IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN SUBSTANCE, A TAILOR IS MUCH MORE THAN SOMEONE WHO

most importantly the people are good people.”

“This is what I love, designing clothes and creating, that is just

SPECIALISES IN SUITS,

me. The whole mission for Africa is out of frustration and need.

HE’S A COUTURIER FOR MEN.”

It is just not moving enough. I’m frustrated getting off a plane.

OZWALD BOATENG

I don’t want to see open drains, I don’t want to see a road that takes ten years to build, I want to be able to go there and open

Boateng sees his success as being the recognition of the

one of my stores.”

message he has promoted for nearly a decade: “Right

And so he and two friends formed the Made in Africa Trust

from the start I wanted to change the way people look at

(MIA) in 2006, a for-profit venture for developing projects

Savile Row and the profession of tailoring. When I started

in Africa. MIA will help create wealth and economic self-

working, being elegant meant dressing in a sombre manner.

sufficiency by exposing African business opportunities to

I think a suit should make the man wearing it feel as sexy

international investment and capital markets to develop

and self-assured as a woman feels when she puts on a dress

profitable commercial businesses, and facilitating the entry

that makes her feel beautiful. But expertise alone is not

of major public and private companies into Africa. Read that

enough, you need a creative vision. This is why I say that a

sentence again slowly. It isn’t a matter of hand outs.

tailor is much more than someone who specialises in suits, he’s a couturier for men.” He considers fashion temporary – and tailoring constant.

“I’M JUST GOING FOR IT.” OZWALD BOATENG

The essence of Boateng style? A scalpel-like cut that makes a suit fit you absolutely perfectly. The quality of his

Boateng’s quest for global success started with an epic runway

craftsmanship is acknowledged throughout the industry.

show in Paris, then he took Moscow and now he is setting his

The focus on details, such as angled pockets, concealed

sights on Shanghai. In the longer term he plans to have 50 to 100

buttons and the finish of the linings. Textured, refined

stores globally (including in Angola, Nigeria and South Africa)

fabrics with a mix of contemporary and traditional style.

and to venture into womenswear.

The other Boateng trademark is colour which he uses “like a painter”, continually expressing a desire to experiment.

“CREATIVITY MUST HAVE MEANING.”

“You need to educate men to win them over to colour,

OZWALD BOATENG

which is why I decided to combine it with very formalcut suits. This let me make colours acceptable and then

Ozwald Boateng is condemned if he does and denounced if he

completely gentrified.” Even when he uses black he finds

doesn’t. The very traits that make him an iconic couturier also

a way to create colour with it.

leave him open to abuse. After all, people are hardly likely to rush out and pay good money for a suit cut by a timid tailor. And a

Gee-Von-SHEE

large part of the eye-popping price tag is directly related to how many fibs a garment tells to flatter.

Ozwald Boateng is innately talented, incredibly successful,

Boateng followed in the footsteps of John Galliano and

extremely hardworking, constructively charitable, fantastically

Alexander McQueen when Givenchy employed him. He was

self-assured and ridiculously good-looking. Perhaps some

a perfect fit and designed the first ever Givenchy Homme

simply find it an irresistible challenge to make THIS MAN look

runway show during the Spring 2005 menswear season.

anything but magnificent.

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The late 1920s and early 1930s must surely represent the most glorious automotive era of all.

“R

egrets, I’ve had a few”, sang Frank Sinatra.

Well, me too, Frank.

One of them is that I did not come of age in the roaring 1920s, an optimistic era when a generation celebrated a time of peace,

bright young things danced the Charleston, fabulous Art Deco was all the rage, and some of the most elegant and stylish automobiles ever were gracing the roads and carrying out impressive feats of derring-do on the world’s racetracks.

Of course it hadn’t always been this way. Where cars were concerned, the start of the 1920s still saw relatively basic models.

However, over the next few years a heady mix of modernist design, mass production, advertising and consumerism met head on and resulted in a golden era of motoring.

Many of the automobile innovations we think of as modern were designed and introduced during this time. Four-wheel drive, front-wheel drive and even hybrid cars emerged in the 1920s, and the Cord Models 810/812 manufactured in America by the Auburn Automobile Company in the 1930s were decades ahead of just about anything else. With semi-automatic transmission, hidden door hinges, variable-speed windscreen wipers, standard radio, rev counter, and concealed headlamps – as well as a louvered wraparound grille and styling – they virtually caused a stampede when they first appeared at the New York Auto Show in 1935.

It wasn’t only American manufacturers that were raising the stakes. The British company Bentley Motors Limited was also doing a sterling job designing racing cars which set new speed records – a lively 80 miles per hour – and pulling in victors’ trophies by the shedload.

The company became inextricably linked with the 24 hour Le Mans race in the 1920s. The Bentley three-litre won the 1924 Le Mans and the Bentley Boys, a group of wealthy, mainly British motorists, kept the marque’s reputation for high performance alive with a further four consecutive wins from 1927 to 1930 – taking the first four places in 1929.

And their need for speed didn’t stop there. In 1930, Bentley Boy Woolf ‘Babe’ Barnato bragged that his Speed Six Bentley was faster than the Blue Train express which ran between Cannes and Calais. He claimed he could be at his London club before the train reached its destination.

He backed up his boast with a £100 bet and duly drove out of Cannes as the Blue Train was leaving the station.

Racing non-stop through the night and sailing over to England, Barnato arrived at the Conservative Club in St James Street, London a full four minutes before the Blue Train reached Calais. He had won his bet but ironically was none the richer, as he was fined by the French authorities for racing on public roads.

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Walter Owen Bentley, the founder of Bentley Motors, clearly understood the impact of positive publicity: “I would have been perfectly content to see our cars circulating round Le Mans in inglorious solo solitude as long as the Daily Mail gave us their front page on a Monday morning!”

In the 1920s, car advertising and branding began to fall out of the hands of engineers and designers and into those of professionals. Whether dealing with a low-cost Model T Ford or a high-end Duesenberg, copywriters were beginning to move away from advertising that sold the technical merits of cars – horsepower and suspension systems – to a more sophisticated approach that played on consumer psychology.

The ad that was pivotal in ushering in this new style of advertising was for the Jordan Playboy automobile that came out in 1923. There were no details about the car at all, just nine lines of prose kicking off with the evocative line, “Somewhere west of Laramie there’s a bronchobusting, steer-roping girl who knows what I’m talking about…” next to a sketch of a young flapper behind the wheel of her car, racing a cowboy on his horse.

This new emotive style of advertising also began to specifically target women drivers.

Advertisements featuring women as drivers were placed in women’s magazines; upholstery styles and interiors were re-designed along more ‘feminine’ lines; and cars began to be made in a wider range of colours (apart from the Model T Ford of course, which famously was only available in black at this time). These sleek, lustrous cars with their flowing curves and modernist lines were all designed to appeal to the modern woman.

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Beautiful, stylish, reliable and fast – the cars from this era really were the full package. Even today, 90 years on, they still evoke the glory days of car design and engineering – an era of remarkable characters, sparkling achievements and daredevilry. Just imagine the sight of a Bentley eating up the racetracks, a demonic whine coming from its supercharged engine, or the sight of Clark Gable gliding down a sunlit Hollywood boulevard in a Duesenberg.

This golden age of automobiles was so exciting and influential it still shapes our relationship with our cars. The slick designs, cutting-edge engineering and speed that were so revolutionary in the 1920s and early 30s are still what we aspire to today – and we aren’t about to apply the brakes on that anytime soon.

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Few landmarks are as

representative of the City of Gold as the Rand Club.

From its inception, it has been a symbol of opulence, emblematic of a small group of men’s dominance and control over Johannesburg’s mineral wealth.

Gold fever The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886 drew prospectors and fortune hunters with wild promises of riches beyond belief.

The seriously silly money went to the already-established mining magnates of course. Within a year of the birth of Johannesburg, the Rand Lords used spoils from the largest gold field in the world to finance the creation of a gentlemen’s social club.

But that is only half the Rand Club story. To truly understand the unique nature of this great institution, one needs to peel away the gilded wrapper and investigate what lay beneath.

Chocolate… in a word The precursors to what would become known as gentlemen’s clubs came into being as early as the 1600s. The establishment of regular trade between the Old World and the New led to the introduction of a delightful new foodstuff in Europe called chocolate. A clever Italian living in England realised the potential of the cacao bean and opened White’s Chocolate House, a place where London’s men of distinction could smoke and gamble while indulging in steaming coffee and chocolate drinks. Although membership was open to all men, chocolate was so expensive at the time that only the crème de la crème could afford to enjoy the crème de chocolat.

By the 1800s, institutions where high society men could relax had become commonplace throughout western civilisation. Clubs prided themselves on their exclusive membership – most did not allow women and had strict, often complicated requirements for entry.

Influential men from a variety of disciplines came to be members.

By the time Johannesburg was established, the chocolate club had already settled into a tradition of exclusivity. The die had been cast and the Rand Club simply followed the distinctly masculine, old English pattern. The word ‘empire’ was always capitalised and the winds of change hadn’t yet blown through Africa. The Rand Club started with the quintessential imperialist Cecil John Rhodes, and for years to come was exclusively the preserve of old, white men with money to burn.

Set in amber On the face of it, stepping inside the beautiful Neo-Baroque building at 33 Loveday Street today can’t be very different from entering one of those grand London clubs at the turn of the 20th century. The halls positively throb with the weight of history. The Victorianstyle architecture, fine antique furniture, stained glass windows

and ancient elevator all stand sentry to a bygone era. The superb Africana library has one of the greatest collections of rare books on the continent.

The club is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most stately heritage symbols. This legacy however is one steeped in cliquish imperialism.

Can a club with such intimate links to the colonial and oppressive forces of the past have any relevance in a new South Africa?

By fire In 1733, the original White’s Chocolate House burnt down. Following the fire, it was rebuilt as White’s Gentleman’s Club in a new location near Buckingham Palace, and took the opportunity to privatise membership.

The Rand Club suffered a similar transformative fire in 2005. While the club did not burn down, many of the paintings and decorations were damaged in the blaze. The African institution’s post-fire refurbishment reflects the evolution in the club’s attitudes.

Most of the mounted animal trophies, evocative of H Rider Haggard novels and hunters in pith helmets twirling their walrus moustaches, have been retired. The busts of Cecil John Rhodes and Paul Kruger remain in the entrance hall, but they are joined by a bust of Albert Luthuli. Most tellingly, a portrait of Nelson Mandela has replaced one of Queen Elizabeth II as the focal point above the magnificent central stairway.

Despite these changes, the club’s aesthetics still have a markedly oldfashioned feel. The building is as much a museum as it is an active club, keeping its historical trappings on display as a testament to the past while incorporating the symbols of the present and future.

Bright young things Signs are everywhere that this is a different club to that envisioned by old Cecil and his gang of cane-wielding industrialists during the gold rush. As more men gained the right to vote in the UK throughout the 19th century, London clubs faced an influx of new members seeking to prove their worth as gentlemen. With the establishment of a democratic South Africa, the Rand Club faced a similar dilemma.

In 1993, after much debate and a close vote, it officially opened the ranks of membership to all. It now follows a strict policy of nondiscrimination with regard to race, gender, religion, age and sexual orientation. Even today, many London clubs do not permit women to join. By contrast, the Rand Club now has a predominantly female senior staff and a chairwoman at the helm… women no longer sneak in through the back entrance.

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Nicolette Erasmus, the club’s first female chair, is enthusiastic when she talks of all that the club has done to maintain its status while bringing in new blood. Erasmus’ personal experiences are that young people are not repelled by the old-fashionedness; on the contrary, they’re attracted to the grand sense of history. Her daughters, she says, love the club. Far from being the domain of stodgy old dinosaurs afraid of the outside world, the club is pursuing a new generation of members through preferential membership rates and youth forums. Mixed groups of young adults can often be seen frequenting the bar.

The face of South Africa’s political sphere has plainly changed and the club has made efforts to actively court it. It has awarded honorary memberships to ANC ministers and the president himself. The club has retained its historical close ties to mining magnates and captains of industry, only nowadays they are the likes of Sello Rasethaba, Cyril Ramaphosa and Tokyo Sexwale.

Erasmus’ fervour does not waver when she speaks about the fact that the heart of downtown Jozi beats right outside the front door. She is eager to point out that the Rand Club’s current neighbours – a Rea Vaya bus stop, the ANC Youth League, and the National Union of Mineworkers’ headquarters – would surely see old Cecil drop his monocle in shock.

Image is everything Social status remains the only determining factor among the membership.

While it may have widened the scope of its welcome, exclusivity is paramount to the club’s success. This is a space reserved for the intelligentsia of South Africa’s political, business, entertainment and artistic circles. Just as London’s best clubs were havens for the likes of Charles Dickens and Winston Churchill, so the Rand Club welcomes the most influential players of modern-day South Africa.

The dress code says it all. Traditionally strict, it has been relaxed the last couple of years to allow African traditional dress. Denim is still verboten however, and visitors and members alike must maintain a certain standard of dress. You needn’t dress like a Victorian dandy in tails and a top hat, but if the doorman in his pressed suit is looking smarter than you, then you might just find yourself out on the street. You don’t get in without looking the part.

A living monument The club’s more progressive policies coupled with maintaining a strong sense of exclusivity appear to be working. Membership remains steady, and the club is the gold standard of Johannesburg’s social scene. The building itself is a highly sought-after venue for weddings, dinners, parties and photoshoots. It has hosted events such as Johannesburg Fashion Week and Premier Soccer League bashes, and Kim Kardashian and Elle Macpherson are among the international celebrities who have frequented it.

As the Rand Club gears up to commemorate its 126th anniversary this year, it has much to celebrate. It endures as a key facet of Johannesburg’s identity, and its cachet amongst South Africa’s movers and shakers is stronger than ever. It has managed to successfully brand itself as a living piece of South African history, reflecting today’s power structures and values as it once did yesterday’s.

The Rand Club remains as vibrant as ever. Ten or twenty years ago, few would have predicted its continued relevance in a democratic South Africa, but it has emerged as an unlikely symbol of the country’s changing face of power.

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THE ‘BON CHIC BON GENRE’S GUIDE to jetsetteing

T

T

Dual Voltage Garment Steamer. The thing with

mon sense should really not be allowed to cloud your

vintage travel is that you really need to commit to the

judgement, but one also has to allow for the fact that

need for speaking Louis Vuitton Luggage Language

inner gorgeousness is for amateurs so I like to rely on

and lock down your fascinator.

a White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap, a Good

he past may very well be another country but luckily I’m the sort of girl who never leaves the

house without my passport… and my Samsonite

F

he HIP Hotels Guide ensures the domestically disabled and their Afghan hounds never lack

for somewhere that is all-the-rage to sleep. Com-

or some reason girls were expected to always be

Night Sleep Mask and an REI Therm-a-Rest Neck

perky back in the day, so in the name of authen-

Pillow to ensure my en-route beauty sleep.

ticity it is essential that one fights jetlag with a Philip Stein Watch with Natural Frequency Technology.

It’s that, the Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones or the retro café-mochavodka-valium latte to go please! After all – it’s five o’clock somewhere, right?

D

on’t you just hate it when people say lazy like it’s a bad word? Why don’t they pick on frugal

instead!! Personally I make sure I don’t spend the grocery money on shoes… by spending it on hotels instead.

T

his trip is beginning to look a lot like excess.

Oh well…

S

omeone has to set the bad example and I always forget, is it nice to be safe… or better to be sorry?

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FIND YOUR PIN UP personality I AM HAPPY WHEN I’M… A Motivated B Medicated C

Looking at other people working

D

Whining, bitching and moaning

WORLD PEACE…

Pinning down, with inherent humour and trivial intent, a fellow mortal by inquisition

A

All anyone needs is a warm bed, a kind word and unlimited power

B

I used to care but now I take a pill for that

C

Start every day with a smile and get it over with

D

All men are animals – some just make better pets

I DRINK BECAUSE… A

You’re boring

B

Martinis are not just for breakfast any more

C

Otherwise I would not enjoy working for an idiot

D

One should always have vodka on hand in case life gives you lemons

MY FRIENDS ARE MOST LIKELY TO SAY… A

She looks so awake, so alive… caffeine or botox?

B

What IS a good reason to act your age?

C

Love, honour and what?

D

I understand the concept of cooking and cleaning …

just not how it applies to me

MOSTLY A’S: MOSTLY B’S: MOSTLY C’S: MOSTLY D’S:

Most like Marilyn Monroe Most like Doris Day Most like Lucille Ball Most like Marlene Dietrich

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FAST, LOOSE AND LOVELY… H

the vintage look

air

Don’t wash your hair because slightly dirty hair

M

ake it up as you go along

A slightly darker, warm foundation blended with

makes for superior styles and curls. (Dry shampoo

face powder that is slightly lighter than your natural

also improves texture for strong styles)

tone will ensure the Vintage look

Practice sleeping in overnight sponge roller sets for

Rosy cheeks are guaranteed when you use red rouge

perfecting your victory rolls (see below)

with pink undertones, bright pinks with fuchsia

Strong hairspray, smoothing serums for frizz and

undertones and bright roses

17,000,000 bobby pins (okay that is only an estimate

Keep the eyebrows natural but manicured

but seriously, what happens to all the bobby pins?)

Thin eyeliner, muted gray and brown eyeshadow

are all essential

Then style your crowning glory with…

Victory Rolls – named after an aileron roll performed by World War II fighter pilots celebrating beating the dashed jerries, this is the quintessential 1940’s hairstyle or BettyBangs – faux bangs created by using a ‘rat’… a round tapering mass of hair or synthetic material used to support puffs and rolls of natural hair

and dark brown or black mascara Any lipstick will do – with an exaggerated top lip

L

ucky lingerie

Get gorgeous faux vintage underwear from What Katie Did . Vintage is the perfect excuse to stock up on stockings, lingerie, girdles, corsets and bullet bras.

S

obriety in moderation

Coffee can keep you busy until it’s time to drink. A nice vintage gal will never be caught without either

Hot Sticks at the ready, nerves steady… while setting

caffeine or vodka… this is your opportunity to make

hair overnight is the traditional way to do it, Hot

some tremendously poor choices of the ‘why do

Sticks can save the day!

dishes when you can do daquiries’ kind.

BOOKS THAT WILL TAKE you there

(from amazon.com)

T

HE CAT’S TABLE

Mitchell’s trademark curiosity, respect and graveyard

by Michael Ondaatje

humour fuel these magical essays.

From the acclaimed author of The English

Written between 1943 and 1965, Up in the Old Hotel

Patient and In the Skin of a Lion: a stunningly beautiful

is the complete collection of Joseph Mitchell’s

and moving new novel about a boy’s life-changing

New Yorker journalism and includes ‘McSorley’s

journey from Ceylon to England in the 1950s.

Wonderful Saloon’, ‘Old Mr Flood’, ‘The Bottom of

In the early 1950s, an 11-year-old boy boards a huge liner bound for England – a “castle that was to cross the sea”. At mealtimes, he is placed at the lowly ‘Cat’s Table’ with an eccentric group of grown-ups and two other boys, Cassius and Ramadhin. As the ship makes its way across the Indian Ocean, through the

the Harbour’ and ‘Joe Gould’s Secret’.

C

ATCH-22

by Joseph Heller Heller remembered the war as “fun in the

beginning... You got the feeling that there was

Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean, the boys

something glorious about it”. On his return home

become involved in the worlds and stories of the

he “felt like a hero... People think it quite remarkable

adults around them, tumbling from one adventure

that I was in combat in an airplane and I flew 60

and delicious discovery to another, “bursting all over

missions even though I tell them that the missions

the place like freed mercury”. And at night, the boys

were largely milk runs.”

spy on a shackled prisoner – his crime and fate a

At the heart of Catch-22 resides the incomparable,

galvanizing mystery that will haunt them forever.

malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero endlessly

A

inventive in his schemes to save his skin from the

ND THEN THERE WERE NONE

horrible chances of war. His problem is Colonel

by Agatha Christie

Cathcart, who keeps raising the number of missions

Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie

the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if

began writing during World War I and wrote over 100

Yossarian makes any attempts to excuse himself from

novels, plays and short-story collections. She was still

the perilous missions that he is committed to flying,

writing to great acclaim until her death, and her books

he is trapped by the Great Loyalty Oath Crusade, the

have now sold more than a billion copies in English

bureaucratic rule from which the book takes its title.

and another billion in over 100 foreign languages.

A man is considered insane if he willingly continues

Ten strangers, apparently with little in common, are

to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes

lured to an island mansion off the coast of Devon by the

the necessary formal request to be relieved of such

mysterious UN Owen. Over dinner, a record begins

missions, the very act of making the request proves

to play, and the voice of an unseen host accuses each

that he is sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.

person of hiding a guilty secret. That evening, former

W

reckless driver Tony Marston is found murdered by a deadly dose of cyanide. The tension escalates as the survivors realise the killer is not only among

OOSTER AND JEEVES (VARIOUS)

by Sir P G Wodehouse An

English-born

comic

novelist,

them, but is preparing to strike again… and again…

short-story writer, lyricist, and playwright, Sir PG

U

Wodehouse is best known as the creator of Jeeves,

hidden corners of the city and the people who lived

“It beats me why a man of his genius is satisfied

there are his subject. He captured the waterfront

to hang around pressing my clothes and what not,”

rooming-houses, nickel-a-drink saloons, all-night

says Bertie. “If I had Jeeves’s brain, I should have a

restaurants, and in his own words the “visionaries,

stab at being Prime Minister or something.” Luckily

obsessives, imposters, fanatics, lost souls, the end-

for us, Bertie Wooster manages to retain Jeeves’s

is-near street preachers, old Gypsy Kings and old

services through all the deviations of purple socks

Gypsy Queens, and out-and-out freak-show freaks”.

and policemen’s helmets.

P IN THE OLD HOTEL

the supreme ‘gentleman’s gentleman’. He wrote more

by Joseph Mitchell

than 90 books, over 20 film scripts and collaborated

Mitchell is the laureate of old New York. The

on more than 30 plays and musical comedies.

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NOVEMBER 1947 HOME NOTE sarah hope’s help page ‘’WHEN WE ARE MARRIED’’

HE’S SO JEALOUS

M

I

times a week and he’s always talking of “when we

hates to have his men friends admire me. I love my

y boy and I have known each other for four years, and I’ve always been very friendly with

his sister and his family. We see each other three are married” but he never says anything about being engaged to him. Last week his mother asked him if he was going to a certain dance, and he said: “No, I

am going to a party, and my husband has asked me not to wear anything that looks well on me. He

says I have to keep my beauty for him alone and he husband but I like to be admired by others as well, and I know I am considered pretty. How can I stop him from being so jealous?

am saving my money, as one day I shall have a wife to keep.” But I cannot understand why he hasn’t really made up his mind. I love him very much and would hate to give him up. What shall I do?

From Poppy

From Green Eyes

MRS HOPE REPLIES

Y

ou can’t stop your husband being jealous, it is a powerful and violent emotion and only

those who suffer from it know how painful it can be.

MRS HOPE REPLIES

I

Perhaps you aren’t always as careful as you might be

don’t think you have anything at all to worry about.

to avoid giving your husband cause for jealousy. I

It seems to me that your boy takes it so for granted

rather think that this must be the explanation for his

that you’re going to marry each other that it has never

strange request that you should not wear “anything

occurred to him to mention a formal engagement.

that looks well” at this party. I shouldn’t take it too

The fact that he talks about when “we are married”

seriously, wear a pretty frock and take pains to look

and what he said to his mother proves this. Also as

as nice as you can, but don’t overdo the makeup or go

he is keen to save money so that you can get married,

out of your way to attract attention from other men.

he may feel it wiser to cut out the expense of an

I think you’ll find that your husband won’t mind how

engagement ring. It’s a big item; these are hard times

nice you look if you make it clear that he’s the one,

you know.

and the only one, you’re aiming to please.

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WHERE TO SHOP fashion directory shot /01

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Calista Blouse : Celine @ 2A Pants : Etro @ 2A Jacket : Etro @ 2A Shoes : Louboutin at 2A

Calista Blouse : Celine @ 2A Pants : Etro @ 2A Jacket : Etro @ 2A Shoes : Louboutin at 2A

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Elissa Dress : Etro Shoes : Louboutin Fur : @ Tik Lee Gloves : Reminiscene Clutch : Cateina Lucchi

Elmarie Dress : Spero Villioti Shoes : moschino @ preview Earrings : Charles Grieg Bracelet : Charles Grieg Fur : Tik Lee Hair piece : Reminiscene

Calista Blouse : Michael Kors - Callaghan Trousers : Black Coffee Neck piece : Rada @ Tik Lee Ear rings : Reminiscene Shoes : Louboutin @ 2A Hugette Blouse : YSL @ 2a Skirt : YSL @ 2 A Fur : Clive Rundel Shoes : Alaia @ 2A Earrings : Reminiscene Elrissa: Blouse : YSL @ 2 A Skirt : Celine at 2A Fur coat : Hugo Boss Shoes : Gianni Marra @ Preview Neck piece : Rada at Tik Lee Earrings : Reminiscene Luggage : Louis Vuitton

Carpet: Paco

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Hugette Blouse : Celine Trousers : Celine Jacket : YSL @ 2A Cameo : Reminiscene

Hugette Dress : Hugo boss Shoes : moschino @ preview Cage head piece : Cloche

Luggage : Louis Vuitton

Carpet : Paco

shot /04 Elissa : Dress : Etro Shoes : Louboutin Fur : @ Tik Lee Gloves : Reminiscene Clutch : Cateina Lucchi

shot / 09 Hugette Dress : Hugo boss Shoes : moschino @ preview Cage head piece : Cloche Carpet : Paco

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Calista Leather coat : Versace @ 2A Fur trimmed gloves : Lanvin @ 2A

Calista Dress : Nicole @ Callaghan Shoes : Lanvin @ 2A Neck piece : Rada @ Tik Lee Pendant earrings : Charles Grieg Fur : Tik Lee

shot / 06 Calista Leather coat : Versace @ 2A Fur trimmed gloves : Lanvin @ 2A

Carpet : Paco Cakes : The Patisery

VINTAGE | 81

CHANNELLING GLAMOUR AND NOSTALGIA IN JOHANNESBURG

R

evivalism is cyclical. Trends peak every twenty years before falling out of favour again. So the 1970s brought us Grease and the Fonz, the 1980s looked back at The Wonder Years and glorified the Vietnam war in celluloid, and by the 1990s we were back to bell bottoms with the

That ‘70s Show. The tendency continues into the 21st century with a resurgence of the 8-bit era as the kids who grew up in the 80s and 90s find their buying power.

Nostalgia on the other hand is a strange beast. It is a peculiar quirk of human nature to constantly look back and often idealise the past. And as we find ourselves in a world where technology is advancing ruthlessly, facing new challenges and adapting to unfamiliar situations, we can’t help casting our gaze to earlier generations when life was simpler, fashion was glamorous and children were more polite – or at least that’s what our parents tell us.

Some eras seem to possess an iconic place in popular consciousness, managing to outlast the ephemeral nature of changing fashions. The mid-20th century is a prime example.

MAD FOR THE 50s AND 60s Of course the 1950s and 60s are recent enough that we can listen to tales told by the people who lived it. The pre-50s have become too far removed from our collective experience to have that same value – this era is the stuff of jazz-themed costume parties and war movies. The post-60s are more immediate, but do not quite carry that timeless quality. The 70s are somehow too brown-and-orange-patterned-kitchens, the 80s overly poodle-haired, the 90s downright Emo, and we have frankly barely recovered from the noughties.

Perhaps the mythological power of the 50s and 60s is due to the transitional nature of this time in history. It marks the end of our collective innocence and the beginning of a socially conscious teenagerdom which questioned the very idea of Father knowing best. Youth and counter culture emerged as a force for the first time in history, and major social upheavals began taking place. By the end of the 60s, the world had gone from black and white to chaos in glorious, trademarked, Technicolor.

It’s no wonder that in our present moment, marked by social turmoil and a sense of betrayal by authority figures, the turbulent years of the 50s and 60s are resonating so strongly.

Mad Men, the drama about a prestigious New York advertising agency in the 60s, has been credited with inspiring the latest surge in popularity for the fashions of that era – it has also reignited a keen interest in the period.

Dapper Don Draper has emerged a symbol of retro-masculinity. Tall, dark, hard-drinking and chain-smoking with a fondness for women, he’s the quintessential Old Hollywood lead. Voluptuous Joan Holloway’s brand of sexuality hearkens back to a time of pin-up femininity epitomised by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Mad Men makes all that heartbreaking glamour novel once more.

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FASHION FILE FETISH

Johannesburg. A sprawling, multi-storey tardis of unorganised records and

The throwback attitudes and opinions of the characters of Mad Men might

would be to head to a Microgram Music Traders branch, which categorises its

not exactly translate from the small screen to real life, but their sophisticated

music and has, sitting alongside the quality rock, psychedelia, funk and pop

clothing choices are perennially en vogue. The late 1950s and early 1960s –

from overseas, hard-to-find jive, jazz and soul from African-grown artists.

nicknamed the Camelot period and personified by Jackie Kennedy’s sense of style – emphasised glamour, tailoring and classic shapes. The look is so popular that the show’s costume designer, Janie Bryant, released a book called Fashion File, which reveals her design process and advises readers on how to emulate the female characters’ signature styles. Achieving the

books, it’s worth a browse especially if time is no object – a trawl through just a fraction of the stock could set you back a month. A more streamlined option

NOSTALGIA ALL THE WAY

men’s look is a little easier – a perfectly- tailored grey suit and fedora is all

Revivalism carries the danger of blind appropriation of the best aspects

the debonair high-flyer needs.

of the past whilst happily ignoring the complicated, the nasty and the

A strong spirit of revivalism is carried within the arts and popular culture.

downright unpalatable. Be brave and embrace it all – if for no other reason

The tendencies of the past are re-examined and incorporated into the trends

than the fact that the complexities of the 50s and 60s as they apply to South

of the present.

Africa make for one hell of a read. There is a wealth of material available

Revivalist fashionistas satisfy their retro cravings with authentic pieces

covering that time period: from books such as The Bang-Bang Club to Don

from charity shops, but such outings more often than not turn up dodgy

Mattera’s Memory is the Weapon – recently released in audiobook form and

polyester shirts and shapeless dresses with unfortunate prints. Those who

read by the author himself. Baileys African History Archive at Arts on Main

seek to find beautiful, quality pieces from yesteryear without the danger

in Johannesburg houses a wealth of struggle photography and editions of

of risking a total fashion fail should visit second-hand boutiques such as

Drum magazine from 1951 onwards. Also worth a visit is Lilliesleaf Farm, the

Reminiscence (specialising in clothing dating from the 60s and earlier) on

site of the arrest of Nelson Mandela and other struggle heroes in 1964, and

Melville’s 7th Street, or Rags and Lace in Craighall. In order to be fashion

now an interactive museum.

forward, sometimes you just have to look back.

Mod may have gone post-mod and hippies did morph into hipsters, but

The thrill of finding that unique, one-of-a-kind piece from days of yore

right now the 50’s influence is everywhere. A new generation of artists is

can be a result in and of itself, and this applies to more than frivolous fashion

finding inspiration from a tumultuous time period that closely resembles

– as any serious record collector will tell you. Even as other physical media

our own in many ways. With so much of today’s arts and culture drawing

approach obsolescence, vinyl thrives.

from the wellspring of the past, nostalgia has bucked the trend and become the new way of life.

VINYL JOCKEY The idea of record collectors may evoke scary imaginings of grey-bearded, strange smelling audiophiles furtively ferreting through dusty basements, but today’s crate-diggers are tastemakers and trendsetters, visual clones of Zooey Deschanel and Ryan Gosling. Record Store Day has become a popular annual event among the young and connected. Now indie and mainstream artists alike are releasing limited edition vinyls of their latest hits.

Some feel a deeper connection to the music they listen to via vinyl. Some are in it for the sleeve notes. Others are addicted to the thrill of finding amazing music that’s never been made available digitally. Then there are those who just plain like the way the turntable looks next to their designer coffee table. In an age of disposable music, there is something deeply evocative about the idea of taking the time to put on a record and really listen to it.

To unearth the hidden gems of South Africa’s 50s and 60s music scene, one needn’t envisage sad stacks of forgotten records sitting in the corner of the local hospice shop. You could go big and take on the Collectors Treasury in

In order to be fashion forward, sometimes you just have to look back.

VINTAGE | 85

O

nce upon a time, history was written by the victors. During the last century something far more sinister started twisting our tales as we have developed a seemingly insatiable hunger for the malfunction of public figures. For a 21st century Molotov cocktail, simply mix equal parts fame

and wealth. Our fascination with pain and derision is fed by the tabloids, nurtured in our children and a rather handy excuse for our own failures. It is also informing our stories and allowing our perception of recent history to get in the way of our education.

Romantic notions are frequently simply fiction or at best one side of the story. Take Leonardo da Vinci. Arguably the most diversely talented man ever to have lived, he was many things, including irrepressibly idle, unreliable and erratic. Four hundred years later, the Howard Hughes story is almost an inversion of idealisation. Like the fly and the pitcher plant, we are drawn by the promise of his brilliance – only to find ourselves drowning in the macabre minutiae of his life. Or is that only because of how his tale is told? Let’s start the Howard Hughes story with some facts.

Born in 1905, descended from English royalty on his mother’s side and clearly inheriting the engineering and business genius of his father, Howard showed early promise, building a radio transmitter when he was 11 and riding around Houston in the motorised bicycle he designed by the age of 12. He had his first flying lesson soon after the death of his mother at age 13, and when he was 17 he turned $5 into $990 gambling in Brussels.

Following the death of his father, Howard was declared an emancipated minor and inherited most of his family’s fortune on his 19th birthday. The

same year, inspired by his parent’s premature deaths, he included the creation of a medical research laboratory in his first will. He also decided on a career in the movie-making business.

His films were a financial success, pushed the boundaries of censorship, blew production budgets out of the water and won a number of Academy Awards. The fact that he was young, attractive and had more money than God didn’t hurt, and he cut a swath through Hollywood in his Fedora, white Oxford shirt, white slacks and G10 Baracuta jacket.

Hughes could also predict the future and he said it would be defined by safe, fast, long-distance travel. He had a remarkable understanding of form and functional aesthetics. Every new design was honed to the point where there was nothing left to take away – as perfection demanded, according to French aristocrat and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Hughes built airplanes, helicopters, missiles, and satellites; designed radar systems and provided weaponry and communications equipment.

Heavily involved in the airline industry, he owned TWA for some time, and personally smashed through aeronautical speed and distance records on numerous occasions.

Hughes enjoyed golf and held a handicap of three during his twenties.

Of course he famously did not reach the golf course on the 7th of July 1946 when he aimed his failing XF-11 plane for the Los Angeles Country Club greens – but ended up in Beverly Hills instead. The list of injuries following this crash read like an autopsy report. Highlights include the fact that his heart was displaced into the right side of his chest, multiple third-degree burns, seven crushed ribs on the right and nine on the left.

No-one could survive his injuries without developing Intractable Pain – pain that is not relieved by ordinary medical, surgical, and nursing measures – and Howard Hughes would live with this for the rest of his life. His use of codeine, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants

A fellow inductee to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton Ohio said that Hughes was misrepresented and libelled by malicious associates and greedy little men. The real crime is that we are still so eager to believe them.

VINTAGE | 87

and stimulants would be considered pseudo-addiction today; drugseeking behaviour for relieving pain as opposed to the compulsive dependence of classic addiction.

Intractable Pain, or IP, is an important field for modern research as the incidence increases with medical advancements and our improved ability to save trauma patients. But half a century ago the term did not even exist, and Howard Hughes’s pain was never under control. At that time the chances of surviving beyond a decade with IP treated with opioids were practically nil. Howard Hughes beat the odds three times over – living up to a surgeon calling him ‘The Man of Steel’ – and he made it all the way to 1976. During his initial hospital stay he redesigned his bed, adding 30 electric motors and push-button adjustments to operate various features, including hot and cold

We are drawn by the promise of his brilliance – only to find ourselves drowning in the macabre minutiae of his life.

Or is that only because of how his tale is told?

Surviving for 30 years against incredible odds, he was eccentric and irascible – but never hallucinatory or psychotic.

VINTAGE | 89

Hughes could also predict the future and he said it would be defined by safe, fast, long-distance travel. running water. Even his womanizing only ceased 15

eloquently at Senate hearings, marry a film star, regularly transact business,

years later – five years after the average IP patient of

sell stocks, make tax decisions, fly an aircraft, meet with the president of

his era would have been dead.

Nicaragua, sign affidavits for the New York Supreme Court and be asked to

Sure, there was the screening room incident, where

lend his name to the CIA’s Project Azorian? It’s hardly rocket science.

Hughes stayed inside the Martin Nosseck Projection

People who worked for him could never anticipate what would happen next

Theatre surrounded by movies and Kleenex, living

– and they loved it. So what if he sorted his peas by size or wrote a detailed

on chocolate, chicken and milk, and relieving himself

memorandum about the seam on Jane Russell’s blouse that gave her the

into the empty milk bottles. But until you have

appearance of having multiple nipples. Okay, so he was greedy and hamstrung

experienced the kind of pain that would prevent you

by pride, but Howard Hughes navigated the labyrinth of himself with so much

from brushing your teeth or cutting your nails for over

superhuman vigour that he occasionally became airborne and slipped the

a decade, you might want to hold out on judgement.

surly bonds of Earth.

Alternatively, you could simply form an opinion of

Surviving for 30 years against incredible odds, he was eccentric and irascible

Hughes based on what he achieved AFTER this four-

– but never hallucinatory or psychotic. He kept his sense of humour and he left

month blip.

enough money to keep the probate lawyers going for 15 years, paying out an

Ever hear of the over-sedated, bumbling,

eventual settlement that awarded 22 heirs a cool $33 million each.

unproductive, germ-crazy drug addict, who managed

A fellow inductee to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton Ohio said that

to develop and produce the Spruce Goose, destroy a

Hughes was misrepresented and libelled by malicious associates and greedy

major Hollywood studio but still make $6.5 million,

little men. The real crime is that we are still so eager to believe them. If you pit

add Hughes Helicopters and Hughes Aerospace to

the much-publicised fact that Howard Hughes privately watched Ice Station

Hughes Aircraft, form the Howard Hughes Medical

Zero 150 times against our insatiable addiction to gossip, Howard Hughes’s

Institute for biomedical research, get the State of

guilty little secrets might seem a bit more reasonable… and ultimately none

Nevada to change its gaming licensing laws, speak

of our business.

VINTAGE | 91

GLAMOUR AND THE underground The prim and proper façade of London

Understanding

that

speed

and

carefully projects a sober soul that has

splendour were the stuff the ultimate

survived the Black Death, the Great

escapist dream was made of, Pick

Fire, the Blitz and terrorist attacks.

decided to deliver exactly that – by

From the Queen to Big Ben, most

Underground – to a brand new market

of her icons are untouchable – and

sector. He was out to shift the ‘Tube

so it is rather satisfying to take a

travel is for work’ paradigm and grab

peek under Lady London’s crinoline

the attention of leisure travellers. As

petticoats and find a forgotten world

befits a modern revolution, Pick started

of accessible and brazenly commercial

his campaign by commissioning eye-

Underground glamour.

catching posters.

Around six decades after the first

Horace Taylor summed up the new

train trundled along the Tube tracks in

motto with his laconic ‘Brightest

1863, the rather basic public transport

London is best reached by Underground’

system of the city of London did

design in 1924. The love affair between

exactly what it said on the tin, and was

the Underground and contemporary art

predominantly used by the English

proved to be anything but fly-by-night

workforce for getting from A to B.

and over the years a number of iconic

Then Frank Pick became the Managing

images, such as Man Ray’s abstract

Director and his vision changed

‘Keep London Going’, have resulted

everything. He saw the gap in the

from this alliance.

market – and he minded it.

The bold grandeur of the style that

F

RANK PICK BECAME THE MANAGING DIRECTOR AND HIS VISION CHANGED EVERYTHING. HE SAW THE GAP IN THE MARKET AND HE MINDED IT.

ruled the first half of the last century was

Charles Holden’s ingenious masterpieces

comfortable. Pick took the gamble that people

perfect. Art Deco cleverly disguises the fact

defined the first modern architectural style for

would translate the visual echoes of beauty,

that it was conceived to fit function first, and

a country that had previously managed to cling

order and consistency into a commodity that is

Frank Pick understood that an approach

resolutely to fussy tradition. The Piccadilly line

invaluable for a cutting-edge service provider

developed specifically for the machine age

extensions to the north and west all feature

– the culture of trust.

was the perfect tool for the world’s first major

the geometric, almost Cubist, detailing, boldly

During World War II the Underground

media campaign. Eventually the entire Tube,

exposed brickwork and curving lines juxtaposed

sheltered Londoners from the Blitz, provided

from the headquarters at 55 Broadway down to

with rectangular spaces characteristic of Art

regular accommodation and even offered night

the very reflections trapped in the shiny curved

Deco. Stanley A Heaps even went so far as to

classes and book-lending libraries.

carriage roofs, would echo with meticulous Art

finish the walls, ceiling and columns of a ticket

Deco allure.

hall in exposed concrete.

Half a century later, the Tube still excels in offering practical solutions to pressing

The distinctive, bespoke Johnston font, the

Pick’s cohesive branding dressed every

problems, although today’s users consider the

instantly recognisable Underground roundel

detail, from the trains down to the ticket

overcrowded service a necessary evil rather

(also by Johnston) and the trademark Harry

kiosk, lighting and litter bins. Doors and

than a safe haven. The vintage glamour has

Beck map design that became an industry

windows were wider, more space was devoted

certainly faded, but if you know how and where

standard are all timeless relics from the

to storage, and the moquette-covered seats

to look you will find phantoms of art that stood

Underground’s facelift.

were not only prettier, they were also more

still while history moved on.

VINTAGE | 93

B

ring a touch of London Underground glamour home. Buy Vintage Posters or 1930s geometric moquette cushions, pencil cases, bustiers, sofas and canine coats online at the

London Transport Museum: www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk

‘T

he longest art gallery in the world’ In a recent Christie’s auction a collection of 300 vintage posters originally displayed in the London

Underground between 1913 to 1955 fetched over a million pounds.

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VINTAGE | 97

TRAVEL | 99

People who call Monaco a procession were probably not around in 1965.

T

he physical environment experienced by a Formula One driver during an actual Grand Prix race is pretty rarefied. If it tweaks your curiosity, you could lift your right foot off the ground and trace a clockwise circle. At the same time, draw the number six in the

prince. He pillaged and plundered his way along the Riviera and claimed Monaco

air with your right hand without changing the direction of your

in 1297 by disguising himself as a monk, sneaking into a religious fortress and

foot’s circle. Got that?

killing everyone who queried his property-acquisition methods.

Now simply imagine performing a sequence of tasks requiring

In what would later become the tiny principality of Monaco, anything could

roughly this dexterity for around two hours, in a sauna, racing

happen – and it often still does. Amidst the aftermath of World War II, His Serene

upside down along the world’s fastest rollercoaster track. Most

Highness Prince Rainier III dramatically transformed his realm by marrying Grace

people find watching the race on a flat screen infinitely more

Kelly – cementing Monaco’s über-glamorous reputation. Fabulous taxation laws

agreeable. Of course, if you have a problem identifying with ‘most

drew the ultra-rich, the highest living costs in Europe kept the riffraff out, and

people’ you probably don’t need to be told that there really is no

today Monaco is filled with bougainvillea-covered mansions and breathtaking

substitute for being a spectator at a Grand Prix.

corniches set against a backdrop of dazzling sea dotted with magnificent yachts.

Leave science, physics, charisma, bravery and – let’s face it –

Before Grace, the Grimaldis opened a casino and turned their streets into a

biblical knowledge of lady luck to the professionals, and there

racing track. The 21st century circuit remains practically the same as the day

is still the small matter of choosing the perfect circuit. The truth

it was designed by Monégasque cigarette heir, Anthony Noghés. The cars first

might initially require suspension of disbelief, but the shortest and

head right and climb towards Casino Square, where they change direction

slowest circuit of the Grand Prix is where the business of racing

and elevation over a crest. The first corner is blind and the exit is off camber.

goes to get serious. As former world champion Nelson Piquet said,

Racing down the hill towards the harbour, the cars run through a tunnel (adding

“a win in Monaco is worth two anywhere else”.

pupillary light reflex to the list of desirable driver attributes) and along the

The same family has ruled less than a square mile of mostly rock along the French Riviera for the last 800 years. As is the case with

harbour wall before reaching Tabac corner. From here it’s all about closing the gap to the barriers before looping back onto the pit straight.

many epic tales, the history of the Grimaldis starts with a pirate.

If you believe one should start as one means to go on, you’ll appreciate the

Nicknamed ‘The Cunning’, Francesco Grimaldi’s sins could make

glamour and mystery surrounding the first winner of the Monaco Grand Prix.

even Charlene Wittstock feel like she had married the perfect

A real life James Bond, William Grover-Williams was recruited by the Special

TRAVEL | 101

Operations Executive to parachute into France during World War II. While many believe he was killed by the Nazis in 1945, there is new evidence that Grover-Williams was rescued by the Red Army and led a long life in America under an assumed name.

The Circuit de Monaco offers the master-class moments of the year’s racing calendar. It is almost impossible to overtake, and as

de Paris, where guests choose from more than 550,000 wines stored in the rocks underneath Monte-Carlo Square.

Formula One machines are built for different terrain this is the

Monaco is also home to Jacques Cousteau’s dazzling Musée Océanographique.

race where true driving talent comes to the fore. People who call

It is where you could drop in for coffee and koeksisters with Albert and Charlene,

Monaco a procession were probably not around in 1965 when

or at least visit 15 rooms of the slightly awkward Palais du Prince. The Prince

Graham Hill was forced up an escape road and lost the lead on Lap

of Monaco’s pristine car collection is also on public display, and you have the

25 but fought back through five places to claim the victory... or in

option of taking former winner turned resident David Coulthard’s personal

1970, when Jack Brabham crashed into a wall on the very last corner

recommendations to have lunch at La Saliére and party at Sass Café. It goes

of the race, seconds before what should have been a sure win, or in

without saying that you should put 100 on black at a Monte-Carlo Casino roulette

’82, when even Riccardo Patrese himself was surprised to hear he

table (or was that red?), and if you spot someone flagging, send them directly to

was the victor after he crossed the line. Not forgetting 1984, when

the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, where guests are polished and pampered to

the lead changed six times in the final four laps. Here a driver has

within an inch of their lives – together with half of Hollywood.

to race the barriers, which are only a blink away – concentration,

Bernie Ecclestone, president and CEO of Formula One Management and

grit and looking after rubber are key. Aerodynamics is for people

Formula One Administration has said that Monaco gives Formula One more than

who can’t build engines, and lacklustre engine power rarely comes

Formula One gives it. But even though there is no other place on earth where

into the equation at Monaco.

the glitter of the location sticks to the sport quite like this, the Monaco Grand

It is not only the promise of seeing Formula One drivers

Prix might not be around forever – Ecclestone has made noises about Formula

stripped to their skills that makes Monaco the best spectator

One not needing Monaco because it doesn’t pay enough, and the current deal has

circuit. Here you can get closer to the cars than anywhere else, it

Monaco on the calendar for only nine more years.

is the epitome of unpredictable, the race actually lasts longer than

The next Monaco Grand Prix will be held between 23 and 26 May 2013. Pack

any other, and nowhere else on Earth can you end the day in Alain

your ear defenders and Boateng suit. Book early – big dogs around the world

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The Cowshed because the first chapter should be poetry

United Charter would like to make a special mention and a huge thank you to BigCityLife who has designed and painstakingly compiled the exceptional product you find before you and for all the work that they have put into our marketing efforts, ensuring our company image is maintained to the highest standard in you,

www.thecowshed.co.za our clients eyes. www.facebook.com/cowshedvenue Diana Fallone: c: +27 (72) 243 2429 e: thecowshed@vodamail.co.za Ann Wilson: c: +27 (82) 453 5998 e: ann@thecowshed.co.za Photo: welovepictures http://welovepictures.blogspot.com

TRAVEL | 107

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1864

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monte carlo

I

n the circles where French hotels are de rigueur, this French hotel manages to steal the show with a seriously

impressive address along Monte Carlo’s Place du Casino. The Hôtel de Paris was built in 1864 to offer the very best that earth had to offer… and it carries that philosophy to this day.

T

he splendid lobby is separated from the Place du Casino only by one flight of steps. Awe-inspiring

tradition is acknowledged by the artistry of relief sculptures, the gravity of marble colonnades and the sparkle of sunlight reflected from crystal chandeliers. Within these hallowed spaces the art of hospitality is not something that is practised… but rather something that is perfected.

E

njoy a front-row seat to the extravaganza that is the charming principality of Monaco. Monte

Carlo was named for Charles III of Monaco… a legacy which is perfectly apt as the prince was responsible for the casino concession that eventually put the principality on the map. The elite Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo can also trace its beginnings to Charles II, as it was opened as part of his development plan for the city by the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) in 1864. Almost 200 years later the hotel is still owned and operated by SBM.

A

self-proclaimed

temple

of

gastronomy, the Hôtel de Paris not only boasts a Michelin star

Le Grill restaurant but also the threeMichelin-starred

Le

Louis

XV-Alain

Ducasse restaurant. Côté Jardin, Le Bar Américain and La Salle Empire complete the suite of restaurants offering exquisite cuisine and rare wines. Deconstruct your day in a leather armchair at Le Bar Américain where the understated lighting, the carefully-framed oceanic views, and Doctor Gab’s piano, double bass and drums set the scene for very fashionable relaxation.

TRAVEL | 113

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1863

I

monte carlo

n 1863 a Sovereign Decree was passed by Prince Charles II, and the SBM resort was born. Playing an extraordinary part in the

adventure that is Monte Carlo, the SBM has also played a fundamental role in the development of the whole principality. Prince Charles’s son, Prince Florestan I had even bigger ambitions for the town in the form of a casino surrounded by fine hotels that would be considered exceptional around the world for their luxury, comfort and location. Among these, the Hôtel de Paris would stand out as the finest. Its original owners François and Marie Blanc enlisted the services of the most talented designers to ensure the very best amenities. In 1866, within two years of its opening, the hotel’s first extension was designed by the architect Godinot de la Bretonnerie, who ensured that guests in the brand new dining room were dazzled by the lighting produced by Monaco’s new gas facility. Following her husband’s death in 1877, Marie Blanc decided to carry on his work and build the new wine cellars.

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1869 monte carlo

B

y 1869 Monte Carlo was hosting 170,000 tourists. The Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII,

Alexandre Dumas, Jacques Offenbach, Baron Haussmann and Prince Napoleon were among visitors enchanted by the marvellous climate. The principality of Monaco was suddenly the most fashionable winter meeting place for international high society – and the Hôtel de Paris was the place to stay.

T

he popularity of Monte Carlo grew

throughout

the

20th

century. The threats of war and

economic crises could all be forgotten in balmy, beautiful Monaco and the shining jewel in its crown, the Hôtel de Paris.

Illustrious guests included Lloyd George, Sir Winston Churchill, The Aga Khan, the Comtesse de La Rochefoucauld, and the Duke of Edinburgh, to name but a few.

And of course the movie stars also came here to relax and unwind or even to get married. Errol Flynn chose the Hôtel de Paris for his wedding in 1954, with guests including Rita Hayworth, Michèle Morgan and Cary Grant.

T

oday the very word Monaco immediately conjures beautiful imagery, glorious panoramic vistas

and extravagant architecture. Among this splendour, the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo takes centre stage.

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WINE monte carlo

A

not very well kept Monegasque secret, the 550,000 bottles of wine that lie within the rock walls under

the streets of Monte Carlo are the stuff of legend.

T

hese wine cellars easily take pride of place amongst the finest in the world and offer the perfect conditions of

stillness and cool temperatures to keep bottles from châteaux and estates both French and foreign. The philosophy embraces age-old expertise and fiercely protects the legacy and heritage of earlier generations. A head cellarman and a team of ten keep constant guard over the wines that lie within the cave until the day when they are ordered by guests of the Hôtel de Paris and travel to the surface to be presented by a sommelier.

T

his wine cellar occupies 1,500 square metres, with a kilometre of wine racks with bottles arranged according

to year. Cellarmen, chefs and sommeliers create wine lists featuring the wines that are reaching their peak in the cellar. The menu itself is designed to complement the very best wines that this unusual cellar has to offer. The HĂ´tel de Paris Monte Carlo wine cellar also offers a rare and exclusive setting for special events ranging from romantic celebrations to special wine-tasting sessions.

eorge

made me do it. sanja cloete-jones makes an argument for lake como

George of the Clooney clan funds satellites over Sudan, he once chartered a jet to fly around the United States and pick up friends so they could attend a funeral together, and he admits to rubbing bacon on his shoes to impress stray dogs. Some girls just can’t get past the double alumni of the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ list’s looks, and it could be argued that an obsession with an airbrushed mind is equally shallow, but the man intrigues me.

So when he says that Lake Como is where one gets to live the life you’re supposed to have, I’m taking notes… and then – in a fit of angst about the lack of anything like a scientific approach – I go and see for myself.

TRAVEL | 121

A

speedboat races along the deep blue

to a dazzling pool – that just happens to float on the lake.

of the glacier lake, kicking white foam

But we are not heading that way yet… our destination is

into a balmy Mediterranean sky. If

the grand villa, artfully poised within formal gardens.

it all seems vaguely familiar you can

Villa Roccabruna was built in the 18th century and in

blame the lack of sublime surprise on

the early 19th century Giuditta Pasta, the famous opera

Hollywood. Lake Como features as the planet Naboo

singer and muse of Vincenzo Bellini, bought the house.

in Star Wars, in Ocean’s Twelve the villain Francois

In true diva fashion she completely restored it, styled

Toulour lives at a Lake Como estate, and 007 has been

the interior to resemble La Scala and then threw open

a frequent visitor.

the doors to a never-ending party of famous artists,

The driver cuts the power and guides the boat over a

singers and composers.

gentle swell next to imposing gates, where passengers

It was this house that inspired Bellini to compose the

disembark for a short walk through secluded grounds.

very highlights of Italian opera’s ‘Bel Canto’ era. The

The natural garden has little brooks, white pebbled

title role in Norma demands a technical virtuosity that

paths and a 19th century historical dock. Every view is

makes it one of the most difficult in the entire soprano

perfectly framed by pine trees and one path leads away

repertoire and Giuditta delivered not only range,

TRAVEL | 123

“…the intensity of tangible drama that enshrouds the location has not suffered any dilution.”

flexibility and dynamics but an emotional tour de

closets with gold paint capture the rarefied grandeur

force that drew on the conflict between her personal,

of another era.

public and romantic lives, maternal love, friendship,

The buildings might be resplendent with history

jealousy, murderous intent and resignation. A

and beauty, but it is the spa that ultimately steals the

century later the building has taken on a new role.

show. Ritual ‘Lomi Juma’ massage combines with

But the intensity of tangible drama that enshrouds

yoga, pilates and martial arts to reboot your energy

the location has not suffered any dilution.

channels in a subterranean reserve with treatment

Today the grounds carry the name of an aria from

rooms carved from the rock. The four elements of fire,

the Bellini opera and functions as CastaDiva Resort

earth, air and water fill an eco-friendly 1,300m2 with

and Spa, the only luxury five-star hotel on Lake Como

everything you need to unlock your inner peace and

that is open all year round.

experience an intensely sensual journey.

Featuring an eclectic and Renaissance style,

Too much of a good thing is wonderful – and the

CastaDiva rooms, suites and two exclusive villas

food at CastaDiva does not disappoint. Chef Paolo

are all decked in precious materials and beautiful

Casagrande has won a Michelin star under the

wooden furniture. Heavy silk curtains and mirrored

guidance of the Spanish chef Martin Berasategui,

Order your treatments by element:

Earth Water

A symbol of devotion and purity, Water is used to clean, relax and purify as you swim through features designed to resemble an old steamboat, or relax on the glass floor that is suspended over the 19th century dock.

There is also an indoor pool, a jacuzzi, a Finnish sauna, a Mediterranean bath, a Turkish bath, a Vertical Kneipp (a system developed by a 19th

century Bavarian priest), a salt therapy area, an ice fountain and drench showers. Water has always been the element of wellbeing par excellence.

Let the positive energy of the thalasso bath dissipate stress while you inhale eucalyptus and mint fragrances, drink purifying herb teas and finally move on to a heated water bed. Treatments include wellbeing, detoxification, firming, anti-stress and an experience that promises to work towards perfecting your silhouette.

Mother Earth is associated with the physical and sensual aspects of life.

Green and brown connects guests with a nurturing energy that is stable, firm and filled with endurance and strength. The grotto dedicated to Earth invites purification of body and soul through the steam bath and the Roman bath, with tropical showers and cold mists which involve all the senses. Here you will listen to sweet melodies while you are pampered

Air

with fragrant oils and the ‘chromo therapy’ of soft colours.

Clear, pure blue imbues the space with an intensely positive atmosphere.

A heavenly space. This suite evokes and celebrates the lightness of the natural element Air. Healing herbs and essential oils dissolved in a cloud of steam create a pleasant hammam environment, where the skin can

Fire

regenerate, and stress and impurities are released.

Purifying, masculine energy is represented by candles, incense, volcanoes and lava. A burning brazier heartily welcomes guests to a luxurious suite, where the heat, strength and power of Fire are combined with the enlivening effects of water. Take what you need from the energy of dry heat as your body slowly and deeply releases moisture, before drenching yourself in a shower that includes colour and music therapy as well as alternating hot and cold mists.

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and L’Orangerie’s menu is a showcase for seasonal

established but it may very well be right here” said Herb

ingredients and typical Italian cuisine – often served with

Caen, while the JFK verdict was simply, “I don’t think I’ve

an innovative twist.

ever seen such a beautiful lake.”

As exquisite as the historic villa is, there is no doubt

In 1826 a steamship with sails was launched on Lake

in my mind that the real magic of this location happens

Como and today various ferry services link all the small

courtesy of Italy’s third largest lake.

towns and villages around its perimeter. Como, Milan

Lake Como was born from a glacier – it is one of the

and Lugano are close enough for a day trip, while in

deepest European lakes and the weather is Mediterranean

winter the slopes (and the shops) of St Moritz are only a

and typically mild. Private docks guarantee privacy,

sea-plane hop away. Between October and June, guests

and the Amphitheatre on the water adds an element

at the CastaDiva take a romantic boat trip to Como for

of sophisticated charm to shows and events. George

special operatic events.

Clooney’s Villa Oleandra lies on the opposite shore a little

The lake also offers absolutely perfect windsurfing,

to the south of CastaDiva. He is only the latest in a long

kite surfing, diving and canoeing conditions, there are no

and very distinguished list of famous admirers of the lake,

fewer than seven golf courses nearby, and Milan Malpensa

which has been a tourist destination since Roman times

airport is only 55km from CastaDiva.

and is renowned for attracting musicians, singers, writers, poets and artists.

In spite of the fact that artistic talent is meticulously compartmentalised in our society – and one girl’s realism

Roman senator Pliny the Younger built the Comedia

might very well be another man’s rock star nihilism – it

and Tragedia resorts at Lake Como, starting a real estate

is generally agreed that Italy represents the history of

rush that shows no signs of abating. Virgil simply referred

Western art in all its forms. As Samuel Johnson said, “A

to it as the “greatest lake”. Shelley proclaimed the lake to

man who has not been in Italy is always conscious of an

“exceed anything I ever beheld in beauty” in 1818. He

inferiority.”

recalls that the olive, orange and lemon trees have more fruit than leaves and that “The union of culture and the untameable profusion and loveliness of nature is here so close, that the line where they are divided can hardly be discovered.” Mark Twain could not resist a lengthy discussion of Lake Como in The Innocents Abroad, Victor Frankenstein marries Elizabeth here in the Mary Shelley novel and Ernest Hemingway’s Lieutenant Henry

At Lake Como, one finds it difficult not to feel decidedly superior. In the words of Gorgeous George:

“At Lake Como, you live your life the way you’re supposed to live your life if you’re lucky. The two-hour lunch. The glass of wine. Everybody sitting around and talking. Dinner starts at nine and it ends at midnight or one.”

talks about a vacation to the lake in A Farewell to Arms.

It’s true.

“The precise location of heaven on earth has never been

I’ve checked.

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here is another Europe out there. Beyond the edge of the travel envelope lie the forgotten names, in corners of the map that once simply said ‘Beyond this place, there be dragons’. According to Kurt Vonnegut, unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from the gods – so if you fancy a boogie… read on!

FLETCHER CHRISTIAN

& PITCAIRN ISLAND

V

NAPOLEON

& ST HELENA

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St Augustine ery few people ever get to read the chapter that

“A little world, within itself, which excites our curiosity.”

Charles Darwin

lies 4km2, bang in the middle of the South Pacific.

The title says Pitcairn, and at more than 500km

from the nearest small airport and almost 5,000km from the nearest major landmass it is the most remote inhabited place on Earth. Bounty Mutineer Fletcher Christian thought it was the perfect haven when he found himself on the run from the British Empire and in need of a little sun, sea,

S

o remote it was considered suitable for the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, St Helena also played a part in the work of Edmund Halley and Charles Darwin.

An extraordinary place, born of volcanoes seven million

peace and easy lovin’. Centuries later, the island remains

years ago, the island offers rugged coasts, inviting waters

unspoilt and still ticks the untapped adventure box. Even the

and rolling hills.

current inhabitants have left large tracks of land completely unexplored for decades.

There are almost as many vehicles as there are Saints (inhabitants) on St Helena, but as with almost all of the island’s

So if you think you could do with a little Fletcher Christian

bleak attempts at joining the 21st century, these are best

therapy, fly from Tahiti to the Gambiers, the Cook Islands or

ignored. To conquer this particular piece of volcanic rock,

Mangareva from where a chartered vessel is the only way to

you need to get moving. Jacob’s Ladder has 699 steps that

Pitcairn. Prepare for four-metre swells and gale force winds

head straight up out of Jamestown. The historic High Knoll

as ‘depending on the weather’ is not merely a natty turn of

Fort has commanding views, but Diana’s Peak at 823 metres

nautical phrase in the South Pacific.

above sea level gives the best 360o panorama of this exotic

Most Pitcairners can trace their line of descent right back

paradise. This hill is now a protected national park, covered

to the Bounty crew. They welcome visitors and will even

in tree-fern thicket that harbours the island’s endemic animal

launch their longboats to escort weary travellers on the

species. St Helena also boasts a picture-perfect, heart-shaped

final leg of the journey – a treacherous maze of sharp rocks

cliff face, complete with a cascading waterfall that can be

born from volcanic activity, with suitably ugly names like

reached on foot. In spite of the fact that St Helena makes full

Goathouse Peak and Down Rope. Tall rocks rise from an

use of its abundant tropical fauna and flora and the excellent

island flanked by sea cliffs and lush jungles. At the top of the

underwater visibility with a variety of underwater trails, it

Hill of Difficulty, on a plateau above Bounty Bay, lie the white

is virtually unknown as a diving destination. Visiting divers

facades of Adamstown.

are practically guaranteed exclusive access to the creatures,

Guests can stay in the recently converted prison hotel or

caves and shipwrecks surrounding the area.

eat breadfruit fries and pure Pitcairn honey lodging in a

At Longwood House, guests find the world’s foremost

Pitcairner’s home. The final resting place of the famous HMS

Napoleonic museum. The Emperor himself chose Sane

Bounty makes for interesting diving and at St Paul’s Pool, Big

Valley for his burial and his tomb remains… even though his

Blue enthusiasts can explore a six-metre-deep electric cobalt

body has been returned to Les Invalides in Paris. St James is

lagoon. Three neighbouring volcanic atolls offer a stunning

the oldest Anglican Church in the southern hemisphere and

variety of animal and bird life as well as sandy beaches and

doubles as an exhibition hall with many plaques and tablets

heavenly scenery.

telling the tales of this historic island.

As is true of most of Earth’s last remaining paradise islands,

St Helena is currently fiscally stuck in a British colonialist

this one might not hold on to its status for much longer. The

nightmare, and since 2002 an international airport has

residents are anxious to boost income and are rooting for

looked like the only profitable way forward. When – or is

a semi-regular ferry service from Mangareva… which will

that if? – that happens, Napoleon’s St Helena might very well

inevitably change the experience.

become buried beneath the tourists.

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Visiting divers are practically guaranteed exclusive access to the creatures, caves and shipwrecks

STEVE McQUEEN

& FRENCH GUIANA “When a horse learns to buy martinis, I’ll learn to like horses.” Steve McQueen

…and when the capital goes by Cayenne and the cuisine is Creole, one can be forgiven for expecting the destination to deliver a little spice. A French department nestled between the Caribbean and the Amazon, French Guiana has fabulous architecture and one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world, including sumptuous rainforests and beaches. The Amana Nature Reserve is home to flamingos, jaguars and monkeys, and is an exceptional marine turtle nesting site.

McQueen put French Guiana on the map for his portrayal of Henri Charrière’s escape from the infamous Devil’s Island penal colony in the movie Papillon, and it’s impossible not to find yourself immersed in the extraordinary history of this bohemian outpost. Evocative names for mythical locations arouse an almost visceral response. But it isn’t all about the past. Occasionally the macaws and toucans share airspace with ships destined for space as they are launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG for short).

Back on earth, a dugout canoe is the perfect vehicle for exploring majestic rivers and the towns of Kourou, Iracabo (with its church painted entirely by the hand of Huguet), Counaman and the lower Sinnamary.

A catamaran will take you 15km from Kourou over sharkinfested water to the Îles du Salut (Salvation Islands). Île Royale has restored prison buildings, on Île St Joseph you can visit the eerie solitary confinement cells, while the dangerous currents surrounding the famous Île du Diable or Devil’s Island – once reserved for the most dangerous convicts – renders it practically unreachable. Animals

*

‘Pushing the edge of the envelope’ is a term denoting an approach that exceeds or even extends the limits of what is considered possible or permissible in any context. The outer

have thrived and Île Royale is home to macaws, agoutis,

boundaries of Europe are not easy to get to and have not

sea turtles and capuchins to name but a few. The island also

been groomed for ease of mass consumption, but they offer

has a fabulous white sand beach… and a monstrous infrared

something the more usual travel portals can’t – that positive

camera that tracks every eastward space launch.

rubber hammer tap to the adventure bone reflex.

Pitcairn

Pitcairn

Pitcairn

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St Helena

French Guiana

Pitcairn

St Helena

French Guiana

“The church and the whorehouse arrived in the Far West at the same time” John Steinbeck wrote in East of Eden, and they were united in their intention “to take man out of his bleakness for a time”. Distil any great tale and you will end up with the story of an escape.

Santorini,Oia & Sutsukaki

S. O. S.

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he collective human consciousness craves it, and as individuals shackled to reality, we pursue it every day. From the bread you

eat to your trademark trainers – what you buy is ultimately calculated to deliver you from drudgery.

Everything, that is, except the one activity invented specifically for that purpose.

All things travel have become downright serious and philosophical. Forget ‘when in Rome’ – the 21st century travel destination is submitted to a series of exacting cerebral exercises and moral tests. The destination has to be eco-friendly – it goes without saying that you offset the carbon emissions from the journey – you should donate time, money and/ or energy to worthy causes and you must return with a suitably altered soul.

Now, social responsibility is necessary and admirable, of course – but surely one will have more energy to devote to world peace when one indulges in the odd bit of pure diversion? The kind of get-away where brilliant light reflects a clear blue and white palette and DH Lawrence’s ‘Cool un-lying life’ can flood in once again.

The weary modern traveller’s deliverance lies in a piece of rock. The lonely relic from the moment in time when a volcanic cone blew its top into the Aegean Sea…

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SANTORINI It really is the ultimate escape.

silently represent a world that

Depending on which geological

So

lovely,

is as familiar as myth. Ancient

layer of solidified lava is exposed,

you find yourself peculiarly

Akrotiri is one of the most

the sand is white, red or black.

unconcerned about the fact that

impressive, publicly-accessible

Officially a desert, Santorini

it literally stands at the epicentre

archaeological sites in the world

certainly delivers the heat and

of the catastrophic eruption that

– so well preserved by its tomb

the darker the sand, the more

annihilated Minoan civilisation

of volcanic ash that the large

effective the heat retention…

3,600 years ago. In fact, guests

earthenware jugs still contain

black volcanic sand is literally

enthusiastically queue to visit

traces of fish, olive oil and onions!

blistering and you are advised to

exhibits

the

Suspend your disbelief when you

pack your Ed Hardy ‘Surf or Die’

island’s volcanic temperament

enter the triangular plaza with its

flip flops!

– and clues to the distant past

multi-story houses and you travel

can be found throughout the

3,000 years through time.

heartbreakingly

that

advertise

Santorini

is

known

as

the stealth wealth capital of

island. In Fira, the Historical and

The inner coast features a

the Cyclades and the most

Cultural Archaeological Museum

sheer precipice as the caldera

extravagant tastes are catered

gives travellers a very real peek

shoots up from the sea, reaching

for. Great hotels for framing

down the halls of history. Stark

heights of 300 metres where the

the caldera, the black cliff rim

geometric black vases from the

major towns and hotels perch

of the old volcano and the sun

5 century BC, Minoan artefacts,

spectacularly on the crest. The

setting over the sea behind it

Hellenistic period frescoes and

outer rim slopes gently down to

are Zannos Melathron in Pyrgos

sculptures,

works

the water’s edge and here guests

and Anastasis Apartments in

of art and prehistoric remains

may pick their beach… by colour.

Imerovigli.

th

Byzantine

OIA Who doesn’t love a happy ending? George Lucas says it

Plato’s moral tale was almost certainly based, if not on

adds ten million dollars to the box office and Santorini really

reality, then on the story of what happened to Santorini a

knows how to stage the final act.

millennium before the philosopher’s birth. One does not

The Santorini Sunset features prominently on every self

need to know that this is the exact spot where an actual

respecting ‘best sunsets on earth’ list. Not happy with the

version of the famous city once stood. The literal truth of the

usual colour suspects, these super twilight whoppers paint

matter is of no particular concern – you are under relaxation

the sky in every hue from purple-black through apricot

orders remember. Far-fetched fantasies will do just fine.

and silver. Oia claims the best seats in the Santorini Sunset

If nothing relaxes you like messing with your personal

theatre, but if you want to avoid the body crush then you

boundaries you could consider a Swimtrek holiday in

need to find a spot upon a yacht.

Greece and swim around the Cyclades – the risk of chafing,

Go one step further, have a Lara Croft moment and allow

hypothermia, jellyfish stings, cramps and well… drowning

yourself to glimpse the legend of Atlantis dancing in the

are nothing compared to the satisfaction of visiting parts of

dying rays of the sun.

the islands no one else will see.

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SUTSUKAKI The Art Space near Exogonia is the perfect monochromatic counterpoint to brilliant blue.

Two cool wine cellars, a rake distillery and a large underground pumice rock cave that exhibits representative contemporary art lead, by underground tunnel, to the modern winery.

The European winemaking trade began in Greece 6,500 years ago and the volcanic earth of Santorini imparts a mineral depth and complexity to the celebrated, contemporary, local wines. The island boasts considerable viticultural pride. If the Vinsanto is a little too sweet for your taste you might like to indulge in the strong, citrus scent and mineral and iodide salt from the volcanic soil that is to be found in the very dry white wines produced here.

The matchless ecology, climate and soil also produce the renowned Santorini cherry tomatoes. Intensely red, very sweet and uniquely flavoured they are like no other on earth. You will find them in your salad of course but you should also order battered tomato slices (sutsukaki) and deep-fried tomato balls (keftades). You can expect plenty of fresh seafood, meat dishes (often flavoured with garlic and thyme), char-grilled kebabs and the genuine Greek salad.

Cafés stay open late until the trendier bars and clubs take over. And tomorrow you can do it all again… maybe also take a donkey for a ride.

A visit to Santorini might not elevate you to the heights of environmental/humanitarian/philosophical glory… but occasionally that is a small price to pay for magical transcendence of circumstance.

SANTORINI OR THERA Named for Saint Irene during the Latin Empire of the 13th century, it was previously known as Kalliste ‘most beautiful one’, Strongyle ‘the circular one’ or Thera. In the 19th century Thera was picked as the official name, but the colloquial Santorini remains popular.

MOTORING | 139

THE FIRST FERRARI ROAD CAR MADE ITS APPEARANCE IN 1947 AND SINCE THEN MANY MORE MODELS HAVE LEFT THE PRODUCTION LINE, BUT WHICH ONE DESERVES THE TITLE OF ‘KING OF THE ROAD’? GEOFF JONES DONS HIS DRIVING GLOVES TO FIND OUT.

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here’s ordinary difficult, then there is passing a camel through the eye of a needle difficult, and for folk who’d like a real challenge there is deciding which Ferrari is the finest ever built. Enzo Ferrari’s company began designing road cars in the 1940s and has produced around 100 different road cars since

then, so pose the above challenge to a posse of enthusiasts and you should prepare for acrimony and, in some cases, even violence.

Chris Evans paid a record £5.6 million at auction for a short wheelbase version of the model that had been previously owned by actor James Coburn – and all the while his wife was

THE ONE WHERE CHRIS EVANS DOESN’T TELL THE WIFE The list of magical motorcars produced in the town of Maranello stretches on, but the first really notable specimen

under the impression that he had only gone to the auction for the beer and to buy a few calendars.

to consider is the Spyder California, built in the late 1950s and early 60s. The creation of the car was allegedly motivated by US distributors who told Ferrari that a drop-top named for its most lucrative North American market would be a very shrewd idea indeed. Only 50 of the long wheelbase version and 55 of the short wheelbase were produced and the Scagliettibodied sensation packed a glorious sounding three-litre V12 engine. Both models are now highly sought after by collectors. In 2008, UK Radio DJ and avid Ferrari enthusiast

THE ONE WHERE YOUR BUCKS GO BANG Sports Car International called it the top sports car of all time and the Motor Journal crowned it the ‘Greatest Ferrari of All Time’, so the 250 GTO (Gran Turismo Omologata) is next up. Built in the early 1960s, with a production total of only 39, this car is clearly the winner as far as Nick Mason of the rock band Pink Floyd is concerned. If you take into account the fact that

he owns several Ferraris, as well as a race team that has successfully completed the 24-hour Le Mans, he is clearly something of a petrolhead. Mason isn’t shy with his opinion either, claiming that the achingly-elegant Italian 250 GTO is “simply the greatest road-going Ferrari, as well as a great racer. Like a good musical instrument

MOTORING | 141

WHEN MAGNUM PI HOWLED ACROSS THE LITTLE SCREEN IN A 308 GTS WITH THE TARGA TOP OFF (THE ONLY WAY THE 6-FOOT-4 ACTOR WOULD FIT) AN ENTIRE GENERATION FELL A LITTLE IN LOVE – AND NOT JUST WITH TOM SELLECK.

can turn a mediocre musician into a good one, the 250 GTO makes a bad driver good, a good driver great, and a great driver can get a trophy engraved without even bothering to race”.

Even if you feel Mr Mason should not be allowed the last word, the GTO still makes the podium as far as best investment goes. If you had been lucky enough to get the personal approval of Enzo Ferrari and his North American dealer Luigi Chinelli in 1962 you could have secured yourself a GTO and you would have paid around £6,500 for your new pony. Forty years later, at a recent auction in London, a GTO

wail of the three-litre V8 engine. The fact that there is a solid supply does not detract from its charm and it remains one of the most affordable exotic cars to own.

was sold for over £20,000,000.

THE ONE THAT GOT THE NOD FROM TUBBS AND CROCKETT THE ONE THAT GOES NICELY WITH A MOUSTACHE AND

starred in Miami Vice. No serious aficionado would tolerate the

WAGGLING EYEBROWS When Magnum PI howled across the little screen in a 308 GTS with the targa top off (the only way the 6-foot-4 actor would fit) an entire generation fell a little in love – and not just with Tom Selleck. The successor to the Robin Masters 308, the 328, was dubbed the ‘Modenese Model T’ as around 12,000 were built between 1975 and 1985.

A little dart of a thing, it had an almost magical appeal punctuated by the banshee

Then the action moved to the East Coast and a drop-top Ferrari exclusion of the 365 GTB/4, more commonly known as the Daytona.

The Daytona was launched in 1968, at a time when Lamborghini was wowing the world with its mid-engine Miura. This led to speculation that Enzo’s newest supercharge would follow suit. Wrong. The 365 GTB/4 appeared with a front-mounted 4.4-litre V12 that reached peak power at a

howling 7,500rpm. Not only did the Daytona enjoy a glorious competition history, but it was also hailed as the supercar of its day – being quicker than even the hallowed Miura. However, it sadly turned out to be the last Ferrari made under Enzo before he sold the company to Fiat.

IN THE 458, FERRARI HAS ONCE AGAIN PRODUCED A MASTERPIECE; A CAR THAT IS NOT ONLY AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO DRIVE, BUT HAS SUPERLATIVE HANDLING, BLISTERING PERFORMANCE AND THE EXTREME RESPONSIVENESS THAT IS THE TRADEMARK OF THE MARQUE.

THE ONE THAT ENDED ON THE WALL The fabled F40 is a must in this line-up of pedigree prancers. Built from 1987 to 1992, this outrageous, road-going race car immediately galvanized motoring fanatics the world over – including car-crazy teenagers who religiously adorned their bedrooms with F40 posters.

THE ONE THAT SINGS WITH THE FAT LADY

With a turbocharged V8 producing around 352kW, the F40 was the first road-legal car to crack the 320km/h barrier and would howl and scream from rest to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds.

Track-only versions were even more brutal, hitting 100km/h in 3.2 seconds. It was designed to be the finest, fastest, most fearsome Ferrari ever, and it left the factory with a

As a penultimate contender I would offer the F355, which also has its roots in the 308 and was built between 1994 and 1999. It uses a 40-valve V8 to sing some of the most glorious automotive opera imaginable. Even amongst its hallowed brethren it is considered a particularly beautiful machine, with that perfect Pininfarina body magically melded around the throaty 3.5 V8.

suggested price in the region of £250, 000. But some buyers – especially in the late ‘80s when the prices of exotics and classics went quite insane – were rumoured to have paid close to a million pounds.

Both Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond of Top Gear fame eulogise the F40 as being nothing short of “the greatest supercar the world has ever seen”.

THE ONE THAT SAT ON THE TUFFET Which brings us to the present and the 458 Spider currently in production – if you know anything about cars at all, your very first thought might be that as gorgeous as it looks, any drop-head version of an existing car invariably compromises on performance and handling.

If you find yourself signed up for Auto101 you quickly learn it’s all to do with the fact that open cars are generally heavier, thanks to the extra bracing required, while there’s

MOTORING | 143

more body and chassis flex as a result of losing the structural integrity provided by a tin top.

But with the 458 Spider’s all-aluminium chassis, the men from Maranello have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that rigidity and ride almost match that of the 458 Italia on which it’s based. The fully-retractable hardtop weighs in at 25kg lighter

makes 425kW at a vertigo-inducing 9,000rpm, and 540Nm at

than a traditional soft-top and takes a mere 14 seconds to open

6,000rpm. So figure on a top speed of around 320km/h and a zero

or close. Of course, with the hard top down, occupants are

to 100km/h in a scorching 3.4 seconds. Power is transferred to the

all the better able to hear that Maranello music and the adjustable electric wind stop is a noteworthy feature.

Like the Italia, the Spider uses Ferrari’s naturallyaspirated, direct-injection 4.5-litre V8. This power plant was nominated as the 2011 International Engine of the Year, and growls and howls as only an engine

wheels by Ferrari’s precedent-setting, dual-clutch F1 paddle shift transmission through the E-Diff, itself integrated with the traction control and ABS to provide the ultimate driving experience.

As for fuel consumption, it’s listed at 11.8 litres per 100km – which may be a bit optimistic. No doubt it was somehow achieved in testing, but considering the list price the fuel bill will possibly be a matter of

bearing the Prancing Horse logo can. The design,

trifling indifference to owners. In the 458, Ferrari has once again produced

according to Ferrari, was perfected to slow and

a masterpiece; a car that is not only an absolute pleasure to drive, but has

diffuse air in the cockpit, enabling normal conversation to be held with the top down, even at speeds of over 200km/h.

Speaking of speed, that 4,499cc V8

superlative handling, blistering performance and the extreme responsiveness that is the trademark of the marque.

There can be no doubt that this car is destined to be a true classic… and it might even settle the argument between passionate Ferrari lovers once and for all.

THE FIGHT IS ON at the launch of the latest coupé, the mercedes-benz representatives issued a few general warnings of the ‘if you switch off the traction control there will be consequences’ kind, before throwing brenwin naidoo the key and letting him loose on zwartkops raceway.

C

hanging perceptions. This is what the new Mercedes-Benz

are made earlier while throttle response also becomes less aggressive.

C63 AMG Coupé seems to be all about. After spending some

Then, get ready for a bit of ‘S and M’, two transmission settings (Sport and

time behind the wheel, it’s clear to me that this German beast is

Manual) that transform the beast into attack mode. The engine suddenly

raring to knock its direct rival, the perennial best-selling BMW

awakens from its calm state and its raucous, theatrical noise denotes an

M3, off the high-performance luxury coupé podium.

eagerness to demonstrate the colossal grunt on tap.

Models like this striking new AMG are testament to the transformation

The AMG manages to settle easily into highway-cruising speeds,

in the brand’s image. Despite the smart-but-boring stigma attached to its

insulating passengers comfortably within its opulent cabin. The designers

products, Mercedes-Benz is beginning to prove that it has the capacity to

have achieved a pleasing compromise between sport and luxury. The seats,

create cars that stir the soul – cars with street cred, that resonate with a

for example, while being of the hug-the-body bucket variety, are clad in

younger generation of buyers.

beautifully supple leather.

We all know that every car has its own distinctive sound: an old Volkswagen

Tech-lovers will delight in the digital wizardry that comes as standard in

Beetle rattles, while a new Mini Cooper S eagerly buzzes and whines with its

this AMG. Internet access is offered through Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND

turbocharged song. But the AMG is something else.

Online multimedia system. There’s a 3D navigation display, as well as USB

Its quad-tailpipe arrangement lets loose a thunderous roar that signals

and Bluetooth connections. High-tech driver aids include Attention Assist,

a violent storm and tempts drivers to floor it purely for the pleasure of

which detects driver drowsiness, and Active Blind Spot Assist, preventing

being serenaded by the 6.3-litre naturally-aspirated engine. And then the

hasty, precarious lane changes by means of an audible warning.

acceleration delivers a punch to the solar plexus.

Racing cones were laid out at each of Zwartkop’s sharp corners, indicating the best braking, turning and acceleration points. On track-driving stints, you learn that there’s a whole lot more to driving fast than simply hitting the accelerator and holding tight. It’s all about control and being receptive to the vehicle’s reaction to your input.

Handling is critical. The AMG Coupé must excel in this area if it wants to be taken seriously as a competitor to the lauded M3. With the traction control fully activated, the AMG offers tonnes of tangible grip. You can feel the complex mechanisms restraining the engine’s force and feeding it back in manageable portions. Even for the novice driver, it is surprisingly easy to drive startlingly fast in this car.

A seven-speed semi-automatic transmission transfers the monstrous power seamlessly, but also plays a role in boosting the car’s economy. Select the ‘Controlled Efficiency’ mode and the intelligent gearbox ensures that up-shifts

The BMW M3 better look out. With its immense power, aesthetics that inspire and outsized grin-inducing handling character, the C63 AMG Coupé seems poised to deliver a forceful blow to its nemesis.

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IS THE A6 THE NEXT

EXECUTIVE TRANSPORTER?

S

brenwin naidoo dresses the part and set off to find out.

artorial elegance is an art that must be mastered if one wants

The colour screen on the centre console boasts a wonderfully clear

to be taken seriously in the corporate environment. There are

display and its operation adds dazzle factor. Turn the ignition on, and

some exceptions to the rule. Steve Jobs is revered for his Apple

the screen slides out of the dashboard and extends upwards. This is the

business model even though he was always seen sporting jeans

conduit to Audi’s Multi Media Interface, which sanctions control of the

and a black polo neck – but executives swiftly climbing the

A6’s suspension, exterior lighting and audio system.

corporate ladder will tell you that nothing rivals the power bestowed by the perfect suit.

Image is everything in the boardroom, and looking the part can only improve your key-presentation-with-flawless-elocution reputation. Like

Fancy matching your mood to the journey? No problem. Simply stick it in ‘comfort’ for a leisurely cruise, engage ‘dynamic’ if you feel some exuberant driving is in order, or make specific adjustments with the ‘individual’ setting.

Frank Martin in The Transporter, attired in my favourite black suit, I set off

I sampled the three-litre T FSI petrol-engine derivative, and with the

to find out if the latest Audi A6 would fulfil its mandate… because, as Frank

performance this powerplant offers, you’re going to be tempted to keep it

said, “Transportation is a precise business”.

in ‘dynamic’ most of the time. It’s a swift mover, gaining momentum like

Thanks to sizeable dimensions, smartly-tailored bodywork and a high-

a homeward-bound thoroughbred. With its taut, sure-footed character,

tech steel and aluminium composition, this graceful saloon wields major

one is able to indulge in a little excitement negotiating bends too. There

presence. I think it looks particularly good in darker hues such as navy

are two diesel derivatives on offer: the two-litre TDI – which makes for

blue or jet black, but the silver shade featured on my test car managed to

strong consideration as an entry point into the range; and the three-litre

accentuate the exciting lines and arresting shape pretty well.

TDI, touted as a ‘Power Diesel’ by Audi’s press machine.

The A6 nameplate has proven itself to be a formidable contender in

As you would expect, the standard specifications in this high-end Audi

the executive C-segment fray over the years. In this latest incarnation it

are impressive. Even the awe-inspiring Multi Media Interface colour

is unequivocally beautiful. The pretty picture aside, Audi seems to have

screen is standard throughout the range, along with the multi-function

adopted a one-type-fits-all approach to design in recent years. Whilst

steering wheel, Bluetooth cellphone preparation and park-distance

the size increases as you progress through the range, the outlines of its

control for front and rear.

products remain similar. Like a polo shirt, you can have those attractive

With its amped-up standard features, sheer refinement and bullet-proof

Audi hallmarks in small (A1), medium (A4), large (A6) or extra-large (A8).

quality, the new Audi A6 poses a strong argument to those seeking an

In terms of the A6’s interior design there is nothing particularly new, with

executive saloon that delivers on all fronts. It is guaranteed to provide the

typical luxury elements such as leather and brushed aluminium, but the

high powered suit-wearers of the world with a spot of welcome excitement

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SHOOTING THE BREEZE

A

volkswagen blows like a hurricane

sirocco is a sultry Mediterranean breeze that occasionally

Our test vehicle came with the semi-automatic Direct Shift Gearbox

blows like a hurricane. Add an extra letter ‘c’ and you

(DSG). Its greatest merit is the gear shifts that happen at superhuman speeds

have the name of Volkswagen’s stylish two-door model

and instantly remove the tedium of driving in traffic. However, if you’re a

that also caused a storm when it first hit the 1974 coupé

purist lusting after a more immersive driving experience, the option of a

market and completed the double tap in 2008 when the

traditional manual six-shifter is still available. It’s interesting to note that

latest incarnation arrived on the scene. The Scirocco’s shapely physique

with the DSG transmission, Volkswagen claims a 0-100km/h time of 5.8

has tempted many drivers to hit the open road. Think twisty tarmac, idyllic

seconds – marginally quicker than the manual, which clocks in at six seconds

scenery and the soothing sounds of Summer Breeze by Seals & Crofts.

flat. Teutonic build quality infused with calibrated, thoroughbred racing

Now meet the hot-blooded R version –a Scirocco after a rigorous

DNA is the blend this car runs on.

workout, pumped full of muscle supplements and steroids. This is a

Of course, there are standard creature comforts like climate control,

rendition of Summer Breeze by Marilyn Manson: hard-edged, rough,

and an eight-speaker audio system, park-distance control and rain-sensing

imploring you to pump your fists in a rock-induced trance. Larger bumpers,

windscreen wipers. The optional racing bucket seats will even allow you to

19-inch ‘Talladega’ alloy wheels, pronounced wheel arches and fat tyres

indulge in some Touring Car fantasies, and touches like the flat-bottomed

convey the R’s aggressive attitude. It hugs the road and has a purposeful,

steering wheel and the blue needles and white backlighting for the gauges

firmly-planted stance.

distinctly pick up the pulse.

Stunning Bi-Xenon lights ice the Scirocco’s formidable front end and the

It’s also reassuring to know that a wealth of safety mechanisms feature

bigger air ducts make the car look as though it devours the road. Not only

prominently. In addition to traction control and the anti-lock braking system,

does this effectively court the Fast and Furious fraternity’s love for go-faster

the engineers have thrown in a crowd of electronic nannies to ensure that

embellishments – but the bigger air ducts are actually tasked with feeding

the fast-paced mirth doesn’t turn sour, but they also have a bunch of braces

more air into the engine.

behind the belt with side, curtain, driver and passenger airbags.

The two-litre four-cylinder block beneath the bonnet has been fitted with

There is a noticeable rivalry developing in this niche, with manufacturers

tougher pistons, injectors and a new intercooler. Sparing you the technical

releasing powerful, more driver-orientated versions of their popular coupés.

minutiae, this simply means it will effectively handle the extra power it has

The Volkswagen Scirocco R competes with products like the Audi TTS and

been blessed with. Put the accelerator to the floor and you might as well

BMW 1-Series M Coupé.

be riding a rocket – an addictive feeling that has been known to instantly enslave drivers of powerful, turbocharged vehicles.

The Scirocco R also employs a four-wheel drive system, offering greater traction, and helping to deliver its 188-kilowatt punch more effectively.

These cars have the performance to deliver the exciting thrills of a track toy, but the refinement and quality that renders them perfectly suitable for everyday driving use. Scientifically speaking it is of course quite possible to resist the temptation… but why would anyone try?

T

hou shalt not’ is soon forgotten, but ‘Once upon a time’ lasts forever” Philip Pullman

No-one fast-forwards past the TV show to get to the commercial break. No-one has spiritual moments reading corporate jargon. No-one starts Spin Clubs to discuss the deeper meanings of press releases.

No-one’s ever cried at an infomercial.

Stories are what make the world go round. Humans forge personal connections through satisfying narrative.

Our brains are wired to tell tales and learn from them. In a highly commoditised, information-bloated society, a memorable story is more relevant than ever.

The strength of a business lies not in the size of its corporate headquarters or the size of its profit margins. It lies in the story it tells its customers. The most successful companies understand that ‘brand’ is just another word for ‘story’.

BigCityStudio loves stories. We specialise in gathering dry data and, through design, weaving it into a tapestry that resonates with people. We believe stories are transformational and can turn the smallest company into the leader of its field as easily as a frog becomes a prince. We know this because we do it every day.

Every business has a story to tell. Let us find your ‘once upon a time’ and help you move towards ‘happily ever after’ one page at a time.

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BigCityStudio is Africa’s leading digital, print and media agency T: +27 847422402 E: info@bigcitylife.co.za W: www.bigcitystudio.co.za

A

BUSINESS | 151

CAUTIONARY TALE

Professor Stan du Plessis traces the roots of the Euro and reflects on its rise and fall since its creation over a decade ago.

O

ver the course of the last two centuries people in the developed world, and an increasing proportion of people in the developing world, have escaped the struggle for subsistence and now enjoy

unprecedented improvements in welfare. It is one of the great discoveries of modern economics that this process of economic development cannot be attributed to using more land, or to a more intensive exploitation of workers, or even to a rapid accumulation of capital.

Instead, the bulk of the long-term rise in prosperity has been due to a rise in labour productivity. In short, the rise in wealth is as a result of working smarter, not harder or with more inputs.

It is not easy to work more productively, and requires

union, which implies common monetary policy

not just specialisation but also adaptability and the use

and exchange rate policies as well as extensive

of technological inventions. This process only works

fiscal union.

with extensive co-operation – as we become more

Just over a decade ago, a group of European

dependent on the work of others, the more each of

countries took the final step along this road with

us specialises. The process of economic development

the advent of Economic and Monetary Union

changes not just the lives of individuals, but the

(EMU) with its new currency, the Euro. For both

very nature of collaboration. In a globalised era, this

supporters and critics, the Euro’s launch counts

collaboration, which is what we do on most markets,

among the most significant economic developments

is no longer limited by local or national boundaries.

of recent decades. Politicians in Europe led the push

Adam Smith, the Scot widely cited as the father

towards EMU. The economic benefits they were

of modern economics and capitalism, argued a long

hoping for fit the Adam Smith argument: economic

time ago that productivity-enhancing specialisation

union would lower the explicit and implicit costs

is limited by the extent of our co-operation,

of doing business in Europe, leading to faster

especially internationally. And so began the logic of

productivity growth and increased prosperity for

economic integration: a process whereby barriers to

all. The reputations of peripheral countries such as

international trade, investment and migration are

Greece, or core countries with poor track records

removed in a stepwise manner, starting with a free

such as Italy, would additionally benefit from the

trade area and leading via a customs union to the

direct association with German economic policy.

integration of capital and labour markets to form a

On capital markets this reputation effect was visible

common market. The final step in this progression

in the form of lower interest rates on government

is the integration of the national monetary systems

bonds, which implied a tremendous fiscal windfall

(including their exchange rates) in a full economic

for Greece, Italy, Portugal and others.

BUSINESS | 153

FOR BOTH SUPPORTERS AND CRITICS, THE EURO’S LAUNCH COUNTS AMONG THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS OF RECENT DECADES.

The Euro’s founders assumed that they would have decades to complete the fiscal integration that logically followed from monetary integration, and that meanwhile the member governments would respect the fiscal guidelines of the Stability and Growth Pact. Neither assumption proved correct.

Despite the bad timing – financial and economic stress But these gains came at a price. The monetary union

makes reform harder – European leaders now have to move

fixed exchange rates, unified monetary policy and

rapidly towards fiscal union. It remains to be seen whether

constrained fiscal policy in the member countries.

their electorates will accept the loss of sovereignty that will

These are the major instruments of macroeconomic

necessarily follow this process, not just in Greece and Portugal,

policy and it only makes sense to do without them under

but in France too. Meanwhile, peripheral Greece and Spain

two conditions: either the economies have to be very

are trying to adjust to major economic disruption without the

similar in structure to ensure that the economic union’s

instruments of macroeconomic policy.

policy would suit the circumstances of all members

For leaders in other parts of the world who have also

simultaneously; or the labour, capital and goods markets

contemplated closer economic integration – even in

have to be very flexible in the member countries to allow

circumstances less promising than those of Europe in the early

rapid adjustments within the economic union without

nineties – these unwelcome events form a cautionary tale.

policy direction. In the event, the EMU members were neither sufficiently similar, nor sufficiently adjustable in

Professor Stan du Plessis is Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch

the face of the international financial crisis.

University in South Africa.

HEAVEN CAN WAIT african chocologie

W

hat do you do when your parents disagree with your

She is quick to admit that being an entrepreneur is not easy. “When you’re at

choice of career? When you didn’t take the right

the top and things are going right it’s easy to get people cheering you on. When

subjects at school to qualify for training? And you

you’re in the valley of hardship, it’s a different story. ” She thinks that South

only have ZAR50 to your name?

African banks cause undue heartache for entrepreneurs. “Our challenges are

If you are Nontwenhle Mchunu you start a chocolate

not the same as big business; entrepreneurship and the management of a small

empire. It is a story I’m dying to hear and Nontwenhle begins our coffee shop

business is evolving and it requires a different approach from our banks.” But

date with an order for “Hot chocolate with foam please”. Not a huge surprise

on a continent where there is still so much room for start-ups, Nontwenhle

that the founder of Ezulwini Chocolat follows the 12-step chocoholics

is quick to encourage would-be entrepreneurs: “Make sure you surround

programme – making sure she is never more than 12 steps away from

yourself with people more knowledgeable than you are. And remember, you

chocolate in some form or another.

should never ignore your passion.”

Born in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal in 1982, Nontwenhle attributes her

Nontwenhle defines the true entrepreneur through a leadership style that

business acumen to her genes. Both her parents and grandparents were

serves others. It’s not just lip service either – her business is built on the ethos

entrepreneurs in farming and retail. Once she finished matric, she cut her

of creating and developing viable jobs. She wants to play a part in educating

commercial teeth working with her father in the family business. Nontwenhle

the children of cocoa farmers about sustainable farming and to encourage

expanded the tea room into a successful fast food joint, but when she

them to remain in school so that one day they can reach their full potential. As

approached the boss for shares in the business he insisted that she pursue

she speaks about this ambition for youth development, her demeanour visibly

an academic path instead. “He wanted me to study. It’s not that I didn’t want

changes and it’s clear that Nontwenhle not only has a genuine passion for this

to. I just wasn’t sure what to study. I was interested in so many things – from

but also feels a real responsibility; she is not just a young businesswoman

tourism to maritime studies. All I knew for sure was that no matter what

saying what she thinks people want to hear.

happened, I had to run my own business.”

But the next moment she is squealing with laughter again as she talks about

So Nontwenhle moved to Johannesburg and tried her hand at the catering

her enjoyment of travel and, in particular, her affection for Ghana as it has

game. A change of scenery did not magically change her lot – by 2003 she was

an abundance of cocoa farms. Despite her “exceptional love of Africa”, it is

working at a bank in Durban and selling chocolate door to door after a catering

Switzerland that has claimed her heart for the moment. Would she give up her

course in desserts. It was only after a move took her to Cape Town that she

passport? “It’s negotiable” she jokes.

finally felt sure enough about her passion to reconsider her father’s wishes and

This ability to balance serious business with a lust for life is Nontwenhle all

go back to school. Unfortunately she did not meet the entrance requirements

over. Her business advice? “Grow a tough skin – you will need it when things

for the University of Cape Town Business Studies department. “I just refused

heat up. But never forget to enjoy the ride.”

to accept that because of my silly choices, I would be prevented from studying what I wanted to study.” While they did not accept her application they did tell her about the Raymond Ackerman Academy. And the rest, as they say, is history.

In 2006, once she had completed the six-month course at the Raymond

❊ Ezulwini Chocolat is available from selected Pick n Pay stores. It can also be packaged for corporate gifts. www.ezulwinichocolat.co.za

Ackerman Academy, Raymond himself personally funded the next step

❊ The Raymond Ackerman Academy aims to help young people with potential to

in Nontwenhle’s chocolate education. He sent her to London and then to

rise above their social, financial and academic constraints to achieve a quality

Switzerland to study with Läderach, the renowned Swiss chocolatiers. “I

education in entrepreneurship. The academy runs two six-month courses a year.

stepped into my dream. I thought this factory is exactly what I want for the

The cost of the programme is generously subsidised by Mr Ackerman. Students

future of my business.” Those three months studying at Läderach were,

are required to make a small contribution towards the course and are responsible

as Nontwenhle describes, “The highlight of my career to date. I had the

for their accommodation. http://www.ackermanacademy.co.za

opportunity to work with chocolate with no boundaries and none of the stress of running my own business!”

Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that

Nontwenhle has not forgotten the man who made her dreams come true.

affect your feelings and behaviour by making you happy. Therefore, it

Her face lights up at the mention of Mr Ackerman, and she fondly describes

counteracts depression, in turn reducing stress. Your stress-free life

him as “a gentle soul who genuinely wants to know the answer when he asks

helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally.

how you are”.

Just saying…

BUSINESS | 155

BUSINESS | 157

OBAMA

and the devil’s fork

A

s Barack Obama begins his second term as the President of the United States of America, he is confronted with the three razor-sharp prongs of a devil’s fork: the ‘fiscal cliff’, the government’s debt ceiling and the monstrous pile of his nation’s private and public debt. Although these

three potentially crippling issues have been clear and present for a long time now, the lack of any bipartisan agreement on how to address them has led to widespread condemnation of the officials in Washington who thus far have chosen to use the fork as a javelin to score political points leading up to the election. The resultant policy vacuum has created an extremely uncertain investment environment that required a number of stimulus measures from the US Federal Reserve to prevent the economy from imploding. As a result, US corporates have been hoarding cash at an unprecedented rate and unemployment stays historically high at around the 8% level.

Now it’s crunch time. The ‘fiscal cliff’ is a potentially lethal combination of expiring tax cuts and mandatory spending cuts at the start of 2013 that threatens to plunge the US economy into recession if left unaddressed.

The immediate pressure on President Obama and the elected officials in Washington is to come up with a compromise plan that not only addresses the fiscal cliff but does so in a way that softens the impact in some way. As usual, advice on what to do is freely available!

The well-known, colourful investor Jim Rogers (a respected critic of US Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his quantitative easing strategy) said after the election: “We have the same president, the same Senate, the same House, the same central bank, the same everything. There’s not going to be much change. They’re all going to fumble around and grapple with it,” Rogers said, “But in the end, they’re going to make mistakes – you and I, and everybody else in the world are going to be worse off. The debt is going to go higher; the spending is going to go higher.” He went on to suggest: “Don’t invest in anything unless you, yourself know about it. Don’t listen to some guy you see on TV – even if it’s me,” added Rogers, who co-founded the Quantum Fund with George Soros. “You only stay with what you know and if all you know is money in the bank, put the money in the bank.”

Jim O’Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management stated in a CNN interview recently that despite the long drawn-out debt dilemma in the eurozone, the looming fiscal cliff has become his major concern. “I think in order to have a deal we need to have a president who is focused on his legacy rather than his own personal politics and a Republican party that comes out of ‘cloud cuckoo land’ and into reality, because that is what is needed to force a deal,” O’Neill said.

On a positive note though, President Obama has demonstrated some urgency in addressing the fiscal cliff issue. He has already convened a second meeting in Washington with the CEOs of some of the largest US corporates and he has also fired the first public forum salvos at the Republicans in terms of bringing them to the compromise table.

We tend to side with the school of thought that believes that a compromise agreement will be reached sooner rather than later and this prong of the devil’s fork will be forestalled. The continuity and stability of monetary policy following the Obama victory is welcome.

Mr Obama’s Keynesian approach to economic policy may not have resulted in a strong and prosperous USA in the short term, but it has clearly been more successful than the austerity programs adopted in the UK and in certain European countries where recession is now the order of the day and unrest and civil disobedience dominate the landscape.

Market participants are however going to be very tough to please as US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke found out recently. His positive

BUSINESS | 159

statements regarding his expectation of a compromise deal on the fiscal cliff were roundly ignored by the markets and the prices of many risk assets moved down, contrary to the normal market direction following positive statements from the Chairman.

From a technical perspective, the current direction of the US S&P 500 equity index is suggesting that the news on the fiscal cliff may not be as positive as it should be. The market clearly remains unconvinced.

In Europe, politicians in Greece and Spain are still dictating the headlines. In an effort to secure another tranche of bailout money soon, the Greek government is trying to make sure that an updated austerity package (of more budget cuts, tax hikes and labour reforms) is adopted by parliament and the broader voter community. At the same time, tens of thousands of union workers protested outside parliament in yet another strike that halted public transport, shut schools, banks and government offices. The additional spending cuts and tax hikes of €3.5bn are expected to unlock another €31bn loan tranche.

While this is going on, the bond market is waiting impatiently for Spain to officially request a bailout too. Early in November, European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi confirmed that the economic outlook for the region was worsening. He reiterated that that the bank stood ready to activate its bond-purchase programme if the governments fulfilled the necessary conditions – a clear message to Spain, yet again. Through his statements, Mr Draghi fuelled speculation that the ECB might put interest rate cuts back on the agenda as the debt crisis is now hurting Germany – the pillar of economic strength in the eurozone – and that inflation risks are ‘very low’.

Adding to these concerns is the fact that the ongoing efforts to reform and rebuild eurozone economies continue to face major obstacles. The frequency of disagreements between those with the money and those with the begging bowl seem to be on the increase and these disagreements are spilling out into the open. The efforts to gain support for further assistance to Greece have recently soured and the divisions appear to be rather deep.

The prospects for pain-sharing at the source level of the bailout funds seem to be rising and this is very bad news for players such as Angela Merkel (in Germany) who has to face elections in September. The potential for the Greek debt can to be kicked even further down the road is very high in our view.

Bloomberg recently reported that the Bank of England halted expansion of its bond-buying programme. Officials have shifted focus to stimulating bank lending in an effort to support a lacklustre recovery as the bank’s deputy governors suggested that asset purchases may no longer have the same effect on the economy as when first introduced in 2009, echoing some of the sentiments that came out of the Jackson Hole meeting of global central bank governors and finance ministers in the USA in August 2012. At the same time, UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s government is cutting spending to narrow the budget deficit, adding to the pressure on its economy.

The South African landscape is also dominated by often-violent labour disputes. Starting with the mining industry, dissent has quickly filtered into the transport industry and now our table grapes have become the ‘grapes of wrath’.

The noise is deafening and the clear vacuum is an absence of visible leadership from the unions and from government. Insiders suggest that this is just the start of a long and difficult social adjustment process for all of those involved. This uproar was also amplified by the additional political clamouring in the lead-up to the ANC policy conference in Mangaung in the middle of December as our ANC-led government faced a multi-pronged devil’s fork of its own making too.

The ongoing lack of policy implementation suggests that ‘muddling along’ has also become our new normal, as highlighted recently in our print media

by Peter Draper, a fellow of the South African Institute of International Affairs. In an accompanying article, Raymond Parsons urged more action and less talk from the government as he suggested that summitry has become a way of life in South Africa. The proof is in SA’s long record of talks, diagnostics and plans for higher economic growth, beginning with the RDP (1994) and continuing with the Growth, Employment and Redistribution Strategy (1996), the Jobs Summit (1998), the Growth and Development Summit (2003), ASGISA (2005), the Harvard Economist’s Study (2007), the Growth Commission (2008) and the New Growth Path (2010), to mention only a few.

Raymond Parsons goes further to point out that as the fiscal cliff prospects in the USA, the haggling over the Greek and Spanish debt crisis and structural problems in the Japanese economy show, the most important lesson is the peril of procrastination.

Unless a country uses its opportunities timeously to alter its course through structural change, the options of policymakers to tackle the challenges narrow.

The recently published National Development Plan (NDP), produced under the chairmanship of Trevor Manuel, is a 500-page roadmap to what we should be doing and where we will be headed if the action button is pressed. The cabinet has already accepted the NDP and in the recent mini-budget there were several positive references to it.

Positive policy action will be the catalyst for the investment of the huge pile of excess corporate balance sheet assets both here and offshore. However, while we wait for tangible evidence of action from elected officials, our equity market has been forging ahead setting record high levels on a regular basis.

Our listed property market has delivered blistering returns over the last 12 months and our bond market has had a very good run too. Boosted by a weakening currency, local Rand-based investors had very good returns in 2012. Clearly, the opportunity cost can be high if we ignore markets that often discount future positive news while we continually voice concern and our officials engage in yet another debate and then appoint yet another commission.

In the middle of November 2011, when we reviewed that year in some detail, we suggested that: “The outlook for 2012 thus remains very uncertain and so a defensive stance in investment portfolios is appropriate. Until it becomes a little clearer that equity markets will recognize positive earnings, we will maintain equity exposure in our funds that reflects strategic benchmark positions. The same holds true for listed property exposure, except that in this case there is an attractive income yield that can be harvested in the local asset class under current conditions. In particular, we will look for opportunities in the local bond market where it is still possible to capture yields that might be in excess of inflation over the next 12 months. Locally listed Rand-hedge shares and carefully chosen offshore investments will be used to provide our local portfolios with some protection against a weakening currency. As always, cash will remain a risk management tool and a parking place for monies that can be deployed quickly into other asset classes when new opportunities are identified. The volatility and uncertainty that started in October 2007 is set to continue well into 2012.”

Rand-denominated investment returns for investors in well-balanced, multi-asset class portfolios have been particularly good over the last 12 months in spite of the overwhelmingly negative tone of news flow and global events.

With local inflation remaining low, patient investors have enjoyed healthy real growth in their portfolios.

As we consider the prospects for 2013, we may as well take the two quotes above and merely advance the dates by one year to express our current opinion of the global investment landscape.

Written by Lance Vogel

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BUSINESS | 163

W

e all remember the journalistic

wing-walking should the Boeing prove to have a problem.

outrage in 2008 when the

So let’s take a reality check on this whole issue of

senior automotive executives

private jets and whether they are an extreme luxury, there

arrived in Washington, begging

just to service over-inflated egos – or a necessary safety

bowls in hand, aboard their

precaution and a beneficial business tool.

multi-million dollar business jets. What were they

And where better to begin than with a review of the

thinking? How could they justify this extravagance when

motor company saga in Washington. Corporate flying

their corporations were so severely under-capitalised it

is a way of life in the US, especially for senior executives

threatened the foundation of the US economy?

who need to travel extensively, both domestically and

More disturbing still, when one of the three wise men

internationally. This has evolved due to the hub-and-spoke

from Detroit was confronted by a journalist on the subject,

structure of the US carrier system, which often necessitates

he stammered, blushed, deflected and tried everything

multiple connecting flights. Add to this the old adage that

possible to avoid the question. Why did they not travel

‘time is money’, and one can quickly see why the National

commercially at a more reasonable cost when ostensibly

Business Aviation Association of the US is predicting global

they were implementing ‘strict cost-cutting measures’?

deliveries of another 10,000 business aircraft worth $230bn

On the face of it, this seems like a reasonable question,

over the next ten years. Not surprisingly, the largest growth

especially given that the operating cost of the business

areas are the Brics economies, although the US and Europe

jets in question clock in at around US$10,000 per hour.

still show significant growth over the next five years, of 3%

Here in South Africa, we have similar concerns around

and 11% respectively.

our incumbent president and certain cabinet ministers

Clearly a lot of companies will be spending a lot of

using private jets. Most recently, a Global Express was

money on business aviation in the coming years, despite

allegedly used simply to shadow the presidential Boeing

the economic crisis. How do they justify the squandering

Business Jet, which had just been released from a major

of investor/tax-payer funds on such an unnecessary evil?

overhaul with some question marks around its continued

Let me answer this by way of example, using an exercise I

serviceability. Naturally, the press had a field day with this,

recently performed for a corporate client who had briefed

with some nonsensical remarks about our beloved JZ

me to find a solution to the following problem.

BUSINESS | 165

THE BRIEF “I need to find a solution to fly our CEO, COO and CTO to multiple

• Average remuneration of C-level executive per hour: R2,000 (includes bonuses, salary etc)

domestic and African destinations for client and board meetings

• Average cost of return business class flight from Johannesburg to:

over the next 12 months. Safety is obviously paramount, but equally

Cape Town

R6,500

important is the cost. The executives in question obviously cost the

Durban

R4,900

corporation a significant amount [the amount was not revealed] and

P.E.

R4,400

we need to use their time as judiciously as possible. The destinations

Africa (other)

R16,300

concerned are the major centres in SA and further afield, places

• Average delay on airlines: add 20% to proposed flying time

such as Lusaka, Blantyre, Nairobi and Kinshasa. From time to time, these will be multi-leg journeys and sometimes simple return trips.”

(Flightonline) • Average travel time to/from airport: 40 mins • Average cost of light business jet per hour: R15,200 (Conklin & De

THE APPROACH

Decker)

So my brief was a little cryptic, and obviously I spent a fair amount of time collating other information about how and when these

THE CALCULATION

executives travel. The major variables to this calculation would be

The calculation below compares airline cost against private

the cost of the executives’ time, the cost of the various modes of

jet operation, initially showing that the private jet option is, on

travel, and the actual door-to-door time.

average, eight times more expensive. However, when one takes the cost of executive time into the equation, along with airline

My references would be:

scheduling and road travel/parking costs, it is possible to make

• Executive Pay in South Africa – Ann Crotty, Renée Bonorchis

a fair comparison between these two modes of transport. In this

• Various airline websites : SAA, Kulula, British Airways

particular case (and I acknowledge it will not always be so), given

• My own calculation of road travelling time from Sandton

that three executives are making the same trips, the private jet option is more cost effective. In addition, the flexibility the private

Clearly, I would have to make some estimates and use some averages,

jet offers will greatly reduce executive stress and thereby improve

but these will not affect the calculation materially and should be

productivity, not to mention safety. Business Aviation is the safest

within 10% accuracy. The figures I used are as follows:

aviation category globally.

Assumes 31 trips per annum, ten of which are over-the-border flights into Africa. The balance is evenly split between Johannesburg to Cape Town, P.E. and Durban.

Travel time

# Trips

CPT

PRIVATE

Return trip (hrs) 4

Cost/hr R 15,200

Trip cost R 60,800

5.5

7

R 425,600

38.5

P.E.

3

R 15,200

R 45,600

4.5

7

R 319,200

31.5

DBN

2

R 15,200

R 30,400

3.5

7

R 212,800

24.5

Africa

7

R 15,200

R 106,400

9

10

R 1,064,000

Total

Annual

Average trip

90

R 2,021,500

AIRLINE

Return trip (hrs)

Cost/TKT

Trip cost

Total time

R 65,213

Annual

184.5

Travel time

# Trips

CPT

6

R 6,500

R 6,500

8

7

R 45,500

Average trip

Total time 56

P.E.

5

R 4,900

R 4,900

7

7

R 34,300

49

DBN

4

R 4,400

R 4,400

6

7

R 30,800

42

Africa

11

R 16,300

R 16,300

13

10

R 163,000

130

Total

R 273,600 Mode

Exec income/hr

Trips P.A.

Door-to-door

Incl Delays

Cost/Trip

R 8,826

Time cost

277

Add. accom.

Ave total

Airline

R 2,000

31

8.94

10.72

R 8,825

R 21,445

R 4,800

R 35, 071

Private

R 2,000

31

5.95

6.07

R 65,213

R 12,141

R0

R 77,354

1 Executive

2 Executive

3 Executive

4 Executive

5 Executive

6 Executive

7 Executive

Airline

R 35,071

R 70,142

R 140,284

R 280,568

R 561,135

R 1,122,271

R 2,244,542

Private

R 77,354

R 77,354

R 77,354

R 77,354

R 77,354

R 77,354

R 77,354

-R 42,283

-R 7,212

R 62,930

R 203,214

R 483,781

R 1,044,917

R 2,167,188

Difference

This does not include safety and other unquantifiable factors such as improved routing flexibility, reduced executives stress, greater family time etc, nor the fact that charter income can cross-fund some of the above.

OWNERSHIP VERSUS CHARTER Once an organisation has compiled a realistic and defensible business case for private jet travel, the next question is whether to purchase an aircraft outright, or simply to charter.

There is no single answer, as in most cases the varying requirements will dictate which option makes the most sense.

THE BENEFITS OF OWNERSHIP:

THE ADVANTAGES OF CHARTERING:

• Availability – generally the owners’ flying takes precedence,

• Capital commitment – in current economic times,

thus the aircraft is always available.

• Safety – whilst the SACAA strictly monitors charter aircraft, it

tying capital into an aircraft may not be the most prudent decision for your business right now.

is always comforting to know that the aircraft in which you are

• Mission variety – in some instances you may need

travelling is maintained and operated to your requirements.

a long-range jet, in others a turbo-prop to access

• Operating cost – as the owner, you will be paying the actual

unimproved airfields. There is no one-size-fits-all

costs without any of the margin typically earned by charter

business aircraft, so charter may be more viable.

operators/owners.

• Stakeholder optics – as mentioned in the opening

• Tax efficiency – the Section 12C allowance provided by SARS

paragraphs, owning and flying your own aircraft

allows depreciation of the capital cost of the aircraft at 20% per

still creates negative perceptions in certain

annum. Hence, given adequate cash-flow, owning an aircraft

folks’ minds. Were you to invest $10 million in

can make sense. There will be an ultimate recoupment once

upgrading your IT infrastructure this would

the aircraft is finally sold.

probably be quite palatable to shareholders, but

• Dollar hedge – maybe not so relevant at the moment, however, an aircraft is valued in US dollars and can therefore provide a nice piggy bank.

procure a business jet and the proverbial will fly.

Charter protects you from this to a degree.

• Management issues – an aircraft needs to be

• Charter income – when the aircraft is not being used by your

operated as any other business entity, with

organisation, it is always an option to charter it out. Contrary

income statements, maintenance, regulatory

to what many aircraft brokers will tell you though, it will

requirements etc. While charter is a bit more

generally not be fully self-sustainable through charter, but

expensive per kilometre, it does remove this

may offset some of your own flying costs.

responsibility.

BUSINESS | 167

BUYING A JET – CAVEAT EMPTOR This is definitely one purchase that you want to proceed with caution on, as the stakes are high and recovering from a bad purchase can be nigh on impossible. Obviously this applies predominantly to the purchase of pre-owned aircraft, but even when buying a new aircraft there are many pitfalls to be avoided, not least of which is failing to match suitability to your requirements. With due respect to the manufacturers of business jets, their marketing material often shows parameters such as performance and costs under ideal conditions. For example, a manufacturer may claim a 2,000 nautical mile range for their aircraft. They may even state the conditions in which this is viable – atmospheric conditions, winds, passengers etc, but may omit to

WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE PROCESS - IT COULD SAVE YOU A FORTUNE IN THE LONG RUN

say that this is for the most basic rendition of the aircraft with

WHERE TO START

absolutely no options. These options may be luxury items or may

The most important exercise in procuring an aircraft is to go through a thorough

even be regulatory requirements that you must have to operate in

needs analysis. These are some of the primary things that need to be considered:

a specific location. The net result is that the aircraft you ultimately take delivery of may only be able to uplift a lesser amount of fuel

• What is the typical mission you will fly?

due to weight limitations; hence your actual range may only be

• What are your cargo and passenger requirements?

1,800 nautical miles. This is just one of a multitude of factors that

• What is the approximate budget – both capital and operating?

you should familiarise yourself with.

• Do you plan/require charter hours for income?

In the case of a pre-owned aircraft, the industry abounds with

• Is there a corporate regulatory policy – for example two pilots/engines?

horror stories of aircraft being delivered with a ‘sugar-coat’ of

• What financial structure is most appropriate?

paint applied to hide extensive corrosion or aircraft with cracks

• Are you partial to a specific manufacturer?

in the pressure bulk-head, which are basically a total write-off.

The list is endless, and these are aircraft that have ostensibly

Simply by answering these few questions, you can create an initial scope of the

had thorough pre-purchase inspections (PPIs) by supposedly

various aircraft that suit your particular requirements. From here, the flow chart

reputable authorised maintenance organisations (AMOs).

becomes a bit more complex as we start to explore issues such as serviceability in

Unfortunately, as in every other industry, the business aviation

the locations you wish to fly to. Does the aircraft offer a stand-up cabin, and does it

sector has its fair share of unscrupulous players, but they are

do this by use of a dropped floor? What is the fleet safety record and the dispatch

thankfully a small minority.

reliability of this aircraft type? What is the relative cabin pressure altitude at 41,000 feet?

There are literally dozens of questions that should be asked before you make a commitment to pursue a specific type. Once this has been defined, it is very easy to go online and find numerous aircraft on the internet, along with specifications, prices, pictures, and everything you need to know… or is it? Brave is the soul who embarks on procuring their aircraft without the requisite acquisition skills. Some typical pitfalls can be avoided by asking the following questions: • How current are the pictures of the aircraft?

• Is there any damage history and, if so, what impact should it have on the price?

• Who is the registered owner of the aircraft… really?

• What is the maintenance history and what does it reveal?

• What inspections are due and when – could this be very costly?

• What sort of deposit do the sellers want and is it refundable? If so, under what conditions?

• Who should do the PPI and how professional are they?

• From the findings of the PPI, what is reasonable to ask the owner to rectify?

• Who is the escrow agent holding the funds?

• What is the contracting process? Does it follow the typical industry course?

• What is the tax position in the location where the transaction would close?

• How easy is it to get an Export Certificate of Airworthiness?

In all honesty, this is about 10% of the list of check-points one should go through in the acquisition. Getting this wrong could see your deposit of hundreds of thousands of dollars forfeit, while remitting your VAT to SARS at the wrong time can attract a penalty of many thousands of Rands. The message here is work with someone who knows the process – it could save you a fortune in the long run.

CLEARLY DEFINE THE AVIATION REQUIREMENTS ONCE THE AIRCRAFT IS DELIVERED Having navigated all of the technical, contractual and regulatory issues the aircraft will be ferried to you, but ownership will most likely transfer at its original home base.

However, there may be taxation advantages by transferring ownership elsewhere. Suffice to say that it will be encumbent on you as the new owner to ensure that insurance is in place for the ferry flight.

Assuming all goes to plan, the aircraft will arrive in South Africa and could be bonded by SARS, as with all other imports. Once SARS is satisfied that the VAT and duties are receipted, the aircraft will be cleared. The SACAA will also perform an inspection on the aircraft, and it will then be released to service with all of the requisite documentation and regulations having been complied with.

Prior to this, it would be prudent to identify aviation service providers who will hangar, maintain and operate the aircraft on your behalf. Often this will also involve multiple

SUMMARY

contracts, and again it would be wise to be cautious about

To dismiss the thought of owning or chartering a business aircraft simply due to

signing up to ‘our standard agreement’. Some of these

cost may not be justified once you factor in all of the considerations. There are also

agreements are one-sided and can leave you with exorbitant,

always the intangible benefits such as not being bound by airline schedules, especially

unapproved maintenance costs, your aircraft being used

when you are in protracted business negotiations. Not to mention the ability to have

for training without your prior consent, and a plethora of

confidential on-board meetings, the flexibility to re-route to other destinations on

other unpleasant surprises. Expert advice is the watch-word.

demand, or simply the additional luxury and comfort that business jets offer. Whatever

Retaining the services of an aviation attorney to represent

your specific set of business requirements, it is advisable to get a team of experts on

your interests from a contractual perspective could be money

your side to help you clearly define the aviation requirement and the commensurate

well spent in the long term.

costs, and they should not be remunerated on the basis of commission of a sale.

Written by Chris Rodgers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chris Rodgers is the proprietor of Rodgers Aviation Consultants (RAC), a specialist, independent business aviation consultancy. RAC assists prospective aircraft owners to define their requirements and understand the commercial, legislative and operational issues surrounding aircraft ownership. Services include market analysis, performance considerations, contract facilitation, operational budgets and all aspects related to helping you make an informed acquisition.

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 171

A

n elevated view from the Rupert &

conservationist, Dr Anthony Edward Rupert, and French

Rothschild boardroom onto the 10,000-

born financier, Baron Edmond de Rothschild, formed

litre polished stainless-steel tanks of the

the joint venture on the French Huguenot farm in

fermentation room, is an impressive

Fredericksburg in 1997, they had each amassed personal

sight. Like a contemporary art gallery of

fortunes and ambitious legacies. Their love of good

colossal steel tank installations, it doubles as a window

wines and deepening investments in viniculture was the

with a view to the realm of winemaking.

stimulus to forming a 50/50 partnership on the Rupert-

My guide to the world of oenology is the Head of

owned land in the Franschhoek valley, and with it, the

Marketing, Debra Savage. She has just returned from an

idea to produce world-class wines under the Rupert &

international trip and within a few days will be flying

Rothschild label.

again, this time to secure a niche within an emerging

Three centuries earlier this region was settled by the

market. By seizing new opportunities arising out of the

French Huguenots, a resilient group of immigrants who

growing thirst for good wines, Rupert & Rothschild has

were struck by the similarities between the Franschhoek

managed to build solid relationships and capitalise a

valley and the terroirs of the Bordeaux region of France.

market share.

Fredericksburg seemed the appropriate choice of acreage

“We went to China when it was not fashionable. We did not

to embody the Franco-South African partnership.

go only to Shanghai or Hong Kong, but to cities like Wuhan

Whilst the property would be transformed into a wine

and Chendu. These are the second-tier cities where there

estate, only 18 hectares of its 90-hectare extent would

is a huge amount of disposable income. It is the personal

be under vine. This meant that the fruit for production

touch, the ongoing relationship that people appreciate so

would predominantly be sourced from Rupert-owned

much.” According to Savage, the Asian demand is growing

farms, selected for its ample flavours and assigned to

daily: “South Africa has traditionally always been our biggest

the creation of elegant and complex wines according to

global market. But now China has actually overtaken us. The

Bordeaux’s finest traditions.

growth there is quite phenomenal at the moment – if you have an established brand.”

The task of setting a lofty bar from its very first vintage in 1998 fell to winemaker Schalk-Willem Joubert.

The Chinese consumers are particularly keen on the

Cutting a striking figure on first impression, Joubert is

Rupert & Rothschild reds with their smooth and soft

unassuming when it comes to claiming any attention

tannins. Entrenched cultural mores suggest that red

for the success of the wines that are variously described

wines are healthier, and as such have created a bigger

as ‘classy’, ‘elegant’ and ‘sophisticated’ whilst bearing

following in this market.

the import of significant family dynasties and aspiring

Unlike the flagship wine, the Baron Edmond, the

to centuries-old winemaking traditions governed by

Classique label incorporates grapes that are picked

rigorous convention. “For me it is about creating honest

slightly earlier to maintain freshness and red fruit

wines. I am not trying to make wines that are big and

character, typically receiving less wood treatment, but

extracted and trying to win awards or trying to impress

not forsaking complexity.

anybody. For goodness sake, it is a beverage. You should

Whilst the Classique is the volume brand, the Baron

enjoy it and drink it. That is giving joy.”

Edmond and Baroness Nadine are made in limited

Having worked at the Rupert-owned estates of

quantities and sold selectively. The volume of production

L’Omarins and La Motte, Joubert was already producing

varies from one vintage to the next, which cellarmaster

wines from their Cabernet, Cab Franc and Merlot

Schalk-Willem Joubert concedes is a privileged position

cultivars and was a fervent proponent of French

to be in. “I will not bottle one wine more and sacrifice

winemaking techniques and traditions, the basis of the

anything in the quality of the wine. From a winemaking

Rupert & Rothschild ethos.

perspective, one can almost afford to be a purist, which is really fortunate.”

In the 13 years of his tenure as cellarmaster at Rupert & Rothschild, Joubert has undoubtedly added his

Fortune is after all what R&R was built on. By the

personal touch to the evolution of its wines, striving

time South African billionaire entrepreneur and

to create an ever-perfect blend with each successive

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 173

vintage. However, Joubert is adamant that the story of

next stages of the cycle and finally from fermented juice

Rupert & Rothschild focuses on the brand, and not the

to maturation.

personalities behind it.

Access to the cellar is down a spiral staircase leading

His down to earth approach carries through to his

from a corner of the fermentation room. It is in this

philosophy of vineyard management, which is all about

tightly-regulated underground where studied rows of

cultivating quality grapes. Joubert devotes a lot of his

French Oak barrels help mature the wine for up to 20

time as a winemaker to the vineyards. This means being

months (in the case of the Baron Edmond), whilst a few

outdoors amongst the vines and studying the conditions

Nomblot concrete egg-shaped tanks hold some of the

through the cycle of the fruit harvest. “In terms of

Chardonnay that will be used as a fresh component when

winemaking, our focus is really in the vineyards. Acting

blended back with its oak-matured counterpart. Time

as a midwife, we take the grapes from the vineyard

and patience will unlock the unique characteristics of

through vinification and maturation into the bottle

the wines that, once bottled, will improve with age until

in as natural a state as possible. In other words, our

they reach their fullest expression.

Chardonnay wines should taste like Chardonnay grapes.

Renowned oenologist and wine consultant Michel

We don’t want to kill it with too much wood, so we try to

Rolland is a regular adviser to Rupert & Rothschild and

keep it natural and true to the fruit.”

a serious advocate of riper grapes combined with the use

Hand-picked between February and March, the grapes

of more oak in the ageing process. Having established

for the Chardonnay, Baroness Nadine, are gently whole-

his reputation as a prominent winemaker on Bordeaux’s

cluster pressed and 80% of the juice is then fermented

Right Bank, home to Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, he

and matured in French Oak barrels. The remaining 20%

has undoubtedly imparted his knowledge of French

is allocated to stainless steel tanks for fermentation

viniculture to add inspiration to Joubert’s own select

before being blended back as a fresh component. One

methods of winemaking. This is further bolstered

third is matured in new barrels and the remainder in

by support, when required, from the team at Château

second-fill barrels.

Clark in Bordeaux. This Rothschild-owned winery in

By limiting the Rupert & Rothschild range to a select

the Listrac appellation has a distinctive terroir of clay-

three – the Bordeaux-style red blend Baron Edmond, the

limestone and pebbles, and a reputation for producing

Classique blend and the Baroness Nadine Chardonnay

A-list French wines.

– the aspiration was to establish quality rather than quantity as a benchmark.

Whilst these prominent connections provide a noble heritage and a mark of high ambition for Rupert &

With each blend of the Baron Edmond varying

Rothschild and its winemaker, it all comes down to

according to vintage, Joubert sources the finest quality

a straightforward pursuit. That is to create wines for

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit

the pleasure they impart, and for Joubert, this is the

Verdot grapes from vineyards in Simonsberg, Somerset

benchmark. “Our biggest reward is to have an empty

West, Darling and the Little Karoo.

bottle of wine. At the end of the day we really just want

To achieve fruit that is big in flavour and relatively low

people to enjoy it.”

in sugar – a big challenge to South African winemakers – Joubert harvests his Cabernet as late as possible.

Prior to fermentation and maturation, the grapes are hand harvested and de-stemmed before being hand sorted with meticulous homage to detail to ensure that only the finest quality juice remains.

An archive of this careful attention is revealed in a black and white photograph hanging from the wall of the entrance to the fermentation room. It shows a row of gloved women sorting through trays of grapes. These same carefully handled fruits are then assigned to the

Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons Open for Wine Tasting & Sales March to October: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 16:30 November to February: Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 16:30 Closed on Religious Public Holidays Contact Details: Telephone: +27 (021) 874 1648 Fax: +27 (021) 874 1802 Website: www.rupert-rothschildvignerons.com Email: info@rupert-rothschildvignerons.com

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 175

REYNEKE 08:46

“ I

This wine is a total palette takeover. Even after

interrelationships of the soil, plants and animals.

supporting the winemaking on this 35-hectare

you have swallowed, it just coats your mouth

Ultimately the system sustains itself without the

farm that lies on the eastern rim of the Polkadraai

and persists forever.”

use of chemicals and fertilisers.

Hills – a sweep of rippling landscape between

’m in the tasting room at Reyneke Wines – the

As Ryan pours the decanted 2010 Chenin Blanc

the Annandale route in the south-east lie the

first stop on a mission to enjoy the very best

into my glass, he enthusiastically imparts his take

select wine estates with their proximate band of

wines between Polkadraai and Annandale.

on the vintage.

signature labels that include Alto Estate, Uva Mira,

Stellenbosch and the sea. Between here and

Across from me, at a long wooden table, sits cellar

Dombeya wines, Guardian Peak, Ernie Els and

assistant, Ryan Mostert – a passionate convert to

”It is a great wine in terms of the balance between

biodynamic farming, an equally ardent wine buff

acid and texture. You can feel the acidity but it

and an enthusiastic proponent of the Chenin

has got so much extract on the palette to back

Reyneke Cellars shares a steep outcrop that banks

Blanc cultivar.

it up. It creates a very big wine, even though it

up from Polkadraai with De Toren Private Cellar –

may be a bit young still, with another year or two

another prominent wine estate. Not only do these

before its prime.”

estates have the same common entrance and

Ryan is part of a small team who work on the farm at Uitzicht, producing Reyneke wines

Rust en Vrede.

incredible 180 degree views of Table Mountain,

under the deft guidance of Johan Reyneke.

I notice the deep, buttery yellow colour so

Stellenbosch and the ocean, they also share a

From

organic

often associated with an intensely-wooded

common purpose – to produce beautiful wines.

farming and then farming in accordance with

Chardonnay and learn that this Chenin Blanc

biodynamic principles Johan has worked

mimicks the hue, not through maturation in new

But that’s where their likeness ends. A visit to

steadily to align the estate with his background

oak barrels as one would imagine, but rather

each reveals how contiguous wine estates can

in environmental philosophy and his love of

as a reflection of the robust fruit derived from

occupy relatively similar geography, experience

fine wines. His aim being to achieve the ideal

Reyneke’s 36-year-old vineyard.

the same climatic conditions, and yet, through use

conventional

farming,

to

biodynamic operation – a holistic development

of distinctly different methods achieve complex,

of optimally functioning vineyards through the

As a varietal that strongly reflects its origins, the

rich and beautiful wines that are ultimately,

safeguarding and encouragement of the natural

Chenin Blanc epitomises the ecological ethos

utterly unique.

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 177

DE TOREN 10:03

The winding drive at De Toren sets the scene

“Long gone are the days when winemakers

and technology to maximise the quality and

stayed in the cellar and hardly ever set foot in

expression of the fruit so that the wines can

the vineyards. Whatever happens out there

achieve their fullest potential of varietal character,

constitutes 85% of the winemaker’s success.”

structure, complexity and elegance. This studied approach has not gone unnoticed and Matthew

for an exclusive, boutique wine estate with immaculately tended vines and lawns that provide a backdrop to the contemporary cellar and

RUST EN VREDE

was named, the tower with its 4,000-litre tank facilitates a process that moves wine by gravity

At Rust en Vrede, cellarmaster Coenie Snyman takes the long view. He has a meticulously

GUARDIAN PEAK 16:47

designed, 15-year plan for all the estate’s wine Neighbouring Uva Mira is Guardian Peak, a wine

rather than force.

production.

This soft treatment of the grape and its juice is

Cellarmaster since 2006, Coenie spends a

part of a broader philosophy to use technology in

Year in 2011.

12:32

showcase an impressive tower installation.

As the centrepiece after which the winery

won the Diners Club Young Winemaker of the

estate with impressive views of the Stellenbosch mountain range.

lot of his time in the vineyards, ensuring that cultivation of the estate’s three varietals lead to the

Brainchild of Jean Engelbrecht who in 1998 was

intense flavours associated with their portfolio of

inspired to create new world wines that would

essence of the fruit from vine to bottle.

signature reds. Rust en Vrede wines were chosen

also be both affordable and excellent. He achieved

by Nelson Mandela to accompany his Nobel Peace

his objectives through modern winemaking.

When owners Emil and Sonette Den Dulk

Prize dinner.

a way that supports old-world style winemaking – using as little intervention as possible to coax the

The wines, made by talented winemaker Philip

purchased the 26-hectare farm in 1994, they had few vines and no experience of wine production.

They did however make two very clever decisions early on. They enlisted the help of experts at Stellenbosch University and they employed

DALLA CIA 14:17

van Staden, are distinguishable through their upfront fruit-driven flavours, designed to be enjoyed at an early age, and include a tight range of blends and varietals – such as the Guardian

cellarmaster extraordinaire, Albie Koch.

Before you reach the so-called Millionaire’s Mile

Peak Merlot, Shiraz, Frontier Tannat Malbec, SMG

of Annandale Road, the likes of Asara, Waterford

and the flagship LAPA Cabernet Sauvignon.

With guidance from the university’s Department

and Dalla Cia provide notable points of reference.

of Viticulture and Oenology they matched cultivars and rootstocks to soil types. They planted more than 25 clones of five grape varieties across 21.9 hectares to create some of the best Bordeauxstyle red blends in South Africa.

From their first vintage of De Toren Fusion V launched in 1999, the estate has increasingly garnered accolades and a steadfast client base for its two signature wines. In addition to Fusion V, De Toren now produces the Merlot-dominant De Toren Z. The recent release of 600 bottles of their

Dalla Cia combines tried-and-tested methods

According to marketing manager, Warren Granat-

with high-end technology to create Bordeaux-

Mulder, the founding concept was clear: “The

style blends that find their fullest expression in

whole idea was to get more people drinking wines

the notable Dalla Cia Giorgio label.

of affordable quality, to be enjoyed by friends and family. This is reflected in the Guardian Peak

Named after winemaker Giorgio Dalla Cia, the

wines and experience.”

originator of Meerlust’s celebrated Rubicon, the Bordeaux-style blend is one in an impressive

The bistro-style restaurant on the estate

range of estate products that includes the wood-

serves dishes such as salmon gravalax and

matured Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Grappa

pickled cucumber paired with a specially-

under the Dalla Cia Premium label.

designed Sauvignon Blanc. The emphasis is on experiencing pleasure through wine and food,

Giorgio has a frank philosophy of winemaking,

and full-time chef Louisa Greeff offers a tempting

a cult wine for South Africa.

which reflects his no-nonsense character: “Wines

culinary experience which can be enjoyed

are built out of respect for the quality of the

from a dining platform that looks out onto the

De Toren’s ascent through the ranks of sought-

grape and the terroir, blended with your own

Stellenbosch valley.

Book XVII aims to push the boundaries and create

after Bordeaux-style wines has been carefully

personality. You don’t want to craft the wine for its marketability, because it is fashionable or for a

As I indulge in a simply superb view across a

curriculum vitae that includes tenures at Chateau

favourable view from a wine critic for that matter.”

remarkable winemaking region, I reflect on the

Capion in Montpellier as well as time at Chateau

UVA MIRA

orchestrated by Albie Koch. With an impressive

Patris, Clos Figeac, Brun de Espagne , Le Moulin, Pomerol and St Emillion, Albie is a firm believer

earlier that morning.

15:27

“What makes wine such a special beverage,

in the close working relationship between winemaker and vineyard manager.

words spoken by Reyneke Wines’ Ryan Mostert

Another family-owned boutique wine estate that

besides the fact that we have been drinking it for

shapes its wines from the unique land it occupies

thousands of years, is that it always comes out

He relies on the collaboration of viticulturist Ernst

is Uva Mira. Owned by Denise Weedon, the

unique. You will never have two wines that are

Manual and assistant winemaker Charles Williams

principles of the estate’s winemaking rely on old

exactly alike. You cannot predictably create a wine

to maintain a keen overview of the vineyard with

world methods of hand harvesting, small barrel

based on an outcome you want to achieve. Wine

its carefully earmarked blocks orientated to

lot production and native yeast fermentation. The

is intertwined with life. It comes off a living vine,

creating the finest wines in Bordeaux’s left- and

farm’s winemaker and viticulturist, Matthew van

tasting of its place and reflecting the year of its

right-bank style traditions.

Heerden assimilates new world improvements

origin and its surroundings.”

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 179

WINE BOOK contact list

De Toren Private Cellar 021 881 3119 www.de-toren.com

Dalla Cia 021 888 4120 www.dallacia.com

Reyneke Wines 021 881 3517 www.reynekewines.co.za

Rust en Vrede 021 881 3881 www.rustenvrede.com

Uva Mira 021 880 1683 www.uvamira.co.za

Ernie Els 021 881 3588 www.ernieelswines.com

Guardian Peak 021 881 3899 www.guardianpeak.com

Alto Estate 021 881 3884 www.alto.co.za

The Raw Deal

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 181

Some like it hot… but others prefer it raw.

L

et’s break this to you gently. Eating raw food is less about being militant and more about being adventurous. Extreme change is not necessary and having more of what is good for you is considered the way forward. The list of celebrities who espouse

the glories of fresh food include Madonna, Jared Leto, Donna Karan and Woody Harrelson – who has even written a book about it. Closer to home, our own super-active septuagenarian golfing legend Gary Player is a long-time vegetarian who has recently embraced the raw food movement.

So what’s all the fuss about? Eating salads is not exactly new, but there’s a lot more to the raw food movement than munching on lettuce leaves and opting for sashimi and steak tartare. In fact, forget the sashimi and the carpaccio – most contemporary raw foodists are vegan.

With an open mind and a well-stocked fridge, Jen Stern discovered why so many people are going nuts about raw food.

Suck it

and see

In the spirit of enquiry, and with a totally open mind, I recently checked in for lunch at a raw food retreat run by veteran raw foodie, Yolande van Papendorp, in conjunction with Addo Elephant Back Safaris in the Zuurberg Mountains, near the Greater Addo Elephant National Park. On the menu?

Mushroom ‘ragout’ on ‘polenta’ made from raw, fresh sweet corn kernels and nuts. Crispy, crunchy seed crackers and chewy Essene bread, which are made from soaked and/or sprouted seeds and grain kernels, and are then dehydrated instead of baked. Dessert was a decadently delicious uncooked coconut pie with raw rhubarb coulis, and a chocolate mousse made with raw cacao and coconut oil, sweetened with agave and dates, and set with agar. All raw and all delicious. And no, I wasn’t hungry five minutes later. I figured there may be something in this after all.

Continuing my research, I popped in to the local vegan market where a large proportion of the goods on offer were raw. Like a kid in a very healthy candy store, I munched happily through a raw ‘pizza’, snacked on sweet potato crackers and had a banana ‘pancake’ for dessert. A few days later, almost completely hooked, I spent a morning with Peter and Beryn Daniel, Cape Town’s raw food gurus and authors of Rawlicious, South Africa’s first raw food recipe book. Over a breakfast of green smoothie and chia seed porridge with fruit, nut milk and muesli, followed by raw chocolate muesli cookies, Peter offered the following advice to aspiring raw foodies: “Eat your food as fresh as possible and as close to its natural state as possible or palatable. And make sure you get adequate nutrients.”

So far so tasty. But taste is only half the story – it’s the quest for eternal youth (or at least better health and longer life) that’s really driving people to ditch their woks and reach for their blenders.

Without getting too technical, the health benefits of a raw food diet come from keeping your food alive.

Plant foods contain all the enzymes that are necessary to digest them, so if you eat your fruit and veggies raw you gain the maximum nutritional advantage (with cooking reducing the level of nutrients). And because you can’t get through anything like the same amount of food raw as you can cooked – think raw versus cooked cabbage, for example – you take in more nutrients while consuming fewer calories.

Superfoods are really just healthy fast foods

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 183

Superfoods…

or super marketing?

The controversy surrounding ‘superfoods’ had left me feeling a tad sceptical, with the possible health benefits of many so-called superfoods disputed or simply unproven. (In 2007, the European Union prohibited the marketing of products as superfoods unless accompanied by a specific medical claim supported by credible scientific research.)

Throughout history, almost every new, unusual, and preferably exotic, plant has been reputed to have the most amazing health benefits – nutmeg was believed to cure everything from the plague to leprosy, coke (from the coca plant and kola berry) was originally marketed as a medicine, and – I love this one – tobacco was reputed to cure all manner of respiratory complaints, including tuberculosis.

So I asked Peter what the big deal was and he explained that, as far as he’s concerned, the real superfoods are really just healthy fast foods. Instead of grabbing a packet of crisps or making a cup of two-minute noodles, you can, for instance, whip up a smoothie from raw chocolate, banana, hemp protein, lucuma, chia – foods that satisfy your hunger by giving you the trace minerals and micro-nutrients your body is craving.

And they are all prepared at low temperatures, keeping the enzymes intact. So, no magic, no miracle cures, just good nutrition.

Crunch time

I quickly learned that there is much more to raw food than eating an apple at teatime and a big salad for supper. The range of flavours and textures you can

Fruity little numbers

Superfood smoothies – combining fruit, nuts and water – are an easy way of seriously upping your nutrient intake, and all you need is a blender. A combination of banana, raw cacao and nuts usually goes down well. Berries and banana are delicious together, but it’s well worth experimenting – and Rawlicious has basketfuls of ideas. Spinach and pineapple anyone? Raw, leafy green vegetables are just about the healthiest things you can consume – and juicing them increases their absorption into the bloodstream, so it’s worth investing in a good quality juicer. Raw green leaf juices help reduce excess acidity, which has been associated with increased risk of cancers, arthritis, eczema and other inflammatory diseases.

Living on smoothies and vegetable juices could get a bit boring for the palate, but there are also some fantastic recipes for pizzas, cheesecake and other comfort foods to satisfy psychological and emotional needs as well as nutritional ones. You’ll need a dehydrator for most of these, so you might want to try sampling some dishes at one of the very few raw food or raw-food-friendly restaurants before you invest in all the gear, gadgets and gizmos.

achieve without cooking is absolutely astonishing – but it does involve rethinking how you shop for and prepare food. If you want to really embrace raw food living you can buy a top-of-the-range juicer, a blender that costs as much as a small diamond, and a nine-tier dehydrator for not much less. But, as Peter is keen to emphasise, it’s not necessarily about making huge changes to your lifestyle. He recommends adding in instead of taking out. Instead of launching an allout attack on your kitchen cupboards, throwing out all the foods you really like but swear you will never eat again, Peter suggests adding one or two hypernutritional meals or snacks a day – and soon enough you’ll shake off the craving for that cheeseburger, chocolate biscuit or packet of crisps.

Raw dining

in SA

New York and Los Angeles already have dozens of raw food restaurants to choose from. South Africa hasn’t – yet – but more and more restaurants are including raw vegan dishes on the menu (remember the days when you couldn’t even get vegetarian food?) and some even primarily serve raw food.

Rawlicious, written and published by Peter and Beryn Daniel, is the first (but almost certainly not the last) South African

raw food recipe book. It’s got lots of info about nutrition, how to set up a raw food kitchen, and recipes ranging from pizzas and soups to chocolate mousse and cheesecake – all raw and all vegan.

Superfoods Superstore is Beryn and Peter’s shop where you can buy the cookbook, a set of raw food CDs,

a range of superfoods and all the gadgets and gizmos you need to set up a raw kitchen. 13 Bell Crescent, Westlake Business Park, Tokai, 0861 000 976, +27 21 7024980, www.superfoods.co.za

Leafy Greens Café is an 80/20 raw/cooked food vegan cafe on an organic farm outside Johannesburg. Plot 328

Rocky Ridge Road, Muldersdrift, at the corner of Beyers Naude Drive, +27828827300, www.lgcafe.org

Gaia Food Market is a vegan market with about a 50/50 mix of raw to cooked foods at the Alphen Centre in

Constantia Valley near Cape Town. It’s usually held every second Sunday – but check the website: www.gaiafoodmarket.co.za

Earthshine in Cape Town is best known for its fabulous raw pizzas, which can be ordered in advance or bought by the

slice at selected outlets citywide. It also holds quarterly ‘Abundance Feasts’ – seasonal, raw, vegan bring-and-share potluck feasts that celebrate the raw food lifestyle and community. +27 74 1679792, www.earthshine.co.za

Africa Cafe, South Africa’s first restaurant serving traditional African food, has raw food options on the menu along with

the classic African dishes that have made it an icon. 108 Short Market St, Cape Town, +27 21 797 6317, www.africacafe.co.za

Ile de Pain is a fabulous coffee shop, restaurant and artisan bakery on Thesen Island in Knysna. It’s well worth a mention

as it always has a few delicious raw food dishes on the menu – alongside the bread and deadly pastries. Thesen’s Island Street, Knysna, 044 302 5707

Addo Elephant Back Safaris offers regular raw food retreats at its lodge near Addo Elephant National Park.

As well as eating lots of raw food you can take long walks, ride an elephant or set off on a game drive. Kromrivier Rd, Zuurberg Mountains, Eastern Cape, 086 123 3672, +27 42235 1400, www.aebs.co.za. The lodge has a 1,000m2 grass runway, elevation 2,000ft, S33°17’07’’ E25°44’01’’

NumNum, run by raw chef supremo Yolande van Papendorp, offers regular raw food workshops in Knysna. +27 83 453 7668, www.numnum.co.za

Bev Wium runs regular raw food retreats in Gauteng. +27 11 462 4447, +27 82 888 7875, www.bevwium.co.za Kauai is a very commercial juice-bar chain that may be looked down on by the purists because it offers lots of cooked

food with chicken, melted cheese and microwaved eggs – but don’t let that put you off. It also serves a mean wheat-grass shot and a range of smoothies. Best of all, there are loads of branches – so there’s probably one just down the road, wherever you are. www.kauai.co.za

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 185

Hold a

raw dinner party

Want to impress your (raw) foodie friends? This awesome three-course meal is all raw, and all delicious. It might look time-consuming because some of the elements need to be prepared in advance, but all it takes is a bit of forward planning. And because so much can be made ahead of time, you don’t need to be stuck in the kitchen when your guests arrive. Some of the recipes require serious gadgetry so pick and choose according to your level of commitment.

Pesto-stuffed mushroom starter

Beetroot and turnip ravioli

Destalk one punnet of large mushrooms.

For the ‘pasta’

Marinate in mixed olive oil and tamari for one hour then dehydrate for two hours.

Pesto filling 1 cup basil 1 clove garlic 1/3 cup macadamia nuts 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 1/8 cup lemon juice 1/2 t Himalayan rock salt 1/3 cup olive oil Combine all the ingredients in a food processor, and stuff the mixture into the mushrooms.

You need to make the cheese first, then the ravioli, and the sauce just before serving.

Using a mandolin, cut extremely thin rounds of beetroot and turnip. Salt the rounds and let them sweat for ten minutes.

Cream ‘cheese’ and spinach filling 2.5 cups macadamia nuts 2 cups water 1 T lemon juice 1 T agave syrup (from the same plant as tequila) 1 t Himalayan rock salt 4 probiotic capsules Blend all the ingredients except the probiotic capsules in a power blender until completely smooth. Empty the contents of the capsules into the cheese mix and blend at low speed. Divide the mixture into three jars and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

(You will probably only use one for the ravioli so you can flavour the others if you like – try herbs, garlic, chilli, or pepper.)

Mango-gooseberry cheesecake

Mix some finely chopped spinach with the cream cheese. Take a beetroot or turnip round, put a dollop of filling in the middle and top with another round. Dehydrate for two or three hours.

For the base 1 cup almonds, soaked for two hours

Seeds of 1 vanilla pod

1 cup pecans, soaked for two hours

1/4t Himalayan rock salt

1 T honey

2 t lemon juice

1 T coconut oil

3 T cacao powder

Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Press into the base of a springform cake tin. With a fork, puncture holes in the base, and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For the filling (use double if you want a really tall cake) 2 cups cashew nuts 1 cup macadamia nuts 1 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup agave 1/4 cup lemon juice 1-2 mangoes Seeds of 2 vanilla pods Blend all the ingredients in a power blender until smooth. Pour the filling over the base, and cover with the granadilla topping.

For the topping Mix together 6 granadillas and 1/4 cup agave. Strain off the excess liquid and top the cake with the remaining granadilla mixture. Garnish with gooseberries and raspberries and refrigerate overnight to set.

The sauce 3/4 cup macadamia nuts 4 cloves garlic (to taste) Juice of one lemon 1.5 t Himalayan rock salt 3 T olive oil 1 cup water Blend all ingredients in a power blender and leave it running till it warms up slightly. Place the warmed sauce in a bowl, place the ravioli on top and garnish with chopped spring onions.

Serve it with a green salad – as simple or as fancy as you like.

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 187

Are you unable to start the day without your Joe? You’re not alone. Jen Stern charts our progress from moer-koffie to mochaccino… and seeks expert advice on making the perfect brew.

A

few decades ago, South Africans ordered their coffee two ways. There was moer-koffie, a pitch-black potion conveniently strained through the teeth that you could also float a horse-shoe on should the need arise. And, at the other extreme there was instant

Hot Brown Liquid (named to reflect the fact that it contained very little actual coffee). But as South Africans lapped up more and more American and British culture, we’ve also cottoned on to the fact that an alternative universe fuelled by quality beans was out there. In the last decade alone, our consumption of speciality coffee has quadrupled.

The stimulating effect of the coffee bean may have been discovered in Ethiopia, but the modern preoccupation with the perfect blend and roast was born in the USA. As recently as the 1970s there was little exciting about coffee in America, and in fact coffee drinking appeared to be on the way out. In 1962, three-quarters of the adult population in America were calculated to be coffee drinkers but by 1988 this had dropped to half – and those who hadn’t kicked the habit were drinking less. This decline continued into the 90s, and waning consumer interest was compounded by increasing coffee prices.

COFFEE FOR THE MASSES For the coffee industry to survive, it needed a new strategy – and Ogilvy and Mather rushed to the rescue. The ad agency’s president Kennet Roman recognised that the consumer was changing and instructed his mad men to start placing the emphasis on quality, value, and image.

So our attitude towards coffee evolved through a series of clever marketing strategies, eventually culminating in the unprecedented success of the Starbucks brand which marketed espresso-based coffee drinks – most of which contain more milk than coffee – to boost the newly minted coffee-drinking culture.

It wasn’t long before the unashamedly-Starbucks-cloning Seattle Coffee Company brought the philosophy to South Africa. It caught on slowly but, by the time Vida e Caffe arrived on the scene a few years later, South Africans had embraced coffee like a long-lost friend... how had we managed without it? Now every petrol station and suburban tea lounge serves a range of cappuccinos, macchiatos, lattes, frappés, frappuccinos and raspberry-peppermint-flavoured espresso to go. It was styled to cover every demographic. Frothy babyccinos to keep tots – and their parents – happy. Watching your weight? Have it skinny.

Treating yourself? Try a shot of vanilla. It’s still Joe, Jack, only now it had a fancy name.

THE COST OF A CUPPA While South Africans and other nations are spending more on coffee than ever before, coffee is big business… but while the West’s coffee revolution has the world’s biggest multinationals smiling all the way to the bank, the average price paid to growers has actually decreased over the last few decades. Much of the coffee we drink originates from some of the poorest countries, where the average daily wage for growers wouldn’t even pay for a small cappuccino. The effect of all this coffee-drinking on our planet makes uncomfortable reading too – with huge swathes of forestland being cleared to make way for

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 189

massive, mechanised coffee plantations, displacing both people and wildlife. Caffeine-qualms aside, is it possible to drink coffee with a clear conscience?

If you don’t want coffee that leaves a bitter taste you need to be prepared to spend more. Growing good coffee is exceptionally labour-intensive, and the best coffees in the world come from high-altitude regions of Africa, South and Central America, Indonesia, and the Caribbean. Here, smallholder farmers have perhaps 20 trees that they lovingly nurture (but without prohibitively-expensive chemicals) and painstakingly hand harvest, with the whole family picking the berries only when they are perfectly ripe. These beans do not end up pre-packaged on the supermarket shelves, and they most certainly do not end up being freeze-dried into even the most expensive instant coffee. So if you care about the quality of the coffee you drink and/or its effect on the planet (the one follows the other), buy a single-origin coffee from a specialist roaster.

And if you want to make sure that a fair amount of the profit goes to the grower, there are several responsible-consumer initiatives – including the fair trade movement – whose seal of approval guarantees products that protect both people and planet. It’s hardly surprising that more and more people are waking up to fair trade or organic coffee. In fact, there’s quite a lot of overlap between fair trade and organic, as environmental sustainability is one of the key principles underlying fair trade, along with a reliable price and decent working conditions for the farmer.

NESCAFÉ NO ES CAFÉ?

At Cape Town’s Rosetta Roastery I meet with coffee gurus Rob Cowles and Jono le Feuvre and they start me off with a raw, unroasted green coffee bean. I brace myself for something similar to the shocking experience of eating an unprocessed olive, but – nothing. Green coffee beans are dull, waxy and tasteless.

The secret to coffee lies in the roasting. Jono invited me to listen to the popping sound emanating from the roaster. “Hear that?” he said, eyes lighting up, “It’s starting”. He picked out a bean to show me – it had started to turn golden, and I could smell… coffee. Later it would go brown and release more than 500 different aromatic and flavour compounds. Jono was alert to every nuance of sound and smell because, as he explained, roasting to perfection means stopping the process at exactly the right time – when all the magical aromatics have been developed, when just enough sugars have been caramelised, and the acidity has been reduced to just the right level. It’s alchemy – part science, part art, part pure magic.

The degree of roast, Jono told me, is really important. If you have a great coffee, you don’t want to roast it too much or you’ll lose all the subtlety. The reason that Middle Eastern and European roasters have traditionally favoured a dark roast, he explained, is because they had quite primitive grinders. The more you roast a bean, the more brittle it becomes and the easier it is to grind. With the technology to grind lightly-roasted beans, Jono explained, we can retain the delicate flavours.

Roasting lesson over, it was time to actually drink some coffee. Rob boiled a beautiful Japanese stainless steel kettle of water, and then made a simple filter coffee – no frills.

BREAKING NEW GROUNDS Of course I’d expect a great brew, freshly ground and roasted, at the hands of one of Cape Town’s top coffee artisans. But if you want to achieve that professional perfection at home, goodquality, fresh beans are essential – and you only grind them when you’re ready to use them. Before buying an expensive coffee machine, the experts told me, buy a good grinder.

Given the ubiquity of the gleaming, stainless steel miniespresso machine gracing the granite counter-tops of countless middle class kitchens, is this really the best way to make coffee?

“It’s a great way to make good coffee but it doesn’t necessarily make great coffee,” Rob says “The main advantage is that you get a really strong brew with very little water, ideal for mixing with frothy milk into a range of drinks.” This means you can get away with using second-rate coffee... and people often do.

Bottom line? Unless you’re prepared to splash out on a professional machine, making espresso at home is not a good idea. You can’t control the pressure or the temperature of your run-of-the-mill counter top machine and it’s totally inconsistent.

THE GADGET GAME Joel Singer of Origin Roasting recommends the fabulously retro-styled Mypressi Twist for home use (and you can even take it camping or hiking). It’s small and compact, powered by CO2 cartridges and doesn’t use electricity. You still have to boil the water, but you can do that on a fire or camping stove.

Jono also sang the praises of the good old filter, a plunger or an aero press. The latter is like a cross between a plunger and a giant syringe with a small circle of filter paper, and it produces a coffee that combines the benefits of filter and plunger, and begins to approach the theatricality and intensity of espresso. It’s simple, light, inexpensive, and makes great coffee. This one can come camping too.

Another great way to make something very close to espresso is the stove-top Moka pot or caffettiera, found in the kitchens of all traditional-minded Italians who would probably never consider having an actual electric espresso machine in their homes.

RULE OF OPPOSABLE THUMB There are clearly about as many different ways of making coffee as there are drinks on the menu at Starbucks, and each has its own advantages and drawbacks. If you insist on being your own barista, forget the yuppie espresso machine and go back to basics.

As Flash Rosenberg said, “I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have opposable thumbs that enable us to make coffee.”

Choose a quality bean that lives up to your ethics and invest in a grinder.

Why Joe? Josephus Daniels (18 May 1862 - 15 January 1948) was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Among his reforms were the practice of making 100 sailors from the fleet eligible for entrance into the Naval Academy, the introduction of women into the service, and the abolishment of the officers’ wine mess. From that time on, the strongest drink aboard Navy ships was coffee and so, over the years, a cup of coffee became known as ‘a cup of Joe’.

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 191

ultimately touch me, who am here; the duration of the transmission is insignificant; the photograph of the missing being, as Sontag says, will touch me like the delayed rays of a star.”

Roland Barthes

V

iew from the window at Le Gras is the title of the earliest surviving permanent photographic image. It was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826. Close to two centuries later, the humble photograph (from the Greek for light and write) has a complex beast of a relationship with the world at large. Tim Flach is an artist

caught mid-evolution as he migrates from commercial work to a curated public space.

P

“The photograph is literally an emanation of the referent. From a real body, which was there, proceed radiations which

ASSION

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 193

almost impossible to ignore the personal journey of the artist and how it affects our perception of their works of art.

Right now however, the British fine art

photographer Tim Flach (rhymes with Bach) remains something of an enigma. We do know he loves coffee (he lists his coffee paraphernalia above

his

Hasselblad

and

Broncolor

in

importance), and in spite of suffering from dyslexia and being ‘visually wired’ (his words) his interest in ideas and concepts, research and philosophical thought is a framework that he clearly and easily communicates. But in the absence of a real sense of the photographer behind the image, both the relevancy of the subject matter and the image achieve a pleasing autonomy of a kind. The context becomes a part of the background, and the unique journey that is the private history of every viewer defines what each individual takes from the image.

Every distinctive period in art has given birth to a strong anti-movement. For photography, this has ultimately resulted in the democratisation of photographic media to the point where the craft of taking an image is an everyday thing. For the artist however, every image is a construction – a search for a moment of truth that carries much greater poignancy, an extra element that sets it apart from the mundane. Tim enhances this highly-organised experience further through cropping, framing, lightening and darkening different areas with Photoshop (concepts such as Content-Aware Fill and Puppet Warp are all happily used here), leading the eye through the image in a dance that is entirely orchestrated.

He considers shock pointless and instead subtly mines the potential that allows photography to penetrate through layers of ambiguity and interpretation. Tim Flach celebrates his ability to lead people to find what is interesting and surprising in every image by shifting what is essentially familiar through the discipline of crafting rather than compositing.

What sets the image in a photo apart from other forms of art is the fact that what you see did in fact once exist in front of the lens. In his latest work, More than Human, Tim brings animals into a human space with pretty pictures that ask the seven billion people on earth to consider how we are spoiling our nest and the consequences of our actions –obliquely and audaciously.

The subject is often carefully de-familiarised in order for people to see the world anew. Fresh insight allows us to engage and, at that moment, Tim Flach has what he wants. We find ourselves addressing the prominent questions of today and stretching the envelope of definition for the craft of photography.

C

I

n the age of the fortunately-famous it is

URIOSITY

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 195

us to the door that opens to debate

and

understanding.

More than Human demands that the viewer questions his or

her position on the existence of the animal soul, and redefines how much we think animals can understand. The success of our species might not be about the animal as much as it is about how we prescribe meaning to the animal. The centralised position of humans assuredly influences how we make our choices.

Logistics are more complicated with animals, and the animal photographer has much in common with a fisherman. As Picasso said, “I don’t search, I find!” Tim admits to a lack of presumption; he approaches his subjects with a strategy and then allows things to reveal themselves within the perceptual bubble, and goes with the flow.

There is a fine interplay between the universal sense and the distinctive personal sense – whilst some questions come from the collective consciousness there are many small details in this work that will speak to an individual and flood them with an idiosyncratic echo or a unique set of questions that bounce between the human and animal interfaces.

Tim stays neutral and does not communicate a message from the moral high ground. Instead he makes a striking picture that finely reminds the viewer that there is no divorce from the effect we have on the planet. The observer is present from the outset. Before the image is taken decisions have already been made regarding how meaning will be achieved through communication.

In this instance it is quite useful that we are all so addicted to virtual reality for the judgements we make on important matters such as genetic engineering, conservation and the management of our fellow dwellers on Planet Earth.

Having drawn his inspiration from painters such as Picasso and Cezanne, as an image-maker Tim acknowledges the definition of the concept of an image as it is explored through the philosophy of Roland Barthes and Nicolas Bourriaud.

Tim Flach is in the delicate business of making humans ask themselves the questions that carry weight. His approach to the work of photography is through inquiry and journey, and his advice to photographers reads like a blueprint for life. He counsels you to find space to play within what you do, not to blindly respond when projects arrive but to invest in and thrust yourself into unfamiliar terrain once in a while.

Find yourself in the deep end of that territory through More than Human published during the autumn of 2012.

W

A

s a photographer Tim beckons

ONDER

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 199

P

ASSION

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | 201

FOOD, ART & ENTERTAINMENTT | 203

all agree that South Africans are united by the braai and love to party. It’s no wonder then that we find them organising festivals around everything from marine life to fruit.

The sheer variety can get overwhelming, so we’ve sent our specially-trained party-sniffing dogs to find the finest fests of them all.

“BUT LIKE OF EACH THING THAT IN SEASON GROWS.” WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

SUMMER

T

he dusty ostrich farms of Outdtshoorn serve as panorama to a home-grown kind of arts festival; the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees. It’s the

biggest Afrikaans language festival as well as the largest by number of visitors.

The Free State may not have the gourmet reputation

that the Cape does, but it does have South Africa’s bestknown food event, the Ficksburg Cherry Festival. At over 45 years old, it’s the longest-running crop festival in the country. The small town goes cherry-mad in November and offers an expo, tours, workshops, and a Grand Cherry Ball to close the festivities.

“Everyone loves a parade,” goes the old saying, and

there are few more fun ways of bringing in the New Year than by watching the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival. The parade sees the Cape Coloured Community appropriate American minstrel show culture to celebrate its own identity. It’s subversive, fun and uniquely South African in flavour – The Cape Coloured Community ran this festival in blatant disregard for the apartheid government which tried their best to suppress it. The original name ‘The Coon Carnival’ is still used colloquially by the community who is in charge of celebration… they consider it a source of cultural pride rather than prejudice.

T

AUTUMN

A

nthropologists, sociologists and politicians

he Cape Town International Jazz Festival is one of the best in the world and sees local legends play

alongside international stars.

There’s a festival for every flavour in

South Africa. Gourmands should head first to the Good Food & Wine Show for an appetiser.

There seems to be little reason for

non-coastal dwellers to visit the beach during the cold months but Knysna offers one very good one: oysters. The Knysna Oyster Festival revolves around that most unlikely of aphrodisiacs. Over 200,000 oysters are consumed annually over the ten-day event, much to the delight of Knysna’s fishing community.

More indulgence comes in the form of the South African Cheese Festival held in Stellenbosch. Around 33,000 visitors arrive each year to consume 17 tonnes of delectable dairy delights.

WINTER

T

hey call it the National Arts Festival but its better known by the name of the town it’s held in: Grahamstown. Held in the dead of winter, it’s Africa’s premier arts and culture festival. The quaint Eastern Cape cathedral

town is worth visiting at the best of times, but once a year it showcases local and international top talent from a variety of disciplines in the tradition of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Oppikoppi in Limpopo is more of the dirty, down to earth affair most people

imagine when they think of music festivals. Since the early 90s, punters have braved the dust and mud to watch the best of the local rock scene in action.

The line-up has since expanded but the experience remains as quintessentially Oppikoppi as ever.

Standard Bank’s Joy of Jazz is Johannesburg’s Jazz Utopia, held in Newtown. It’s

smaller than its Cape cousin but the talent makes it just as un-missable. As South Africa’s foremost region of epicurean ecstasy, the Cape hosts a plethora of events centred around everything from cheese to olives. You can’t have a good cheese without wine and the town also plays host to the Stellenbosch Wine Festival.

Outside of Stellenbosch, the humble grape takes centre stage throughout the

year in the winelands. Wine festivals range from the Hermanus Wine and Food Fair to the Franschoek Bastille Day, which brings a French flavour to proceedings.

SPRING

T

he KKNK’s perennial popularity, as well as that of the Aardklop in Potchefstroom, is testament to the vitality of the Afrikaans theatre and performing arts scene. The scenery might not be quite so impressive at Johannesburg Arts Alive Festival but

Gautengers can more easily join in the fun. This event showcases the eclectic talents of Joburg’s communities and features several mini-festivals such as the Soweto Expo and the Fietas Festival. It’s a great way to celebrate Heritage month and welcome the arrival of summer.

South Africa’s music festivals have not yet reached the heights of Glastonbury but

they remain the best way to check out local talent, and in breath-taking locations to boot, assuming you’re sober enough to notice. Splashy Fen, held in the Underberg mountain district in KwaZulu-Natal, is the longest-running of them all. It bills itself as the ultimate outdoor experience and, unlike most youth-oriented music festivals, strives to maintain a chilled, family-friendly atmosphere.

Rocking the Daisies takes place in Darling, Western Cape and has established itself

as the country’s most environmentally-conscious music and lifestyle festival. This ecofriendly event is powered by wind turbines and bio-diesel generators, and encourages festival-goers to leave as light a mark as possible on the environment. Going green has never sounded so good.

The Hermanus Whale Festival occupies a unique niche in the calendar as South Africa’s

only enviro-arts festival. The whales are the headliners here but the rest of the Marine Big Five – sharks, dolphins, penguins and seals – also get their time in the spotlight via educational initiatives. All of this, plus the regular music shows held at an outdoor forest amphitheatre, ensure that festival-goers have a whale of time.

Another glitzy celebration of identity is the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras in Knysna. It’s more

than just a Pride parade – this energetic event is the only carnival of its kind in Africa.

It’s also one of the biggest parties in the country and a highlight of the LGBT calendar.

With such a variety out there, there is a festival to suit anyone’s tastes, no matter how eclectic. There’s no better way to enjoy the rich diversity of what our beautiful land has to offer than by enjoying a festival or two. Or three. Or seventeen. Be warned, once you start festival-hopping, it’s only a skip and a jump to a serious addiction.

COUTURE TRAVEL Air Travel is the greatest cultural force in the history of the world according to Bill Gates (After the Written Word and before the World Wide Web).

I

to bring people, languages, ideas

I

and values together. Unfortunately,

desire to reach for the sky and fly by

the truth behind many a flight of

private charter? Just like Bill Gates

fancy is that the reality is frankly,

does.

t’s true that the human mind has always craved the means for flight and the opportunity

n the interest of preserving cultural integrity, individual productivity and world peace

may we suggest you nurture the

a little hard to stomach. When Leonardo da Vinci first envisaged an idyllic international community he did not in fact dream of playing hurry-up-and-wait at the airport right before being squeezed into a very small cabin with a large number of irritable, over-tired global ambassadors.

24-Hour Hotline: +27 (0) 11 788 0813 w: www.unitedcharter.co.za e: info@unitedcharter.co.za a: Office 9, First floor Main Terminal, Lanseria International Airport

UNITED CHARTER aircraft specs

SHORT RANGE BEECHCRAFT PREMIER 1 – multi-engine jet –

A light multi-engine jet designed and manufactured

by Raytheon/Hawker Beechcraft it accomplished its goals of being the fastest light jet with the largest cabin cross section when it entered service in 2001.

The composite carbon-fibre/epoxy honeycomb fuselage, swept metal construction wings, T-tail and two Williams-Rolls FJ-44 turbofan engines makes this sleek aircraft the perfect light corporate jet.

*

6 2

CITATION MUSTANG – multi-engine jet –

A business jet that has been specifically designed with the new jet set in mind. Comfortable club seating is the order of the day and there is no need to pack light with the ample external and aft baggage areas. This plane has true jet speed that will chew 630km in an hour and keep doing so over three hours; it effortlessly combines efficiency with performance and great sleek looks.

4

2

MID RANGE BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 200 – multi-engine turboprop –

The Beechcraft King Air might just be the world’s most popular turboprop aircraft. Originally developed as a compromise between piston-engine and jet aircraft, the King Air flies further than a piston-driven engine can and lands on runways far shorter than a jet can handle. This T-tail twin-engine craft remains a firm favourite in commercial and civil aviation, as well as with military buyers.

8 - 10

2

*

Passengers

Flight Deck Crew

Cabin crew

AVIATION | 209

BEECHCRAFT 1900 C/D – multi-engine turboprop – The big brother of the King Air 200, the Beechcraft 1900 was developed for the regional airline market.

The lengthy fuselage (there is stand-up head room in the D model), powerful engines, modified tail with tailets and stabilons on the lower rear fuselage improved both comfort and hot and high performance.

19 2

BOMBARDIER LEARJET 45 – multi-engine jet –

A private high-quality jet that combines new technology with a tried and tested design; the cruise performance is fabulous and it handles exceptionally well. Swivel, recline or track in the comfortable cabin space that includes a dedicated temperature control system that is separate to the cockpit, fold-down tables and a noise level that does not exceed 72dB. 8 2

BOMBARDIER LEARJET 60 – multi-engine jet –

The Learjet 60 serves a niche market for jets that climb to cruise altitude quickly, has an impressive cruise speed, operates economically and of course, is completely reliable. It has the largest cabin in the Learjet line and has added space where it counts the most. The aircraft was built using NASA/Boeing Tranair CFD software resulting in a particularly aerodynamic design.

7 2

HAWKER 700 – multi-engine jet –

Meet our quiet, mid-size jet with advanced avionics and high performance qualities that make it the perfect choice for short to long-range flights. A wide cabin that is devoid of business jet noise-levels easily seats eight passengers, travels at 720km per hour and can comfortably reach distances over 3,000km.

8 2

BOEING 737-200 – multi-engine jet –

The Boeing 737 twinjet is the world’s most successful jet airliner model. It was built in response to airlines needing a slightly higher passenger load for their short and mid-range flights. The 737-200 stretch model features aerodynamic refinements and a range of improvements.

105

2 6

LONG RANGE BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 300 – multi-engine jet –

The Bombadier Challenger 300 started life as the ‘Continental’ due to its ability to fly coast-to-coast in the USA. A large cabin, lower direct operating costs and it’s capacity for relatively short field performance also sets it apart.

8 2 1

*

Passengers

Flight Deck Crew

Cabin crew

AVIATION | 211

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 601 – multi-engine jet –

The jet of choice for governments, the armed forces and the rich and famous – more airliner than private jet – the Challenger 601 is economical and large among its class, particularly where it matters: in the cabin. The cabin is also well isolated from noise and vibration and the plane has two engines and four back-up power systems.

8 2 1

GULFSTREAM GIII – multi-engine jet –

The third generation in a highly successful family of private jets, the GIII was designed to supersede its predecessors. The two-engine configuration provides the performance capability whilst keeping costs low. The 10% extra wing achieves a significantly improved range and Whitcomb winglets further reduce fuel burn.

14 2 1

GULFSTREAM GV – multi-engine jet –

The first ultra-long-range private jet that is capable of flying nonstop from New Zealand to San Francisco or Cape Town to Beijing, the Gulfstream is an extremely reliable, high performance aircraft. In an exclusive and very competitive class the Gulfstream V holds its own. It is ideal for anyone who needs to go crosscountry or fly internationally quickly and reliably.

14 2 1

AVIATION | 213

‌the very concept

was a mystery

when United Charter Services owner Jonathan Wolpe approached

established charter operators in South Africa to discuss brokering flights over 12 years ago. At the time this type of service was only a fledgling business globally and was pretty much unheard of in South Africa.

But a dozen years later attitudes have changed and the role played by charter brokers is now widely recognised by many private aircraft charter clients. Why? Well, the benefits are clear to see: imagine a potentially great business opportunity arises and an urgent face-to-face meeting is required. The problem is that the meeting is in Luanda and the last scheduled flight has already departed. You start browsing charter flights on the internet and up pops a long list of charter companies you have never heard of or used before.

Which one should you call first? Who will offer you the best value for money? Who will get you there quickly and safely?

This is where a charter broker steps into the breach – you tell them what you want and they do the shopping around for you. A charter broker will use their industry knowledge and their extensive network of aircraft -contact providers to ensure you get the flight you want at the best possible price. Personalised service that professionally caters to the customer’s every need, brokering has taken off around the globe (excuse the pun). The change has come about as the benefits of working with charter brokers have become clear.

Over the years increasing numbers of businesses, in-house travel departments, government institutions and individuals have made charter brokers their first port of call when it comes to travel arrangements. The headache of arranging private charter flights disappears instantly and you are presented with a turnkey solution the minute you pick up the phone to arrange a flight. You have the peace of mind of knowing that the aircraft you board has been vetted, is run by a reputable aircraft operator, that the aircrew are appropriately qualified to operate the aircraft to the highest level of safety and proficiency, and that you have got excellent value for money. Because charter brokers are renowned for providing this efficiency of service, their networks have expanded across the globe and they enjoy a symbiotic relationship with reputable aircraft operators.

So where does United Charter Services fit in? Having kick-started formalised charter brokering on the African continent, we are now one of the largest charter brokers in Africa. We have a loyal customer base and a vast network of aircraft operators that we work with to ensure that our clients not only benefit from the broker services we offer, but are also guaranteed the highest levels of service. We can provide solutions for the most complex of travel requirements owing to our vast network of contacts and our ability to think outside the box.

AVIATION | 215

United Charter Services takes ownership of each and every flight that is arranged, from the provision of sumptuous on-board VIP catering to personally seeing out and greeting all flights. Every detail, no matter how small, is catered for and our exacting standards ensure that our clients get the best possible service and return to United Charter Services time and again. Each and every person at United Charter Services is a highly-skilled aviation professional in their own right and all operate with the ethos that our customers come first.

In 2008, United Charter Services took the bold step of purchasing an aircraftoperating business in order to provide its clients with medium- to long-range and ultra-long-range executive business jet transportation. After an extensive search for the perfect business, Owenair, based at Cape Town International Airport, was selected due to the fact that its business operation and personnel ticked all the right boxes. Established in 1946, the company was one of South Africa’s most mature aircraft-operating businesses and had, at the time, a number of medium and long range jets available for charter. Jonathan Wolpe fondly refers to the purchase as “being given the privilege to be the custodian of Owenair’s long aviation history”.

Since 2008, United Charter Services’ fleet has expanded and now includes an impressive range of executive business jets – ranging from three popular Bombardier Learjet variants to the luxurious Gulfstream GIII. Owenair attracts aircraft owners who handpick the company for its professional management of their multi-million dollar assets.

The United Charter Group of Companies consists of United Charter Services, Owenair and United Maverick magazine. It is managed with a very proactive and hands-on approach by Jonathan Wolpe and David Howarth (Managing Director of United Charter Services), who ensure that each and every aspect of the group surpasses industry norms for excellence. The dedicated team of individuals that make up the core staff are without doubt some of the best people in the South African aviation industry. Both Jonathan and David have bold expansion plans for the group. The first major change was the re-location of the United Charter Services offices from Dunkeld, Sandton to the main terminal at Lanseria International Airport. In true United Charter style, the new offices were completely refitted not only to provide a well-appointed, practical and comfortable workspace but also to offer the epitome of luxury with a dedicated departure and arrival lounge With the roll-out of further exclusive executive business jet types, including the rare, ultra-long range Gulfstream GV which is capable of non-stop 12,000km flights we can ensure that the portfolio of aircraft offered by United Charter Services provides ideal private travel solutions for group travellers, corporate employees, VIPs, business executives, diplomats, socialites and families. We are available 24/7, 365 days a year, to provide your private aircraft travel solutions.

Whether you need to travel for business or pleasure, Fly United!

Written by Dave Howarth

Which one should you call first? Who will offer you the best value for money? Who will get you there quickly and safely?

AVIATION | 217

Depart for Dusseldorf via Ndola, Entebbe, Khartoum, Cairo, Iraklion and Pescara. Deliver MAINE

LearJet 31a to new owner. Down a good German

VERMONT

beer with Chris Kinghorn, post him back to Jo’burg and set sail for Wichita, Kansas courtesy

NEW YORK

Delta Airlines.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

CLEVELAND

I had arranged for my son, Jason, to be excused from his tutorship at Denel Aircraft Corporation

WICHITA

for a week and we meet in Wichita where we’re treated to a first class meal by Chris Charnley, Vice President Aircraft Sales for Hawker Beechcraft.

Time to sort out our trip kit and flight logs and go on a minor shopping spree for some ferry supplies; two cases of water, two cases of soft drinks, chips, snacks, easy-open tinned food etc as well as some Boy Scout stuff like Duct Tape, Leatherman, spare

Wichita heralded in a magnificent day with only a

the TAWS (Terrain Awareness System) and the

batteries for torches and hand-held GPS, happy-

slight breeze from the northwest and clear skies.

Navigation/Flight Director Integration System

snappy camera et al. After the necessary shopping

N3194J purred to life and after a warm-up and

is literally awesome. The system allows position,

we embarked on a spot of unnecessary shopping,

thorough check of all systems we climbed lazily

fuel and alternate awareness like no other that I

not really a guy thing – but then we don’t have real

into the morning sky headed for Toledo, Ohio. We

have seen.

Cowboy stores at home.

crossed the Neosho River passing Kansas City to

Toledo lies on the southern fringes of Lake Erie

We meet the absolutely magnificent Baron

our left and over the Mark Twain Lake which

and we taxied up to Grande-Air for a cuppa and

58G at Colonel James Jabara Airfield. The plane

is fed by the Salt River. Crossing over Highway

some gas some 3.5 hours after setting off.

is fitted with the latest mind-blowing Garmin

72 with St. Louis on our right we flew into first

Bangor, Maine was our next target and we set

1000 instrument panel. More about the Garmin

Illinois and later Indiana, past Fort Wayne and

off with full tanks over Lake Erie past Pelee Island,

1000 later...

finally into Ohio.

Cleveland to the right and later London, Ontario

Dr Spock’s Inter-Galactic Traveller

Whilst I did take in some of the beauty that the

to the left. Approaching Buffalo, New York we

American landscape had to offer, I concede that a

were cautioned of “severe weather – line squall”

fair amount of my time was taken up by marvelling

ahead. Garmin 1000 to the rescue! I asked for and

over the Garmin 1000 series. Now, being a typical

was granted deviations left and right at FL130 as

male, I did not bother with the Garmin manual

required, and we ‘bugged’ the Baron through a

until much later during the ferry when I was

path so gentle that we could have left a full glass

keen to see what I had NOT discovered. I know

on the dashboard without spilling a drop.

the ladies will want to pull their hair out – but

On we bugged all the way across New York

so it is with us – and I therefore know that the

State into Vermont, past New Hampshire, into

Garmin 1000 was designed by a man! It does

clear skies and the State of Maine.

not need a manual, and its beauty reflects man’s avionics desires. The manual did not have much

At every stop the routine was always the same; fuel, fees, plans, paperwork, rest, fly.

to offer in terms of enlightenment as the units are

Bangor was to be our first night stop and

extremely user-friendly and the logic is pure joy.

once our Baron was fuelled, cleaned and tied

Unfortunately, outside of the US/Canada many

down we made our way to Howard Johnson’s

of the Garmin 1000 features are not available such

(recommended) for the worst club sarnie one

as music, radio, weather, METAR, TAF, and traffic

can imagine (I had to chase mine down with a

advisory overlays, but in time these functions

Sam Adams) and then off to the Days Inn for a

may make our shores. I must add though that

short night.

AVIATION | 219

GREENLAND

ICELAND REYKJAVIK

NEW BRUNSWICK

GULF OF ST LAWRENCE

MAINE

04H30 saw us climbing into the clag, 500ft

Atlantic, but luckily cleared up on the descent

the plateau and crossed the coastline to meet

overcast, across the Penobscot River. We broke at

to reveal one of life’s most spectacular sights,

the Northern Atlantic just south of Uvdlorsivtit.

+-11 to 12,000ft and setup cruise at 13,000ft (flight

that of Simiutaq Island and the approach into

Checkpoint 63N35W over the cold blue. Next stop

levels only begin at FL190 in the US and Canada).

Narsarsuaq, Greenland from the west over a fjord

Iceland. Hitting the coastline at Keflavik we were

We crossed the St John River into New Brunswick,

speckled with thousands of aquamarine-haloed

vectored for an ILS RWY 01 with a circle to land

passed over the Gulf of St Lawrence, Romaine and

icebergs and floes.

over Selt Jarnarnes onto runway 13 at Reykjavik.

Natashquan Rivers and, on the descent, over the Churchill River for our landing at Goose Bay.

Narsarsuaq is really a pleasant stop and Peter

Happily we just caught the one and only fuel

in the tower always has time for a chat with an

bowser (in the country!) just as it was about to

We taxied up to Woodward Aviation FBO and

African friend (he flew for Bishop Abel Muzarewa

leave for Keflavik, which could have cost a longer

were met by the usual friendly bunch of bowser

at the end of hostilities in then Rhodesia). Due

stay than planned for. Once again, FBO service

tenders and icecream-wielding ladies (OAT 15°C –

to its geographical location, Narsarsuaq fuel is as

was very good and we were fuelled, cleaned and

I have landed there at -23°C to be met in the same

costly as it gets at just over R39.00 per litre! As

tied down in no time. Our room at the Hotel

fashion). I made the necessary call to CANPASS

aeroplanes don’t fly on love alone we coughed up

Loftleidir in Reykjavik was not more than 15m

(Canadian Customs) whilst Jason attended to the

and took off toward the fjord with a tight right-

from our now-beloved Baron, and Jason was

re-fuelling process. Our stop in Goose Bay was

hand turnout for our climb up the Narsarsuaq

quite happy that we could keep an eye on her

short and sweet and we were on our way in less

glacier. As they say, ‘a picture is worth a thousand

overnight. “Overnight” did I say? Not! Twenty-

than an hour.

words’.

four hours of sunlight here this time of year. Very

Our departure from Goose Bay took us over

Interestingly, a MET report in this theatre

confusing to the weary traveller. Dinner consisted

the Atlantic Ocean slightly to the south of the

includes the day’s ‘ice cap level’ (13,000ft for us) as

of some biscuits and Coke Zero from the Baron

Ragged Islands. The weather was not at its best

it is ever-changing.

and, some 14 hours after leaving Bangor, we hit

for most of our ride over the bitterly cold North

We finally left the glacier behind us, flew over

the hay.

The following day was to be our most relaxing of the trip as we planned to fly to Cork, Ireland and visit our ancestors’ stomping ground in

ICELAND

Glandore, about an hour’s drive south.

We woke a little later than planned but felt

REYKJAVIK

all the better for it. After a quick breakfast we nipped over the road to our trusty steed. Preflight done, engines warmed and shortly after take-off we passed over Porklakshofn into Atlantic airspace once again. Our route took us past the Island of Heimaey, checkpoint 61N16W and we later joined the Leprechauns over Achill Island. Over Galway, past Ennis and Shannon and over the (small) green fields that make up much of Ireland. The final part of the day’s journey saw us over Mallow and across the River Lee into Cork International Airport.

The Cork Flying Club HQ looked worse than Jason’s room on a Sunday morning!

Re-fuelling accomplished, we tucked the Baron in for the night and drove south across the Brandon River to Glandore on the Celtic Sea.

UK IRELAND

A fine meal was had at the Glandore Inn before returning to Cork for the night.

CORK

County Cork

At 05H45 the following morning we were

Control. Once again I requested shorter routing

strapped in and ready to go, and we were cleared

and this time hit the jackpot. “Ah bonjour N4J,

for take-off almost exactly four hours later!

oui turn rayt 90 de’greese ’an ’ead four Santiago.”

Apparently the Poms decided to play war games or

My kind of controller!

something and our flight plan, filed the previous

We left Ireland over Cobb and the Celtic Sea,

day, had been rejected. After filing a further four

flew past the Isles of Scilly and Lands End. Our

alternative plans I finally told the Gentleman at

‘rayt’ turn was accomplished near Ile D’Quessant

Euro Control that I would risk being shot down if

(abeam Brest) and we crossed the Spanish

he refused to help! At last we departed on a flight

coast over Ria de Viviero. Next, Santiago and

plan 400NM further than originally planned (and

southbound over the Rio’s Ulla and Mino. This part

one that technically we could not comply with)

of our flight was a real eye-opener as Spain and

but at least we were airborne. It is, for reasons

Northern Portugal are mountainous with small

better known to others, easier to beg for shorter

groups of haciendas everywhere. Definitely a

routing whilst airborne then by way of planning

‘must do’ holiday. We slipped by Venda Nova, Villa

(?!!). Immediately upon making contact with

Real and Castro D’Aier, crossed the Rio Tamega and

Shanwick Control we requested shorter routing

Tejo, Barragem Belver and Do Maranhao. Abeam

and were amiably sent off to chat with London

Lisbon, across the Rio Guadiana and finally met up

Military. This chap was also quite pleasant but

with Highway 2 into Faro.

could only offer direct routing to Lands End and

After being ‘handled’ by Groundforce One

then to a position south of the English Channel

FBO with fuel, plans and fees we winged our way

where he passed me on to Pierre of Bordeux

south some 45 minutes later en route to Gran

AVIATION | 221

IRELAND UK CORK

CELTIC SEA FRANCE

PORTUGAL

Canaria. Departure was over the Gulf of Cadiz to meet with with our old friend the Atlantic Ocean. We passed the upper/western-most corner of Africa alongside Tangier and later left Rabat and Casablanca off to the east. We met the

SPAIN

SEVILLE

first of the Canary Islands over Lanzarotte and Fuertaventura, and arrived at Gran Canaria in a

GIBRALTAR

30- gusting 45-knot wind.

Gran Canaria is equipped with a huge apron area and we were parked so far down that we had to pass through immigration twice (or so it

CASABLANCA

seemed). Comandante Jose’ Rodriguez Lameiro and his co-pilot, of TAG Aviation Spain, were

MOROCCO

extremely helpful with communication and re-fuelling. They both patiently waited for the entire process to be completed before taking us in their transport to the terminal building. That is good airmanship – Gracias!

My frequent haunt when in Gran Canaria, the Hotel Vecindario, fed and watered us and another good rest was had.

ALGERIA GRAN CANARIA

GRAN CANARIA

WESTERN SAHARA

MAURITANIA

DAKAR

MALI

SENEGAL GUINEA-BISSAU GUINEE

Ben, the friendliest re-fueller in Africa

BAMAKO

We were airborne just after 04H30 into a glorious

extremely helpful and jovial Senagalese chaps. I

star-filled sky scattered with a few tufts of cloud

went off to pay the landing fees and nearly fell

to break its perfection. We flew over the city of

over when presented with a bill of $13.00! The

Las Palmas which was just warming up with the

technical stop in Dakar was a very pleasant

many festivities that it has to offer. Las Palmas is a

experience all round.

24/7 party town. I once spent a night there (where

Off runway 36 with a right-hand turn for Bamako.

I met Rosa... but that story another time) and it

Visibility poor to almost nil from 300 to 400ft and a

took two days to recover!

dusty climbout to FL130 where we flew into some

We found ourselves over the African coast

cumulous. Not much precipitation, but we sure

at Dhakla in the Western Sahara. The absolute

bounced around for a while. This leg was flown

desolation of the Western Sahara has to be

in instrument conditions right up to the last five

seen to be believed. Sand dune after sand dune,

miles. We landed in Bamako in the late afternoon

each severely windswept. Not long thereafter

and were met by Egmont Bakfischer, a South

we entered Mauritanian airspace at Dakhlet

African engineer, who runs an air service and AMO

Nouadhibou where we left Africa for another

called SAS Air Services with Nuts van der Neut.

short spell over the Atlantic. Shortly before

Egmont and his wife were very helpful and even

descent into Dakar visibility became really

arranged hangarage and security for the Baron.

poor due to a severe case of Hamatan, a wind

Standard ops: fuel, fees, plans and paperwork then

off the Sahara that carries with it a very fine

off to the Hotel Residence Wassulu for a cold beer

dust. Although there was no ‘weather’ reported

and VERY well done ‘poulet et pomfrets’. More like

we only saw the runway at 350 to 400ft from

doodgooi Tortelduif en slapchips!

touchdown. Two drums of Avgas were purchased

The next day saw us passing through Burkino

and this was hand-pumped into the Baron by two

Faso under Ouagadougou control towards Accra.

AVIATION | 223

MALI This was truly a magic carpet ride as the moon

NIGER

SENEGAL BAMAKO

was new and wispy cloud filtered its rays. Lord I love aviation! We were summoned from our

NIGERIA

night-time reverie into the dawn of a new day by the sun’s rays sneaking a peak at our Baron

IVORY COAST

through the clouds.

CAMEROON

Once under Ghanaian Radar control we

ACCRA

were directed for a straight-in ILS approach with our route taking us along the banks of the massive Lake Volta. I measured the lake to be

LIBREVILLE

GABON

approximately 225km long and 20km wide in places. On landing in Accra we were again met

CONGO

GULF OF GUINEA

by friendly and efficient service from all. On this occasion our total fees were $20.00 but fuel was expensive. We paid $1,600.00 for two drums. Our sincere thanks to Ben of City Link Airlines who was a great help to us with the re-fuelling process.

LUANDA

Ben is a really nice guy and a credit to his company.

Departing Accra for Libreville in Gabon we passed over the Bight of Benin and the Gulf of

All chores were attended to in record time with

border of Gabon and Congo Brazzaville into the

Guinea before settling down over the Atlantic

smiles all around. Merci beucoup Libreville.

Atlantic. Pointe Noir to the left and into Angolan

again. To the north of track we passed Lome

We set course for Luanda over the Estuaire de

airspace at the mouth of the mighty Congo River.

(Togo), Cotonou (Benin), Lagos and Port Harcourt

Gabon and then over dense jungle which opens up

Southbound past Cabinda and Soyo and on to the

(Nigeria), and at top of descent were overhead

to Lake Azindo, Lake Ogoque and Lake Onangue.

4th February airport in Luanda. We executed an

Principe Island. We flew the DME ARC approach

These lakes are all connected and are fed by the

ILS approach on to runway 23 and broke off for a

onto runway 16 at Libreville. Jason attended to the

rivers Ngounie and Onanque.

visual landing on runway 25. Over the MotoX-like

re-fuelling as I sorted out matters administrative.

For the last time we crossed the coast at the

taxiway to the apron.

The following day I paid the bills ($110.00) and we

or night we are always met with a smile by the ATC

customs and immigration duties, we taxied across

took off for Ondangwa. Angola is a country in the

and BP personnel. Today was no exception. Leaving

the runways to the ‘South Side’ and NAC where

process of being rediscovered. There are a host of

Ondangwa from runway 26 on our homebound

we were met by NAC Director Nigel Forrester and

small villages along the route that are improving

leg took us past the Tsumeb and the Etosha Pan.

Baron’s proud new owner, Tony Muller.

daily: Viana, Catete, Maria Teresa, Gabela, Sumbe,

Our flightpath took us over Grootfontein and

A super ride in a great aeroplane and a wonderful

Lobito, Catumbela, Negola, Huambo, Xangongo

on to the Botswana border. Parallel to the Trans

experience for Jason –one that I would repeat at

and finally, Quedas do Ruacana where we crossed

Kalahari Highway past Ghanzi, Kang, Jwaneng and

the drop of a hat!

the border into Namibia.

Gaborone and finally into SA airspace. Mom, sister

We wish Tony many happy landings in the

Ondangwa is always a friendly stop and we often

and friends were on the balcony to greet us weary

Baron B58G.

use it as a technical. Irrespective of the time of day

aviators and, after complying with the necessary

Written by Larry Beamish

LUANDA

ANGOLA ZAMBIA

ONDANGWA

ZIMBABWE

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

NAMIBIA

BOTSWANA

SOUTH AFRICA

LANSERIA JOHANNESBURG

Jason, Larry, Tony and Nigel

the GREAT escape for people with extraordinary minds Sailing * Fishing * Relaxing

United Charter would like to make a special mention and a huge thank you to BigCityLife who has designed and painstakingly compiled the exceptional product you find before you and for all the work that they have put into our marketing efforts, ensuring our company image is maintained to the highest standard in you,

House Marapi Vilanculos our clients eyes.

www.sailmarapi.co.za t: +27 (82) 453 5998 Anne Wilson e: ann@sailmarapi.co.za

AVIATION | 227

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER

Bombardier’s Challenger 300 Midsize Trans-Continental Business Jet (originally known as the Continental Business Jet) was launched in 1999 and left Mother Earth for the first time in August 2001 from Wichita, Kansas. She received certification from Transport Canada, the US FAA and the European JAA in 2003 and entered service in January 2004.

Due to its great performance and relatively low operating cost, the Challenger 300 does the job of many larger business jets more economically and offers just as much comfort.

It has a range of up to 3,100NM and in many mission instances larger aircraft with greater range would also require a technical stop. For example, on a trip from Cape Town to London (5,400NM), few aircraft would not require a technical stop and therefore there would be little advantage gained by operating a more costly machine. Bearing testimony to the Challenger’s attributes is the fact that the 200th aircraft was delivered in July 2008.

The Challenger 300 has a conventional all-metal airframe, and winglets reduce liftinduced drag. It is a fine example of industrial cooperation, with Canadair responsible for building the forward section of the fuselage, including the cockpit and primary flight controls, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries building the wings.

Bombardier Aerospace in Belfast is responsible for construction of the centre fuselage, the rear fuselage and tail are built by AIDC of Taiwan, while Hawker De Havilland Australia supplies the tail cone and the auxiliary power installation unit. The component sections are transported to the Bombardier Aerospace Montreal Dorval facility for final assembly.

Every facet of construction was achieved with input from all kinds of affected parties, from passengers and crew to engineers and operations personnel. The final product is suited to all of these parties with little compromise.

Dimensions Exterior Length:

68.63ft (20.92m)

Wingspan:

63.84ft (19.46m)

Wing area:

522ft2 (48.50m2)(basic)

Height overall: 20.33ft (6.20m) Interior Cabin length: 28.6ft (8.72m)(from cockpit divider to end of pressurised compartment) Cabin width: 7.17ft (2.19m)(centerline) Cabin width: 5.08ft (1.55m)(floorline) Cabin height: 6.08ft (1.85m) Floor area:

146ft2 (13.56m2)(excluding cockpit)

Cabin volume: 860ft3 (24.35m3)(excluding cockpit and baggage) Weights Maximum ramp weight

39,000lb

17,690kg

Maximum takeoff weight

38,850lb

17,622kg

Maximum landing weight

33,750lb

15,309kg

Maximum zero fuel weight

27,000lb

12,247kg

Standard basic operating weight

23,500lb

10,660kg

Maximum fuel weight**

14,150lb

6,418kg

Maximum payload

3,500lb

1,588kg

Maximum payload – full fuel

1,350lb

612kg

Fuel with maximum payload

12,000lb

5,443kg

AVIATION | 229

CABIN The business class cabin provides a working environment to corporate executive standards. The passenger cabin has an area of 13.28m2 and seats eight business passengers in double club seating. The cabin is fitted with tracked swivelling recliner seats each with a table, a power point and telephone point.

A baggage compartment at the rear of the cabin is accessible in flight. The cabin and baggage compartments are air conditioned and pressurised by the Liebherr AerospaceToulouse environmental control system. At the rear of the cabin are the passenger facilities. The cabin door is on the port side at the front.

Passenger comfort • Double club with berthable seats • Flat floor throughout • Unrestricted in-flight access to baggage • Inflight entertainment system • Well-equipped galley Interior options now include a three-seater divan.

Cockpit Avionics A Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 system with four LCD displays is standard equipment and consists of: • Electronic Flight Instrumentation System (EFIS) • Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) • Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II)

• RVSM compliant • Dual FMS 5000 • Single Radio Altimeter • Cockpit Voice Recorder (2 hrs) • Aural Warning System

Information System

• Dual Scan Weather Radar System

• Enhanced Maps

• Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)

• Maintenance Diagnostics Computer

• XM Weather

• Engine Instrument/Crew Alerting System

• RVSM Capable

(EICAS) • Automatic Heading and Reference System (AHRS)

• Dual Mode S Transponder

Performance

• Collins Pro Line 21 Avionics – Optional

Range

Equipment

• System Synoptics

• Weather maps via datalink

• Dual VHF Communications

• Second ADF (Automatic Direction

• 8.33kHz capability

Finder)

Maximum range (Standard conditions): 3,100NM / 5,741km Speed High-speed 0.82 470Knots / 870km/hr Typical cruise speed 0.80 450Knots / 850km/hr

• Dual ILS/VOR/MRK Navigation

• Enhanced Weather Radar

• Radar Altimeter

• Lightning Detection System

• Single Automatic Direction Finder

• 3-D Flight Plan Maps

Airfield Performance

• Dual Distance Measuring Equipment

• Flight Data Recorder

Takeoff distance (SL, ISA, MTOW): 4,810ft (1,466m)

• FMS V-Speeds/Performance Database

Landing distance (SL, ISA, MLW): 2,600ft (792m)

(DME) • Dual Integrated Radio Control and Display

• Metric Refuel/Defuel Panel

• Dual Attitude Heading Reference

• Lower TCAS Antenna

Operating Altitude

• Dual Global Positioning Sensor

• Second FSU IFIS (File Server Unit

Maximum operating altitude: 45,000ft (13,716m)

• Dual Air Data computer

Integrated Flight

Initial cruise altitude (MTOW): 41,000ft (12,496m)

AVIATION | 231

Engines

Flying the Challenger 300

The aircraft is fitted with two Honeywell HTF7000 turbofan

As with all flights we begin with a notification that a flight is ‘in

engines each capable of 35.81kN (8,050lbs) thrust. The

the system’. From this we get route and payload information

engines are fitted with dual channel FADEC (Full Authority

and carry these details forward to our flight planning system.

Digital Engine Control) and Hurel-Dubois thrust reversers.

Performance calculations are made with reference to fuel,

The HTF7000 is configured with four axial compressor

alternates, runway conditions, prevailing weather etc. Our

stages, including two variable-geometry stators, a single

cabin attendant is notified of the number of passengers,

centrifugal compressor, an effusion-cooled combustor, a

their dietary requirements and the number and duration of

two-stage high-pressure turbine and a three-stage low-

sectors to be flown. From this, he or she will plan and order

pressure turbine driving a high-efficiency fan.

the catering accordingly.

Key Features

Pre-flight

• Thermodynamic rating: 8,050lbs

The Challenger 300 has a wonderfully simple fuel system that

• Thrust: 6,826lbs, flat-rated to ISA+15ºC (de-rated for

comprises of a pressure re-fuelling point and an electronic

longevity)

panel that allows you to plug on the hose, select the amount

• Bypass ratio 4.2:1 (superior high altitude performance)

of fuel required, and away you go. No mess and little fuss.

• Dual channel FADEC/trend monitoring (reduced pilot

The external pre-flight consists of a general walk-around

workload) • On-condition maintenance (reduced maintenance costs)

ensuring that gear pins, engine and pitot covers etc have been removed and that there are no other anomalies. The cockpit pre-flight is a systems check and an update of the Honeywell

The aircraft has a Honeywell 36-150BB auxiliary power

FMS (flight management system) with the route, payload and

unit for ground and alternate in-flight electrical power and

ambient conditions information. The FMS and performance

pneumatic air supply for air conditioning and pressurisation.

computer then calculates the aircraft weight, runway distance

The DC electrical system operating at 28 volts includes three

required and the V speeds. Should any parameter exceed a

brushless generators. Two nickel cadmium batteries are used

limitation the computer advises you. Usually if this occurs it

for ground power, for auxiliary power-unit starting, and for

is due to finger trouble as we plan our departure and arrival

emergency power in flight. An engine bleed air-supplied

performances when we receive the mission profile.

anti-icing system is used for the leading edges of the wings and for the lips of the engines’ nacelles. Electrical de-icing is

Start up

used for the windscreen and the pitot probes.

The two HTF7000 engines on the Challenger are air-started and require that either the APU is started first in order to

Fuel system

supply bleed air or that an external source is provided (huffer

The two integral wing tanks hold 14,150lbs (6,124kg) of fuel.

cart). It is possible to start one engine from a huffer cart and

The aircraft is equipped with an Intertechnique fuel system.

to cross-bleed start the opposite engine. Once both engines

Gravity fuelling points are located on the top of each wing.

are running we perform tests of systems such as anti-icing

There is a single point pressure refuelling (SPPR) and

system and flight controls. Setup complete, and with steering

defuelling port. The SPPR system allows for automatic pre-

engaged, we are ready to taxi.

selected quantity refuelling.

Taxi

Landing gear

Taxiing the Challenger 300 is accomplished by means of a

The Challenger 300 has Messier-Dowty hydraulically-

tiller which hydraulically controls the nose wheel steering

retractable tricycle type landing gear. Parker Aerospace

up to 65° either side of centre. Once sharp turns have been

developed the aircraft’s hydraulic systems. The steerable

made we are able to steer the nose wheel 7° either side of

two-wheel nose gear retracts forward. The twin wheel

centre with the rudder pedals. Very little thrust is required

main landing gear units retract inwards and are fitted with

to taxi as the residual engine thrust seems to do 90% of

Goodrich carbon-composite multiple-disc brakes. The

the job.

trailing-link main gear allows for silky landings and the braking system falls nothing short of awesome.

Takeoff ‘Cleared for takeoff’ is the expression that allows us to

Crew training

advance the throttles through the climb thrust detent

The best crew training to operate this level of aircraft is

into the takeoff detent. The FADEC system that controls

imperative, and both Bombardier and FlightSafety offer

the Honeywell HTF7000s calibrates all of the fuel control

Pilot Initial and Recurrent Training at a number of facilities.

systems to give the full 6,826lbs of thrust that each engine

The training in a simulator environment is unparalleled in

has to offer. It is a lovely sensation to be pushed back into the

terms of thoroughness, intensity and the understanding of

sheepskins by such power. Rotation is lighter than that on

systems and potential operational scenarios that cannot be

most piston twins and results in climb rates at an indicated

easily or cost-effectively demonstrated in the real machine

airspeed of 250 knots, greater than 6,000 feet per minute

(see SA Flyer FlightSafety report, 2008).

depending on load and altitude.

Climb

flat and I had the distinct impression that we would be too low too early.

A typical climb profile from Cape Town to Lanseria with eight passengers (ISA

The Challenger 300, when flown at flight idle with an indicated airspeed

conditions) will take 11 minutes to FL370 and under 14 minutes to FL410. We

of M0.80/280KIAS, will descend at about 3,500FPM. When the speed is

would have covered 65 to 85NM respectively in this time. At gross weight (ISA

reduced to 250KIAS in the lower levels the rate of descent decreases to

conditions) the Challenger 300 will climb to FL430 in under 27 minutes.

about 2,500FPM. Further speed reduction causes the rate of descent to diminish so much so that you get to a point where you can either slow

Cruise

down or go down, but not both at the same time. A rule of thumb is to

Typically we will cruise the Challenger 300 at M0.80 to M0.81 but we are

begin the descent at a distance of three times the height to target in NM.

able to go as fast as M0.83. At the levels we fly this translates to a TAS of 450 to 480 knots. We can cruise for six hours or more at these speeds, allowing

Landing

us to fly the 2,800 to 3,100NM advertised. The noise level in the Challenger’s

Approach and landing could not be made simpler. Speeds and landing

cabin is lower than any I have previously experienced and allows for normal

distances are calculated via the FMS again and once the wind, temperature,

conversation among the passengers. With the Airshow and entertainment

QNH and weight is punched in to the ‘box’ the speeds are available for

systems, telephones and PC power jacks, as well as the Flight Attendant

posting to the EFIS. Typical Vref speeds will be from 113KIAS to 122KIAS.

feeding you frequently there is no reason to become bored on board!

The aircraft ‘talks’ to you with height information, and due to the approach angle very little flare is required. Touchdown is generally smooth thanks to

Descent

the large tyres and trailing link undercarriage. Braking action is excellent

The first descent profile I flew, calculated by the FMS, seemed to be very

and almost not required at all if full reverse thrust is selected.

Route Statistics

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 300 PERFORMANCE STATISTICS (ACTUALS) Dist (km)

Flight Time

Ave or block Speed

Flt Level

IAS

TAS

Mach #

°C SAT

Berlin - Geneva

1012

1.2

843

370

264

468

0.81

-55

2020

3090

2575

Cape Town - Durban

1321

1.5

881

410

236

459

0.80

-53

1800

3140

2093

Cape Town - Lagos

4847

6.2

782

430

229

460

0.81

-62

1760

11260

1816

Cape Town - Lanseria

1290

1.5

860

370

264

476

0.81

-47

2000

3420

2280

Cape Town - Lome

4842

6.3

769

430

227

452

0.81

-65

1680

11260

1787

Cape Town - Richards Bay

1456

1.7

856

410

240

471

0.81

-51

1860

3550

2088

Cotonou - Lanseria

4571

5.6

816

410

240

461

0.81

-60

1820

11080

1979

Dakar - Douala

3291

4.3

765

410

241

463

0.81

-59

1960

8570

1993

Durban - Pemba

2161

2.6

831

410

241

460

0.81

-62

2000

5500

2115

Entebbe - Cotonou

3435

4.0

859

390

251

465

0.81

-57

1900

7900

1975

Lanseria - Cape Town

1290

1.7

759

430

230

462

0.81

-59

1720

3440

2024

Lanseria - Lagos

4536

6.0

756

430

230

460

0.81

-64

1680

11430

1905

Lanseria - Reunion

2880

3.4

847

410

240

465

0.81

-56

1940

7090

2085

Lome - Farnborough

5099

6.2

822

450

215

456

0.80

-61

1540

11590

1869

Lusaka - Cape Town

2346

3.2

733

430

227

458

0.80

-60

1680

6070

1897

Nairobi - Lanseria

3048

3.9

782

430

229

461

0.81

-61

1600

7000

1795

Reunion - Entebbe

3432

4.2

817

430

230

460

0.81

-63

1840

8460

2014

Totals & Averages

50857

63.5

810

415

237

462

0.81

-59

1812

123850

2017

Route

Fuel Flow Fuel Used (lbs/hr) (lbs)

Ave F/ Flow /Hr

AVIATION | 233

CHALLENGER 300 AIRCRAFT COST EVALUATOR (AUGUST '08) Estimated variable costs per hour

items, galley layout and equipment, and additional avionics.

R7.80 / $ Fuel Maintenance labour Parts – engine, airframe & avionics Engine restoration (accrual)

Cost ($)

A typical Challenger 300 will cost approximately $20 million, with used machines selling for $12 million upwards. Due to the

Cost (R) 11, 329.50

59.85

466.83

152.40

1, 188.72

The following operating cost information was calculated using Conklin & de Decker’s Aircraft Cost Evaluator figures which are

272.21

2, 123.24

10.30

80.34

APU overhaul

37.32

291.10

Miscellaneous expenses

56.00

436.80

400.00

3, 120.00

Supplies/Catering

150.00

1, 170.00

2, 590.58

20, 206.52

Average speed over 600NM trip

414

km/hr

COST PER KM

6.26

48.82

1, 095 815.34

8, 547 359.65

578, 235.00

4, 510 233.00

1, 708 600.98

13, 327 087.64

4, 039.25

31, 506.12

5.27

41.07

25, 5000.00

1, 989 000.00

90, 000.00

702, 000.00

TOTAL COST PER HOUR

Annual variable costs (423 hours) Annual fixed costs* TOTAL ANNUAL COST** Cost per hour Cost per km * Annual fixed costs: - crew salaries - recurrent training - hangarage

30, 000.00

234, 000.00

- insurance

402, 500.00

3, 139 500.00

79, 800.00

622, 440.00

857, 300.00

6, 686 940.00

- accrual for upgrade/refurbishment ** Total annual cost: - excludes depreciation - excludes profit from charter income

demand for the Challenger 300 some late model aircraft have

1, 452.50

Thrust reverser overhaul

Crew expenses

Aircraft purchase prices vary significantly per options selected such as paint scheme, interior layout and finish, additional cabin comfort

(acknowledgement Conklin & de Decker) Expense

Acquisition and operating costs

asking prices in excess of the new aircraft list price.

universally accepted as audited figures.

Written by Larry Beamish

TECHNOLOGY | 235

A LITTLE TECHNOLOGICAL FORTUNE TELLING...

A CCO R D I N G

TO

CHINESE ASTROLOGERS, the Year of the Dragon was always going to be marked by prosperity. And considering how often we all read the words ‘Made in China’, most people will happily acknowledge the strength of the symbolic dragon. However, when it comes to predicting trends in technology, seekers should consider a different zodiac animal altogether.

LET’S START WITH A TALE A long, long time ago in ancient China, the Jade Emperor decided to hold a race to determine which animals would represent the 12 years of the zodiac cycle. It was expected that the strong ox or the swift dragon would win the race with ease. However, the wily rat prevailed. He convinced the ox to carry him across the river, leaping off its back to claim victory as they arrived at the finish line.

The implications of the rat’s victory are clear. Relying on one’s natural strengths is not enough. Leading the pack requires an acute awareness of one’s environment and the ability to conceive an intelligent, unconventional strategy around it. Apple epitomises this concept. Steve Jobs’s visionary leadership transformed a once failing company into a groundbreaker. Jobs was the ultimate rat, and more than a year after his death Apple finds itself in the position as the market leader that must avoid complacency… as rats in other companies scurry out from their hiding places with their own innovations.

Here’s what you need to know to ‘think rat’ in 2013.

TECHNOLOGY | 237

B USINESS On the app store front we are keeping an eye on the balance between enterprise application stores and private application stores that limit themselves to specific devices and types of apps. IT departments will

HOLD THE PHONE

In 2013 mobile phones are poised to overtake the PC as the most common web access point worldwide. The mobile architectures will eventually need to move from native apps

have to play multiple roles and coordinate IT-related activities. At the same time, organisations are moving from traditional approaches to ‘big data’ towards multiple systems that include content management, data warehousing, data marts and specialised file systems. Logical enterprise data warehousing is the future.

to web apps, even though the native apps will always offer the best user experience. Touch-optimised mobile applications that operate and coordinate across a range of devices will prove the most resistant.

SA G ETS SMART In South Africa, more people have access to cellphones than clean water. Of the ten million phones sold in 2013 six million will be smart – resulting in half the total

THE INTERNET OF THINGS

The internet has started to expand to physical items and assets – now smartphones use not only the cellular network but also an expanding range of devices and peripherals including wristwatches, smart posters and home entertainment. At the same time, cellular technology can now be found in devices ranging from pharmaceutical containers to automobiles.

cellphone owners in South Africa running smartphones.

Consequently, marketers and corporate entities are expected to take greater advantage of social media platforms and mobile apps. Cellular operators are planning to roll out high-speed 4G technology across their networks so data transfers will be faster than ever before.

T H E S K I N N Y O N U LT R A B O O K S

The laptop market’s response to the ubiquity of mobile computing was the introduction of ultrabooks – high-end, super thin, lightweight notebooks which make regular laptops look as outmoded as the blocky cellphones of yesteryear. Full hybrids, these sleek, lean beauties don’t skimp on performance – and intend to offer the holy computer trinity of heavyweight power, portability and power efficiency. Whilst 2012 sales failed to meet predictions this might all change in 2013 with the successful release of Windows 8.

ANDROID VS IPAD

Apple’s share of the tablet market dropped from 69% in the

PERSONAL CLOUDS

second quarter to an estimated 55% in the third quarter of

Individuals are moving their personal

the new Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 are

content from the deskbound PC to their

strong, and while it is still too early to understand the full

unique, personal cloud – shifting service

impact of the iPad mini it certainly seems to be outselling its

from device to cloud-based delivery.

bigger brother, the iPad 4.

WINDOWS FIGHTS BACK

2012 while Android rose to 44%. Many market experts now predict that Android will eclipse iPad within 2013. Sales of

The legend of the zodiac race resonates with current tech trends. Like the rat, companies are harnessing the power of

Windows 8 has been an unmitigated sales success with 40 million

mobility. Traditional desktops have always relied on their

licences sold within the first month of its release. Optimised for touch

ox-like power, but social, mobile, cloud and information

screens and tablets, early reviews are positive. Microsoft is dependent

technology form a nexus of converging forces that creating

on hardware manufacturers coming up with a large number of perfect

new leaders. It is clear that mobility will continue to be a

products that will stretch the platform – and if that happens, Windows

key driver behind innovation in 2013. The race is on – and

8 will finally unshackle Microsoft software from the desk and take it out

everyone will be chasing the chance to have everything,

onto the streets.

everywhere. Mobile computing is the beast to beat.

United Charter Services would like to extend a huge thank you to all the staff at BigCityLife for creating the exceptional product you see before you, and for ensuring our company image is maintained to the highest standards.

www.bigcitystudio.co.za

Farewell

and thank you for the fish