Khuluma43 by Jayne Macé-Ferguson

August

2015

Wonder(ful) women Starring Nina Hastie FOR THE MENU see pages 2 & 3

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round six days after the Big Bang, God tooketh a rib from (the only) man and buildeth up that rib into a woman, and bringeth her unto the man. And man was quite excited for a while (as we are when we first discovereth a woman), but after a while, man

thought this was a raw deal, and said, ‘You might have gotteth my spare rib, but you won’t getteth the vote’. And so began the battle for women’s rights. In ye good olde days, man probably had good reason for this, being of concern that woman might vote to relieve man of his goats and camels, and exchange them for shoes and a Louis Vuitton bag. Today it is the camel-herding countries that still stop women from leaving the house without permission, watching the World Cup or driving a car (in case woman runneth over man’s favourite goat). The rest of the world has largely set woman free, with the following exceptions: In Vermont, a woman may not wear false teeth without the consent of her husband, and in Missouri women are prohibited from wearing corsets because ‘the privilege of admiring the curvaceous, unencumbered body of a young woman should not be denied to the normal, red-blooded American male’. Ahem … perhaps there are camels in Missouri after all. In Florida, single women are not allowed to skydive on a Sunday, and in Ferrara, Italy, a woman ‘of evil looks’ may not enter a cheese factory. I’m sure the women of Ferrara are now experts at putting on ‘evil looks’. In Delaware, a woman could be arrested for disorderly conduct if she proposes to a man, but may propose to another woman, and in China a woman may not walk around naked in a hotel room. At home, my wimmin are banned from eating ice-cream in my car, taking my phone charger from my study, buying shoes on a weekend, riding my camel or eating my spare ribs. Unless they tell me otherwise.

Erik Venter, CEO: Comair Ltd

kulula.com

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Contents

AUGUST 2015

Regulars 1

VIEW FROM THE TOP Our CEO ponders women of ‘evil looks’ and cheese factories

10 ÜBER-EDITOR’S LETTER Nina Hastie on translation errors and why women are people too KULULA PAGES kulula turns 14, and Trev gets delicious in Mauritius

Guide 15

COMPETITIONS Win stuff! Lots of stuff!

16 THE NOTICEBOARD Our monthly roundup of what’s going on around the country 20

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WESTERN CAPE What to do, what to wear, what to eat and where to sleep in and around the Mother City this month

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60 29

GAUTENG Get busy, chow down, shop till you drop, then sleep it off in bustling Gauteng

37 KWAZULU-NATAL Play, eat, dress and dos like a real KZNite 45

GARDEN ROUTE Food, fashion and fabulous getaways along our glorious Garden Route

50 TOP TIPPLE Sidle up to three sirens of the spirits

88 60 LISTEN The latest CD releases, plus we chat to George Ezra, Lynelle Kenned and Madame Zingara’s pole-dancing dream 76 GAMES Thumb-twiddling, eye-twitching gaming goodness 79 TECH Even Wonder Woman has a few nifty gadgets up her sleeve

Chat 83

THAT’S A RAP! Our guest ed lays one down with Nomuzi Mabena

57 WATCH Searing-hot silver-screen sensory sensations

AND ALL THAT JAZZ Nina chases jet-setting jazz singer Melanie Scholtz across the globe

58 READ Larks to satisfy your literary longings

92 LOCAL HERO We chat to four female powerhouses of industry

54 BEAUTY If you can’t make up your mind, at least can you make up your face

pictures: supplied, collette yslie benjamin

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98 Travel

98 Just cruisin’ Plunder the high seas in luxury on a cruise 104 Don’t worry, ski happy Carve some powder at Afriski Mountain Resort in Lesotho 110 Of valleys, donkeys, whiskies and brides-to-be Celebrate a different sort of bachelorette party in McGregor

Action

118 Behind the scenes Making scents of it all with perfumer Tammy Frazer 125 Drive Audi’s new TT gets it right, plus five much more practical vehicles

Stuff

129 Property Get steamy with your own home hot tub and sauna 132 Money Matters How do SA companies stack up when it comes to maternity benefits? 135 Business Four steps to nail any presentation, any time 137 Health Healthy hints to keep you happy 139 Column Ben Trovato contemplates boarding a plane and chasing the swallows

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EDITORIAL Editor Anthony Sharpe – anthonys@picasso.co.za Content Manager Raina Julies Content Co-ordinator Vanessa Payne Copy Editor Lynn Berggren ART Head of Design Studio Jayne Macé-Ferguson Designers Anja Hagenbuch, Mfundo Ndzo Design Intern Johan Labuschagne Production Editor Shamiela Brenner Cover Photograph Morné van Zyl Make-up Artist Michelle Dickman SALES Business Manager Robin Carpenter-Frank – robinc@picasso.co.za Project Manager Richard White – richardw@picasso.co.za khlassifieds Project Manager Steve Norval – steven@picasso.co.za Sales Consultants Stephen Crawford, Bonnie Eksteen, Randall Grace, Louis le Roux Marc Plastow, Andre Potgieter, Alec Rompelman, Roman Ross, Clint Smith, Zelda Stein, Shaun Westley Advertising Co-ordinator Vanessa Payne OPERATIONS Financial Accountant Lodewyk van der Walt General Manager: Magazines Jocelyne Bayer Kulula.com CEO Comair Limited Erik Venter Head of Department: Marketing, kulula.com Shaun Pozyn Marketing Manager, kulula.com Bridgette Ramuluvhana Brand Manager, kulula.com Thembeka Mabaso Comair Limited 1 Marignane Drive, Bonaero Park, Kempton Park, 1619 Tel: 011 921 0111 | kulula.com contact centre: 0861 KULULA (585852)

To advertise in this magazine, please contact Richard White (Project Manager) at 021 469 2542, or email richardw@picasso.co.za To advertise in the khlassifieds section, please contact Steve Norval (Project Manager) at 021 569 2435, or email steven@picasso.co.za Copyright: No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publishers. The publishers are not responsible for unsolicited material. khuluma is published monthly by Picasso Headline Reg: 59/01754/07. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline, kulula or Times Media. All advertisements/advertorials and promotions have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither kulula, nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors, or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise therefrom. We reserve the right to edit interviews for layout purposes.

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ÜBER-EDITOR OF THE MONTH

Nina Hastie The -ism schism W

athint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo. You strike a woman, you strike a rock.’ This is a

well-known saying, and also a familiar protest song, markedly remembered as having been sung by the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings in protest of

pass laws and for the women’s vote on 9 August 1956 – the day we now celebrate as Women’s Day. It’s always been a poignant saying for me, one that I really thought was something I could stand for, something that would stand the test of time. I believed in these words with such vehemence that I got them tattooed to my arm … only to discover about six months later, after already having shown off the tattoo to all my friends in an attempt to validate my Struggle street cred, that I’d spelt it wrong. I spelt it in a Sotho manner: wa thint’ abafazi, as opposed to the Nguni: wathint’ abafazi. What’s the lesson here? Cultural misappropriation and cultural sensitivity are two very different things. You don’t have to try be black in order to not be a racist. In fact, it’s a little condescending. Just be a good person, and you can bypass all the racism, genderisms, social faux pas and so forth, by just not being a knob. Now, with it being Women’s Month and all, I must beg of you to extend this thinking into the sexism context. Before you think, ‘Boring, some feminazi drivel to follow’, let me stop you right there. I’m not a big fan of feminism, misogynism, or any -ism really – they’re so 90s. I would just like to clear something up: I’m often introduced on stage as a ‘very good female comedian’. I’m not a fan of this introduction. You don’t see signs outside the doctor’s room saying,

Nina Hastie is a comedienne, voice artist, businesswoman and force of nature. She has headlined comedy festivals such as the Tshwane Comedy Festival, Soweto Comedy Festival and Wits Comedy Festival, and performed at the Nando’s Comedy Festival. She also toured with her first one-woman show last year. Follow her @thatninahastie.

‘One of the best female doctors in SA’, or ‘This lady lawyer will knock your case out of the park’. Stop it! Women can be funny. Women can be smart. Women can be fat, women can be thin, women can have kids, women can have jobs. Women can travel to a meeting in Cape Town or Durban or wherever and read a magazine on their flight and pat themselves on the back – not for being women, but for being people. That’s the thing: women are people too. I’m not here holding you to some sort of egalitarian pledge allegiance.

I’m just saying be nice, or go home. Happy Women’s Month, man.

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picture: morné van zyl

NINA’s creds

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flying 101: celebrating 14 years in the sky with 14 reasons to love us 1. safety is our number-1 priority

10. the getaway car From the sky to the road, we’ve got you covered. With our partnership with Europcar, you get 200km free per day and a wide range of cars to choose from.

We maintain the highest safety standards at all times and are IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) compliant. We were also internationally recognised as one of the top 10 safest low-cost airlines by AirlineRatings.com earlier this year.

11. pack more, worry less

you can check-in from anywhere, giving you more time to spend with your loved ones.

There’s no need to worry about your baggage allowance on your return trip. For just R245, you can purchase an additional bag online and save 30% off the standard airport fees.

6. the choice is all yours

12. easy travel with your tot

You also have the option to prepurchase your favourite seat on the plane, including exit row seats with extra legroom. The power to choose where you sit is in your hands.

If you’re flying with a little one under the age of two years old, you’ll only pay R130 (VAT included) for their flight. You can also travel with one checked bag weighing up to 20kg, a collapsible pushchair and car seat for free!

2. we have great deals Whether you need flights, a hotel, a car, or all three, booking your trip has never been easier, and you can save up to 15% with our combine-and-save option. If it’s a beautiful exotic destination you’re looking for, kulula holidays has got you covered – locally and abroad – at great prices.

3. Computicket convenience For total convenience, you can buy your kulula flight tickets at any of the Computicket Money Market counters located in Checkers stores countrywide.

4. more routes, more often We operate 412 flights a week, across 14 domestic routes – that’s a whole lotta flying, and we enjoy every minute of it. We also pride ourselves on operating an upgraded fleet of Boeing 737-800s, which are more fuel efficient and less harmful to the environment.

5. check-in’s a breeze With online check-in, you don’t have to worry about long airport queues because

AUGUST 2015

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7. kulula moolah By swiping your kulula credit card, you earn kulula moolah, which is transferred and saved in a travel bank account for you to use towards your next flight booking.

8. fly with eBucks Every time you swipe your FNB bank card, you’ll earn eBucks, which you can use to pay for your next kulula flight.

9. discover your vitality By being a Discovery Vitality member, you can save between 15 and 35% (depending on your status) when you book flights on kulula.com.

13. peace of mind For only R30 per person, per flight, you can safeguard your baggage and valuables against loss, damage and theft. Our flight insurance also covers you from those inconvenient, unforeseen setbacks, like flight cancellations, delays or baggage mishaps.

14. giving back We support the Red Cross Children’s Hospital by flying children in desperate need of medical treatment to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.

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get your travel on this winter

Trev’s Hot Spots

app-lied leave

pictures: supplied

here’s an app for everything these days. You don’t even have to think for yourself any more. Wondering if it’s hot or cold outside? Not sure which pants go best with which vest? Want to see what you’re going to look like when you’re an old tjomma? There are apps for all of that. And the okes who are coming up with these things are coining it. So a couple of months back I had a thought: Trev, you can think up an app too and retire early. Since then, I’ve really been app-lying myself (see what I did there?) and I think I finally have it: an app that tells you the exact right time to turn your tjop over on the braai. Talk about life-changing. It’s top secret for now; I still have to figure out how to get my app into okes’ phones. But first, I’m taking a break after all that thinking. And what better place for a tired genius to chill than on Mauritius’s legendary beaches? Ja, that’s exactly where I’m off to, thanks to kulula’s latest package deal. From only R14 500 per person sharing, you get a seven-night stay at the island’s chilled four-star Zilwa Attitude Hotel.

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‘Zilwa’ is Creole for ‘islander’, so the hotel’s name means ‘islander attitude’. So you have to be laid-back, go with the flow and not get your mankini in a knot. The hotel is close to fisherman’s village Grand Gaube on the island’s northern coastline, and is apparently truly Mauritian. They also say Zilwa Attitude has a rustic, yet contemporary charm. It looks out over five smaller islands just off the shore, and you can take day trips to two of them, Gran Zil and Ti Zil. There, they light up lekker braais at lunchtime and you can get massages whenever you feel like it. Back at the hotel, you can take sunset boat trips, hit the spa or just embrace the islander attitude and soak up the vibes. This deal is valid from 1 August 2015 to 30 September 2015, but block-out dates may apply. It includes flights from Jo’burg to Mauritius on Air Mauritius, all pre-payable airport taxes and fuel levies, as well as return airport transfers. Daily breakfast and dinner have been thrown into the deal, however, other meals, drinks, items of a personal nature and travel insurance are excluded. Well, there you have it. Trevor

Winter is the perfect time to enjoy lazy days in bed or that big mug of hot chocolate with extra cream. It’s also the ultimate excuse to book an ultra-indulgent getaway. So pack your overnight bag, put on your coat, and get your travel on this winter! Whether you’re looking for a cosy romantic hideaway, a self-catering family break or even a corporate city stay, Protea Hotels and kulula have got you covered. Go on, check into any warm and welcoming Protea Hotel and spend winter in super-snug style.

Choose your favourite Tsogo Sun hotel and let kulula book your room. Now that’s luxury you can afford.

Got some eBucks? Pay or part-pay for your next kulula flight using your eBucks.

Rent a car with your flight and get a 10% discount, or get the best rates with Europcar.

As a Discovery Vitality member, you can earn Discovery Miles, which you can use towards paying for your next kulula flight.

twitter.com/kulula facebook.com/iflykulula

THE NOTICEBOARD looking for a space where you can win and laugh? Join the kulula community on Facebook and Twitter, and you’ll have access to all sorts of fun giveaways and cool snippets that will make travel easy.

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COMPETITIONS | GUIDE

Extractly right

We’ve got two African Extracts purifying hampers (each valued at R300) to give away! When skin tends to the oily side or is prone to breakouts during adolescence or pregnancy, this is the perfect skin solution. The power of rooibos is boosted by natural plant extracts of baobab and salicylic acid to leave skin looking clear and feeling calm, with a smooth matte finish. Check out africanextracts.com.

Tickets on tap

Two lucky Pinotage quaffers each stand a chance to win a set of tickets to Pinotage On Tap, taking place in Jo’burg on 29 August at Val Bonne Country Estate in Modderfontein. The festival will treat guests to delectable food, bottomless Diemersfontein coffee-chocolate Pinotage and lively local entertainment. For more info, visit diemersfontein.co.za. Closing date is 23 August 2015.

Essence-ial beauty

We’ve got an essence hamper – comprising top and base coats, eyeliners and eye shadows, mascara, nail polish, lip gloss and more – valued at R1 000 to give away. With a striking range of cosmetics for face, eyes, lips and nails, essence is the ultimate brand for all beauty fanatics. Available at Dis-Chem, Clicks and selected Edgars stores.

Perfect indulgence this Women’s Month

What’s better than a freshly painted manicure? A freshly painted manicure with a chocolate hamper! One lucky khuluma reader stands a chance to win a Sorbet Power Mani and Hello Lindt chocolate hamper to the value of R655. For more info on the Hello Lindt and Sorbet promotion, visit www.sorbet.co.za.

To enter

Go to khulumaonline.co.za and hit the competitions tab. Competitions are open to all South African residents over the age of 18, excluding employees of Picasso Headline/Times Media Ltd/ kulula.com/Comair Limited, and close on 31 August 2015.

You’re making me blush

One lucky khuluma reader could win a colourful Pylones blusher brush, valued at R300! Launched from a basement in Paris in 1985 by designer Braguette Magique, Pylones now has more than 120 stores worldwide. With an array of gifts to suit guys and girls of all ages, Pylones products are perfect for any occasion.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. movie merchandise

We’ve got five intriguing The Man from U.N.C.L.E. hampers to give away! Each hamper comprises a mood grip pen, travel mug, jersey T-shirt, cabby hat and pen stylus USB. Based on the iconic 60s TV series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. stars Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin, who must unite to stop a mysterious international criminal organisation. Check out our full write-up on page 57. (Ts&Cs apply. Prizes are not transferable and subject to availability. We reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.)

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guide | noticeboard

The Noticeboard The who, what, when and why of what’s going on around Mzansi. .

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Bikes ’n Wines

Bikes ’n Wines is a new concept in winelands tourism and a South African first, combining mountain biking and exclusive wine tastings. The tours are targeted at young-hearted and outdoor-loving people who would like to experience a wine tour from a different and authentic viewpoint. Up to four first-class Stellenbosch wine estates are visited during the day, accessed by private farm roads that take riders through vineyards and quiet tree-lined roads, with dazzling vistas along the way. Visit bikesnwines.com.

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GUIDE | western cape

What’s on Western Cape Exhibition Now on at GrandWest and running until September, the internationally acclaimed exhibition Tutankhamun – His Tomb and His Treasures presents the king’s faithfully reconstructed tomb and more than 1 000 perfectly replicated burial treasures – as they were discovered more than 3 300 years ago! For tickets and more information, visit tut-exhibition.co.za. Please note: King Tut has travelled more as a dead man than he ever did alive.

Folk yeah 7-8 August

Live music The Cape Town Folk ’n Acoustic Music Festival, on at the Baxter Theatre Concert Hall, features an array of top South African artists, including David Kramer, Valiant Swart, MacStanley, Tailor and Medicine Boy, among others, performing completely acoustically in an intimate, concert-style setting. It’s set to be an experience of the finest musical storytelling from some of SA’s best songwriters and musicians. Tickets are R175-R195, available at Computicket. Please note: ‘The best tunes are played on the oldest fiddles.’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cape creativity 12-23 August

Design expo Just because the 2014 Design Capital exhibitions are over doesn’t mean the Cape design community has rested for a second. This month, the Open Design Festival will be spreading throughout the Mother City. Open Design is an annual, cross-disciplinary, city-wide event, promoting the celebration and sharing of design ideas and encompassing a wide range of exhibitions, talks and activities. For more information on venues and ticketing, visit opendesignct.co.za. Please note: Creativity is intelligence having fun.

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Whimsical winter 4-23 August

Musical theatre Kalk Bay is the epitome of a small town caught up in the midst of the big city, which is what makes it such a unique place. This month, the Kalk Bay Theatre will be showcasing the stellar talents of actor Pierre van Heerden and director Vanessa Harris as they put on a rendition of the musical theatre production, Borderline. Tickets are R120 each, available at kalkbaytheatre.co.za. Please note: What do you call an actor who has two brain cells? Pregnant.

Musical maidens 9 August

Live music Join Zolani Mahola, top SA sopranos Magdalene Minnaar and Zanne Stapelberg, Kim Kallie and Judy Page, as well as SAMA-winning pop group Sterling EQ at the Cape Town City Hall for Divas Unite. General admission tickets are R290, available at Computicket, and include bubbly, tea and coffee, as well as cupcakes and other snacks. Tickets for kids aged 8-12 are R210. Please note: ‘Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.’ – Joseph Conrad

Don’t hate – innovate 26-29 August

Expo The SA Innovation Summit, on at the Cape Town Stadium, promises to be an exciting, awe-inspiring event, jam-packed with debates, discussions, workshops, competitions, talks, presentations and demonstrations. Celebrating local ideas and innovations that are going into the market, innovators, entrepreneurs and inventors can expect a highly interactive event that seeks to support them. Check out innovationsummit.co.za. Please note: ‘Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.’ – Theodore Levitt

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied

The king is in town Throughout August

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GUIDE | WESTERN CAPE

Eat Western Cape The Western Cape’s best young female chef is Tanja Kruger at Majeka House in Stellenbosch. Tanja studied at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch, and ever since taking first place in the 2007 Gastronomica Culinary Competition, she’s never looked back. She went on to win the regional and national competitions of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Young Chef of the Year. And in 2010 she represented South Africa as part of the national team at the Culinary World Cup in Luxemburg. At Makaron Restaurant, she serves up deliciously beautiful, small-portion tasting menus, as well as an à la carte menu made up of heartier offerings. Menus are seasonal, but expect the likes of Mauritian seabass with laksa foam (paired with 2014 Paul Cluver Close Encounter Riesling) and pork belly with jewel sweet

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potato and meebos (paired with 2014 Neethlingshof Gewurztraminer). Majeka House, Houtkapper Street, Stellenbosch, 021 880 1549, makaronrestaurant.co.za.

Busy in Bree

Executive chef Annemarie Steenkamp is responsible for overseeing the recently opened Bocca in buzzy Bree Street, Cape Town, and also its older sister Burrata at the Biscuit Mill in Woodstock. Neapolitan-style pizzas are the speciality of the house. Those girls who like their bums big say that the pizza primavera (mozzarella, ricotta, peas, broccoli, basil pesto and prosciutto) and the arancini (deep-fried, cheese-stuffed risotto balls) are achingly wonderful. Girls trying to Banting their bottoms into oblivion favour the WestCoast mussels with a roasted tomato

broth and the beef carpaccio with Parmesan, rocket and balsamic. Corner Bree and Wale streets, Cape Town, 021 422 0188, bocca.co.za.

Eye-candy … oh and some food

Chef Michael Broughton is cute. He’s also the best sauce maker in the country, but more than anything, he’s cute. For those who want to savour delicious food or admire the chef, his Stellenbosch restaurant, Terroir, is offering a very reasonably priced winter plates menu. The winter plates include a generous glass of award-winning Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection wine (a choice of red or white), and costs R195 per person. They are available, together with the à la carte chalkboard menu, for lunch and dinner. Kleine Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch, 021 880 8167, kleinezalze.co.za/terroir.

text: anna trapido; pictures: supplied

A star in our midst

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WESTERN CAPE | GUIDE

R1 499, GIA at Spree.co.za

R649, RVCA at Spree.co.za R1 099, Pringle of Scotland R545, Dolce Vita at Spree.co.za

R269, Style Republic at Spree.co.za

R149, Witchery at Woolworths

Clean green

R2 199, Country Road at Woolworths

Carey Townsend, director of fashion-publicity agency Girl About Town, shares her fashion secrets.

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied

R 2 999, G-Star RAW

CAREYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FASHION TIP R850, Nike at Sportscene

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R799, Mimco at Woolworths

R999, Country Road at Woolworths

As a fan of evergreen hues like military, olive and moss green, Carey reckons you could never go wrong with this fresh colour.

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GUIDE | western cape

Oud enough for ya?

f there’s one thing I love about the Cape Winelands – apart from the abundant wine, obviously – it’s that the region is enjoyable no matter what the season. In spring, the landscape bursts with green hues and fresh leaves on every ancient oak. On hot summer days, there’s nothing like parking off under a tree with a bottle of something chilled and delicious. In autumn, the leaves of the vines form a kaleidoscope of hues between gold and crimson. And in winter, the hills are drenched with low-slung clouds and your nostrils are filled with the scent of damp earth, and the sunny days are crisp and still. It was one such brilliantly crisp and sunny day that found me checking in my bags at the Oude Werf Hotel. Situated on Stellenbosch’s busy Church Street, this four-star establishment is actually South Africa’s oldest constantly running inn. That doesn’t mean it’s old tat, though; following multimillion-rand renovations,

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the hotel sports a clean, modern aesthetic behind its Cape Dutch façade. Most of the hotel’s 58 superior, superior plus and deluxe rooms are clustered around the pool and garden or located in the historic inn house. Ours had a classic feel to it, with the usual mod-cons, a cavernous bathroom and a bed so large you could go to sleep in one time zone and potentially wake up in another. The on-site restaurant serves up traditional South African dishes with a contemporary European twist. We strategically nabbed a dinner table next to the raised fireplace, where we devoured starters of char-grilled squid with sweet pepper, coriander, mango, ricotta and a lime dressing; and mussels with apple cider, crème fraîche, garlic, green onion and toasted ciabatta. Mains were modern but not ungenerous: sesame-crusted Atlantic salmon with salmon crackling, cucumber riata and sprouts; and a beef fillet topped with

crispy onions and served with Cape-style sweet potato. Breakfast was a similarly lavish affair, with the restaurant transformed by the morning’s natural light into a bright space with an open feel. There’s the standard buffet, with an array of delicious fresh fruit and cheeses, plus the usuals like the full cooked breakfast and eggs Benedict. Best of all is the location – slap bang in the middle of town. We took advantage of it to leave the car in the underground parking and go strolling around town after dinner, by which time the clear winter’s sun had given way to an evening shrouded in mist. Every streetlight cast a starburst of light, and the streets were eerily quiet, devoid of vehicular or foot traffic. It felt like we had stepped back into a different era – appropriate, I suppose, when you’re staying at the oldest inn in the country. 130 Church Street, Stellenbosch, 021 887 4608, oudewerfhotel.co.za.

pictures: supplied

Anthony Sharpe gets a sense of history at the Oude Werf Hotel in Stellenbosch.

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GAUTENG | GUIDE

What’s on Gauteng HOT WINGS AND HILARITY 19-23 August

STUDENT CELEBRATIONS 8 August

Student festival The Vaal campus of the North-West University will be hosting its annual RAG at their cricket pitches this month, with a stellar line-up including Caspar Nyovest, Black Motion, K.O, Bucie, NaakMusiQ, DJ Shimza, Major League and Heavy-K, all in collaboration with ShiMuzic. Tickets are R100, available at Computicket. Please note: I don’t have a hangover – it’s wine flu.

ON ALL FOURS 14-16 August

Polo tournament The Land Rover Africa Cup, a celebration of continental polo, returns to the Inanda Club in Sandton this month. The tournament is fiercely competitive, with 10 teams featuring world-class players from South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ghana battling it out. VIPs, celebrities, fashionistas, socialites and some of the continent’s most influential business figures have the day circled and confirmed as SA’s best four-legged fun. Please note: Horses are boring. They say neigh to everything.

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied

FUNNY FESTIVITIES 15 August

Comedy festival The Annual South African Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards (CCAs) turns five this year and they’re rolling out an even longer Yellow Carpet at The Teatro at Montecasino to celebrate. The Savanna CCAs is marking this incredible milestone as the country’s longest-running comedy awards show by throwing the funniest birthday party this year. Tickets are R280, and include access to the official afterparty. Please note: Two comedians walk into a bar. The one leaves in disgust.

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Design expo Where are insults, mass walkouts and the deployment of SWAT teams most common? Parliament, of course. While government makes a fool of itself, Nando’s brings us comic relief in the form of Nik Rabinowitz, Chester Missing, Tumi Morake and others in Mass Hysteria: The Long Bunfight to Freedom, on at The Teatro at Montecasino. Tickets are R150-R200, available at Computicket. Please note: Take a wild guess who’ll be playing the Shadow Puppet Minister?

JUST GOTTA GET AWAY 28-30 August

Lifestyle expo The Gauteng Getaway Show is set to take place at the Ticketpro Dome this month, with more than 350 interactive exhibits including destinations, 4×4 products, caravans and trailers, camping and outdoor equipment, adventure operators and much more. Plus, you could stand a chance to win one of two cruising holidays courtesy of Cruiseabout and MSC Cruises to the value of R100 000! Tickets are available at getawayshow.co.za. Please note: The Come Hither Show demonstrates a rather

NOTHING TO WINE ABOUT 29 August

Wine festival The annual Diemersfontein Pinotage-On-Tap festival will delight eager Pinotage quaffers in Jo’burg at Val Bonne Country Estate in Modderfontein. The festival will treat guests to delectable food, bottomless Diemersfontein coffee-chocolate Pinotage and lively local entertainment. Tickets are on sale via Computicket from R410. For more information, visit diemersfontein.co.za. Please note: Oh, look! It’s wine o’clock.

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GUIDE | GAUTENG

Raisin Cake

Dig into Andrea Burgener’s delish sweet treat.

A few broke girls One for girls with next-to-no cash. This hole-in-the-wall sushi shop is as cheap as chips, but much nicer. At Zhong Cuisine, you’ll get miso soup for R15, and an eat-as-much-as-you-like buffet option (including every imaginable type of sushi plus prawn tempura, yakitori and tofu steaks) for R108. Edamami costs extra (R30). There’s Tsing Tao Chinese beer in the restaurant’s fridge, but BYO is permitted and there’s a handy Spar across the road to buy B. The chef can’t spell – derrets for desserts, creamches for cream cheese, but at these prices, who cares? Shop 10, Greenlyn Village Shopping Centre, Corner of Thomas Edison and Mckenzie Street, Menlo Park, Lynnwood, Pretoria, 082 565 6870.

dine with the best Andrea Burgener is one of the best female chefs in Jo’burg. Her food style is deliciously idiosyncratic, witty, eco-epicurean, international and modern but authentic. Her restaurant The Leopard is an intimate, stylish spot with mismatched retro-orange lamps hanging from pressed ceilings. Her cuisine consistently focuses on kindness, seasonality and quality ingredients, with descriptions indicating provenance and farming methods. Menus change regularly, but expect the unexpected with the likes of peri-peri quail and steak tartare (with Ethiopian accompaniments) leading a strong list, and superb malty beer and raisin cake with lashings of cream. Andrea has kindly shared her recipe for this sweet-toothed treat with us. 63A, 4th Avenue, Mellville, Johannesburg, 011 482 9356, leopardfoodcompany.com.

AUGUST 2015

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Topping ingredients: 250ml cake flour 3ml ground cinnamon 250ml light-brown sugar 125ml butter • Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a standard (24cm) round cake tin (or equivalent volume square tin) with baking paper. • For the topping, mix the flour, cinnamon, sugar and butter until you have the texture of rough sand. • For the base, beat the butter with the sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and sifted flour alternately. Fold in the flour, raisins and beer. Pour the base mixture into the prepared tin, and sprinkle the topping evenly over the top. • Bake for 1½ hours or just until a skewer comes out clean. At the halfway mark, turn the oven down to 160°C. • Let the cake cool slightly before removing from the tin, and serve with lots of cream, ice-cream or custard on the side.

text: anna trapido; pictures: supplied

Eat Gauteng

Base ingredients: 125ml + 1 heaped Tbsp butter 500ml white granulated sugar 3 eggs 560g self-raising flour 250ml raisins 500ml lager or similar beer

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GAUTENG | GUIDE

R1 200, W Collection at Woolworths

R169, All Heart at Spree.co.za

R4 499, Trenery at Woolworths

R2 299, Trenery at Woolworths

R1 320, Kanga Kulture R595, Michelle Ludek at Spree.co.za

Big city life As part of the team at Missibaba, Lizel Strydom is a true authority on how to dress in the urban jungles of Gauteng. R 3 599, G-Star RAW

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied, antonia steyn

R6 550, Missibaba

R579, Urbanart at Spree.co.za

R640, All About Eve at Spree.co.za

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LIZELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FASHION TIP

Instead of heavy coats, Lizel has been sporting chunky knitted cardigans in solid greys. R269, Butan at Spree.co.za AUGUST 2015

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GUIDE | GAUTENG

The right seasoning

orgive me for writing in superlatives, but let’s be honest, nothing quite compares to five-star service at the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff for a Women’s Day treat. And so while I was there, I thought of a handful of other special occasions, as a justification to return for another stay at what is surely one of the best hotels in the city. We dressed up for dinner at View restaurant, where each ‘picture-frame’ window offers spectacular views of the cityscape, and the food competes with the views. Executive chef Dirk Gieselmann designed the seven-course degustation set menu, as well as the three- or four-course and vegetarian menus – where diners select each dish – to be paired with wines from a list of award-winning and boutique estates. Each plate is a delicate work of art, with a fine balance between ingredients from the seasonal menu – from Karoo lamb

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rack to salmon trout with Oscietra caviar. And my favourite: seared langoustines and garden peas in almond broth. Perhaps the only thing my palate was not duly refined for was the ocean spume that was served with the sea bass and West Coast oyster tartare, even if it did come in a martini glass. Speaking of which, the terrace that overlooks the forested northern suburbs of Jo’burg is a great place to enjoy a drink from the champagne and martini bar. The hilltop hotel stretches over eight acres of terraced gardens, and each of the nine clusters is named after a Jo’burg suburb or South African city. For panoramic views of the sunrise over the Johannesburg Zoo and Sandton, ask to stay at one of the topmost clusters, namely Kimberley or Cullinan. The Four Seasons Spa makes guests forget the season with its saunas, steam rooms, heated infinity pool, and Jacuzzi with lounge areas inside and out.

My hour-long Afrique in Harmony balancing massage was a ritual performed with a wooden massage stick to promote energy flow. Men take note: she can see from the corner of her eye that you’re reading this; you now have no alternative but to book a spa treatment for her this month, even if you’re not hotel guests. Besides, you can wait for her at the Après Spa rooftop lounge before treating her to a light breakfast at the street-level Westcliff Deli. Otherwise, there’s Flames restaurant with its American buffet breakfast and weekend brunch that’s served with a side of unsurpassable views overlooking the infinity fountain. Four Seasons The Westcliff is running a special offer until the end of August 2015. All reservations qualify for a 25% discount. Ts&Cs apply. 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Jo’burg, 011 481 6000, fourseasons.com.

pictures: supplied

Iga Motylska is treated like a lady at the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff.

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kwazulu-natal | GUIDE

What’s on KZN Crafts galore Throughout August

Craft market The Musgrave Centre Roof Top Night Market takes place on the first Friday of every month. It’s one of the best flea markets in a parking lot you’ll ever find. If you’re looking for handmade crafts, live music and delicious food in the Durban area, then this might become your new favourite place to visit each month. For more information, visit musgravecentre.co.za. Please note: Hipsters in a parking lot – sounds like a really bad young-adult novel.

Horsing around 13 September (Durban) 20 September (Jo’burg)

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied

Polo The 26th annual BMW International Polo Series promises all the thrills, sophistication, prestige and uncompromised style that have become synonymous with this event. Guests will be treated as South Africa take on New Zealand, with the first test taking place in Durban, and the second the following Sunday in Jo’burg. Tickets are R50-R120, from itickets.co.za. Check out sapolo.co.za for more info. Please note: Why are most horses in shape? Because they are on a stable diet.

Little Budapest 28 August (Durban) 29 August (Cape Town) 30 August (Jo’burg)

Live music George Ezra will be performing in SA for the first time this month. The 21-year-old ‘Budapest’ singer will be performing live at the Durban Shongweni Polo Club, the Durbanville Racecourse in Cape Town, and at Carnival City’s Festival Lawns in Jo’burg. Tickets start at R575, available at seedtickets.co.za. Please note: Check out our really awesome interview with George on page 63.

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Get creative 10-16 August

Arts festival The Loeries – SA’s premier creative advertising, media and marketing awards – will be hosting its annual Creative Week at the Durban ICC. This week-long event will include the judging of entries by some of SA’s most talented creative minds, the DStv Seminar of Creativity and the awards ceremony. Ticket prices vary, visit loeries.com for more info. Please note: Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.

Bollywood 22 August

Live music Seeing as Durban is the heart, soul and epicentre of all things Indian in South Africa, it’s somewhat fitting that one of Bollywood’s biggest superstars, Govinda, will be at the Durban ICC this month, along with award-winning performers Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik, mesmerising audiences with some of their top hits. Tickets are R1 500, available at Computicket. Please note: Bollywood is Hollywood gone bonkers.

What’s on Garden Route Slowing down 7-10 August

Slow festival The Robertson Slow Festival is an annual gathering of slow-living lovers from around the country, taking place in the rural wine-producing towns of Ashton, Bonnievale, McGregor and Robertson. The festival promotes a more relaxed way of living with good food, entertainment and drinks. Visit robertsonslow.com for ticket and accommodation info. Please note: What did the snail say when he hitched a ride with the turtle? Slow down!

august 2015

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GUIDE | KwaZulu-Natal

Selverani’s dried shrimp and boiled egg curry Warm up with this home-style curry.

The lady’s a champ

Chef-patron George Hu is a magnificent chef, but it’s his wife Mrs Jessie Hu who is the real star of the show at the charming no-frills neighbourhood establishment, China Plate. Mrs Hu is enormously glamorous and hugely well informed. The restaurant’s signature dish is crispy, crunchy, perfect and delicious garlic langoustines – for confident women, like Mrs Hu, who know that they’re worth kissing, even if they have garlic breath. 12 Park Boulevard Centre, 11 Brown’s Drift Road, Riverside, Durban North, 031 564 6437.

Mother cooks best

Chef-patronne Selverani Moodley and her husband Monty have been cooking up a storm for more than 40 years at Silverani’s. Don’t ask why her name is spelt ‘Se’ and the restaurant is spelt ‘Si’ – the story is complicated and no one member of staff (least of all Mrs Moodley) tells it the same twice. However her name is spelt, the food is always the kind of home-style, motherly dishes that, while common in a domestic setting, are seldom seen on a restaurant menu. Fish curry, trotter-and-bean curry, tripe with gram dal and kalie (salted, white mealie-meal pap) lead a strong list. Her dried shrimp with boiled egg curry is a legend in its own lunch time. Mrs Moodley has kindly supplied the recipe. Those who want more recipes from Selverani and other great Durban female chefs should treat themselves to a copy of Durban Curry: So Much of Flavour. R295 from all the best book stores. Marine Building, 22 Dorothy Nyemebe Street, Durban, 031 301 7119, lunch only.

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• Soak the shrimps in hot water for about 20 minutes. Remove from the water. Keep the shrimps and discard the water. • Heat the oil and fry the onions, garlic, curry leaves and drained shrimp until the onions are soft and golden (about five minutes). • As far as possible, remove the fried shrimps and set aside. If you miss a few, don’t worry. • Add the tomatoes, seasoning, chilli powder and turmeric. Cook the mixture for about 20 minutes until the sauce is pleasantly reduced. • Reintroduce the shrimps. Add the boiled eggs. Sprinkle with coriander and sliced green chillies. • Enjoy hot with rice, poppadums and a fruity sambal.

text: anna trapido; pictures: supplied

Eat KwaZulu-Natal

100g shrimp 75ml cooking oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 6 garlic cloves, crushed 5 curry leaves 6 large tomatoes, grated 1 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp salt 1 Tbsp chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric 5 hard-boiled eggs 3 green chillies, sliced Fresh coriander for garnish

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KWAZULU-NATAL | GUIDE

R349, Garde at Spree.co.za

R250, W Collection at Woolworths

R345, Lithe at Spree.co.za R2 499, G-Star RAW R299, Pierre Cardin at Spree.co.za R595, Karma at Spree.co.za

R1 999, Trenery at Woolworths

Winter warmers Fashion designer Craig Port hails from Durbs, so he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to KZN fashion.

R1 299, Jenja at Spree.co.za

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied, kope figgins

R3 220, Carducci at Zando.co.za

R2 200, Kisua for 8 at Kisua.com

CRAIG’S FASHION TIP

For this winter in eThekwini, Craig recommends leather, velvet chenille and wax-coated cottons in inky, monochromatic palettes. R160, W Collection at Woolworths kulula.com

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GUIDE | KWAZULU-NATAL

#inheaven

was wrapped in five layers of clothing and a blanket, and still the cold morning air cut like ice against my skin. The sense of adventure more than made up for this minor physical discomfort, though. We were somewhere in the oldest game reserve in Africa, rattling along a dirt road, our keen eyes scanning the bushes. We were light years from civilisation, but the princesses on the seats beside me were furiously updating their social media, providing blow-by-blow accounts of every miraculous moment. Dawn had barely broken, and yet we’d already spotted the three biggest of the Big Five, trying our best not to become blasé about the passing parades of giraffe and zebra and other four-legged beasts we South Africans take for granted. One instant we were admiring a tanksized rhino bull kicking his dung about, the next moment we were surrounded

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by a pack of wild dogs, following them as they skipped back to their den after a kill. Our three- or four-hour morning game drive flew by and soon we were heading up the steep hillside driveway back to the lodge, where we were greeted with hot towels and warm smiles. Still shiny and new and fresh after opening in March, Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge is the first private lodge within KZN’s historic Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. Magnificently situated on an elevated rocky ridge overlooking a vast swath of raw wilderness, it’s designed to take full advantage of the breathtaking landscape that unfolds from right below the edge of a large wooden deck. We stayed in large stand-alone cottages, decked out with fireplaces, colossal beds, spectacular bathrooms, and wall-to-ceiling foldaway glass doors that connect you directly with the majestic plains beyond.

To fill the time gap between breakfast and high tea (a euphemism for a filling afternoon buffet), I’d lie on my private terrace staring at the view, or sink into a lounger by the rim-flow pool, while the princesses disappeared into the adjacent spa, where they were pampered and pummelled before the day’s second game drive. In the morning, I woke extra early, keen to witness the slow, psychedelic transformation of the sky as a coppercoloured dawn made its steady appearance from behind the sharp silhouette of distant hills. It was an exhilarating time to be awake and alive and in Africa. And, after coffee and rusks, I’d climb onto the 4X4 to find the princesses excitedly updating their Facebook statuses, letting the whole world know that they’d arrived in heaven. Hhluhluwe iMfolozi Park, 035 474 1473, isibindi.co.za/rhino-ridge.

pictures: supplied

Keith Bain joins the girls for a weekend at the first luxury lodge in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve.

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GARDEN ROUTE | GUIDE

Eat Garden Route

text: anna trapido; pictures: supplied, chris marais

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Men always say that women can’t read maps. Misty Meadows Microbrewery offers an opportunity to prove the patriarchal conspiracy wrong – because you’ll need a map to find it. Paved roads turn to dirt roads and dirt roads become rutted farm tracks, and it’s easy to lose confidence and assume you’re driving in the wrong direction. Persevere and you’ll find a perfect peaceful place for a pint of the house Buzzard Country Ale. Great views of the Outeniqua Mountains and artisanal cheese and local charcuterie meat platters to soak up some of the alcohol await you. If you can’t read a map, here are the GPS co-ordinates: -33.995466, 22.293663. Misty Meadows Estate, Sinkasbrug Hamlet, near George, 072 714 2292.

ONLY GIRLS ALLOWED

Women’s Month is the ideal occasion to eat out at a restaurant called The Girls. Chefs Roxanne Blum and Cheri Sheridan are the girls in the title. Their menu is eclectic, with everything from slimming salads to hearty prawn curries and Moroccan-spiced chicken. These days, women eat, drink, smoke and have heart

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attacks as much as men, so there are man-sized steaks to frighten the cardiologists, too. For those feeling girly, there’s a good wine list with peach schnapps and Horlicks included. 1 George Road, Wilderness, 044 877 1648, eat@thegirls.co.za.

DIVINE DINING

Mila’s Restaurant has a deliciously daft history. The building which now houses the restaurant was formerly the Apostelkerkie (Reformed Apostolic Church). Locals say that in 2002, the daughter (Mila) of one of the elders of the church dreamt that her dad would die on a preordained day. So it was that Apostle Freddie Isaacs lay waiting for death in the church. More than 500 people gathered from all over South Africa to bury him. The deadline came and went. The embarrassment was such that Mila and her dad moved to Uitenhage and the church closed, after which chef Pieter de Kock and his wife Tersia opened a restaurant in the space. It’s a shame that Mila and her dad have left, because they would’ve enjoyed the thin-crust pizzas, the hearty steaks and the lamb burgers with potato wedges. 27 Durban Street, Cradock, 048 881 0036.

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GUIDE | GARDEN ROUTE

R169, All Heart at Spree.co.za

R1 999, G-Star RAW

R1 599, Witchery at Woolworths R2 999, G-Star RAW

R149, Style Republic at Spree.co.za

R399, W Collection at Woolworths

Hit the road Footwear expert Ilana Truter, of Bronx Woman, develops marketing strategies to showcase some of the best shoes in Mzansi. Take a walk in her shoes.

R4 499, Trenery at Woolworths

ILANAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FASHION TIP

Ilana reckons a good collection of scarves and wraps in any colour or pattern is a solid investment this winter.

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AUGUST 2015

R370, Soviet at Edgars R3 739, Errol Arendz at Zando.co.za

text: christian schroeder; pictures: supplied

R649, Bronx Woman at Spree.co.za

R999, Polo

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GARDEN ROUTE | GUIDE

Men in tights and springtime delights Katie Bigelow mellows out at one of Knysna’s loveliest abodes.

pictures: supplied

or all the flack that MAMILs (according to ‘those in the know’, the acronym for ‘middleaged man in Lycra’) get for their cling-wrapped thighs and silly-looking helmets, I’ve always admired the sight of hundreds of svelte cyclists peddling, sweating, grunting and groaning towards a finish line – especially when being there to watch them battle it out serves as an excuse to descend on Knysna just as the cold, wet winter starts to ease into spring. It’s why, each year I drag my friend Denise out of hibernation and we head along the Garden Route to glug bubbly, slurp oysters, and cheer on the men (and women too, I guess) as they finish the Karoo-to-Coast mountain-bike race (this year it’s on 20 September, check out karootocoast.com). Mostly, though, it’s an excuse to loaf in lavish, personalised luxury at Villa Afrikana, a modern conversion of a

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multilevel Spanish-style villa in Knysna’s hillside neighbourhood of Paradise. Villa Afrikana is an immaculate, white-onwhite guesthouse with just six bedrooms, each suite-sized and marvellously minimalist, with modern artworks and animal hides adding colour and texture. The clean, chic aesthetic emphasises the views. Each room overlooks the lagoon, and the vistas get better the higher up in the house you go. My favourite is Noetzie on the top floor – it’s large, has the best view, a spa bath and a fireplace. But even if you stay in Matarolli, the only room without a private balcony, you get epic views – plus it has hands down the best bathroom. What we love about Villa Afrikana is that the Italian owners, Bianca and Rossano, really know how to make you feel at home. The entire house (including the pristine all-white kitchen) is available for guests’ use, and they even have a dining room for properly serviced meals,

but staff will happily bring light lunches to you wherever you happen to be. To be honest, it’s a bit of a battle leaving the house at all once you’ve settled in, but Denise and I invariably manage to coax one another to head down to support the athletes. And then, once we’ve tired of the gritted teeth and deflated egos at the finish line, we follow the stream of hungry athletes to Thesen Island, where we slip into Île de païn and wrap our lips around a couple of Markus Färbinger’s incredibly fluffy chocolate-filled pastries. [Ed’s note: Île de païn was damaged in a recent fire on Thesen Island, so Katie is going to have to get her fix elsewhere for now.] Once we’ve eaten our fill and enjoyed the parade of carbo-reloading MAMILs, though, we’re usually in a hurry to get back to our mansion on the hill. There, we sprawl out by the pool, stare into space, and start making dinner plans. 13 Watsonia Drive, Paradise, Knysna, 044 382 4989, villaafrikana.com.

AUGUST 2015

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guide | top tipple

Wine, women and… That’s why the lady is a champ! Ingrid Graham summons three sirens of the spirits.

Fourie road

Corlea Fourie is the force behind the award-winning Bosman Family Vineyards label. Corlea’s fascination with wine began when she tasted a tot at a Sunday lunch around the family dining table in the Free State. ‘I was always intrigued by wine; it was fascinating that a liquid made from grapes could smell and taste of random things like strawberries, liquorice and chocolate! I wanted to know why.’ Since 2006, Corlea has overseen the wine-making process in the carefully restored 18th-century cellar. The De Bos range includes the Walker Bay 47 Varietal Rosé, made from 47 varieties from the Bosman nursery, Lelienfontein. The Unique Innovation Adama white and red are named after Adam Appollis, the forefather of many of the farm workers, and the Special Vineyards Selection includes the sumptuous barrel-fermented Optenhorst Chenin Blanc, crafted from grapes harvested from a single vineyard of 63-year-old bush vines. Corlea has some exciting releases in the coming months. bosmanwines.co.za

The bester in the business

Marlene Bester, the only female master distiller in the country, has been heading up the Van Ryn’s Distillery in Stellenbosch since 2009. Marlene studied wine biotechnology and oenology at Stellenbosch University, and under her baton, Van Ryn’s 12-, 15- and 20-year-old potstill brandies have received numerous awards, including the Best Worldwide Brandy trophy from the International Wine and Spirit Competition, and the International Spirits Challenge. At any given time, Van Ryn’s has around 28 000 barrels of brandy in different stages of maturation. ‘Because brandy is not vintage specific, you’re faced with the challenge of producing a product of consistent quality and taste year after year,’ says Marlene. For a winter warmer, Marlene recommends the rich, satintextured 20-year-old which evokes flavours of fruitcake, citrus and tropical fruit. vanryns.co.za

Lucy Corne is an accredited beer judge, freelance writer, blogger and author of African Brew, which was judged as the Best Beer Book in SA at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013. We chatted to her on the hop. I’m British, so I was born with a pint of bitter in my hand. Seriously, though, I got into the beer trade because my husband’s an avid brewer, and when we moved to South Africa in 2010, we were enveloped in the beer scene that was just about to explode. In terms of volume, the craft industry in South Africa is miniscule compared to the big breweries, but it’s growing – and quickly. When African Brew was published in 2012, there were around 40 crafters countrywide. Earlier this year, when I finished my second book Beer Safari, that number had tripled. My favourite beer pairing would be sharp Gruyère or a stinky blue cheese with a seriously hoppy Indian pale ale. Some beers have notes of toffee, coffee, caramel and chocolate – who wouldn’t want a slab of cake with that? Alas, I have not yet discovered the secret to prevent a beer belly. It’s an occupational hazard. Maybe I should get my beer belly insured, the way footballers get their legs insured. lucycorne.com

pictures: supplied

The brew mistress

* Alcohol sale prohibited to persons under 18 years of age. 50

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BEAUTY | GUIDE

BAT THOSE LASHES

R54.95, Caribbean Tan

This Coverderm ‘all-in-one’ Perfect Lashes mascara offers healthier, shinier and stronger lashes all day long. R299, Coverderm

HEALTHY HAIR

R54.95, Caribbean Tan

Protect your hair with Biosense’s sulphate-free shampoo range. The shampoo is PH balanced and enriched with extracts and conditioning agents to nourish, condition and repair damaged hair.

SO GOOD YOU COULD EAT IT

Caribbean Tan’s cinnamon and coconut exfoliator will remove dead skin cells and nourish your skin to create the perfect canvas for your tan.

Designed to be used after having a Carribbean Tan, this body butter will nourish your skin and also make your tan last longer.

Happy Days hand and body lotion will not only leave your skin moisturised, but its floral, feminine scent will also leave you feeling happy … for days.

A good’s night rest can do wonders for your skin and body. Help the process along with Dermalogica’s overnight repair serum – a powerful peptide serum enriched with argan and rose oils to help stimulate cellular repair while you get your beauty sleep.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

text: jayne macé-ferguson, lynn berggren; pictures: supplied

Recommended for romantic wear, First from Van Cleef & Arpels is a feminine scent, blended with floral blackcurrant, jasmine, narcissus, sandalwood and vanilla.

R895 (60ml), First

Price on request at your nearest participating salon Sparkle

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R205 Crisnail

HAPPINESS IN A BOTTLE

SLEEP IT OFF

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R142, Biosense

DOLLOPS OF GOODNESS

R1 470 (100ml), Feerie Rubis

NEW SEXY KID ON THE BLOCK

R850, Dermalogica

This new fragrance in Van Cleef & Arpels’ Feerie range is exquisitely feminine, drawing inspiration from the timeless ruby stone. Top notes of litchi, red chilli, red currant and raspberry with base notes of sandalwood and musk combine to create a soft, yet powerful scent.

GIVE YOUR NAILS A BREAK

The IBX System treatment, with advanced ingredients designed to restore your nails to their former glory, will make you throw away the winter gloves for good.

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Watch this... Remakes and sequels galore abound at the cinema this month, along with a rather odd biopic. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION

text: anthony sharpe; pictures: supplied

THE FANTASTIC FOUR Release date: 14 August It’s been a measly 10 years since the previous film adaptation of one of Marvel’s flagship properties was released. It was great fun, and spawned a significantly less fun sequel. Now the Four are back, with a distinctly youthful cast, including Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan and Jamie Bell. Director Josh Trank only has one feature film under his belt, but that happens to be Chronicle, so hopes are high that he can repeat that success. Anticipatometer: n n n

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THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.

LOVE & MERCY

THE FANTASTIC FOUR

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION

Release date: 7 August Tom Cruise is back in his signature action franchise. The Mission: Impossible films have wavered in tone and quality over the years, but have continued to up the stunt and action ante, and 2011’s Ghost Protocol was sheer cinematic delight, under the direction of Brad Bird. At the reins this time around is Christopher McQuarrie, whose last film, Jack Reacher, starred Cruise as a sort of stripped-down version of agent Ethan Hunt. Although McQuarrie doesn’t have the visual panache of Bird, this blockbuster fare is almost guaranteed to entertain. Expect pretty much the same storyline – we should all know how (im)possible the mission is by now. Anticipatometer: n n n n

LOVE & MERCY Release date: 14 August Neither a sequel nor a remake, but rather a biography about Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys. The film covers two periods in his life: the 1960s and 1980s, with Paul Dano and John Cusack playing the character respectively. In the 60s, he struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avant-garde pop masterpiece. In the 1980s, he’s a broken, confused man under the 24-hour watch of shady therapist Dr Eugene Landy. Anticipatometer: n n n n

MOVIE GIVEAWAYS See page 15 for details.

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Release date: 21 August The proliferation of remakes continues! This one is based on the iconic 60s MGM TV series of the same name, and stars Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin, who team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organisation, which is bent on destabilising the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology. Directed by Guy Ritchie. Anticipatometer: n n n

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GUIDE | READ

Ladies in the library lounge Celebrate Women’s Month with these literary picks. The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth, the soon-to-be longestserving monarch, has quite a wicked sense of humour – believe it … or just read The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II and see for yourself. This book takes the image of royalty and dignity that we so often associate with a queen and turns it on its head, showing that Queen Elizabeth is human after all, and a funny one at that.

Pens Behaving Badly

Yes! I can manage, Thank you! Virginia Ironside brings us another year in the life of Marie Sharpe, who now apparently needs no one’s help as she (un)gracefully ages. Written in the form of a diary, Yes! I Can Manage, Thank You! covers every hilarious aspect of Marie’s life, from the hunt for a hunky housemate to the suspicious lump on her stomach.

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Paige Nick has been gifting us with her hilarious, curious and thoughtful opinions since 2010, as a columnist for the Sunday Times Lifestyle magazine. She’s pretty much seen it all when it comes to humanity, and now she’s sharing all of that in a wonderfully packaged book. Pens Behaving Badly is a showcase of all of Paige’s columns, complete with comments and letters from readers (which are often more outrageous than the columns themselves).

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Listen up Get back to the beats with these wildly different new records.

THE ORIGINAL HIGH WARNER BROS. RECORDS The title track of this new Adam Lambert album is spot on. All 14 tracks deliver on every single musical and lyrical note, and kind of reminds you of the type of music that would make you want to pick up a brush and sing and dance in front of the mirror. Adam has definitely surpassed the American Idol label and has produced an album that’s hauntingly husky, earthy, and real pop – minus the bubble-gum. ‘Ghost Town’, with its deep-house beat, is our favourite and could possibly get stuck in your head for days – you’ve been warned. Other mesmerising tracks include ‘The Original High’, ‘Another Lonely Night’ and ‘Rumors’ featuring Tove Lo. I think I’m officially a Glambert, or is it a Lambshank? ‘There I Said It’ (yes, another track we love on this album).

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TAMIA

LOVE LIFE DEF JAM RECORDINGS This is Tamia’s sixth studio album, and it’s all pretty much signature Tamia. She’s stayed true to the artistry that we’ve come to love from her over the years, and hasn’t bucked the trend to experiment within the genre as many of her contemporaries and newbie artists have. Love Life offers sensual and seductive lyrics and the riffs are mild, but purposeful. On the opening track, ‘Love Falls Over Me’, the percussions and rhythms command you to move, while ‘Stuck With Me’ showcases her vocal range on a track that is reminiscent of a bygone, soulful era. We also like ‘Sandwich and a Soda’ and ‘Lipstick’ – the lyrics are great, but we would’ve perhaps rethought the names. This album is flirtatious and sensual, and if you don’t buy the entire thing, definitely download ‘Love Falls Over Me’ and ‘Chaise Lounge’ from iTunes.

MUSE

DRONES WARNER BROS. RECORDS The latest album from Brit alt-rockers Muse takes the band back to fairly staccato territory, with a kind of backto-basics-but-not-quite approach that traverses the musical terrain with familiar bombast and vigour. No one would ever accuse Muse of being subtle, and Drones isn’t going to change that impression – not in thematic or musical execution. Standout tracks include ‘Psycho’, which showcases a long-dormant aggression in front man Matthew Bellamy’s voice, and ‘Reapers’, which rather oddly parallels the destruction of drone warfare with the emotional destruction of a broken heart. While the album’s handling of its theme may seem a little trite, you can’t help but be borne along on a wave of prog-rock pleasure. As always, Muse is a guilty pleasure, but a very pleasurable one at that.

text: raina julies, anthony sharpe; pictures: supplied

ADAM LAMBERT

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The long

road to Budapest

Keith Bain discovers George Ezra’s flawless plan for getting into music festivals for free.

ou don’t hear a voice like his – deep, sophisticated, schooled by another era – without wondering where it’s coming from. Most people find it hard to reconcile that big, old man’s sound with the baby-faced boy from Bristol producing it. Listening to the song that got him noticed, about a city he’d never visited, you kind of feel a sudden connection with another time – an era when lyrics meant something and a tune was driven by emotion. ‘It’s all I ever wanted,’ says George Ezra, ‘to be a musician.’ His childhood home in Hertford was always filled with music – different styles playing in every room. From his sister he says he was getting Arctic Monkeys, The Cribs and Vampire Weekend, but at a certain point he fell in love with his father’s

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music – ‘male singer-songwriters with gruff voices’. Once he discovered the likes of Dylan, Lead Belly and Tom Waits, he started delving, first listening to everything those singers produced, and then exploring the music that had inspired them. ‘I like songs with stories and depth, layered with emotion and characters,’ he says. As a teen, George played bass in a number of bands. ‘I’m not actually a guitarist. When I started, I learnt the chords I needed to be able to sing, but it was all about the lyrics and storytelling. So even “Budapest” is the same three chords my dad first taught me.’ He still remembers his first crowd performance – the band played ‘Mustang Sally’ and ‘Teenage Dirtbag’, for which he sang the female part, wearing eyeliner and his sister’s skinny jeans.

BIG VOICE Discovering the voice that would make him a global commodity, though, was something of an accident. As a young boy, George says he had little hope of becoming a crooner. ‘I loved to sing more than anything and would do it all the time, but I really couldn’t hold a tune. I guess I have a very patient family.’ But when he was about 15, he discovered that these older male singers who had become his obsession weren’t particularly great singers – not on paper, anyway. So he tried emulating their ‘big voice’ technique, and discovered that he could actually hold that tune after all. ‘A lot of people say that I’ve experienced sudden success,’ he says, ‘but they’re unaware of the work that’s gone into getting to this point.

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‘When I was 18 and moved to Bristol to study, I realised that nothing was going to happen if I didn’t pull my finger out, put in the hard work, and start gigging.’ So he started playing Bristol’s openmic pub circuit – probably the hardest gigs he’d ever do. He put in serious time, earning himself the moniker ‘King of Open Mics’, dropping out of college to do gigs all over England, and eventually working his way onto the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury in June 2013.

THE VOYAGE TO SUCCESS Most of the material that ended up on his debut album, Wanted on Voyage, was written while travelling around Europe by train. It was a trip he purposefully undertook alone, with his guitar and a rucksack. Curious and hungry for experience, he kept a journal in which he says he meanders between fact and fiction, making up stories, the meanings of which often only became clear to him after he’d turned them into songs and performed them for a while. He had intended to visit Budapest on that trip, but missed his train. ‘I went to Malmö in Sweden during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, and I met some people and we had a few drinks. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew, I’d missed my train to Hungary.’ Wanted on Voyage ultimately become the UK’s third biggest album of 2014, racking up four Brit Award nominations earlier this year. ‘I was really flattered by the response, especially by the longevity.’ He says he had initially feared that ‘Budapest’ might be a one-off wonder – it had initially gone viral thanks to online sharing after he posted it online for free. Within six months, it had been streamed more than 10-million times on Spotify.

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HUMBLE BUNDLE Despite the accolades, George remains remarkably humble. ‘I’m just enjoying the moment, because I consider myself lucky to be in this situation, and if it turns out that I only ever release the one album, at least I’ll have had a fun ride. It doesn’t matter how successful I am – if I’m not happy, there’s no point.’

THE EZRA EXPRESS If it seems that he’s wise beyond his 23 years, he’s quick to point out that he got up to plenty of stupid things when he was younger. He’s candid about the fact that the scar above his eyebrow is the result of bashing into a wall and then sitting through a lecture with his head bleeding instead of going to a doctor. There’s a hugely sociable side to him that shows in the warm, open-hearted way he interacts with other people,

whether in interviews or with an audience. He has a way of instantly breaking the ice at concerts, melting hearts with an amazing a cappella intro that works his predominantly female fanbase into a froth. And he happily underplays the size of that fanbase. ‘When I was young, my mates and I would constantly try and work out how to go to festivals for free. I’ve finally figured it out. The way to do it is to get on the bill. I love festivals and now I get to go to lots of them.’ And earlier this year, he finally got to Budapest, as part of a dedicated miniature tour of Europe. The Ezra Express travelled from Bristol to Budapest, picking up fans along the way, and making many new ones wherever he performed. George Ezra will be performing in Durban, Cape Town, and Jo’burg from 28-30 August. Visit weareseed.co.za for tickets and info.

pictures: supplied

‘I’M JUST ENJOYING THE MOMENT, BECAUSE I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO BE IN THIS SITUATION’

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My earliest memory of performing in front of people was doing scenes from Disney’s Lion King to friends and family at home, aged six. I’m not sure if I was any good, but at least I had the confidence to ‘fake it till you make it’. What I love most about performing on stage is the honesty, the immediacy, the feeling of losing yourself and giving something your all without holding back. I find few things in life exhilarating, which is why it’s so addictive! It leaves you breathless and with butterflies, like falling in love. The Performer’s Diploma in Opera from the UCT Opera School is such a comprehensive course, and gives you the best training and experience in South Africa, I believe, to get on stage as soon as possible and start honing your craft. I was beyond blessed to study with Professor Virginia Davids as my voice teacher, while learning performance and interpretation

beauty West Side

Growing up, Lynelle Kenned dreamed of becoming a doctor. Luckily for us, she took her talents to the stage, and can be seen performing in West Side Story this month. Eugene Yiga just met a girl called Maria…

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from greats like Angelo Gobbato, Jacky Folley and Aviva Pelham. What I love most about opera singing is that it’s like Olympics for the voice. I admire the years of sacrifice, hard work, and dedication that goes into becoming a professional. It’s raw, honest, and beautiful. And more relevant and accessible than many people realise. Being a finalist on the Top Billing Presenter Search was the most exciting, fascinating, and daunting job interview of my entire life, and an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. We were auditioning in front of the entire country, and being put through our paces over the course of almost three months. But we learned from the best. My theatre background prepared me in the best possible way. Like TV, the stage requires you to think on your feet, and be creative and entertaining; I just needed minor tweaking to know the technical differences. After Top Billing, I had earned my colours as a presenter and was ready when Pasella came my way. Pasella made me fall in love with South Africa all over again. Besides celebrity interviews, cooking and décor, we also go off the beaten track, exploring rural parts of the country that never make it into the news, as seen through the eyes of the locals. I could travel and live from a backpack my entire life and never get enough of it – as long as I could have a luxurious bubble bath every now and then! In West Side Story, I play the role of Maria. Having just arrived as an immigrant in America, Maria’s life seems full of promise when she falls

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at 16, I was pretty much Maria. I had the same notions about love and life

in love at first sight with the dreamy Tony. She is naive and radiant in her innocent beauty, but their happiness isn’t meant to last. I think at the age of 16, I was pretty much Maria. I had the same notions about love and life, and stars in my eyes. I’m much more realistic nowadays, but sometimes I still find myself hoping and believing the best in people and situations. In preparation for the role of Maria, I’ve taken up dance classes for the first time in my entire life, something I’ve had on my bucket list for ages. I’ve also started working with an accent coach to perfect Maria’s accent. Mostly, I visualise what kind of atmosphere I want to create in the different scenes, even before memorising the script. This show appeals to me because it’s an incredible story, told through the most beautiful music and dynamic dancing. My favourite scene is when Tony and Maria meet for the first time. Everybody else disappears for the young lovers at their ‘love at first sight’ moment. It seems I’m a romantic after all. After West Side Story, the rest of my year is looking pretty full, with Orpheus in Africa doing its second run after West Side Story wraps up. I’ll be doing some more TV presenting, music concerts, MC-ing, corporate gigs, and voice-over work in the gaps. And I must remember to schedule vacation in 2016! Lynelle Kenned will perform in West Side Story at the Artscape Opera House until 23 August, and in Orpheus in Africa at The Fugard Theatre from 22 September. Book at Computicket.

pictures: loucas polydorou

guide | listen

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Pole position

Aerial pole dancer Saulo Sarmiento spins Keith Bain right round, baby, right round, like a record baby…

t may be the dead of winter, but it’s warm in the Madame Zingara circus tent. Most of the unseasonal heat is coming directly off the sculpted torso of Saulo Sarmiento. His ripped, rockhard physique is in perfect condition. It’s ridiculous. And, the crazy thing is, Saulo’s post-Photoshop body is only the start. The real story concerns this

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Spaniard’s rare ability as an aerial pole artist. It’s what has brought him to South Africa in the first place, and why he’s currently causing a stir at Madame Zingara’s latest extravaganza. His five-minute act on the ‘flying pole’ comes from another dimension – it seems at times to defy the laws of physics. Yet what he does has little to do with science, or even science-fiction, and everything to do with a unique athleticism combined with unbelievable focus and discipline. Whether it’s a trick of sublime choreography or Saulo’s graceful execution, there are moments when you forget that he’s simply a man clinging to a pole dangling from the ceiling. He may be holding on with just his hands, or gripping it in the crook of his knee, but he makes it look as effortless as breathing. He has a way of using his body that lets you forget about the physical strength and mental control that’s obviously required to do what he does – instead, you just witness a man dancing high above your head. While he’s at it, though, he’ll perform a few acrobatic moves most ordinary humans couldn’t muster – even with both feet on the ground. Not only does he twist and tangle himself into insane positions while floating and flying in an empty space above the ground, but he also performs the splits like you’ve never seen before, literally walks on air, and at some point stretches his body out at a right angle, holding on with nothing but his hands. Besides being suspended in mid-air, the flying – or aerial – pole is constantly spinning, making it a considerable level up from the static pole most of us still associate with a certain kind of exotic dancing.

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‘the toughest thing is making it appear effortless, smooth and easy’ visually spectacular, he’s become an internationally sought-after sensation, and has earned himself a well-deserved spot as one of Cirque du Soleil’s few genuine solo artists. Saulo’s talent isn’t only for executing mind-blowing tricks, though; he says his main goal is in fact to make what he does look easy. ‘My act is extremely tough on the body and requires considerable strength,’ he says, ‘but the toughest thing is making it appear effortless, smooth and easy. My dilemma is that often in circus, the audience wants to see that what’s happening is difficult, or dangerous. Many artists perform fake falls so that the audience can appreciate that what’s happening is actually difficult. ‘My approach is completely the opposite. I rehearse to make it as fluid as possible so that it looks much easier than it is.’ Making the near-impossible look easy is the only illusion Saulo bothers with, though. Every other flawless detail is 100% authentic. And that, ladies, includes his naturally sculpted torso.

Theatre of Dreams

Canary Islands-born Saulo Sarmiento is among the line-up of circus artists currently assembled for Madame Zingara’s latest Theatre of Dreams spectacle, The Celebration Tour. The show brings together entertainers from around the globe, and includes a three-course meal enjoyed in the bohemian interior of the world’s largest custom-built mirror tent, The Queen of Flanders. Catch it in Cape Town until 26 September, or in Johannesburg from 4 November. For more info, visit theatreofdreams. madamezingara.com.

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Without the floor to return to between tricks, says Saulo, there’s no opportunity to rest. Once he takes off, he needs to conserve enough energy to sustain the entire routine because, even when he appears to be doing nothing, he’s exerting considerable force in order to remain connected to the pole. Saulo says the impulse to become a circus artist came from watching a Cirque du Soleil DVD as a child. He was entranced by what he saw and immediately knew what he wanted to do. ‘It was difficult to explain to my parents,’ he says, ‘since they imagined a very different kind of circus – one with animals and travelling around in caravans.’ He got into gymnastics as a teenager, and later trained in ballet, jazz and modern dance. He worked as a dancer for four years before touring the world with the glitzy Les Farfadais cirque company, and in 2011 he won a prestigious international pole-dancing competition in France. When Saulo first discovered the flying pole three years ago, it was still quite new. Even without any training, he felt instantly at ease using an apparatus most acrobats say is too physically demanding, painful and uncomfortable. ‘Sure, you get dizzy in the beginning,’ he says, ‘but – like everything – you get used to it. And I’ve been lucky. I haven’t had a single mishap or accident with this apparatus.’ Since there’s no one teaching the aerial pole, Saulo choreographs every new trick himself. It’s a process of constantly trying out new things, filming himself, and then watching to see what works and what doesn’t. And if something catches an audience’s imagination, he’ll add it to his routine. Since what he does is totally unique, highly specialised and

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Get your game on Dribble everywhere, destroy tyres and get backwards this August.

FIFA 16 PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Android, IOS, Xbox One EA brings a refined soccer experience to game consoles and PC players 16 with a variety in FIFA 16, of on-the-field balance changes and, for the first time ever, the inclusion of women’s international squads! Major innovations have improved gameplay across specific areas such as defence agility, greater control over the midfield area (allowing it to come to life as it should be in the real soccer game), and opportunities to elaborately create more ‘jump out of the seat’ moments of magic. Improved motion-capture technology allows for more natural-looking

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player physiques, further enhancing realistic animations on the field. Balances perfected across the in-game components provide a more refined control experience, with new tackling fundamentals, interception intelligence and no-touch dribbling, to name a few.

A selection of 12 female national teams provides fresh gameplay elements and introduces a new methodical pace to the FIFA experience. As usual, the best way to enjoy FIFA is by securing the FUT packs, so pre-order now! Out in September.

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GAMES | GUIDE

F1 2015 PC, PS4, Xbox One The new generation of consoles is finally being graced by the racing colours of Formula 1. F1 2015 includes team and driver line-ups from the 2014 and 2015 seasons, with new features further pushing the boundaries of realism. An all-new ‘Pro Season’ mode features no heads-up display or driver assists, pushing the skills of gamers to breaking point. Additional improvements, such as voice recognition, allow players to communicate with their engineers during a race, while radically enhanced AI provides a challenging racing experience. The power of new-generation consoles delivers stunning graphics with breathtaking clarity at a smooth frame rate, providing a more realistic feel of F1 racing than ever before, alongside cinematics showcasing opening sequences and on-track celebrations, all voiced by Sky F1’s commentators. The time to earn your podium champagne is here! Get your F1 2015 copy from BT Games now.

text and pictures: supplied by BT games

XBOX ONE BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY Microsoft’s devotion to their fans and newcomers alike provides an avenue through which players can revisit and play glorious classics that have defined the Xbox 360 generation. Xbox One Backward Compatibility is free and allows you to play selected Xbox 360 games you already own on Xbox One, as well as allowing you to purchase them from the Xbox Store. A selection of the highest-rated and most popular Xbox 360 titles makes the list first, with classics like Mass Effect,

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Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero being some of the current titles available. Fan feedback and working partners provide a continual stream of confirmed titles, with the most recently confirmed being Burnout Paradise, Mortal Kombat 9 and Injustice: Gods Among Us. The Xbox Preview programme allows access to this feature by invitation only, until the eventual broad public release by the end of 2015, providing a huge library of Xbox 360 games at the disposal of players on Xbox One – making it the definitive gaming platform to own.

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Talking tech

Even Wonder Woman has a few pretty awesome gadgets on her person, including a set of earrings that allow her to breathe in outer space, and a tiara that doubles up as a kickass boomerang. Andy Walker of Gearburn.com reports.

STICK IT OUT

SIDEKICKING IT

z pictures: supplied

MORE THAN JUST A BAG

Selfie sticks get a bad rap from some, but they remain incredibly useful, especially if you love (yourself in) the outdoors. The Jivo Expandable Bluetooth selfie stick expands from a compact 29cm to a towering 91cm, enabling you to hold your phone high above you. It boasts a built-in rechargeable battery, a shutter button on its handle, and it can talk to your device via Bluetooth. R216, Takealot.

A prerequisite in today’s fast-paced, frantic lifestyle is a reliable sidekick – I’m talking about that little pocket companion we call a smartphone. One of the most impressive devices launched this year is the LG G4. The Gorilla Glass face is shiny enough to be used as a pocket mirror, while the rear is slathered in your choice of smooth tan, red, blue or black leather, and the 5.5-inch screen is large enough to run more than one window at a time. The cameras are also rather brilliant, with the rear snapper featuring a ‘professional’ manual mode and the selfie camera boasting a remote gesture feature. Want to take a picture? Raise your hand, close your fist and the phone will count down to a well-taken selfie. R9 465, Orange Store.

WATCH IT

If you want to make it to the airport on time, though, you’ll need GridWatch and TrafficSA. The former is developed by News24, but has become one of the most reliable load-shedding apps on the market. GridWatch pinpoints Eskom’s erratic load-shedding schedule to suburbs and streets that matter to the user. It’s extremely accurate, meaning that (more often than not) you’ll be able to nip to the shop before the lights go out. There’s also ShedAlert, which is particularly useful to Android users with less powerful devices. TrafficSA (courtesy of Mr SA Traffic himself, Rob Byrne) curates the ridiculous number of tweets complaining about our country’s traffic situation into a readable, usable list. You can choose your location and pinpoint traffic alerts based on those factors. Free, respective app stores.

While fancy gadgets are fun to play with, you'll need something to keep your goodies safe. Take Charge’s range of leather pouches, bags and purses is a perfectly stylish solution. These are no ordinary bags, though; they boast built-in power banks, which means your tablets and smartphones can be charged from within the bag itself via a micro-USB. From R799, takecharge.co.za.

KEEPING TABS

The Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is a beautifully crafted piece of scratchless glass, metal and silicon, and the usability is really great too. Its quad-core processor is fast enough to handle HD-video playback on the 8-inch screen, and the battery’s large enough to last an entire day. Plus, it's waterproof – perfect for underwater shots. R7 010, Orange Store.

For more insightful gadget and gaming news, check out gearburn.com.

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Nina Hastie has travelled halfway across the galaxy to bring you mirthful musings

to find s e i r t a Nin edian m o c h c i out wh dated a n e b a M Nomuzi h the t i w p m kes ca a m a n i N Scholtz e i n a l e M nomadic

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rap! That’s a

Nomuzi Mabena is an MTV VJ, MC and rapper. Nina Hastie is a comedian with a rapping alter ego. It was a match made in heaven.

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Nina Hastie: Nomuzi! I’m so excited to chat with you! Nomuzi Mabena: [Laughs] I’ve been looking forward to this all day! NH: So the last time I saw you out in public was at the MTV Base event, and I was a mess. I had lost my hair, I was wearing very interesting attire – do you remember? NM: I do! NH: Well, what I remember is seeing you and thinking, ‘This girl’s gonna make it’, because you had no doubts about your talent. NM: [Laughs] Yeah, never doubt yourself. NH: When did this decision happen? When did you decide to become a superstar? NM: I have no idea. I don’t remember ever making such a conscious decision. I do remember going for the MTV audition to be a VJ on Base, and telling myself that this would be the last audition I ever did. I didn’t know if it would be the last because I would blow up or crash and burn, but I knew it would be my last. And it was. NH: And now look at where you are! NM: I know. I’m so happy to be where I am. This is where I’ve always seen myself and this is the future I dreamed of as a little girl. And now it’s all real.

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NH: That’s so cool. You know, I hustled for quite a long time as well, but I never intended to be like a big thing. I’m a comedian, you know, I never imagined it would be a big thing. But I remember that moment when it clicked in my head and I was like, woah, this could be something. And now my phone doesn’t stop ringing. I have different managers handling different things nowadays, because I haven’t learned how to say no to things, yet. NM: [Laughs] Me neither! NH: Tell me, how big is your management team? NM: Yoh, I don’t even know. I know there are people at MTV who handle the PR and there’s a manager there, but there are also the folks at Cashtime like KO and the rest, who handle the gigs and the record stuff. And then the guys who work for me in a personal capacity on branding and stuff like that. I need to speak to at least five or six people daily. NH: And in that group of people, do you have some people who are like mentors to you? I have to check in with those guys who can ground me, like my spiritual mentor and my businesslife mentor, otherwise I start making decisions on my own and sometimes it doesn’t work out all that well. Do you have anyone you look up to, someone to kind of guide your way? NM: Well, I think when it comes to the decision making, I like to be in control, mostly because I like to keep myself accountable. If something does go wrong, I don’t want to have someone to blame; I like to be able to blame myself and then learn from those mistakes.

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But there are definitely people who I go to when I get stuck. One of those people, who I will always be grateful for because she has helped me through so much, is Azania Mosaka. I always go and have my nails done by her and we just talk about everything. She’s one of those people who knows where they are, where they’re going and how to get there, and that’s so inspirational. There are also the guys at Cashtime like KO, who I rely on to help me through tough times. But ultimately, I like to be in the driver’s seat as much as possible. NH: That’s pretty inspirational. You know, I’m one of those people who wears lots of different hats. Sometimes I’m producing a live show, and I have a PR company, and with that I try to help people who aren’t quite getting there. And I would say, ‘Well this is how I do it, maybe it works for you’, and eventually that naturally grew into a business. But do you find that things sometimes naturally progress into spaces that you’re good in and comfortable in? You started in the hip-hop space, where you’re massive currently, and now you’ve gone into rapping? Was that a natural progression for you? NM: Definitely. Sometimes you just see yourself going in a certain direction and you’re not really sure how it’s happening, but you don’t really mind it. Does that make sense? NH: Yes, totally! NM: I was completely content when I was at MTV, but I figured out that I liked singing and dancing, and then I found rap and it just worked. The timing worked out perfectly and so did everything else. NH: That’s so cool. NM: Yeah, and I think the people who saw me and noticed me just considered me a valuable opportunity. Here was

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someone who had already established themselves in a sense and I was trying to expand, and they just decided to help me. NH: Yeah, you know, I was having a shower and I had an epiphany, as I always do because it’s the only time that my phone isn’t on. I was thinking that the conversation around the South African hip-hop and rap scene is positive. It’s not all about scandal and crime. As an industry, the rap scene is allowing South Africans to invest in it and support it because it’s about being positive and moving forward, instead of petty things like drugs and scandals. How do you keep positive?

NM: Oh my gosh, I don’t even know. I think I’ve always been a positive person, since I was little. I don’t find myself making a conscious effort to be positive; it’s just something that comes naturally. I don’t have time in the morning to force a smile; I’ve got too many things to do! NH: [Laughs] Absolutely. NM: You know, between the phone calls and the meetings and being in the studio, I don’t have any time to spend the three minutes a day that I have to chill thinking about shanking someone. NH: [Laughs] NM: I just keep it positive and then those three minutes are actually productive in uplifting me and helping me go on. NH: I find myself using that sentence a lot: ‘I don’t have time.’ Because in the entertainment industry, like a lot of other industries, there are things happening all the time!

NM: Absolutely, I almost never have time. NH: [Laughs] You have a certain phrase you live by, don’t you? NM: Where there is life there is hope. Never give up hope; it’s one of the most important things. There are so many people in the world who have it worse off than you and people don’t remember that. You can always go on, you can always get up, dust yourself off and try again, as long as you’re alive. That’s my life motto. NH: I like that! So I have an alter ego. Her name is Nikki Namanje and she raps too. Do you think you can set up some time in the future for you and her to work on a collab or something? NM: [Laughs] I’m open to it! We’ll see what she can do and maybe I can give her a few tips, how about that? NH: Oh, she would love that. [Laughs] Tell me, do you watch any stand-up? Do you know anything about the standup comedy world? NM: Yeah, well I used to date a stand-up comedian, so I know a little bit. NH: What? Who did you date? NM: [Laughs] Oh no, I won’t be telling my secrets today. But I love the new guys on the scene. I feel like the industry has grown so much and it’s really cool. NH: Well girl, thanks so much for the lovely chat. NM: Thank you Nina, and congrats on the awesome cover. NH: [Laughs] Thanks, Nomuzi.

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jazz And all that

Nina Hastie chases jet-setting, awardwinning jazz singer and composer Melanie Scholtz around the globe.

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Nina Hastie: Good morning, Ms Melanie Scholtz! Melanie Scholtz: Good morning to you! NH: Okay, you jet-setter, the last time I saw you was at The Orbit in Braamfontein, belting out jazz, and the next thing I hear you’re on a flight back from New York on your way to Prague, with bookings all over Europe. How did that happen? MS: I feel like a serious nomad and my Khoisan blood is definitely flowing through my veins at the speed of light right now. NH: [Laughs] MS: I’d made plans to move to Prague in the Czech Republic last year August and, after my cultural visa finally came through, I left South Africa on 31 May. It just made sense to move, as most of my work is happening in Europe. In particular, I have a fanbase in Czech and Slovakia after doing so many tours there over the past five years. So it just made sense. New York was an amazing detour, and I planted some seeds for the future while I was there. NH: It’s amazing that your work is taking you to such beautiful places. MS: It is. NH: You know, I wanted to be a jazz singer when I grew up. Now I’m actually a grown-up and, um, I still want to be a jazz singer. MS: [Laughs] NH: It couldn’t have been easy. Tell me how the dream became a reality for you. MS: The dream for me to be a working, successful, professional jazz singer and songwriter has had its ups and downs, as do most dreams. All that glitters is not gold at all, and it’s been such an amazing journey thus far, peppered with awards and travels, but also with the funding of my own albums and concerts, and the eating of many a two-minute noodle along the way. NH: [Laughs]

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MS: I’ve been very blessed; I’ve been able to live from only performing for the past 15 years. It’s hard work, but it’s my true passion and purpose, I feel, here on earth. I think the older you get, the more realistic your dreams get. When I was younger I dreamed of fame; now that I’m older I dream of quality, producing a consistently high level of work and art, and leaving something behind that will be relevant for others when I’m gone. I have to say, the dream became a reality when I won an international jazz competition in Nice, France, three years ago. NH: Nice! MS: Yeah. I then thought that maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of my dreams coming true. NH: I love that. I’m not a fan of the ‘as a woman’ premise, but I’m very aware of the struggles that come with being an independent female artist. You’re now playing in a space where you’re an independent artist, a South African, and a woman. Pick a struggle! MS: [Laughs] NH: I kid, but how’s that working out for you? MS: I recognise that I’m a woman in the arts and entertainment business, and I refuse to let that be a strength or a weakness. I’m an artist, period. And there’s only good or bad quality art and music, and I hope to produce the good kind – irrespective of my gender. I don’t expect my gender to influence audiences or my colleagues’ opinions of me. Just being so good that none of these elements matter – that’s my goal. NH: Amen. On the South African front, how different is the international market in comparison to the local one?

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MS: The international market is structured very differently in that you’re coming into a scene as a world-music musician – especially being from Africa. So you really have to stake your claim and identify yourself, but at the same time not get put into a box that’ll be too difficult to get out of later. NH: How do you do that? MS: It’s a tough balance, but I believe it can be done if you’re selective with venues, kinds of gigs and agents, and if you choose your repertoire wisely. In Europe, people are extremely open to anything new and fresh artwise, and they’ll definitely come and watch your gig – no matter what the weather! NH: [Laughs] If you could go back and do it all again, would you change anything? MS: I would never change a thing. The past is the past for a reason and the future is still coming around the bend. I am trying to enjoy the now that keeps bringing me joy and the challenges that help me grow. I would do nothing differently. It’s made me me. No regrets; just scars that tell my story. NH: That’s so cool, Melanie. Okay, finally, if I told you I still wanted to sing, what advice would you have for me? MS: My advice for aspiring singers and musicians is work hard and practise; never stop practising and learning. Knowledge is power. I will steal this beautiful mantra from the recent Cinderella movie and say, ‘Have courage and be kind’. It’s so apt to life and music. You don’t have to step on people to succeed and you don’t have to treat yourself badly to sing the blues. Take care of yourself – body, mind and soul. NH: Mel, you’re super inspirational. Thanks so much for chatting with me. MS: Thanks, Nina. It was lovely to chat.

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chat | jazz singer

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Though only a quarter of top decision-making positions in SA are currently filled by women, the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill is one of the most empowering pieces of legislation worldwide and might soon change these stats. So how can women make the most of every opportunity? Delia du Toit chats with four female powerhouses who may have the answers.

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS | LOCAL HERO

The theoretical glass ceiling has never been an issue at Tswelopele, she says, because achievement should not be based on a person’s gender or the colour of their skin. ‘Women certainly having nothing holding them back, except themselves,’ she explains. ‘That being said, women do have an obvious biological disadvantage in business, since they are the partner in a relationship who physically gives birth. It’s also very difficult to be a mother and businesswoman without a strong support structure. Behind every successful wife, mother and businesswoman is a very giving husband and dad who helps her at home and gives her encouragement in her career.’ Women, she says, are their own worst enemies sometimes. ‘We could definitely be more forgiving of ourselves. But most importantly, women should remember to always believe in themselves and their abilities.’

PROFESSOR OLIVE SHISANA

PATIENCE STEVENS Managing director of Tswelopele Productions As the brain behind Top Billing, SA’s longest-running entertainment and lifestyle television show, you’d think Patience (pictured opposite) was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But it was a long road that took hard work. After starting as a production secretary, Patience got her first job as a producer at age 25. A few years later, she started freelancing and established Tswelopele in 1994, when she pitched the idea for Top Billing to the SABC. Today, the company has 70 employees responsible for three television programmes, and it’s earned Patience a Regional Business Achiever Award from the Business Women’s Association of South Africa. And she’s proud of every arduous step. ‘My biggest personal challenge was having the courage never to give up on my dreams,’ she says. ‘It took dedication, determination, perseverance, attention to detail, and the ability to work very long and very hard without losing concentration to get to where I am today.’

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CEO of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Though she was administrator of the Washington DC Vital Records System, signing off every birth, marriage, divorce and death, Prof Shisana had an uphill battle when she returned to South Africa after 17 years in exile. ‘When I returned,’ she says, ‘it wasn’t easy for me to penetrate the public health research field, because those who had remained in the country had already carved out their areas of interest. Each time I showed interest, some of the Medical Research Council researchers told me it was a no-go because someone was already doing that work. It was frustrating.’ But, eventually, she became the first woman to be appointed as director-general for the national Department of Health and, in 2005, she was appointed as the first black female president and CEO of the HSRC. Luckily, she says, she’s never been one to take no for an answer. ‘I think the traits that helped me get to where I am today are tenacity, focus and persistence. But, above all, I never stopped believing in myself.’ She’s also served as executive director of the World Health Organisation’s family and community health cluster in Geneva, where she established the WHO HIV/Aids/STI initiative, and became a founding member of the Partnership Against AIDS. ‘Back in South Africa,’ she explains, ‘I faced a lot of difficulty in initiating the population-based surveys on HIV. I was told by some scientists that this work is not considered scientific. I was forced to defy these detractors, and today the HSRC is known for its excellent work on HIV surveillance, and I won the Academy

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LOCAL HERO | WOMEN IN BUSINESS

of Science (ASSAF) gold medal award for this work.’ She’s also served in various advisory groups, including helping to formulate the planned National Health Insurance. In the political arena, she says, it’s encouraging to see that her female colleagues have more opportunities. But in science, this is still lacking. ‘Women are engaged in parliament in shaping this country. But we need to involve them in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; involve them in the generation of knowledge and also as subjects of study.’ But, as she proved, women can do anything in science – if they believe they can. ‘Be clear about where you want to go in your career, then find your space and focus, focus, focus. Do not let detractors redirect your career.’

DAWN ROWLANDS CEO of Aegis Media When Dawn was named Aegis’ CEO in 2010, no one was surprised. This, after all, was the woman who had founded communications agency Posterscope, occupied many senior positions at different media and advertising companies, and would soon be named the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa’s Woman of the Year for 2012. But, to Dawn, gender has nothing to do with it. ‘The challenges of leadership are the same – whether you’re a woman or a man – even though the way you approach them might be slightly different. I’ve never seen being a woman as either a barrier to success or an advantage. As an entrepreneurial thinker, I only see opportunities. To become a leader requires talent and the ability to lead a room – something both genders are capable of.’ The bigger issue, she says, is that there simply aren’t enough women in

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DAWN ROWLANDS

top positions yet to act as mentors to younger women. ‘A lot of girls don’t have moms with careers, and so they can’t envision that path for themselves.’ Women also tend to be more selfsacrificing, she says, which can hold them back. ‘Even today, a lot of women think they don’t have a choice when they become moms – that it’s either the career or the family. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it’s a tough decision and we don’t talk about it. So many women

go through this, but we all pretend it’s nothing. A mentor could play a crucial role in this struggle too.’ ‘Suck it up’ is Dawn’s straightshooting advice for women in the business sector. ‘Be accountable for yourself. Set goals, work hard and never give up. Remember that the road to success is always under construction; your goals might take longer than you thought, but never let yourself off the hook.’

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CARINA FRANCK CEO and founder of Kalahari Lifestyle International After 10 years at the helm of international beauty powerhouse, Nimue, Carina created her own beauty brand five years ago. Already, Kalahari products are being sold in 14 countries, including the most prestigious spas in Europe and the USA. And though the worldwide economic slump has dampened the spirits of even the most entrepreneurial thinkers, Carina sees even this as an opportunity. ‘Finding work is a little tougher right now,’ she says, ‘so many people are forced to start their own businesses. Locally, I see people thinking more out of the box than ever before, and it excites me. Often, difficult circumstances bring out the best in us.’ She’s also seeing more and more women starting small community-driven businesses – women who have never before had the chance or know-how to do much more than blue-collar work. ‘These small businesses will eventually influence others in their circle,’ she says, ‘and the community at large. It’s inspiring.’ The empowerment of women in SA is adding to these ripples, she says. ‘I think a lot of women have a better chance to excel here and now than ever before.’ The key to the empowerment of women, she says, is to use what you have. ‘Women are often more sensitive and aware when it comes to the needs of consumers, and are often excellent multitaskers. Play to these strengths, rather than trying to be more masculine.’ Her recipe for success? ‘Find out what your true talents are and merge them with your passion, because that’s the driving force behind success. And do your homework – make sure there’s a need for what you’re offering, partner with capable people, and then keep it at.’

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I TH BE AN

CARINA FRANCK

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Just

cruisin

Eugene Yiga plunders the high seas in luxury.

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‘A

s long as it’s not one of those cruises for people over 60,’ my friend said when I mentioned my holiday plans. Like many people, he believes cruises are for senior citizens who sail around the world, doing aqua aerobics and playing bingo, because there’s nothing else to do after retirement. But two trips with MSC Cruises – four nights on the Sinfonia and three nights on the Opera – convinced me that cruises aren’t just a slow break for the elderly; they offer plenty of fun for young people too!

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Entertainment galore First on the list has to be the range of entertainment options. Aside from several themed bars as well as a new theatre production every night, a popular option is the disco. Soon after the Sinfonia’s Pasha Club opened at 11pm, it filled up with people, and even a guy

Hard to port

like me, who’s not particularly fond of spending nights in loud clubs listening to music about nights in loud clubs, couldn’t help but get into it. I liked the fact that there’s more than enough room on the dance floor (in case you manage to drink just enough to offset the motion of the ocean), seating

MSC has been operating in the Indian Ocean and along the Mozambique coast for over 25 years since 1992. The company has invested more than R2-million in capital expenditure on tourism-linked infrastructure and has spent roughly the same in promoting travel to Mozambique. Opened in 2011 and set for a further multi-million rand boost, MSC’s beach facility on Portuguese Island offers travellers a welcome break from the Mozambican sun. The facilities include an undercover entertainment area; a venue for MSC’s chefs to prepare and present beach barbeques; and a unique beach bar with themed entertainment. ‘Portuguese Island is one of the most popular cruise destinations on the SA cruise calendar,’ says Allan Foggitt, marketing director of MSC Cruises SA. ‘Previously, the destination was a Robinson Crusoe-type of call, with a lack of facilities for passengers enjoying a day on the beach. This was therefore an important area of focus for MSC, and we’re now sure our travellers will enjoy the same high standards on the island as they do on our ships.’

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areas for when you want a break, and plenty of space outside to enjoy the fresh sea breeze. I left at about 1am on the first night, but the party was just getting started. (I’m told the music went on until sunrise.) It was similar on my MSC Opera trip. Although I skipped the clubbing, I got caught up in the tropically themed party on our second night – I even joined the conga line. It was the same with hundreds of other passengers, many of whom were in party mode, drinking tequila shots and dancing on deck before the ship even left the harbour.

Munchie madness The only way to keep the party going is to fuel up on food. The good news is there’s a lot of fuel. I enjoyed the more formal sit-down dinners, with tasty Mediterranean cuisine and fine Italian wine, but each ship has several restaurants so there are causal options too. If you’re not too fussed about gourmet food (which changes every night, depending on the theme),

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Excursively yours

Shore excursions are an integral part of the cruise-ship business. When you get to port, you can go your own way and wander around, find a local tour operator, or let the ship staff take care of it for you. If you’d like a customised excursion, complete with a driver and guide just for you, staff at the excursion office will provide help and advice around your own specific desires and preferences. Here are highlights from the list of around a dozen: • Exclusive beach lounge station: A beach lounger, umbrella and drinks table set up especially for you. Includes access to an exclusive area with a private bar service, free drinks and fruit plates. Also offers priority disembarkation from the vessel to the beach. • Sea kayaking: Master the ocean in a Fluid Synergy kayak, featuring a soft tri-hull that’s super stable – so you don’t have to worry about becoming fish food if it’s your first time. • Santa Maria snorkelling: This excursion leaves from the beautiful shoreline of Inhaca for 16km to Santa Maria, the most southern part of the Inhaca Island. There’s a rich variety of fish and abundant, colourful coral. Snorkelling equipment (mask, snorkel and fins) is provided, but sizes are not guaranteed, so it’s always advisable to bring your own.

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or don’t want to be bound by fixed restaurant hours, the buffets on deck go on pretty much all day. That means you can always find something to eat (or have breakfast delivered to your cabin) no matter how late you wake up or how late you get to bed. And who can resist the lure of an authentic Italian pizza at midnight?

Active relaxation Of course, there’s a real risk that all this food could result in you departing as a passenger and returning as freight. On the sporting side, the ships offer a range of facilities, including an open-air jogging track and a fully equipped gym, where I got lost in the 180-degree ocean view and could have sworn I saw a mermaid – though I might have been hallucinating from fatigue. There are also dedicated pools and sundecks that are completely kid-free, with Jacuzzis that are great for relaxing those aching feet after dancing the night away. For those who prefer taking it easy on holiday, you can skip the gym and

go straight to the luxury spa for some downtime. Time melts away when you’re lounging in a relaxation room overlooking the ocean, hypnotised by the endless waves. And what a treat to have a year’s worth of stress vanish after an hour Balinese massage that found all my knots – even the nautical ones.

Price wise Even though there’s so much on offer on a cruise, it’s actually one of the most affordable holiday options. ‘Cruising is becoming a vacation of choice, because it offers value for money,’ says cruise director Stephen Cloete. ‘Few other options offer a fully inclusive package, where you pay one price that covers all your accommodation, entertainment and food.’ Of course, it’s a good idea to set aside some extra money for things like shopping, excursions and drinks, which can be pricey (this is where the company makes its profit). But there are several options for beverage packages, so you get a good deal. What are you waiting for? Get your cruise on!

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happy

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ski

At Afriski Mountain Resort in Lesotho, Anthony Sharpe strapped on his sticks and carved some serious chowder down the fall line. Or something like that.

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AFRISKI | TRAVEL

ast year, I touched snow for the very first time. We’d driven out to Ceres on an appropriately chilly Sunday morning in early July – your best bet for seeing a dusting of winter around the Western Cape. After tailing back and forth along roads between snow-capped mountains, we parked on a dirt road and hiked up to the hills. After scooping up handfuls of the white stuff from rocks and flattened scrub, I noticed a few ephemeral specks of white dancing on the wind and heard a light ‘tic’ on my shoulder as snowflakes began to drift down from the heavens, dusting the landscape and us liberally. I wasn’t traversing the Alps, but as a first snow experience, it was pretty magical.

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travel | afriski

It’s be –u th ta

A different world Almost a year later, I had my passport stamped at the Caledonspoort border post on my way into Lesotho, the last stop before completing the final 80km of our lengthy journey from Parkhurst in Jo’burg. We weren’t quite prepared for just how long that final stretch would take on the circuitous roads, nor were we prepared for the transformation in the topography and colour palette of the landscape as we wound our way slowly towards our destination. After 10km, the quasi-urban rural dwellings gave way to a full-on agrarian dreamscape, with terraced hillsides of wheat opposite towering buttresses of rock, stone huts and brick houses lining the road, and seemingly everything bursting with shades of gold and red and brown. It was dusk by the time we tackled the stomach-churningly vertiginous Mahlasela Pass, but I could still make out the drifts of snow draped over the hills and the icy rock faces alongside the 3000m-high road. It was dark, and -6°C by the time we arrived at our destination: Afriski Mountain

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Resort, Lesotho’s only ski resort and one of only two in southern Africa. Tucked into a valley with the ski slope rising up the western slope, Afriski wears its inspiration on its sleeve: the wooden lodges dotting the eastern slope of the resort all bear the names of famous international ski resorts, and the whole operation has been designed to mimic the experience of a Meribel or a Chamonix. It wasn’t the winter wonderland I was expecting. In the morning, the sight that greeted my eyes was a golden landscape dotted with pockets of snow. The ski slope gets its covering from snow machines

– kind of like the opposite of hair dryers, but much larger. They roar from the early evening into the night, blasting out man-made snow that collects in drifts and is then shuffled around by bulldozers to create skiable surfaces. Accommodation is available in the form of a backpackers, lodges, mountain chalets and apartments. The gas fire in the lounge of Courchevel, our fourbedroom apartment (I insisted on calling it a lodge), was burning when we arrived, and continued to burn the entire weekend – making it at times very difficult to pry myself away from the couch.

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Beginner’s (un)luck But we didn’t drive 400km just to roast our toes like the pudgy little marshmallows they are. I had a date with snow, and this time I was prepared. By ‘prepared’, I mean I headed down to our first skiing lesson dressed like the Michelin Man, anorak over jacket over body warmer over hoodie over longsleeve T-shirt, with towels tucked in around my thighs to protect against the falls. I was practically bulletproof, ready to ski cross-country, rifle slung across my back, James Bond theme tune ringing in my ears as thugs on snowmobiles crashed haplessly into trees in my pursuit. Alex, our bubbly, diminutive ski instructor, had different ideas for two newbies who’d never so much as donned a ski in their lives. Swiss-born Alex has been skiing since she was able to stand, and came to southern Africa a few years back in the European off-season and predictably fell in love with our more appealing climate and cultural disposition.

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First step was sorting out our equipment – there’s a full equipment rental centre on site, as well as a shop for any extras. Your ski boots – enormous, rigid, clunky things that make you feel like you’re walking on high-heeled clogs – need to be snug, but not cut-off-yourcirculation snug. Then the skis, or planks as they’re known in ski lingo. Beginners’ planks are enormous, and get shorter the greater your skill level. Then it was time to tackle the great white slope – the icy unknown, man against the elements! Or just man against the beginners’ slope, a shallow stretch about 50m in length. We began not at the top, but at the bottom, trying to master the basics of standing on skis, not falling over on skis, moving sideways on skis, and moving forward on skis. From there we moved on to the key element of skiing: the snowplough. This involves pushing the

backs of your skis out and the fronts in, forming a wedge shape. It’s how you steer and, crucially, stop (essential when approaching an icy precipice, or a fence, or some hapless child screaming in fear). It only took me most of our lesson to master, during which time I fell over once, crashed into a woman wearing a bright-blue tracksuit, almost ran over a child, and engaged in some unintentional synchronised skiing with Alex – by which I mean I crashed into her too. Despite all this, she remained strangely patient with me, calling out instructions to my compatriot as he whizzed down the slope and straight to the rope lift back to the top.

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afriski | travel

‘Bend your knees, keep your weight forward!’ she said, before returning to my floundering. Even stranger was just how pleasant and supportive everybody else was – from the other instructors to the newbies to the more experienced. There was an amazingly convivial atmosphere out on the snow, and in fact everywhere I went at Afriski. People were just nice. Perhaps there’s something about the inhospitable cold that makes us realise we need to work together to survive – to wait out the storm.

pictures: supplied

Just chillin’ The storm never came, but the end of our lesson did, and we retired for a well-earned lunch. Sky Restaurant serves a great selection of wholesome food, including great pizzas, possibly the best chicken wings I’ve ever tasted,

and tiroler gröstl – an onion, potato, bacon and parsley fry-up topped with an egg. A gas fire burns in the middle of the room, and windows all along the east and south walls offer stunning views of the area. For livelier recreation, there’s the Gondola Café and Après Ski Bar, overlooking the beginner slope, where guests and staff let off (and create) steam after a hard day on the ice. You won’t find many better parties on a Friday night at 3 000m above sea level, and we watched in amazement and horror as a patron had her feet strapped into a mounted upside-down snowboard to drink a tray of shooters. A roaring wood fire provides the ideal place to thaw frostbitten digits, while the glühwein will thaw pretty much everything else. The following morning was a stark illustration of what happens when you

mix beer and glühwein at high altitude. I fumbled with the taps in an attempt to get a glass of water, but scarcely a drop issued forth. When we’d returned in the evening, we’d found the taps running gently, and being water-wise citizens we’d closed them. Now the pipes were frozen, my thirst was unassailable and the storm was inside me. A cup of coffee and an enormous breakfast later, I was ready to hit the slopes for a quick session before departure. I bent my knees, kept my weight forward, leaned into my turns … and I got it. Simple, beginner-slope stuff, but I was carving back and forth across the snow, not crashing into anyone or anything, and the experience was nothing short of euphoric. I wasn’t traversing the Alps, but as a first ski experience, it was pretty magical.

In a flurry

There’s more to do than just skiing. Afriski offers a plethora of outdoor activities for the high-minded. Check out Afriski.net for more info. • Snowboarding • Bumboarding • Guided motorbike trails • Trout fishing • Abseiling • Monster rollers (think a giant push-scooter) • Paintball

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Of valleys, donkeys, whiskies, and

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McGREGOR | TRAVEL

‘N

Anna Sheridan forgets the strangely shaped cakes and Chippendales, and embarks on a different sort of bachelorette party in McGregor.

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o strippers!’ Bridget said forcefully one last time as we bundled her out the door. Simon smiled a resigned smile. ‘Darling, we’re going to be in a hut on top of the frikking mountain,’ he replied. ‘If the lads manage to get a stripper to hike all the way up there with us, she deserves our money.’ Bridget slipped out of my grasp and I thought she was going to punch him, but she pulled him close and kissed him. ‘I love you, you handsome bastard,’ she said, then followed me down the stairs. The car was loaded up with speakers, a bulging cooler bag, about enough white wine to flood Istanbul and roughly equal amounts of champagne. It had taken a lot to get Bridget this far. She’d originally insisted on a joint bachelor/bachelorette party, as she and Simon did everything together and hadn’t taken separate holidays in four years, and it had taken several glasses of Sauv Blanc and some active philosophising to convince her that bride- and groom-to-be should celebrate their impending nuptials separately. Now we were on the road to a girls’ weekend in the little town of McGregor – two hours east of Cape Town, tucked into the Breede River Valley and surrounded by winelands. We were nearly in Caledon when we realised that, in the excitement, we’d headed out on the wrong national road. With her phone dead and my GPS engaged in industrial action, I began to wonder if we should turn around and take the N1. ‘Nonsense,’ she replied. ‘The only way is forward.’ We pressed on and hooked a left on the R317 towards Bonnievale, then turned west onto a gravel road that we hoped would take us to our destination. After 30km of rattling along between rocky hills and lush farmlands, without seeing a single person on the way, we emerged into the relative civilisation of a town.

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TRAVEL | McGREGOR

THE DELIGHTFUL PINOTAGE HOUSE.

PINOT YEAH The rest of the girls were at Pinotage House by the time we arrived. Located on the outskirts of town, the property used to house the donkey sanctuary and has subsequently been converted into accommodation for up to 18 people, with a huge entertainment area, indoor braai and sprawling garden scattered with old farm equipment and quiet corners. We’d scarcely dropped our bags before heading out for dinner at Lady Grey Restaurant at Lord’s Guest Lodge, a sprawling, isolated, Scottish-themed lodge perched on a hilltop outside of town. After having sundowners by the pool with a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside, we headed inside to be plied with deliciously crusty pizzas, droolworthy steaks and the largest eisbein I’ve ever seen. Throughout dinner, Bridget kept checking her phone, until Vanessa plucked it from her hand and passed it down the table. ‘He’s fine,’ she said, and poured Bridget another glass of wine. ‘I swear, he’d better be on that mountain, or I’m going to grab one of those swords off

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AMY, THE GENTLE BROWN MARE.

the wall and …’ She stopped as our waiter arrived, wide-eyed at the conversation. ‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘She’s relatively harmless. Perhaps let’s not give her a steak knife, though.’

BEASTS OF UNBURDENING ‘Just move around slowly, don’t pursue them if they move away, and have patience for one to come to you.’ It was simple enough advice and fair – after all, these beasts had been subjected to lives of hard labour and in some cases cruelty, and they were understandably wary of strangers. Some of them wouldn’t interact with strangers at all, while others were affable and confident. One doesn’t usually think of donkeys as noble creatures. Humble, amusing and stoic perhaps, but noble? Yet after spending an hour at the Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary in McGregor, I’d begun to think very differently about these beasts of burden. The proprietors of the sanctuary, Dr Johan and Annemarie van Zijl, waxed poetic over a scrumptious breakfast about their equine charges and

their gentle, honest and loyal natures – imbuing them with a sort of mythic aspect. They described the healing effect they had on children with mental or developmental handicaps, and on trauma sufferers – fields of empathy interacting between beings that had been dealt an unfair hand. While the others milled about rubbing the odd chin and patting the odd hide, Bridget was less than impressed with the idea, fidgeting impatiently on her phone. That was until Amy – a brown mare with large pads of fat on her body, the product of overfeeding by her previous owners in an attempt to compensate for an awful past – sauntered slowly over to her side and nudged her gently in the ribs. Bridget shrieked, but Amy just gazed placidly ahead. Clutching her phone well out of reach, Bridget slowly extended her other hand towards the donkey’s neck, flinching slightly as she touched its dirty hair, then stroking gingerly down her haunch. Amy moved closer, the phone disappeared and after a couple of minutes of gentle stroking, Bridget dropped to one knee and regarded the donkey eye to eye.

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mcgregor | travel

At the end of it all, we lay on blankets on the lawn at Pinotage House, counting shooting stars and passing one (okay, maybe several) of those MCCs between us, the whinny of a horse audible in the distance in the otherwise silent night.

we picked up half a dozen bottles of the 2012 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir MCC Something had changed entirely in her demeanour, and I watched dumbstruck as she rested her head against Amy’s cheek. They stayed there until everyone else had left the enclosure, and when Bridget finally came out to meet us, I was sure I saw her wiping a tear away from her cheek. ‘You okay?’ I asked? ‘Yeah,’ she smiled at me. ‘That was just … surprising.’ A few seconds later and she was back in Bridget mode, exhorting the girls to find her a glass of wine.

pictures: supplied

Lording it up We found a very good one at Lord’s Wines, up on the slopes 10km outside the other side of town on ‘The Road to Nowhere’, another dirt road through exquisite rural countryside. The cool climate and limerich soils are perfect for producing Pinot Noir, and the awards given to the estate’s 2010 vintage are testament to their success. We sniffed, swirled and sipped our way through a couple of bottles while looking out over the vines, the sound of cattle and geese echoing across the valley. Although we’d barely made a dent in the bubbly, we picked up half a dozen bottles of the 2012 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir MCC. After lunch we wandered the streets, stopping off to taste delicious

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Rhebokskraal Merlot grape juice at Villagers, with Bridget enthusiastically placing an impromptu order for the wedding. We visited Edna Fourie’s gallery, the walls hung with paintings in unusually shaped frames, all reflecting the artist’s fascination with all things avian. From there, we kicked things up a notch with a visit to the Old Post Office Whisky Bar, home to a mind-boggling array of whiskies behind its polished wooden bar. The proprietor, John Oldham gave the bride-to-be an impromptu whisky education, complete with diagrams demonstrating the flavour spectrum, while we savoured our drinks on the bougainvillea-fringed stoep. By the time we reached Karoux Restaurant for dinner, the bride-to-be was flirting outrageously with chef Ryan Josten as he explained the evening’s specials, with his wife and front-of-house partner, Aimée, looking on patiently. Dinner was an incredible affair – the twice-baked mature Gruyère soufflé and slow-cooked Moroccan lamb pastilla being notable highlights, along with the maid of honour’s impassioned (and very tipsy) speech, which brought Bridget to tears for the second time that day – a very unusual sight indeed.

In full retreat Sunday morning found everyone blearyeyed and short on intelligent conversation. We attempted to corral the empty bottles into a manageable heap before grabbing breakfast and much-needed coffee at Tebaldi’s at Temenos Retreat, which offers accommodation tucked away in lush gardens with loads of birds, a lap pool, healing therapies and a private library. My head was pounding and the amorous mating calls of the resident peacocks didn’t help, but after bravely tackling half my eggs Florentine, we wandered through the gardens among prayer huts and meditation rooms. We paced the pebble labyrinth and cooed collectively at a tortoiseshell cat playing on the lap of a large statue of the seated Buddha. Finally, the time came to head back homeward. Bridget gushed with love at everyone, and we departed McGregor with weary smiles and bodies. As we headed north towards Robertson – on the right road this time – I remarked to Bridget: ‘Hey, you haven’t checked your phone since yesterday.’ ‘What?’ she replied. ‘Oh, yeah, I’m sure he’s fine. You know, I’d love to come back here some time. I feel like we’re in a different era.’ ‘You mean you and Simon?’ I ventured. ‘No. How about just us girls?’ For your portal to all things McGregorian, check out mcgregor-accommodation. co.za, or email info@mcgregoraccommodation.co.za.

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Making

scents of it all

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Tammy Frazer has in a few short years emerged as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true haute perfumers, and among the very few working in the traditional way, using all-natural ingredients to create scents unlike anything else on earth. Kyle Bernard follows his nose into her Cape Town laboratory.

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perfumer | BEHIND THE SCENES

hen Tammy Frazer, founder of Frazer Parfum, first started talking about her plan to launch her own perfume, everyone told her she was crazy. They warned her that a fragrance is sold every second – there wasn’t room for another perfumer, let alone one intending to swim against the tide of modern industry. But Tammy’s rebellious instinct conspired with her innate eccentricity, so she set about teaching herself everything she could about scents and perfume manufacturing, and then dived into the deep end. Perhaps it was possible for her to take this leap of faith because the pioneering spirit is in her genes. Her grandfather, Graham Wulff, invented Oil of Olay, while her aunt and uncle were the pioneers of South African homeopathy. But as she delved into the reality of luxury perfumes, Tammy was surprised to learn that five large perfume houses essentially control the entire industry. Even more disturbing is that virtually all perfumes sold these days are made from synthetic ingredients, with the biggest chunk of any fragrance

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BEHIND THE SCENES | perfumer

It was a revelation that fuelled Tammy’s determination to do something revolutionary budget spent on marketing campaigns that attune the public to the brand. Whether we’re spraying the sexy youthfulness of Calvin Klein or a classic-leaning scent like Bulgari, we’re essentially buying into a concept or a clever celebrity endorsement that tricks us into associating an expensive fragrance with desirability. It’s a monopoly industry with a premium placed on pushing the illusion of exclusivity. It was a revelation that fuelled Tammy’s determination to do something revolutionary. Not only was she navigating unknown territory, with no actual perfuming background, but she was also determined to produce

The art of scent

authentic, handcrafted perfumes made from all-natural ingredients, sourcing them herself if possible. Tammy was doing something almost no one else was doing any more. So the challenge wasn’t merely to create perfume, but to become a genuine artisan, going back to the basics by manufacturing something real. But in the ethereal realm of fragrance, where do you start?

The olfactory factory Perfumes are built from an accord of fragrances formulated from the combination of top (usually citrus), heart (floral) and base (woody) notes. Each of these elements presents itself at different stages, with the heart and

Tammy’s is a unique gift. She has a discerning nose and a creative compulsion that together enable her to perform a kind of alchemy. She turns hard science into art, using chemistry to craft fragrances that can trigger sense memories, or bring on a rush of emotional déjà vu. ‘I compose, create and design in the medium of smell,’ she says. This interest in perfume as an art form has even resulted in a ‘scent portraiture’ series, presented at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art as the world’s first ‘scent novella’, for which she created fragrances based on the skins of a number of well-known South Africans.

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base notes lasting much longer than the initial olfactory assault of the top. Each of these elements needs to be brought together to create a harmonious whole. In practical terms, this means spending a lot of time in a laboratory tinkering with different fragrance combinations. Tammy works with literally hundreds of essential oils – mixing, blending, and sniffing. There are a few rules about scent families, like knowing what kinds of smells work well together, and how certain smells react over time, but beyond these rules, Tammy spends ages coming up with surprising, astonishing scents that are based on authentic, personal experience.

A scent of place Each of Tammy’s perfumes is a personal statement, created either as part of her own collection or as a bespoke fragrance for a client. Either way, the scent evolves from a place of deep inspiration – which could be a geographic location, an individual, or even a brand – but it’s never simply thrown together to create something that smells pleasing. To find this inspiration, Tammy travels to places where she hopes to gather botanical extracts, learning about

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perfumer | BEHIND THE SCENES

pictures: supplied

Not to be sniffed at

the plants and how they’re harvested and distilled, and at the same time getting a measure of the place where they grow. She’ll get a feel for the land, the elements, the light and vibrancy of life, the weather, soil types and ocean currents, and of course the plant life. Through this hands-on experience, she develops an idea and theme for a fragrance that she’ll ultimately compose in her Cape Town laboratory. Her scent composition might also be more ethereal, designed to capture the energy of a place, evoking how being there made her feel. To create each of the scents in her 10-part Chapter collection, for example, Tammy was inspired by 10 different places she had visited or lived in around the world. To build up the fragrance inspired by Corsica, she was even influenced by the heady climate and pounding waves. ‘It’s not a soft, gentle place,’ she says. ‘It’s Corsica – it’s coarse, just the way the name makes it sound. A rough place that’s battered by the elements. So I wanted my Corsica-inspired fragrance to be influenced by those rougher elements too – the ones that aren’t sweet, sexy or beautiful.

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The ones that are natural, organic, elemental, real and untamed.’ Tammy’s most recent range is her African Collection, inspired by visits to places such as Ethiopia, Namibia, and ‘mad Madagascar’. For Tammy, such expeditions mean meeting with farmers and having a visceral relationship with the natural environment that produces the botanicals from which her ingredients will be distilled. There are only a handful of perfumers in the world who work this way, but it goes back to her emphasis on authenticity, on wanting to craft something that’s real.

This artisanal approach continues into the packaging of the fragrances, which are bottled in glass flacons hand-blown by a local artist. And her solid-format perfumes, which are infused into beeswax, are packaged in sustainably sourced African Blackwood containers. Her perfumes don’t come cheap. Because they’re made from chemotyped natural oils, woods, roots, grasses, zest and petals – all utterly natural – they’re rare and, in an age of formulaic product design, almost anachronistic. You won’t find Frazer Perfum at a duty-free shop on the way to Dubai. Her ready-made fragrance collections retail in just a few specially selected locations around the world, including the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie salon on the fifth floor of Harrods in London. Of course, you can also find Frazer Parfum right here in Cape Town. Tammy’s beautiful boutique is attached to the laboratory, where she does the nuts-and-bolts work of designing scents, in a former bakery on Rose Street in De Waterkant. Find out more at frazerparfum.com.

The nose knows

Historically, perfumes were used to disguise natural body odours, because people seldom washed, and those who could afford to would douse their bodies with floral distillations. When botanical scents were embedded in animal fat, they would adhere to the skin for longer, disguising the wearer’s natural pong. But the body’s inherent odours actually perform a genetic function, encoding some of the chemistry that connects us sexually. Studies suggest that these odours actually help us seek out genetically compatible partners. Human culture has flattened out most of nature’s intricate evolutionary processes, including our natural smells. And thanks to the way modern commercial fragrances are produced, we’re really communicating using artificial smells synthesised in a laboratory.

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DRIVE | ACTION

pictures: supplied

here’s a school of thought that suggests Audi’s TT is a bit of a hairdresser’s car. This is partially true when you look at the first generation, which set the world ablaze pre-2000. A car company normally associated with big sedans and all-wheel drive rally stars suddenly announcing a fashionable sportscar was revolutionary, and even today, the first Audi TT has aged like Elizabeth Hurley. Fifteen years on, there’s a new Audi TT in town and it’s a terrific blend of gentle sophistication, graceful looks and sportiness. The design and overall shape of the car hasn’t changed that dramatically – it’s distinctly Audi TT. The striking daytime lights dominate the front, while there’s a purposeful wing which automatically rises out of the boot once you reach a certain speed. For now, you get just one engine – a 2.0-litre turbo which bangs out 169kW and 370Nm. In simple terms, there’s more than enough power to put the boy

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Ever the lady Despite criticism that the first and second generations were too soft and sporty respectively, Audi has nailed the third generation of sports car and the result is something that appeals to everyone. David Taylor goes for a metrosexual meander. racers in their place, without terrifying yourself. You can pick Quattro all-wheel drive or my choice, the front-wheel TT, and both come with Audi’s S tronic gearbox. It gives you the choice of either being in full automatic mode or getting involved with the paddles located behind the wheels. Both options are pleasant. It’s the interior that’s the absolute highlight of the new Audi TT. Gone is your traditional two-dial setup, and in its place is a single fancy HD screen. You can customise this screen to give you large

dials, small dials and even overlay the GPS map screen. The air-conditioner controls have been integrated into the vents themselves, and the entire cabin feels refreshingly minimalistic. It’s a wonderfully smooth car to drive, which will appeal to driving purists and posers alike. Regardless of where you stand, you’ll savour and relish every kilometre in the Audi TT. It’s quite easily one of the finest cars of 2015 and, for a car costing R550 000, it makes its rivals look a little bland.

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ACTION | DRIVE

Renault Captur

ii New kid on the block, the Renault Captur has a tiny, ecofriendly engine, but boasts huge boot space and surprisingly useful ground clearance for mounting pavements and tackling gravel roads. From R219 900.

Jazz u Honda ii The king of practicality, the Honda Jazz offers clever seating that effortlessly transforms it from a five-seater to a two-seater van. Recently refreshed, the Honda Jazz now offers a smart infotainment system as well as a refined engine. From R185 300.

Five practical cars that make sense

Golf SV x Volkswagen ii Imagine you could expand on the practicality of the Volkswagen Golf. Now you can with the Golf Sport Van, or SV for short, with a huge boot, excellent build quality and legroom in the back that would make business-class passengers jealous. From R292 500.

Volvo V60

ii What’s a practical list without a Volvo station wagon? The latest Volvo combines a strong yet economical Drive-E engine with an enormous rear loading bay. There’s plenty of space and enough room for two sets of golf clubs, a mountain bike and a Labrador. From R413 500.

Nissan Qashqai

ii The Nissan Qashqai is one of the most popular compact SUVs around and, thanks to some clever touches, offers plenty of space and gadgets to keep everyone happy. It’s one of those cars that can happily swallow a mountain bike. From R287 500.

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text: david taylor; pictures: supplied

Everyone knows that women are the more sensible sex and practicality in cars is important. Here are five super-sensible and practical vehicles.

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PROPERTY | STUFF

Hot ’n

steamy

Time to relax, says Kerry Hayes. To help you, here’s the lowdown on hot tubs and spa baths.

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ew things are as relaxing as a soak in the hot tub – complete with Shiatsu air-jet massage, streaming music and chromotherapy lighting. This form of relaxation is not a modern invention. Hot tubs were recorded as early as the times of the ancient Egyptians, with a popular example coming from 600BC, when King Phraortes of Persia ordered the creation of a hot tub from solid granite. In fact, even before this time, calderas (volcanic craters) were filled with water and hot stones as the very first hot tubs. And writings by famous historians indicate various forms of hot tubs were used across the globe, from Greece (structures built around natural hot springs) and Rome (think of the public Roman baths) to Asia and the Americas.

HOT TUB DECONSTRUCT First, let’s clarify the differences between a spa, Jacuzzi, spa bath and hot tub. The word spa usually describes any one of a variety of jetted, heated, water-filled tubs that are contoured inside. These are generally made out of acrylic or fibreglass. Jacuzzi is the name of the first company to introduce whirlpool hot tubs (or hot tubs with pulsating jets). The name Jacuzzi has consequently became synonymous and interchangeable with hot tub. A spa bath (or jetted bathtub) is a smaller version of a spa that's built in as part of your bathroom, offering the technological and relaxation benefits of a spa bath right inside your bathroom. A hot tub is often made of wood with a liner inside, and provides the jetted action, but without the contours of a spa. Mind you, the modern hot tub is taking on characteristics of all three – so we could affectionately call it a hot-tub spa.

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Hot choices for your hot tub The modern hot tub is a lot more advanced than the hot stone-filled craters of old. It can be built in or freestanding, indoors or outdoors, made from natural materials or completely synthetic and techno-fied, and with numerous options and accessories to choose from. Here are some interesting considerations: • Your tub can be colour-coded to your home, from shell and skirtings to cover. • Choose from 40 to more than 100 jets (for a superhuman massage). These can be water jets or air jets. • Want to go more eco? Get a saltwater hot tub, but remember that salt water can be hard on your piping system and takes a lot of work to maintain. • Transmit your favourite TV programme to a waterproof, temperature-resistant wireless TV attached to the hot tub cabinet. Or live-stream relaxing spa music right to your hot tub, via Bluetooth, through built-in, pop-up speakers. • Use customisable lighting to create a mood for your hot-tub experience – be it a rejuvenating green, a relaxing blue or a sexy red.

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•

At the top of the ‘cool factor list’ of your connected hot tub is having it linked to your smartphone or tablet. This allows you to access functions remotely (so you can have your hot tub ready for when you get home), and also be informed of when it needs cleaning or a service. And if your hot tub has a fragrance dispenser, then you can hit the button to have a lavender-infused, violet-lit chromotherapy escape.

Sauna, so good If a three-hour soak in a tub of hot, bubbling water isn’t your idea of relaxation, and you prefer the refinement of steam, then consider a sauna. Gym bunnies will swear by the toxin-releasing benefits of a good session in the sauna, and I must agree that a hot steam does indeed release muscle tension, relax the mind and detox the system to leave you feeling invigorated. Some benefits of a sauna include: • Flushing the body of toxins, and helping to fight illness. • Relaxing muscles and soothing aches and pains. • Relieving stress. This could be because a sauna is an isolated space that is

warm, quiet and away from any outside distractions. • Inducing better sleep. Endorphins are released in the warming-up and sweating process, so as you lie in bed, the slow decline of the endorphins leads to a relaxing state of sleep. • Reviving the skin. Sweating opens up your pores, rinses out the bacteria, and improves circulation, giving your skin a plumper, more youthful look. • Improving cardiovascular performance and burning calories. The body’s temperature rises as heat increases, causing the blood vessels near the skin to dilate, increasing cardiac output. And as for the burning of calories, sweating creates energy, derived from the conversion of fat and carbohydrates, which is a process that burns calories. A second sauna option representing the latest in technology is the infrared sauna. ‘Radiant heat is also called infrared heat or infrared energy,’ says local sauna company, SA Sauna. ‘This type of energy travels 2-3 inches deep into the body, and is thought by some to increase circulation and nourish damaged tissue.’ The infrared sauna shares many of the benefits of a steam sauna, so the choice will depend on what type of experience you want. Sauna, hot tub spa, spa bath … each has its niche place in your home, with the ultimate goal of bringing you relaxation. There are many fine local companies that can sort you out; just do your research first to see what will work best for your home and budget. And if all else fails, Google ‘spas in SA’ and enjoy a spa experience or sauna along with a Swedish massage and cup of green tea. Just don’t fall asleep on your way home! For more home and décor ideas, visit sahomeowner.co.za.

pictures: supplied

stuff | property

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2015/07/22 1:01 PM

STUFF | MONEY MAttersTTERS

Beyond the bump: how do SA companies rate? The law says women are entitled to four months’ maternity leave, but what are companies doing to support them as they make the life-changing transition to motherhood? Katherine Graham gets natal.

What women are entitled to Not all moms are given the same support as Candice was. 'Legislation stipulates that SA companies have to give female employees a minimum of four months' maternity leave,' says Sarah Cowell, national HR manager of Varsity College. 'However, whether this is paid or unpaid leave is at the discretion of the company.'

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Most women can only expect to be paid by the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which works out to about two thirds of their salary. 'Sometimes when women are paid during their maternity leave, they are required to sign a contract that ties them to the company for the amount of time that they were away on maternity leave,' says Oscar Tshifure of Plus 94 Research.

How does South Africa compare to the rest of the world? In the global arena, South Africa compares quite favourably when it comes to maternity leave. Granted, we're not as progressive as the UK, Croatia or Norway, where parents can divide up 46 weeks of maternity leave at full pay. But then again, we're not as bad as Papua New Guinea, Lesotho or the US (yes, the US), which allows women to take only 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Some progressive multinationals like Vodafone have implemented worldwide maternity policies. By the end of 2015, women working across Vodafone’s 30 operating companies will be offered at least 16 weeks' fully paid maternity leave, as well as full pay for a 30-hour week for the first six months after their return to work, says Matimba Mbungela, Vodacom’s chief HR officer.

What women want When it comes to retaining talented women balancing the demands of work and motherhood, flexibility seems to be a key motivating factor. 'Offering job shares and workfrom-home options for female staff would go a long way to help them stay in the workforce and maintain a sustainable work-life balance,' says Phillipa Geard of RecruitMyMom. 'With technological advancements and laptops, there really is very little rationale for insisting that being present equates to being productive.' But many women are 'leaning in' to their careers, despite the demands of raising children, and are up to the challenge, says Deloitte partner Anthea Scholtz. 'What companies need to consider are alternative roads for women to leadership positions and alternative work models which are better suited to the life rhythms of women.' *Not her real name

picture: freepik.com

hen 34-year-old Candice Mallory* had her first child, she was grateful her corporate employer gave her six months' paid maternity leave. She was equally pleased that there was some flexibility when she returned to work. 'Everyone is allowed flexitime at their manager’s discretion,' she explains. But other things bothered her, especially after having her second child. 'My role seemed to change every time I went back to work after maternity leave. While this was discussed with me prior to my return, I didn't really feel like I was in a position to resist it,’ Candice says. She also found that the work wasn't particularly stimulating. 'I understand that I work reduced hours, but that doesn't mean my work shouldn't be interesting,' she says. After approaching her manager, her desire for more challenging work was accommodated, much to her relief.

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business | STUFF

Oversharing isn’t caring Richard Mulholland of Missing Link takes your hand and walks you through the four steps to nail any presentation.

picture: freepik.com

ll right, so you’re on your way to that big pitch. You have every single bit of detail that you could possibly need, all loaded into just one (jam-packed) PowerPoint preso. You’re good to go! Wait, hold on a sec… Turns out the person you’re talking to may not be as interested in what you’re saying as you are. Turns out most presentations are about as exciting to audiences as looking at other people’s holiday snaps (those of you flying off on vacation today, take note). The problem for presentations and holidays is the same: overshare. Stop it. Firstly, you need to remember that when you’re talking, you’re selling, but when they’re asking, they’re buying – and buying beats selling any day of the week. So best you leave at least a third of the time for that. Those of you who fancy yourselves as preso pros (or slide masters, if you will) know this already, but do you put it into practice? Here’s the deal: rocking out your next presentation isn’t that difficult. You don’t even need to read a book about; you just need to understand the four wee steps of every presentation:

Step two: Give them a reason to believe

Step four: Tell them what they need to do

Okay, so now they’ve been given something to care about, but why should they believe that you’re the person who can help them with it? Here’s the time to blow your own trumpet a bit. Not too much, mind you. Think Goldilocks and go for ‘just right’.

This is the clincher. Every preso has an objective: to deliver a message to achieve a result. When it comes to the result being a success though, your audience gets the final vote. That’s it, really – 18 years of running a presentation company distilled down to four wee lines (makes me feel kind of worthless once all is said and done, but there you have it). Just remember, for every 10 minutes of presentation you’re delivering to a group of 10 people, an hour of attention is being paid to you. Act accordingly.

Step three: Tell them exactly what they need to know This is where you can get all nerdy. Share the knowledge, but make sure to keep it relevant. Separate the stuff you need to tell them from the stuff you want to tell them.

Step one: Give them a reason to care Before you walk up to someone and give their back a scratch, it’s usually a good idea to make sure they have an itch. That’s job number one: create the itch.

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17382

Food Allergy WHAT IS A FOOD ALLERGY? The job of the body’s immune system is to identify and destroy germs that make you sick. A food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless food protein – an allergen – as a threat and attacks it. Unlike other types of food disorders, such as intolerances, food allergies are IgE mediated. This means that your immune system produces abnormally large amounts of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies fight the ‘enemy’ food allergens by releasing histamine and other chemicals, which trigger the symptoms of an allergic reaction. SYMPTOMS An allergic reaction to food can affect the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract and, in the most serious cases, the cardiovascular system. Reactions can range from mild to severe, including a potentially life-threatening condition known as anaphylaxis. Food allergy can cause digestive problems such as stomach pain, diarrhoea and vomiting in adults, as well as in children. Food allergy is a growing, serious public health problem that affects both adults and children. Today, a wide range of foods has been reported to cause food allergies, and there has been a true rise in the prevalence of food allergies. With food allergies, knowing what to avoid will not only help you or your child feel better today, but it may also help in avoiding more serious food allergy symptoms in the future. TESTING FOR FOOD ALLERGIES There are dangers to leaving allergies untreated. Allergies may have serious implications on your quality of life, but this does not mean that they should rule your life. Many people misdiagnose themselves when it comes to allergies. This is because the symptoms often overlap with other diseases. The concern is that when these conditions are misdiagnosed, they are not treated appropriately – which is hardly ideal and could lead to unnecessary medication and incorrect treatment. This is why it’s so important to consult your doctor if you think you might have an allergy. Based on a physical examination, your case history and the blood test, the doctor will be able to make a proper diagnosis. A blood test will measure the presence of IgE antibodies in the blood to specific foods. Adults and children of any age can take a blood test and it can be performed irrespective of skin condition, medication, symptom, disease activity and pregnancy. The test results will help you and your doctor customise a treatment approach that suits you. Reducing exposure to one or more of your allergic triggers can help reduce your symptoms and your need for medication. Speak to your doctor about an allergy blood test. Treat the cause, not the symptoms. Visit http://info.thermoscientific.com/SouthAfricaAllergyReport to download your free Allergy e-book

Are the symptoms really signs of allergy? Nasal congestion/sneezing, itchy/watery eyes and nose:

65%

• of patients diagnosed as having allergic rhinitis and prescribed antihistamine may not be allergic. 1, 2 Wheezing, coughing, breathing problems:

•

60%

Dry skin, pruritus, scratching:

30%-70%

• of infants and young children with eczema have underlying allergy. 3, 6

Rule in or rule out allergy early – ask your doctor for a specific IgE blood test to increase certainty Visit www.isitallergy.co.za to complete your Allergy Profile

Reveal the secrets behind

the allergy-like symptoms A single blood test that helps you to rule in or rule out allergy References: 1. Szeinbach SL, et al. J Manag Care Pharm. 2004 May–Jun;10(3): 234–8. 2. Welsh NR, et al. J Am Pharm Assoc 2006; 46(5): 627. 3. Host A, et al. Allergy. 2003 Jul; 58(7): 559–69.4. Milgrom H. AAAAI news release. Milwaukee, WI: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; June 17, 2003. 5. Allen-Ramey F. J Am Board Fam Pract. 2005; 18(5):434–9. 6. Spergel JM. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2008; 9(4): 233–44. ThermoFisher Scientific 197 Fabriek Street Strijdom Park Randburg 2125. Tel 011 792 6790 Fax 011 793 1064 www.isitallergy.co.za www.thermoscientific.com/phadia/en-za

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of children and of adults with asthma have allergy. 3-5

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2015/02/12 11:22 AM

HEALTH | STUFF

Health secrets just for you Okay, so many of you probably already know these secrets, but for the four of you out there who’ve been living in a bunker since the turn of the millennium, here are some must-know health facts. The hype about hypertension It’s important to know your number – so if you’re under 40, check your blood pressure at least every two to three years, and thereafter every year. And if you have a history of hypertension in your immediate family, it’s best you get more regular checkups. Tip: If your blood pressure is on the high side, ask your doctor if it can be monitored for 24 hours. There may be a problem, or the high number could just be a result of momentary stress or anxiety.

text: raina julies; picture: supplied

Obe-what Ladies, it’s true: we’ve taken that ‘men love something to hold onto’ saying a bit too far. According to a study published in medical journal The Lancet, seven out of 10 South African women are overweight or obese. This puts us at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis and chronic kidney disease. Scary, but very sobering. Tip: Put down the slaptjips and pick up the dumbbells! Increase your activities, and drastically reduce your intake of unhealthy and processed foods that are high in salt, sugar and fat.

Freezing my eggs If you aren’t ready for the little bambinos just yet, ask your gynae to give you an anti-müllerian hormone test. It’ll give you an indication of the number of eggs you have, and whether or not you have the

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luxury of time on your side before you need to start buying diapers. Tip: The blood test costs less than R700. Yes, it may mean one fewer pair of Choos, but it could ensure your happy ever after.

Servicing your cervix Pap smears are essential for the detection of STIs and the early detection of pre-cancerous changes on the cervix. These changes can be easily treated, thus dramatically reducing the risk of progression to cervical cancer. It’s recommended that you have your first pap smear when you become sexually active or once you’ve turned 21, then every year until you’re 30, and every three years after that. Tip: If you find this invasive necessity rather uncomfortable, ask your doctor to use a different size speculum. Yes ladies, it’s possible.

To poop or not to poop… ’Tis best to poop, even if you’re at work or at the mall! Ignoring the need to poop

could lead to long-term bowel problems like over-straining. Tip: Carry an all-fresh can or matches with you at all times … no jokes. And some seat covers, just in case.

Tooth decay If you were prone to bad tooth decay as a child, chances are you’ll have the same problem as an adult. Stay away from food containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches), such as breads, cereals, milk, soda, fruits, cakes and chocolate. Tip: Ask your dentist to apply a fissure sealant to your teeth. The coating is applied to the biting surface and stops decay from forming on your teeth.

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column | STUFF

A bitter season to swallow Ben Trovato tries to find a way to warm the cockles of his heart, and the heart of his cockles. .

illustration: pete woodbridge

he swallows that live in the rafters of my Cape Town home have it all worked out. At the first sign of winter, they sell off their nests or rent them out to the less-fortunate, non-migratory birds and fly away to warmer climes. A few weeks ago, I watched them line up on the telephone wires, laughing and chattering about their plans for the summer. Now and then they’d look down at me with pity in their beady little eyes. August in Cape Town is not for the birds; it’s for people who’ve used up all their leave or can’t afford to go further than the next suburb. It’s for people with small children and those without passports. I grew up in Durban, a city that swelters for half the year and simmers for the rest – a sweaty, sub-tropical, pressure cooker of a city. Then I moved to Cape Town. From the east coast to the west. It was like moving to another country. Fynbos replaced banana trees. Sunrises over the sea at Umdloti became sunsets at Camps Bay. The friendly Indian Ocean became the frigid Atlantic. Vervet monkeys turned into chacma baboons. Beer drinkers turned into wine connoisseurs. And winter was never the same again. Inexplicably, there are people who love the cold. I once knew someone who would wake up to howling winds and lashing rain, leap out of bed with an appallingly cheerful, ‘What a beautiful

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day!’ and immediately open all the windows to let in what she mistakenly referred to as ‘some fresh air’. I would cower under the duvet, terrified that frostbite would claim my nose. The ruddy glow of health is not for these people. For them, hypothermic blue is the only colour to be. They’re descended from cold-blooded lizards. I’m descended from warm-blooded sloths. Then there are people who enjoy romantic walks in soft rain. I’m not one of them. There’s no such thing as soft rain. There’s only rain. Cold, wet rain that runs

down the inside of your shirt, down to your legs and into your shoes, causing them to squelch embarrassingly for the next two weeks. I suppose for someone who’s accustomed to winters in Winnipeg, Cape Town is positively balmy in August. But from where I stand, swaddled in blankets and straddling the oil heater, you’d have to be positively barmy to voluntarily spend a winter in the Mother City. Cape Town summers, on the other hand, are magnificent. If you can reach Clifton without the southeaster blowing you off the road, you’re guaranteed a gorgeous day on the beach. Every year it feels like summer will last forever. And every year, just as my body temperature soars to the point of spontaneous combustion, a cold front darkens the horizon and the penguins come out to play. In these parts, you need to have your wits about you if you hope to catch autumn. The season only lasts for about six hours. Head out at the tail end of summer for a Sunday afternoon in the winelands of Franschhoek and you’ll be lucky to make it home before the first cold front sweeps in. An Airbus can get me to Europe in 12 hours. If I leave now, I’ll still get there ahead of the lazier swallows. I want to be drinking a pint of Guinness in the sun on a bench outside the Leaping Leprechaun in Dublin when the stragglers arrive. Then we’ll see who’s laughing.

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khlassifieds Like stuff? Like buying stuff? Wanna know what stuff to buy? Then look no further than our new ads directory.

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