Essentials south africa 2014 09 by Kevin Huynh

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SEPTEMBER 2014

How to wear

THE NEW SEASON TRENDS + THE NEW COLOURS

ONLY IN ESSENTIALS

to b ecome

The New You! YOUR LIFE TODAY Why I WON’T be saying ‘I do’

How to ditch the guilt...

FOR GOOD! SARAH GRAHAM

EXCLUSIVE!

The famous foodie’s favourite recipes

‘My real guilty pleasure is singing karaoke!’ LEONIE WEEKS, 30

GORGEOUS RECIPES

Put a

SPRING in your STEP!

✓ You CAN address the mess – EASY advice to living clutter-free! ✓ Tricks of the trade: SAVE MONEY at the supermarket ✓ How to back up your digital life... TODAY!

PLUS

LOVELY CRAFTS

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Editor’s Letter EDITOR’S PHOTOGRAPH: PETER WHITFIELD. MAKEUP: LINDSAY SWART

Hello! A quick poll around the Essentials ofﬁce

You’ll love our special spring issue... and be sure to enter all our fabulous wins this month – you could be going home with a new lounge suite (p95) or be treated to a pamper session at a spa (p115)!

revealed that everyone here is wrestling some sort of guilt. One of us feels guilty about splurging on a handbag when she’s supposed to be saving for a family holiday, another feels terrible for firing off an angry email to a colleague, and someone else feels bad about fibbing to her dietician. With all the pressure we put on ourselves, it’s no wonder a whopping 96% of women find something to feel guilty about at least once a day. Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? If you, like the Essentials team, are part of that 96%, turn to p92 to try our tips on finally ditching the guilt... For good! So forget about your to-do list for a while, and curl up on the couch to enjoy the fabulous reads in this issue! I’m fascinated by Tamar Cohen’s decision to say, ‘I don’t’, and love how honest Alicia Gruffanti (p30) has been about her struggle to fall pregnant. I’ve never given much thought to my Plan B (I was hoping the writing thing would work out... so far, so good) but I’m so inspired by women like Elaine MacIsaac and Emma-Jane Harbour, who’ve taken a risk and followed their dreams. Think you’d like to do the same? We show you how on p26. As this is our spring issue, we’ve filled it with beautiful inspiration, from the fashion and makeup colours to wear now, to yummy Italian recipes that are perfect for the warmer weather. If you’d like to join the Essentials team at the Spar Women’s Race in October, now’s the time to start training – we’ve worked out an easy seven-week plan to help you get ready to run the 5km race. I hope you enjoy making our easy and inspiring crafts on p77 – yes, they really can all be done in an afternoon! And we’d love you to send us a pic of your creation if you do. Enjoy!

Kate xxx

Kate Macfarlane, Editor

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September

Contents Fashion

12 Fondant fancies This season’s prettiest pastels

18 Four ways with... One dress + one pair of trousers = so many different looks

20 Colour it in! Bright new ways to accessorise

22 What you’re wearing Proof that our readers are a stylish lot

Life 6 Essentials etc... Gorgeous buys to put a spring in your step

46 Yes, you can love running! Get started with this simple plan

Home 50 In the kitchen 102 All things bold & beautiful 106 Address the mess! Smart ways to clear your clutter

Self-service 85 When was the last time you cried with happiness? We ask the important question

87 The gadget guru We show you how to back up your digital life

Tamar Cohen is very happy with her partner – but marriage is still a no-no

88 Beat the supermarkets

26 What’s your Plan B? How easy

90 Spring clean your cash

30 ‘Yes, I NEED another baby’ Alicia’s family won’t be complete without a sibling for her much-loved son

and change the way you think How technology is taking over our lives

110 Get out there! Our pick of the

98 The hardest conversations

best travel spots for spring

It’s time for tough talking

The best in books, film and TV

REGULARS

124 ‘No, it’s not just you’ Liz Fraser

1 EDITOR’S LETTER 8 YOUR SAY 120 BLOCKWORD 121 HOROSCOPES

33 32 new ways to wear colour! Our seven-page spring beauty special will make you shine

Health 41 Stand up! Why you shouldn’t sit to be fit

44 ‘I was minutes from a heart attack’ One woman’s scary experience

Alicia won’t give up hope of having another child

91 Tips handbook 92 Generation guilt Stop fretting 96 Caught up in the web

Looks

got to do what feels right for you’

Give your finances a polish

favourite kids’ products

is annoyed with pretenders

30 ‘You’ve

Get wise to the tricks and save money

101 Kids’ essentials We share our

114 Are you sitting comfortably?

Five minutes with Leonie Weeks

Style that’s anything but neutral

11 Meet our cover star 24 Why I won’t be saying ‘I do’

is it to change careers? Meet three women who’ve done just that

11 ‘I’m trying to be an organised mom’

123 WHERE TO SHOP

SPECIAL OFFERS 95 WIN A LOUNGE SUIT FROM GRAFTON EVEREST 109 GET AN INCREDIBLE 30% DISCOUNT AT MOZAMBIQUE’S IBO LODGE 113 WIN SWANI SPA TREATMENTS 118 WIN LITTLE SPOILS JUST FOR YOU 120 WIN A GEORGINI HAMPER BY COMPLETING OUR BLOCKWORD

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When was the last time you remember crying with happiness?

WorldMags.net Plus! 12 Sweet treats

Gorgeous fashion in beautiful pastel hues

33 Living colour? Hints and tints to make you bolder and brighter this season

6zing Put the into spring Gorgeous little treats just for you

Make It Easy recipes & craft 54 Cook up an

69 Five ways with

Italian feast! new potatoes 59 Sarah Graham’s 71 Waste not, delicious cooking want not 64 Billionaire’s 73 All the flavour, shortbread none of the fuss! 65 Make food 77 Handmade that’s fun! with love Subscribe!

WOW! 24 ISSUES FOR JUST R312 See page 116 for details

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WorldMags.net Contributors

Editor Kate Macfarlane Managing Editor Kirsten Davids Art Director Tahra Holloway DESIGN Acting Art Director Carien Rooseboom Senior Designer Philemon Moagi FEATURES AND TRAVEL Features and Travel Editor Taryn Arnott FOOD AND COPY Food and Copy Editor Simone Wessels-Bloom FASHION Fashion Editor Caryn Sweidan HEALTH AND BEAUTY Beauty Editor Grace Mantjiu FEATURES AND ONLINE Features and Online Writer Stephanie Makhlouf DIGITAL Digital Editor Bronwen Watson PROMOTIONS Marketing Co-ordinator Melanie Olivier melanieo@caxton.co.za 011 889 0866 Editorial Director Essentials South Africa Frith Thomas General Manager Anton Botes Group Advertising Director Debbie McIntyre Group Creative Strategy Director Clive Vanderwagen Financial Manager Rohan French Print Group Marketing Manager Dejane Poil Production Manager Sada Reddhi Media Co-ordinator Ruwaida Pillay ADVERTISING SALES Joburg: Caxton House, 368 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park, 2196 Tel: 011 293 6000 Fax: 011 789 9636, 011 889 0923 or 011 889 0630 Durban: 19 – 21 Joyner Road, Prospecton, 4110 Tel: 031 910 5800 Fax: 031 902 8829 Cape Town: 36 Old Mill Road, N’Dabeni, Maitland, 7405 Tel: 021 530 8600 Fax: 021 531 3795

CLASSIFIEDS Shahira Griffin Tel: 011 449 1064/5 DISTRIBUTION RNA, 12 Nobel Street, Industria, 2093; P O Box 101, Maraisburg, 1700 Tel: 011 248 3512 Fax: 011 474 3583 Email: rna@RNAD.co.za SUBSCRIPTIONS Essentials, Box 725, Maraisburg, 1700; 12 Nobel Street, Industria West, 2093 Tel: 011 473 8700 Email: rna@RNAD.co.za Essentials Subscriptions Tel: 011 473 8700 PUBLISHERS Caxton Magazines a division of CTP Limited (Reg No 05/07139/06) Caxton House, 368 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park, 2196 REPRO CRD 368 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park, 2196 PRINTERS CTP Book Printers, Duminy Street, Parrow 021 930 8820/8840

ESSENTIALS UNITED KINGDOM Published by IPC Southbank a part of IPC Media, a TimeWarner Company, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1, United Kingdom. Copyright of IPC Media 2013

For editorial enquiries: 011 889 0808 Email: essentials@caxton.co.za

For all subscriber enquiries: 011 473 8700

With thanks to everyone who worked with us this month...

Justin Dingwall, Photographer

Tamar Cohen, Writer

Sarah Graham, Cookbook Author

What do you love the most about this time of year? Late afternoon strolls in the park and the longer days.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing? Probably alienating everyone I know. I get horribly grumpy if I don’t write.

When was the last time you cried with happiness? When my second daughter, Isla, was born in March this year.

Would you change anything about your partner? Nothing! I love everything about Candice… I just wish she wasn’t such a light sleeper.

When was the last time you cried with happiness? When I got a phone call saying a publisher wanted to buy my ﬁrst novel.

What do you love the most about this time of year? The magical energy that comes with the change of seasons and all the glorious fresh produce.

4 ESSENTIALS

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INTRODUCING THE KUGA.

AN SUV WITH THIS MUCH TECHNOLOGY REQUIRES AN EASIER WAY TO LOAD IT. With the all-new KUGA’s hands-free foot-activated tailgate, there’s no more fumbling around for keys. With one wave of your foot under the car, it’s ‘open sesame’.

Just one of the many smart features in the stylish, capable and tech-savvy Ford KUGA.

NEVER TAKE YOUR KEYS OUT www.ford.co.za Visit FordSouthAfrica

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JWT65645

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NEW

for you

WorldMags.net HOME INSPIRATION Cute and quirky – we’ll take two! Scatter cushion, R199, @home livingspace.

SUNNY DAZE Step into the sunshine with these gorgeous sunnies. Sunglasses, R299, Neff.

TREASURE CHEST Store your jewels in something pretty. Jewellery box, R558, Caramia-sa.co.za.

ESSENTIALS

SCENTSATIONAL This sophisticated fragrance will never go out of style! L’eau Couture by Elie Saab EDT, R575 for 30ml, Red Square.

Put the zing back into spring with these fab little treats

DRESS TO IMPRESS Get that sunny spring feeling courtesy of a pretty ﬂoral dress. Dress, R999, Lipsy.

BAGS OF BLISS A perfect hold-all you can take just about anywhere. Di & Glynni bag, R780, Sowearto.

For stockists see page 123

HIGH TEA Start your day off with an extra special cuppa. Mug, R135, In Good Company.

JEWEL DROPS Add a bit of bling with these dangling beauties. Earrings, R89, Utopia at Zando.

A TASTE OF SUMMER Celebrate the new season with tasty recipes and kitchen crafts. Sweet Paul Eat & Make by Paul Lowe, R525, In Good Company.

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FEATURE: STEPHANIE MAKHLOUF. PHOTOGRAPHS: ELMARIE KNAPTON AND SUPPLIED. PRODUCTS AND PRICES WERE CHECKED AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT. *SEE PAGE 123

etc... ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

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KEEPING

in touch

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Your say!

We want to hear your thoughts on this issue, your life and anything else you love or hate! You can get in touch by letter, email, Facebook or Twitter. My Eureka moment!

Affair regrets

I loved your amazing money feature in the August issue – I’m a ﬁnancial ostrich, too (and I have to admit that my partner isn’t Our fave much better)! But you’ve inspired me… this morning I phoned my bank to discuss our home loan and the options available to us. For once, I paid attention and I actually understood what they were talking about! Next, I’m going to tackle that drawer full of unopened bank statements. Simone

A weight off our shoulders! Thank you for It’s our easy-to-use ﬁnance special (February). It came at just the right time! A while ago, my husband and I tried to sell our house in an attempt to get rid of our debts, but we didn’t have any success. We felt down and despondent and, despite our best efforts, our situation had only become worse. We also thought we were out of options. After reading your article, I contacted the bank and asked for help with debt consolidation, and they approved an application for a re-advancement on our bond. Now, there’s light at the end of the tunnel and we don’t have to sell our home, which is a huge weight off our shoulders. Thank you Essentials for being a great magazine. I now know the reason I have been such a loyal supporter! Anonymous

You said...

ON FACEBOOK What’s the most romantic thing your partner has ever done? TERESA My boyfriend took me to Paris and proposed. We’ve been married nearly 12 years now and he’s taking me back for our anniversary next year.

Thanks for your feature, What happens after an affair ends? I know from personal experience how easy it is to be ﬂattered by attention from a colleague and fall into an affair. Five years on I still feel I’m making it up to my husband after a stupid ﬂing, which I regret every day. They may seem exciting at the time, but the price your relationship and family pay isn’t worth it. Anonymous

JOANNE Most people won’t think it romantic, but I’ve been going through a tough time recently and my husband has been so supportive and caring. That means more to me than a weekend away. MANDY Taken three weeks off work to care for me with two broken arms.

...and

ON TWITTER BOBBYP He took me to the zoo just so I could see the lions – my favourite animal!

Yum! Can I just say one thing to you? Sweet gnocchi with salted caramel dip (June). Thank you so much, Essentials! They’re my new favourite thing in the world… ever! Rosie Skinner

I helped myself Thanks so much for your new Self-Service section… how to complain, ﬁnance tips, ﬁxing all that needs tweaking – if your other readers are anything like me, they’re just the sort of things that we should get around to, but never quite do. As you say in the mag, the whole section is actually really useful! Sally P, on Facebook

Send us your feedback here… Essentials Magazine South Africa essentials@caxton.co.za

twitter.com/essentialsmagsa

essentials.co.za

Essentials, Caxton House, 368 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park, 2196, Joburg

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Go beyond Black and White WEAR YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR WITH CONFIDENCE

VERVE DP113181405

With the caring beneﬁt of ¼ moisturising cream and 48 hour protection, Dove invisible dry deodorant is tested on 100 colours*, giving you the opportunity to be your most beautiful, conﬁdent and carefree self in whichever colour you choose.

• 48 hour anti-perspirant protection • ¼ moisturising cream • Alcohol-free

Go on… Live Life In Full Colour! WorldMags.net

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MEET OUR

cover star

5 MINUTES WITH...

Leonie Weeks

Leonie, 30, lives with her husband, James, and one-year-old daughter, Indie. She’s a programme director for a children’s gymnastics company What did you want to be when you grew up? An actress. I love being the centre of attention!

What’s your guilty pleasure? Karaoke. James and I have a machine and we’ll get a bottle of wine on a Saturday night and belt some tunes out. Perfect!

What do you procrastinate over? Cleaning! If I leave it long enough then say, ‘Wow, it’s really dusty in here,’ James will sometimes reach for the cleaning products.

What’s your worst habit? Biting the skin around my nails. I do it when I’m stressed or thinking hard.

When was the last time you cried? Yesterday – but since I had Indie I cry at everything because my hormones are all over the place.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAN GOLDSMITH. STYLED BY: PAULA MOORE. FASHION ASSISTANT: CIGDEM TANRIOGLU. HAIR & MAKE-UP: LIZ KITCHINER AT TERESA FAIRMINER

What do you like most about your appearance? My smile because I think you can see the fun and happiness that I feel inside.

If you could go back in time to give the younger you advice, what would it be? Don’t worry about what boys think. That’s what I’ll tell my daughter – they know nothing!

What words or phrases do you overuse? I say ‘like’ all the time, as my dad has pointed out.

What’s next for you? I’m going to be a super-organised mom – and the ﬁrst step will be to use my diary. I’m great at writing things in it, but then I forget to check it!

What did you like most about the Essentials cover shoot? It was really girlie and it was all about me! The hair stylist coiffed me to within an inch of my life and the make-up artist made me look fab. Plus I tried on loads of clothes and everyone was really friendly.

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ESSENTIALS 11

WorldMags.net STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM Contrasting shades of pink work well together as they give your outﬁt a more grown-up look (and less girly).

STYLING TIP When belting your jacket, leave enough of a gap for a peek of what’s underneath.

Jacket, R759, Zara. Dress, R559, Zara. Belt, R99, Jo Borkett.

FONDANT FANCIES Perfectly poised in this season’s prettiest pastel hues – a parade of spring’s most gorgeous trends FASHION EDITOR: CARYN SWEIDAN PHOTOGRAPHY: JUSTIN DINGWALL

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FA S H I O N

happy

LEMON SORBET This super-feminine dress is ﬂattering on most body shapes as the Grecianstyle ruching and gathering adds loads of structure. Dress, R1 399, Topshop. Earrings, R229, together with a necklace set, Metallic Mermaid. Heels, R149,99, Mr Price.

STYLING TIP Don’t overshadow a perfectly pretty dress with last season’s gladiator shoes. Choose a more delicate style.

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WorldMags.net GORGEOUS GREEN If matching prints aren’t for you, try wearing a matching suit. We love this fun one with its gently scalloped edges. Jacket, R1 105, Topshop. Skirt, R599, Topshop. Top, R450, Cath.Nic. Clutch, R599, Tessa Design. Heels, R659, Zara.

STYLING TIP For spring it’s ﬁne to match your bag and shoes, especially with a neutral shade.

14 ESSENTIALS

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FA S H I O N

happy

LOVELY IN LILAC Lilac is pretty, but powerful. If frills and fuss aren’t your thing, a subtle peplum will always ﬂatter – and the lilac shade on this one is pretty, but powerful, too. Dress, R799, Ronald Sassoon. Necklace, R159, Metallic Mermaid. Heels, R1 199, Aldo.

STYLING TIP Select just one statement accessory to wear at a time.

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ESSENTIALS 15

WorldMags.net BABY BLUE Create a classic ’50s silhouette by teaming a boxy top with a straight pencil skirt. Top, R89,99, Mr Price. Skirt, R559, Zara. Necklace, R198, Metallic Mermaid. Bag, R559, Zara. Heels, R599, Woolworths.

STYLING TIP Layer different textures together, such as faux leather and cut-out fabrics, to add richness and elegance to your outﬁt.

16 ESSENTIALS

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FA S H I O N

happy

PRETTY IN PINK

White should be your default setting when wearing pastels, as dark colours can be overpowering. Anneri wears Knit, R799, Topshop. Skirt, R559, Zara. Clutch, R499, Jo Borkett. Heels, R1 199, Nine West.

PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: EBEN DU PLESIS. MODEL: ANNERI CONRADIE. HAIR & MAKE-UP: RENATE WILLEMS. PRODUCTS AND PRICES WERE CHECKED AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT. *SEE PAGE 123

Holly wears Dress, R129,99, Mr Price. Pumps, R65, Mr Price.

For stockists see page 123

STYLING TIP Don’t wait for summer! Wear a pretty skirt with a beautiful knit and you’re ready for spring.

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ESSENTIALS 17

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Four ways with... THE FIT & FLARE DRESS Minimal sleek

Pastel & pretty

Earrings, R120, Zuri. Jacket, R999, Queenspark.

Cardigan, R449, Outﬁtters Nation at Zando.

Bag, R350, Woolworths.

Dress, R1 020, Rubicon.

Heels, R350, Woolworths.

Bracelet, R79, Utopia at Zando. Heels, R479, Step Ahead.

Bag, R799, Mimco.

Boy meets girl

Rock chic

Necklace, R299, Accessorize. Brogues, R399, Madison. Jacket, R699,95, Stylemology.

Shirt, R399, Levi’s at Zando.

Heels, R899, Jessica Simpson at Edgars. Necklace, R190, Zuri.

18 ESSENTIALS

Denim jacket, R199,99, Mr Price.

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Clutch, R450, Studio W at Woolworths.

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FA S H I O N

essentials

These fashion staples are real wardrobe heroes, as they go with almost anything you can throw at them. So, whatever the occasion, day or night, embrace the new season with our clever buys

THE COLOUR POP TROUSERS Boho

Graphic Bangle set, R140, Zuri.

Shoes, R899, Green Cross. Scarf, R199, Jo Borkett.

Top, R299,95, Edgars.

Pants, R329, Mint at Zando. Bag, R899, Gia by Queue.

Courts, R899, Green Cross. Sling bag, R359, Zoom. Top, R499, Polo.

For stockists see page 123

FEATURE: CARYN SWEIDAN. PHOTOGRAPHER: HEMA PATEL. PRODUCTS AND PRICES WERE CHECKED AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT. *SEE PAGE 123

Lady-like

Tribal

Heels, R449, Step Ahead.

Necklace, R290, Zuri.

Tunic, R799, Capital M at Zando.

Top, R299, G Couture.

Bag, R399, Queue.

Bag, R899, Accessorize. Wedges, R299, Utopia at Zando.

Jacket, R650, Queenspark.

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ESSENTIALS 19

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Colour it in! Relive your childhood by stepping out in Crayola-bright shades this spring

Bag, R259, Metallic Mermaid.

Wedges, R1 199, Nine West.

Bag, R899, Nine West.

STYLE TIP A colour pop is all you need to update a monochrome look – and don’t be afraid to mix with prints.

STYLE TIP

Pumps, R99,95, Edgars.

STYLE TIP

20 ESSENTIALS

Bold colours are perfect for that day-to-night look. They’ll work with a jeans-and-T-shirt Stack heels, R350, combo, as well as your Woolworths. WorldMags.net favourite LBD!

FEATURE: CARYN SWEIDAN. PHOTOGRAPHY: HEMA PATEL

Bright sandals call for brightly polished toes – clash, not match!

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GIVE THEM THE LIFT THEY NEED

NUTRITION SUPPORT

IMMUNITY

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

EYE HEALTH HEALTHY TEETH & BONES

HELP CHILDREN TO LIVE HEALTHY, COLOURFUL LITTLE LIVES Centrum® Kids is a scientifically balanced formula of vitamins and minerals, specifically designed to help support the health and well-being of children from 4 years of age. A great tasting, chewable citrus-berry flavoured multivitamin with a unique blend of key nutrients to help support the growth and development of your child. Help to give them the support they need to live their colourful little lives at 100%. Find out more about Centrum® Kids, complete from A to Zinc support for your kids at www.centrum.co.za

Centrum®, the world’s most clinically studied multivitamin¹ Marketed by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. Applicant: Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, Co. Reg. No.: 1954/000781/07. 85 Bute Lane, Sandton, 2196, South Africa. Tel: 0860 Pfizer (734 937). A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. This product should not be used as a substitute for a balanced diet. For a list of ingredients, refer to product labelling. CEN594 References: Data on file. ID no. 3998.

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WHAT YOU’RE WEARING

★TRY THE

TRIBAL TREND KELLY MELONI, 27 ‘This dress is one of my best buys ever! It’s a Nina Jarebrink dress, a brand that’s usually too pricy to ﬁt into my budget. I bought it at a sale for only R100 – a real bargain! It has a tribal feel to it, which I love, and is right on trend. I wear it with simple black ﬂats and loads of accessories to complete the look.’

If you want a new look for spring, our stylish readers will inspire you...

★PALE & PRETTY TARYN VAN JAARSVELD, 27 ‘I love this jacket because it combines three of my favourite trends: it’s a gorgeous pastel pink shade, it’s a ﬂattering box cut and, best of all, it’s oh-so vintage! It adds a touch of elegance to any outﬁt with very little effort. I paired it with my favourite grey skinnies, a plain white top and comfy pink pumps. It’s so simple and chic!’

Tribal skirt, R319, Rage.

★POP OF LINDA MALI, 29 ‘With spring just around the corner, I’m brightening my mood with vibrant colours that really pop. I love the lemony shade of my blazer – it always brightens my day. I ‘borrowed’ the pleated skirt from my mother’s cupboard. Pleats are making a big comeback this season, and the bold colour makes it more contemporary’.

Jacket, R499,95, Stylemology.

★COMFY WEDGES CHANTEL ALEXIO, 28 ‘I’m most comfortable when I’m wearing jeans – they’re just so easy to throw on, and go with everything. When I wear mine with a plain white tee, I dress them up by adding a leather jacket and heels. On weekends I swap my heels for easy-to-wear, comfy wedges to create a more relaxed off-duty look.’

Skirt, R449, Michelle Ludek at Zando.

What’s your style?

Wedges, R399, Queue.

22 ESSENTIALS

If you have an outﬁt you’d like to show off, or that of a friend, we’d love to hear from you. Just email a recent pic to: caryns@caxton.co.za.

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FOR STOCKISTS SEE PAGE 123 FEATURE: CARYN SWEIDAN. PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREA CALDWELL & PETER WHITFIELD. PRODUCTS AND PRICES WERE CHECKED AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT. *SEE PAGE 123

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Why I won’t be Tamar Cohen, 50, doesn’t suit white, hates having her photo taken, and her kids couldn’t care less if their parents are married or not. Here’s why she won’t be walking down the aisle any time soon…

ast year, two of my close friends booked their weddings for the same day. Neither could – or would – change the date, so the weddings went ahead regardless. The fallout from that has been truly epic with the brides, once best friends, not talking to each other for a year. For me it just reinforces what I’ve always known: weddings can seriously damage your health. I’ve been with my partner, Michael, for 23 years, during which time we’ve shared everything from childcare to vomiting bugs – everything, that is, except a wedding. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with marriage, it’s just weddings I can’t be bothered with. And not all weddings – just my own. I have a theory that there’s a ‘wedding gene’. And, just like the ability to roll your tongue, some people have it and some don’t. Those genetically predisposed to weddings start planning the big day from the womb. But for the rest of us, it’s incomprehensible. ‘Ah, but what about the romance,’ people say. To me, sitting on a beach watching the sunset – that’s romantic; spending months trailing around bridal shows and arguing about ﬂoral centrepieces – not so much. More and more women feel the way I do: A recent survey found that only a quarter of the couples questioned who move in together see it as a step towards marriage, and marriage rates

have decreased by nearly 30% since 2001. Even so, around 42% of marriages now end up in divorce. Perhaps my antipathy towards all things nuptial has something to do with my own parents’ wedding, which, flicking through their wedding album as a teenager, always struck me as rather underwhelming. They were married on a dull morning in court. There’s a photograph that shows the bride wearing a beige skirt and matching jacket with a hat. The groom wore a brown suit. The guests wore smart jackets and fixed smiles. There was a finger buffet afterwards and everyone was back at work the next morning. ‘Well, really,’ thought the scornful teenage me, ‘what’s the point?’ That’s certainly also the view of 41-year-old mother-of-two, Sian Johnson. She says, ‘I’ve lived with my partner, Tim, for 10 years. The choice he and I have made in each other and our determination to be a family is testament enough for us. A marriage ceremony has no more power to keep us together than the decision we both made 10 years ago.’ Despite my mother’s low-key wedding, she was horrified when I announced I was pregnant just weeks after introducing Michael to the family. She worried that being an unmarried mother would stigmatise not only me, but my future progeny, too.

Fast forward a decade or two and, if any of my children – Otis, 21, Jake, 19, or Billie, 17 – had expressed the slightest desire to be legitimate in the eyes of the law, my reservations would have been cast aside quicker than you can say ‘I do’. Funnily enough, their thoughts on the subject were more mercenary. The conversation with Jake went like this: Him: Would we get presents if you got married? Me: No, just us. Him: Would we get to go on a great holiday afterwards? Me: No, just us. Him: What’s for dinner?

RATHER YOU THAN ME!

‘More and more women feel as I do’

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THE WAY WE LIVE

today

saying ‘I do’ And, far from feeling stigmatised, my oldest son Otis was positively gleeful when he first discovered at primary school that there was a label for children born out of wedlock. ‘Mom!’ he shouted, gleefully, across the playground. ‘I’m a BASTARD!’ Like me, mom-of-two Dawn Williams, 44, never felt she had to marry for her children’s sake. ‘I’ve been with my other half for 18 years,’ she says. ‘He did ask me to marry him, but I couldn’t see the point. We’re happy as we are. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ At first my partner, Michael, would

talk about getting married in the same way he’d talk about setting up a pension or buying decent garden furniture – it was something he assumed we’d do one day, but years have passed and he hasn’t felt strongly enough to push for one. Now, having just hit 50, I’m in the midst of a second swathe of nuptials – second marriages or couples like us in long-term relationships who are ﬁnally getting hitched, often for practical reasons like pensions or tax – and it looks like we’ll sit this wave out, too. But perhaps we should never say

SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING, R130 FROM KALAHARI.COM, BY TAMAR COHEN IS PUBLISHED BY TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS (RANDOM HOUSE). PHOTOGRAPHY: CORBIS – POSED BY MODELS. *SURVEY BY THE CO-OPERATIVE LEGALSERVICES

‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’

never. Linda Cockburn, 47, was with her partner, Andy, for seven years before they decided to get married, a change of heart that was prompted by the death of their fathers. ‘It made us think of love and family in a new way, so making a statement about our feelings suddenly seemed important, and we were excited to have some happy news to share.’ And weddings can be lovely, making the sort of memories that stay with you forever – tears, laughter, people coming together. Oh, I do love a good wedding. Just as long as it’s someone else’s.

‘I DO’, THEN AND NOW THEN Forty years ago, the average age of a bride was 23. NOW Most of us won’t walk up the aisle for the first time until we hit 30.

THEN Around 11% of children were born out of wedlock in the ’70s. NOW Almost half of all children today, 47%, are born to unmarried parents. THEN In the ’70s, brides would put aside R1 000 for their wedding.

NOW The cost of a wedding today? R70 000! Not to mention those that go up to R1 500 per guest... WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Is the way we do things today better? Email us at essentials@caxton.co.za.

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WorldMags.net ‘I’d always loved being a dental assistant… but my dream job? Working with flowers’

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THE WAY WE LIVE

today

What’s your Plan B?

These days, few jobs are ‘for life’, but whether you’ve an alternative plan tucked up your sleeve for a rainy day or a new direction is something you’re actively planning, it’s a wise woman who’s future-prooﬁng her career…

‘I needed a job that I could combine with a family’ Elaine MacIsaac, 31, lives with her partner, Andrew, and their children, Katie, six, and Murray, four.

PLAN A Dental Assistant PLAN B Florist I didn’t even think I’d need a Plan B until my life changed overnight after the birth of my first child. I’d always loved working as a dental assistant but, when I became a mother, my priorities changed. Two months into my maternity leave, I realised I didn’t want to work full time any more. What’s more, I wanted to be in charge of my own hours so I could fit them around my daughter. Like so many women, I wanted to be an active part of my daughter’s life, but to earn money and enjoy the challenges of working. It was clear I needed a Plan B. And fast. I floundered at first, because I’d never considered an alternative career. I spent weeks desperately investigating options, from counselling to holistic therapy, but there was no obvious solution. Then, one evening, when Katie ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

was tucked up in bed, my husband asked me point blank what my dream job would be. Without even thinking, I told him I’d love to work with flowers… then I burst out laughing! Suddenly, it seemed so simple, yet at the same time, so naïve. I’d never thought about floristry before, but I’d certainly spent a lot of time browsing flower shops – being surrounded by freshly cut, scented blooms always made me happy. My gut instinct was that passion for my new career would prove more important than basic knowledge – and, in time, I was proved right. The truth is, if you’re going to be working all hours establishing a new career, it HAS to be something you really care about – because when times are tough, your enthusiasm for the project is the only thing that keeps you going. I knew I was in for the long-haul – I’d have to research, retrain and set up a business while working part time at the dentist. I couldn’t afford to give up work while I waited for my new career to take off. Still, I underestimated just how much time and hard work would be required. Early on, I’d had a vision of arranging flowers at the kitchen table while my children played at my feet.

Now that was naïve! I had no idea how demanding raising a family would be, especially when Murray was born and my kid-commitment doubled instantly! I had no choice but to work my business around my family and my other job, spending evenings and weekends buying flowers, arranging bouquets and organising budgets and accounts. Still, in my first year, I arranged more than 20 weddings. Yes, it was exhausting, but – wow! – so exciting to see a project through to fruition! I’m so glad I hung in there through the tough times when I was working 12-hour days and sleeping fewer than six hours a night. Now, four years after I had my light-bulb moment, I finally feel in control of my life. I was able to give up part-time work earlier this year and now juggle floristry with picking the kids up from school and making dinner. Just as I‘ve always wanted. I’m amazed by the fulfilment I derive from having my own business. I used to feel like a mom, desperately battling to get by, but now I feel like the world’s my oyster, that I’m a woman making a difference. My Plan B has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.

‘It has to be something you really care about’

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today

‘I’d really love to pursue a career in event planning’

‘I’ve turned my hobby into a full-time job’

Zandile Skosana, 30, lives in Midrand with her husband, Pat, and children, Mbali, 11, Nkosana, six, and Nkosinathi, two.

Emma-Jane Harbour, 26, lives in Parkhurst with her husband, Dylan.

PLAN A Insurance administration PLAN B Event planner I’ve enjoyed a good, steady 8 – 5 job in insurance for five years. But my passion has always been in events planning so I run my company, Decor Parlour, in my free time. When I started out, I mostly hosted kids birthday parties, but soon I was putting together baby showers and christenings, too. Event planning is my Plan B, and it has been a long time in the making. I’d love to do it full time eventually but, for now, it’s a long-term plan. I have an IT qualification and I’m also studying towards an LLB, so I suppose law is Plan C for one day! I’ve always enjoyed my job because there’s never any after-hours work, which has allowed me to run my events business on the side. Even though my job has given me a sense of security, I’m often bored at work, so I’ve decided to take the leap and expand Decor Parlour into weddings and other events. I’m so excited to do it full time one day but, at the moment, I’m juggling both jobs. It’s tricky balancing being a good mom, wife, student and business woman! But, with good planning and plenty of to-do lists, everything fits into place. When everyone is in bed at night, I do all my business admin. My family helps with everything – my husband plays driver, my in-laws help with the heavy lifting and, when I have events, my kids help with party packs. Despite our busy lives, we always make time for family holidays, picnics or just being together. And I hope that by next year, I’ll have my new career in full swing. 28 ESSENTIALS

PLAN A Art director PLAN B Wedding photographer Throughout my years at school, I had a solid goal and career plan. All I ever wanted to do was be an art director in an advertising agency – I was determined to make it happen. I studied graphic design, and was offered a position at a great agency straight out of varsity. But once I’d settled in my new role, it wasn’t quite what I expected and I realised I didn’t want to spend my days making ads for banks and fast-food chains! Dylan, who was working as a programmer at the time, was also unhappy in his job and wanted to try something new. We wanted to work together, and have the freedom that running our own business would give us. When we had ﬁrst started dating, we shared a love of photography and taught ourselves how to take spectacular photos. We decided to

focus on our photography skills, in the hopes that we could turn our hobby into a career one day. We learnt a lot, invested in equipment and had so much fun going on photo-taking adventures. In between our full-time jobs, we offered our services as parttime wedding and corporate photographers. Eventually, we set up a website, and the jobs starting rolling in. I can’t quite remember the exact moment when I decided that my Plan B was actually my new Plan A but, after two years, I knew it was time to dedicate myself to the business, Hello Harbour, full time. Dylan and I quit our jobs and haven’t looked back since! We love working together – we’re equal partners and always share the workload. We’re very lucky that we can work together all day without driving each other mad! We often work long hours, and it’s hard work, but I don’t think I could ever join the corporate world again. Once you’ve had a taste of your dream job, and running your own business, you just can’t go back. I love every moment of my new job, from replying to emails, to editing pictures and, of course, taking them. But I’ve learnt to prioritise pressing matters and know that some things can wait... and sometime you can take a night off to watch a movie or have friends over. Our next big step is to travel down to Cape Town and work as photographers for one or two wedding seasons down there. It will be a new challenge for us, and who knows where that will take us!

FINDING YOUR PLAN B Careers expert Corinne Mills set up her career management company while working for a charity. Here’s her advice: Stay in your current job while you find out if you could make a living out of your business idea. Is there a market for it? How much time will it take? Make sure your Plan B fits your life. If you might move, choose a portable business (set up an online shop, become an online tutor). If you want work to fit around the kids, research industries that offer part-time or flexible hours. Use your spare time: call organisations and ask if you can spend a day or week shadowing someone in your ideal position. Sign up for evening courses. Don’t take a gamble. Do all the groundwork necessary so you can move seamlessly from one career to another, without a loss of income.

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FEATURE: TAMAR COHEN AND TARYN ARNOTT. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK; SUPPLIED

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‘Yes, I NEED another baby’ Some people ask when she’s having a second, while others tell her to be happy with what she’s got. But while Alicia Gruffanti, 43, loves her four-year-old son very much, she’s desperate for another child

s long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted two children. Perhaps it’s because I did everything with my sister when I was young. Though there were five of us altogether, with just 13 months between us, Anthea and I were inseparable. Maybe coming from a large family has meant that, for me, having one child feels incomplete. So when I was diagnosed with ‘unexplained secondary infertility’, I found it very difficult to accept, and have been trying to have a second child ever since. Statistics show that secondary infertility is actually more common than not being able to conceive in the first place. Predictably, it’s more likely to affect older women, as our fertility rates

fall as we age. At ﬁrst, my doctors said I was just unlucky. But now that I’m 43, they blame it on my age. I was 37 when I became pregnant with my son, Milo, after just two months of trying. Michael and I had just gotten married and were delighted by how quickly it happened. Despite the exhaustion that comes with having a baby, we were so excited about having another that we began trying before Milo had even turned one. Within months, I was pregnant, but miscarried at six weeks. It was obviously very upsetting, but I thought it was a normal part of trying for a baby, so we decided we’d just try again. But then I had an ectopic pregnancy, followed by two years with no pregnancies, but ﬁlled with every kind of test on offer.

‘Weary – and desperate – we turned to IVF’

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When Milo was three, I fell pregnant again, but lost the baby at 16 weeks due to a rare chromosomal abnormality called Trisomy 18. Another miscarriage followed, then several months taking stimulation drugs. Weary – and desperate – we turned to IVF. In the past few years, my emotions have oscillated between frustration and depression, but I’ve never, not even for a moment, considered giving up – not least because a sibling would make my son so happy. When we lived next door to a family with three children, he’d jump up any time he heard them to see if they wanted to play. Every time he came home from their house he’d implore me, ‘Why can’t I have brothers and sisters, too?’ I felt I was failing to provide him with something he really needed. My Trisomy 18 pregnancy ended ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

WorldMags.net with me having to give birth to a stillborn child. As I lay in the same birthing room where I’d had Milo, crying while my husband held my hand, I promised myself we’d be back one day, but next time we would be celebrating, not mourning. When our ﬁrst round of IVF didn’t work, we decided to try a fertility clinic. The treatments are expensive, but I was ready to give anything to try. The problem is, we live a few hundred kilometers from the clinic, so I had to leave my husband and son in order to undergo treatment. The decision to go ahead, given that it meant being apart from my son, aroused conﬂicting emotions: By trying to have another child I was missing out on time with the son I already had. But it seemed better for me to do this on my own, rather than uproot Milo from his familiar surroundings and routine. I spent almost two months away from home, as the clinic insists on monitoring their patients daily to give them the best chance of conceiving. Milo often asked me to come home, bringing ‘the babies’ (he wants three) with me. But, for the most part, he and his father have had a great time – it’s me who’s found it hard. Despite weekend visits and daily video chats, there were days when I longed to

smell my son’s hair, to hold his comforting little body in my arms… I couldn’t love my little boy more. Secondary infertility is a complicated issue, and one that arouses strong feelings. Time and again, I’ve found myself defending my reasons for trying to have a second child. The irony is that, when my son turned one, everyone started asking me when (not if) I was having a sibling for him. No one knew we’d already lost a pregnancy. What’s so extraordinary to me is that, the second you explain that you’re having trouble, people change tack and, rather than offering support, they expect you simply to accept your fate. Many times I’ve been asked if all the pain and loss we’ve been through is really worth it. Countless friends and acquaintances have asked why I can’t just ‘move on’. But these are usually questions from women whose families are already complete, or who don’t want more than one child – that is, women who’ve never been in my shoes, who’ve got exactly what they always wanted. This path isn’t one I chose lightly; there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t ask myself whether this is really right for us, but I always come back to a resounding ‘yes’ – and you’ve got to do what you feel is right for you.

FEATURE: ANTHEA ANKA & ALICIA GRUFFANTI. PHOTOGRAPHY: EDWRIGHTIMAGES.COM

‘We may have to give up on our dreams’

TA L K I N G

point

Alicia and Michael hope for a second child, for Milo’s sake.

When we started IVF, I felt I could cope with three rounds – which leaves one more if this one fails. And, if I’m honest, I can’t see myself having another baby beyond the age of 45 – the age gap between Milo and his new sibling would be too large for there to be the tight bond between them that we have always hoped for. So there may come a time when we will have to give up on our dreams. The very idea breaks my heart, but Michael and I are incredibly protective of our family and there’s no way we’d risk the bond between the three of us. I don’t regret any decisions we’ve made so far – and who knows, we may yet be grateful for them. We’ll never know if we don’t try…

MAKING BABIES – THE STATS

11% of couples have trouble conceiving a second time.

is the age when female fertility decreases rapidly.

15% 1/4 35% of couples will take more than a year to become pregnant.

find it takes longer than they expected to get the family they want.

diagnosed with secondary infertility will conceive naturally within two years.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Can you understand Alicia’s desire to have another child? Email us at essentials@caxton.co.za.

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Good health is all about maintaining your pH balances, from head to toe, moment by moment

Multiforce Alkaline Powder Did you know?

acidity leads to thinner bones and lower muscle mass. This puts us at greater risk of developing many lifestyle-related diseases, including osteoporosis. Osteoporosis may provide the strongest evidence in support of maintaining an acid-alkaline balance. The modern Westernised diet provides more calcium-rich dairy foods than ever before yet osteoporosis is on the increase. Why?

Dry skin, dandruff, heartburn, a burning bladder, gout, stiff, sore joints or just a general feeling of constantly being a bit under the weather can be signs of a lifestyle that creates too much acid in your body?

ack in school we learned about pH and how acids had low numbers, alkalines had high numbers and the middle, or neutral pH was 7. Most of us couldn’t see how it was relevant in day to day life, yet it is. Our internal pH levels are critically important to our long term health and all our body ﬂuids need to maintain a different pH balance, i.e. saliva is neutral, while gastric juices are acid. Our typical Western diet is too low in fruits and vegetables and too high in animal products that generate acid-forming chemicals in our body. While the body has a sophisticated buffering system to protect it from an overload of acid, long term excess dietary

Dairy may be rich in calcium, but most dairy foods also produce an acid yield. When acid-yielding foods lower the body’s pH, the kidneys coordinate efforts to buffer that acidity. Bones release calcium and magnesium to reestablish alkalinity, and muscles are broken down to produce ammonia, which is strongly alkaline. Over time, calcium and magnesium losses can equate to deﬁciencies, with many implications. Both minerals play essential roles in bone formation and normal heart rhythm. Low magnesium levels can cause muscle cramps, arrhythmias, and anxiety. Fruits and vegetables are rich in calcium and magnesium as well as potassium salts, a natural buffer and a mineral that helps protect against hypertension and stroke. Eating too few of these foods deprives us of potassium, a mineral that protects against hypertension and stroke.

pineapples that may seem acidic to our taste buds are actually alkaline-yielding in the body. In addition to upping your fruit and vegetable intake, you can support the organs responsible for correcting your body’s pH (the kidneys, lungs, skin and colon) with lots of water and a

daily dose of A.Vogel Multiforce Alkaline Powder. This multimineral dietary supplement containing magnesium, potassium and calcium is clinically proven to increase urinary pH. A higher (more alkaline) urinary pH indicates a more alkaline body pH, i.e. less acidity in the body.

Very AcidYielding Foods

AcidYielding Foods

AlkalineYielding Foods

Alcohol Sodas Coffee Ice cream Jams Sugar

Biscuits Butter Blueberries Canned fruits Cashews Corn Crackers Cheese Cranberries Currants Doughnuts Fish Meat Milk Poultry Processed fruit juices Pasta Pastries Peanuts Pistachios White bread White rice Yoghurt

Asparagus Avocado Beets Broccoli Brown rice Cabbage Cauliﬂower Carrots Celery Cucumber Garlic Grapefruit Green beans Lemon Lettuce Lime Mango Melon Oats Papaya Pears Pineapple Onion Tomato

Very AlkalineYielding Foods Spinach Almonds Buckwheat Cumin seeds Flax Lentils Water (with a pH of 7 or more) Pumpkin seeds Raisins Sesame seeds Sprouts Sunﬂower seeds Watermelon

So the problem is one of alkaline-deﬁciency rather than too much acid. The solution, according to scientists who have researched ‘chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis,’ is eating a diet that yields more alkaline and less acid, in other words one that’s high in alkalineyielding fruits and vegetables. We say alkaline-yielding because fruits like oranges, lemons and

www.avogel.co.za www.facebook.com/AVogelZA

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Available from Pharmacies and Health Shops Tel: 031 783 8000 / www.sanp.co.za

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BEAUTY

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32 NEW WAYS TO WEAR

COLOUR!

Been wearing the same colours for what feels like forever? Then put down those old favourites and try something new this spring. From lips and eyes to your nails, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll show you how to use colour to look and feel great! ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

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ALL ABOUT EYES

t Diffuse briitghha colours w ite matte wh on eyeshadow o top to tick tw ! trends in one

We all tend to feel safe with neutral eyeshadow shades, but it’s time to embrace colour with this season’s navy blue hues and watercolour pastels. Yes, they’ll suit you (and, no, you won’t look too ’80s). Promise!

Find your perfect match Not sure what to wear? Take your lead from your own natural eye colour. Kristin Piggott, Rimmel London’s global make-up artist, reveals the colours you should choose to enhance them.

YOUR ESSENTIAL EYE PALETTE…

BLUE EYES Navy, copper, terracotta and peach. GREEN EYES Khaki, violet, lavender and pink. HAZEL EYES Baby blue, purple, amber and bronze. BROWN EYES Purple, green, yellow and teal.

The dos & don’ts DO look for metallic ﬁnishes – they make wearing colour that much easier. DO keep brightly coloured eyeliner to your top lids only – it’s more modern and fresh. DO try coloured mascaras – aubergines and purples enhance the natural eye colour, while blue makes the whites look brighter. Win, win! DON’T go smoky if you’re wearing pastels – it’s prettier to go for a wash of colour over the entire eye. DON’T be afraid to go colourful on eyes and lips – peachy gold lipsticks and glosses work with almost every eyeshadow. DON’T ditch the black eyeliner – it’ll help anchor the colour to your eye and take your look from day to night. 34 ESSENTIALS

Revlon 16 Hour ColorStay Eyeshadow Quad in Exotic, R185 – wear the yellow just in the inner corners.

Justine Skin Perfection Mineral Eyeshadow Quad R69,95, brings together the season’s pretty pastel shades.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick, R89,95, gives you a luminous ﬁnish – and so easy to apply! Smashbox Always Sharp 3D Liner in Neptune, R230, has its own sharpener, so perfect for precision applications.

Inglot AMC Gel EyeLiner in 88, R169, glides on easily and won’t crease.

MAC False Lashes in Plum Reserve (left), Blue Charge and Artiﬁcial Aubergine, R215 each, are full of coloured pigments that will enhance your eyes.

THE ONE LOOK YOU SHOULD TRY! Finally, a trend we can all wear! Navy will leave you looking bright-eyed and wide-awake

1 First, apply a cream shadow over your entire lid as a base. Use your ﬁnger or a brush to blend in.

2 Use a soft brush to apply a navy powder eyeshadow, working it into the sockets and underneath your lower lashline.

3 With a kohl pencil, draw a line along the top of your lids and under your lower lashes. Angle the pencil so it hits your lower lashes, too.

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4 Highlight the area under your browbone with a pure white shadow (not sparkly) to intensify the look. Finish off with lashings of black mascara.

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Eyelash updateâ&#x20AC;Ś

With a smoky eye, make sure you apply your mascara from root to tip to really make your look stand out. Start with your bottom lashes and then look up and wiggle your mascara through your upper lashes in a zig-zag motion to cover every lash in product.

Click

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Go to our websi te for more make-up trends.

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Try Iman lipstick in Flirtatious, R168, which has blue tones and is perfect for fair and pale skintones.

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BEAUTY

THE BOLD LIP It’s the classic beauty look that women of any age can wear. What’s more, a sexy bright lippie will make your lips look fuller and add instant definition to your face… 1

Which shades suit my skintone?

essentials

es Blur the edgt of brigh a lipstick withto cotton bud soft make themtle and sub .

THE COLOURS WE’RE RAVING ABOUT!

International make-up artist Nancy Sumner told us: ‘If you have fair skin or suffer from redness, use a lipstick that has a blue undertone. ‘However, if you have skin with yellowy undertones, or olive or dark skin, choose a red lipstick that has more orange undertones to perk up your complexion.’

1 THE NEW BRIGHT L’Oréal Colour Riche L’Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in Tangerine Sonate, R169,95, is one of our favourite shades and can be blotted between applications for a subtle ﬁnish.

2 THE CLEVER LIP-PLUMPER

The secret to making lips look fuller

The two-tone lip uses two colours, one in the centre of your mouth and the other colour on the outer corners of your mouth. Sound bizarre? Yes, but it works! ‘To make this wearable, try using two lip colours in the same tone, but in slightly different shades. Use a light pink in the centre of your mouth, then blend a darker colour into the outer corners – the lighter colour will act almost like a highlight, making your lips look fuller,’ says Nancy. Still unsure what colour to pick? Then apply several swipes of lipstick on your der lips and smile. The colour Dust powo y ur d n u ro a that makes your teeth lips before appear whiter is the one your applying st op to you should go for. lippie .

3 THE WEARABLE MATTE Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Striking Spectaculaire, R120, became our make-up bag staple the very day we saw it! It gives you classic Hollywood red lips with a striking matte ﬁnish that’s neither drying nor cakey.

4 THE EVERYDAY SHADE Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant in Tropical Pink, R255, is perfect for the colour-shy. It may look bright, but it goes on sheer and can be layered for a more vibrant colour.

5 THE PASTEL PINK

it feathering

The last few years have seen the return of bold brights, but this year they’re a lot more wearable; the new wave of orange and pink shades have a richer finish, so they blend better against the skin. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

Bobbi Brown Light Catching Lipstick in Pink Apricot Shimmer, R310, is a new 3D-effect lipstick that combines light-reﬂective pearls and colour to make your lips shine.

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Avon Color Trend Lipstick in Pink Holiday, R55,99, glides onto your lips leaving a creamy wash of peachy pink that’s ﬂattering against all skintones. Another one that’s staying put in our make-up bags!

6 THE SUITS-ALL PINK Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Sweet Pink, R210. A dusky rose shade that looks good on all skintones. It’s superhydrating, yet rich and creamy – everything a lipstick should be.

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BEAUTY

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HELLO NAILS! The nail polishes on the Essentials beauty desk take inspiration from the clothes seen on the international catwalks. These are the ones that caught our eye…

Last year’s colours you should recycle for spring!

The season’s hottest colour? Pink! We love this multitonal look that combines a bright and pale pink (from Jessica Nails) and looks both stylish and grown-up.

Stop! Don’t throw your old polishes away – these colours are still hot, hot, hot! WHITE Still looks fantastic on both ﬁngers and toes, or as a base coat for pastel shades – it’ll make them look much brighter. BLACK Don’t save dark colours for winter. Black nails were seen at lots of the fashion shows and look super-smart with a white top and dark denim for spring. RED Keep your pillar-box red handy, but use a matte topcoat for a fresh new look. GOLD GLITTER Sparkle doesn’t have to be seasonal. Glitter tips against a nude base work for everything from fancy weddings to relaxed holidays.

BEAUTY EDITOR’S NAIL POLISH CHART

Mac Nail Lacquer in Morange, R130. Unlike some candycoloured polishes, this shade looks fab on ﬁngers. 38 ESSENTIALS

Inglot O2M Breathable Nail Enamel in 671, R169, is a trendy grey shade that suits all and has an ultra-glossy ﬁnish.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 167 Ballerina, R350. This pink nude colour will work with any outﬁt… day or night.

Bobbi Brown Nail Polish in Cherry Red, R190, is a bright-red shade that looks really gorgeous on short, neat nails. Try it!

Bourjois So Laque Glossy Nail Enamel in Amande deﬁlé, R95,95, is a mint green that looks fab with strappy sandals.

CK One Nail Polish in Ambush, R145, is a great choice for spring. Stunning for those who want their toes and ﬁngers to match.

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China Glaze Nail Lacquer Polish with hardeners in Metro Pollen-Tin, R120, guarantees your nails will really stand out.

Michael Kors Nail Lacquer in Scandal, R235, is a pretty blend of pink and purple to take you from spring to summer.

OPI Liquid Sand Nail Lacquer in Solitaire, R160. It’s great for creating half moons and fun tips… or use it all over!

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WorldMags.net Nail-spiration! Go on, try one of these new looks and get everyone talking…

Glitter is BIG news – and it works for just about any occasion! Try the look with China Glaze Nail Lacquer.

The Phyto-Caﬀeine Shampoos against hair loss When estrogen levels decrease, women begin to suﬀer from hair problems. e r a r becomes thinner and falls out.

Keep bold colours for shorter nails le – and try pa n o tones your toes!

Estrogen levels are decreasing:

Testosterone eﬀect is increasing: • Thin, brittle hair • Premature hair loss

Menopause

20 30 40

German scientists have developed a substance that protects the hair roots from exhaustion: a phyto-caffeine complex, incorporated into an innovative shampoo for daily scalp care. Nature’s phyto-active ingredients help the scalp protect itself from the consequences of female aging. Select the shampoo that matches your hair type.

We love this fun and playful ‘outline manicure’ from Chanel Summer Makeup Collection.

Don’t ditch the brights – try orange and blue! Copy this look with Avon nailwear Pro+ Colour Collection.

Years of life

Especially for fine, brittle hair

For coloured and stressed hair

Plantur 39 for hair over forty Available at Clicks, Dis-Chem and leading independent pharmacies. French tips work just as well in contrasting shades. It’s a grown-up way to wear on-trend pastels from Avon.

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Go to our websi te for more nail trends.

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Pharmaplan (Pty) Ltd Company Reg. No. 1994 ⁄ 008717⁄ 07 · 106 16 th Road Midrand, 1686 Contact number 011 516 1700 · LP 712 06 ⁄ 2014

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HEALTH

feel better

Stand up! IT’S A CURE FOR ALMOST ANYTHING Sitting comfortably? We thought so. But whether you’re at your desk, at the dinner table, on the couch or in your car, the hours you spend sitting down could pose a greater threat to your health than anything else you do

ccording to recent research, you could smoke, eat junk food and avoid the gym – and do no more damage to your body than you do sitting around for most of your waking hours. In this age of technology, two-thirds of us are thought to spend as many as 20 hours a day sitting or lying down. When we’re not sleeping, we’re glued to the screen of a computer, TV or smart phone. The scientiﬁc community has even coined the phrase ‘sitting disease’ to describe the effect of our increasingly sedentary lives. Evidence of the links between this and obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancers continues to mount. And so, too, does the cost of treating these conditions. It’s a health crisis of epidemic proportions, yet the best treatment is simple and free: just get out of that chair! Working out how to spend more time on your feet and less on your bottom could dramatically improve your health for good. For women, sitting disease statistics make particularly disturbing reading. In 2010 the American Cancer Society released a truly startling study conducted over 13 years. They found that women who sat for more than six hours a day were 98% more likely to die (from

any cause), than those who sat for less than three hours a day. By comparison, men who sat for more than six hours a day were only 48% more likely to die, so a sedentary lifestyle is particularly damaging to women’s health. Sitting fundamentally alters the way that chemical processes occur in your body. Diabetes researchers at the University of Leicester in the UK found that the longer you sit, the more sugary glucose and fatty acid (biochemical markers for diabetes) collect in the bloodstream. Those who sat for the least amount of time had the lowest levels of glucose and fat in the blood.

‘As soon as we sit, we burn a bare slump minimum The As soon as we sit and relax our our metabolic rate begins of kilojoules’ muscles, a rapid descent to burning a bare

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minimum of kilojoules. A study conducted last year found that a standing heart rate is about 10 beats per minute higher than a sitting heart rate. It means we burn three extra kilojoules a minute while standing, which may not sound like much but it adds up to about 210 extra kilojoules an hour. If you stand for three hours a day, for ﬁve days, that burns around 105 000 kilojoules over the course of a year. Sitting also dramatically slows our body’s

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ESSENTIALS 41

feel better

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production of the crucial enzymes it needs to remove fats and glucose from the bloodstream. Persistently high fat and glucose levels can signiﬁcantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and have a long-lasting effect on your metabolic rate, leading to weight gain, sluggishness and obesity, which is associated with another long list of serious illnesses.

Your poor body! Diet and movement specialist, Joanna Hall, says, ‘Good circulation is vital for the optimum function of your organs, and circulation is severely compromised when we stay stationary for long periods. Sitting slumped in a chair all day compresses your lungs, abdomen and all the organs within it. That affects your breathing, your digestion and could even be a factor in the rise in fertility problems among women.’ She adds, ‘Even if it’s hard to feel the longterm effects of sitting, most women see them every day: loose abdominal muscles, bulging tums, poor posture and bums and thighs that lack shape and tone. They’re all common complaints, and are all caused by a lifetime of sitting. Prolonged sitting is also a leading cause of backache and muscular imbalance, and it means those of us who rarely leave our seats are more prone to suffer pain and injury. Joanna adds, ‘The spine loses its natural S-shaped curve, abdominal muscles grow weak, and hamstrings and hip-ﬂexors become very short when you spend a lot of time sitting. It causes an imbalance in the body, and restricts the way you move when you get up from your chair. ‘By standing and walking more, you engage your abdominal muscles, lengthen the gap between your ribs and hips and strengthen the major muscle groups responsible for keeping you upright. In the short term you’ll notice an improvement in your strength and shape.’ Many of us do our best to exercise regularly to counter the effect of our sedentary hours. For years we’ve been told that 30 minutes, ﬁve times a week – or variations on that theme – should keep the heart healthy, the weight off, and the doctor away. But even gym bunnies aren’t immune to sitting disease, it seems. Emerging evidence suggests that these recommended bursts of exercise will do very little to offset prolonged 42 ESSENTIALS

‘Even gym bunnies aren’t immune’

periods of inactivity. Of course, doctors still advocate regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, but you’ll make a greater improvement to your general health by standing more throughout the day, than committing to a gruelling gym schedule. It could actually be the easiest weightloss programme you’ll ever do, bearing in mind that standing up for three hours a day will burn off around 4kg of fat a year. So how can you fit standing up into your day? At work, take the opportunity to stand up in meetings or when you take a phone call. If you take a break during the day, go for a short stroll, even if it’s around the office or your home. It’ll recharge your batteries effectively. Download an app for your iPhone or computer, like the Varidesk App, and set regular reminders to get you up on your feet, until it becomes second nature. Get a height adjustable desk so you can work while standing for a couple of hours. Try walkandwork.co.za. Converts to standing up say they enjoy better sleep and greater productivity, as well as feeling stronger and fitter. So get on your feet now!

It worked for me! FAY POTTINGER, 39, mom of two and a beauty brand manager, bought a heightadjustable desk for her home ofﬁce ‘I’m a fidgeter, so spending all day sitting at a desk has never come naturally to me. Before I had children, my job involved a lot of travel. But, when I became a mom, things changed. I needed to be at home a lot more and, as a result, I found myself spending hours on end at my desk. Long periods of sitting also seemed to exacerbate a recurrent back problem I had and I found I was forever having to get up from the desk, stretch and move around to alleviate it. When I heard about desks you stand up

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to work at, I just thought it made sense for me. I realised straight away that sitting is a difficult habit to break, even for someone like me. For the first week, it felt really odd. It took at least another week for standing to feel like a natural part of my routine, and for my body to feel up to it, but I soon noticed that my back was feeling better and stronger than it had in a long time. I only made the switch a few months ago, but already I stand up for most of my working day and feel more energised as a result.’

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FEATURE: RACHEL PORTER. PHOTOGRAPHY: GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

HEALTH

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H E A LT H

real life

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‘I was minutes from a heart attack’ As she got ready for an ofﬁce party, Rachel Boothroyd, 44, had a sense that something was seriously wrong – little did she know the awful secret her body was hiding...

alking into work one morning, I started to feel dizzy and sweaty, while the pain in my chest was so severe that, as it spread to my throat and arms, I could hardly clasp the handrail on the stairs. It wasn’t the first time it had happened and people stared as I bent double, waiting for the agony to subside. Brushing help aside, after a few minutes I was able to stand, and then continued to work. I even went to the gym that lunchtime. It seems crazy now, but after months of living with these awful symptoms I thought I just had to battle on – and wait to get better. I was 37 and had just got over chicken pox so was convinced my symptoms were a hangover from my illness. I was often short of breath and these occasions were accompanied by chest pains. My GP diagnosed a viral infection, which she said would go away with time. I decided to take it easy and arranged to work from home for a few weeks. By the time I returned to the office, I felt rested and was desperate to feel fit again. I resumed aqua aerobics, but battled to keep up, often catching my breath as pain engulfed my chest. I thought things would get easier as my fitness improved, but it felt as if an elephant was sitting on my chest. I mentioned my lack of fitness

44 ESSENTIALS

to friends. ‘You need to come out for a run with me,’ said one of them. I obliged, but after just 15 minutes, I was doubled over in agony and hobbled home. A month later, my symptoms were worse. Out for a stroll one evening, the walk home felt too much and I called a friend to fetch me. My friend Louise persuaded me to go back to my GP. I agreed but, as I explained my symptoms to the doctor, I felt like she thought I was making it up. ‘You’re slim and fit, but with what you’ve just told me I have to refer you to a cardiologist,’ she said. Heart disease? Me? You couldn’t find a less likely candidate. I was healthy, ate plenty of fruit and veg and never touched junk food. My blood pressure and cholesterol were normal and, while I had a stressful job as a lawyer, I coped well under pressure. I convinced myself my symptoms would go away. Three weeks later, I was still in pain so I finally called the cardiologist to make an appointment.

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He was optimistic when I saw him. ‘Given your healthy lifestyle, it’s unlikely we’ll find anything wrong,’ he said. But, while I was having an ECG test, I noticed the nurse’s face fall when she saw my result. The cardiologist, however, told me that sometimes the tests showed false positives and talked down the risk. He would investigate further with an angiogram to take a proper look at my arteries, but assured me there was no urgency. ‘Let’s wait until next week,’ he said, confidently. A couple of days later, I was getting ready for an office party when suddenly something told me to stop. I still don’t know what it was, but something made me call my doctor. I panicked when I couldn’t get through, but he called back: ‘Can you come in today?’ he asked me. The cardiologist couldn’t believe that one of my arteries was 95% blocked, right next to my heart. ‘You have massive heart disease,’ he said. We need to go in right away.’ With that, my life changed. I was fitted with a stent, a small tubular metal cage to hold the walls of the narrowed artery open.

Immediately, the pain went and, for the first time in months, I could breathe freely. The doctors could only put it down to an unknown family history. My prognosis was good – there shouldn’t be any reoccurrence of the condition but I’d been days, maybe hours, from death. Feeling desperately vulnerable, I took myself to the emergency room just three days later, convinced I was having a heart attack. All was well, but I couldn’t lose the feeling that I was a walking time bomb. I went back to work a couple of weeks later, pretending I was fine, but inside I was a different person, overwhelmed by the thought that I could die at any time. My work suddenly felt more stressful and I had to face the truth. I’d stopped enjoying it, so I decided to set up my own training business at home. I can’t believe I lived with the pain for so long. The whole experience has taught me to slow down, to enjoy life more. I’ve learnt to be kind to myself and enjoy the moment because every moment is truly precious when you’ve come so close to losing your life.

‘Heart disease? Me? I was a very unlikely candidate’

ARE YOUR EYES… DRY? BURNING? GRITTY? RED? WATERY? Solve the problem with Fithealth Dry Eye Products Dry Eye occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or produce tears of an inferior quality. Dry Eye is usually caused by contact lens use, certain medications, dry environmental conditions or staring at monitors and TV screens. Fithealth Dry Eye products are the answer as they contain unique ingredients that help to keep all 3 tear layers healthy, improving the quality and quantity of your tears. FOR O T E MILD ERAT MODY EYE R D

FOR ATE ER MOD EVERE TO SY EYE DR

HEART DISEASE: Are you at risk? Heart disease can affect anyone. Whatever your age, any symptom, such as chest pain or breathlessness, is a warning sign. September is heart awareness month so know your risk and the symptoms to watch out for. Visit heartfoundation.co.za for more info.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack?

a mild discomfort that makes you feel unwell.

Pain in the centre of the chest. Pain which may spread to the arms, neck or jaw. Feeling sick or sweaty as well as having chest pain. Feeling short of breath as well as having chest pain. A heavy feeling in the chest, or

A pain in your chest that might spread to your back or stomach.

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Value for Money: These unique dry eye formulae also include your daily requirements of Omegas.

Pain that feels like bad indigestion. Feeling light-headed or dizzy as well as having chest pain.

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The Essen tials team took the test. Visi t our websi te to see how healthy our hearts are.

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vitamins, minerals & herbs Available from: Clicks, Dis-Chem, Medirite, Pick n Pay pharmacies, independent pharmacies and health shops. Order Online: www.dischemonline.co.za; www.springbokpharmacy.co.za Tel.: 011 886 2932; queries@fithealth.co.za www.fithealth.co.za

H E A LT H

ﬁtness

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Yes, you can

love running!

A runner’s high can be addictive. Find out what all the fuss is about and get started with this simple plan Why run? When it comes to getting ﬁt, there’s probably no simpler way to do it than running. You can do it any time, anywhere and you don't need much more than a good pair of running shoes. It’s great for cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure and is a fantastic fat-burner – an hour of jogging will burn more than 2 000kJ. It also makes you feel good. Ever heard of runner’s high? It’s the result of all the feelgood endorphins coursing through your body.

Getting started Running coach Annie Crawford says the secret to success is never to run too far too soon. If you can walk briskly for 30 minutes,

three times a week, you’re ready to start training. Here are some of her tips for beginner runners: Join a running group or ﬁnd a friend to provide support, then start jogwalking (see plan below). Once you’re up to running for 20 minutes, set yourself a goal, such as a 5 or 10km fun run. Don’t overdo it. Running three days a week is plenty for beginners. Learn good techniques like running tall and light. Pretend you’re running on ice and mustn’t break it, and think of a low shufﬂing motion rather than wasting energy on an exaggerated leg action. Your arms shouldn’t cross your body’s mid-section – keep them

relaxed and imagine you’re holding a leaf between your thumb and foreﬁnger. Below is a plan for beginners that will help you complete a 20 minute run within seven weeks.

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Go to our websi te for more fi tness tips

Join us for the SPAR Women’s Race (5 or 10km), taking place at Wanderers Club, Illovo, Joburg, at 8am on 12 October 2014. The event supports Reach for Recovery, a campaign committed to improving breast cancer awareness. To enter, visit www.Spar.co.za. Like ‘SPAR Women’s Race Joburg’ on Facebook and follow the conversation on Twitter @SPARRace.Jhb. Call the race ofﬁce on 0860 460 906 for info.

The seven-week program WEEK

Monday

walk for 2 mins, run for 1 min 6 times (18 mins)

Walk for 2 mins, run for 2 mins 5 times (20 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run for 3 mins 5 times (20 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run Walk for 1 min, Walk for 1 min, for 5 mins 4 times run for 6 mins run for 8 mins (24 mins) 4 times (28 mins) 3 times (27 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run for 9 mins 3 times (30mins)

Walk for 2 mins, run for 1 min 6 times (18 mins)

Walk for 2 mins, run for 2 mins 5 times (20 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run for 3 mins 5 times (20 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run Walk for 1 min, Walk for 1 min, for 5 mins 4 times run for 6 mins run for 8 mins (24 mins) 4 times (28 mins) 3 times (27 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run for 9 mins 3 times (30 mins)

Walk for 2 mins, run for 1 min 6 times (18 mins)

Walk for 2 mins, run for 2 mins 5 times (20 mins)

Walk for 1 min, run for 3 mins 5 times (20 mins)

Rest

Walk for 1 min, Walk for 1 min, run for 6 mins run for 8 mins 4 times (28 mins) 3 times (27 mins)

Walk for 2 mins, run for 12 mins then rest for 1 min. Repeat (30 mins)

30-min brisk walk

35-min brisk walk

45-min brisk walk

2,4km timed run. Choose a pace that's slightly harder than usual, but not all-out. Record your time.

1 hour brisk walk including eight 3-min jogs

Run for 20 mins!

Wednesday Thursday

Friday Saturday Sunday

46 ESSENTIALS

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Walk for 8 mins, jog for 10 mins, then rest for 2 mins. Repeat (40 mins)

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FEATURE: MAGAZINE FEATURES PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Tuesday

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YES, IT’S If it were wheat we would have called it Wheat-bix. But it’s oats, so we called it Oat-bix.

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OATS.

South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st fully cooked, ready-to-eat oats. Just add milk. WorldMags.net

FOOD

matters

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In the kitchen

A little know-how goes a long way… so here are food ed Simone Wessels-Bloom’s tasty ideas to try this month AN ACE UP YOUR SLEEVE

…ClemenGold

Ace Instant Porridge is a great breakfast option for families – it’s quick to make, tasty and will give your family all the energy they need to face the day ahead. The best news? They’ve just added a delicious chocolate ﬂavour to their range! Choose from six Ace Instant Porridge ﬂavours: plain, vanilla, banana, toffee, caramel, strawberry and chocolate. Available from major retailers for R15.

If a mandarin, a swathe of satin and an oozing pot of honey had a love child, the ClemenGold would be the fruitful result. This beautifully perfumed fresh fruit is available from June to early November at most Woolworths stores.

We love... ... the new Robertsons spices Robertsons Master Blends herbs and spices have been carefully blended by masters in the ﬂavour industry to take the guesswork out of mealtimes. The range includes three variants for roasts that will add magic to your food: Aromatic Roast Potato, Rosemary & Garlic, and Rustic Garlic & Herb. And three Braai Blends add a delicious South African ﬂavour to your braai: Zesty Lemon & Herb, Spicy Shisanyama and Traditional Braai Mix. Available from major retailers in 200ml bottles from around R24,95.

Try this springtime treat

KITCHEN SECRETS

Spiced ClemenGold Ice Cream

To remove a tart, like a wobbly quiche, from its case, stand the base on a sturdy tin and gently ease the ring down to release. Slide a palette knife under the base of the pastry and gently slip and slide the tart off onto a board.

Recipe by Lisa Clark Place 750ml ClemenGold juice, 2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cardamom pods, 3 cloves and 125ml castor sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and cook to a thick syrupy consistency. Allow to cool. Whisk 500ml cream to a stiff peak and fold into cool syrup. Pour into an airtight container, and freeze for 3-4 hours. Serve in sugar cones. 50 ESSENTIALS

Cooks’ tip Don’t want to open a bottle of wine for your recipe? Try adding a splash of vodka, sherry or Martini instead – they’ll all add flavour and acidity.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS ALACK

IN SEASON NOW

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The real

Some things are too good not to be true. When it comes to superb quality and timeless appeal, go with stainless steel. ith so much on offer in every aspect of your life, choosing the right product is often frustrating. Quality is paramount, but value is so important, too. That’s why the South African Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) has created a registered trademark to identify superior stainless steel products. The ‘Cross and Balls’ logo (featured right) may be used by Sassda members on all goods made from or containing South African stainless steel, or on goods made in South Africa from imported stainless steel of an internationally accepted standard.

What does it mean to buy the correct stainless steel? It means investing in superb quality that can last a lifetime. With properties of durability, ﬂavour protection, corrosion resistance and of course aesthetics, it’s clear to see why stainless steel is still a popular standard in both home and professional kitchens internationally and locally. The advantages don’t stop there. Stainless steel contributes to a cleaner environment since scrap stainless steel is fully non-toxic and is recycled to manufacture new stainless steel. A staggering 60% of all new stainless steel is made up of recycled material.

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Where quality with a timeless appeal is required When you’re looking for long-term cost savings In corrosive environments, such as on the coast In environments with very low temperatures to prevent brittleness In environments with extremely high temperatures to maintain the strength Where high strength over mass is required Where hygiene and easy cleanability is a priority When aesthetics are important, stainless steel doesn’t rust so paint is not necessary

Look out for the ‘Cross and Balls’ logo to ensure the product’s quality, plus you’re doing your bit for the South African economy because it is locally manufactured and provides jobs. Visit www.sassda.co.za for more information.

ESS6992/09/14 Photograph by Thinkstock

steel

WHEN SHOULD YOU CHOOSE STAINLESS STEEL?

COOK IT WorldMags.net CRAFT IT A sensational Italian feast. Buon appetito!

So easy, but so pretty!

Make It Easy! SEW IT

A gorgeous gift for a little one ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

BAKE IT

An irresistible ďŹ g crumble

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ESSENTIALS 53

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COOK UP

AN ITALIAN Move over pesto! It’s time to tuck into these delicious, authentic recipes

Your Italian menu

STARTER

54 ESSENTIALS

MAIN COURSE

VEGETARIAN

TEAR & SHARE

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ON THE SIDE

THE FINALE!

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MAKE IT EASY!

Menu to serve 6 people (unless otherwise stated)

To start… DIY bruschetta

All the best Italian flavours come together… and there’s something to suit every taste! Serves 6 Ready in 25 mins French loaf, sliced into 1cm rounds 1 clove of garlic, halved 2tbsp olive oil

Lightly toast the bread. Rub the cut side of the garlic over one side of the warm bread. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Now add the toppings…

Garlicky mushrooms & artichokes

Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a pan until hot. Add 150g button mushrooms, cleaned, and fry until golden. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 400g tin artichoke hearts, drained, 1 clove of garlic, ﬁnely chopped, and 15g of fresh Italian parsley, chopped. Season and leave to cool in a serving bowl.

Goats’ cheese & sundried toms

Put 150g goats’ cheese, creamed, and 100g sundried tomatoes, drained, into 2 separate bowls. Cover with clingﬁlm, then add to the bruschetta just before your guests arrive.

Tomatoes, basil & black olives

Put a handful of Kalamata olives, 2 large tomatoes, chopped, 1 clove of garlic, halved, and a few basil leaves into a serving bowl and season to taste. Remove the garlic pieces just before spooning onto the bruschetta. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

The main course…

RICH BEEF AUBERGINE CANNELLONI

An impressive dish with a great taste of the Mediterranean (but no carbs!). Ready in 1 hr 1 021kJ per serving 17g fat 7g sat fat 2tbsp oil 1 large onion, chopped 300g minced beef a large pinch of chilli flakes 2tbsp tomato paste 2tsp dried oreganum 400g tin chopped tomatoes small bunch of basil, chopped 2 aubergines, sliced lengthways 100g mozzarella, sliced 25g Parmesan, shaved

1 Heat the oven to 190°C. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft.

Add the mince, chilli ﬂakes, paste and oreganum. Cook for 5 mins. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 mins. Season and stir in the basil. 2 Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan and fry the aubergine until char lines appear; transfer to a plate. Put 1tbsp of the beef mixture onto the short end of each aubergine slice and roll up. Spoon remaining sauce into an ovenproof dish. Put aubergine rolls on top. Scatter over mozzarella and Parmesan and bake for 20 mins.

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ESSENTIALS 55

WorldMags.net Three cheese, spinach & tomato BAKE A meat-free option that has bags of Ɖavour! Ready in 1 hr 10 mins 2 259kJ per serving 31 fat 14g sat fat 2tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 2x400g tins of chopped tomatoes 1tbsp red wine vinegar 1tsp sugar 25g butter 2tbsp flour 500ml milk 1tbsp ground nutmeg 75g Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated 2 leeks, sliced 150g asparagus spears, cut into 3cm lengths 200g baby spinach 250g ricotta, beaten until smooth 50g pine nuts, toasted 12 sheets dried lasagne, half-cooked in boiling water until soft enough to bend, for about 5 min 125g mozzarella, sliced

56 ESSENTIALS

1 Heat the oven to 200°C. Fry the garlic in 1tbsp oil for 1 min, then add the chopped tomatoes, vinegar and sugar. Season and cook for 10 mins. 2 Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the ﬂour to form a paste and cook for 1-2 mins. Gradually add the milk, stirring until it’s incorporated. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2-3 mins until smooth and thick. Add nutmeg, then stir in half the Parmesan and season well. 3 Fry the leeks in the remaining oil

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until soft. Turn up the heat, add the asparagus and fry for 2 mins, then add the spinach and allow to wilt. Mix with the ricotta and pine nuts; season well. Spoon the leek mix into a lasagne sheet and roll up. Repeat with the remaining sheets. 4 Pour half the tomato sauce into an ovenproof dish and arrange the lasagne rolls on top. Pour the cheese sauce on top, then add the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Cook for 20–30 mins until golden.

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MAKE IT EASY!

Sicilian-style roasted veg

Bursting with ﬂavour, this is how you do veg like a true Italian! Serves 4 Ready in an easy, hands-off 1 hr 30 mins 1 130 kJ per serving 22g fat 3g sat fat 12 small onions 1 bulb of garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves 1 aubergine, trimmed and roughly chopped 4tbsp olive oil about 250g cherry tomatoes on the vine 2tbsp pine nuts 2tbsp sultanas 200g tin stuffed green olives with lemon 2tbsp balsamic vinegar handful of basil leaves

1 Heat the oven to 200°C. Put the onions, garlic and aubergine in a roasting tin. Drizzle with half the oil and roast for about 50 mins to 1 hr, until the onions are browning. Add the tomatoes and pine nuts. Drizzle with the rest of the oil and continue cooking for another 20-30 mins. 2 Add the sultanas and olives, drizzle with the balsamic and stir in gently. Garnish with basil and serve warm.

Double tomato focaccia

A homemade bread to be proud of. Just don’t let on it’s from a packet – well, you’ve done all the hard work! Makes 12 servings Ready in 2 hrs 787kJ per serving 5g fat 0.7g sat fat 500g pack bread mix 60g sundried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped a few sprigs of fresh oreganum 2tbsp olive oil about 350g plum or cherry tomatoes ½-1tbsp coarse sea salt

1 Put the bread mix in a mixer with a dough hook. Add 300ml tepid water and 2tbsp of oil from the sundried tomatoes. Mix for 3 mins to form a soft dough. 2 Knead dough for 5 mins on the work surface (with hardly any flour on it). Work in the sundried tomatoes (it gets sticky, but don’t add more flour) and shape into a ball. Set aside in an oiled bowl covered with clingfilm. Leave in ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

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a warm place for 30-40 mins until doubled in size. 3 Knock the dough back (knead it roughly for a few mins until it’s soft, smooth and elastic), then mix in 1tbsp oreganum leaves. Flatten dough out to fit in a 23x30cm roasting tin, oiled. Make prints all over the bread with your finger tips. Halve the tomatoes and press them into the dough. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 15-30 mins. Heat oven to 30°C. 4 Remove the clingfilm from the focaccia. Drizzle the bread with the remaining oil and bake for 30 mins until well browned. Sprinkle with sea salt and leave to cool on a wire rack. ESSENTIALS 57

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And to ﬁnish...

Tiramisu roulade This recipe beneﬁts from being made a few hours ahead to allow the ﬂavours to develop. Makes 8 portions Ready in 1¼ hrs 1 548kJ per serving 25g fat 16g sat fat 50g unsalted butter 100g castor sugar, plus 2tbsp 2 large eggs 4tbsp instant espresso 100g self-raising flour 35g cocoa powder 125g mascarpone 2tbsp Tia Maria 150ml cream, whisked to soft peaks 20g chocolate curls or a Flake, broken into pieces, to garnish

1 Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and base line a 20x30cm Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter and 100g sugar together until pale. Add the eggs and whisk again until well combined. Mix 2tbsp espresso with boiling water and add to the egg. Sift the ﬂour and fold into the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 8-10 mins until risen. 2 Meanwhile, put the remaining instant espresso, 2tbsp castor sugar and 75ml water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins until thickened to make a syrup. 3 Dust a piece of greaseproof paper with a heavy layer of cocoa powder, then carefully turn out the warm sponge onto the dusted paper. Peel away the greaseproof paper on the base of the sponge and brush generously with the coffee syrup. Score a line along one of the shorter ends of the sponge, approximately 2cm from the edge. Start rolling, using this incision to help the roll begin, and the greaseproof paper to help you turn. Leave to cool completely. 4 Fold the mascarpone and Tia Maria into the cream. Unroll the sponge and spread with the cream. Re-roll starting from the short end with the incision. Transfer to a serving plate and dust with cocoa powder. Scatter with chocolate curls or ﬂakes. 58 ESSENTIALS

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SARAH GRAHAM’S

SMITTEN

This famous foodie is known for her deliciously unpretentious approach to food. Here she shares some of her favourite recipes (and they’ll soon be top of your list, too)!

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WorldMags.net BBQ PULLED PORK SARMIES WITH

RED CABBAGE, PEAR & FENNEL SLAW This could easily be one of my favourite recipes in Smitten or of all time for that matter! I think it s a near-perfect combination. Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 3 4 hours

grilled peach & goat’s cheese salad Ah, the bounty of summer. There are few things more exquisite in their simplicity than ripe and sublimely scented plump peaches. Here, they really shine through as the heroine of the dish which is exactly how it should be! As with so many of these salads, you can add in golden roast chicken slices for a veritable feast. This works just as well with ripe nectarines and feta. Serves 4 Ready in 15 mins 3 ripe peaches, stoned and sliced into rough wedges 1tsp light brown sugar 2tbsp roughly chopped pecan or pine nuts 50g mixed salad leaves (I like to use baby spinach, rocket and watercress) 60g goat s cheese, roughly broken 1tbsp olive oil 1tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice salt and freshly ground black pepper

550g pork belly or shoulder 10 12 Rosa tomatoes, halved 1 red onion, roughly chopped 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 1 cup chicken stock 1tbsp olive oil 1tsp paprika 1tsp ground aniseed 1tsp Dijon mustard 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger 1 level tsp dried chilli Ɖakes 2tbsp balsamic vinegar 1tbsp brown sugar ¼cup red wine pinch of salt pinch of ground black pepper 4 fresh white bread rolls or wraps, for serving FOR THE SLAW 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes 1 small red cabbage, ƈnely chopped 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed 1 cm up the stem ½ pear, grated or ƈnely chopped 2tbsp mayonnaise mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp each chopped fresh parsley and mint

1 Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Lay the pork in an ovenproof dish that has a lid and add the tomatoes,

onion and rosemary. Combine half the stock with the remaining ingredients in a jug and pour over the pork. 2 Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, then turn down the heat to 140 °C and add the remaining stock. Put on the lid and cook for a further 2 hours, followed by 30 minutes with the lid off. The sauce must have thickened and you should be able to ‘pull’ the meat apart with two forks. Check the liquid at 30 minute intervals. If you need to add more liquid, add another 100ml stock or water. 3 For the slaw, boil the sweet potato cubes in a saucepan of salted water until cooked through. 4 Place all the slaw ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Season to taste. 5 When the pork is done, remove from the oven dish and rest for 20 minutes. While the pork is resting, reduce leftover sauce in a saucepan. Remove crackling from the rested meat and either grill it until crispy and eat, or discard (I say eat!). Shred the pork using two forks and mix it in with the reduced sauce. 6 Pile the pulled pork into fresh white bread rolls or fold into wraps, and serve with the slaw on the side.

1 Preheat the oven’s grill. 2 Place the peach wedges cut-side up in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the brown sugar and grill for about 5 minutes or until golden. 3 In a small saucepan on the stovetop, toast the nuts over medium-high heat until just light golden, stirring from time to time. 4 Meanwhile, rinse the salad leaves, shake off the excess water and place in a serving bowl or on a platter. 5 Remove the peaches from the oven and gently layer them over the salad leaves. Top with the goat’s cheese and toasted nuts, drizzle over the olive oil and red wine vinegar or lemon juice, season to taste and serve as soon as possible. 60 ESSENTIALS

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WorldMags.net bbq chicken

A really good BBQ chicken is just about the holy grail of braai fare (aside from good old boerie rolls, of course!). Done just right (and by this I mean classic home-brewed BBQ sauce, butterﬂied, basted and beautifully tender), it takes an army to keep me from devouring it all. So here’s my version of ‘BBQ chicken done just right’. I like to serve this with sweet potato wedges and a small crunchy side salad, or even sliced and piled high on fresh bread rolls with lashings of a mayonnaise.

MAKE IT EASY!

Cook’s tip

To turn a chicken into a flattie, lay it so the drumsticks are on top. Cut along the breastbone with kitchen scissors. Then simply pull the chicken apart.

Serves 3–4 Ready in 45 mins 1 spatchcock-style chicken, or 8 mixed chicken pieces, skin on FOR THE BBQ SAUCE 2tbsp olive oil 2tbsp tomato sauce 2tbsp balsamic vinegar 1tbsp runny honey 1tbsp lemon juice 1tsp Dijon mustard 1tsp wholegrain mustard 1 fresh chilli, deseeded and chopped, or 1tsp dried chilli ﬂakes 1tsp paprika ½tsp dried coriander ½tsp ground cinnamon ½tsp ground aniseed ½tsp dried thyme 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper 2tbsp hot water

1 Combine the BBQ sauce ingredients together in a jug. 2 Baste the chicken with the BBQ sauce, cover with clingﬁlm and refrigerate for as long as possible before cooking (overnight is ideal, but not essential). Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature about 20 minutes before cooking. 3 Cook on the barbecue for 30–35 minutes, with the lid down if you have one, turning halfway, until cooked through. Baste with any extra sauce every 10 minutes or so during cooking.

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fig crumble

I m happy to share with you a humble little ƈg crumble that will leave you giddy. Serve with double cream, custard, mascarpone or ice cream.

8 fresh ƈgs, quartered, or 2 x 400g cans, drained 3tbsp slivered almonds or chopped pecan nuts (optional) 2tbsp honey 100g cold butter, roughly chopped ½cup brown or castor sugar ½cup cake Ɖour 6tbsp desiccated coconut 2 lavender Ɖower heads, petals only (optional) 1tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt

1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Lightly grease 4 ramekins or 1 medium-sized baking dish with butter. 2 Divide the figs between the ramekins or place them all in the baking dish. Top with the nuts (if using) and honey. 3 In a food processor or mixing bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until the butter is just incorporated and you have a rough crumbly texture. Spoon this crumble over the figs. 4 Bake for about 15 minutes until the topping is golden and the fig juices are bubbling.

Cook’s tip

You can refrigerate the assembled fig crumble for up to one day in advance. Simply bake just before serving.

RECIPES TAKEN FROM SMITTEN BY SARAH GRAHAM, R250, STRUIK LIFESTYLE

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RECIPES TAKEN FROM SMITTEN BY SARAH GRAHAM, R250, STRUIK LIFESTYLE

Serves 4 Ready in 25mins

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MY FOODIE JOURNEY

When Sarah Graham started her blog, A Foodie Lives Here, four years ago, she had no idea it would lead to her very own cookbooks, Bitten and Smitten, and a TV show. Sarah, who lives in Bryanston, is married and has two daughters I never imagined I’d publish my own cookbook – and now I’ve done it twice! It was a completely random idea that developed from blogging, and because I loved writing about food and sharing recipes. The last three years have been a total whirlwind for me: I’ve written two cookbooks, had two babies, ﬁlmed a television show and planned the next show and book. I sometimes feel tired just thinking about all of it, but I wouldn’t change it for the world!

INTERVIEW: JANI VENTER PHOTO: STRUIK LIFESTYLE

When a friend of mine, who works in the television industry, suggested that we film a television pilot in 2011, I thought, ‘Why not?’ It was a lot of fun, and we didn’t take it too seriously. We filmed for three days and produced a five-minute pilot for Sarah Graham Cooks Cape Town, which a production company in Cape Town then showed to an agent in London. It all took off from there. The SABC were also incredibly supportive here in SA, and still are. My new TV show (scheduled to air later this year), Sarah Graham’s Food Safari, takes you across the globe...well, almost. It starts off in Cape Town and we wind our way north, stopping over in some incredible foodie spots, finally ending up at Victoria Falls. We also filmed a few episodes at my parents’ small wildlife conservancy in Zimbabwe. They have a lion conservation project so we walked with lions in the bush, rode elephants and ate some of my favourite bush foods. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

When I travel for work, I take my daughters, Sophie, three, and Isla, four months, with me. My mom comes along, too! Rob, my husband, tries to join us as often as he can during the week and for weekends. Being on the road is tough for the girls, so we cram as much as possible into every shooting day to get it done. It can be tricky to maintain a work-life balance when your home kitchen doubles up as your office. Rob is really supportive and we just work things out as we go along. And I never mind putting in extra hours in the evenings or when the kids have gone to bed, because I love what I do. My children are growing up with an appreciation for food and cooking. I don’t think they fully understand just how food-filled their lives actually are. They only know this as the norm. Sophie could spend hours flipping through my cookbooks, and she loves putting on an apron and hanging out in the kitchen with me.

to food is simple and fuss-free, but with lots of ﬂavour and freshness, and this uncomplicated style helps when I don’t feel like donning an apron. My advice for busy moms? Plan ahead! Put together a weekly menu so that you only have to shop once and can do some prep over the weekend if you have a little extra time. It’s also a great money-saving tip because, when you know exactly what you’re going to make every day, there’s so much less waste.

‘I also have days when I just don’t feel like cooking’

Sometimes I have days when I just don’t feel like cooking. If I’ve been testing recipes endlessly for a few days, the last thing I feel like doing is making dinner, and that’s when I feel like a really greasy take-away. My approach

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I think of Smitten as the slightly older sibling to Bitten – it’s a little more grown up, without being at all stuck-up or complicated. Bitten is great for the basics, and Smitten has a little more ﬂair, but the recipes are still absolutely achievable, even for a novice cook.

Choosing a favourite recipe from Smitten feels a bit like choosing a favourite child! It really depends on who I’m feeding, what mood I’m in that day, the weather... But one of my favourites is the Chicken and Chorizo Cassoulet. And the Berry and Basil Gelato is also a ﬁrm favourite. ESSENTIALS 63

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IF YOU ONLY MAKE ONE..

TRAYBAKE

…try this absolutely delicious recipe. It’s one in a billion!

Tip

Billionaire’s shortbread

A melt-in-the-mouth classic combo that only gets better with the addition of honeycomb and chocolate buttons! Serves 12 Ready in 50 mins + cooling 2 855kJs per serving 37g fat 23g sat fat 150g unsalted butter 250g golden castor sugar 225g flour 175g salted butter 100g golden syrup 385g tin condensed milk 1tsp vanilla extract 200g dark chocolate, melted 200g milk chocolate, melted 1 Crunchie bar, chopped, to decorate handful of chocolate buttons, to decorate

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1 Heat the oven to 180°C. Whizz together the unsalted butter, 75g sugar and ﬂour until just combined. Tip the mixture into a 23x33cm baking tin. Press lightly into the tin and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 30-35 mins until it turns a pale biscuit colour. Cool in the tin. 2 Put the salted butter, remaining sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk into a pan, and whisk over a low heat until the sugar has melted. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins, whisking constantly, until it turns a caramel

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colour. Stir in the vanilla and pour over the cooled shortbread. Allow to set in the fridge. 3 Melt the chocolate in separate bowls each set over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Pour the dark chocolate over the caramel, then the milk and swirl together with a skewer. Scatter over the Crunchie and buttons and put back in the fridge to set. Cut into squares and keep in an airtight box in the fridge for up to three days. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

FEATURE & FOOD STYLING: FELICITY BARNUM-BOBB. PHOTOGRAPHY: STUART WEST

Use a can of Nestlé Caramel Treat for the filling to make it quicker!

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Sticky ﬁngers!

Little ones love organic food brand, Ella’s Kitchen, and now the whole family can enjoy their tasty recipes

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Dizzy beef pies

These are a great spin on everyone’s favourite, Bolognese. Makes 30 Ready in 40 mins 3 26kJ per pie 5g fat 2g sat fat 2tsp sunflower oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 125g lean minced beef 1 small parsnip, finely grated 3tbsp finely chopped parsley 3tbsp sundried tomato pesto ½tsp ground paprika 500g ready-made puff pastry flour, for dusting beaten egg, to glaze

1 Heat the oil in a small frying pan and fry the onion and beef for 8–10 mins, until browned. Leave to cool in a bowl. 2 Heat the oven to 220°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Add the parsnip, parsley, pesto and paprika to the cooled beef mixture and mix well. 3 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 40x30cm rectangle and brush all over with beaten egg. Spoon the beef mixture on top and spread in an even layer. Roll up the pastry, starting from a long edge. Trim off the ends to neaten, then cut the roll into 1cm-thick slices. 4 Put half the slices on a large piece of clingfilm, spaced well apart. Cover with more clingfilm and roll the slices lightly with a rolling pin to flatten. Put the pies on the prepared baking tray, then repeat with the remaining slices. 5 Brush with beaten egg and bake for 10 mins. If the pies have risen in the centres, press them down with the back of a spoon. Bake for a further 5 mins.

Cook’s tip

For a quicker dish, squeeze a 130g pouch of Ella’s Kitchen Lip Smacking Spag Bol onto the same amount of pastry. 66 ESSENTIALS

Eggy flowerpot bread

Nothing quite beats eggs on toast – apart from perhaps these special little pots of bread with a whole egg in the middle! Makes 6 pots Ready in 40 mins + proving 1 218kJ per pot 16g fat 3g sat fat 100g parsnip, cut into small chunks 200g strong wholewheat flour, plus extra for dusting 1tsp instant yeast 4tbsp finely chopped parsley 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing 6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled FOR THE FLOWERS 1 each red, green and yellow pepper, halved, cored and deseeded ¼ cucumber 2tbsp mayonnaise few radishes, sliced, and pitted green olives, halved

down into the centre of each. Put the pots on a baking tray and cover with clingﬁlm. Prove for 45 mins, until risen. 6 Bake for 20 mins. Tap the buns out of the pots. If they feel doughy, they may need 5 mins more. Place on a wire rack to cool (in or out of the pots, as wished). 7 To decorate, cut petal shapes from the peppers and the cucumber skin. Spoon a little mayonnaise onto each egg, then arrange the ‘petals’, radish slices and olive halves to create the ﬂowers.

1 Boil the parsnip for 10 mins until tender. Drain, reserving 75ml liquid. Return parsnip to the pan and mash. 2 Put the flour, yeast and parsley in a bowl. Add the mashed parsnip, oil and reserved liquid and mix to a dough. 3 Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8–10 mins until smooth and elastic. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and prove for 1¼-1½ hrs, or until doubled in size. 4 Heat the oven to 200°C. Grease 6x125ml ramekins (or clean terracotta flowerpots) and dust with flour. 5 Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each to about 10cm in diameter, then push into the pots. Push 1 egg

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10/10 tomato-y tartlets

The kids will love these tasty little tarts – they always get a perfect 10 our of 10 for scrummy yumminess. And it’s an easy way to get them to eat extra veggies! Serves 6 Ready in 40 mins 1 820kJ per serving 29g fat 13g sat fat 2tbsp olive oil 2 red onions, thinly sliced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 2tsp finely chopped thyme, plus extra for sprinkling 500g ready-made puff pastry flour, for dusting beaten egg, to glaze 125g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced 280g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Heat oven to 220°C. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. 2 Heat 1tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry the onion over a low heat for around 5 mins. Stir in the garlic and thyme, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. 3 Roll out the pastry on a lightly ﬂoured surface to 2-3mm. Using an upturned 12cm small bowl, cut out 6 rounds and put them on the prepared baking tray. Using a sharp

knife, score a shallow cut 1cm from the edge of each round to make a rim. Brush the rims with beaten egg. 4 Divide the mozzarella evenly among the tartlets. Spoon the onion mixture on top, keeping all the ﬁlling away from the rims, so the pastry can rise at the edges. Top with the tomatoes, cut-sides up. Scatter with extra thyme and brush with the remaining oil. 5 Bake the tartlets for 25 mins, until the pastry is puffed up and golden.

Make me mini

If you think our tartlets might be too big for tiny tummies, simply use a smaller bowl or cutter to make mini versions.

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WorldMags.net Cook’s tip

Make these with cooked or smoked fish fillets for an even quicker dish.

Punchy fish + pesto parcels Serves 2 adults & 2 kids Ready in 35 mins 1 172kJ per serving 13g fat 5g sat fat 450g boneless white fish fillets (such as cod, hake or haddock), skinned 40g unsalted butter 125g courgette, thinly sliced 3 sheets of filo pastry 1½tbsp green pesto green beans, to serve

1 Heat the oven to 190°C. Cut the ﬁsh into 2 large and 2 small portions. Melt 15g butter in a frying pan, add the ﬁsh and fry on both sides for 1-2 mins until opaque, then transfer to a plate. 2 Add the courgette to the pan and fry for 3 mins, turning once. Melt remaining butter in a separate small pan. 68 ESSENTIALS

3 Unroll 1 sheet of pastry and brush with the melted butter. Position a larger piece of fish at one end. Spread ½tbsp pesto over the fish and top with some courgette slices. Fold in the 2 long sides, then brush lightly with butter. Roll up the fish in the pastry and put it on a baking tray with the ends tucked underneath. Repeat to make a second parcel. 4 Cut the remaining pastry sheet in half widthways and make 2 small parcels as before. Put on a baking tray. 5 Brush the parcels with any remaining butter and bake for 18-20 mins for the small parcels, 25 mins for the large ones. Serve with steamed green beans.

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Recipes from Ella’s Kitchen: The Big Baking Book, R345, Hamlyn, available from Exclusive Books (see exclus1ves. co.za). Find Ella’s kitchen products from Baby-Boom, Baby City, Clicks, selected Spar stores and Toys ‘R’ Us. See ellaskitchen.co.za

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TAKEN FROM ELLA’S KITCHEN: THE BIG BAKING BOOK (R345, HAMLYN). PHOTOGRAPHY: JONATHAN CHERRY

Quick, easy and much tastier than frozen ﬁsh ﬁngers out of a box!

5 ways with...

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BABY POTATOES Mini spuds are fun and versatile. Here are the freshest ways to serve up the latest crop

1 Potato & Pepper Frittatas

Mini frittatas made in a mufƈn tin are perfect for lunch boxes. Serves 6 Ready in 50 mins 1 067kJ per serving 10g fat 2.5g sat fat 500g baby potatoes, unpeeled 1tbsp olive oil or avocado oil 2 onions, chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 6 large eggs, beaten

1 Heat the oven to 180˚C. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork, then microwave on high for 10 mins. 2 Cut the potatoes into cubes. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the

onion for a few mins. Add the potato and cook for 5 mins to brown. Add the red pepper and cook for a further 5 mins. 3 Season the eggs well. Divide the potato and onion mixture between a 12-hole mufﬁn tin, greased, then carefully pour in the beaten egg. 4 Bake for around 15 mins. Leave to cool for a few mins, then run a knife around each one and carefully lift them out. Serve hot or cold with salad.

2 Mini jackets with a bean relish Great for brunch or the ideal size for the children s supper just swap the soya beans for chopped pepper and sweetcorn. Serves 4 Ready in 40 mins 1 305kJ per serving 21g fat 11g sat fat 8 baby potatoes (choose the larger ones in the bag) 150g cooked edamame beans (green soybeans) or peas. 150g flavoured cream cheese (we like something garlicky) 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered a few fresh basil leaves

1 Heat the oven to 200˚C. Prick the potatoes several times with a fork. Part-cook in the microwave on full power for 6-8 mins, or until just starting to soften, then transfer to

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the oven for 10-15 mins to ﬁnish cooking and crisp the skin. 2 When the potatoes are cooked, cut a deep cross in each one and squeeze to open up. Spoon in the cream cheese and top with the soya beans or peas, tomato and a few basil leaves.

Cook’s tip

Flavour your own plain cream cheese by mixing in herbs and crushed garlic. ESSENTIALS 69

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WorldMags.net 3 Prawn & Potato Curry

A light curry that packs a Ɖavour punch perfect for week nights! Serves 4 Ready in 30 mins 983kJ per serving 12g fat 7g sat fat

Cook’s tip

For extra flavour, add a dash of lime juice and fresh mint to your curry.

■ 1tbsp sunflower oil ■ 1 onion, thinly sliced ■ 2tsp Thai red curry paste ■ 8 baby potatoes, cut into halves ■ 1 long red chilli, deseeded and chopped ■ 3 spring onions, thinly sliced ■ 160ml coconut cream ■ 200g raw king prawns ■ a few fresh basil leaves

1 Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for a few mins to soften. Add the red curry paste, potato, chilli, spring onion and 300ml hot water. 2 Stir in the coconut cream, then add a little salt or ﬁsh sauce, if you’ve got it; simmer for 10 mins. 3 Add the prawns and basil and simmer for a further 5 mins.

4 Garlicky potato & pepper sticks Cook these yummy skewers on a griddle or ƈre up the braai and take advantage of our gorgeous sunshine! Serves 6 Ready in 25 mins 711kJ per serving 8g fat 1g sat fat ■ 750g baby new potatoes ■ 2 sweet red peppers, cut into chunks ■ 4tbsp olive oil or avocado oil ■ 3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 Soak 12 wooden bamboo skewers in water. Boil the potatoes

for 15 mins until they’re just tender, then drain. 2 Thread the potatoes and chunks of pepper onto the skewers. Put into a shallow dish and sprinkle over the oil, garlic and 1tsp salt. 3 Cook under a hot grill or on a griddle pan or braai for 10 mins, turning until well bronzed.

5 New-style potato Waldorf

Add extra crunch to this new, lighter version of a classic by adding a handful of pecans just before serving. Serves 6 Ready in 20 mins 971kJ per serving 15g fat 3g sat fat ■ 750g baby potatoes, halved ■ 200ml French dressing ■ 4tbsp sour cream ■ 1tsp English mustard ■ 4tbsp gherkins, chopped ■ 1 head of celery, trimmed and chopped ■ 1 apple, quartered, cored and chopped ■ 4tbsp parsley and mint, chopped

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1 Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 mins until they’re just tender. 2 Mix the French dressing with the sour cream and mustard. 3 Drain the potatoes, rinse under cold water and put into a large bowl. Season generously and add the gherkins, celery, apple and herbs. Dress, toss well and serve.

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WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

HERBS You know how it is – after using a few fresh herbs for a recipe, you end up with most of the pack left. Well, don’t chuck them out, use them up!

1 WHIP UP a FRESH pesto

WHICH HERBS? Soft herbs such as tarragon, basil and coriander. HOW TO… Blend a handful of herbs with a handful of nuts, a clove of garlic, a glug of olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan. Delicious with pasta, roasted veg or stirred into soup. SHELF LIFE Keep in the fridge for up to a week.

FEATURE: NICKY PALMER. PHOTOGRAPHY: IPC IMAGES

2 MAKe YOUR OWN Herby crumbs

WHICH HERBS? Parsley and chives work well. HOW TO… Put the herbs and any leftover bread in a food processor and blitz. Freeze, then take out a handful for sprinkling over pasta bakes as you need it. Or, defrost and use for coating chicken, ﬁsh or racks of lamb. SHELF LIFE Keep in the freezer for up to three months.

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3 RUSTLE UP A salad dressing

4 BAKE SAGE & ROSEMARY BREAD

WHICH HERBS? Basil and oreganum. HOW TO… Put 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a small handful of each herb, chopped, 2tbsp red wine vinegar, 1tsp Dijon mustard, 6tbsp olive oil in a jar and season. Pop on a lid and shake. Use on green leaves, couscous or baby potatoes. It can double up as a marinade, too. SHELF LIFE Store in the fridge for several days.

WHICH HERBS? Rosemary and sage. HOW TO… Using a packet of bread mix, knead a handful of chopped sage and chives into the dough. Press into a rectangle on a baking tray and leave to rise. Make dimples on top using your ﬁngertips and press in sprigs of rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil before baking according to pack instructions. SHELF LIFE Once cool, cut into squares, pop in a sealable food bag and freeze for up to three months.

5 ADD A herbY KICK TO butter

6 TRY SOME NEW WAYS WITH MINT

8 Keep YOUR herbs fresh

9 make HOMEMADE HumMus

WHICH HERBS? Any you have! HOW TO… Chop herbs and mix with softened butter, plus crushed garlic or chopped chilli. Roll into a sausage shape, wrap in greaseproof paper, freeze and cut off slices as you need them. Use for squishing under the skin of chicken before roasting, or spreading over a sliced baguette for making garlic bread. SHELF LIFE Store in the fridge for up to one month or freezer for six months.

7 Save wilting coriander

WHICH HERBS? Coriander. HOW TO… Blend in a food processor with onion, chillies, ginger and garlic to form the base of a Thai curry paste. Freeze in ice-cube trays, so you can take one out when needed. Defrost in the microwave, fry in a little oil, then add ﬁsh sauce, lime zest and coconut milk with your chosen veg, ﬁsh or meat. SHELF LIFE Store in the freezer for around two to three months.

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WHICH HERBS? Tough herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano. HOW TO… Freeze the herbs (either on their own or as a mixture) in ice-cube trays with a dash of olive oil. You can use the herb ice cubes straight from the freezer – just pop one straight into a pan, ready to fry with onions for stews, soups and sauces. SHELF LIFE Store in the freezer for two to three months.

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WHICH HERBS? Turn mint into a syrup for a mojito, or add a dash to sparkling water with a slice of lime. HOW TO… Heat 2 parts sugar to 1 part water with a bunch of mint. Simmer for 5 mins until the sugar has dissolved and the mix is slightly thickened and syrupy. Leave to cool, then strain to remove the mint. Pour into a sterilised jar and cover. SHELF LIFE Keeps in the fridge for up to one month.

WHICH HERBS? Parsley and coriander. HOW TO… Simply whizz a tin of chickpeas in a food processor with 1tbsp tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and a handful of ﬂat-leaf parsley or coriander. SHELF LIFE Keep in the fridge, in a container, for up to four days.

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MAKE IT EASY!

All the flavour none of the fuss!

Whip up these delicious dinners in around 30 mins or so… perfect for mid-week family meals!

Simple baked fish with cabbage & peas Healthy, quick and easy to whip up it s our best new ƈsh dish! Serves 4 Ready in 30 mins 1 548kJ per serving 17g fat 5g sat fat 4 white fish fillets 2tbsp wholegrain mustard 8 slices streaky bacon 150ml white wine 1tbsp vegetable oil ½ spring cabbage, shredded 150g peas

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1 fat clove of garlic, crushed mashed potato and lemon wedges, to serve

1 Heat the oven to 190°C. Brush the ﬁsh ﬁllets with the mustard and wrap each in two slices of bacon. Put in an ovenproof dish

with 100ml wine. Bake for 15 mins. 2 Warm the oil in a sauté pan, add the cabbage and stir-fry for 2-3 mins, then add the peas, garlic and remaining wine. Season and cook for a further 2 mins.

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3 Divide the vegetables onto 4 plates, add the ﬁsh and pour over the cooking juices from the veg. Serve with mash and lemon wedges.

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Tip If you don’t use frozen fish, you can freeze any fishcakes left over for another day. Zesty lime fishcake bites

Tasty mini ƈshcakes great with a salad, or go for a side of oven chips. Makes 12 Ready in 30 mins 234kJ each fishcake 3g fat 0.7g sat fat 200g leftover mash (or use instant mash) small bunch each of mint and parsley, chopped zest and juice of 1 lime 1 large egg 1⁄2 red chilli, diced (optional)

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300g haddock fillets, finely chopped flour, for dusting 2tbsp sunflower oil

1 Mix together the mash, herbs, lime zest and juice, egg and chilli and season. Flake the haddock into the

mix and stir through gently to combine. 2 Flour your worksurface and take 1tbsp of the fishcake mix, roll it into a flattened circle and dust in flour. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.

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3 Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the ﬁshcakes over a high heat for around 2-3 mins on each side, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt. Serve immediately.

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Tip Jerk seasoning

MAKE IT EASY!

is a spice mix from Jamaica. Find it at moresauce.co.za or go to essentials.co.za for the recipe.

Spiced chicken pilaff

A tasty rice dish (and any leftovers make a mean lunchbox the next day!). Serves 4-6 Ready in 30 mins 2 681-1 791kJ per serving 10-7g fat 2-1.5g sat fat 1 large red onion, chopped 2 peppers (1 yellow, 1 red), sliced 2tbsp olive oil or avocado oil 1 red chilli, finely sliced 350g basmati rice 700ml hot chicken stock 100g sultanas

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2tbsp jerk seasoning zest and juice of 1 orange 3 chicken breasts, skin on good handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and mint, chopped 4tbsp natural yoghurt, to serve

1 Fry the onion and peppers in 1tbsp oil for 5 mins, add the chilli and stir in the rice. 2 Add the stock and

sultanas. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 18-20 mins (donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stir), until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft. 3 Mix together remaining oil, jerk seasoning and orange juice. Rub over the chicken and grill, skin-side

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down, for 5 mins, then turn and grill for 10 mins until cooked through. 4 Fork the orange zest through the rice with most of the herbs. Slice the chicken and arrange on top of the rice. Top with yoghurt and remaining herbs. ESSENTIALS 75

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Sweet potato curry

A comforting bowl of goodness that s easy on the kilojoules too! Serves 4 Ready in 30 mins 2 050kJ per serving 23g fat 13g sat fat 800g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 1tbsp black mustard seeds 3 red chillies, sliced lengthways 2tbsp sunflower oil 2 onions, sliced 1tbsp garam masala 500g tomatoes, quartered

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500ml natural yoghurt 75g desiccated coconut 100g spinach coriander and lime wedges, to garnish

1 Microwave the potatoes on high for 5 mins. Fry the mustard seeds and chilli in oil until the seeds begin to pop.

2 Add the onion and fry until soft and starting to brown. Stir in the garam masala and tomatoes and fry for 5 mins. 3 Add the sweet potato to the tomato mix; stir to coat. Pour in the yoghurt with 200ml water and the coconut. Bring to the boil

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and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender. 4 When everything is cooked through, stir through the spinach and garnish with coriander and lime wedges.

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FEATURE: JENNIFER BEDLOE. PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS ALACK. PROP STYLING: VICTORIA ELDRIDGE

MAKE IT EASY!

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MAKE IT EASY!

HANDMADE

with love Crafting has never been so much fun

Pretty jars all in a row â&#x20AC;&#x201C; turn the page to create your own!

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MOUSE & TEDDY BED IN A TIN

Tip Leave your jar to dry upside down on some newspaper, so the paint doesn’t pool at the bottom.

You will need... scissors felt cotton needle pins cotton wool an empty tin

1 2 3

PRE T T Y POTS You will need... large glass jars paint paintbrush paper towel newspaper varnish

Cut out your felt mouse. You will need 2 x body, 2 x arm, 2 x leg in one colour and, in a contrasting colour, 2 x ear. The teddy will also need to be cut out – 2 x body, 2 x ears – all in the same colour. Sew the face on the mouse, then sew a stitch in the base of each ear, so that they curl inwards. Position the ears, legs and arms in between the two body pieces and pin in place. Sew all the way around, leaving a space at the side. Push a small bit of cotton wool inside, then sew up the space. Repeat for the teddy bear. Thread 3-4 strands of cotton into a needle and sew onto the back to make the mouse’s tail. Cut up rectangles of felt for the sheet and blanket. Roll a small piece of felt a few times and stitch closed for the pillow.

WE USED jars with a rim, but any jar will work well. Clean them out thoroughly, then make sure they’re completely dry. POUR a little paint into the bottom of the jar and swish around. Use a paintbrush to ensure you cover every area inside the jar. Remove any excess paint with a paper towel and ensure the rim is clean. Leave to dry on the newspaper. If you’re not using an oil-based paint, add a final coat of varnish so you can fill your vase with water. HOLD the jar up to the window – if you can see streaks you need to add another layer of paint. ADD water, your favourite flowers and display.

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MAKE IT EASY!

Tip Use a craft glue like Bostick Art and Craft Glue to secure the arms, legs and ears in place before sewing, if pins are too fiddly to use on the small mouse.

Such a simple gift idea and each is unique!

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Tip Use a damp cloth over the bag when ironing the edges flat. The steam will help create a neat, flat finish.

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MAKE IT EASY!

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SHOPPING BAG You will need... a patterned pillowcase scissors pins sewing machine threads newspaper sequins glue

1 2 3

Iron your pillowcase, so it’s nice and flat, then fold it in half lengthways. Cut away the top edges at the end where the pillowcase opens (see the photo below). Turn the pillowcase inside out, then pin and sew the top edges of the case where the handle is formed. Turn over the raw edges of the bag’s openings twice and pin in place. Sew along the edges, then iron them flat. Put newspaper inside the bag (to stop the insides getting stuck together) and glue sequins on the outside to decorate. Or sew them on.

LOVE IT ART WORK You will need... butterfly punch pink paper/card pencil box canvas glue CUT OUT lots of butterflies from pink paper using a paper punch. Thick paper or card will work best. Lightly fold each butterfly in half to give it the impression that it’s flying. MARK your heart shape on the centre of the canvas very lightly with a pencil. GLUE the butterflies over the pencil mark, so they are two or three deep. Avoid sticking all the butterflies in the same direction, and try to angle some and have them open from the left and the right, so the heart isn’t too formal-looking.

Tip Cut the pink paper into strips to make punching out lots of butterflies easier.

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Crafter of the month

CHIC DR AWER MAKEOVER You will need... desk paint paintbrush masking tape varnish/wax

1 2 3

Remove the handles from the drawers, then give your desk a coat or two of paint. We used a chalk-based paint, as you don’t need to do any preparation before you start, but if you don’t, give your desk a good once over with sandpaper first. Once completely dry, position masking tape over the drawers vertically. Make sure the tape is firmly attached, as any gaps will create wonky lines. Use a gold paint to create the lines – we wanted to have a soft effect, but for a bolder stripe, add a second coat.

Meet our crafter of the month, Christine Leech, 39. She’s the author of five best-selling craft books. How did you get into crafting? My family have always made things so, as soon as I was old enough, I started entering craft competitions. I remember winning ‘Best Hemmed Handkerchief’ when I was five. I was thrilled! What’s the easiest thing for first-time crafters to make? Cushion covers are very straightforward; just sew two pieces of fabric together, slip in the cushion and sew shut. Any extra fancy decoration is then up to you. What are your top tips for beginners? As my mom always told me, measure twice and cut once! That, and use a water-soluble pen to draw patterns – much easier than tailor’s chalk. What’s your favourite thing to make? I love papercrafts. So simple, but so effective.

Once the gold paint is dry, remove the masking tape. You can touch up any lines that aren’t perfectly neat at this stage. When using chalk paint you need to add a coat of protective wax. You can then replace the drawer handles.

Christine’s book, Scissors, Paper, Craft, R231, (available from Kalahari.com), is out now.

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Tip

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MAKE IT EASY!

FEATURE: EMMA MORTON-TURNER. ASSISTED BY: CHARLOTTE PAGE. PHOTOGRAPHY: MARK SCOTT

Give your chair a similar makeover to complete the look.

The perfect job for a lazy Sunday

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IT’S TIME to reward

yourself Imagine a world where you don’t have to cut back on what you need because budgets are tight. With Standard Bank UCount Rewards, you’re rewarded for every rand you spend.

Join for only R20 a month you’ll collect rewards points to redeem in all the right places. Register on www.standardbank.co.za/UCount, or simply SMS UCount and your name to 32001. Standard SMS rates apply. Free and bundled SMSs do not apply.

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regardless of what you decide to spend your money on.

COLLECT REWARDS POINTS AS YOU SWIPE With our participating rewards retailers you can collect and redeem your rewards points in all the places that matter. Save while you ﬁll up your tank by collecting up to R1 in points for every litre of fuel you buy at participating Caltex forecourts. Collect rewards points up to the value of 10% of your grocery bill from your favourite grocery stores, including Checkers, Checkers Hyper, Food Lover's Market, Fruit & Veg City, Makro, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, SPAR and Woolworths. You’ll also collect up to 6.5% back in rewards points by shopping for anything from electronics to couches and beauty products at participating retailers, including Altech Netstar, Clicks, Coricraft, Freshstop, Incredible Connection, Makro, Tiger Wheel & Tyre and the UCount Online Mall. Because you get to choose what you do with your rewards points, UCount Rewards will make a real difference to your everyday life. Whether it’s that decadent spa day, a trip to the coast or the tablet your teen’s been asking for, you can have it all.

ESS7000/09/14 Photograph by Thinkstock

hy compromise your quality of life just because the cost of living is up? Standard Bank knows that every cent is precious, so now they’re helping you to save while you spend. UCount Rewards is the simple, easy-to-use programme that adds value to your life by putting rewards points back in your pocket when you use your qualifying personal Standard Bank debit, cheque or credit card. Now you’ll collect up to 1.5% back in rewards points back every time you swipe at participating shops,

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WorldMags.net THE REALLY USEFUL GUIDE

self-service All the practical tips, consumer news and money-saving advice you need to help you to help yourself!

YOU SAID IT!

When was the last time you

CRIED WITH HAPPINESS? Our readers share the mascara-smudging moments that left them sobbing with joy I was already on the verge of tears when my partner proposed. When we told my excited three-year-old daughter, she burst out with, ‘Wow! It’ll be just like when I grow up and marry my handsome prince.’ The cuteness overload finished me! RHIANNON CLEMENT

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SARAH FRIEDRICH

September ninth last year. I was holding my daughter’s hand when she gave birth to my beautiful granddaughter, Halli. It was one of the most moving moments of my life. SUE STONE, HAPPINESS COACH Watching my son acting in his school’s production of Annie. He was fantastic as Daddy Warbucks. We had no idea he was so talented… I don’t think he did either! ANNABELLE HICKS

Last year December, when colleagues took me out for a farewell breakfast. It was my last day as their communications intern. It was such an emotional day and the gift bag they gave me as a farewell present was just WOW!

At my greatgrandma’s 100th birthday a few months ago. We hired a hall and had a huge celebration, with over 200 family members and friends, including some she hadn’t seen for decades. And when the tears started rolling down her face, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. ROSI HIRST

Last Christmas was the ﬁrst without my parents, as both have passed away, so we spent it at my in-laws. I was dreading the holidays without them, but my other half’s mom and dad treated me like I was their own daughter. We were all dancing in the kitchen, the kids were playing and lunch hadn’t even been served. I hadn’t laughed that much in ages, and I was overwhelmed when I realised I still had a family who cared about me. JACQUI CLEAVER, LIFE COACH

When my cat came back home... after a distressing 26-day disappearance! JACKIE PERRINS Last night. My husband and I were going through the pictures our four-year-old son had taken on his camera. It was beautiful to see the world through his eyes. JENNIFER DRUMMOND

At my 40th birthday party, my 18-year-old daughter surprised me by getting up and singing Everybody’s Changing by Keane. She was amazing – I had tears in my eyes! ROB KELLY, THERAPIST

ZANDILE PRECIOUS MAHLOBO

Last Friday – I had my 20-week scan of baby number four!

When I saw my best friend of 32 years at the airport. She lives in the UK and I’d arranged a surprise visit with her ﬁancée. She had absolutely no idea and it was such a special moment!

SIAN LENNON

EMMI NICHOLL

CHARISSE TYRER

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Just a few weeks ago. We became grandparents for the first time!

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FEATURE: ROSI HIRST. PHOTOGRAPHY: THINKSTOCK

I found a lump in my breast a few weeks ago and was waiting to hear whether it was malignant. When the news came through that it was all ﬁne, emotions were running high for both my husband and me. We couldn’t stop telling each other ‘I love you’.

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WorldMags.net THE REALLY USEFUL GUIDE TECHY TALK

THE

gadget guru HOW TO: BACK-UP YOUR DIGITAL LIFE

PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL WARD; SHUTTERSTOCK. ADDITIONAL WORDS: JONATHAN WEINBERG

Your precious photos or vital documents could disappear if a computer or phone breaks, so it’s crucial to back-up regularly. Online services are quick and simple – here are the best options… APPLE ICLOUD (icloud.com) Best for: Anyone with an iPhone, iPad or Mac. Cost: First 5GB is free. An extra 10GB is R160 a year. What do you do? Just switch it on using the settings on your device. You choose the types of files to save and it keeps copies for you automatically. If you get a new iPhone you can move everything onto it easily, too, and a warning will alert you if you need to buy extra space.

DROPBOX (dropbox.com) Best for: Families with hard drives that are full. Cost: 2GB free. 100GB is around R110 per month. What do you do? This suits anyone with tons of stuff to back-up, as it’s very easy to use – just drag folders from your desktop into your Dropbox. You can then access files from any other web-connected device and also create folders for others to view pictures or download.

GOOGLE DRIVE (drive.google. com) Best for: Owners of devices which run Android. Cost: 15GB free. 25GB is around R30 per month. What do you do? Download the Google Drive Android App and choose what you want to save. You can access your drive from any web-connected computer, which also means you can let family, friends and colleagues see photos or files.

USB STICK Best for: Portability or for large digital collections. Cost: 64GB USB, from R400. Alternatively, try a 1TB (1 000GB) external hard drive from around R800. What do you do? Plug into your PC to drag and drop files to a back-up disc. More expensive external drives back up each new file automatically and connect to the web, so you can access files from any computer.

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NEW APPS YOU’LL LOVE The latest apps to simplify your life...

EDGARS SMARTAPP (IPHONE – FREE) Ever found that perfect little number in store but can’t ﬁnd your size? With this app you can scan or type in the barcode, and the app will tell you what the latest price is, and how many items are available. You can also place an order and have your purchase sent to a store near you. The app allows you to check your account balance and what you have available to spend.

MRP (IPHONE, ANDROID – FREE) With this Mr Price App, you can browse and shop fashion and stay on top of the trends. Scan products in-store to check availability at other outlets, or sizes, and keep an eye on what’s new on the shelves. You can also track the status of online orders. Nifty!

PICK N PAY MOBILE APP (IPHONE, ANDROID – FREE) If you’ve been swiping that Smart Shopper card in Pick n Pay but haven’t gotten round to seeing how many points you have, this app is just for you! You can check your Smart Shopper points balance, switch points for cash back on your card and donate smart shopper points to charity. Plus, you can view and use your smart shopper vouchers and new in-store promotions.

MYBEERCRAFT (IPHONE, ANDROID – FREE) The perfect app for beer lovers! Find your favourite craft beers and brewers around South Africa, and ﬁnd out where they’re sold. You can even rate the beers, and the venues that sell them. We also love that it’s 100% South African.

ZOMATO RESTAURANT FINDER (IPHONE, ANDROID – FREE) Find recommendations for restaurants near you, and look at menus, pictures and maps. You can search by location, cuisine or name, and check ratings from other users too. Follow foodies with similar taste, and keep up-todate with their latest reviews.

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self-service THE REALLY USEFUL GUIDE WorldMags.net TALKING SENSE

BEAT THE

supermarkets They use the smartest tricks to entice us to part with our cash, but get wise to what they’re doing and you won’t be blindsided again... Knowing how to avoid the complex – and often deliberately misleading – tactics supermarkets use to make us think we’re picking up a deal, when it’s nothing of the kind, is a quick and easy way to save money on your grocery shopping. Jenny Keefe, consumer expert, says, ‘With just a few focused techniques you can save up to thousands of rands a year.’

1 Compare the price of convenience items As soon as you walk through the doors, you’re greeted by an array of fresh produce. The pre-packed bags of mixed vegetables have a big sticker on them saying ‘Only R15’. But stop! Loose fruit and veg is sometimes cheaper, despite being exactly the same product as what you’ll ﬁnd in the packs. Most supermarkets now put the price per kg on the shelves. Always check the price per 100g or kg, which is usually printed in smaller writing under the main price. Work out how much you’re actually saving in the end, and go with the cheaper option. You could end up saving a few hundred rand a month.

2 Reach to the back of the shelf Those staff energetically ﬁlling the shelves with fresh stock are also pulling older stock to the front so you’ll pick it up ﬁrst. It often means you arrive home and realise you’ve got a fridge full of food that needs to be eaten within two days. On our last shopping trip, we found that by taking the bags at the back of the pre-packed salad fridge meant we added three days to the ‘use-by’ date. Especially important with bread and other bakery products, but it works for all fresh products and helps prevent waste.

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THE REALLY USEFUL GUIDE WorldMags.net This is where branded items sit under huge ‘Save’ signs. But brands often pay for this space and the ‘offer’ may not be much of a saving at all. We found one supermarket displaying products that were not even on promotion on these ‘promotional shelves’. They also had real deals on cheese, yoghurt and drinks, but these were displayed next to boxes of chocolate at no discount. It can be very confusing for shoppers. Don’t get caught out – cross-check the price of the ‘value’ product with the one where it usually sits on the shelf.

4 Look down, but keep your kids looking up You may have heard the expression ‘eye level is buy level’ – more expensive products are placed where you can

see them clearly. But now lower shelves are pricier, too – research showed we’re also likely to reach for items at waist height, so it’s best to look on the bottom shelf for cheaper options. And, stores are also using a tactic aimed at your kids. Did you know the most colourful items are put at their eyeline? Many stores run by the slogan ‘The power of pester shouldn’t be under-estimated!’

6 Beware of bulk

5 Downshift to save kJs and cash

7 Stick to the rules

One of the best ways to save is to buy cheaper versions of the same product but, did you know this may also be better for your health? Jenny Keefe says, ‘Try dropping one brand level when grocery shopping. If you can’t tell the difference, switch permanently for huge savings.’ Premium ranges often contain more salt, sugar and fat because buttery sauces and salty marinades tend to make things taste nicer – so they can be called ‘premium’!

Buying bulk on items such as toilet paper, soap, tinned goods, pasta and washing powder will save you money in the long run. But stick to nonperishables. Don’t be tempted to buy products that you can’t freeze, won’t be able to use up before the expiry date, and will end up throwing away. No matter how good the deal is!

Don’t shop hungry; know the difference between use-by, sell-by and best-before labels. Always use as many money-off vouchers as you can ﬁnd (and use them when items are also on special offer). You’ll ﬁnd a lot of these are linked to loyalty cards – so join the club at your grocery store (Pick n Pay, Woolworths and some Spars offer these). Only ever go to the supermarket after you’ve planned your meals. Planning may seem like a chore, but saves you time and money.

compensate for your loss of earning ability, giving you the space to make the necessary adjustments to your lifestyle. Medical aid cover and Severe Illness cover should be part of your holistic ﬁnancial plan. There may also be additional costs related to the illness which may not be covered by your medical aid (e.g. specialist treatment and rehabilitation). GREENLIGHT Severe Illness Cover from Old Mutual is a solution that pays out 100% in the event of an illness such as a heart attack, cancer or stroke (as deﬁned in your policy contract), to ensure that you have the best possible chance of recovery.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT COVER NO MATTER WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS. We always think that a life changing event will happen to someone else, but in reality we face moments every day that can change our lives. A sound plan will protect your future and that of your loved ones. Every year, thousands of South Africans suffer heart attacks, even if they lead healthy lifestyles. You can’t see into the future, but knowing that you’re ﬁnancially prepared for it is good for your peace of mind. Make sure that you are prepared for when the unexpected happens. Plans to protect yourself for unforeseen events remain just that, until you action them. HERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR PLAN: Most of us have a vague idea of what our medical schemes cover, but it’s crucial to know whether you’d be paid a lump sum to

Old Mutual is a Licensed Financial Services Provider

If you are the owner or partner of a business, your business turnover is likely to suffer financially while you’re out of action, and the potential loss of livelihood will be really worrying. GREENLIGHT Key Person’s Cover will help your business to continue operating while you get well. TAKE ACTION TODAY With over 169 years of financial wisdom to impart, we’ll give you sound advice, to help you put a plan in place with the right solutions for your specific needs. POSSIBLE HURDLES YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER Life no doubt comes with the odd bump or two in the road. We’ll be right by your side every step of the way. From divorce, to an inability to earn an income, a death in the family and debt, we have financial advisers who can assist you in getting your dreams and goals back on track. Contact your Old Mutual financial adviser or your broker, or: Phone: 0860 60 60 60 Email: fromtoday@oldmutual.com SMS: TODAY and your name to 44181 Website: www.fromtoday.com

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10015606JB/

FEATURE: VICTORIA FLETCHER. PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY

3 Beware end-ofaisle promotions

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SPRING CLEAN

YOUR CASH Savings looking dusty? Spending need a polish? Follow our top tips to put the sparkle back into your wallet…

Do you know the interest rate on the cards in your wallet? If the answer is ‘no’, says Eunice Sibiya of FNB, spend some time going through the debt you have. ‘If you don’t know how much you’re paying to borrow money, how can you keep control of your debt?’ asks Eunice.

FIX IT Check your store and credit cards, loans, and your bond and ﬁnd out what you’re paying on each. Once you understand how much your debt costs, you can start working towards paying it off faster. ‘Once one card is paid off, don’t be tempted to spend on it again,’ warns Eunice.

Set up a buffer ‘If you have a home loan, you’re more vulnerable to interest rate hikes because of the large amount you’ve borrowed,’ says Nicholas Nkosi of Standard Bank. Even a 0.5% increase affects your budget. ‘Set up a “buffer zone”,’ says Nicholas. If your home loan is R400 000 and you have a rate of 10%, a 0.5% increase will mean you have to ﬁnd an extra R138 a month. Add that to your other expenses, such as credit cards, fuel prices hikes and cost of living increases, and eventually you’ll start to feel the ﬁnancial strain.

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FIX IT Have money in your budget or savings set aside speciﬁcally for nasty interest rate hikes. When the time comes to use it, you won’t feel the shock throughout your budget.

FIX IT ‘Unless there’s something very speciﬁc you need, don’t venture into a store,’ says Eunice. ‘Try to pay your accounts through electronic transfers, to stop the temptation of unplanned buying.’

Start saving

Plan retirement

‘Every person should have an “emergency fund”,’ says Sinenhlanhla Nzama from Old Mutual. What happens if medical expenses pop up, or you have a major car-related expense? You should have at least the equivalent of a month’s salary saved – but three months is ideal.

If you’re working, sign up to the company pension fund; it’s a great way to save as you and the company both contribute. If you’re not contributing to a fund at work, start saving on your own. Saving for retirement isn’t easy, but the earlier you start, the better – thanks to the power of compound interest.

FIX IT Set up a debit order to go straight into your savings every month, before you have time to spend all your money.

Stop spending How often do you pop into a store to pay off your accounts and come away with a bag full of new clothes, or a treat for dinner? ‘The best thing to do is avoid going to the shops in the ﬁrst place,’ says Eunice. Even with the best intentions, such as paying off debt, we’re often led astray and end up worse off than when we started.

FIX IT ‘Set goals for retirement that take your lifestyle, and the age you want to retire, into account,’ says Laurence Hillman, MD of 1Life.co.za. How do you want to spend your years? Use these goals as your motivation to save.

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FEATURE: TARYN ARNOTT. PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Take control

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The tips handbook Save time, money and a lot of hassle with these tried-and-tested ideas Drink up! Feeling peckish? Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger, so drink plenty of water throughout the day if you’re trying to cut down on the kilojoules.

COMBING YOUR HAIR BEFORE WASHING IT WILL REMOVE ANY LOOSE STRANDS, PREVENTING THEM FROM FALLING OUT WHILE YOU’RE IN THE SHOWER AND BLOCKING THE DRAIN WITH NASTY CLOGS.

FEATURE: ROSI HIRST. PHOTOGRAPHY: THINKSTOCK; REX FEATURES; SHUTTERSTOCK

REAL WOMEN LIKE YOU

MONEY MAGIC If you tend to buy on impulse, take your cards out of your purse before you go shopping. You’re more likely to overspend on a card than just using cash.

REAL WOMEN LIKE YOU

OH, SEW CLEVER When threading a needle, instead of trying to poke it through the eye, hold the thread still and move the needle towards it. Much easier!

Dishy solution Before switching on the dishwasher, run the hot tap in the kitchen sink for 30 seconds to heat up. The machine will then use the hotter water, and your dishes will be much cleaner.

GARLICKY GOODNESS Easily peel a clove of garlic by putting it in a plastic or metal bowl, then covering with another similar bowl. Hold together, shake vigorously and you’ll find the skin will fall off!

COOL RULE Keep nail polish from getting thick and gloopy by storing it in the fridge. The cool temperature will also make it last much longer.

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STOP HANGING PLANTS FROM DRIPPING EVERYWHERE WHEN YOU WATER THEM – SIMPLY PUT A FEW ICE CUBES IN EACH BASKET AND THEY’LL MELT DIRECTLY INTO THE SOIL.

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GENERATION

guilt

Are you carrying remorse, regret and guilt around with you like an unwanted expensive handbag? You’re not alone, says Rachel Porter

n my head, at any point, there’s a long list of things I feel guilty about. It’s constantly evolving, things are added to it and (very occasionally) removed. Right now, for instance, my many misdemeanours range from forgetting to send a present to my friend’s new baby, to not contributing as much as my husband to the family ﬁnances. Other regular ﬁxtures in this increasingly crowded space in my brain are things I can control – like spending time

on Facebook when I ought to be working – and things I can’t – like war and famine. I carry my guilt with me wherever I go. Like so many women in their ’30s and ’40s, I’m a fully paid up member of Generation Guilt.

It’s not just you A huge 96% of women ﬁnd something to feel guilty about at least once a day. My friends also admit to living with a gut-gnawing sense of failing to do right when it comes to more or less every aspect of their lives.

FAMILMYONEY

WOHROK USEWORK CHILDREN

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everyone’s talking about

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Despite being both wonderful and brilliant in more ways than I can count, the sheer array of reasons we ﬁnd to mentally punish ourselves is as horrifying as it is ridiculous: for being a stay-at-home mom and not earning; for working long hours and not spending enough time with family; for taking marriage for granted; for always being the ﬁrst to leave work; for looking forward to that moment when the kids are asleep; for not seeing friends often enough – the list is endless.

Blame nurture! In 2010, a study seemed to prove what many of us may already suspect: that women have a greater capacity for guilt than men. Researchers concluded that the female guilty conscience is a consequence of nurture, not nature. They claimed that we women are raised to be more conscious of, and anxious about, the feelings of others – a key factor in guilt.

The ﬁndings don’t surprise me, but extreme guilt – the kind that invades your every thought and complicates every decision – is a truly modern phenomenon. It’s what happens when our guilty consciences collide with the endless choices of modern life. For past generations, including our mothers’, life was a lot simpler, expectations were lower and choices – for women in particular – were limited. Few women had the chance (let alone the choice) to pursue a career and a family life – or deal with the guilt that often goes with it. Today, every aspect of our life – the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the schools our children attend, the things we buy, the jobs we do, the relationships we’re in, even the TV we watch – presents us with so many choices to agonise over that it’s all too easy to feel permanently anxious and guilt-ridden. Mom-of-three and ofﬁce

‘I JUST DO MY BEST AND TRY TO IGNORE THE GUILT NOW’

ME-TIME GY M

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manager Ann Murphy, 43, agrees that it’s pressure to make the right choice that adds to the stress. ‘Competitive parenting really made things hard for me – the perfect foods, the best school, the cutest outﬁts – add trying to hold down a job and you just know you’re going to do something imperfectly. I just do my best and try to ignore the guilt now.’ ‘Guilt is a symptom of living a complicated life, not a symptom of being a bad person,’ according to Professor Windy Dryden, a psychologist. ‘Guilt itself isn’t a bad thing – it depends what sort of guilt it is,’ he says. ‘It’s important to be able to distinguish healthy remorse at having done wrong, from destructive guilt that really serves no purpose other than making you feel negative about yourself.’

Give us a break Situations that might give rise to guilty feelings are, of course, impossible to avoid completely. ‘Especially these days, when there are so many conﬂicting demands on our time,’ says Professor Dryden. ‘Perhaps you feel guilty that you missed your child’s school play to visit a sick aunt (or that you saw the play instead of visiting your aunt) – either way, it’s a tough choice, and you’re likely to feel a degree of guilt whatever you choose. ‘There’s always an opportunity to feel guilty if you look for it,’ says Professor Dryden. ‘Every time you sit in front of the TV, you could ask yourself why you’re not doing something more productive. Every time you have coffee with one friend, you could berate yourself for neglecting another. When life is this complicated, the opportunities for guilt are limitless – unless you learn to give yourself a break.’ It’s an all too common refrain among working mothers: they feel guilty for leaving their children in ESSENTIALS 93

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someone else’s care while they go to work. But without the option of being in two places at once – at home with their child and in the office earning a living – a choice must be made. Feeling guilty about that choice helps no one. Annabel McGough, 37, a hard-working mom of a two year old, confides that she has tied herself in knots of guilt. ‘Everyone expects me to feel bad about my choice to go out to work and leave Emma with her nanny. They say, “You must find it so difficult” – but actually, I don’t. I think it’s the right decision for us. But I end up feeling there must be something wrong with me for not being wracked with guilt over it – so then I DO feel guilty!’ Professor Dryden says, ‘It’s a common mistake to think that guilt proves how caring we are. Telling others that we feel guilty has become a kind of shorthand for saying that we’re a nice, caring person.’ Among female friends in particular, guilt has become a part of everyday conversation.

Lighten up So is it time to change our thinking? To remember that it’s not always possible to do the ‘right’ thing, that doing the ‘wrong’ thing doesn’t make us ‘bad’ people, that putting ourselves ﬁrst sometimes isn’t necessarily selﬁsh, and that it’s possible to care without feeling guilt. We’re going to try. And if we don’t succeed straight away? We won’t feel guilty about it.

DROP THE GUILT TODAY TAKE CONTROL Guilt is a choice. It’s self-inflicted pain. ‘Don’t think of your guilt like a cloud that follows you around,’ says Professor Dryden. ‘You made it, you need to take responsibility for it. Remember that no one can make you feel guilty. You either do or you don’t – it’s up to you.’

DO AN AUDIT Take time to think of all the ways that guilt invades your thoughts. While healthy guilt (or remorse) can help you improve the way you live your life, unhealthy guilt can trap us in unhappy situations, like a failing relationship – or prevent us from making good choices – like

taking a new job for fear of causing upset to someone else.

BE MORE FLEXIBLE If your behaviour isn’t ‘perfect’, work on accepting that it’s impossible to be perfect all the time. If you catch yourself thinking that you’re a bad person because you fail to live up to the standards you set, it’s your standards that need to change, not your behaviour.

STOP SAYING IT! Telling everyone you feel guilty about something doesn’t change the situation or prove you’re a caring person. It only serves to reinforce how guilt-ridden we feel, so stop talking it up now!

Consider this... ‘Guilt, in some ways, is my driving force’ Writer Laura James, a 43-year-old mother of four, says having children set her off on the guilt route I feel bad that I haven’t been a ‘Tiger I feel like my ‘guilt-switch’ was tripped as soon as I had the first of my four Mom’ – I haven’t pushed them hard to children. It was 23 years ago, but from succeed. I’ve let them find their own way, that moment on, I’ve driven myself and I wonder whether one of them might mad with feelings of guilt over every have been a virtuoso violinist, if only I’d little thing I do, or don’t do. cracked the whip a bit harder. I feel guilty I’m sure several permanent fixtures on that when they broke their toys, I’d go to my guilt list are common: I don’t appreciate the ends of the earth to fix them, instead my husband enough; I still smoke despite of letting them learn the hard way to attempts to give up; I eat far too much appreciate what they’ve got. I feel guilty chocolate. Others surprise me. For that, when I have a work deadline, the kids instance, we moved to a safe estate to give don’t get fed until 9pm. But I know that the kids what we hoped was an idyllic without the guilt I feel as a deadline childhood, but now I feel guilty when approaches, I’d never get anything done. I can’t drive them to where they want Guilt, in some ways is my driving force. to be because we’re too far away. And, of course, I feel guilty about that too!

DO WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR FAILURE BY AIMING TOO HIGH? LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK Email us at essentials@caxton.co.za. 94 ESSENTIALS

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PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK

SMART THINKING

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ith w n i W

PUT YOUR FEET UP with Grafton Everest

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imported solid, blonde maple hardwood. This particular suite has been upholstered in innovative Airleather, which has all the characteristics of genuine leather, but it breathes better, so perspiring is no longer a concern. The i-Move range has built-in Leggit and Platt 300 Ezee reclining mechanisms, which carry up to 136kg. The i-Move range is also customisable so you can

choose between a swivel and glide action, manual or electric controls, recline or Lay Flat mechanisms, and wedges are available that can transform the i-Move into stylishly comfortable cinema seating.

Visit www.graftoneverest.co.za to find a retailer closest to you.

To win a three-piece three-action i-Move motion lounge suite from Grafton Everest to the value of R29 999, SMS your name, EVEREST, email address, postal address and ID number to 48403. Free SMSes don’t apply. Each SMS costs R1,50. Errors will be billed. Closing date is 30 September 2014. For terms and conditions, see pg 123.

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CAUGHT UP IN THE WEB We’re electronically connected to more friends than ever, so why do so many of us feel so isolated? Anthea Anka takes a look at her tech-dominated life and wonders how to untangle herself

hen I received an email from my husband reminding me to call the landlord to ﬁx the bathroom window, I knew he and I had hit rock bottom. The problem? I was sitting on the couch. He was on the other side of the room, eating his dinner. Yes, my name is Anthea, and Ashley and I are technology addicts. I’m not proud of it, at times I’m downright embarrassed, but my various dealers (Apple, Samsung, Microsoft) tell me my addiction is not only perfectly normal, but universally embraced. The development of technology is, on the surface, a wondrous thing, but what it’s doing to the fabric of family life is far from laudable. Not so long ago, when I took my four-year-old son, Lucian, to the park, I’d have been involved in the fun: giving it my all when pushing him on the swings, clapping encouragingly as he clambered up climbing frames. Now, our 30-minute visit is punctuated by repetitive glances at my phone, as I scan Facebook and type emails. In a recent poll, 22% of smartphone owners admitted

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to using their phones in the bathroom, 23% said they used it during meals, while 18% even confessed to having their phones on in places where they’d been asked to turn them off, like the movies, library or hospital. Fiona Abrams, 38, and her husband, Nick, 44, who live with their two young daughters, mirror my situation perfectly. ‘She’s always SMSing, even as we’re getting into bed,’ complains Nick. ‘I’m lying there in the dark, waiting for her ﬁngers to stop typing so I can fall asleep.’ Fiona is quick to remind him his absorption is equally out of hand. ‘I was driving us around the other day and when I stopped the car and we climbed out, his head was buried so deeply in his phone he ‘forgot’ to take our youngest out of the car. Next thing we knew, we’d locked her in the car and only realised it a few minutes later.’ Even the dinner table is falling foul of the handheld device. Letitia Johnston, 41, who lives with her husband Martin, 40, and daughter Alice, six, ﬁnds her husband’s phone addiction

constantly interferes with their alone time. ‘No matter where we are, be it eating dinner or on a romantic night out, Martin’s phone comes with him. He says it’s in case of a work emergency… so why do I always catch him checking the cricket scores?’ Technology has insidiously snuck into our homes to become an impenetrable wall between us and our loved ones. It’s shameful that evenings in our house are often spent in silence, as my husband and I tap away on our respective machines. With Lucian, too, I’m fully aware that there have been days when I’ve been on my phone or laptop too much (I tell myself it’s work, but that’s not always true). The other day we were at the zoo when he turned to me and said, ‘Mom, stop looking at your phone, you’re missing the tigers.’ His reaction cut me to the quick – I was allowing the excuse of my work to intrude on time I’d set aside for my son. Technology is encroaching on boundaries I thought I’d clearly drawn. My fear is I’m sending out a clear signal to my son that my phone is more important than him... Sherry Turkle, who conducts

‘EVENINGS IN OUR HOUSE ARE OFTEN SPENT IN SILENCE’

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the way we live today

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YOU COULD BE HOOKED IF YOU…

PHOTOGRAPHY: GREATSTOCK

Your night in? You may be part of a generation of addicts.

studies on ‘Technology and Self’, has already picked up on this. She asked children when their parents’ technology use upset them the most, and they gave the same three examples: at meals; when they’re being picked up either from school or an activity; during their sports events. And that encapsulates most of the time I spend with Lucian. Worse, we’re a generation of addicts raising a new generation of addicts. What do I do when I need to occupy my son while waiting in the car between sports activities? Why, I give him my phone to play games on. The pervasiveness of technology feels unavoidable; if we’re not pinging or pinning, making Spielberg-grade videos on Snapchat, or whipping up a photo collage on Flipagram, we’re posting, tweeting or emailing. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

So now, in our house, Sunday has been designated our ‘no technology day’. It feels like our day, and there’s something so freeing about being unreachable when we’re out and about. For Lucian, it’s more attention from Mommy and Daddy and lots more activities where we concentrate on ‘us’, which any pre-schooler loves. He and his father have become avid bakers and spend hours turning the kitchen upside down, (and I have more time to clean up after them!). For my husband and me, it’s about little moments we’ve clawed back that had been stolen from us. The conversation ﬂows now, as does the laughter, which in my book is the best by-product of being tech-free.

Lie to others about how long you spend online. Feel genuine panic if you have no signal or run out of battery. Check Twitter, Facebook, emails and messages before you go to bed and as soon as you wake up. Break off from conversations when your email alert rings/dings/pings. Never put your phone on silent.

HOW TO GET OUT OF TECHNO-JAIL Enforce a no-device rule at the table. Limit your children’s use to the weekends, and only for a limited amount of time. Set up a ‘no-technology day’. Leave your phone at home whenever possible. Make the hour after you and your partner get back from work technology-free. Choose an hour a day to check everything: email, messages, social media sites.

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t hinking

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THE HARDEST If there’s something tricky you need to say to someone and you don’t know where to start, let us help

‘Many adoptive moms ﬁnd this a tricky conversation for the simple reason that they worry they’re going to lose their child,’ says Julia Feast, an adoption policy and research consultant. ‘This is why it’s really important to explain yourself clearly and spell out your feelings, and objectives, right from the outset,’ she says. ‘Make sure to reassure your

mom that your curiosity about your birth parents doesn’t mean your relationship with her will change in any way. Tell her that nothing can take back the years of love and nurturing she’s given you. Tell her that she’ll always be your mom, even if you go on to form a relationship with your birth mother. ‘However, you should also be clear that, going forward, you’ll have to consider the

It happened to me…‘Mom took it better than I thought’ Karen Wilkins is a 45-year-old mom. ‘Knowing I was going to talk to my parents about ﬁnding my birth mother was nerve-wracking. My dad was adopted himself, so I knew he’d be ﬁne, but I wasn’t sure how my mom would react. I went for lunch with my mom and dad, showed them my adoption file, and gently said that I wanted to talk it through with them. My mom was really interested, and asked, ‘So what now?’ – that’s when I had to explain I’d already been in touch with my birth mother. I told my mom afterwards because I knew once I broached the subject she’d start looking for signs that our relationship had changed. Instead I was able to sit there and say, ‘I’ve found my birth mother, but you can see that nothing has changed between us, and

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our relationship hasn’t been affected by me being in touch with her.’ She took it much better than I’d expected and told me she always thought it would happen one day. Looking back, I think it’s because I handled it in the best way for her, and that’s the key – knowing what’s right for your family. Throughout all our conversations, I made it clear that it was only curiosity that had made me begin my search. I made sure she knew that I couldn’t have felt more loved and how much I treasured both her and my dad.

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feelings of everyone involved.’ Once you’ve told your parents that you’re tracing your birth mother, it’s a good idea to ask how much they want to be involved. While some parents will want to leave you to do it alone, others will want to be part of the process. In fact, two-thirds of adoptive parents go on to have contact with their child’s birth family. Finally, think about when you want to have the conversation. Nearly a quarter of people tell their adoptive parents that they’ve made contact with their birth parents only after it’s happened. Why? Because, like Karen (see box), they don’t want to upset them unnecessarily. • For more information about tracing your birth parents, visit Adoption Reunions South Africa at miracleads.co.za/ adoptionreunions for more.

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FEATURE: MEL HUNTER. PHOTOGRAPHY: THINKSTOCK; GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

How do I tell my adoptive mom I want to find my birth mother?

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CONVERSATIONS ou’ll e ver have... y

I love him, but I don’t enjoy sex Often, when women stop being attracted to their partner it’s because they feel unappreciated. ‘If this is the case, try saying, “I’m struggling because I don’t feel loved,” ’ says sexual counsellor Joanna Coker. ‘Don’t expect him to guess how you feel. It might not sound sexy saying, “If you help in the kitchen

I’ll feel like you care,” but it will spell out how he can change. ‘Say what you value about him and talk about your future plans. If he’s let himself go and this is affecting your desire, it’s OK to say so,’ says Joanna. Ask why his appearance has changed. Is work getting him down, is he feeling unappreciated, or has

he become too comfortable? Remind him how you used to lust after each other and say you want that desire back. ‘Once you can share how you feel, and when you believe he’s taking notice,’ says Joanna, ‘your sexual desire will usually return.’

No more queues, apply for UIF

ESS6997/09/14 IMAGE THINKSTOCK

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has enhanced the uFiling online system to cater for the needs of employees by allowing them to process their UIF beneﬁt applications online.

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Win w ith

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STUDY FOR A NEW CAREER in digital marketing Win one of three online short courses in digital marketing to the value of R10 000 each from GetSmarter t’s never too late to try your hand at something completely different, and the online world offers countless opportunities to explore a new skill. Essentials and online education company, GetSmarter, are giving three lucky readers the chance to each win a place on one of an array of digital marketing short courses to keep your skill set on trend. The courses are presented part-time and entirely online, and are designed to ﬁt into even the busiest schedule. Courses start in October and run for around 10 weeks. Each course is valued at approximately R10 000.

Visit www.getsmarter.co.za for more info on their portfolio of over 50 short courses in marketing, ﬁnance, management, business and more.

Choose from the following list of courses: UCT Internet Marketing short course Gain the skills and conﬁdence to implement your own online marketing tactics and strategies

UCT Social Media short course Gain a comprehensive overview of social media, with particular emphasis on ‘The Big 5’ - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and blogging, as well as Google+ and Pinterest

UCT Search Engine Optimisation short course TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. The competition prize is an online short course to the approximate value of R10 000. 2. The prize is valid only for the upcoming presentation of all short courses, with start date prior to March 2015. 3. The prize cannot be transferred to a later presentation of a short course. 4. Winners will be notified by telephone and email. 5. Winners are required to respond within one month of being notified or they may forfeit their prize. 6. The prize is not transferable, nor can it be deferred, changed or converted into cash. 7. Winners will be required to register for the online short course prize on the GetSmarter website using a promo code to claim their prize. This will be provided to them upon notification that they have won.

Learn the fundamentals in SEO best practice to optimise a website’s visibility and ranking through search

HOW TO ENTER To stand a chance to win this wonderful offer, SMS the keyword DIGITAL, your full name, postal and email address, and ID number to 48403. Free SMSes don’t apply. Each SMS costs R1,50. Errors will be billed. Closing date is 30 September 2014. For terms and conditions, see pg 123.

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t hinking

KIDS’ ESSENTIALS This month it’s all about places to be, clothes to wear and treating the mommies! PRETTY READS The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker (R320,

Penguin). This collection of Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies features a beautiful new cover that makes it the perfect addition to your little one’s book shelf. It’s a must-have for fans of the Flower Fairies, old and new, and includes all the original classic Flower Fairy poems and illustrations.

A HANDY LITTLE SPOIL Want to spoil a mom-tobe? This Pure Beginnings baby gift set is a treat: it’s packed with necessities that no-one really thinks to buy, like Baby Bum Cream for rashes, and soothing rosemary and lavender Baby Body Lotion. The Baby Wash and Shampoo comes with an embroidered cotton facecloth. The whole set is only R146,99, from Baby City.

Trendy tots We love these little ultra-stylish ﬁnds from Cotton On Kids, R189 each. Indulge in a blast from the past à la David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys. They’ll bring a smile to your face, and to everyone the kids meet!

Keep the kids entertained

FEATURE: TARYN ARNOTT. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Need a breather? Then head to Bub Hub & Company. This new concept store in Fourways, Joburg, offers a modern and comfortable space where moms can spend quality time with their newborns, interacting with other new parents. The Bub Hub is all about encouraging and supporting moms and dads in a non-intimidating, relaxed environment. The hub offers plenty of courses and services to help expectant and new parents, from baby massage classes, baby gym and toddler yoga to preggi pilates, ﬁrst aid training and immunisations. You’ll feel right at home! Visit thebubhub.co.za or contact 083 285 9449 for more info.

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Want to find some real fun for the whole family? I’m Bored brings all the best family-friendly activities right to your fingertips. This purely South African-born and bred app is all you need to find the must-visit events in your city. And, with hundreds of events listed every month, you’re bound to find something entertaining for you and the family to do, or delightful places for you to visit together. Subscribe to the free service to keep up-to-date with the freshest places to be via their website or downloadable app. Just visit imbored.co.za for more info.

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ESSENTIALS 101

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MEET THE OWNER

All things

bold & beautiful

Brave colours, striking accessories and attention to detail give Kathryn Reid’s family home serious ‘wow-factor’! WorldMags.net

Kathryn Reid lives with her husband, Alex, and their sons, Charlie, six, and Harry, three, in their five-bedroom home. When the family first moved in, Kathryn didn’t like the decor: ‘It was so blank, it did nothing for me,’ she says. She’s since put her stamp on it using deep background colours, modern touches and bright accessories. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

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HOME

Style tip! Create zones within an open-plan space using statement colours and well laid-out furniture. Couches are set against a dramatic black feature wall (Plascon Cashmere Night Moss, R580 for 5 litres, Builders Warehouse), teamed with ﬂashes of jewel-accent colour.

inspiration

Light and airy Natural wood looks fantastic in a large space. Team with a long table and bench for versatile dining. Try the Plain Knook set from Mistry’s (mistrys.co.za) for a similar look. It’s available in a variety of colours, or you can update the look with a wood stain. Huge windows ﬁll the room with light and bring the garden into the house, while no window dressings keep the look contemporary.

Shades of grey A grey paint palette has been used throughout the house – the soft shade of grey is the ideal backdrop for a ﬂash of vibrant colour and quirky ﬁnds. This shade also lends itself perfectly to evening entertaining.

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WorldMags.net Style tip! Design a room that will grow with your child. The red, white and blue scheme in Harry’s room keeps it classic and easy to update.

Savvy boutique style

‘I’m always changing things around, and I don’t finish a room in one go. It’s a gradual process’

Kathryn created the stylish scheme for the bedroom using items she already had. The wallpaper was left over from her previous home, and she’s had the ﬂoral throw for years. Tricks such as using different lamp bases but matching shades make for an easy, less expensive update.

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HOME

inspiration

How to...GET HER STYLE

Love Kathryn’s taste and want some hints on how to achieve her look? We’ve found these gorgeous buys… Bordelli mirror, R1 895, Block & Chisel.

Fuschia lamp shade, R159,99, Mr Price Home.

Hand-painted coat hooks, R199, Poetry.

All in the detail Kathryn’s ﬁnishing touches give the house its unique look – from the eye-catching set of coat hooks, above, to her ‘signature’ shot of hot colour and quirky ﬁnds. Everything balances perfectly and will continue to evolve as the family grows up and Kathryn’s tastes develop.

FEATURE: ASTRID ROSSINGTON/ANNABELLE GRUNDY AND STEPHANIE MAKHLOUF; FIONA GALLEY. PHOTOGRAPHY: COLIN POOLE/PHOTOWORD.

White bedside table, R899,99, Mr Price Home.

Blue and white scatter, R199, Grey Gardens at Zando.

Birdhouse, R250, Whitehouse Interiors.

Cowboys and Indians bunting, R166,62, heartandhome.co.za.

Blue and white ceramic jug, R149, Weylandts.

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ADDRESS THE MESS! Spring is here, so why not make THIS year the one when you FINALLY sort out your clutter? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made it easy for you!

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HOME

Professional ‘sorter outer’, Vicky Silverthorn has decluttered and organised everyone from celebrities and sports stars to busy moms and businessmen. She aims to declutter the entire world… one room at a time!

THE KITCHEN It’s all in the preparation. Gather cleaning products, a box for stuff going to charity, bin bags and a bowl of soapy water, and you’re set! Empty all your kitchen cupboards. Check use-by dates and be realistic – those old herbs are going to be unusable and should go in the bin. Big serving dishes for dinner parties? The smoothie-maker you only get out in summer? That chocolate fondue set? They’ll only clutter your kitchen, so box them up, label them and store them somewhere like under the stairs. Split wooden spoons and greasy, marked tins are a no-no. Get rid of them. Tea towels with holes in them can be used as cleaning cloths. Got crockery, cutlery and glassware you don’t use? Try a trial separation. Pack up the excess in a box and put it away. If you don’t retrieve any of it in six months, take it to a charity shop. Put tins and packet food in a see-though plastic box or drawer dividers, so you can lift them out of the cupboard to see what you’ve got, and stop things getting pushed to the back and forgotten about.

Drawer dividers, R45, Woolworths.

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know-how

THE GARAGE A large job, like the garage, requires precision planning. This is one of those occasions when the last thing you should do is look at the ‘bigger picture’. Instead, commit to sorting the space in sections, rather than going at it like a bull in a china shop – you’ll only end up getting completely overwhelmed and ignoring it for another 10 years! Short spurts of a few hours at a time will be much more productive. First, scan the mess and remove anything you can see is deﬁnitely not wanted – broken suitcases, the clothes rail with a missing wheel, the pram you’ll never use again. Next, ask yourself: ‘Do I really need it?’ and ‘Would anyone want it after I’m gone?’ It’s amazing how those two little questions will help you whittle down the contents. Moving mess from the garage to another room is fatal! It’ll only end up languishing there instead. Make a pile of all the things you want to throw out and commit to donating it to a local charity – and do it right away! Once you’ve made up your mind to get rid of something, it needs to go – pronto! Remember, you can’t keep everything your children make, paint or write. Be selective. Look ahead 10 years and ask yourself, realistically, how much enjoyment you or your children will get from raking through hundreds of birthday cards or drawings. Just choose the best. First shoes, a favourite teddy or book are all great keepsakes, so put them in a memory box. Putting photos into albums is a time-consuming task. There’s a charm to riﬂing through boxes of old snaps, so get shoe boxes and label them by year, getting rid of blurred and spoiled photos as you go. Flyphoto.co.za lets you print the best digital photos from R1,95 per print for a jumbo (10.2cm x 15.2cm).

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Navigate old paperwork carefully. Start by weeding out insurance documents for vehicles you no longer own and loan agreements you’ve paid off. Box up anything you want to hold onto for tax purposes or need to archive, then invest in a ﬁling cabinet (that’s attractive enough to keep on a desk where it’s accessible – see below) for the rest of the paperwork you need to keep at hand. The rules are simple: Any piece of paper that enters your home should only ever have two places to live (other than the bin!): in an action pile on top of the cabinet or ﬁled inside it.

Desktop four-drawer cabinet, R99,99, West Pack.

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HOME

know-how

WorldMags.net KIDS’ ROOMS ◆ Young children can help when you de-clutter, but only include them in the last 20 minutes to avoid upset. Sort toys into ‘keep’, ‘chuck’ and ‘maybe’ piles. Hide the ‘chuck’ toys, put the ‘keep’ items away and get your kids to decide on the ‘maybe’ pile. ◆ Keep storage simple. A few toy baskets or boxes are enough, so when you ask your child to tidy their room they can just throw them in. ◆ Teenagers’ rooms tend to be littered with stuff. Put school work/ books over a year old (that may be needed for revision) in a labelled box. Buy magazine boxes to keep current work tidy and desks clear. ◆ Get older kids to weed out CDs/ DVDs/games. They might be able to sell them on Gumtree.co.za.

◆ Give yourself a day to get it done. Get a friend to help you so you can get a second opinion on that suit you bought for a wedding in 1999! ◆ Accept that there’s going to be wastage – clothes with tags still attached, or that have only been worn once. So think about clawing money back by putting items on Gumtree.co.za – photograph and upload pieces as you go. If items don’t sell in the allocated time-frame, send them straight to a charity shop. ◆ If it doesn’t make you feel good right NOW, get rid of it. If it’s too tight, too big, unﬂattering, uncomfortable, or reminds you of a sad time, then it has no place in your wardrobe. ◆ Store summer clothes away for winter – and vice versa. Include shoes in this (which most people tend to forget) as it’ll keep the

TIP Have a cocktail dress you know you won’t wear again? Donate it to princessproject.co.za. They’ll pass it on to a Matric girl who is in need of a dance dress. 108 ESSENTIALS

bottom of your wardrobe neat and tidy. An underbed storage case is ideal, but don’t forget to add moth balls. A bar of lavender soap left in its wrapper and tucked among the clothing works just as well. ◆ Only keep make-up that looks great on you. If that expensive lipstick you bought on a whim doesn’t suit you, give it to a friend. Most make-up has a 6-12 month life, so anything older should go.

◆ Put any out-grown clothes into a ‘charity bag’, which you should keep in their wardrobe until it’s full. ◆ Dividers will stop tots and teens turning their drawers over when looking for socks and undies.

Dividers, R129,99, Mr Price Home.

SMART IDEAS TO KEEP CLUTTER AT BAY 1 Store like with like. For example, batteries should always live in one place. 2 Whenever you boil the kettle, use the time to tidy up a few things in the kitchen. You can get a lot done in that time – especially if you’re a big tea drinker! 3 Use your garage to store once-a-year items, like Christmas decorations. Holiday bits and pieces, like bikinis and sarongs, can be stored in suitcases under your bed. 4 From now on, instigate a ‘one in, two out’ rule. Whenever you bring one item into the house, throw away

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two other things. You’ll have to search for stuff you don’t want after a while – which is the point of this exercise! 5 If you have items that are nearly new, or in mint condition, try selling them on sites like Bidorbuy.co.za and olx.co.za and make a little extra cash. 6 The upper half of cupboards are often wasted space. So put in clever mini stacking shelves. Make the most of shelves by using under-shelf storage baskets from stores like Makro, Plasticland and West Pack.

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FEATURE: ALISON PALMER. PHOTOGRAPHY: GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

YOUR WARDROBE

h it w e v WorldMags.net S a

Get an incredible 30% discount at the idyllic Ibo Island Lodge

Qualify for this super deal when you book a ﬁve-night stay at Mozambique’s Ibo Island Lodge, or book an adventure-stay package – the ﬁve-night Dive Package, or seven-night Dhow Safari Package

magine a remote island almost forgotten by the world for nearly a century. Picture majestic architecture, some having been lovingly restored to its former glory, others having fallen into beautiful, crumbling ruins. Be whisked to an idyllic white sandbank beach and dive some of Africa’s richest coral reefs. Snorkel, sea kayak, swim, ﬁsh, massage and relax. Take a Quirimbas Archipelago island-hopping dhow safari. Snack on cashew nuts and tropical fruit, and feast on seafood of every description. Recline high on the mesmerising roof-top terrace overlooking the ocean, and track the slow and steady dhows as they drift across the horizon. Refresh your senses with a massage and

indulge in a frosty cocktail as you relax by one of the pools. Accommodation at Ibo Island Lodge is award nominated and the lodge has been described as one of the most magical, and atmospheric in Africa. The island is also one of the oldest and most romantic settlements in Africa and has been nominated for World Heritage Status. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, Ibo Island Lodge was built with the community and, directly and indirectly, beneﬁts a large portion of Ibo’s population – your visit really does make a difference. Choose between a tailor-made safari or join groups of like-minded travellers on a scheduled departure.

TO REDEEM THIS OFFER A dream island getaway is yours in the making, with one of these three inviting options at 30% less! Choose between: ★ A ﬁve-night stay at Ibo, excluding any activity packages. Rates from R1 795 pppns in a garden-facing room. ★ A Dive Package, which includes a ﬁve-night stay at Ibo, with daily dive excursions. Rates from about R3 060 pp, including a daily rate for your room of choice. ★ A Dhow Safari Package, which includes a three-night stay at Ibo, before you set off on a four-day island-hopping trip aboard a dhow. Rates from R13 500 pp, including the daily rate for your room of choice at Ibo. Once you’ve selected one of the options above, call the lodge on 021 785 5498 to book, quoting the promotional code ‘ESSIBO’ for 30% off the total value.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Offer valid until 30 June 2015, and only applies to bookings made using the correct promotional code for one of the above-mentioned choices. Accommodation and package stays are subject to availability; booking is essential. A Dhow Safari Package, based on scheduled departures, excludes transfers, and can only be booked for a minimum of two people. Offer excludes ﬂights and all travel to and from Ibo Island Lodge, applied to all three choices. Offer can’t be used in conjunction with any other special offer.

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Get out there! With a huge selection of fun experiences all set in the great outdoors, getting the whole family outside to celebrate spring will be a breeze. And, best of all, it’s all on your doorstep...

The vast Isimangaliso Wetlands Park Along the North Coast, between Durban and Mozambique, you’ll ﬁnd one of South Africa’s most treasured World Heritage Sites. The Isimangaliso Wetlands Park is a sight to behold, with its lakes, swamp forests, coastal dunes and dense bird, animal and plant life. Follow the game-viewing routes through the park to the dunes of Cape Vidal, where the kids can spend hours playing in the rock pools. There are many viewpoints in the park where you can get out and see Lake St Lucia, and hectares of lush bushveld, stretching across the horizon. The kids will love the crocodile centre just outside the park. There are so many exciting things to do in the area and beautiful reserves to visit, so plan your route. Visit isimangaliso.com

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The rich Cape Floral Region The rolling vegetation in this lovely part of the world has to be seen to be believed. It’s another World Heritage Site that will evoke a sense of awe that magical South African landscapes bring. Stretching from the Eastern Cape to the Cape Peninsula, the Floral Region includes Table Mountain, De Hoop Nature Reserve, the Swartberg Mountains and the Cederberg wilderness area. September is the best time to experience the wild flowers that burst into bloom in spring, cloaking the Karoo and Kalahari, and valleys in between, in carpets of colour. Head to one of many wild-flower shows happening this time of year. The Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show, from 28 August to 5 September, is a good place to start, as it’s celebrating its 200th year this year. Visit clanwilliamwildflowerfestival.co.za

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your time off

Pilanesberg

Just two hours outside of Joburg and Pretoria you’ll ﬁnd yourself immersed in a wild landscape of wooded valleys and grasslands. The romantic and rugged Pilanesberg is bursting at the seams with wildlife, and any trip there – whether for a few days or just a day drive – will leave you satisﬁed. The reserve is set in the crater of an ancient volcano, and its rugged landscape is owed to the park’s position in the transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld. And what’s not to love, with its big game viewing (including the Big Five), walking safaris, self-drive game drives, guided drives, hot-air ballooning, birding safaris and photographic hides? Whether you want to rough it or treat yourself to luxury, there’s an option for everyone. Visit pilanesbergnationalpark.org

History at Maropeng Millions of years in the making, Maropeng, just off the R563 Hekpoort Road near Magaliesberg, is the perfect destination for families. This World Heritage Site is believed to be the spot where all humankind originated. Stroll along the breathtaking paths between rocky outcrops, and through the sunken marketplace – an excavation site where hundreds of Stone Age tools were found. And don’t miss the Maropeng Visitors’ Centre, which brings the history of the roots of humankind to life through interactive displays. If you’re not afraid of tight spaces, take a tour deep into the Sterkfontein Caves, only 10km away. Entry into Maropeng is R145 for adults and R82 for kids. At Sterkfontein Caves, adults pay R150 and kids pay R88. Visit maropeng.co.za

Royal Natal National Park, Drakensberg The landscape, the fresh air and ﬂowing rivers are just a fraction of what you’ll love about the Drakensberg’s Royal Natal National Park. The main feature of the park is the Amphitheatre – the 5km-long rock formation towering over 500m high above the valleys below. Try the hike to MountAux-Sources – the source of many of South Africa’s rivers. Some of the hillside walks are gentle enough for the family, such as the route up to Fairy Glen. Hiking a few of the tougher trails such as up the steep Crack will be an adventure for thrill seekers. But the view from the top is worth the effort. You may even catch a bit of snow on the mountains if the weather is still a bit chilly. You can also visit the Bushman paintings in Sigubudu Valley after a 30-40 minute hike, where you’ll see the amazing etchings and fossils embedded in the rock. There’s a range of accommodation from camping, to hotels and chalets. Visit royalnatal.info

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your time off

WorldMags.net The magical Panorama Route

Wild Kruger National Park This ﬁrm family favourite evokes memories for many. Early morning coffee and rusks on day-long game-viewing trips, naughty monkeys pinching breakfast from picnic site tables, and waking up to the sound of lions roaring and hyenas cackling, are but a few memories that visitors to the park will take away. The Kruger is known for its diverse game, vegetation, and the days of fun it offers travellers. The park is our largest protected area, and encompasses 14 eco-zones. You won’t need to travel far before ticking the Big Five off your list! The rest camps in the park offer a range of accommodation, from simple and affordable chalets and camping facilities, to upmarket private camps. Visit sanparks.org

Variety is the name of the game along Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route where you’ll experience canyons, rivers, winding mountain passes, waterfalls, breezy hikes and cool rivers. There are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy along the Escarpment, so set enough time aside so that you can make the most of it. Head out to Mac Mac Pools outside of Sabie for a picnic. A bit further along the Escarpment, visit Pinnacle Rock – a towering buttress jutting out amidst the cliffs. If you feel like the walk up to God’s Window, see the view stretching out towards Mozambique. Take the kids to Bourke’s Luck Potholes and throw a coin for good fortune. Then check in at Blyde River Canyon Forever Resort, where you’ll enjoy the view of the Three Rondawels. Set a day aside to visit Echo Caves, where the kids will love the San rock paintings. Visit foreverblydecanyon.co.za

Sightseeing in Cape Town

The Harties Aerial Cableway Just a short distance outside of Johannesburg, Hartebeespoort Dam could be a world away. Nowhere is the exceptional landscape of the Magaliesberg mountains and farmlands as clear as from the top of the Harties Aerial Cableway, set along a mountain overlooking the dam. It’s perfect for a day trip with the kids. After riding the monocableway – the longest in Africa – they can explore the mountain walkway at the top, which features info about the plant and wildlife in the area. You’ll be able to delve into the history of the rocks of the Magaliesberg, which bear the ripples of ancient tides. Finish off with a bite to eat at the Pizza Shack or Bugatti Express – both at the top of the cableway, and a drink at the Lookout Bar. Tickets are R90 for kids and R160 for adults. Visit hartiescableway.co.za 112 ESSENTIALS

Whatever your age, there’s something to fall in love with in the mad expanse of all that Cape Town has to offer. It’s all rather too much to take in, but if you want to sample a little bit of everything and enjoy the ocean views, mountain passes, cityscapes and winelands, then hop on board the Cape Town City Sightseeing bus. There are two routes to choose from. The Red City Tour runs through the city and up to Table Mountain, stopping at sightseeing spots along the way, including the District Six Museum and Castle of Good Hope. The Blue Mini Peninsula Tour will take you past Kirstenbosch, and through the Winelands to Constantia Valley. Learn all about the history of the city and surrounds. Hop on and off with a full day pass, at R130 for adults and R80 for kids. Available at citysightseeing.co.za

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PHOTOGRAPHY: TARYN ARNOTT; SHUTTERSTOCK. PRODUCTS AND PRICES WERE CHECKED AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT. *SEE PAGE 123

T R AV E L

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Are you sitting comfortably? Snuggle up, unwind and enjoy the best entertainment this month has to offer BOOKS BOOK OF THE MONTH

by Kirsty Wark (R202 on Kalahari.com, Two Roads) This haunting novel will stay with you weeks after you’ve read it. Retired teacher and spinster Elizabeth Pringle has lived on the island of Arran for over 90 years. When she spots a stranger from mainland Scotland pushing a singing toddler in a pram on the island, she is captivated by the young mother. When the toddler, Martha, grows up, she sets out to discover why Elizabeth chose

to bequeath her house on the island to her. Kirsty Wark’s characters and dense, but tightly-written, plot will teach you about the weight we give our own memories. It’s a romantic, beautifully written story about engaging characters and the intertwining of their lives and memories. Filled with uneasy truths about the emphasis we place on our own history, it will have you contemplating your own. Make sure you set time aside for this moving read: you won’t want to put it down.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE… When the Bough Breaks by Casey B. Dolan (R195, Kwela) Amber has terminal cancer. In an attempt to come to terms with her impending death and the bizarre events leading up to it, she writes down her story. In the short time she has left, Amber pleads for forgiveness. Interspersed with accounts of her last night alive, this novel will keep you guessing to the very end. All That is Solid Melts into Air by Darragh McKeon (R270, Penguin) One of the best books of the last year, this is a unique read. Set in Russia in 1986, Darragh McKeon’s novel about the Chernobyl disaster has a universal resonance. His characters portray a society torn apart, with only a few who manage to rise above: from a nine-year-old piano genius, to his struggling aunt, his troubled piano teachers, and a peasant boy on the cusp of manhood.

Skeletons by Jane Fallon (R170, Penguin) Jen has discovered a secret that will, if she chooses to share it, destroy her marriage and break up the family she loves as her own. But the secret is not hers to share. An insightful novel that challenges the ideas of truth and secrecy. 114 ESSENTIALS

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PHOTOGRAPHY: DYLAN SWART

A Fete to Remember by Julia Stagg (R279 on Kalahari.com, Hodder & Stoughton) This delicious read is perfect for kicking off spring. It’s summer in the French Pyrenees, and the whole village of Fogas is ready for the festivities. Except for deputymayor Christian – he’s fallen in love, and doesn’t know what to do next. But he needs to gather his wits to save the community he cherishes. Light, ﬂuffy and endearing.

your entertainment

WorldMags.net SMART THINKING

WHAT TO WATCH

TAKE A TRIP TO THE CINEMA Don’t forget the popcorn!

Million Dollar Arm Out 19 September Based on true events, this feelgood drama tells the story of an American sports agent, J.B. Bernstein (Jon Hamm) who, against all convention, goes to India to recruit talented cricket players to play Major League Baseball through a reality contest called Million Dollar Arm. J.B. takes the winners to America to try their luck at getting a contract to play with a League team. Also starring Lake Bell and Alan Arkin.

The Giver Out 12 September The Giver is based on the novel by Lois Lowry. The sci-fi, filmed almost entirely in South Africa last year, is set in a futuristic utopia where there’s no conflict or racism and every member of society has a specific role. Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a 16-yearold, is selected to be the Receiver of Memory. As Jonas uncovers the truth behind his world’s past, he discovers that those before him gave up humanity in exchange for a stable society. ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

DVDs of the month

GET OUT & ABOUT Seeking a little bit of adventure in your life?

Curl up on the couch

August: Osage County A dysfunctional family reunites at their family home when their father (Sam Shepard) disappears and their mother (Meryl Streep) tries to face her broken family. Tense and heart-wrenching, this is a must-see. Also stars Ewan McGregor and Julia Roberts.

Wine delights Step into spring at the Franschhoek Uncorked Festival from 27 to 28 September. Join top wineries as they showcase their produce and offer amazing specials. Stop in at each of the farms, and enjoy entertainment along the way. A weekend pass is R120, at webtickets.co.za. Visit franschhoekuncorked. co.za for more info.

Feel at home

Goddess Stay-at-home mom Elspeth (Laura Michelle Kelly) is at home to look after her rowdy twin boys while her husband is at sea. Desperate to reconnect with her passion for singing, she installs a web cam in her kitchen: and sings her heart out. Soon thousands of fans tune in, including TV executives who want to make her a star.

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Need home inspiration? For the latest in home improvement and decor, try the Pretoria Homemakers Expo. Taste deli delights and browse the ﬁttings, kitchen designs and more. Visit Parkview Shopping Centre from 18 to 21 September. Tickets are R50 for adults and kids get in free. Visit homemakersonline. co.za for more info.

Beers to you The Festival of Beer will be returning to Joburg from 26 to 28 September at Pirates Sports Club. Celebrate brewing heritage, culture and beer craft from around South Africa and abroad. Enjoy hundreds of local and international beers on show, delicious food stalls, kiddies play areas, and live entertainment. Early bird tickets are R150, available from webtickets.co.za. ESSENTIALS 115

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16 lucky subscribers will each PLUS! win a pampering Sh’Zen hamper valued at R987 Look radiant with this luxurious Sh’zen phytoexquisites™ facial hamper Sh’Zen with PhytoExquisites™, an award-winning facial range, comprises a blend of three valuable and feminine essential oils in the ﬂoral kingdom – Rose, Neroli and Jasmine – all in a base of regenerating EFA-rich plant oils, including Rosehip oil that penetrates to the deepest levels of the skin, stimulating cellular renewal to give you a radiant and glowing complexion!

The PhytoExquisites™ Facial Essence (30ml), an anti-ageing elixir of pure plant essences, nourishes, oxygenates and revitalises the skin. The PhytoExquisites™ Calming Melt-in Mask (75ml), a soothing, softening treatment mask, calms, hydrates and replenishes sensitive skin. The PhytoExquisites™ Deep Cleansing Balm (50ml), a concentrated cleanser, polishes, tones, detoxiﬁes and hydrates skin to soften the signs of ageing. For more info go to www.shzen.co.za, or call CPT: 021 704 2940 Gauteng: 011 262 3100; KwaZulu-Natal: 031 463 1440

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FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, call +27 11 473 8700; fax +27 86 756 6432 or email essentialssubs@RNAD.co.za. Please note that processing takes two to three weeks. This offer is valid until 30 September 2014. Six month and digital subscriptions are not eligible for entry to prize offering.

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Silverstar is sure to entertain families Silverstar is Tsogo Sun’s jewel on Joburg’s West Rand and is currently undergoing a R560-million redevlopment. This means it’ll soon become a premier entertainment destination with loads of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Soon guests will be able to experience brand new facilities including six new restaurants, one of which is a unique brew pub called Publicity; a 2 600-seater dome that will host expos and shows; a cinema complex boasting the latest 3D technology; a children’s entertainment area with the latest arcade games, a 12-lane bowling alley and laser-tag games. Silverstar’s other facilities include a casino, a boutique hotel, an award-winning spa and regular entertainment gigs. Publicity is built over two levels. It has a beer garden serving craft beer and an outdoor family area. The restaurant has an industrial look, with a

brewery atmosphere, and one-man bands will be performing live to keep guests entertained. Silverstar borders a natural conservancy with beautiful views of the picturesque Magaliesberg. Take time out and explore this beautiful corner of Joburg! SILVERSTAR IS GIVING, ONE COUPLE A SILVERSTAR EXPERIENCE, VALUED AT R10 000, CONSISTING OF: two nights in a luxury room, with breakfast at Southern Sun Silverstar two tickets to a show of your choice dinner for two at Billy G buffet restaurant including a bottle of house wine a couple’s massage package at Soulstice Day Spa. For more info about Silverstar go to www.silverstarcasino.co.za or call 011 662 7300. To win a two-night stay for two at Southern Sun Silverstar valued at R10 000, SMS CASINO.

Little spoils u o y or SMS your details and you could win some of these fabulous goodies!

Win a Fantastia IC haircare hamper Fantasia IC keeps your hair nourished and protected against heat and environmental damage. This fabulous range of hair serums and mists will keep your locks looking gorgeous all year round. The Fantasia IC Heat Protector Straightening Serum, R109,99, is enriched with silicone, aloe, vitamin E and sunscreen and protects hair from the damage caused by heat-styling tools, while still smoothing the hair and giving it shine. Finish off any hairstyle with Fantasia IC Daily Hair Polisher Serum, R109,99, or Hair Polisher Mist, R59,99, to nourish and smooth the hair’s surface, preventing breakage. All Fantasia IC products are exclusively available at Clicks stores nationwide.

For more product info, go to www.stylestudio.co.za, call 021 671 3647 or email admin@stylestudio.co.za. Find Fantasia IC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ StyleStudioSA. 20 lucky readers can win a Fantasia IC haircare hamper valued at R500 each! To win, SMS FANTASIA.

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ESSENTIALS

Sensational skincare SIX Sensational Skincare is South Africa’s fastest growing, professional, value for money skincare range that can be combined with your current cosmetics. Your skin deserves the best to maintain its appearance and as the ﬁrst line of defense against environmental stresses. SIX uses effective active ingredients and fruit extracts to supply all you need to maintain healthy, glowing, beautiful skin. SIX SENSATIONAL SKINCARE IS GIVING AWAY NINE INNOVATIVE, BROADSPECTRUM SUNBLOCKS WITH THE FOLLOWING FEATURES: the highest rated UVA protection anti-ageing formula FIRST ever anti-sand technology non sticky, grease-free and matte-ﬁnish.

For more info, contact Marisa on 011 312 7840, marisa@ thespaconsultants. co.za or go to www.sixskincare. com. To win a Six Sensational Skincare hamper, valued at R3 000, SMS SUNSCREEN.

Sparkle with Sequoia Sequoia brings you sparkling, quality costume jewellery. Cubic zirconias, crystals and semi-precious stones create a range that will help you to express your style and personality.

O.P.I Nail Lacquer colour O.P.I is world renowned for its Nail Lacquer – a chip-resistant, professional formula that’s available in over 200 colours. No O.P.I Nail Lacquer, or O.P.I product or service is tested on animals. ENTER TO WIN A FABULOUS O.P.I HAMPER CONSISTING OF: 15ml Start-to-Finish Nail Treatment – top coat and base coat in one 120ml High Intesity Hand Lotion – perfect for very dry skin 7,5ml Cuticle Oil-to-Go Pen – contains avocado lipid complex 118ml Callus Therapy – with green tea and botanical extracts Callus ﬁle – hygienic and made from polypropylene plastic Nail Lacquer in Lost on Lombard, Liquid Sand and Alcatraz Rocks – professional, chip resistant formula. To win an O.P.I hamper valued at R1 768, SMS NAILS.

To view Sequoia products, go to www.sequoia.co.za or call them on 021 851 9338 for stockists. To win one of two Sequoia jewellery sets, valued at R1 816 each, SMS SPARKLE.

Ndumu River Lodge One lucky reader stands a chance to win a two-night stay at magical Ndumu River Lodge, valued at R6 920. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, nestled between two game reserves, Ndumo Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Park, Ndumu River Lodge caters for all budgets and includes standard and deluxe en-suite rooms, self-catering cottages and rustic camp sites. Cool down in the sparkling pool, wander through lush gardens, ramble along the Pongola River, or relax with a refresing drink. If you need time out, sit quietly listening to the birdlife. Ndumu River Lodge is a perfect stopover if you’re on your way to Mozambique.

To win a two-night stay at Ndumu River Lodge, valued at R6920, SMS CANOE.

HOW TO ENTER: SMS your name, keyword, email address, postal address and ID number to 48403. Free SMSes don’t apply. Each SMS costs R1,50. Errors will be billed. Entries must reach us by 30 September 2014.

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Win w ith

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SOLVE THE BLOCKWORD AND YOU COULD WIN a Georgini jewellery hamper valued at R2 900. Follow the arrows and, when the blockword is complete, the ringed letters will spell out a word meaning ‘the scar of a healed wound’. Portion Decisions based on what seems best

Infrared (abbr)

Clean or organised

Happy birthday ... you

Compact disc (abbr)

Summit

Opposite of rural

That belongs to ... (it’s mine)

Regarding (abbr)

Rubbish

Any high mountain

Whiskey distilled from ...

Posing no Yesterday, difﬁculty today, ...

Give up for a price

Rubs out

The smallest whole number

The day before

Grant freedom to

Tedious

Adult males

Love instensely

Obesity is an ... disorder

Tantalum (symbol)

Level

A small island

Few or ...

Carried out

... or cold

Informative

Emergency room (abbr)

Northern Territory (abbr)

Railroad (abbr)

Scent

A strong thick cord

Any place of complete bliss and delight

Detest

The whole quantity or number

A ... of rugby players

Her eyes were ... from crying

Remorse

Georgini STEEL jewellery Device High Extra is available in over 100 that takes Grade ordinary photos (abbr) stores in South Africa. Postpone With its resistance to Roman A Sexually or delay Catholic happenI ... tired arousing needtarnish, shiny finish and (abbr) ing lessly incredible strength, the Water stainless steel jewellery My ... is soaked Transfer Jewel Keen Mary soil range is affordable and a beautiful alternative to A way of Report or acting or softer metals, like silver. maintain behaving With prices starting from R249, you’re spoilt or Garden of Deeply seriously Louisiana Finish Near or ... ... (Bible) thoughful (abbr) for choice with cuffs, earrings, bracelets and Total of ... love my to pendants. Delicate, Out or ... I...want Mix ﬁve plus dogs happy ﬁve fashion-forward pieces Join are inspired by the latest The sun Give astogether rises in trends. For stockists, sistance into a the ... whole contact Georgini@ tregerbrands.co.za, and SMS your answer, plus your name, surname, ID number, postal address and email address to 48403. Each like Georgini South SMS costs R1,50. Free SMSes don’t apply. Errors will be billed. Answers must reach us by 30 September 2014. See Ts&Cs on page 123. Go to essentials.co.za for competition winners. Africa on Facebook.

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HOROSCOPES: MARION WILLIAMSON. ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK

It’s nearly summer – our favourite time of the year. And there’s loads in store this month!

Your social life will bloom this You’ve been superbly month, but your popularity sensible lately and planned could raise a jealous wisely for the future. But the eyebrow from someone who aim shouldn’t be to reach the feels left out. Let your ego grave well-preserved and soak up the glory, but serene; it’s to arrive remember the people you exhausted and laughing with leapfrogged to get there! bubbly in one hand and chocolate trufﬂes in the other. DO update your contacts list DO make a meal of it DON’T obsessively search DON’T save things for best for yourself on Twitter

September seems hell-bent on surprising you. What were dearly held priorities will drop off the list while you ﬁre-ﬁght to save your reputation elsewhere. Take on new projects, but you might not have time to do them justice. DO brew a double-bagger DON’T sweat the small stuff

Your body has a mind of its own in September. Respect it and it won’t mess with you, but ignore its warning signals at your peril... it will have no qualms publicly shaming you if it has to! DO note where the public loos are DON’T forget what happened in Bridesmaids...

It could be time to get a new wardrobe, Leo. Well, summer is just around the corner. But don’t go for those old favourites that are more to do with comfort than style, it’s time to try something sophisticated. DO burn those plastic shoes DON’T get ﬂattered into expensive mistakes

It’s your birthday month, Virgo, and you’ll see real signs that you’re headed in the right direction. As your conﬁdence increases, you’ll be happy for the world to glimpse the real you, Spanx and all. DO unleash your ﬂamboyant side DON’T listen to your elders

Staring at your credit-card balance won’t make a dent in it. Before you stick your head in the oven, think back – you had a brilliant idea that got shelved. It still has potential. In fact, it could dig you out of that hole! DO trust in your resourcefulness DON’T call a loan shark

A small misunderstanding concerning schools, nurseries or childcare will throw up a few teething problems early this month. Juggling home and work pressures could get a little hairy, but everyone will soon see the funny side. DO be honest with your boss DON’T forget to pick up the kids from school

Creatively, you’re on ﬁre in September! Awaken your stencils, dyes, spray-paints and sewing machine from their slumber and put some colour, texture and shape back into your world. DO de-stress yourself by distressing your furniture DON’T superglue your ﬁngers together

You’re your own worst critic in September, but who says you’re right? You’ve been plenty wrong in the past, so why listen to yourself now? Lighten up and look on the bright side. DO remember past compliments DON’T think you’ll always feel this way

Your cat’s getting more action than you at the moment. We all need to make time for some loving, no matter how busy we are. Remember, Aquarius, it’s all about creating opportunities, and only you can do that. DO arrange a date night DON’T run at the ﬁrst sign of imperfection

You may have to do something that makes you uncomfortable this month, but what you learn will project you into a world of likeminded people. Embrace whatever comes along. DO remember, whatever happens, you’re still lovely DON’T worry about things you can’t change

ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

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ESSENTIALS 121

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SELF SERVICE

stockists

Where to shop

Although prices and availability of items were checked at the time of going to press, unfortunately these can change. Our advice? Call the number or visit the website listed to see when it’s arriving in your local store…

A Accessorize 011 880 5922 Aldo 011 884 4141

@home livingspace home.co.za Avon avon.co.za

B Block & Chisel 021 691 0878 Bobbi Brown at Edgars 0860 692 274 Bourjois at Clicks 0860 254 257 Bronx Woman 021 590 7000

C Caramia-sa. co.za Cath.Nic 021 460 9400 Chanel at Edgars 0860 692 274 Chinaglaze chinaglazeafrica.co.za CK at Edgars 0860 692 274 Clarins at Edgars 0860 692 274

Heartand home.co.za

N Neffheadwear.com Nine West 012 460 2143

I Iman at Stuttafords

O OPI at Edgars 0860 692 274

011 879 1000

Inglot inglotsouthafrica.com In Good Company 011 447 1628

P Polo 011 258 7600 Q Queenspark 021 460 9400

Queue Shoes 021 531 5450

J Jo Borkett 011 883 7414

R Rage 011 883 7502

Justine.co.za

Redsquare.co.za Revlon at Clicks

L L’Oréal

0860 254 257

0861 184 249

Rimmel at Clicks

Lipsy at Edgars 0860 692 274

0860 254 257

Ronald Sassoon 031 584 6898

M Mac maccosmetics.co.za

S Smashbox at Woolworths

Madison

0860 022 002 Sowearto 011 447 7004

021 510 4510

Mango

Stepaheadshoes.co.za Stylemology.com

011 783 7907

Metallic Mermaid 044 382 5412

T Tessa Design 011 268 0997

Michael Kors at Stuttafords

Topshop 011 685 7070

011 879 1000

W Weylandts

E Edgars 0860 692 274

Mimco at Woolworths

Elizabeth Arden at Edgars 0860 692 274

Mr Price

Whitehouse Interiors

0800 212 535

011 788 4404

Mr Price Home

Woolworths

Mrphome.com

0860 022 002

G Green Cross 0860 009 855

Z Zando zando.co.za Zara 011 302 1500 Zoomfootwear.co.za Zuri 011 883 0918

011 467 8001

0860 022 002

Competition terms and conditions ✦ Participation is free and open to anyone other than employees of Caxton Publishers, their promotional partners and printers, their advertising and promotional agencies and their immediate families. ✦ In the event of a dispute, the judges’ decision is ﬁnal and no correspondence will be entered into. ✦ Prize winners, on acceptance of prizes, may be requested to participate in publicity for broadcast or publishing purposes. ✦ If required, as a result of changes in legislation, Caxton Publishers shall have the right to terminate any promotion immediately and without notice. In the event of such termination, all participants agree to waive any rights that they may have in terms of this promotion and

acknowledge that they will have no recourse against Caxton Publishers, its agents and promoters. ✦ Competitions run until 30 September 2014, except where otherwise stated. ✦ Lines are open 24 hours a day for the duration of the promotions. ✦ Prizes can’t be exchanged for cash. ✦ Caxton Publishers cannot be held responsible for errors, omissions and/or technical failures throughout promotions. ✦ An SMS is charged at R1,50. Allocated free minutes that may form part of your monthly cellular subscription won’t apply. Errors will be billed. ✦ Info supplied for competitions will not be used/shared

with third parties. ✦ To enter competitions, SMS your name, email address, postal address and ID number to 48403. ✦ Prizes returned to Caxton Publishers will not be re-sent to winners. ✦ In an effort to comply with the Consumer Protection Act, ID numbers of winners will be kept on record. Entries that do not include an ID number will be regarded as incomplete. ✦ SMS competitions and giveaways are open to South African residents only. ✦ Swani Women’s Boutique Spa is located in Joburg. Travel arrangements and costs are for the prize winner’s own expense.

*ALL PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. While due care is taken to ensure accuracy, Essentials magazine is not liable for any errors in product listings or availability, pricing or any other information that was checked and has changed since the time of going to print.

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B ack P age

COLUMN

‘No, it’s not ust you’

‘T

o read the Twitter stream and Facebook updates of most women I know, you might be forgiven for thinking they should be arrested for criminal negligence, have their ovaries forcibly removed as a precaution and be sent to a psychiatrist immediately… ‘Uh-oh, chargrilled dinner again…’ ‘Millie’s homework has just been eaten by the dog.’ ‘Yippee, it’s Wine o’Clock; bye-bye children; I CAN’T HEAR YOU!’ ‘I haven’t done any exercise for six months. My bum IS jelly. I’ll just keep drinking through it.’ And so on and so on… ad total nauseam and somewhat disturbing as well. Are people really this terrible at parenting and living their lives? A casual glance on the way to school would suggest that no, they’re not. In fact, most of the chattering Mommy classes seem to have remembered to get dressed, look pretty good, get their children to school on time (and without cereal down their fronts) and nobody seems to have scurvy yet. In other words, what is ‘reported’ doesn’t add up with the reality. This double-life of Dr Jekyll and Mrs Walking Disaster (the original title, in case you wondered) is all part of our new obsessive hobby: Competitive Ineptitude. And we all seem to be taking part, battling it out to be the winner of this year’s F Factor. Where ‘F’ is for Failure. Of course, nobody likes a know-it-all who brags about their successes (did I mention my successful career and still perky buttocks...?) and we all have a knack of emphasising our failures, playing the fool and celebrating the mess-up.

124 ESSENTIALS

The butter-fingered anti-hero is a stalwart comic culture, and we learn to love the buffoon in our toddler years, laughing at physical humour, cheering as hapless heroes stumble their way to victory and hissing at the big-headed know-it-alls. Telling everyone how wonderful you are is a fasttrack to social suicide, and rightly so. But going the other way is just as annoying; pretending to be completely useless at everything when you quite clearly are not is like holding out a giant fishing rod and hoping the compliments will bite. It throws me back to those irritating kids outside the exam hall at school who stand there biting their nails, saying, ‘Oh, my, I haven’t done ANY studying. I don’t even know what this exam is about. I’m going to fail it completely!’ when everyone knows they’ve been up all night with their notes and past exam papers, and will pass with flying colours yet again. I’m the first to point out my mistakes and mess-ups, and anyone who knows me will attest that these are depressingly frequent! But I don’t make them up. I don’t exaggerate my clumsiness and failures. And I don’t strive to wear my Terrible Mom of The Year badge with pride. Maybe it’s time Competitive Ineptitude slipped on a banana skin and was replaced with something a little more believable. Bring on Round one of The H Factor – where H is for Honesty.

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ILLUSTRATION: POPPY CHANCELLOR

Liz Fraser asks... MUST WE PRETEND TO BE SO TERRIBLE?

ESSENTIALS.CO.ZA

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Pea and mint soup with Parmesan biscuits and croutons 40ml Clover MooiRiver Butter 10ml olive oil 5 spring onions, sliced, plus a few extra to serve 1.5 L hot vegetable stock 100ml Clover Fresh Full Cream Milk 900g frozen baby peas 10g fresh mint leaves 85g Parmesan, very ﬁnely grated

METHOD

1 In a large pot, heat the butter and olive oil. When foaming, add the spring onions. Gently fry until golden. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil. 2 Stir in the peas and milk, simmer for about 3-5 minutes until heated

through. Remove the pan from the heat, add the mint leaves. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth. PARMESAN BISCUITS

1 Preheat oven to 200˚C. 2 Line a baking sheet with baking paper and divide the grated Parmesan into even circles. 3 Bake on middle shelf for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm and a bit ﬂexible, release the biscuits from the baking sheet with a palette knife, allow to cool on a cooling rack until set.

Try Sugar & Spice’s winning Clover recipe!

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Getting busy in Clover’s Little Big Cook Off kitchen

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Michael and Lee-Anne Lock with Hannah

SUGAR & SPICE TAKE THE PRIZE When the news of a family cooking show appeared on screens early this year, Michael Lock from Durban, KZN decided to enter his wife and step-daughter into Clover’s Little Big Cook Off in the hopes of them winning R1 000. Lee-Anne Lock and her daughter Hannah have always loved cooking. Lee-Anne was involved in the kitchen from a young age, which simply made it a way of life when Hannah was old enough to join her. Like all good recipes, great ingredients are necessary for success, and that’s precisely how Sugar & Spice got their name. Hannah, with her quick-wit and sparkling personality, went well with mom’s loving nature and sweet-tooth and, by their ﬁrst appearance on the show it was evident these girls were potential winners. There were many special moments for Sugar & Spice, like gaining an advantage by winning a 10-minute advance on their ﬁrst time trial. No matter what the judges threw at them, they managed to make something

they’d never even heard of and still walked away with raving feedback. Lee-Anne didn’t realise that Clover’s Little Big Cook Off would reveal their silent understanding and what a strong bond she has with Hannah, ‘We cried and laughed, which brought us closer.’ Sugar & Spice walked away with the show’s grand-prize, and Lee-Anne says they’re proud of their win, ‘I’m still a little numb that we actually won. I guess it will only hit me when our kitchen is done and we’re on our way to Disney World.’ So what’s life like now? All Hannah wants is baking equipment with brightly coloured bowls, whisks and measuring spoons. Lee-Anne can’t wait to turn her kitchen into an open-plan space that will allow her to interact with her family while she’s cooking. Coming away from the show, Lee-Anne admits she wishes she had pursued her passion for cooking earlier, but her success with Clover’s Little Big Cook Off proves it’s never too late, or too early, to get cooking.

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A happy and tearful end

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promotion Zuraida Jardine

WHO’S WHO Cooking show competitions have enjoyed massive success around the globe in the last few years, but Clover’s Little Big Cook Off is a world-ﬁrst television show, where adult and child duos battle it out in the kitchen until, from 27 families, just one pair remains.

THE HOST Naturally, to launch a show unlike any other, your best bet would be to choose an out-of-this-world panel of hosts and judges. Clover called on South Africa’s sweetheart, Zuraida Jardine, to take on the role, not only for her likeability and impressive repertoire, but because she, too, is a mom. The popular DJ, actress and presenter told People magazine, ‘As a mom, I often share the kitchen with my little cook kids. I’m going to enjoy this process’. She goes on to say that when kids are involved in anything, it’s bound to be captivating.

THE JUDGES Fourth generation cook, Chef Coco (Fathi Reinharz) has cooking in his blood – his mother even had her water break while in the kitchen! Chef Coco has always been attracted to the noise of cooking and pots banging, so it’s no surprise that he ended up where he is today. The one-part Belgian, one-part Burundian owes a failed restaurant opportunity to his success here in South Africa. He came from Belgium and fell in love with South Africa where he opened restaurants, enjoyed some fame in magazines and television and, more recently, joined the judging panel for Clover’s Little Big Cook Off. Chef Martin Kobald was born in Austria but immigrated to South Africa at the age of 21. His home-based training worked as a great start for this young chef and, before long, he had established his own Austrian delicatessen, 33 High Street Restaurant & Bar, and later began consulting and spreading the news of South African cuisine around the globe. During his time on Clover’s Little Big Cook Off, he was most excited to experience great creativity and some good-tasting food.

Chef Coco

Chef Martin Kobald

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A recipe for fun

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Twenty-seven families proved they could stand the heat in the kitchen, but only one family duo could win the ultimate Clover’s Little Big Cook Off prize package in this world television ﬁrst!

ESS 7004/09/14 Images: Rikki Hibbert Photography

he heart of the home is the kitchen, so it’s no wonder that Clover’s Little Big Cook Off has been a been a much-loved show, keeping South African families glued to their screens since 10 May. Twenty seven talented family duos showed off their culinary skills in the ultimate cooking competition. Clover’s Little Big Cook Off is a TV ﬁrst, since adult and child family teams have yet to appear in a cooking competition. Aired weekly on SABC 3, teams took each other on to compete for the title of Clover’s Little Big Cook Off 2014. Challenges were based on South African family recipes featuring Clover dairy products, with three-minute inserts awarded to the winners each week, where they get to explain their winning Clover dairy recipe. Entry into the competition allowed

consumers to stand the chance of winning instant cash prizes valued at R1 000 every day, with an additional R1 000 awarded to a viewer with the correct answer to an easy weekly question. The best prizes were saved for the winning team, who walk away with an incredible seven-night holiday to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. While having a week of fun, sun and magic abroad, a dream kitchen makeover for R300 000 will be undertaken at the winner’s home with appliances sponsored by Russell Hobbs. But that’s not all... The winners will also have their family recipe featured in the Clover’s Little Big Cook Off recipe book, with all proceeds going to a charity of their choice. That’s an astonishing R1 000 000 worth of prizes!

The contestants

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THE BIG

WINNER REVEAL

Try the WINNING RECIPE for yourself

SUGAR & SPICE

TEAM YELLOW

went head-to-head with 26 families to win an incredible prize package

takes home the prize

The FIRST cooking show of its kind! WorldMags.net