Ll59 online

LOWVELD LIVING ISSUE 59 | SUMMER 2016 | R30.00 (incl VAT)

WIN A WEEK IN DULLIES | HOT TRENDS FOR WALLS, DOORS & FLOORS RESTORE YOUR BODY, MIND & SOUL | A CALMING CAPE ESCAPE EATING WITH A CONSCIOUS | KRUGER BIRDING | BEACH CHIC IN MOZ

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triving for health, happiness and a good life is on everyone’s bucket list and with our busy lives it’s getting harder to achieve.

In this month’s BODY, SOUL and MIND edition we look at some baby steps to achieving this.

For me a strong BODY is achieved by exercise and good eating, the same could be said for a strong mind and soul too, hence the expression ‘soul food’. Exercise tick. Healthy eating… so so. I am too fond of chocolate to pretend that I am a hugely healthy eater. Inside, discover local parents who have taken healthy living to the next level with their kids.

For the restoration and rejuvenation of the SOUL, I like to de-clutter. Clear out clothes that don’t fit; the kitchen drawer, the linen cupboard… I always feel better for it.

For my MIND, I rely on pure entertainment. I love reading and fiction is my escape and since my taste in books is thrillers, most of the characters have much more serious problems than me! As always we have some great new releases and wins in REVIEW. Another way to find peace is to just get away from it all and in our article 12 Steps to Happiness we reveal the perfect getaway. Plus in JUST BE, we reveal some great places and practices to destress.

Happy reading, happy rejuvenation and above all happy you!

LIFE’S A CABERNET The annual TOPS at SPAR Wine Show presents SA’s top wine labels. Wine lovers can buy the country’s best wines directly from the producers. Themed the Greatest Show Unearthed, the event will channel a vintage burlesque experience while expertly blending hundreds of fine wine exhibitors, food and festivity between 24-26 November at Emnotweni. Don’t miss the Wine Extra Theatre, a series of interactive tasting talks hosted by industry experts and wine personalities. Tickets R120 – www.wineshow.co.za or at the door for R140.

WIN tickets. Send your contact details to info@ lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘Spar’ in the subject box.

Closing date is 18 November 2016.

EDITOR Nicky Manson, nicky@lowveldlivingmagazine.com | EDITORIAL Nicky Manson, Bev Tucker, Faan Boshoff, Penny Goodwin, André Fiore, Leon Marais, Lyn Haken ADVERTISING Audrey Ford audrey@lowveldlivingmagazine.com, Lizette Steenberg lizette @lowveldlivingmagazine.com | PROOF READING EditPro | PHOTOGRAPHY Africa Photographic Services, Leon Marais | EDITORIAL info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com | DISTRIBUTION GMF Consulting PRINTING Paarl Media KZN | DESIGN Creative Union | CONTACT US 013 751 3330, 013 750 0049 COVER PHOTO Skinny laMinx © Copyright 2016 Lowveld Living. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of Lowveld Living Magazine or the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. All editorial information contained herein is, and remains, the property of Lowveld Living Magazine and/or its writers and/or photographers. Lowveld Living Magazine, its publisher, staff and contractors accept no liability for loss or damage in any form whatsoever arising from information, submissions or opinions expressed in this publication. Public comment and submissions are published at the sole discretion of Lowveld Living Magazine. E&OE.

TASTEMAKERS

CORE ARMCHAIR R1 14 4 99 9 5

WEYLANDTS.CO.ZA

Brooklyn, Durbanville, Four ways, Green Point, Knysna, Kramerville, Nelspruit, Umhlanga Price subject to change

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Books to thrill, art & sculpture in nature and chatting with Manouch

eat style

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Healthy living and healthy eating go hand in hand

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Trends for your living space and the JUST BE supplement

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Seeking happiness at the 12 Apostles Hotel and birding in Pretoriuskop

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go live spaces

CELEBRATING 21YEARS OF LIVE, WORK, SHOP & PLAY in Mbombela City

A dynamic duo

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A relaxed Mozambican retreat and a peek at amazing international spaces

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Riverside Park offers a complete, self-contained lifestyle with endless entertainment, dining and shopping opportunities. tel: 013 757 0415 info@riversidepark.co.za www.riversidepark.co.za riversideparkprecinct

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reviews Words Nicky Manson

WIN A COPY OF THE GIRLS Email your contact details to info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘Girls’ in the subject box.

Closing date is November 30, 2016.

Ts & Cs apply.

The Loving Husband by Christobel Kent: The book’s jacket reads, ‘Can you ever truly know the one you love?’ and this forms the basis of the tale. When Fran Hall’s husband is murdered, suspicion is cast upon her. Completely isolated on a farm in her husband’s home town, with two small children, the investigation begins to uncover some unsettling truths. This leads Fran to question if she knew her husband at all. Kent’s writing is utterly compelling and slightly off balance and you will not be able to put it down. R200, Jonathan Ball Publishers.

The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis: This book swings between the past and present creating a magical story of love, luck and family, which is then violently torn apart by tragedy.

The present deals with the fallout of the event and the release of the criminal, Amelia Quentin. I don’t want to give too much away but the writer will have you shouting at the characters, urging them to take action,

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pulling out your hair and all in a good way, as the story enthralls and entices.

R104, Penguin Random House.

Red Earth by Tony Park: Park is an Australian author who sets his work across southern African and even the Lowveld. His latest offering is an action packed adventure, which moves through the wild game reserves from Zululand to Zimbabwe. It begins with a hijacking of young mother whose child is taken along with the car.

Tracker’s helicopter pilots are called to the scene first, later followed by a vulture researcher who happens to be near by. The ensuing chase escalates to include poachers, the CIA and even bigger players. A very enjoyable story full of action, bombs, romance and escapades; enjoy the ride. R310, Pan Macmillan.

The Girls by Emma Cline: This is a début novel and it stuns. Cline’s mastery of the English language and her sublime choice of words and

descriptions sounds more like poetry than prose and weaves a dreamlike and heady story of Eve Boyd in the lazy summer of 1969. Evie wants to be noticed and feel like she belongs and when she is introduced to Russell and his girls at the ranch, a whole new world opens up to her. The story has an eerie similarity to Charles Manson and his gang but is so beautifully written that the bad stuff kind of creeps up on you. Extremely descriptive and expressive, hang in there while the story gets going because it will reel you in. R313, Penguin Random Hosue.

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GRANNY DOT’S JAM DROPS

ED’S PICK

SOUL FOOD The Naturalista by Xochi Balfour: Tagged Nourishing Recipes To Live Well, this recipe book not only aims to provide healthy recipes to the reader but also to explore holistic health as a whole. Now a nutritionist, Xochi started her food journey with a street food truck called Rainbo. Her recipes cater for raw, vegetarian and vegan lifestyles and include a splattering of meat dishes, and are all labelled appropriately. Find a must-have pantry list, explore the deliciousness of miso porridge, a salmon, kale and egg bowl and a buckwheat noodle bowl with roasted butternut and beetroot.

The book also delves into everyday mindfulness, Ojos de Dios, crystals and aromatherapy. Lead a stressed life and need to slow down? Read it! R645, Jonathan Ball Publishers.

Super Food Family Classics by Jamie Oliver: Jamie’s latest cookbook brings exciting healthy eating to the heart of the home. We love the twists to every day boiled eggs for breakfast such as adding asparagus spears British style or lots of avocado and coriander Mexican style. The breakfast doughnuts with honey, jammy blueberries and yoghurt looks far too good to actually eat and the chocolate porridge with Greek yogurt and fresh seasonal fruit will be a hit with the lil ones. There’s a chapter on quick fixes and hacks, healthy classics and pasta and risotto, which celebrates these simple ingredients. There is also an easy prep section for quick frozen meals, calorie counts on all recipes and loads of interesting and helpful tips for great ingredients, the importance of fibre, growing your own and more.

R403, Penguin Random House.

Baking with Jackie Cameron by Jackie Cameron: Jackie made a name for herself as the Head Chef at Hartford House. Now when she is not running her own school of food and wine, she is writing cookbooks. Her new book focuses on baking and reveals Jackie’s passion developed from a young age under the guidance of her mother and grandmothers in the family kitchen. Try Granny Dot’s jam drop biscuits and Granny Kay’s no flour Christmas cake. “Baking is my way of happiness.

When there is a freshly baked loaf or pie on the table, or a delectable cake for tea, the world seems like a better place,” says Jackie. Discover these truths and more in this gorgeous homegrown recipe book. R290, Penguin Random House.

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art in nature Dylan Lewis is a South African sculptor based in Stellenbosch who has exhibited across the country and internationally Words Nicky Manson Photos Gerde Genis, Leopard Creek Golf Estate

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loser to home you will find his famous cat sculptures at Leopard Creek Golf Estate and various sculptures at Londolozi, Royal Malewane and in Lowveld private homes and lodges. His most recent book, An Untamed Force, brings his new works to the fore. Many of his pieces, wildlife and human forms have in fact, become landmarks and form pieces of art in the middle of nature. Dylan’s art is born of a respect for the deep biological and psychological connection to the

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Leopard Creek

Dylan Lewis An Untamed Force: R350, Penguin Random House. www.dylanlewis.co.za

wild. “The progression of my art has no clearly defied beginning or end. Elements of my earliest animal sculptures can be seen in my latest human figure works. They are all an expression of my deep and abiding passion for wild, a reflection of my internal journey of discovery.”

We ask Dylan how the sculpture process begins? “All my sculptures start with a sketch. I also imagine them in 3D, however as I begin sculpting I will start to make changes, responding to the visual dynamics of the emerging image, which often ends up very different from my initial idea.”

Many people in the Lowveld have collections of Dylan’s famous cat figures, but Dylan’s focus has shifted in recent years. “Over the years I have become less interested in the literal portrayal of the big cats that inhibit wilderness and increasingly interested in the emotional and symbolic impact wilderness has on me.” As such, a number of humanlike figures can now been seen in his collection.

Dylan has created a 7- hectare sculpture garden in the foothills of the Stellenbosch Mountains where guests can visit, walk and be inspired in the garden. By appointment only. 021 880 0054

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garden art

garden talk

We introduce the Plant Whisperer and his sage garden and landscaping tips and ideas Words Faan Boshof aka the Plant Whisperer Photos Anthon Wessels

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n our image-saturated electronic age, the eye is rarely given the opportunity to linger. An appreciation of great art, including landscape art, requires more from us than is permitted by the brief time-bytes and fleeting thoughtpatterns to which we are being conditioned.

By the late 19th Century an increasing interest in gardening led to people spending more time outdoors and with this came an increase in the variety of garden artworks and outdoor furniture available to the middle class.

But they were by no means the first. The rulers of the ancient worlds created enormous garden art – the Sphinx of Giza and Stonehenge to name but a few – and from these regal predecessors, we are inspired.

Artwork is the crystal, champagne and bubbles of every garden, adding gaiety, wit and surprise as well as a finishing touch that represents the perfect symbiosis of the natural and the manmade. Be it a statue or an urn at the end of a garden path, a pair of giant oriental Foo Dogs guarding the entrance to a garden or a herbaceous explosion of colour in an antique wheelbarrow, these are also exclamations of grandeur and style.

The key to art in the garden is to accent your surroundings. Think statues and old birdcages, antique birdbaths and stone gargoyles, mirrors and tables, farm tools, wheels and sundials.

Tips for selection? Use large pieces to draw the eye to a focal point and to give a sense of perspective and space. Use art to close an entrance or accentuate one.

Antique benches can be hidden in private corners while water jars with spouts in a courtyard will be a welcome relief from hot days. Lastly, do not be influenced by trends. Break the rules and choose what you like.

With thanks to Antiques & Artifacts – White River.

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straight shooting Manouche is made up of four musicians from Cape Town, who recently excited the Lowveld with their unique sound and contemporary take on traditional gypsy jazz. The band comprises Bernard Kotze (guitarist), Sarah Blake (bass), Diana Nielle (violin) and Anneli Kamfer (singer) and they all add to the blending of sounds and influences from the tango, waltz, folk, R&B, hip hop and electro swing. We chat to Anneli Words Nicky Manson

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How did you all meet? Bernard founded the band and introduced all of us to the genre. Four personalities, how do you decide on music? Sarah and Bernard write most of the music. Someone will write something and bring it to rehearsal and we all give input. Then we rip the song apart and put it back together. We have clashes like all musicians but nothing major. With so many personalities we definitely don’t always agree but that adds to the flavour of our end product. Describe your music. Happy-dancy-feel good, makes you want to buy the CD-type of music!

Have you ever forgotten the words on stage? I have most definitely forgotten some words on stage, but then you dance it out till they come back to you. What is the best part about your job? For me personally, the smiles on people’s faces is priceless. Also how the music makes me feel, it’s like therapy for me. Seeing places I’ve never seen (like Nelspruit!) and meeting people. We once met a beekeeper. Then we met a multi millionaire. What inspires your music? I think everything inspires music. We can’t talk about this genre of music without talking about the founding father of gypsy jazz, Django Reinhard. We have been experimenting with hip-hop, a little funk and even some Afrikaans. Who is the leader of the band? I don’t think there’s an appointed leader; we are a democracy. Everyone’s opinion counts. Where do you like performing? We perform everywhere. Every individual has a favourite place.

For me it’s performing for small crowds. Nothing wrong with a big crowd though. The intimacy of the small shows is just where you can really interact with people. Why the Lowveld? Why not the Lowveld? We were on our way to OppiKoppi, so we would like to spread the gospel of gypsy jazz a bit more north. You are welcome...

Ultimate place to perform? I think Madison Square Garden is top of many people’s lists! The Ticketpro Dome could be an awesome stage on home soil. Local artists you admire? We all have such different tastes in music but a mix of a poet called Lebogang Mashile; rapper Hemelbesem; Zolani from Freshly Ground; Good Luck; Marcus Wyatt and Siya Makhuzeni. Any addictions? Music is our lives. No space for other addictions. Guests (dead or alive) that you’d invite to a dinner party? Again a mix from all of us – Winnie and Nelson Mandela; Ella Fitzgerald; Django Reinhard; Kanye West; Aka; Oscar Peterson; Ray Brown; Hein van de Geyn; Jack von Poll; David Fincher; Koos Kombuis; Shaun Tan; Ted Simon; Adam Savage; Isaac Newton; Martin Luther King Jnr; Harry Connick Jnr and Cheryl Sandberg. Who is the best dancer in the group? I think it’s between Sarah and I. We’ve got the best moves. Actually no, it’s me. Definitely me! If you were a convicted person, what would your last meal be? My last meal would be my mother’s mielies en bone, or mpogoqo (it’s a traditional African dish.) Best live music concert you’ve attended? Normadic Orchestra. If you weren’t a musician, what would you be? I’d be a tour guide. With a country this beautiful, who wouldn’t want to?

What’s next? We are working on new material for our new CD. We are taking the music in a different direction. One word – INTERNATIONAL!

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what’s on Send your events for inclusion to info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com

october & november

oct

Malalane Market, Riverside Market, Malalane: 3rd birthday celebrations; crafts, fresh produce, food, entertainment. 9am-2pm. 084 252 4194.

Bagdad Farmers Market, White River: Pick up fresh produce, drinks & snacks and local crafts. Bagdad Centre, 8am-12pm.

Fit to Go & Bagdad Farmers Market trail run, White River: Registration starts at 6am at airstrip by Bagdad.

Entry fee: R40 – 4km, R80 – 8km, R30 – scholars. Entry forms at sales@magnolia.co.za & Fit to Go, Casterbridge.

ei8ht oct

& 5 nov

Farm Jam Offroad Series, Middelburg: An event for all off-road bike competitors and fans.

Held at Dirt Trax, various races and categories available for bikes & quads. Leon, 082 446 6328, Rohann on 082 493 7918.

789 oct

8 & 12 nov

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oct

1

Rocking for Rhinos, Hoedspruit: A two-day music festival at Swadini Forever Resort with local & international bands and DJs. Raising funds for rhinos. Vince Barkas 082 385 2690.

eleven

715 Francois van Coke & Jedd Kossew, Lydenburg: At De Ark Guesthouse, limited tickets available, R200pp.

013 235 1125.

Lianie May and Jay, Emnotweni, Mbombela: Music from the multiaward winning Afrikaans duo. Tickets R120, available from www.computicket.com.

Taking the Lowveld to the Next Level, Mbombela: A networking event and breakfast at Mbombela Stadium with international speaker David Wilkinson, CEO of The Global Equipping Centre. Sponsorships available. James Rice, 083 412 1210, speak@thegecsa.com.

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oct

& fifteen oct

Lost & Found & Gavin Edwards, Mbombela: Performing at Die Stoep, R80. 013 741 2551, 082 459 0343.

oct twenty9

2

twenty oct

21,22,23 Oct AGFO Expo, White River: An exciting new Agriculture and Forestry Industry Initiative at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre. 9am-6pm. Tickets from R30. www.agfo.co.za

oct

30

Dinner in the Moonlight – Denim & Diamonds, White River: Join the Robbies under the stars at Hoërskool Rob Ferreira, with 3-course meal by Bundu. Loanette 079 897 5780.

five nov

5

Night of the Dead, Picasso’s, Mexican Taqueria, White River: 12pm until late. Face Painting, Mariachi band, Pinata’s, Mexican platters. Bagdad Centre.

eight

oct

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Mopani Mountain Bike Series Race 5, White River: Five challenging, scenic cycling events at Uplands College. Beginner to experienced riders can join the fun ride (15km), 25km or 50km route.

Enter via Mopani Pharmacy Crossing Nelspruit or online www.cycleevents. co.za, 073 460 8208 tanya@ sunshineevents.co.za.

nov

ten 5

nov

Yoga in the Gardens, Mbombela: 8.15 10am, held at the Botanical Gardens, R50. Mel 082 974 5035, melreeder@gmail.com.

nov

Lowveld Living & Weylandts Reader Event, Mbombela: Held at Weylandts in the morning, enjoy a morning of the body, soul & mind. Limited tickets, email nicky@ lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘reader event’ in the subject box.

The Slowveld Potjie Challenge, Gumtreez, White River: Watch the corporate teams in the Challenge, browse Market, join the Tug a War or Boat races, eat a Potjie lunch and build a bonfire. From 9am, charities are MOTH, SPCA, Cupcakes 4 Kids with Cancer and Hands @ Work. tracy@wearewhiteriver.com, gumtreez@ casterbridge.co.za.

Kaapsehoop 3-in-1 Race, Mbombela: Run with the wild horses.

This race is an early qualifying race for the 2016 Comrades and Two Oceans races. 082 410 0170, info@marthonclubnelspruit.co.za.

ALZU Tour de Farm MTB Race, Witbank: Includes 1-5km laps, 15km, 35km & 75km. Big prizes. Sandy 082 410 8094, www.cycleevents.co.za

Tops At Spar Wine Show Nelspruit: Held at Emnotweni, wine event showcasing wines from across South Africa. Tickets: R160 online, R180 at the door, R240 weekend pass. www.wineshow.co.za, info@ wineshow.co.za

twenty

4,5&6

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socials

feasting for charity The annual Cansa Tea was held at Emotweni on July 27 and it was a feast for the senses. Themed Forest Fantasy, organisers and guests took table dĂŠcor and dress up costumes to a new high.

Think woodland creatures, forest floors on tables, chocolate mushrooms, fairies, Narnia revisited, Snow White and more. Lowveld Living hosted a table along side A Brief Affair, Kiwi Net and The Plant Whisperer, Faan Boshoff, who was also responsible for our magnificent baobab tree centrepiece sprinkled with Africa desert roses.

With headpieces created by the talented SarahMarie from Lush Signature Floral Styling, Lowveld Living looked the part.

eat [eating with a conscience]

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mushrooms & spaces

a new space

The Food Fundi has moved and its new premises in the Pick n Pay Centre is buzzing.

Chef Jason Powell and wife Mel have created a chic eatery that oozes big city style. A red brick feature wall, and the use of pale wood furnishings throughout, have resulted in a cosy and welcoming interior. A pair of couches hug the corner (you have to get there early to grab them), a Persian carpet warms the floor, and tables and chairs or booths sit inbetween. A long counter takes centre stage along one wall and above, a blackboard shouts out the menu, which changes every three months, depending on what fresh and seasonal ingredients are around. The Food Fundi serves all-day breakfast and we loved The Alternative, a combo of pan fried chorizo and cherry tomatoes, avo, rocket and poached eggs on toast topped with Parmesan shavings and The Highlands, grilled asparagus, smoked salmon, poached eggs, avo and toast, glugging them down with a couple of large creamy chai lattes. The French toast already has a reputation of its own, and how could it not when it offers three French toasts stacked with bacon, Emmental cheese, and fresh rocket, drizzled with maple syrup. But there is so much more to try. The Food Fundi power smoothies pack a punch of flavour – try The Fundi – espresso, cocoa, ice cream, toasted almonds and milk. For the banters, sweet potato crisps are offered as a side dish and there are gluten-free bread options. For the thirsty, there is craft beer available as well as an excellent wine list with Fairview La Capra on tap.

Pick n Pay Centre, Sitrus Crescent, Nelspruit. 013 755 1091, www.thefoodfundi.com

support the cause Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project is all about helping breast cancer survivors get their lives back with silicone prosthesis implants.

So how can we help?

In collaboration with the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association (SAMFA), Pick n Pay and Thermopac, the Power of Pink campaign is raising funds by selling mushrooms in very pretty pink punnets. Available from Pick n Pay for the month of October, R1 from each punnet will be donated. www.mushroominfo.co.za

Drink

Waterkloof Seriously Cool Chenin Blanc 2015, R95, displays aromas of ripe white peach and crunchy yellow apples. Enjoy it with a classic fresh seafood dish. The Cinsault 2015, R120, offers a low alcohol content, a fragrant bouquet, light tannins, good length and a well-balanced finish. Delicious with braai meat. Available online at www.waterkloofwines.co.za.

The Place in the Sun Shiraz, R69, has white pepper, plum and red fruit flavours and is scintillating with a cheese and chocolate platter. The Cabernet Sauvignon, R69, is deep ruby in colour with blackberry, raspberry and blackcurrant notes and a touch of smokiness on the palate. Lovely with rich flavours of bacon and mushroom. The Sauvignon Blanc, R46, expresses tropical notes of passion fruit, stone fruit and litchi. Yum with green salads and fish. Available from liquor stores, Pick n Pay and www.fairtrade.org.za. www.placeinthesun.co.za.

New vintages of the Muratie Ronnie Melck Shiraz and Isabella Chardonnay have been released. The Shiraz, R140, is named after Ronnie Melck, a legendary winemaker. It’s a beautiful wine; ruby red with an abundance of spice on the nose and hints of dark chocolate and rich fruitcake. The palate has plenty of black plummy fruit with some prunes, smoked meats and mulberry notes.

Great potential for ageing. We ate it with steak and chips. The award winning Chardonnay, R145, is one of our favourites. The elegant Burgundian-style wine will appeal to both wooded and unwooded Chardonnay drinkers and is named after the estate’s ancestors Rijk and Kim Melck’s eldest daughter, Isabella. It’s creamy and rich. Scents of caramelised pineapples, hazelnuts, citrus fruit and cream tangle with flavours of yellow tropical fruits, marmalade and lemon meringue pie. Exquisite. It can be cellared for five years, and was the perfect accompaniment to crayfish on the braai.

Available from Riverside Tops in Nelspruit, Chops and Dop White River, Dirt Road Liquor Hazyview, Pick n Pay in Hoedspruit. www.muratie.co.za.

Win a bottle of Muratie Ronnie Melck Shiraz or Isabella Chardonnay. Send your contact details to info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘Muratie ‘in the subject box. Closing date is November 30, 2016. Ts & Cs apply.

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eat Fin, Indie, Max & Anna

what’s for dinner?

Trying to raise healthy kids today is something of a challenge as we are inundated with advice Words Penny Goodwin Photos Anthon Wessels

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Karyn & Oliver

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Emily, Edwin & Olivia

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airy or soya, full cream or low fat, high protein and low carbs, no sugar, banting, ketosis, Atkins Diet – the list of what we should or shouldn’t be incorporating into our family’s diets goes on and on. Added to that is the need to actually get our gorgeous little ones to eat what’s put in front of them. We spoke to four Lowveld parents about how they have not only brought healthy eating habits into their homes but, and here’s the kicker, actually got their kids to eat these healthy options.

Salmaan, Khadija & Imaan

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Khadija Methar – homemaker, budding chef, fitness enthusiast, mom to Salmaan (5) and Imaan (4) and top wife

Growing up in a Muslim home I was raised on a diet that consisted mainly of curries, oily foods and other typical Indian dishes. After reaching a weight where I was bordering on obesity, I knew that I had to make a change, a radical one to ensure that I would be around to see my kids grow.

Gone were the recipes from my youth, instead I had to do lots of research and learn to cook again using healthy alternatives such as coconut oil, and develop family friendly salads.

My philosophy about food and healthy eating is enjoying everything in a balanced way. I believe if you make your food yourself with good ingredients whether it be pastas, stews, curries or even the odd cake, they can all have place in our diets. It’s all about finding and sticking to the right balance.

Including my kids on my food journey was critical to its success and they have fully embraced it. Fizzy drinks and fried foods are an absolute no-no in our home. Removing temptations has been important and prevented relapses.

When it comes to cooking for my family I keep it simple. One of my kid’s favourite dishes is grilled chicken, rice and salad. They also love my tuna salad. Both are easy to make and with two little ones running around at dinner making time, don’t require too much time.

My advice to those wanting to do the same for their family is to get your kids involved as young as possible as food preferences are developed at an early age. Occasional sweets are fine but don’t turn dessert into the main reason for eating dinner, or kids will place more value on the cupcake than the broccoli. Try to stay neutral about foods and lead by example.

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eat Anna Dalrymple – travel consultant, avid runner and fitness enthusiast, wife to Andy and mom to Fin (10), Indi (8) and Max (6) A few years back I started to wonder what it was that I was eating that wasn’t making me feel great. Being an all or nothing kind of person, I cut out everything, it wasn’t a question of minimising. I tried the Master Cleanse diet a couple of times when you don’t eat for 10 days apart from a lemonade drink. It was challenging but totally changed my outlook on food. When you don’t have food, you certainly don’t crave junk – you just want really fresh, wholesome food.

Also the more I ran, the more I realised that eating right would help me improve – fuelling for a long run became important. So started our JERF (Just Eat Real Food) journey. I try and avoid processed food as much as possible – especially sugar, and we eat fresh home cooked meals everyday.

This is very much in line with how I was raised in England. My Mum cooked every meal for us, but there was always coffee and biscuits in the morning and tea and cake in the afternoon – and it’s still the same now. Everything in moderation – eat sugar, just not too much, eat chocolate – just not the whole bar. There’s always pudding, but everything is always freshly cooked using good quality ingredients.

I don’t buy what I don’t want to eat, or have in the house. So my cupboards are normally totally empty of temptation. I try my best to limit things but I don’t believe in denying the whole time. Who doesn’t like ice cream once in a while?

Taking my family on the JERF journey with me has been all about education. Talking about what’s good and what’s not, getting the kids to read product labels so they can see what goes into the food that they might buy. Also getting them to recognise that if they’re feeling rubbish, there’s a strong chance it’s because they’ve eaten rubbish.

For parents looking to make a change, clear the cupboards out of anything you don’t want to eat, even if that means giving away a load of food to begin with, and read lots. You also need to understand why you feel you need to change; it’s no good thinking you’ll just change without understanding why. Most critically, have perseverance. It can be challenging to begin with, having to follow a recipe on a Monday night, but it definitely gets easier. Involve the kids in cooking; it will take patience, and practicing low levels of OCD. Get them to pick a meal and help cook it every week – let them chop, slice, mix etc. Watching Masterchef has also been a great motivator for them, although it does mean I get marks out of 10 for breakfast sometimes, which can be a bit disconcerting!

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eat Edwin Green – avocado and macadamia farmer, fitness enthusiast, husband to Donne and Dad to Olivia (6), Emily (4) and Edwin junior (1) After school I moved to Cape Town to be with all my friends. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do so I joined a friend at chef shool on a wine estate near Stellenbosch. I really started to enjoy what I was doing and it was at that time of my life that my passion for food and cooking began. Ironically it was also at that time when I realised the restaurant industry was definitely not for me. So I decided to come back to the family business and produce food and not cook it.

One thing that Donne and I enjoy is keeping fit. Donne is an amazing runner and has been running for a long time so naturally she encouraged me to get into it too. After a couple years of running, we decided to take this craze of ours to the next level addressing our diet, which was okay but needed refinement.

Our food philosophy can be described in three words – fresh, unrefined and organic. This is a guideline, especially when it comes to organic, usually because not all your produce is available as organic. The word unrefined refers to unrefined carbohydrates, so natural foods that haven’t gone through any processing.

A typical example of a Green family dinner would be lean steak, small roasted sweet potato, quarter of an avocado and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Getting the kids to change with us was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Bribery has played a small role, while showing them pictures of rotten teeth also helps. Jokes aside, my background in cooking has helped; I know a few tricks to make food taste good. Getting the kids involved in the cooking process helps too, also getting them to know the different ingredients and how to use them goes a long way in getting them to eat it.

For parents out there looking to make a move to a healthier diet, the first thing is you have to want to make the change with every fibre of your being. The next is research, get onto the Internet, read books, ask people who have made the move before you and then experiment with different recipes and ingredients. The trick is to turn the everyday mundane into something exciting.

People often say they don’t have the time to cook like that, but from my experience it’s simple and fast. Unfortunately that’s the way cooking has to be during the week, everyone with small children understands but when you put your health and the health of your children first, you tend to make the time.

Because sugar is a no-no in our house we need a sweet alternative, so honey fills that gap for us. Our girls love their oats and honey before school, or when we are really looking to treat ourselves, unsweetened peanut butter and banana and honey are an amazing combination.

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Karyn van Jaarsveld, reformed Jo’burger, chicken farmer, selfconfessed hippie, Eduan’s wife and Oliver’s (6) mom It was my time at varsity that was the start of my ‘food mindshift’. As part of my Education Degree at RAU I did Botany and Zoology and I was spending many hours in front of a microscope. It was amazing, and disturbing, to actually see the effects of external factors on what was considered a healthy cell. What we were able to do in a controlled environment made me see what we do to our bodies every day, without even realising it. The final shift came after I had my son. I have always been a bit of a ‘hippie’ when it comes to medicine and that intensified once I had Oliver. I wanted him to have the best possible nutrition so that we could avoid as many doctors and antibiotics as possible. We cannot control every aspect of our life, but our diet is something we have control over. Our diet not only affects our physical well-being but also our mental and emotional well-being.

We ‘keep it real’ when it comes to food – we like buying fresh ingredients and making meals from scratch. My husband, Eduan, is an amazing cook, which helps a lot. One of the biggest misconceptions about healthy cooking is that it is bland, tasteless and boring. In our house we follow the philosophy of everything in moderation with the exception of butter – very few meals are made without this core ingredient. Just because it is made with butter and salt does not mean it is unhealthy.

This is a departure from how I grew up, if you had to ask my mom what her idea of a perfect meal is she would say anything that can be taken in a pill.

Luckily we didn’t need to introduce Oliver to a healthy diet as he knows no other. He has been eating this way since he was a baby. He started his diet on exclusively breast milk and as soon as he started solids it was all homemade. Eduan and I made all his food from scratch and we would pack it and store it for use later. We also don’t make separate meals for kids and adults. Oliver eats what we eat. He also gets involved as I grow most of the vegetables we eat at home and have a variety of herbs in my garden. I have just had my first harvest of oranges and am eagerly awaiting my limes, which have just started.

We also have our own chickens which means fresh eggs for omelets in the morning.

When it comes to healthy eating, don’t look at it day by day. Assess yourself over a whole week. I find it’s easier to ‘be good’ during the week and let go a bit on weekends. If you can stick to an 80/20 split of ‘good to bad’ then that is all you need. We may be a family that eats a lot of fresh food… but we do love a good slab of chocolate while watching the Sunday night movie. What works well for us with Oliver is he has to eat whatever we serve for dinner but then he is allowed to decide what he gets for pudding. The sweetie jar has a selection of his favourite items, in mini sizes, but it gives him a sense of ownership on his diet.

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style [floors, walls & doors get a makeover]

style profile

meet sicklebush trading

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ete Bradford, 45, is married to Alexandra with kids, Angus and Kara, in tow as well as a couple of dogs and a very anti-social cat Squiff. Having done a fair bit of travelling including coast to coast and back again in the US, trekking in the Patagonian Lake District, climbing erupting volcano Mt Etna in Sicily, and white water rafting from Argentina into Chile without a passport, he has settled for a somewhat quieter life in Kampersrus near Hoedspruit. With a diploma in forestry, Peter has chosen a more artistic route and is the owner of Sicklebush Trading. He loves growing organic veggies but really dislikes pickled onions.

What does Sicklebush Trading do? We make unique copper and hardwood homeware. How did it come to be? I like the idea of using natural materials and everyday, re-purposed items to make attractive homeware. Last year, I was fortunate to be able to take a six month break during which I really enjoyed fixing up a lot of stuff on our house. Then I visited 24° South for an ice cream with my daughter, and noticed a little shop that was vacant, and things took off from there. Tell us about your copper pieces? The more I have gotten into it, the more I realise how versatile it is, and the many things you can make. Our space is as much showroom as it is a shop. We love it when people see something they like but want to tweak it and add their own flair, then we go away and tailor make to order. Why copper? I’ve always loved copper and brass.

I remember holidays to the Kruger as a child and loving the fact that in the rest camps they kept all the brass and copper polished beautifully, even the outside taps. How easy is it to work with? The copper’s fairly easy to work with, ask any plumber. But polishing and sealing it properly so that the air can’t get at it and start oxidising, that’s the really tricky part. What is the most unique thing you have made? Probably an adjustable bookstand or recently a lovely drinks tray. What else do you sell? We’re about to branch out into copper jewellery and my momin-law, Sarah Fynn, is a well-known artist in Zimbabwe and I’m selling some of her greeting cards and prints. What’s a favourite item? There’s a lovely toilet roll holder with a little shelf above it for your phone and car keys. What can we expect in the future? Galvanised pipe for a more industrial look. Tell us something no one else knows. I started working with hardwood; wood from old Sicklebush stumps, cleared from the slopes of Mariepskop. Despite the species’ pretty awful reputation, it has the most beautiful heartwood and I had visions of selling loads of Sicklebush items, thereby gradually clearing the mountain of this encroached species. But for now it seems Sicklebush is stuck with its primary old job of braaiing your next chop. Do you have a team behind you? Knowledge Mokgope is our guru in the workshop and Surprise Hlungwane, with her ready smile, will welcome you to the shop most days of the week. We also have Enos, who does a lot of the cleaning, polishing and sealing of the copper – a real unsung hero.

INFO 24° South, R531 near Swadini turn-off, 082 360 8516, bush2berg@gmail.com. Facebook/sicklebush-trading

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inspired by beauty Sirince is a jewellery range named after a small and beautiful Turkish village in the mountains. Imported from Istanbul, the Mediterranean-inspired pieces are handcrafted and plated in silver or gold. There is also a small fine sterling silver collection. Available across the Lowveld including Steiltes Pharmacy Nelspruit, Milly’s Farm Stall in Machadodorp, Prey Boutique at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre and Exquisite African Curios in Hoedspruit.

bits & bobs clean green Earthsap are the go-to people for non-toxic, biodegradable and nature-derived cleaning products. Using ingredients such as coconut, palm, citrus and other plant oils, they are safe for the family, pets and the environment. We love Earthsap’s Air freshener in Madagascar Vanilla Breeze – simply delicious. Also try the Citrus dishwashing liquid and the Cleaner Degreaser, ideal for garden and braai tools. Available from health shops or online at www.faithful-to-nature.co.za

spoil yourself Polished is the gorgeously chic new nail and brow box in Ilanga, which has introduced the couture nail brand Crisnail to the Lowveld. An indulgent experience, divine scents waft through the air as the skilled and friendly technicians sculpt your dream nails. A wide range of colours and brands are on offer including Morgan Taylor, Crisnail, Gelish and Gel Revolution. The piece de resistance however is the revolutionary Eco-Tech treatment; a saving grace for weak, damaged and over filed nails. Brow shaping, tints and facial waxing also on offer. Pop in and spoil yourself or a friend.

WIN

a Polished gift voucher valued at R500. Send your contact details to info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘Polished’ in the subject box. Closing date is November 30, 2016. Ts & Cs apply.

style

bath time We just adore the yummy creations from the Lowveld Soap Company. A combination of natural olive oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, sunflower oil and avo or macadamia oil with pure essential oils and fragrance oils, they are 100% natural and contain no preservatives. Plus they are recommended for sensitive skins.

Discover the world of cappuccino, vanilla lace and more. 083 228 3718, www.lowveldsoap.co.za

summer soirees Get your outdoor furniture ready for summer entertaining with Sherwood’s 3-Step Wood Solution.

Step one: Prepare your furniture by using Sherwood Wood Reviver to revive weathered wood and clean surfaces. The Wood Stripper is a good solution for the removal of all common types of coatings, including enamels and varnishes. Step two: Protect your wood and select your preferred finish and colour. Step three: Maintain your wood by applying a nourishing Wood Preserver to ensure longevity. Available from Builders Warehouse and Prominent Paints Select Store Partners. www.sherwoodsolutions.co.za

calling classic car enthusiasts Castrol Classic Oils offer special oils for older vehicles that have been specially blended and formulated in the style of the original products. They use appropriate and carefully balanced additive technology to provide protection and performance for your classic engine. Visit www.castrol.com for more info. Castrol Classic Oils is now sold at Antiques & Artifacts, Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre.

a younger you Pro-Active Collagen is a unique dietary supplement of a premium Hydrolyzed Collagen, rich in amino acids. Suitable for women and men, it contains vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6 & Magnesium and contributes to more energy and a younger looking self. Buy it from Face & Body Synergy in White River.

WIN a bottle of Pro-Active Collagen to the value of R990.

Send your contact details to info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘Collagen’ in the subject box. Closing date is November 30, 2016. Ts & Cs apply.

WIN

a MUD make-up hamper to the value of R2 000. Send your contact details to info@ lowveldlivingmagazine. com and put ‘MUD’ in the subject box.

Closing date is November 30, 2016.

Ts & Cs apply.

beautify yourself Lizanco are the new Mpumalanga distributors of premium make-up brand MUD. Run by mother/daughter team, Liezel & Zandri, they have a make-up studio, offer courses, wedding make-up, airbrushing and special effects. Pop in and visit at Shop 9B Sonpark Sonpark Centre. Zandri 072 630 0265, zandri@mudsa.co.za; Liezel 082 570 2004, liezel@mudsa.co.za; www.lizanco.co.za.

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sweet shower Rejuvenate your tired body and mind with Aroma Sense, an elegant collection of showerheads.

The heads aim to remove 98% of the residual chlorine found in water, which in turn results in softer skin and shinier hair.

Built into the showerhead and easily replaceable, there are different fragrances, which are released during your shower. Each scent has its own healing properties, including vitamin C, which contributes to well nourished skin and hair too. The scents from the natural aroma oils will also add to your enjoyable shower experience. sales@aromasense.co.za, www.aromasense.co.za

WIN

a standard Rose showerhead and fragrance and experience it for yourself. Send your contact details to info@lowveldlivingmagazine.com and put ‘Aromasense’

in the subject box. Closing date is November 30, 2016. Ts & Cs apply.

Design Quarter, Riverside Park, Mbombela

013 590 5018

a new republic Nelspruit, are you ready? A revolution has hit your fashion scene – Kloset Republic has opened its doors to the fashion aware man, woman and teen. With apparel straight off the SA Fashion Week runway, they have something for you; clothing, shoes and accessories. Check out brands like Adam & Eve, Lumin, Sober, Hombré, Erre, Judith Atelier, Kisua, Lunar, Rogue and Rogero Style; the best of SA’s talent. Be part of the revolution and visit Shop 14, City Centre.

013 752 2944, 078 188 3258, info@klosetrepublic.com, www.klosetrepublic.com

nelspruit@woodenways.co.za

www.woodenways.co.za

kr kr

style

a fabric extravaganza

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1. Black Fabrics’ Masquerade Chocolate, Lateral Designs 2. Black Fabrics’ Masquerade Sunset, Lateral Designs 3. Black Fabrics’ Scion, Kateri, Lateral Designs 4. Harem Tiger on Belgium linen, Darkie Designs 5. Hertex’s Socrates Forest, Lateral Designs 6. Chair in Design Team’s Ticking Stripe, Front Door Interiors 7. Hertex’s Blotch Colourful, Lateral Designs 8. Amatuli’s Indigo Fabric, Lateral Designs 9. U & G’s Turandot Peykar, Lateral Designs 10. Hertex’s Socrates Clay, Lateral Designs & Anthony J Interiors 11A. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations 11B. Vintage Suitcases, Asch Interiors 12. Hertex’s Casamance Range Design Touraco, Anthony J Interiors 13. Hertex’s Unique Surf, Lateral Designs 14. Hertex’s Flynn Dijon, Lateral Designs 15. Hertex’s Dakota Flame, Lateral Designs 16. Design Team’s Blossom, Front Door Interiors 17. Vikings Range Design Olaf, Anthony J Interiors 18. Amatuli’s Mali Fabric, Lateral Designs 19. Rope Tiebacks, Valencia 20. Viking’s Seafaver, Anthony J Interiors 21. Stuart Graham’s Mirage in Duck egg, Valencia 22. Stuart Graham’s Dotty in Duck egg, Valencia 23. Stuart Graham’s Printed Cotton Toile, Valencia

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style 4 3

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24. Design Team’s Matchbox Lime, Lateral Designs 25A. Design Team’s Sillybilly Girls, Front Door Interiors 25B. Lula Fabrics’ Silver Leopard Print, Darkie Designs 26. Awakening, design by Dana in Whimsical, Asch Interiors 27. Design Team’s Jungle Foliage, Lateral Designs 28A. Hertex’s Jade Spring, The Curtain Shoppe 28B. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations 29. Aztec Design, Lateral Designs 30. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations 31. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations 32. Hertex’s Ink Blot Colour, The Curtain Shoppe 33. Hertex’s Anna, The Curtain Shoppe 34. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations 35. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations 36. Design Team’s Cactus, The Curtain Shoppe 37. Biggie Best, The Curtain Shoppe 38-39. Hand Printed, Baruch Creations.

INFO Asch Interiors, 013 752 2625, 083 391 5834 | Anthony J Interiors, 082 482 0740 | Baruch Creations, 083 703 6136, www.baruchcreations.co.za | Darkie Designs, 079 503 0151, www.darkiedesigns.co.za | Front Door Interiors, 013 751 2896, 013752 7664 | Lateral Designs, 013 753 2095 | The Curtain Shoppe, 013 751 1566, 083 352 0222 Valencia 013 752 7005, www.valencia.co.za | With thanks to Lateral Designs for styling the fabric shoot No FIFTY NINE |

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style

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This page: Doors from Amatuli, opposite page terracotta tiles

by ClĂŠ Tile

need to know Sit on them, lean against them or slam them, but do keep up with what’s trending in floors, walls and doors Words André Fiore

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ome of the biggest décor trends in 2016 /2017 are individuality, rebellion against the norm and innovation. Also in the ranking are the sustainable, the minimalist and the smart. Here’s a thumbs up to all these looks, and some ways of bring them into your own home.

style

walls

When it comes to local is lovely, there’s ongoing jostling between cement and raw brick walls and good reasons to choose both.

Clay brick, says Corobrik is, “the ultimate enviro-friendly building material being completely organic and recyclable, providing excellent insulation, and reducing the impact of resource consumption through its long lifespan”.

An exposed brick wall brings texture, character and colour to any interior space – red being quite the current rage – but for those who want to do things a little differently, a glossy varnish will add sophistication while a lick of whitewash (or half a lick) for an antique or ragged look.

Cemcrete’s cement wall coatings are steering current designs by opening up space with the same finish throughout, blurring inside and outside, (with wall finishes that can be used for both interior and exterior areas) being long lasting and recyclable, adding organic and artisan flair, and individuality (the application, mixing ratio, temperature of the day and style of the contractor all add to the individual sense of the final finish).

Pair either a brick or cement wall with Pantone’s colours of 2016, rose quartz or serenity for an interesting twist, or wait until the 2017 colours emerge – hints are that iris yellow, Nile green, smoky orchid, carmine red and mulberry are all contenders. Colourful retro-pop interiors are still very much en vogue, and won’t date anytime soon.

Smart Art Digital Printing says “wallpaper is the new paint,” and suggests dressing up a focus wall with a printed photo, design or texture – they have a huge online library. With custom designed wallpaper very much where it’s at, taking along your own image or design is a winner too.

Vinyl wall art is trending big, and it too offers a world of design options in a vast range of colours. From a small decal such as a chandelier or a tree to a full wall chalkboard vinyl, companies such as Twiggy Wall Art – who guarantee their wall vinyls for life indoors – also have a wide range of canvas and Scando-style framed art.

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blinds You have seen motorised curtains and now there are motorised blinds available in the Lowveld from Valencia.

Clockwise from above: Wall art from Smart Art, red Corobrick walls, wooden look by Bestwood, Ceasarstone wall coverings, bird vinyl by Love DĂŠcor, wallpaper by Skinny laMinx

What are the benefits of automation?

Comfort & convenience: Hassle free opening and closing of blinds.

Energy efficiency: It is possible to programme your thermostat to open and close your blinds to maintain the ideal temperature in your home.

Safety: Motorising your blinds can increase the appearance of someone being home when you are on holiday. Simply place your blinds on a timer, or change the position from your smartphone, a few times a week.

How are they installed? These blinds can be put up the same way as manual blinds; quick and easy with no fuss.

How do they work? The wire free system operates on batteries.

This option allows for automation in areas where power supply is a problem like a bush lodge. The other option is to have the automated blinds linked to your main power supply.

How does the control work? A remote control can be programmed to operate one blind or all at the same time.

Am I stuck with one kind of blind? Not at all. Roller blinds, Roman blinds, Venetian and more, can all be automated.

Other safety provisions? There are no loose cords or wires.

Available from Valecia Wholesalers, Nelspruit www.valencia.co.za

style

doors

Entrance to the home and a statement from the start, the front door is currently large-format, unique and bespoke. Whether you are buying an imported Asian artefact or starting from scratch with a locally designed door, more and more homeowners are using custom manufactured doors as stand out sculptural features. High quality, solid wooden doors, such as those created by Nelspruit Precision Wood (NP Wood) and House of Class are able to resist major shifts or expansions, are relatively low maintenance and provide security while doors with oversize glass inserts or panels are increasingly popular due to the extra light they let in. Oversize doors are being made to appear even larger through the addition of side panels, sidelights and transoms and besides their own visual statement, tend to create the illusion of increased interior space too.

Along with the dramatic door, handles are coming into their own, and offerings from companies such as Bone Idol, in White River, who create door handles from discarded horn, are popular.

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Clockwise from above: Door handle by Bone Idol, large stable doors by NP Wood, double doors by NP Wood, Asian-style doors by Amatuli, stained glass doors by Ponieskrantz Arts & Crafts, sliding door vinyl by De Waal Art

style

floors

Belgotex comments that 2016 has seen luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and planks being a prominent flooring trend, especially as advancements in technology and sustainability features continue to grow along with a wide range of new colours, shades, textures and high definition & 3D effects. Mpumalanga Blinds & Flooring is a supplier and installer of Belgotex vinyls. The luxury vinyl tiles simulate real wood without the noise, durability or cleaning concerns. Belgotex Floors’ cushion vinyl are water-resistant and insulating with a comfortable soft feel underfoot. In fact you can choose anything from oversize wood look vinyl planks to Spanish-style tiles or a revival of the 70s parquet flooring.

While for years there was no product between real wood and laminates, bamboo flooring has settled very nicely between the two in terms of price.

Eco-friendly, highly sustainable, and harder than both wood and laminates, it’s a solid real wood product that is easy to install and hypo allergenic too.

For the cooler climes, carpets are still getting loads of love and in a move from the sisal and organic, this season is all about soft, plush fibre and luxurious subtle sheen.

Hard wood oak flooring is also on trend. Zimbo’s Flooring offers engineered oak, parquetry and solid floors.

Six new coffee inspired colour hardeners from Cemcrete promise to warm up an exterior or interior flooring space. The colour hardener itself is floated on fresh screed or concrete to colour, strengthen and increase durability of concrete floors. The naturally mottled screed finish adds texture and individuality.

Custom designed tiles (made to order from a client’s chosen design, logo or stencil) can be created at Italtile, as can vinyl floor graphics and they can be easily cleaned with soap and water and are suitable for retail, office or home environments. Print a single image across an entire floor or use a repeat pattern.

INFO www.belgotex.co.za, www.cemcrete.co.za, www.smartart.co.za, www.skinnylaminx.com

www.italtile.co.za, www.corobrik.co.za, www.npwood.co.za, www.mbf.co.za, www.dewaalart.com, www.lovedecor.co.za, www.cletile.com, www.hofc.co.za www.amatuli.co.za, www.bestwood.co.za, www.ceasarstone.com, www.christian-lacroix.com, www.rebelwalls.com, www.weylandts.co.za, www.therugcompany.com, www.ponieskrantz.co.za, www.zimbosoakflooring.co.za

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Clockwise from above: Carpet by The Rug Company, wood vinyls by Belgotex available from MBF, carpet from Weylandts, Cemcrete floor, Smart Art floor print, staircase vinyl by De Waal Art.

style

ed’s pick Wallpaper by St Leger & Viny’s Rebel Walls Collection

style & beauty promotion

just be

We recommend slowing down, listening to your body and finding a more holistic way of life. Discover local spas, aesthetics salons and a Pilates studio within these pages, that can help restore your body, mind and soul

Photo The Twelve Apostles Hotel

Photos Anthon Wessells

“HAVE YOU HAVE EVER FELT THE STRESS OF 21ST CENTURY LIVING WRAP ITSELF AROUND YOUR HEART AND TURNED TO A DOUBLE ESPRESSO AND A FAINT HOPE THAT TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER?” XOCHI BALFOUR, AUTHOR OF THE NATURALISTA

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Freyja Holistic Wellness & Day Spa

The Day Spa opened in July 2014 at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre in White River. Hot on the heels of its success, the owner, Donna JamesJansen, opened another Freyja Spa at Hulala Lakeside Lodge on the R40 towards Hazyview

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reyja practises a holistic approach to a number of everyday ailments such as skin, nutrition, stress, depression, allergies, headaches, mood swings, hot flushes and fatigue. This approach to health seeks to enhance life rather than dissect illness. It intends to strengthen the body in order to keep you healthy instead of remedy a symptom of a disease. All alternative, natural, and/or traditional therapies can be practised in health to avoid sickness.

A firm belief at Freyja, and part of their mission statement, is ‘Wellness begins with happiness’. This also resonates with the concept that what you put in is what you get out. At Freyja, the team will advise and help discover what is best for you, including skin, health, bodywork, home care products and nutrition. They can even assist in finding further therapies such as acupuncture, reiki and kinesiology. “Your holistic wellness is our purpose and passion,” says Donna.

Freyja’s massages are their signature treatments and they proudly specialise in all bodywork including body scrubs, lymph drainage, cellulite treatments and massage. They offer a wide range such as the Swedish, the hot stone, the luxurious Pinotage massage, as well as the professional sports massage. They also practise aromatherapy massage, allowing your body to choose the essential oil that it requires. “The health benefits of massage are incredible and vastly underrated,” explains Donna. “Massage alleviates anxiety and depression, reduces fatigue, increases the quality of sleep and circulation and releases endorphins. There is so much more to this therapeutic treatment and it should be part of a weekly routine.”

Essentially Freyja chooses to follow the way Mother Nature intended and uses only the purest of natural ingredients, products and procedures to drive results. They further insist that their products do not contain any animal ingredients nor are they tested on animals. As Donna says, “We are all about ‘beauty’ without cruelty.”

For something different, Freyja also has a Mobi-Spa with packages to suit a host of occasions. Golf days, conferences and sports events are given a touch of pizazz by the experienced therapists, while pamper parties for princesses of every age bring the “Day-at-the-Spa” experience right to a venue of your choice.

Freyja’s talented and experienced team comprises Kat Schrader the Spa Manager and head therapist; Zinhle Mbuyane; Fortunate Sambo; Lucia Mthombeni and Nomonde Mathebula. At Freyja Lakeside Spa, you will meet Naledi Siwelane, the head therapist, and Kurhula Mokoena.

INFO Casterbridge, 076 870 1878, 013 7511020, info@freyjawellness.co.za. Lakeside, 079 068 1276, 013 764 1893, freyjalakesidespa@gmail.co.za

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BOD

Godding & Godding Day Spa

The Day Spa is located at 24 Degrees South just outside Hoedspruit.

Opened in July 2014 by Sue Godding, it is an intimate and exclusive space with magnificent views of the mountains; a place that is wholly dedicated to relaxation and well-being

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he original intention of the spa was to promote the skin care range that is made by Godding & Godding on the property. Due to its holiday area location, its visitors are mostly travellers who need a little time out. The spa therefore only offers a range of relaxation and indulgent therapies such as massages, facials, manicures and pedicures.

G&G massages come highly recommended but one of their most popular treatments is the 45-minute full body polish. This is a gentle, full body massage using either Aloe & Mint or Marula & Mandarin exfoliation polish. The 100% natural scrub leaves the skin revitalised, refreshed and alive, as well as soft and smooth.

Another must-try treatment includes the 75-minute sportsman’s massage – a deep tissue massage followed by a 15-minute stretching programme, which helps loosen stiffness. The 75-minute moisture rich acupressure facial is also very popular. In-house silk enriched products with Rooibos and Aloe extracts are used, guaranteed to leave your skin feeling nourished and relaxed. The treatment ends with a gentle acupressure facial massage that helps stimulate the pressure points, increasing circulation and lifting fine lines.

What makes the spa extra special is that G&G makes all its own spa products. Organic grape seed oil is the carrier oil and pure organic silk is added to the products. The silk has natural collagen, elastin and other amino acids and proteins; all good for the skin. Silk has moisture absorbing properties that keeps the skin plump and hydrated throughout the day. In addition to the benefits of silk, African plant extracts such as Aloe, Rooibos, Marula and Baobab have been added to the various ranges. The G&G team consists of Adelaide the spa manager and a number of therapists who have been trained in the use of the products and treatments.

INFO GODDING & GODDING 24 Degrees South Country, R531, Hoedspruit. 082 808 9203, 072 467 3310. www.goddingandgodding.com

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Pause Spa opened in 2014 when they saw a need in the market to provide clients with quality products to make their experience one that they will remember

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he spa offers a number of treatments including three signature massages one of which is the TheraNaka™ African Wood Massage. This is a deep tissue massage blending light stretching techniques and unique wooden dumbbells to relax and restore a weary body; 90 minutes of pure satisfaction.

Pause Spa offers manicure, pedicures, Thai massage, body scrubs, wraps, massages and facials.

Slimming treatments are available too, aided by the G5 and Ultra Lipo Cavitation machine. The spa is also well known for advanced aesthetic treatments designed for each individual client to target pigmentation, acne, skin rejuvenation and anti ageing and uses the latest technology such as IPL, chemical peels and Mesotherapy, complemented with a wellness approach.

Pause Spa supports local and international brands and each treatment protocol is carefully planned to ensure optimal healing, restoration and relaxation – catering to every individual’s needs.

Products include Biosculpture, Obagi, TheraVine™, TheraNaka™, Medi Heel, Clearogen, Pro Active, Morgan Talyor and PureSmile.

The Spa has three treatment rooms including a couple’s space, manicure and pedicure station, a steam room, a glass pool and an outside shower room. There is an exterior entertaining area, which is ideal for exclusive private functions.

Pause Spa is currently running a De-stress package that consists of two days of accommodation, massages, treatments and meals. Visit the website for details.

RELA

Pause Spa & Wellness Centre

INFO Sanbonani Hotel and Spa Resort, Stormvoel Way, Hazyview, 013 737 5600, pause@sanbonani.com, www.sanbonani.com, Facebook/Pause Spa

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ASER TECH

Face & Body Synergy

Face & Body Synergy, run by Dr Toerien and his experienced team, offer a number of medical and specialised treatments, beauty and weight loss solutions, and cater for men and women. In addition, the spa is a one-stop shop for all your laser treatment needs. From anti-ageing to hair removal, their trained team and state-of-the-art equipment are able to help with a host of skin problems

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combination of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is used to improve a variety of benign skin conditions such as age spots, broken capillaries, blemishes and photo-ageing as well as hair reduction; courtesy of the Cynosure Palomar Icon technology. Pulses of light are aimed at the problem area in a noninvasive and non-painful manner. Its Dynamic Spectrum Shifting™ distributes energy across highly selective spectras to optimise the closure of larger deeper facial vessels. Filters also optimise absorption in hemoglobin and epidermal melanin while minimising heating, providing a comfortable no-downtime treatment. It’s an excellent non-surgical approach to skin renewal that can transform your look with no pain and no rest.

Pigmented Lesion Removal delivers optimal light for the treatment of unwanted pigmented lesions, particularly for the face, chest, arms and hands. With regards to hair reduction, it offers excellent results to treat finer, brown hair as well as dark hair. It is also good for targeting small areas for hair reduction such as the face, underarms, and bikini, while being able to cover large areas like the back more quickly than other laser treatments. The pulses of light target the hair follicle in a similar fashion to pigmentation and broken vessels, without harming the surrounding tissue. Hair can be removed from any area of the body with minimum future regrowth.

Make an appointment with Face & Body Synergy for a laser consultation.

INFO Divine Junction Medi Spa, 31 Allie Van Bergen Street, White River. 013 750 1406, 013 751 2213, www.faceandbodysynergy.co.za

Left to right: Guida Pretorius, Ronel Jacobs, Cynthia Mashego, Arene Botha, Dr Elke Leistner, Guida Palmer, Elizabeth Cope, Marinda Toerien, Dr Hendrik Toerien, Madelaine van der Walt, Pearl Ngoimane, Thulani Maseko, Ilse Coetser, Dr Riana van Wyk, Kate Haycock, Bianca Botha, Adéle Bezuidenhout

GENEWA

Face & Body Synergy

Face & Body Synergy’s Dr Toerien is well-known for his slimming techniques and helpful and healthy advice when it comes to lowering your BMI (body mass index) and losing weight

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r Toerien has won the Slender Wonder’s Top Doctor’s award four times and recommends the treatment to improve Leptin sensitivity, reduce insulin resistance and lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. The Slender Wonder programme has five phases, which is stimulation, detox, weight loss, stabilisation and maintenance. The fifth phase known as the maintenance phase is the most important phase, as it maintains the achieved body weight for the rest of your life; keeping you from gaining all the weight you worked so hard to lose.

Did you know that 70% of our risk of being overweight, is genetically determined? Although genes cannot be changed, they can be managed scientifically by identifying the patient’s genetic risk by creating a profile.

A few ways one can be proactive by changing the science-based strategies are by making modest changes in your environment such as to diet, physical activity or adjustments in the medications and nutritional supplements one takes.

A new product in the Slender Wonder family, Geneway, can help too. Geneway can detect, in a much closer and more accurate way, why you are gaining weight. The treatment is new to South Africa and Dr Toerien is one of the first practitioners to implement it. The process entails testing the patient’s genes and checking thyroid function, diabetes, appetite control, fat and carbohydrate storage, metabolism, the need for physical exercise, and much more.

“Basically, Geneway reveals to us what our genes (DNA) say about our metabolism and regulation of our body weight,” says Dr Toerien. Once data has been analysed, the next step is a consultation and data discussion between Dr Toerien and patient on lifestyle changes.

Make an appointment with Face & Body Synergy for a Geneway consultation.

INFO Divine Junction Medi Spa, 31 Allie Van Bergen Street, White River. 013 750 1406, 013 751 2213, www.faceandbodysynergy.co.za

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FAT FREEZ

Face & Body Synergy

One of Face & Body Synergy’s most innovative products and certainly one of the most revolutionary is Fat Freeze. Medically named Cryotechnology, the Cooltech procedure is an effective method of reducing unwanted subcutaneous fat using a controlled cooling system. It is non-invasive, requires no downtime or anaesthetic and produces results in just a few weeks

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t works by freezing troublesome parts of the body with large suction pads. Two hand held vacuums are placed on the chosen area and when turned on, draw the target area and the tissue (localised fat pocket) into them, via intense vacuum pressure. This reduces blood flow momentarily while cooling the fat tissue and consequently causing the fat cells to die. After a minimum duration of 45 to 60 minutes, the fat cells crystallise.

The area is then massaged to aid in breaking down the crystals. This results in an inflammatory reaction where the lymphatic system will help to remove the damaged fat cells over a period of time. The natural metabolic process will rid the body of toxins and results may be seen after just three weeks. Areas that can be targeted include the stomach, lower and upper arms, inner thighs, back bulges and the dreaded muffin top.

Lowveld Living tried the procedure and this is what you can expect: The suction process is intense and you will feel an extreme pressure on the area rather than pain. It takes 10 minutes for the area to start to freeze so this discomfort is short-lived. Once the freezing begins, the area is numb and you can feel very little other than a slight tingling and firm pressure.

After the designated time has elapsed, the vacuums are removed and the area is exposed; red, lumpy and numb. The massage is vigorous and uncomfortable. Deep pressure is required to help kick start the blood flow. Post treatment massage is imperative and it is recommended that you massage the area each day in the shower.

Exercise and drinking lots of water is also encouraged. The numbness wears off after a week or two yet the area may still ache when massaged. Bruising may occur. This should clear up after six weeks. However it can last longer and each person may react differently. A follow-up consultation is carried out after 12 weeks where results will be measured and photographed. Expect to lose a minimum of two centimetres across the chosen area. Visit Face & Body Synergy for a free consultation for Cooltec.

INFO Divine Junction Medi Spa, 31 Allie Van Bergen Street, White River. 013 750 1406, 013 751 2213, www.faceandbodysynergy.co.za

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Face & Body Synergy Silhouette Soft® is a brand new treatment from Face & Body Synergy, which targets the effects of ageing

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ost women consider the two main signs of facial ageing to be the loss of skin tone, which causes the sagging of facial contours, and the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and creases. These problems unfortunately only get worse with age and menopause due to the loss of collagen; the protein found in all structures of the body. Collagen is responsible for the skin’s cohesion, elasticity and regeneration of tissue. With age, collagen diminishes and the skin becomes less firm and will ultimately sag. The face also loses fat, becoming hollow on the sides, and heaviness usually accumulates under the chin, and in the lower cheeks.

Silhouette Soft® is a technological innovation serving the rejuvenation of the face and aims to redefine the face, restore volume and reduce the effects of ageing significantly.

How does it work? The treatment enables two combined actions. The first is a discreet and immediate lifting effect – as soon as the suture is applied, the doctor reshapes the treated area by means of a double action: compressing and elevating tissue. The second step is a gradual and natural regenerating effect – in being absorbed, the component of the suture, polylactic acid, restores shapeliness to the face. Silhouette Soft’s® components are natural and fully absorbable. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the principal component and acts on the deeper layers of the skin, helping to increase the volume of saggy areas. The result is smoother and more toned skin. The application: After a small local anaesthetic is applied to the area, the doctor inserts a suture under the skin to a depth of about three to five millimetres. No incision is required, as the suture is inserted using a fine needle. It is held in place with absorbable cones oriented in opposite directions (bidirectional). Once the suture as been applied, the doctor performs slight compression of the tissue to reshape it by hand and to obtain the desired lifting effect. The non-inserted ends of the suture are cut off.

One or more sutures may be applied, depending on the patient and the treated area. The procedure lasts between 30 – 60 minutes.

After treatment: As with any cosmetic treatment, some slight swelling, redness or bruising may sometimes be observed, but these disappear within days. There is sometimes a slight wrinkling of the skin (required for optimisation of the treatment), which disappears very quickly. Results can be seen after eight weeks, but some improvement will be seen directly after the treatment.

Silhouette Soft® is recommended for men and women of 30 years and over and is suitable for all skin types. It can be used to treat different parts of the face including facial contours, cheeks and cheekbones, the lower jaw, eyebrows and the neck. The visible benefits of a Silhouette Soft® treatment can last between 18 to 36 months.

INFO Divine Junction Medi Spa, 31 Allie Van Bergen Street, White River. 013 750 1406, 013 751 2213, www.faceandbodysynergy.co.za

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PILATE 58

Pilates@Casterbridge

Pilates@Casterbridge was opened in January 2005 by Jane Trollip at the scenic countryside setting of Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre. One of the longest standing Pilates studios in the area, Jane and her qualified team of instructors offer a variety of group classes and individual private sessions.

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hey are a fully equipped studio and offer classes on the Reformer, Cadillac, Ladder Barrel and Chair and have a full range of mat equipment including ballet bars, balls, weights and many more toys which make the sessions varied and interesting. “We have specialised equipment which aids in rehabbing injuries and offers correct strength training needs for post surgery (knee, hip, shoulder replacements) and spinal surgery,” says Jane. “And we are a facilitating training centre for TriFocus Pilates Certification courses so now people are able to certify in the Lowveld without having to travel to Joburg.”

The team consists of Jane, who has been teaching since 2004, Des Baird, teaching since 2010, and Di Johnston whose eight year relationship with Pilates has encouraged her to study and become a certified instructor through the Studio.

Pilates is a form of exercise, started by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. It starts with the activation of the deep whisper muscles, which support the spine and joints. The benefits are many. It improves posture, which relieves the stress and strain placed on the spine by muscles that are either too tight or too weak to operate effectively. This in turn assists in preventing injuries and allowing the body to be pain free. It focuses on cross training athletes who become muscularly dominant in certain areas through their repetitive movements and will create a more balanced stress-free musculature, which will be less prone to injury.

Pilates looks at addressing the ergonomics of our daily lives. Too much time sitting at desks or driving has led us to become habitually stressed in the neck and shoulder area and we allow ourselves to succumb to the forces of gravity.

If your goal is to lose weight, Jane explains that Pilates will build lean sculpted muscle tone. While cardio and diet are essential elements of weight loss, strength training will burn calories, which in turn will help you reach your target weight. For clients who are rehabbing after injury you can look forward to reaching your sports goals and even bettering your existing performance by competing with a body which is muscularly balanced and strong. For clients with degenerative conditions the main focus is to restore normal movement patterns and enable a return to daily activities in a pain free zone. If you are postoperative, you can expect to be stronger, fitter and more comfortable with life.

INFO Jane Trollip 082 497 2086, janetrollip@gmail.com, Facebook/Pilates at Casterbridge Instagram: Pilates_Jane

| LOWVELD LIVING

YOUR PREMIUM LIFESTYLE CENTRE

HEALTH BEAUTY FASHION DINING

City Centre is an exclusive shopping centre conveniently situated on the corner of Madiba Drive and Andrew Street in the CBD of Nelspruit.

Home to these exclusive stores. Bakos Brothers, Food Lovers Market, Mamas n Papas, Bodycure, Hair Lovers, La Pearl Boutique, Grays Hugo Boss, Hangar Lane, Happy Me, Mochachos, Ninos, Captain Doregos, Zap Travel and Profit Trading.

DEVELOPED BY

City Centre, Corner Madiba Drive & Andrew Street www.citycentre.biz | Enquiries: 011 268 9999 City Centre, Corner Madiba Drive & Andrew Street Visit www.citycentre.biz | Enquiries 011 268 9999

PROPERTIES

go [best birding in kruger, going zen cape style]

go The stunning Red-headed Weaver can be seen in the camp grounds, good spots being the thick bush along the fence on the southern side of the camp.

birds

Travel writer and photographer, Leon Marais, reveals why Pretoriuskop is tops for great bird sightings Words & photos Leon Marais

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This attractive little Coqui Francolin likes areas with scattered clumps of grass, and is often located by its strident call.

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ith over 500 recorded bird species, the vast Kruger National Park ranks as one of the country’s top birding spots. It draws over a million visitors annually of which many go for the birds. As a regular bird tripper to Satara in the south-central region – Skukuza on the Sabie River and Pretoriuskop in the southwestern corner – I’ve come to appreciate the specific birds to be found in each of these regions.

Pretoriuskop, in the south-western corner of the park, receives the highest annual rainfall, varying from 600 to 750mm per annum, and the tall, coarse grasses and Terminalia-dominated Pretoriuskop Sourveld, as this veld type is known, don’t add up to ideal grazing conditions for larger animals. To put it simply, there are better areas for game viewing. But for birders the region has a lot to offer and with its close proximity to Numbi, Phabeni and Paul Kruger gates, Pretoriuskop is a great day or overnight birding excursion.

Heading southwest from Skukuza, the habitat changes from open mixed thornveld and Marula woodlands to Pretoriuskop Sourveld along the western portion of the Doispan Road, in the region of Nyamundwa Dam. As we turn south on the S3, I slow up and look for the Pretoriuskop specials.

Savannah birds often move around in groups, especially when it’s dry or after fires. A good tactic is to drive slowly and look for conspicuous species such as the Fork-tailed Drongo and Southern Black Flycatcher, easy-to-see indicators of the presence of a feeding party. Once you’ve spotted one or more of these birds, all you need do is to stop and listen for the soft winding call of Grey Penduline Tit, one of our smallest birds. Small groups can often be found moving through the tops of the trees where they glean insects. Another tiny bird, the Yellow-bellied Eremomela, weighing in at eight grams, shares the upper branches. Look for the Green-capped Eremomela in the broad-leaved woodland along the S3.

Moving around in small groups, they at first may resemble Cape White-eyes but are quite obvious as they call simultaneously in a raucous fashion from the treetops.

In these mixed bird parties it is often movement that first catches the eye, as Yellow-throated Petronias flutter up into the lower branches from where they feed on the road verge before being

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go disturbed by the vehicle. Your presence will probably also elicit a response from several Neddickys, which fly onto exposed branches and scold with a harsh, electrical ticking sound. The Pale Flycatcher, a large bird, and the small Striped Kingfisher, can be found on the periphery of the bird party.

Both the White-crested and Retz’s Helmet-Shrikes can be seen in the sourveld areas, though the former is far more common. Both are conspicuous species, flying in groups through the trees, in a follow-my-leader manner, calling and bill-snapping as they go.

The cryptic Bushveld Pipit is a tricky one, in that most encounters involve seeing a small, unidentified brown bird flying up from the edge of the road and disappearing to ground further off into the bush. Keep an eye on the verges and you may see one. It’s a wonderful little bird, easy to identify, being small and heavily marked, and often surprisingly confident if you don’t disturb it. Don’t get confused with the Flappet Lark however, a small, drab bird that feeds on the roadside, and which is differentiated by its stance, a robust bill, and less distinct markings.

Raptors are well represented around here. There are three species on my tick list: Lizard Buzzard, Dark Chanting Goshawk and the African Cuckoo Hawk. The Lizard Buzzard is common hereabouts; best sought along the Fayi Loop and Voortrekker Road. It can be located by its loud, piercing call.

It approaches a perch with a distinctive vertical manoeuvre, flying along and then suddenly stooping almost vertically as it lands. The Dark Chanting Goshawk is particularly common on the S3 and is easy to spot. They perch on tree tops, with an upright stance, look out for long red legs and red cere.

On morning drives along the S3 I always look for the African Cuckoo Hawk, a rare sight with its distinctive ‘floppy’ way of flying. Flap-necked chameleons form a large part of this raptor’s diet, so they are more common when conditions

Top: Yellow-throated Longclaw.

This colourful bird is common in and around tall grassy areas, usually very vocal in flight display or calling from the tops of trees and bushes.

Above: Dark Chanting Goshawk.

This conspicuous raptor is relatively common on the Fayi Loop, hunting prey from the tops of trees.

Left: The striking Bennett’s Woodpecker is best sought in the camp grounds, where it can often be found feeding on the ground.

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go The conspicuous Fork-tailed Drongo is often the first indicator of a bird party.

are moist and the vegetation green.

Nearing the camp there are several large granite outcrops such as Shabeni, the biggest of these, Pretoriuskop and Manungu. Rising to over the 700m above sea level, these provide an additional habitat for birds like the Mocking CliffChat while the Lazy Cisticola and Striped Pipit can be found among the rocks around the base of the koppies. The Striped Pipit is easy to identify; heavily marked with a slightly yellow leading edge to the wing and a distinctive piping call. The thick grass around Shabeni is where I look for the Yellowthroated Longclaw. For ‘LBJ’ fans, the robust Croaking Cisticola, with its frog-like call and heavy bill, is often found in the tall grass clumps. In summer, the grassy plains to the east of the camp along the H2, with the capsized shipshaped Nkumbi Mountain in the distance, are good places to look for the Croaking Cisticola, as well as the Fan-tailed Widowbird, Broad-tailed Warbler (in very wet summers) and Black-bellied Bustard. The grasslands along the Fayi Loop and the Voortrekker Road to the south and southwest of the camp can hold Shelly’s and Coqui Francolins, two of the less common francolin species in the park.

Most of the British birders I’ve interacted with take time to adapt to birding in the Kruger. At home they are used to donning their wet-weather gear and heading out

go to the local marsh where they set up their scopes and spend the day hunched against the weather, scanning for rarities, perhaps with a flask of tea close at hand. Birding in the Kruger, however, entails a lot of car time, and many of the birders I’ve had on tour show obvious frustration at not being able to disembark every time a new bird is spotted, so it’s important to spend some time on foot in the rest camps. Pretoriuskop is a small camp; easy to cover in an hour or so, and there are some great birds to be seen. The numerous Broom Cluster Figs, Natal Mahoganies and other fruiting trees in the camp attract Purple-crested Turacos and while you can see these wonderful birds at Skukuza, I’ve had the best views in Pretoriuskop and the same goes for the Brown-headed Parrot. Top of the camp list is the Bennett’s Woodpecker. I’ve had the most luck at the bottom end of the campsite and have also seen it around the restaurant where the soft-wooded Flame Trees provide good nesting sites.

Keep an eye on the lawns for this woodpecker, as they often feed on terrestrial ants. The Red-headed Weaver is another wonderful camp bird, particularly the male in breeding plumage. They can be seen along the camp’s southern perimeter. Even more striking is the male Scarlet-chested Sunbird, one of the easiest Sunbirds to identify by call, and commonly seen in the camp, especially when the Coral Trees are in flower.

In late winter some altitudinal migrants from the wetter regions to the west make their way as far down as Pretoriuskop. The walk along the camp’s fence, from the bottom end of the campsite towards the swimming pool, takes one past some thick stands of vegetation, where forest and thicket species such as Cape Batis and Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher can be seen, and there have even been reliable reports of Starred Robin in the campgrounds before.

Happy birding!

Top right: A Brown-headed Parrot photographed in the camp grounds, where numerous fruiting trees attract a wide range of bird species. Above right: Flying from tree to tree in a follow-my-leader fashion, White-crested Helmet-Shrikes are fairly common in the broadleaf woodland of the Pretoriuskop area. Right: Often located by its characteristic ‘whistleand-pop’ call, the Black-bellied Bustard is fairly common in the grassy areas around the camp, with the Fayi Loop being a particularly good route on which to locate this species.

12 steps to happiness A step-by-step programme to inner health and comfort Words Nicky Manson

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ith the stress of our daily lives, the bad eating habits and the frantic pace at which we live, it’s no wonder that our body, soul and mind are all suffering from 21 Century burn out. So we offer a break. A respite, if you will. To refresh, to rejuvenate.

We popped to award-winning Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town and did just that.

The hotel was developed in 1992 but when it was bought by the Red Carnation Hotels collection in 2002, it was given its new name derived from its exquisite location on the Atlantic coast of the peninsula, beneath the mountain range known as the Twelve Apostles. Whether it’s relaxing poolside, dining at Azure or the Leopard Bar or enjoying the sumptious comfort of a sea side suite, this destination offers travellers 12 steps to happiness and well-being.

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Step 1: Rest

There is nothing calmer than gazing out towards the running white horses in the Atlantic Ocean and just being one with the moment. Soothe your soul with 180-degree views of the beautiful big blue with a dramatic sunset thrown in for good measure. A cuppa in bed will certainly aid wellness too.

Step 2: Exercise

With two pools (one heated) there is simply no excuse for a little aqua-size. The gorgeous loungers alongside make the ideal post workout chill space.

Step 3: Beach

The hotel is supremely located to Cape Town’s most famous beaches, Camps Bay, Clifton 4 and Llandudno. The complimentary shuttle service will take you to Camps Bay, while Clifton and Llandudno are but a scenic drive away. Now, which one to choose‌ white sandy beaches, salty sea air and obligatory sea gulls will heighten all of your senses.

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Step 4: Shop

A little shopping never went amiss and it is a great mood lifter. The beautiful boutique store at the hotel offers an array of treasures like Red Carnation bathrobes and Kirsten Goss jewellery.

Step 5: Massage

The Spa at Twelve Apostles is considered one of the best in South Africa so there is no better place to surrender all your senses. Enjoy a spa journey with B|Africa Signature Products. Visit the Rasul Chamber for a cleansing experience or the Salt Water Floatation Pool and relish in the restful, reduced gravity experience.

Step 6: Breathe

The hotel is located in front of the UNESCO Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site so where better than to simply breathe and be still. Beautiful scents, amazing visuals, superb for the soul.

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Step 7: Socialise

Sometimes just getting out and about can do wonders for the body, soul and mind. Chatting with friends and listening to music, The Leopard Bar is the perfect location to meet. Comfortable and sleek, sit back and relax, have something from the bar or tea by the sea. Oh and you can do a touch of whale watching too.

Step 8: Eat

A good meal can delight, inspire and enlighten. Azure Restaurant offers a wonderfully warm and cosy space and spectacular views. Fine dining indulgences include the baby calamari risotto, prawn stroganoff and traditional Cape Malay curry.

Step 9: Be entertained

Often just being entertained can be the best thing to switch off an overactive mind. The Twelve Apostles has its own intimate 16-seater cinema for your entertainment viewing pleasure. Popcorn optional.

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Step 10: Soak

A long, hot bath will soak your troubles away. Herbalise your experience with a splash of natural products – combinations of indigenous ingredients derived from the hotel’s spectacular surroundings. 100% natural, choose your favourite soap and bath salts.

Step 11: Sleep

With luxury linen, ridiculous thread counts and a pillow menu, your body will thank you for its evening slumber. The unique pillow menu offers padding, comfort and support for back pains, leg aches and more. A luxurious and delicious addition to guest services. Sweet dreams.

Step 12: Wake up…

And do it all over again. Your body, soul and mind will thank you for it.

INFO Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town, 021 437 9000, www.12apostleshotel.com

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live [a trendsetter and a change enforcer]

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live

Creative spirit and artist at heart, Carol Sanderson has never been one to follow a crowd. Editor Nicky Manson finds out what drives one of the Lowveld’s most visionary trendsetters Words Nicky Manson Photos Gift

Ndlovu, Voodoo Photography Make-up Lindiwe Gama, Leely Art studio Blue dress Alexander Asman, Xela Fashion Design Stylist Isabelle Gama

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arol began her colourful career as a radio journalist at the Barberton community radio station. “There, you did everything and anything. Collect news, read news, write, produce, play music, market the business, be the receptionist, make the coffee... It was an excellent place to cut my teeth, as I have no formal education and am a self taught journalist.” The station introduced Carol to the world and its people. The bug had bitten.

At this time, Carol was only a volunteer. Sometimes she was paid R250 a month, sometimes she didn’t get paid. She lived far from the station so transport was expensive and she began promoting taxi services on the radio in exchange for transport. This quick thinking at grass-roots level would stand her in good stead.

After a short course in journalism, her fledgling career took her to the SABC in Nelspruit where she found her feet as an investigative journalist. “It was the SABC Nelspruit that gave me a chance. I applied every month for a job but my CV would always be sent back because I had no formal education, they gave me my break in 2004”. Carol did well and her contract was extended. When the post of radio producer was advertised, she applied and got it. “I was so excited just to get a proper salary!”

Carol had found her passion and ultimately her calling. “I had a passion for the news. I didn’t rely on SABC for resources, I always found my own from opposition parties or disgruntled members. You discover agendas and motives when you leave the office and meet the people outside. I interviewed Thabo Mbeki when he was president. What a great man. Stern. I was so nervous just looking at him. The fact that I was given that opportunity still gives me goose bumps.” When asked what she thinks of him, Carol does not hesitate, “A great leader. A good man. He was exceptionally intelligent and you got the sense he always had a strategy driving his vision.”

Carol thrived at the national broadcaster and garnered quite a following. “I felt so rich all the time through my job. I was well respected by the community. I had working relationships with national leaders, ministers and provincial leaders. You can have no money but feel worth millions.”

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live Carol met her husband Lloyds Sambo while working at the Witbank studios. The SABC was broadcasting outside in the communities and preparing for the 2009 elections. “We stayed in a hotel and he was visiting the hotel bar. He stood out because he oozed so much confidence and bravado. Initially I did not know how to respond to his personality. “ Lloyds was relentless in his pursuit of Carol and at last they exchanged numbers. The relationship moved fast and before long they were living together with Lloyds often accompanying Carol on her national broadcast stories. “We had nothing, just a one-bedroom flat. Not much furniture except a bed and we used to sit on those large continental cushions on the floor. He used to tell me his future plans. He was a big dreamer and still is to this day.”

It didn’t take long for the couple to go into business together. “He is an engineer by profession and came from the corporate world so he understood what it took to get a business working. In 2009 he approached a power company to help them solve their water problems.

He came up with an efficient way to supply water. We call it the eight cents formula,” she laughs. “We didn’t even own a decent car at the time.

We relied on major logistics companies to assist us.” They rented trucks month-to-month and successfully transported the water. Through hard work and dedication today, they now own their own fleet of transport trucks. “It was a successful venture and it has allowed us to build Casambo – my second calling.”

Casambo was a dream come true for Carol. The idea of building a quality guesthouse had been planted years prior but it was only after the couple’s success in other ventures that it could take shape in reality. But first they had to find the land. “In December 2010 we found our home.

I love nature, rocks and trees and the property had six hectares and so we built. It was a crazy time. I was still with the SABC. My shift started at 3.30am in Nelspruit. I had a new baby, and I was going to and from work from Casambo. But I loved my job and after every shift I would walk around my empty property and dream!” When property became available next door, the couple bought a further four hectares. In 2012 they moved out of their home and began expanding it into a lodge.

Wendy houses were added for self-catering guests, then a restaurant and a conference space. The result is today’s sprawling Casambo.

“I wanted an amazing creative space. This is where I could come and sit and just be. I went on many business trips with the SABC and had a lot of experience with horrible conferencing areas so I knew what I didn’t want. I was inspired by ZAR Lounge, Bar and Nightclub in Joburg with its different coloured LED lighting and water features.”

The building endeavour was expensive but the result surpassed expectations. “God has blessed me. I grew up disadvantaged and I struggled. My mom left me at the age of seven with my siblings and I became a mom at a young age. But you improvise and live with what you have.”

Casambo now boasts a new boutique store, which Carol admits is huge fun to stock. “It’s inspired by Africa so we buy from different African countries but the aim is to promote local.” But there is no rest for this restless creature and rather than sitting back and admiring her success, Carol hosts regular jam sessions for rising Mpumalanga musicians and

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“YOU CAN HAVE NO MONEY BUT FEEL WORTH MILLIONS”

live has also begun a clothing line. “I have always felt that I’m different in the way that I dress and style myself. I love fashion, especially unique fashion. South African design has motivated me. I can’t draw but people have helped me to realise my fashion ideas.” The line is called Zenzile , which is Carol’s childhood name. “In African beliefs, your name plays a big role in your life. Zenzile means ‘you’re responsible for what you’ve become’.” Today this name means more than ever before.

Guest lodge and fashion aside, Carol has not forgotten her roots and is a strong advocate for family and friends. Her family is large, having adopted many children and people along the way. And as such it is rare to find Carol alone. Biological, step and adopted children – there are about 14 in their lives, living and working alongside Carol and Lloyds – and she has endeavoured to instil a business ethic into each of them.

Carol attributes her successes to a favourite aunt, a priest in her neighbourhood, as well as the family Gogos. “They all made me. There have always been people who believed in me.” But it is Lloyds, Carol’s husband, who she attributes to having played the biggest role in shaping who she is today. “He is the best thing that ever happened to me. He has made me 10 times a better woman. He has fulfilled all his promises to me. I need to appreciate and acknowledge this man in my life. I don’t know where I would be without him.”

Back to where it all began

Tune into Weekend with Carol on Rise FM, Saturdays & Sundays between 2- 6pm, where she focuses on conversation, inspiration, arts and culture.

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A getaway for 10 people at Verlorenkloof Estate valued at R10 000

ubscribe & wi

live

SIGN UP TO THE LL EXPERIENCE AND THE LATEST COPY WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU.

For only R204.84, you will receive a year’s subscription of six editions of Lowveld Living Magazine.

Subscribe in the months of October and November 2016 and you stand the chance to win a break at Verlorenkloof Estate.

Verlorenkloof Estate is a well-established and reputable shareblock development and leisure destination in the picturesque Crocodile River Valley of Mpumalanga. Surrounded by a settled custodial farming community, Verlorenkloof offers peace, quiet and a tangible level of safety and security.

Only an hour’s drive from Nelspruit and less than three hours from Gauteng, Verlorenkloof will surprise you with its natural beauty, rich biodiversity and nature orientated activities like trout fishing, hiking and mountain biking.

Special interest groups focused on agriculture, birding, fishing, archaeology and botany are well catered for.

You will be accommodated in a stylishly appointed stone crofts; each thoughtfully designed and furnished, on a bring-your-own basis, or let FoodSpace at the Lodge do your catering. They offer a pre-order meal facility, deli and all-day coffee shop, as well as a scrumptious Sunday brunch. The farm also proudly produces artisanal yoghurt and cheese through natural time honoured methods from the milk of pasture fed cows.

Verlorenkloof offers shared syndicated or fixed single week ownership.

Ownership is in perpetuity and the Estate has become a country home for many city families who would otherwise never take on a rural property investment.

INFO: 082 048 0777, www.verlorenkloof.co.za SUBSCRIBE CALL: 079 523 4671 or EMAIL: lowveldliving@gmfc.co.za

Ts & Cs Prize excludes transfers and travel. 10 people for 7 nights self-catering including a welcome hamper of fresh farm dairy products. Excludes school holidays. Magazine: Rate applicable to oneyear subscription of six editions at R204.84. Processing of the subscription may take up to a week.

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live

a journey of many steps

Ask Di Atherton if she ever thought that she would have a career counselling individuals and you would get a resounding no. Describing herself as an introvert and naturally shy, her journey into becoming a Reiki practitioner and life counsellor was unexpected yet one she has grown to love and thrive in Words Penny Goodwin Photos Anthon Wessels

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riginally from Benoni, Di worked in the insurance industry, but a Lifeline personal growth course would prove to be the catalyst for big change. The course impacted her so deeply that she undertook further training and became a fulltime counsellor for Lifeline.

It was around this time that her and her husband identified a need for a change.

Regular visitors to the Lowveld, lovers of the bush and the beautiful wide open spaces the area offers, they purchased a farm in the Peebles Valley in 1996 and started up a B&B. Five years later the B&B closed and with that another door opened.

Di attributes the ‘awakening’ in her interest in the mind, body, spirit connection as being driven by the relaxed lifestyle, fresh air and proximity to nature. Rather than viewing the closing of the B&B as a failure, she reflects now that this was yet another stepping stone in her journey. By opening herself up, she explains that Reiki was “able to find her”.

Explaining this, Di describes how at the time she was given so many different signs. One in particular was the name of a well-known Reiki practitioner, which kept coming up in the magazines she was reading, in conversation, in the courses she

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live attended. Finally she listened and began training to be a Reiki practitioner – a feeling she describes as ‘coming home’. “Reiki is very much the foundation for how my life has turned out. I see it in two chapters as ‘BR’ and ‘AR’ – Before Reiki and After Reiki.”

Trying to explain Reiki to the layman, Di provides the analogy of a wave coming up the beach and water flowing into holes left by the sand crabs. The practice of Reiki, she says, is moving energy into the “holes” where our body needs it. Whether you are fighting a headache or cancer, the very root of every disease is metaphysical, Di explains. Through the channelling of life force energy a Reiki practitioner is able to activate and support the natural healing processes of the client’s body and help restore physical and emotional well-being.

Practicing in the early days was not always easy. As much as there were those who sought out and believed in the power of natural healing, many of the more conservative population in the area were vocal in their dislike for the work that Di and many other alternative healers were undertaking.

To try and create a place of acceptance and an opportunity for like-minded people living in the Lowveld to come together, Di started the Circle of Light in September 2002. A growing network of people interested in a way of life that is holistic, sustainable, in harmony with self, each other, and in sync with the world around us.

We have, Di believes, reached a tipping point. “We are a society that constantly refuses to look at what is going on ‘within’. Holistic therapies unpack that part of us.

The body is like a computer hard drive, holding onto memories, beliefs and triggers, all of which impact on the way we live our lives. Stopping and acknowledging how we are feeling is the first step to healing.”

Women in particular are at risk. Our need to be everything to everyone at the cost of our own well-being is something that each of us needs to identify and work towards correcting. In Di’s words, “It’s time to put down the Superwoman cape and start asking for help.” By pushing our own needs to the back of the queue we build up resentment and no longer nurture ourselves. Going back to the metaphysical, Di explains that a woman’s breasts are for nurturing and she sees the alarming increase in breast cancer as a representation of how this resentment has manifested itself.

Another group at risk is that of the youth. Working with under-privileged youth Di has seen a trend in how the sense of entitlement is growing and she worries about the impact this will have on a future society. “There is a growing trend across the youth of today of acting as victims – they accuse, blame and complain – and fail to take responsibility for their actions and futures. We need to focus on creating victors, those who take 100% responsibility for their attitudes, behaviours and choices.”

It is with this in mind that Di has taken the next step in her journey. Incorporating almost two decades of working as an alternative healer and her greatest passion of sharing with others the simple tools to create a FAB Life (Flow-Authentic-Balance).

Through her Power Within workshops, mentorship and work with the youth she is empowering and motivating people to become active participants as opposed to passive bystanders in their lives.

Ultimately for Di, heart-centred living and alternative therapies bring one to a space where that can happen. Any good alternative healer is going to work within the Six Step Guidance Programme whether it’s Reiki, Yoga, Chinese medicine, reflexology etc.

The thing is that any of these therapies should not be considered ‘alternative’, most have been around for thousands of years. For us all living mindfully and being aware of ‘whole health’ is becoming essential, no longer a luxury. It’s time to start listening to our bodies.

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“IT’S TIME TO PUT DOWN THE SUPERWOMAN CAPE AND START ASKING FOR HELP”

Di’s Six Step Guidance Programme to holistic living Stop and Acknowledge How are you really feeling? Fine = Fricken Insecure Neurotic and Emotional. Recognise your emotions and acknowledge that you need help.

Reach Out Look who is around to support you and find someone to talk to who is able to listen.

Alternatively find someone to help you unblock.

Be Aware and Present Only 2% of of our minds are fully present in the moment. Train yourself to focus on the now and banish wasteful thoughts.

Let Go Review each day and your reactions to situations. Ask what triggered this in you and then let the negativity go.

Practise in order to Create a Habit This is the biggest challenge as we are creatures of habit. Change yourself and people around you will start changing in the way they see you, react too and treat you.

Constantly Review and Deal with the Change Life tests and tests and tests till you get the lesson. Persevere and embrace the changes you need to. Fulfil your own expectations and be comfortable with that.

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Zandspruit

Bush & Aero Estate OWN YOUR DREAM HOME AND LIVE IN A WILD PLACE YOU THOUGHT NO LONGER EXISTED...

Hoedspruit • Limpopo

Redefining Bushveld Living!

• Estate size 1 000 hectares • Only 200 Full Title stands • House styles are Pavilion, Farmhouse and Thatch • An untouched wilderness area of 650ha for game viewing • Breathtaking mountain views • Sundowner locations and waterholes within the wilderness area • Hard surfaced internal roads • 1 000m paved, private runway • Magnificent trees along the 4km riverfront • Bird hide, view points and walking trails • Zandspruit Equestrian Centre for all levels of equestrian adventures • Luxury Bush Camp for home owners to enjoy • Close to all retailers, doctors, restaurants and recreational facilities of Hoedspruit (2 km)

MOVE TO A BETTER PLACE E info@zandspruit.co.za W www.zandspruit.co.za

Die Ryshuis, R 527, Hoedspruit T + 27 15 793 1192

spaces [a hop across the border & further afield]

spaces

a(theboa vida good life)

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This dreamy holiday house gazing over the Indian Ocean is a delectable melding of whitewashed seaside interiors and local Mozambique flavour Words & Photos Bev Tucker

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t this beachside paradise of a house – officially known as La Vida Jax Lodge – it’s always summer. Technically it was mid-winter at the time I visited. But one of the many advantages of Mozambique’s subtropical climate is winter weather made for shorts and swimwear; a time of long blue days spent tumbling between hammock and pool, or lazing on one of this coastline’s hundreds of exquisite beaches.

Visitors arriving to stay at the dune-top house overlooking the Indian Ocean are immediately enveloped in its gypset aura. Getting here is part of that mystique. It is 550km by road to the South African border at Komatiepoort, plus

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spaces a further 500 or so to Johannesburg. Alternatively, you can fly to the nearest town, Inhambane, which snoozes on Inhambane Bay, and take a taxi. Ask the driver to take you to La Vida Jax at Ponto do Barra. This is the closest it gets to a street address, but the driver will easily find the place.

Inhambane is one of the oldest settlements on Mozambique’s east coast.

Dhows plied their trade in these waters as early as the 11th Century. Later, when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama rounded Africa in the late 15th Century, he anchored here to replenish his ships. He took an immediate liking to the area and named it Terra de Boa Gente – ‘Land of the Good People’. Today the town is a sleepy provincial capital of gently crumbling colonial architecture sitting cheek by jowl with some eye-watering odes to Communist era 70s concrete.

The owner purchased a section of dune on this coast a decade ago and built a tropical escape from scratch. He negotiated the sale with the family that still owns and lives in the coconut palm grove at the bottom of the stairs at the back of the house. He only employs staff from among this family, and in this way maintains a close relationship with the village.

Ponto do Barra is one of several small beach communities dotted along the coast, each of which has its own flavour. The nearest is Tofo, with its vibrant beach culture, busy market and nightlife. What sold him on the site at Barra was “the view from the top of the dune. It made the choice easy.” That said, the site was a challenging choice for a new build – every pole, brick and nail had to be hauled up the dune by hand. After drilling a borehole, which to this day supplies the house with potable water, the project took shape without undue haste, and also without any spectacular mishaps.

As a creative person, from the outset the owner had a keen sense of the aesthetic he wanted to create. “It was important to use local crafters and builders, and thereby support the local economy and people.” The result is a thoughtfully laid out space imbued with a relaxed, multi-cultural flavour, where natural materials that occur in the immediate vicinity or surrounding region were used in the execution of a non-indigenous floor plan.

In these parts, the use of the coco palm is ingenious. The trees provide everything from food and drink to shelter, practical everyday implements, personal adornment and more. The most obvious of use of the tree in the building of La Vida Jax, is evidenced in the palm frond thatch used for the roof. “This was the first choice over other types of roofing. It reflects the site: a coconut palm planted more than 80 years ago by Portuguese settlers, and which still thrives today.”

The decision was an excellent one – the thickly woven leaves give highly practical, well-insulated protection, but also make the most attractive, open ceilings with their woven patterns left visible. The skeleton was built using the local brick made in ovens seen dotted all over the countryside. They produce beautifully light, strong bricks and paving, coloured in tones of textured cream and gold-beige. In the making, every brick has been touched by a human hand.

A covered entertainment deck at the centre of the house – cool by day and protected from the wind at night – is furnished with a long table, gas braai and endless views. The bedrooms are set apart from the living room and main house.

They all have spacious decks leading through sliding glass doors into white interiors. The doors are at their best when pushed wide to embrace the views and balmy sea air. The bedrooms are linked to the communal area with sturdy, raised walkways. The entire house faces the sea, so no matter which room you chose, you can lie in bed looking at the glittering bay and hearing the sound of the waves while a breeze rustles the palm thatch overhead.

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COURTYARD FRAMING’S DÉCOR TIPS FOR BEACH CHIC: • decide on a colour palette and stick to it • don’t be afraid of layering whites • use large art pieces for great impact • keep furniture design simple and support local craftsman

spaces

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Apart from an industrial glass fronted fridge, which arrived via courier from South Africa, most of the furniture and fittings were made or purchased locally. When it comes to the dÊcor, the choices are so apt that it feels as though the furnishings somehow, miraculously, materialised from the immediate surroundings. In truth, though, a certain amount of hunting and gathering was required to pull the look together. Added to this, was the discipline of knowing when to stop, which is often one of decorating’s most difficult challenges.

Most of the furniture was made by carpenters in workshops set among the palm groves around Barra. The chandelier in the living room was handmade by Courtyard Framing in White River, as were the three light fittings draped with Zulu beads that hang over the kitchen table, and the glass light fittings in the living room.

On the main deck, Ghanaian beads made from recycled glass share the limelight with woven baskets which were found in a Maputo market and turned into lampshades.

The woven grass mats found throughout the lodge were bought at roadside stalls in the Lowveld. The huge dhow dominating the lintel over the front door came from a Mozambican craftsman.

With its lofty thatch and exposed timber beams; the soft grey of polished concrete floors; whitewashed walls and furniture; woven grass mats; bead draped chandeliers and handmade decorative touches, the simple elegance of the place breathes with sophisticated soul.

INFO: The summers are hot and the winters are warm and temperate. On average, the temperatures are always high. The rainy season is in summer (January, February, March and December). On average, the warmest month is January and the coolest and driest is August. December is the wettest month.

For whale sightings, the best times of year to visit are from July to November when the humpback whales arrive to give birth to their young in the warm tropical waters. The Marine Megafauna Foundation has a permanent research facility based in nearby Tofo. Scientists conduct world class research on manta rays, whale sharks and whales as well as other forms of marine life.

La Vida Jax has four bedrooms, of which two are joined by an inter-leading bathroom (perfect for a family) and the others are stand-alone units with en suite facilities.

La Vida Jax is available for private hire. The house is fully equipped with quality linen, cutlery, crockery and utensils. It has permanent staff to take care of cleaning and to assist with negotiating the daily purchase of fresh fish, the famous Portuguesestyle bread baked daily, and locally grown salads and fruit from vendors.

083 773 9929, 013 751 1349, www.lavidajax.co.za

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spaces

hot space INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, the leading global interior design and architecture awards programme, has announced its World Interior of the Year 2016 nominees.

Categories include hospitals, transportation hubs, bars, clubs, shops and homes.

Check out our favourite international spaces.

The Playhouse by House Of Beast (a private home in Hong Kong).

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spaces

Clockwise from above: Rabbit Hole restaurant & bar in Bangkok, Thailand by Paradigm Shift Design; Company One Plus Partnership’s Guangzhou Cinema in China; Fenghemuchen Space Design’s Blue Lake House restaurant, Beijing, China; Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen Spa by Sordo Mada y Asociodos SC in Mexico

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Clockwise from left: The Alchemist (work space) by Atelier E Limited in Hong Kong; 30 Adelaide Street (a private home) by Ian Moore Architects in Sydney, Australia; One Plus Partnership’s Darry Ring Jewellery Shop in Shanghai, China

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Granite Hill - Nelspruit 6 Bedrooms l 5 Bathrooms l 9 Garages Nestled in the heart of the La Roi Estate on 4,1ha of virgin bush with panoramic views and roaming game, this stately mansion is designed with luxury, comfort and entertainment in mind.

Ivan Parnell 084 504 2021 l Greg Bisaro 082 854 2910 WWW.CHASEVERITT.CO.ZA

Web Ref: 13374179

R13,5 Million

Local expertise, national presence and international audience

00

R 4 300 000

EATURE FINE & COUNTRY FEATURE SERVE, HOEDSPRUIT , LIMPOPO MODITLO GAME RESERVE, HOEDSPRUIT, LIMPOPO

e

in

a

wildlife

reser Exquisite ve home in a wildlife reserve

Game Reser ve is compr The ised Moditlo Private Game of Reserve is comprised of hveld, located within approximately 3300ha of prime bushveld, located within approximately Canyon Conser vancy. It is 15000ha situated of the Blue Canyon Conservancy. It is situated Hoedspr uit and 40 minutes some 12km dr outside Hoedspruit iveand 40 minutes drive to the Kr uger National Par from thek. nearest The gate to the Kruger National Park. The ants, rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah reserve features elephants, and rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah and ve has two perennial streams plains game. The reserve and has two perennial streams and several dams.

home consists of 4 bedrooms, This striking thatched home all consists of 4 bedrooms, all h a pr ivate balcony. Ever y bedroom en-suite and each with a private balcony. Every bedroom ell-manicured inter nal garden. walks out onto This a well-manicured internal garden. This ser vation deck with breathtaking property has an observation deck with breathtaking mountain views.

ndcountr y.com

Cristelle Stoop +27(0)83 377 6622 cristelle.stoop@fineandcountry.com WEB: 133212

Fine & Country Hoedspruit Park Lane Office 701 Leadwood Street, Hoedspruit Nationally 50 offices across South Africa 119/121 Park Lane, London, W1 www .fineandcountr y.com www.fineandcountry.com Wildlife Estate,1380 +44 (0)207 079 1515 Internationally Over 300 offices globally +27 (0)83 377 6622 admin@fineandcountry.com cristelle.stoop@fineandcountry.com

trade

To advertise here call Audrey Ford 072 726 4660 Lizette Steenberg 081 309 1430

AQUA - NET ALARMS & SWIM FINS

• POOL SAFTEY NETS • POOL COVERS • LEAF CATCHA • AQUA GUARD • AQUA FENCE • SOLAR BLANKET Aquanet Mpumalanga Hilton: 082 562 9862 Tel: 013 751 1523 e-mail: mpu@aquanet.co.za Visit our website at www.aquanet.co.za

MalcolM Funston African Wildlife Photographic Fine Art Prints

malcolmfunston.com funstonms@telkomsa.net

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031 568 1926

market place

MatsiMela Home Spa

Offers you the finest Take Home Body Care Products that are a feast for the senses!

Visit one of our stores and indulge in a variety of pure Spoil-Me Products.

Whether the products are a treat for yourself or someone special in your life, Make a Point of Visiting Us.

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• Hazyview: Perry’s Bridge Trading, Post R40, Mpumalanga. Tel: 013 737 6542 • White River: R40, Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre, Mpumalanga. Tel: 013 750 0401

w w w. m a t s i m e l a . c o . z a

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market place An invitation to Africa...

www.leonmarais.com Photography..TravellJournalism.

Copywriting..Guiding.

082 214 2148

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Middelburg-Nelspruit-SeptAd-portrait.pdf

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the observation deck

in essence Words Lyn Haken

SOME PEOPLE HATE OTHERS TOUCHING THEM, WHETHER A VACUOUS HUG OR AS FAR REMOVED AS AIR KISSES. THIS ALSO CAN, AND DOES, AFFECT HOLISTIC MINISTRATIONS AS IN MASSAGES, SPA TREATMENTS, ZEN THERAPIES… INVOLVING CONTACT OF ANY KIND. Not me. Give me a massage experience, complete with whale music, bare feet, rose petals and soft fabrics, and I

sink into my own nirvana. The aromas of jasmine oil, frangipani essence and lavender sachets that permeate the treatment rooms leave me floating on air. The whispers and hushed voices accompanying these delicate moments immediately put me into a transcendental state and it is with great ease and comfort that I sink into the warm, fluffy robes whilst my honeysuckle green tea is presented to me in fine bone china.

But the brochures are not really believable. The young lady on the cover looks as stressed as an Egyptian cat, cellulite has only appeared in her vocabulary in a school Spelling B and her skin has been glowing for all of her twenty two years. The gown she has draped round her slim frame hangs loose with the tie belt casually looped; her legs delicately curled up are long and elegant with neat little shrimp like toes, nails glistening with Raspberry Parfait Frosting. Her handsome partner stands at her side, relaxed with something green in his crystal glass and his gleaming smile doesn’t betray that there is NO WAYS he would ever drink the contents in a million years. His one hand is gently placed where the curve of her neck and shoulder show that the gown has oh so softly slipped away. Her skin is golden with a slight sheen and his hand is strong and firm, with long tapering fingers and clean, clipped nails. The caress captured is both elegant and sensual.

Of course, the reality is very different. The REAL woman is in desperate need of a shave and is sitting uncomfortably with her legs tucked up trying to hide them. Her eyebrows are un-plucked, as is her chin and the glowing sheen is the result of sweat gathering under her armpits, pooling uncomfortably onto the first tyre above her waist. The gown also doesn’t close properly because she has been rather busy at the buffet table. The REAL man is generally balking at the perceived cost of all this wellness, and gagging at the sulphurous looking contents in the glass. And the REAL couple, who originally thought “this seems like a good idea,” are now feeling that perhaps she should have left him at home and gone it alone and he’s feeling he’d rather be watching sport.

But what actually happened to the REAL couple was there we were…lying quietly on our billowing towels, gently heated for the crisp cool of the late afternoon. The therapists were fluttering around us, kneading and smoothing. We had had the coffee exfoliation, the hydrating masks of honey and rooibos applied with the cucumber patches over our eyes and feeling we were being prepared for one big salad when I suddenly heard a loud, “WHAAAAAAT?” Startled, I de-veggied my eyes and turned to look. There was a frozen moment between the therapist and my husband which then seemed to get resolved … so the ministrations recommenced.

Sitting afterwards, with a glass of something brown and suspicious, my husband regaled me with the events that created the moment.

“It was very awkward,” he leaned in to tell me. “I couldn’t hear her properly and she kept on whispering to me. Eventually I heard her. She’d asked, ‘how do you like your pressure?’”

Perplexed, I nodded. “So?” He blinked and coloured. “I thought she’d asked, ‘how do you like your pleasure?”

I put my glass of liquid worm compost down. “Do you want to go home and watch sport?” I asked.

“I do,” he said solemnly.

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