Wanted November 2021

wanted 11 / 2021

THE SPIRIT

OF SUMMER

ED’S LETTER

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Siphiwe Mpye

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ith the names Bontle, Ludwe, and Siphiwe, we were bound to be a curiosity as we roamed the streets of Kitzbühel. It was a scene straight out of James Baldwin’s masterpiece Stranger in the Village — our Austria to Baldwin’s Switzerland.

An incongruous, underage threesome from the townships of Gqeberha, using their twohour leisure time to look for a sneaky beer in a quiet pub, away from the supervisory eyes of their chaperones, but in full view of the inquisitive locals. I was in Grade 9, on a group tour across Europe, my first trip overseas.

Tucked in between a tourist trinket trap and a pharmacy, we found a pub — the low-lit, stuffy, “traditional” kind, with trophies of what I am sure was once a happy family of deer

The charms of summer, past and future

proudly displayed behind the bar. The barman was a French student who spoke just enough English to tell us politely that he knew we were underage but would nonetheless serve us if we behaved. The rest is hazy, but after just one medium-sized glass of lager, the tiff I had had with my dear friend Ludwe — a silliness that had hovered eerily over the preceding days — melted away with the Austrian snow under the summer sun.

There were many other one-off moments in our three-week European cultural frolic: racing through Paris in a failed attempt to make it to Jim Morrison’s resting place before the Père Lachaise Cemetery closed for the day; retracing the Bard’s footsteps in Stratford-upon-Avon; and being seduced by the multicultural clash of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Camden Town. And then there was Venice.

We were booked to stay at a youth hostel that was a hop, skip, and a jump from the water. As the teachers escorting us on the trip checked us in, we crashed a pickup soccer game with local boys. I had played representative football for the Eastern Province back home and it was immediately clear that my flamboyant flourishes with the ball were attracting some attention, not least from a denim-shorted, dirty-blondehaired beauty I came to find out was one Eliza Bellini. After the game, it was hearts-aflutter stuff that transcended her horrid English and my nonexistent Italian. She promised to return later and show me the sights under moonlight.

Later that night in our dormitory at the youth hostel, Ludwe and I sat on our beds counting our remaining cash.

It was bleak. How had we burned through all those traveller’s cheques with half the trip still ahead of us? It was depressing stuff. Meanwhile,

unbeknown to me, Eliza was outside enquiring after me. “He is inside, crying — I don’t think he is in the right state of mind to see you,” I imagine Bontle saying to her, because her swift departure made no sense.

Bontle had marked her territory. I had a crush on her too, you see, and she knew it. And much as she had no interest in me (she was dating a friend’s older brother), she couldn’t resist sabotaging my nascent Venetian romance. I never saw Eliza again. “Don’t worry about it, her hair smelled like garlic anyway,” were Bontle’s comforting words as we left Venice for the next (mis)adventure.

Fully aware of how the rug was pulled from under our feet at the 11th hour in 2020 — in a tightening of lockdown restrictions that demolished all our best-laid festive plans — in this issue we up the ante and commit fully to the spirit

of an open summer-holiday period, filled with magical possibilities. It may be about finally reuniting with family, in the flesh, in an exotic locale, as our editor-at-large Aspasia Karras did on a recent emotional pilgrimage to Greece (pg. 18). It may also be about being out and about on our bustling urban streets, taking in culture, a spot of shopping, and the “high” of fine dining or the occasional delicious “low” of a charming hole (pg. 30). This summer may also just be about quiet, conscious reflection at a secluded lodge, with game drives that are complemented by meditation and a deep connection with nature (pg. 45).

However and wherever you choose to explore, may you find fun, peace, exhilaration, and, perhaps, even your own Eliza Bellini, with freshly shampooed hair and a lifetime of memories ahead of you.

IMAGES KLEINJAN GROENWALD AND SUPPLIED

EDITOR.

Habitas Namibia (pg. 45)

Cover / Millenia ear cuff, R3 7OO; Harmonia choker, R7 3OO, both Swarovski; DnuD swimsuit, R5 4OO, La Corset Intimé; Brilliant Cloud top, R5 8OO, Viviers; Harmonia ring, R3 7OO; Harmonia bracelet, R5 5OO, both Swarovski; Brilliant Cloud skirt, R8 2OO, Viviers

F O R

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M O R E , V I S I T

WA N T E D O N L I N E . C O . Z A

TEAM /

Chain Pilot sunglasses, R11 4OO; Bi-material A-line knit dress, R42 5OO, both Louis Vuitton; Swimsuit, R1 250, Gabrielle Swimwear; Coussin PM bag, R63 5OO, Louis Vuitton; Dsquared2 trousers, R8 29O, Hydraulics

E D I TO R S i p h iwe M pye ( m pye s @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R A n n a L i n eve l d t ( l i n eve l d ta @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) M A N AG I N G E D I TO R S u z y Jo s e p h s o n 0 7 2 5 9 8 9 2 8 2 ( j o s e p h s o n s @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) J U N I O R D E S I G N E R S C a r i k e d e Ja g e r

and Manelisi Dabata S U B E D I TO R I o l a n d i Po o l FA S H I O N D I R E C TO R S h a r o n A r m s t r o n g ( a r m s t ro n g s @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) FA S H I O N E D I TO R S a h i l H a r i l a l B E AU T Y E D I TO R No k u b o n g a Th u s i ( t hu s i n @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) FA S H I O N I N T E R N No m b u s o Ku m a l o D É C O R D I R E C TO R L e a n a S ch o e m a n ( l e a n a s @ s u n d a y t i m e s. c o. z a ) G R O U P M OTO R I N G E D I TO R D e n i s D r o p p a ( d ro p p a d @ a re n a . a f r i c a )

FINAL EYE Elizabeth Sleith D E S I G N H U B O N L I N E E D I TO R S t e p h e n H aw ( h a w s @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) AC T I N G WA N T E D O N L I N E E D I TO R

Ts h e p o Ts h a b a l a l a BU S I N E S S DAY E D I TO R Lu k a nyo M ny a n d a E D I TO R - AT- L A R G E : L I F E S T Y L E A s p a s i a K a r r a s ( ka r ra s a @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) H E A D : A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S E b e n G ewe r s C E O A n d r ew G i l l G E N E R A L M A N AG E R : L U X U RY Y vo n n e S h a f f 0 8 2 9 0 3 5 6 4 1 ( s h a ff y @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) AC C O U N T M A N AG E R J o h a n n e s b u rg Ta m a r a N i ch o l s o n 0 8 3 6 0 4 0 9 4 9 ( n i c h o l s o n t @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) AC C O U N T M A N AG E R We s te r n C a p e Samantha Pienaar 082 889 0366 ( p i e n a a r s @ a re n a . a f r i c a ) AC C O U N T M A N AG E R D u r b a n G i n a v a n d e Wa l l 0 8 3 5 0 0 5 3 2 5 ( v d wa l l g @ a re n a . a f r i c a )

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Take on summer in the best of company — Bulgari, Swarovski, Dolce & Gabbana

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Enter stealth mode with the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops Edition

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Wa n te d i s a va i l a b l e w i t h B u s i n e s s D a y n a t i o n w i d e .

Subscription enquiries: 086 052 5200 P R I N T E D by Pa a r l M e d i a fo r A re n a H o l d i n g s, H i l l o n E m p i re , 1 6 E m p i re R o a d ( c n r E m p i re a n d H i l l s i d e ro a d s ) , Pa r k tow n , J o h a n n e s b u rg , 2 1 9 3

The most vibrant streets of Joburg, Durban, and Cape Town are back in business

The ins and outs of buying a holiday home — either to let or to keep all to yourself

The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 SR proves an apex predator at the Nürburgring

WAT C H E S

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Gary Cotterell is Wanted’s editorat-large.

Panerai Submersible S BR ABUS Black

COLUMN.

Ops Edition

Quality time

Panerai and BRABUS keep it dark

B

RABUS Black Ops has a decidedly clandestine, special-forces ring to it. It is also a fitting name for a timepiece from the brand that once supplied the Italian Navy with precision diving instruments, covered by the Military Secrets Act. Three years in development, the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops Edition (PAM01240) is the result of a collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and the high-end, luxury automotive company BRABUS, best known for transforming a full Mercedes-Benz range into unique, stateof-the-art, high-performance machines.

Its Classic 6-Star Restoration programme

involves unparalleled nuts-and-bolts, historically authentic rebuilds of rare Mercedes that are the envy of any classic-car enthusiast.

The name of the watch, however, is derived from the Shadow range of luxury dayboats in the BRABUS marine division, created through an alliance with awardwinning Finnish boat builder Axopar in 2017. These are super-fast, super-agile luxury cruisers meant for island hopping or as tenders for superyachts.

Numerous parallels can be drawn between the worlds of motoring and watchmaking. Both value intricate machinery and design excellence, and both trigger intimate, emotional connections. This is especially true when

it comes to the development of the chronograph for trackside timekeeping in the early days of motor racing. It is for this reason that there are ongoing collaborations between these two worlds.

Added to this are watchmaking’s even more significant links with the ocean and the development of essential tools for early navigation and exploration, making Panerai and BRABUS a brilliant pairing.

Panerai's electing to present its first skeletal movement in this Submersible S also makes perfect sense for a collaboration with the masters of performance tuning.

Through continuous innovation over 44 years, BRABUS is renowned for getting more displacement, more horsepower, and more torque out of every engine.

This finds beautiful expression through the exposed works of the P.4001/s automatic calibre of this special edition Submersible.

The new movement is based off the P.4000 calibre, designed and created at the Panerai manufacture in Neuchâtel.

Panerai and BRABUS are both makers of functional and stylish tools. Viewed side by side, there are striking similarities between the design language and character of watch and boat. To highlight the innovation and high-end composite materials used by both brands, gunmetalgrey Carbotech was chosen for the 47mm case and unidirectional rotating bezel.

This is a signature colour of BRABUS, along with red, which is used to accentuate the minute, hour and small seconds hands, the frame of the patented polarised datedisplay window, and the GMT and AM/ PM indicators. Grey Super-LumiNova fills all indices and hands.

In the absence of a dial, the Panerai Submersible logo is silkscreened onto the sapphire crystal. The new movement features an off-centre tungsten rotor visible through the case back, which allows for bi-directional winding of the two spring barrels while the watch is being worn. Made for living life to the extreme, these pieces are water-resistant to 300m, and have a handy three-day power reserve as indicated between 10 and 11 o’clock.

Available in a limited run of only 100 pieces, the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops Edition comes with two straps — a bi-material version, and a Sportech strap with a velcro closure.

Also included are tools to swap the straps and buckle. POA, panerai.com or RLG Africa 011 317 2600. For more info also visit brabus.com

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Speedmaster Chronoscope

has three timing scales — tachymeter, telemeter, and pulsometer — to calculate speed, distance, and heartbeat.

It has plenty of old-world charm, with dials inspired by the “snail” design of the brand’s 1940s chronographs, while the modern case design and movement bring it up to date. Six 43mm models are available, powered by the Omega Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908.

Retailing from R155 000, omegawatches.com or Swatch Group SA 011 911 1200

FREDERIQUE CONSTANT HIGHLIFE TOURBILLON PERPETUAL CALENDAR MANUFACTURE Staying true to its commitment to make luxury timepieces accessible, Frederique Constant presents the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture with

skeleton dial. A bold, sporty, and thoroughly modern watch, this is the company’s most affordable example of fine watchmaking, coupling an iconic complication with a complex mechanical calendar.

Powered by the FC-975 calibre and available in 18kt rose gold or all-steel. CHF 22 995 (about R375 000), frederiqueconstant.com or Picot & Moss 011 669 0500

BLANCPAIN LADYBIRD COLORS The Ladybird revolutionised watchmaking in 1956 by introducing the smallest round movement of its era. Today, the soft, vibrant 34.9mm

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OMEGA SPEEDMASTER CHRONOSCOPE For those who never miss a beat, the new Omega

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01

NEWS

Blancpain Ladybird Colors

is available in seven variations in 18kt red or white gold, and powered by the in-house calibre 1150. The white mother-of-pearl dial is adorned with gold Arabic numerals, sized to form an asymmetrical hour circle. A true jewellery watch, the Ladybird Colors features high-end gemsetting in the diamond-set bezel, lugs, crown, buckle, and central band with a combined carat weight of 2.217. POA, blancpain.com

IMAGES SUPPLIED

Gary Cotterell

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OBJET

production

Sahil Harilal

Judd van Rensburg

Jessica Rayne, Intransitive Petri Dish Series #2, Particles in Motion, 2021, R15 000 (deconstructed in image)

Double C de Cartier handbag, R33 000, Cartier

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Firestarter

Cartier’s latest leather offering fuses the joy of jewellery with contemporary minimalism

STOCKISTS CARTIER 011 666 2800, JESSICA RAYNE ART JESSICA@RAYNE.CO.ZA

photography

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STYLE NOTES

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Nokubonga Thusi

We are firm advocates of a good slathering of SPF, so we went in search of the best new kids on the block to add to your arsenal

1. If two is better than one when it comes to sun protection, Skoon’s Sun Guardians Duo (R1 310) is a double deterrent, with a mineral-based sundefence cream to protect during the day and an antipollution serum to repair skin damage at night.

2. Ever wanted to reapply sunscreen but makeup stood in the way? Problem solved with iS Clinical’s PerfecTint Powder SPF 40 (R1 584), which can be dusted over makeup while giving skin a lightweight, mattifying tint.

3. For a great unisex, hydrating, water-based formula with a matte finish, reach for Heliocare 360° Water Gel Sunscreen SPF50+ (R425).

SUN SAVIOURS

MOST 01.

WANTED /

Deep threads

sea

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A VIKING SUMMER

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scotch-soda.co.za

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ubmerge yourself in the art of seasonless dressing as Scotch & Soda’s Summer 2021 collection pays homage to Simone Melchior Cousteau, a 1950s sea explorer who became the world’s first female scuba diver and marine conservation pioneer. Drawing on her love for the ocean, sea life, and her French upbringing, the collection is a free-spirited coming together of statement marine prints, farmhouse motifs, and a play on volume. Think puffed sleeves, men’s summer tailoring in pastel colourways, relaxed fit, flowing silhouettes, and cropped shapes that experiment with proportions.

The collection celebrates the sea while doing its part to aid in its conservation, using organic cotton, recycled elastane, and swimwear made of recycled fabrics, including ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon created from discarded ocean waste.

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Crystal

ndulge in some crystalline treats from Swarovski’s Collection I and II, developed by new creative director Giovanna Engelbert. Drape yourself in oversized crystals with mixed metal finishes, as well as necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, and body jewellery that play with colour, size, and styling. Be transformed by the Pop Art-inspired, sculptural Dulcis pieces featuring a vibrant array of cushion-cut crystals set in aluminium that showcase an imaginative approach to scale. swarovski.com

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he third addition to the Twilly d’Hermès fragrance family may be the only scent you’ll want to wear this summer. With a zesty opening, the floral and woody Twilly d’Hermès Eau Ginger combines notes of peony, candied ginger, and cedar. Twilly d’Hermès Eau Ginger EDP 85ml, R2 500

HATS OFF TO HERMÈS 05.

The House of Creed’s secondbiggest male pillar, Creed Viking, launched in 2017, has now been re-imagined as Creed Viking Cologne, an aromatic fougère that opens up with notes of bergamot, lemon, petitgrain, lavender, and patchouli. The base lingers thanks to notes of sandalwood, frankincense, nutmeg, and sage. Creed Viking Cologne EDP 100ml, R6 500, skins.co.za

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hat inspired you to start the Aguaclara brand? What really pushed us to start the brand was the social and economic situation in Peru in 1989.

At that time, there was no opportunity to shop for local swimwear in Peru. Despite having almost 2,500km of beautiful beaches, Peruvians were only able to get swimwear from Brazil. So, we saw an opportunity to start a swimwear business back then.

AG UAC L A R A 01.

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Nokubonga Thusi

A F R I C A

Why did you choose resort wear? Through resort wear we get to make garments that a woman can use on any occasion, and we love that. Our collection is a complete resort proposal for summer days and nights. This is a lifestyle concept, where bikinis, one-pieces, dresses, exotic tunics, and beach gowns complement each other and can be taken straight from the beach to sunset parties and evening cocktails.

These spectacular pieces, made of the finest materials, embrace boldness, femininity, sensuality, and elegance.

What is your creative process when conceptualising and designing a new collection? We start by attending international beachwear fairs in Europe, as well as other general fashion fairs. After getting loads of inspiration about trends, we begin to design our own prints, always interpreting them through our own lens of Latin artistry. Once our files and designs are ready, we send them to Italy to be printed on lycra, viscose, and silk. Afterwards the printed fabric is sent back to Peru and we start producing our collection pieces.

What is the general mood in swimwear/resort wear for 2022? Versatility and timelessness are the most important moods, and our collection pieces are also very easy to wear.

We offer loose pieces that can be worn in many sizes and, most importantly, by any body type. With our 2022 collection you can fit more than 20 outfits in just a carry-on bag.

What elements make up the perfect swimwear piece?

The three most important elements are fabric, construction, and shape. The fabric should have the perfect mix of elasticity and support. In terms of construction, the elastic seams, straps, and cups should be fitted correctly so the piece is comfortable.

It is crucial to keep shape in mind, depending on how the piece will be used and the body type of the customer. For a swimsuit, I would suggest choosing a fabric that feels good to the touch and that has enough elasticity. You should always check the seams and leg, waist, and neck measurements to ensure that it is comfortable enough to wear for many hours.

Why did you shoot your latest campaign in a South African setting? We see our 2022 South African launch as the next big step in make Aguaclara international and expanding to markets in the US and Europe. We are also very interested in Africa as a potential new market. fabiana@fabianahoy.com

Immersive boutique horology text

Ingrid Wood

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iscerning shoppers expect experiential retail and concierge-level service, which is why a state-of-the-art, boutiquestyle space, complete with a sumptuous private lounge in which to view and fit the pieces on offer, is such a treat. This is exactly what you will find at Architects of Time’s Boutique Haute Horlogerie in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront Mall. The boutique carries 11 exclusive watch and jewellery brands, including Ulysse Nardin, H. Moser & Cie, Parmigiani Fleurier, Zenith, Dior Haute Couture, Hermès, Bulgari, Ebel, Messika, and Pomellato. There’s also a dedicated space for La Maison Chopard, where you can enjoy an immersive experience in the world of Chopard. Make sure to try on a piece from the new Happy Hearts - Golden Hearts Collection. In this collaboration with EON Productions, the company that makes the James Bond films, Chopard has filled the hearts with ethical rose gold — the leitmotif embedded in the 007 DNA.

BHH Boutique, Shop 6223, Victoria Wharf, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town @bhh_boutique 021 418 1889 / 021 421 4296 bhhct@archtime.co.za

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MADAME

lmost a century ago in Italy, passionate craftsman Massimo Moraglione began working as an apprentice jeweller. After running his own business for a few years, he joined his brothers Pierino and Marco in 1950.

Massimo, a goldsmith, was mainly in charge of production, while Pierino, a gem setter and engraver, was in charge of seeking sales, and Marco sourced the precious stones. Today Moraglione is still a close-knit family business. While it has transitioned from more classic jewellery to lines inspired by contemporary design, what hasn’t changed is the perfect selection and setting of precious stones.

As South Africa celebrates summer, what could be a nicer treat than a little piece from the Madame Butterfly Collection, in which the movements of the delicate creatures are captured in different sizes and poses on the finest pieces? Exclusive to Shemer, shemer.co.za

butterfly

IMAGES SUPPLIED

INSPIRED BY DESIGNER DUO LILIANA AND JORGE VILLALOBOS’ PASSION FOR TRAVEL, CULTURE, AND LATIN ARTISTRY, PERUVIAN SWIMWEAR BRAND AGUACLARA’S NEW COLLECTION PUTS DOWN ROOTS IN AFRICAN SOIL

STYLE NOTES

L I V E YO U R PA S S I O N RUNABOUT C H R O N O G R A P H AU TO M AT I C For further information contact Picot & Moss (011) 669-0500. picotandmoss.co.za frederiqueconstant.com

DOWN TO BUSINESS

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Lukanyo Mnyanda

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Lukanyo Mnyanda is the editor of Business Day

COLUMN.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

Surely SA is the prettiest of them all?

hat a relief it must be for tourism businesses that South Africa has gotten off the dreaded “red list” that closed the country to the lucrative UK market for so many months.

Hopefully, they can look forward to British tourists’ flocking to their establishments as the summer holiday season kicks into gear. And the rest of us can have more pleasant problems.

Rather than worrying about when we will be allowed to go sightseeing in London or skiing in Austria (if that’s your thing), the question now is whether your bank overdraft is big enough to let you enjoy the experience.

It would have cost a UK tourist around £2 000 for the pleasure of being stuck for 10 days in a hotel quarantine on their return from South Africa.

So, it’s clear how devastating it would have been for local businesses had the red listing been maintained. It would have taken an extraordinary amount of love for South Africa’s natural beauty and world-famous hospitality for anyone to have made that trip.

Just before that cloud was lifted, I’d discovered that local travellers had done their bit for the industry. I almost say “fondly done their bit”, but that’s very

much open to interpretation.

Over the Heritage Day weekend, I decided I had had enough of Joburg and that a couple of days away would be good for the soul. This decision was made with only a few days to spare. It turned out to be a shocking case of complacency.

With headlines every day about the tourism industry being in a state of disaster, one (me) assumed that this could indeed be a last-minute decision and that it would be a buyer’s market, so to speak.

Not a chance.

From North West to Limpopo, there were “sold out” signs everywhere. So much so that, a few days later, I was driving about eight hours to Steynsburg in the Eastern Cape. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry.

The only reason I know about it is because of the regular road trips I used to take from Joburg to my home and university towns, now called Gqeberha and Makhanda, respectively.

Steynsburg was nothing more than a little rural town I drove past after having my breath taken away by the views of Gariep Dam in the Free State.

The sentimentalist in me couldn’t help but think that it must have been written in the stars. It wasn’t exactly where I would have chosen to go, but

it’s hard to think now of another place where I should have been on that weekend. Steynsburg is a short drive from Cradock, a town with an oversized impact on South Africa’s history.

The two main attractions for me, once a budding historian, were both closed on the day.

But it was enough to see Olive Schreiner’s house and the Cradock Four Memorial from the outside, and a weekend marking the country’s heritage seemed to be as good a time as any.

Even though I grew up in the Eastern Cape, the Mountain Zebra National Park wasn’t something to which I’d given much thought. I now really wish I had the skills of a travel writer to do it justice.

Everyone probably thinks theirs is “God’s country”. Once upon a time, when Arsenal was good and the rivalry between its then manager Arsène Wenger and his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson was at its height, the former famously dismissed the latter’s claim to having the best side in the league by noting that everyone imagines that “they have the prettiest wife at home”.

The world might be open once again, but it will take a lot to convince me that South Africa isn’t the prettiest country on Earth.

I N C O N V E R S AT I O N

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PEERS IN CONVERSATION Two local celebrity chefs chat about keeping a business afloat in lockdown, the new generation of food lovers, and their plans for the future

JACKIE CAMERON AND

REUBEN RIFFEL

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euben Riffel (RR): We haven’t really spoken properly in a while, Jackie.

Jackie Cameron (JC): I was thinking about the last time I saw you, when you popped in at the school. I never told the students you were coming, and after you left, they were like, “How could you do that to us?” It was the best surprise that they’d ever had.

RR: Yeah. It’s nice to connect with the kids coming into the industry. How are they still so enthusiastic?

JC: I always say that I have the best job. It’s great to come downstairs every day and just have the most passionate students. They all feed off each other, for lack of a better word, and they get so enthusiastic. And then we bring somebody like you into the picture and it shows them what is out there if they work hard.

RR: I look at the people my kids follow on social media. And you can follow people in other parts of the world or meet people from your own community, people who have become successful. I never understood the importance of that. I look at where I came from and I didn’t really have that. I didn’t even know whom to look up to at that stage. I just wanted to do the work and see how I could grow in it.

JC: Yeah, that was exactly my situation. We did it, I feel, because we were working hard. It wasn’t for the awards, it wasn’t for the recognition, it wasn’t for how many likes you were going to get.

RR: Exactly. The end goal was never to be well known. But listen, how have these past two years affected your business, in terms of the number of

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Carike de Jager

Jackie Cameron has published two best-selling cookbooks and runs the Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine in the KZN Midlands

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have been pretty lucky that we’ve had a break in terms of opportunities in the industry. There are so many amazing chefs, and I’m always saying, “Why have I never heard of you?” And, obviously, the media highlights certain people. For us too, the past two years have been kind of hectic. I wanted to stay positive, but I also wanted to stay realistic. When you start looking at how much potential income you’ve lost, having to lay off staff, even as a last resort, those things had a massive effect on a lot of us, emotionally, and I’m still battling with that.

JC: I’m always focusing on the positive and what I can gain, what I can learn. Especially on the business side. For instance, I have a loan partner that gave me a huge loan to get the kitchens at my school. And they reduced the monthly instalments to a quarter of what I was meant to be paying. If I’d been dealing with a bank, I wouldn’t have a school today. We just need to get busy. I really do believe that, for the restaurants

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Manelisi Dabata

Reuben Riffel is an award-winning chef, a judge on MasterChef South Africa , and the mastermind behind a portfolio of acclaimed restaurants

and businesses that are still standing, it’s like the baby boom after World War 2.

RR: The more I talk to people who are in the industry, the more I realise it is important for us to talk about how we dealt with it. None of us thought it was going to last this long, then all of a sudden you really had to start thinking of how you were going to survive.

JC: I think the biggest thing is that we are not alone.

RR: Yeah. I’d like to think that we learned from it, in terms of our approach to the people who work in the industry. How do we change, so it becomes an industry that’s more approachable and not too crazy and where you can still have a bit of a real life?

Sometimes people come into the industry and then their passion is just obliterated because they can’t work in that environment or the hours that are expected from them. I think it’s somewhere in between, because you’re still going to have to work hard.

JC: I think with anything in life you have to work if you want to achieve. That’s what I say to my students. But there’s such a stigma about the industry, that it’s “so hard and it’s so tough and it’s such long hours”. If you’re going to be good at anything in life, a Springbok cyclist or whatever, you’ve got to put in those extra hours. But, yes, how do we make this industry more desirable to the youth?

RR: Look, I think it’s important to think of the hours and the effort that you put in, so you feel eventually that whatever you’ve put in, you’ll get something out of it. And there are probably going to be more people looking at being entrepreneurs.

JC: I can see with a lot of my students, it’s hugely important on my side to empower them to have their own businesses. It’s interesting to see how many of them actually are opening up their own businesses and focusing on chocolate or ice cream and finding what they are passionate about. I think with food, so many different avenues have opened up, if you think about all the frozen food and all the takeaway boxes…

RR: How do you see the industry being changed by what we went through now?

JC: I think we are all getting tired of one virtual meeting after another. Initially I was like, “This is such a fantastic idea. I don’t even have to get into a car and go to Joburg for a meeting.” Now I’m like, “Put me in that car and I’m going to Joburg. I don’t care about the traffic.” Looking to the future, I think people are cooking more at home and that means they expect a higher standard in restaurants.

RR: Even before Covid-19 we were sitting on an idea to do a Dutch- or Belgian-style “fritery” in Franschhoek. I think South Africa is ripe for another restaurant franchise. I’ve always had a dream to start something like that. Obviously, we started small here in Franschhoek, it’s called Let’s Frite and it’s basically burgers and triple-cooked fries and a hell of a lot of sauces. It’s definitely something I want to put some more effort into. It’s almost like the industry is just waiting to fast-forward again, you know?

JC: I get that sense too. I’ve started a baby-food range. As my daughter was beginning to eat solids, I started questioning things like, “Where does this come from? What is in there?” So I ordered food online, and the apple purée would be brown. My Granny Smith apple puree is green! And it’s natural. It’s been quite an interesting process. I’m proud of it.

Check Wanted Online for a video of the full conversation

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students you could take on and placements?

JC: When it all started, we began doing a lot of charity. I had been involved with a feeding scheme, but it really kicked off over this time. The course is flexible, so we could manoeuvre things. Last year the students came back and they just cooked and cooked and cooked. Normally, the cooking happens over the entire year and now it happened in two months. Up until June, July, my intake numbers were ridiculously low. Now, as things are opening up, we are getting a lot of inquiries, but it’s still not what it was like in the past. But for me, it’s a job in which you can make your family proud, you can travel the world — and the people you meet! I think people who are in the industry are really passionate about it, and we do so well because it’s never work for us.

RR: Especially in our industry, in our country, there are many people who are passionate about cooking and the industry itself. And that’s why I think we

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REMINISCENCE

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y parents would phone their respective mothers in Greece once a month. The calls would be placed successively on a Sunday evening. The atmosphere was always slightly hysterical with the need to fill in the vacuum of the previous month. How to transmit the sense of daily life in South Africa in précis while the clock and the meter were running?

What to speak of first? The children?

Work? Your deep-seated and permanent nostalgia for the small things: pots of basil, tomatoes in the summer, that particular shade of blue paint, the smell of your mother? The small facts of your existence were already strung out in the past like the carriages of a receding train. Each truncated conversation freighted with loss. All sense of immediacy held hostage to the platitudes that settled heavily on these monthly rituals. My father’s mother resorting to guilt and bitterness.

A permanent sense that she had been wronged by the twin disasters of distance and time. Enforced cheer on my maternal grandmother’s side to keep my mother positive, with both having a tendency to melancholy that needed to be averted.

Eventually there would be a summoning to the phone. “Come say hello to your grandmother.”

Followed by the staccato “Fine, fine, fine” of the put-upon child.

Each generation of families living apart has its own pain, I suppose.

I think of the people who relied on the post. Letters substituting for the particular timbre of voices you feared you had already forgotten. So, it is not true to say that I had not seen my family for over two years. The wonder of contemporary technology ensured that I saw them practically every day during the pandemic. My mother filling the screen with her need for connection and my father always appearing left of centre. A similar dance happening every time we called — my mother skewing the phone towards him, and shouting, “Say hello to the child.”

I looked at the gradations of the seasons outside their window as they held up the phone to the blue skies, the lapping sea, the bougainvillea blossoming riotously and then fading into a washed-out pink. Every day I thanked the gods of science that at least one element of the future as envisioned by Star Trek had been realised in our time.

When you’re isolated on different continents, the privilege of video telephony cannot be overestimated. We could watch my brother’s baby daughter in London grow and play in real time.

BALM TO MY WOUNDS text

Aspasia Karras

Video calls are a wonder, but nothing can compare to a touch, a taste, a scent And the joys of uncapped data meant morning coffee could be taken together, almost as though time and space had collapsed and the family in London, Samos, Joburg, and Cape Town could all chat together — at once. The interruptions and shouting over each other just another telephonic miracle.

Almost like real life.

And yet, a sense of gloom hung over these calls. Where was the damn teleporter when you needed it most?

I longed for the sweet and singular comfort of my parents’ embrace.

I wanted to hold that baby in my arms so hard to stop her slipping out of her infancy and settling into her words and her feet and her mutable personality.

And I longed for all of the quotidian

delights of place with the same intensity of nostalgia I now recognised in my parents.

Oh, to find myself buffeted and buoyed by the sea of all my childhood summers, and then to chase that heavenly pleasure with an ouzo and calamari and the silly banter of my people and their foibles around a shared table. It suddenly felt like only the gentle rhythms of my parents’ household could fix me again.

These two years had been cruel in so many unfathomable ways. As the tiny propeller plane landed on Samos I felt my chest unclench. I’d never realised how tightly I’d been wound.

For now, just a happy list: the susurration of the crickets during

the afternoon siesta, the stolen figs from the only tree that had ripened in the olive groves, the daily walk to the coffee shop in the bay, the sighting of the familiar island prototypes — the bearded fishermen, the disco lotharios, the friendly fires, the souvlaki at Robinson’s, the annual hike up through the forests and vineyards, the greeting of the potter who remembers us every summer, Oresti serving us honeyed dumplings under the moonlight at the open-air cinema, watermelon, ancient ruins propped haphazardly next to the DJ on the beach, and my mother’s Greek coffee taken every morning with her sitting in close proximity. These simple rituals of continuity are the balm to my wounds.

S U M M E R 2 1 N E W E ST E DI T I O N

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Futurist House Rech by architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens provides the perfect backdrop for graphic, monochrome swimwear, combined with exaggerated silhouettes, kaleidoscopic hi-tech fabrication, and luxe jewellery in a new mood that wants to celebrate

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Ross Garrett

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Millenia ear cuff, R3 85O; Harmonia choker, R7 65O, both Swarovski; bralet, R11 5OO, Dolce & Gabbana Opposite Page: Hyperbola earrings, R9 5OO, Swarovski; bralet, R5 5OO; puffer jacket, R55 OOO; high-waisted bikini bottoms, R3 3OO; mules, R25 OOO, all Dolce & Gabbana

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Drop earrings, R2O5 OOO; multiple-strand necklace, R69 OOO, both Charles Greig Jewellers; bodysuit, POR, David Tlale; Pain de Sucre bikini, R7 OOO, La Corset Intimé; stilettos, R1 699, Steve Madden

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Gucci sunglasses, R15 2OO, Salt; Galazio necklaces, R1 7OO each, Thats It Boutique; Karl Lagerfeld gloves, R2 99O, Preview; bustier, R3 56O; leggings, R5 1OO, both Wolford

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Opposite Page: Swimsuit, R2 839, Aguaclara Swimwear; jewellery, from left, Serpenti Seduttori bracelet, R389 5OO; Serpenti Seduttori ring, R2O9 OOO; Serpenti Viper bracelet, R2 425 OOO, all Bulgari; N.21 skirt, R8 69O, Hydraulics

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Laurice Taitz-Buntman

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Mint Street, Fordsburg Mint Street in Fordsburg is the spicy heart of Joburg, with sweetmeat stores such as the Divine Bakery (formerly a church), paan sellers, and an incredible food bazaar and weekend market at Fordsburg Square. It also has a blue-plaque building — a public toilet where armed strikers holed up during the 1922 Rand Rebellion.

Next door, an old train carriage houses a fastfood restaurant, and along the street vendors sell fresh coconuts and piles of ginger root. Here Al-Nour Fashion and Habiba Designer Wear sit alongside Syrian and Turkish shawarma joints, and you’re never far from a good samosa or a sticky gulab jamun.

4th Avenue, Parkhurst Double-park your Ferrari outside Espresso Caffe & Bistro or your pedigreed pooch at 4th Avenue Coffee Roasters.

On sunny weekend afternoons the pavements are heaving, from the top of the street all the way down to burger joint Hudsons and carnivores’ delight The Blockman.

Window-shop from (1.) MØDERNIST’s mid-century furniture to Afro-chic Beck Ernst, with boutiques aplenty in between. Admire the flower displays at The Gorgeous Shop or enjoy café society at stylish Kolonaki and Modena.

Derrick Avenue, Cyrildene Derrick Avenue is Joburg’s new Chinatown. While First Chinatown on Commissioner Street is Chinese Joburg’s historical pulse, the Chinese community has mostly moved east to Cyrildene.

Flamboyant archways mark the street’s ends, and in between are scores of eateries, including hotpot noodle den Chong Qing Huo Guo Hot Pot with its balcony view of the street, and Sunday dim sum favourite Shun De. This is also the best place to find Asian ingredients, with several Chinese, Indonesian, and Thai food shops.

JOHANNESBURG

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EXPLORING

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Fox Street, Maboneng Maboneng’s heart is Fox Street, a walkway through the regenerated neighbourhood. Start at Curiocity’s Hideout Bar, stop in at Xavier’s hidden courtyard, and take a seat at Bertrand Café. The Kruger Street junction is selfie city, and one block west is Arts on Main, home to William Kentridge’s (2.) Centre for the Less Good Idea, an experimental performance space. At David Krut Projects you’ll find art books and an incredible print workshop.

Coffee is good at Home of the Bean or Hillbrewed Coffee Co. in (3.) Jewel City, and the walk between is filled with incredible murals by leading lights Dbongz and Nardstar.

BACK ON THE STREETS

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Mputhi Street, Soweto If you’re looking for an intersection between historical and cool, contemporary Soweto, head to Jabavu’s main drag, Mputhi Street. Here you’ll find, among others, Native Rebels.

With just about the coolest rooftop deck in town and great food, it is known for its “Peanut Butter and Jam” sessions and weekend-afternoon gigs. Within walking distance is the June 16 Memorial Acre, a sombre reminder of the bloody June 1976 Soweto uprising, while the landmark Soweto Theatre is just one traffic circle away. Unusually tree-lined, Mputhi Street is also heavily speed bumped — an injunction to take it slow, for once.

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Melanie Reeder

Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga Rocks A heady mix of cultures and cuisines, Chartwell Drive is a vibe (well, until curfew clocks us out). Fine dining doesn’t get better than The Chef ’s Table, and the sommelier won’t so much as blink at your beach attire.

Butcher Boys and Little Havana serve some of the best steaks in town, and if the humidity is getting to you, most Chartwell establishments spill out onto the pavement for a sea breeze. Don’t leave without buying great-quality boardies and bikinis at the legendary Tallyho, a quaint, family-run business that’s been around for three decades.

Then head to The George — probably the street’s most enduring watering hole.

Adelaide Tambo Drive & Mackeurtan Avenue, Durban North This hub is fast becoming a great place to gather. Start your day at Colombo Coffee & Tea, where you can stock up on freshly roasted beans, while Sun Sun Asian Food Market stocks both imported goodies and locally grown Asian produce. Kensington Square is home to surf shops, boutiques, and Poobie Naidoo’s, a legendary KZN sports store.

Then head down to Mulligan’s Irish Pub & Eatery on Mackeurtan Avenue.

The family-run Bartho’s Fish Co offers the freshest in retail seafood.

DURBAN

WHERE TO GO & WHAT TO DO NOW THAT OUR CITIES HAVE COME ALIVE AGAIN

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Florida Road, Morningside This resilient road is one of Durban’s most authentic snapshots of KZN culture, boasting projects such as Florida Fields and the “Streatery” concept, where inside meets outside, art meets urban design, and old meets new in refreshed Edwardian buildings and creative meeting spaces.

Bibliophiles head to (3.) Ike’s Books and Collectables

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just off Florida on 4th Avenue.

Wicked Donuts is an unmistakable pink cloud of confectionery heaven, and don’t miss out on the Middle Eastern flavours of (2.) Falafel Fundi, or Roti & Chai’s comforting naan wraps.

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The Golden Mile, Durban Central When the going gets tough, Durbanites head for the big blue. Start harbour-side just off Signal Road at (1.) Point Waterfront, newly opened in November 2020. Enjoy great coffee, breakfast, Thai food, sushi, and wood-fired pizzas while surveying the harbour traffic up close. Durban Brewing Co has also moved its brewing facility here, with a full bar on offer. BESETdurban’s legendary urban walks may be on hold for now, but its Monday-morning 5km loop still starts at 5.30am at The Bike and Bean on the promenade. Rent a bicycle or hire a SUP and cruise between Addington Beach and the Point, ending the day at Surf Riders Cafe with a soft-shell crab burger.

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Bree Street, City Centre Bree Street has long been the city’s centre of fun. On its upper side is uber-chic restaurant (1.) Between Us, fabric and homeware store Skinny laMinx, and the new Clay Cafe in the City, where you can get creative while eating. You’ll find photographer and parttime barista Pang Isaac making his specialty coffee at Rook Cycles. Further down there’s a constant buzz at Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room, a home-from-home for many creatives, while Max Bagels and funky clothing and lifestyle store (2.) Duck Duck Goose have hole-in-the-wall outlets. At Heritage Square you’ll find chef Liam Tomlin and co serving up excellence at Chef ’s Warehouse Winebar & Pinchos, at the Middle Eastern-inspired Mazza, and at LOCAL at Heritage Square.

Stop at 43 Bree Street for a sensory treat at luxury boutique KLûK CGDT, Cape Cobra Leathercraft, and Ciani Jewellers.

EXPLORING

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Palmer Road, Muizenberg If the wind is blowing at Surfers Corner, you can find refuge — and solid servings of pizza — at Joon, where the cake selection is also great. Next door is textile artist Gina Niederhumer’s studio and shop. If you’re self-catering or cooking at home, you’ll find an excellent slab of free-range meat at Edsons Butchery.

Roots Bar, just off Palmer Street, is a rasta shop selling artwork, books, and herbal products. You’re bound to have an interesting conversation.

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Yew Street, Salt River This is a short street but it’s packed with interesting places. At the Cultivate Collective, an inclusive wine initiative founded by Zahira Asmal, you’ll find a serious wine collection, as well as wine-makers serving up masterclasses and great conversations. Ceramicists Andile Dyalvane and Zizipho Poswa have relocated Imiso Ceramics Studio here, hosting workshops and residencies. For meals, try Nolz Kitchen and (5.) Table Seven, or cook with friends at Jade de Waal’s Food Jams at SOUTE Studio. On the corner of Yew and Hopkins is Cape Town’s first licenced small-batch distillery, Hope Distillery. Book a tasting.

Harrington Street, City Centre Here, quirk meets glamour. The fast-moving queue outside New York Bagels is testament to the quality of its coffee, bagels, and cheesecake.

Above the deli is jeweller (3.) Pichulik Atelier, and across the road is (4.) NUDE FOODS, a zero-waste grocery store. While SurfaRosa is a funky drinking hole, you’ll get real grit and an extensive Portuguese menu at Dias Tavern, burgers at Lefty’s, and fine nose-to-tail dining at Belly of the Beast.

Vintage with Love’s thirdfloor sorting warehouse is open to fashion lovers twice a week.

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King Langalibalele Drive, Langa The Langa Township Heritage Museum, or Dompas Museum, is a reminder of the grim cruelty of the pass laws. But the next block is a different experience. A hub for tourists, who shop for local craft and arts, the Guga S’Thebe Arts and Cultural Centre has studios for designers and makers, including the upcyclers at Our Workshop, while the hall hosts jazz events.

Sundays at Jordan Ways of Cooking are famous for good food, good vibes, and regular live performances. The electronic music-focused Bridges for Music Academy is nearby.

IMAGES MANELISI DABADA, GRANT PAYNE, LIZA VAN DEVENTER AND SUPPLIED

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Jackie May

CAPE TOWN

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PROPERTY

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On the back of global economic uncertainty last year, both demand and property prices came under pressure as buyers took a cautious approach.

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HOME IS ONLY A text

WHAT ROLE DOES LOCATION PLAY IN THIS MARKET? Holiday homes

Suzy Josephson

HOLIDAY AWAY

that are a maximum of two hours from major centres tend to do much better in terms of yearly revenue — a two-hour journey is many families’ threshold for a weekend escape.

WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER IN TERMS OF RENTING OUT THE PROPERTY? Research rental

trends in the area, especially if rental payments will be used to help pay off the bond. Most holiday homes generate a big chunk of their yearly income in December and January, as rental rates are significantly higher then and longer, back-to-back bookings are easier to secure. If you plan to be there over this period, it will affect your yearly rental income potential.

to appoint a local house manager, to assist with maintenance and cleaning, and a professional rental management company, to maximise occupancy throughout the year. Maintaining a healthy occupancy rate involves active marketing and swift, professional responses to enquiries. Consequently, many property owners choose to work with a professional rental company.

WHAT ARE THE FINER DETAILS TO KEEP IN MIND? When guests

serious consideration to how you will use a second home, both initially and over the coming years. If your kids have just left home you may want a smaller property, but, in a few years, chances are there will be partners and grandchildren to accommodate as well.

Pezula House, a four-bedroom house on 9 15Om2 in Knysna, is on the market for R49 million.

IS A HOLIDAY HOME AS MUCH OF AN INVESTMENT AS ONE’S PRIMARY HOME? A well-chosen

property can, over the long term, be

find everything they need, it positively impacts their holiday experience.

Consider good-quality bedding, kitchen equipment, and utensils; quality finishes and furnishings; top security; and, of course, a great pool. Make sure you have a short-term rental agreement in place stating the rental period, rate, inclusions and exclusions, confirmation of who will be staying, and any house rules. Charge a damage deposit so you can replace or repair anything that might get broken or misappropriated. If your property is within an estate, add its rules of conduct to your rental agreement.

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While it’s one thing to rent a beautiful property, it’s quite another to own one, with myriad things to consider.

David Untiedt of Perfect Hideaways advises what to bear in mind when buying a holiday home

WHAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A HOLIDAY HOME? Give

Known for its incredible portfolio of rental properties, Perfect Hideaways has now created a sales division — Perfect Hideaways Invest. It offers an array of gorgeous properties, each with that elusive x-factor so rarely found in real estate listings.

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Consisting of two devices, the Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro, Huawei’s new smartwatch series runs on the company’s next-generation HarmonyOS 2 smart operating system. The Watch 3 series boasts a brighter, scratch-resistant, anti-glare, antifingerprint face made with ultra-curved 3D glass, while the body is made of heavy-duty titanium. Both devices are built to withstand the harshest of South African conditions without compromising

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Huawei Watch 3 series

by Harman Kardon. All of this is powered by a Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip (SoC) and a 5 000mAh battery with 120W charging that can charge your device from 0-100% in just 17 minutes. If the 11T Pro is a bit too much for you, you may want to explore the non-pro variant, which has the same camera and display but decreases the charging speed to 67W and swaps the Snapdragon SoC for a MediaTek one.

From R13 999, vodacom.co.za

the sleek design.

A timeless aesthetic is one thing, but a smartwatch without great features isn’t exactly smart. Thankfully, the Watch 3 series sports a new chipset that provides precise GPS location services, helps fitness enthusiasts track their health more accurately, and automatically sends an alert if you have fallen.

With 6GB of on-board storage, you’ll be able to store apps and music on the watch without tethering it to your

The successor to Bose’s wildly popular QuietComfort (QC) 35 series, the new QC45 headphones retain the hallmarks of their predecessor — amazing audio, all-day comfort and stability, easy-to-use controls, and rock-solid connectivity — while introducing new features.

Boasting just two settings — Quiet Mode and Aware Mode — the QC45 has improved noise cancellation to better silence mid-range frequencies, as well as the ability to provide full transparency so you can hear your surrounding environment without having to remove them. It also makes for better calls or Zoom meetings thanks to a beam-form array that isolates your voice and a rejection array that dampens and blocks audible distractions.

Function-specific buttons make navigating the QC45 an easy affair. With a new USB-C charging port and up to 24 hours’ battery life, the Bose QC45 will outlast any meeting or flight. Pre-order 11 November, estimated retail price R8 500, soundimports.co.za

phone. In addition, the eSIM technology lets you send and receive phone calls and text messages even when your phone runs out of battery or isn’t around.

The Huawei Watch 3 Pro has up to five days of battery life in smart mode and 21 days in ultra-long battery life mode, while the Huawei Watch 3 has three days’ battery life in smart mode and 14 days in ultra-long battery life mode. From R7 299, consumer.huawei. com/za/wearables/

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Ideas start the future Introducing the new, fully electric Audi RS e-tron GT

To reserve yours, visit audi.co.za

Future is an attitude

MOTORING

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New Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS blitzes the Nürburgring

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Denis Droppa

“It feels as nimble as a go-kart on mountain roads, yet is impressively stable and well balanced on the racetrack... [It’s] one of the sharpest cars Porsche has ever developed”

driver inputs,” says Andreas Preuninger, head of Porsche’s GT model line. “The fantastic lap time of the Nordschleife is impressive proof of how clearly noticeable these improvements in driving dynamics are.”

Bergmeister describes the 718 Cayman GT4 RS as an uncompromising driving machine. “It feels as nimble as a go-kart on mountain roads, yet is impressively stable and well balanced on the racetrack. Otherwise, such a lap time wouldn’t even be possible,” he says.

“The GT4 RS is one of the sharpest cars Porsche has ever developed. And you really have to experience the breathtaking noise it makes for yourself,” adds the driver, who has spent over 500 hours testing and tuning the 718 Cayman GT4 RS during development.

As Porsche’s junior model range, the lightweight, mid-engined 718 Cayman has traditionally focused more on agile handling than on fire-blazing power, offering a more focused and purist driving experience.

Porsche hasn’t yet revealed technical details, but the GT4 RS is likely to be powered by an uprated version of the 4.0l normally aspirated flat-six engine found in the 718 Cayman GT4. The

Nürburgring lap time suggests it has a significant power boost over the GT4’s 309kW and 420Nm, which revs to a vocally exuberant 8 000rpm.

The car will be a rear-wheel drive and likely retain the GT4’s transmission choices: a seven-speed PDK automatic or a six-speed manual. Porsche Torque Vectoring with a rear differential lock will help to prevent the tyres from being smoked during robust cornering.

RS-specific styling treatment on the new model includes a larger rear wing and a sculpted bonnet with air scoops.

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he local launch date and pricing of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS are not yet known, but it’s likely to carry a hefty premium over the standard GT4’s R1.8 million.

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he Porsche 718 Cayman range is soon to get a new flagship in the form of the GT4 RS, and though technical details are still under wraps, the car has produced an eye-opening lap time around the Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack in Germany.

In final testing before its launch, the mid-engined Porsche lapped the iconic 20.8km circuit in just 7min09.300 — more than 20 seconds faster than the standard Cayman GT4.

On a track that has become the litmus test for proving a sportscar’s athletic prowess, the GT4 RS was, impressively, also 3.4 seconds quicker than Porsche’s previous-generation 911 GT3, a car that needs no introduction to Porsche enthusiasts as a track-taming special.

The blistering Nürburgring time in the new GT4 RS was set by Porsche development driver Jörg Bergmeister, using a lightly disguised production car that was standard except for being equipped with a racing seat. The car ran on grippy semi-slick Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres, which will be optional on the GT4 RS. In Porsche-speak, RS stands for RennSport (racing sport) — a badge that is reserved for top-performing models in the 718 Cayman, 911 GT2, and 911 GT3 lineups. The German firm says customers can look forward to a pure driver’s car that makes a thrilling driving experience an absolute priority.

“During development, we gave the 718 Cayman GT4 RS everything that characterises a genuine RS: lightweight construction, more downforce, more power, and, of course, an even higher level of responsiveness and feedback to

“K

eep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadows,” said American author Helen Keller. The new Lexus LC Convertible launched in South Africa embodies this sentiment by offering impeccable luxury and comfort in open-air style.

Based on the award-winning LC 500 coupé, the LC Convertible has a wrinklefree cloth roof that takes just 15 seconds to peel away at driving speeds of up to 50km/h. Available in black or beige, the roof has four layers of sound-absorbing fabric to ensure quiet driving refinement in the signature Lexus style.

With the top closed, the LC Convertible has the same beautiful roof line as the coupé, which was a key goal when the Lexus design team received the daunting brief of creating the world’s most beautiful open-top car.

The cabin enhances Lexus’ reputation for exemplary craftsmanship, with opulent trimmings that include quilted seats covered in semi-aniline leather. A Mark Levinson 13-speaker audio system, 10.3-inch multimedia screen, and poweroperated front seats form just a small part of the many standard-fit indulgences.

Regardless of the weather, a Lexus

Climate Concierge automatically manages the air conditioner, seat heaters, neck warmers, and steeringwheel heater to ensure the cabin is comfortable. Providing high-grade safety are six airbags, stability control, ABS brakes, and a pre-crash system, along with driver aids that include lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitor, and rear crosstraffic alert.

As demanded from a flagship Lexus, luxury customers can tailor their vehicle to match their personal taste from a palette of 11 available exterior colour, interior trim, and roof colour combinations.

The open-air experience is enhanced by a charismatic V8 performance and sound, and the 5.0-litre naturally aspirated engine sends a muscular 351kW and 540Nm to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Performance is rated at 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 270km/h, and a limited-slip differential ensures this sports convertible grips the road as effectively as it draws the gaze.

Available in a single model priced at R2 345 500, the new Lexus LC Convertible comes with a best-in-class seven-year/105 000km warranty and maintenance plan.

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The open air has never felt this good

A wrinkle-free cloth roof takes just 15 seconds to peel away

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Dispatches on all things cool, covetable, and conversation-wor thy

food

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A sneak peek at La Colombe Group’s new Wa t e r f r o n t d u o

travel

gifted

columns

Taiwan’s many pleasures wait to be uncovered

Kelly F ung, head of marketing & creative at Arc

Michele Magwood on books and Sarah B u i t e n d a ch o n t r ave l

Habitas Namibia embraces its connection to nature

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a natural rhythm

Culture, location, and music come together in a Namibian destination t h a t ’s i n s p i r e d b y connection of all kinds

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Julia Freemantle

n recent years, travel has evolved far beyond mere sightseeing and bucket-list box ticking. More and more, travellers are looking for transformative experiences — those that alter or expand their world view — and placing greater emphasis on conscious travel.

With the shared view that travel should, above all, be about connection and immersion, Oliver Ripley, Kfir Levy, and Eduardo Castillo co-founded Habitas in 2014 around the idea that “luxury is more about experience than anything else”.

What began as temporary pop-up retreats developed into a more lasting travel proposition and, in 2017, they opened Habitas Tulum in Mexico. Habitas’ first retreat outside of the Americas, Habitas Namibia followed earlier this year, with escapes in Costa Rica, Bhutan, and Saudi Arabia planned for the near future.

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“We quickly realised that what people wanted and needed was the ability to connect with like-minded people and live a life with purpose. We created something for ourselves, something that we wanted to experience and hoped our friends would too,” says Ripley, Habitas’ CEO. In Namibia, this concept is manifest in a lodge that embraces the landscape in spectacular fashion. Set on 50 000ha, its hilltop perch gives all 12 tent-inspired suites and the main hub panoramic views.

From some vantage points you can enjoy the sunrise, others the sunset, but each benefits from the mind-blowing sense of space that you’ll find in very few places on the planet aside from Namibia.

This setting — the vastness, the stillness, the ancient story — has informed the design. Combined with Habitas’ overarching concepts of community and

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“For us, luxury is the ability to connect with nature...

Our philosophy is simple: we let nature speak for itself”

connection, it has inspired an immersive experience that weaves in local customs, traditions, and rituals.

“I’d always fantasised about one day looking at the African expanse, vastness, and sky, connecting to it, being grounded in it. The first time I set foot in Namibia I was overwhelmed with its impact on my heart and soul. All I wanted to do was preserve it and to be its steward, like the many others who have done so for centuries before me,” says Castillo, a DJ and music producer.

This comes through in the physical makeup of the lodge, whose open-to-theelements design (tented sides that roll up completely to the outdoors), simple, eclectic furnishings, and earthy colour palette and materials all refer to the landscape that surrounds you. Less is more here — there are the requisite comforts and luxuries, but minimal clutter. The idea is to be able to reconnect with nature.

Nature played a fundamental role in the creation of Habitas Namibia. “When designing the property, we aimed for full immersion in the landscape, and designed with sustainability in mind. For us, luxury is the ability to connect with nature. Our lodge is designed for human connection, with gathering spaces and panoramic views as the backdrop. Our philosophy is simple: we let nature speak for itself,” says Levy, a digital marketing and business development expert.

This celebration of locale and local has been woven into the programming, which celebrates specific elements of Namibian culture and embraces an ethos of holistic wellbeing — on a physical and a spiritual level. An homage to Namibia’s cultural diversity and heritage is embedded in daily excursions and activities. These include an intention-setting welcome ritual around burning Himba myrrh (an aromatic resin collected by the nomadic Himba people), bush walks focused on medicinal plants, and bow-and-arrow making with Paulus Kambathi, who is Khwe (a local San Bushman group). There are also sound meditations and spa treatments incorporating Namibian customs and ingredients. This ancient wisdom — based on oral storytelling, almost-lost arts, and a knowledge of the land — is something the founders wanted every guest at Habitas to experience, allowing them to leave with a greater understanding of the place they are visiting.

Local meets universal in Habitas’ relationship to music and dance. This

trans-cultural mode of communication and connection has the ability to bring people together, and you’ll see it play out in primal fashion here. Music is a particular passion of Castillo’s, and the natural emphasis on it in the Habitas experience ties seamlessly into many African cultures’ use of dance as a ceremonial and spiritual rite. Since music is integral to the Habitas brand, the founders felt it was important to work with local artists. As a result, guests can look forward to unforgettable and interactive dance performances.

After meeting Namibian dancer and singer Vetunjona Uarije, also known as West, and learning about his school of music and dance for children, Castillo wanted to help amplify his mission. The two have even recorded a song together, which will be released later this month.

West is Himba, from the Kunene region, and he was drawn to dance at a young age.

Now it has taken him all over the world.

“Dancing is a major part of our culture.

We have a dance for every occasion. It’s an important form of storytelling,” says West. “What I love most about performing is how music connects humans with each other, with energies, with ancestors — it’s all-encompassing. Every time I perform I feel the spirit of the living and the spirit of our ancestors unite, and it creates this magnetic energy.”

Guests will witness this passion in action at the cinematic bush braai — one of the highlights of the Habitas experience. A banquet-style dinner in a dry riverbed lit by lanterns brings together guests under the stars. Here they are warmed by a roaring fire, around which West and his talented group dance. This encapsulates what Habitas is about, in a perfect confluence of its ethos — celebrating life, nature, and connection.

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Elise Kirsten

TAIWAN MAY NOT BE A TYPICAL PLAYGROUND FOR SOUTH AFRICANS, BUT ITS BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS, LAKES, AND GORGES, AS WELL AS ITS HOSPITABLE CULTURE AND SAFE CITIES, MAKE IT WORTH THE VISIT

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ist-like clouds ghost past the upper reaches of Taiwan’s tallest building and stretch like a veil across the moon.

I am standing at its base, on my first night in the country, gazing up at the 508m-tall structure and marvelling at its eight expanding segments, glowing like a lightsaber dissecting the night sky.

The Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building from 2004 until 2010, when Dubai erected the Burj Khalifa (829.8m tall).

Since then a raft of skyscrapers, mostly in the United Arab Emirates and China, have pushed the 101 (formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Centre) down the rankings of Babel-like buildings. Despite its no longer being the pinnacle of human architecture, I am still impressed. After gazing at the tower for a while, I head into the Taipei 101 Mall to dine at Din Tai Fung, where the country’s most famous dumplings (xiaolongbao) are made.

I’ve come to the island nation on a cultural tour with a group of international journalists, hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We watch the chefs — who train for three years to learn to make xiaolongbao — as they work behind glass partitions, demonstrating their skills.

Each ball of dough is rolled by hand into evenly sized disks that weigh precisely 5g before being stuffed. My pork and shrimp dumplings have light-as-air casings with succulent fillings and, paired with the local Taiwanese beer, make for a favourable introduction to the city.

The following day we stop briefly at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Liberty Square, on the way to Taiwan’s National Palace Museum. The museum, also in Taipei, houses nearly 700 000 ancient Chinese imperial artifacts — one

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1. The Taipei 101 5. Lungshan Temple

2. Taipei’s Rainbow Crossing

of the world’s largest collections. Among other items, our guide takes us to see the famous Jadeite Cabbage. This carved representation of bok choy is one of the best-known pieces in the museum and, before Covid-19, drew daily crowds comparable to those that visit the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.

In addition to artwork and statues, there’s also a vast array of teapots on display, as tea drinking and tea ceremonies have long been a part of Chinese (and later Taiwanese) culture. Today, tea production is taken as seriously in Taiwan

3. A pagoda in the Taipei Botanical Garden

as winemaking is in South Africa. The country is known for its high mountain varietals and its oolong, the refreshing brew made from semi-oxidised leaves.

To experience the tea culture we visit Pinglin Tea Museum in the rural, hilly outskirts of the New Taipei City district.

As we leave the city, dwellings give way to canopies of creepers that tumble over treetops on their way down the mountainside. Groves of palm trees hug almost-vertical slopes and tall pampas grass lines the riverbanks.

Pinglin is one of the country’s prime

4. Pingling Tea Museum

tea-producing areas and the museum is set in a beautiful terraced garden with mossy walkways that morph into forest paths. We take part in a traditional tea ceremony while our translator and guide, Chia-Chieh Wang, introduces us to the north’s popular Wenshan Baozhong tea, also known as winter tea. “The leaves are picked in winter and the tea is less bitter and of a higher quality than summer tea.

Only the small, top leaves are picked from each plant. During the drying process, the leaves are twisted and only lightly oxidised, giving the brew a

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naturally sweet and refreshing flavour,” explains Wang.

Taiwan’s mountains are also popular among hikers. The island boasts 260 peaks, of which 250 are over 3 000m high. Hikers come from all over the world to scale the Main Peak of Jade Mountain in Yushan National Park — the highest peak in East Asia.

I decide to venture on a far tamer walk the next day, after a sumptuous lunch at Le Palais (the three Michelin star restaurant at the Palais de Chine Hotel, where I’m staying) of bamboo pith soup

with baby cabbage, curried fried rice with chicken grain presented in a pan-seared half-pineapple, and a decadent deep-fried sweet cheese pastry.

I head to the Taipei Botanical Garden, which, like the Company’s Garden in Cape Town, offers a peaceful retreat within the city centre. I wander over bridges and footpaths, next to dark ponds and lazy streams, with green light filtering through the leaves, until I find my way to the Museum of Imperial Envoy Lodging. Built in 1888, this beautiful old Chinese building was once the residence of Qing government officials on their inspection visits to Taiwan.

On the evening of my departure, I watch the city lights flash by on the drive to Taoyuan International Airport and keep a lookout for the Taipei 101. Before crossing the Tamsui River, I glance back and spot it in the distance.

The number 100 represents perfection in Chinese culture, and the building’s 101 floors symbolise its being even better than perfect — much like my experience of Taiwan and its welcoming culture.

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ly from Cape Town or Johannesburg to Taipei on Emirates, or fly from Johannesburg to Singapore and then on to Taipei on Singapore Airlines.

South Africans need a visa to visit Taiwan, which can be obtained through the Taipei Liaison Office in Pretoria.

Vaccination is not a requirement to visit Taiwan, but the country requires a negative Covid-19 PCR test result certificate, issued within three working days of departure, a 14-day hotel quarantine on arrival (at the traveller’s own cost), and a PCR test before the end of the quarantine period. The Taiwanese Embassy in South Africa anticipates that current entry restrictions will be lifted fully in December 2021.

A SPECTACULAR TRIBUTE

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t has inspired a best-selling novel and a critically acclaimed film, and has graced the cover of many an art book. And now the Monnaie de Paris — a government-owned institution that is responsible for producing France’s coins — pays tribute to Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665) with a spectacular coin in silver and gold.

Every year the Monnaie de Paris honours some of the most beautiful works ever made or exhibited in France. For the first piece of 2021, it has chosen the renowned Girl with a Pearl Earring. And with only 500 minted, this coin — in 500g silver and quarterounce gold — will be a rare find.

So, what is so inspiring about this painting that it deserves to be commemorated in this way?

Nicknamed the “Mona Lisa of the North”, the painting has come to rival Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece in terms of exposure. Art experts will talk about the qualities that make Girl with a Pearl Earring so seductive — the striking blue and yellow of her headscarf set against a black background, the glistening pearl created in a few swift strokes, the expert capturing of light and shade on her luminous skin, and the liquid pools of her eyes.

But there is more to it than just artistic excellence, and this has to do with intrigue and mystery. Who is the model, and why has she been painted? What is she thinking as she stares out at us?

Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring graces new coin Are her wide eyes and enigmatic halfsmile innocent or seductive? Why is she wearing a pearl earring? And what was the relationship between the girl wearing the pearl earring and the painter?

We do know the painting was completed in 1665-66, and ended up in the collection of Vermeer’s patron. It was sold and then lost, only to resurface 200 years later, when it was bought for two guilders. The buyer discovered it was a Vermeer once it had been cleaned.

On the collector’s death in 1902 it was donated to the Mauritshuis in The Hague, where it has been on display ever since. Now, of course, it is priceless; the Mauritshuis would never sell it.

The magnificent coin shows the artwork in an actual depiction on the obverse, in full colour, surrounded by an engraving of the real frame that completes the artwork illusion. Also featured on the coin is the artist’s name, his date of birth and death, and the year the coin was minted.

The reverse of the coin is common to the series released by the Monnaie de Paris, depicting views of major French museums. The face value and the words “République française” are also inscribed on the reverse side.

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Steve Steinfeld

a bespoke duet

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he award-winning restaurant group La Colombe will be opening two new restaurants at the V&A Waterfront, both on the water in the Pierhead district — Pier and The Waterside Restaurant.

Pier, a 40-seater multi-course modern fine-dining restaurant, will be headed by chef John Norris-Rogers, who previously was head chef at the group’s La Petite Colombe in Franschhoek.

Guests can expect only the finest produce available, while plenty of table-side theatrics will be sure to create an unforgettable experience.

Drawing from the new locale, both dishes and theatre will be inspired by the sea. Aaron Farquhar, who has been with La Colombe for 10 years, will run the front of house as well as the wine service, which promises to offer the same incredible choices patrons have come to expect from La Colombe’s other establishments.

The aim here is quite clearly to compete with the country’s best, with every detail carefully considered and executed — even the crockery has been designed and created for each specific dish. Offering but a glimpse of what to expect, the chefs share that they’re working on an oyster dish unlike anything they’ve done before: it’ll be cooked table-side on a trolley by the chef.

The Waterside Restaurant will be on the ground floor of the same building, in a slightly larger space seating up to 60 people. It will use the same highest-quality ingredients, beautifully served in a slightly simpler way. Expect a classic fine-dining experience where flavour is key. The space offers both inside and outside deck-seating areas. Chef Roxy Mudie will be heading up the kitchen, previously having worked as sous chef at both Protégé in Franschhoek and La Colombe in Constantia. The menu will feature three, five, and seven courses, making it ideal for everything from quick business meals to longer, more relaxed experiences for those who choose the seven-course option. Van Zyl Van der Merwe will be heading up the front-of-house team, having been a big part of the success of La Colombe Pier and The Waterside Restaurant will open their doors this summer.

over the past five years.

The restaurants will be situated in the Pierhead district, the harbour section of property on the water’s edge, in a twostorey building between the National Sea Rescue Institute and Life Grand Cafe. The entrance will take shape in the form of a magnificent walk-through wine cellar, with panoramic views over the yachts in the harbour — possibly the best view at the V&A Waterfront — as the backdrop.

The interiors are being done by Hayley Turner, the director of Bone Interior Design Studio, which also did La Colombe and sister restaurant Foxcroft.

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I n t r o d u c i n g P i e r & T h e Wa t e r s i d e R e s t a u r a n t , L a C o l o m b e G r o u p ’s l a t e s t o f f e r i n g s

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onouring the ageold cognac tradition, this handcrafted brandy was made from a base of chenin blanc, double distilled, and matured in individual Limousin oak casks for 12 to 17 years.

It is unctuous and complex with great depth of character, and the palate delivers rich flavours of caramel, dried apricot, and cocoa butter, with a spicy finish and a fine, elegant length.

A limited number of bottles are available at the Tokara cellar door for R900/bottle.

o fewer than 25 unique Waterford Single Farm Origin whiskies have been married to create the ultimate single malt whisky. The end result: rich notes of red apple, lavender, digestive biscuit, and orange peel.

As Waterford’s CEO Mark Reynier says, “To make the very greatest Bordeaux wines, they make several individual wines, each one expressing a terroir-derived personality of its own. After months of maturation, these are assembled into a single profound wine of greater complexity.

Why not with whisky?

This is the vision seven years in the making, the essence of the Waterford project.”

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Reviving the lost art of marrying only the finest whiskeys, this particular 10-year-old is the signature bourbon of Widow Jane, a craft distillery in Brooklyn, New York. It brings together the richest and rarest straight bourbons, only ever in five-barrel batches, resulting in a bourbon that is as intense as it is inviting. The recommended retail price is R1 495 per bottle.

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BUITENV E R W A C H T IN G SAUVIGNON BLANC C O N S T A N T IA 2O21

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HOLDEN MANZ ROTHKO ROSÉ 2020 With a pale rosegold hue, a delicate, rose-petal aroma, a crisp finesse, and floral finish, this wine is the ultimate celebration of spring — dry, elegant, and fruit driven. We recommend you drink this alongside friends and freshly shucked oysters.

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GLENFIDDICH GRANDE COURONNE

CRISP, COMPLEX & T h e t a s t e INVITING

M esque estate, this wine has a pale lemon-

ade in the Constantia Valley on a pictur-

yellow colour and a bouquet reminiscent of green figs with hints of gooseberry and green pepper. Dry, full-bodied, and possessing a long finish, it is the ideal companion to a summer lunch. Pair with shellfish, a roasted veggie platter, or a goat’s cheese salad.

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Wade Bales is a wellknown wine négociant and merchant

WATERFORD WHISKY UNVEILS THE CUVÉE

I N C O L L A B O R AT I O N W I T H WA N T E D

After 26 years and an extended finish in rare French cognac casks, the Glenfiddich Grande Couronne is finally ready for your drinking pleasure.

Expect notes of toasted oak and velvety aromas of café crème, brown sugar, and soft spice. This is a singlemalt whisky that leaves a sweet oak finish and an equally long-lasting impression.

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Michele Magwood is a contributing books editor at the Sunday Times

READ ALERT.

The spirit of a great heart

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hen Johnny Clegg died two years ago, there was an outpouring of grief for this phenomenal man whose music had stamped and jangled across the soundtrack of our lives for decades. He had been working on this memoir, his origin story, in fits and starts for years before he died, writing notes on his cellphone and scribbling on scraps of paper, capturing memories in voice notes and messages to his family.

It was, they say, intensely difficult for him as he didn’t like to look back. He was always moving forward. “His warrior mentality kept his gaze firmly fixed on the road ahead.” He never did complete a final manuscript and so Scatterling of Africa: My Early Years (Pan Macmillan) is episodic and slightly fragmented. As he says, the story “winds through canyons of neural pathways”.

Some of those pathways touch on nodes so painful they accost us like blunt force trauma, and it is no wonder that he flinches from them. For instance, when he was a baby his powerful Jewish grandfather in Zimbabwe legally kidnapped him from his gentile father and

family in England, brought him back to Africa, and blocked any communication between them. Clegg was 21 before he finally met his biological father and learned why he had never attempted to contact him before.

Clegg’s mother Muriel was a peripatetic jazz singer and when he was just six she sent him to a remote boarding school in Zimbabwe. His brief flashes of hanging on the fence, crying and calling to her as she left, are agonising.

He was 13 when he experienced another shattering kidnapping: this time his stepfather snatched Clegg’s tiny halfsister, taking her to Australia along with his young mistress. Frustratingly, he doesn’t tell us what became of them, only that he met his sister Diane again later in life.

One can only imagine the trauma of this rupture, especially as Clegg had adored his stepfather. Dan Pienaar seems to have been a bit of a wide boy, charismatic and daring, a maverick journalist who embraced the esoteric and unconventional. He was also, as Clegg came to realise, a Coloured person of Cape Malay heritage “passing for white”, as they used to say. Pienaar exposed his

Johnny Clegg’s fragmented memoir shows how the boy became the man

stepson to the world of traditional and urban Black culture and often took him into the townships. “Subconsciously I believe Dan’s hidden pain in dealing with his racial identity subterfuge became part of my own identity.”

Identity, Clegg believed, could be constructed; it was a choice. He found little to relate to in his Jewish community and so, as the story famously goes, when he heard the notes of Charlie Mzila’s Zulu guitar one evening in the streets of Bellevue, he was wide open, a cultural clean slate. He was hungry for meaning, and he found it. He found his clan. And that clan of Zulu migrant workers would bring him dignity, pride, and kinship.

Clegg didn’t appropriate a culture — he absorbed it and was absorbed into it.

It sculpted him into a force who would change lives for the better and bring joy to millions. It provided him with a language that gave him true expression and an understanding of the world, and it taught him a stoicism and pragmatism that helped him overcome his chaotic, unstable childhood and go on to be a true pathfinder.

His times in rural KwaZulu-Natal with his close friend and band partner Sipho Mchunu changed him profoundly. With his curious eyes he saw everything — the busy isigingqathuvi rolling their balls of cow dung, how time slowed and stretched in the countryside and forced patience on a person, the unbreakable bonds of lineage, and the potent lore of the bull and its links to proud masculinity. In the rituals, in the transcending dance and the music of his people, Clegg touched the numinous. And as this memoir shows, he became an immensely wise but always humble person.

He imbibed a simple philosophy: you cannot control what is going to happen to you, but you can control your response to it. He remembers standing on the banks of the Tugela with Mchunu and considering the patient wisdom of it, how rivers encounter rocks and mountains but always find their way to where they are going. “Now, as I think about Juluka’s not always straightforward path, and the songs we wrote and sang, and how they shaped not only our lives but the lives and hearts of others too, I think back to that magical place and the mighty Tugela, carving its slow, magnificent way to the sea.”

The title Scatterling of Africa comes, of course, from one of his most famous songs. In another much-loved song, Clegg wrote that he was searching for the spirit of the great heart. These pages contain just that: the spirit of a great heart. It could have been the title, too.

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Michele Magwood

GIFTED

Q+A.

01. The one indulgence you would never forgo?

A manicure. I find experimenting with colour a soothing ritual. And, for an hour, I have to practise keeping still.

02. Your essential grooming and treatment lotions and potions? At the moment, I am all about skincare. I hold on to my Dr Jart+ Dermaclear Trans-Foam Clay, which exfoliates, brightens, firms, and does all the right things. For sunscreen I religiously wear La Roche-Posay SPF 50. I brush out my brows with

The ex-editor and current head of Marketing & Creative at Arc on what makes her world go round

shirt that I half-tuck into any pair of bottoms, and dress up or down. It’s adaptable, antitrend, simple, and trustworthy.

It never lets you down.

05. The last place you travelled to that captured your heart? I’ve become such a fan of local travel. A few years ago we discovered Montagu and stayed at Jonkmanshof, a private and beautifully simplistic guesthouse that I look forward to visiting every year.

06. What book is on your bedside table? A Little Life, a 2015 novel by Hanya Yanagihara about four friends in New York.

07. The last meal that really blew you away?

Locally, the last dinner at La Tête by Giles Edwards in Cape Town, before the restaurant closed this year. Internationally, a meal at Fish Cheeks, a small, unassuming Thai restaurant in New York. We devoured the coconut crab curry.

08. What are you listening to? I grew up listening to my

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dad’s disco and ’80s pop, and I can’t help but revisit this era all the time. We also listen to a lot of ’90s hip-hop at home — A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots… I am also unashamedly trying to discover the world of K-pop.

09. What are the first things you add to your grocery cart? Some form of anchovy or sardine, tomatoes in abundance, and garlic.

10. The best gift you’ve been given recently? A double-string gold bracelet from my family for my birthday this year.

11. A gift that you’ve recently bought for someone? A bauble brass pinkie ring for a dear friend of mine.

12. What was the last item of clothing that you added to your wardrobe? A cool leather Ganni bag and a JW Anderson wallet in bright orange.

13. Your favourite city in the world? Bangkok — it’s an incredibly progressive place that simultaneously upholds its culture and heritage.

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1. Photograph of Kelly’s grandmother and her best friend 2. Byredo Oud Immortel 3. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 4. The Roots 5. Bangkok 6. Glossier Boy Brow 7. Ganni bag

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Kelly Fung

Glossier Boy Brow, and I keep Byredo Oud Immortel on my bathroom shelf and only use it every second day.

02. What tech gadget couldn’t you live without? My iPhone. While it has allowed me to do multiple things while on the go, it has also become a mean addiction.

03. What is your most sentimental possession? An old photograph of my grandmother and her best friend in their twenties. They’re having a good giggle, seated on a bench marked “Europeans/ Blankes”, which was obviously a big no-no at the time. It represents so much about the kind of woman I have always aimed to be: rebellious, nonconforming, light-hearted, and stylish, of course.

What is your drink of choice? I like an Aperol Spritz, but, admittedly, I can only handle one.

04. What element in your wardrobe signifies your individual sense of style?

An oversized, white t-shirt or

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Sarah Buitendach

500-600kg of prepared food a day,” he adds. Then throw in all the specialised local and imported goods like cereals, chocolates, wine, and condiments that customers come to buy, and that’s a lot of stock moving.

And a lot to ogle at the best of times.

But one pandemic later, and Giovanni’s has taken on a new significance. I wander through its aisles and am instantaneously teleported to destinations that have been out of bounds for almost two years. There’s the Dutch mayonnaise best enjoyed on patat eaten ambling around Amsterdam’s De Negen Straatjes, canned sardines like you had for lunch that time in Porto, and hummus reminiscent of a Nile-side evening in Luxor.

Esposito’s observations make it apparent that I’m not the only one who’s been using the deli to travel without moving. His team imports goods from 18 countries, and you understand why they’ve seen an uptick in sales of luxury international goods such as caviar since Covid hit. Ordinarily, some of his customers would have swapped our winter for the northern hemisphere’s summer, or at least been on a couple of global jaunts a year. But confined to Cape Town, food has been the next best thing — providing comfort and a tasty bite of a verboten world.

And standing at their café counter, downing your morning coffee before work, you could pretend that you’re in Milan or Vienna, except that the perfect Southern African summer weather gives it all away.

propped up at the window seating and with one of barista Piero Tarantello’s perfect double espressos.

“Grazie,” I say as he delivers this dark dose of caffeine to the table.

“Prego,” he replies, indulging my Highveld Wasp attempt at being a cool Mediterranean type.

Owner Nicolas Esposito tells me that Tarantello and his team make more than 500 cups of coffee a day.

Add a further 20 000 Nespressocompatible capsules of their coffee

Sarah Buitendach is contributing editor to the Financial Mail.

ECLECTIBLES.

A bagel instead of business class

The percentage by which air travel to European destinations has increased: from 26.6% in 2020 to 39.9% in 2021, according to ForwardKeys.

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Declan Gibbon

The number of British tourists who visited South Africa in 2019, making the United Kingdom the biggest nonAfrican source of tourists to the country.

GLITTER & GLAMOUR & ALL THINGS GRAND… What a night at the Empathy Suite (the most expensive hotel room in the world) at the Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, will cost you, in dollars. A minimum of two nights is required. The two-storey suite was designed by Damien Hirst and features several of his (in)famous artworks.

The number of people who descended on Durban’s famed Promenade over Christmas and New Year in prepandemic times.

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A NUMBERS GAME

The number of catwalk shows in Milan’s S/S22 fashion week that had a physical audience. A total of 65 shows were held.

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The size in square metres of Port Hercule, which is skirted by the Monaco race track. On a Grand Prix weekend, a berth can cost between €8 000 and €128 000, depending on location and the size of the boat. Pandemic restrictions have seen yachts limited to having 12 guests on board.

436 559

The number of southern right whales spotted at De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape from May-November 2018 — the most recorded thus far.

each month. Esposito; his older brother Giovanni, after whom the restaurant is named; and a 50-strong staff also make short shrift of selling 500 bagels daily and almost 2 000 sandwiches a week (more in summer). “Overall, we sell about

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160 000

1 195 13.3

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The number of people who attended a concert by Rod Stewart in Rio de Janeiro on New Year’s Eve 1994, making it the largest concert of all time. However, these numbers may have been amplified by those in attendance purely for the fireworks display.

German kind seems a more suitable accompaniment, topped with a scoop of Tiptree Green Fig Conserve. Isn’t that the perfect primer for fresh pastas, the melanzane, and Thai plum chicken?

Perhaps you’re reading this diary of an aspirational glutton and feeling grossed out. I would wager then that you are a Giovanni’s virgin and, so, absolutely need to get to this three-decade-old Cape Town institution at speed. Visit this family business and it will become a mainstay of your fantasy life too.

I always stop by this bijou epicurean dreamscape when I am in the city. Usually, I order a bagel laden with an obscene stack of smoked salmon. It is best enjoyed

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orget the highs of a K2 summit or aurora borealislit skies — my bucket list is simple. All you need to do is deposit me at Giovanni’s Deli World in Main Road, Greenpoint, and lock me in for the night.

Come morning, you’ll find me curled up in a cuddle of croissants, delirious from international excess and dangerous levels of sugar.

I’d start with the deli counter, obviously. A restrained bit of dipping fresh pita into hummus and tarama would quickly mutate into a gravadlax- and English-mustard binge.

I might take a break and flip through a World of Interiors before commencing my cheese sprints.

Burrata first? With some local olive oil and a glass of cava — a great idea. And with a side of Swiss Emmenthal? Scratch that, the

The percentage of global warming for which the aviation industry is responsible. Only 3% of the global population takes regular flights.

The tons of glitter used to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the debauched, and equally iconic, Studio 54 nightclub in New York in 1978. Owner Ian Schrager said it was like “standing on stardust”.

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