Unlike previous years, for some bizarre reason, Christmas 2018 has me quite excited and getting into the spirit of giving and receiving much earlier. Normally I only catch that Xmas Fever after the 20th of December. I love it and intend nurturing this feeling of “a Time for Goodwill”.
When we decided to write this post about Christmas gifts, and more specifically what Marica and I would love to see lying under the Christmas tree, I decided to GO BIG OR GO HOME.
Time and time again, I’ve watched children putting in requests for their hearts desires with that “no holds barred” attitude. They do it from a place of delight and pleasure. Budget constraints are not even on their radar since they are totally oblivious to the Rand value of their desire. This many a parent can bear witness to. The only value that counts with little children is the innocent delight they get from their gift. This is how they do it – you spill the desires of your heart onto a piece of paper, written to a very special and very rich person called Santa Claus and send it off to him, carried on the wings of your heart.
So, in that same child-like spirit, THAT IS WHAT I’M DOING! I’m trawling through my heart space to find those desires that will make my day. Remember that I’m dreaming as if MONEY IS NO OBJECT…
So here goes with our VERY aspirational Christmas wish list:
A family vacay in sunny Mauritius…
A three week, all expenses paid holiday at a Club Med resort in Mauritius, accompanied by my immediate family members (hubby, daughters, sons-in-law, bro-in-law and 6 grandies). Where together we can have so much fun in the sun and enjoy each other. Even though money is no object – let’s hope Santa manages to pick up a bulk booking discount offer! This is the dream of a Granny’s heart.Read More »
It is that time of the year again; Decorex Cape Town 2017 is just a stone’s throw away. The lifestyle expo will kick off on Thursday the 27th of April 2017 at the CTICC and conclude on Sunday the 3rd.
If you have been wondering what to expect from this year’s expo here are a few anticipated highlights as suggested by the Decorex team:
WHAT TO EXPECT AT DECOREX CAPE TOWN 2017…
“In line with the 2017 theme, ‘Make your space your living dream’, visitors to South Africa’s premier décor, design and lifestyle exhibition will be immersed in natural fabrics, revitalising tones and quality products all centred around a vision of reclaiming a space of sanctuary, disconnected from the relentless noise and distraction of the modern world.
Cape Town, which leads the way in décor excellence nationwide, can expect to see only the highest quality products and décor set to international standard, as well as the country’s most creative designers who will be showcasing the latest trends.
Visitors can interact with the country’s top designers where the latest trends will be accessibly featured in a variety of room settings. The Decorex Designer Spotlight will showcase the work of iconic Cape Town designer Dylan Thomaz while stylish living ideas can be picked up at the Decorex Trend House.
The Decorex SA Trend House is a project which gives the audience a visual representation of how the 2017 trends can be realised in any living space by creating a home using carefully selected @home furnishings.
Anyone looking for a change in hue can visit the Plascon stand where the highly anticipated 2017 colour forecast will be revealed. And for the latest in international-level kitchen products and appliances, visitors are invited to the Franke Kitchen Trend Project where four local kitchen designers will compete to create the ultimate ‘Simplicity in Design’ kitchen.
Adding value to the home with insightful décor and gardening tips is the not-to-be-missed Builders DIY Theatre. Leaders in the DIY industry, as well as a number of celebrity speakers, will share advice on home and garden revamping, general improvements and fix-ups with live demonstrations throughout the four-day exhibition.”
Decorex Cape Town
Date: 27 – 30 April 2017
Time: 10am – 6pm daily
Ticket prices: Adults: R95, Pensioners: R85, Children under 12: R20
It’s our pleasure to present the much-anticipated Most Beautiful Object in South Africa (MBOISA) 2017 finalists. Featuring a mixed bag of finalists including film, fashion and art, the MBOISA finalists were nominated by ten local celebrity influencers and tastemakers. Beauty is so subjective and sometimes the chosen objects can seem so arbitrary and unconventional. Fortunately, a short video was made of each finalist to better explain why the object has been nominated and what makes it beautiful.
“Every year Design Indaba invites the public to engage with the question of what constitutes beauty through the MBOISA award. More than just an object of visual delight, MBOISA encourage a wider definition of beauty – one that encapsulates attributes such as social significance, economic impact, usability, sustainability and even humour.” – Design Indaba
This year the various Most Beautiful Object in South Africa nominations will be exhibited at the Artscape in Cape Town as part of the annual Design Indaba Festival in next month. While Design Indaba Conference and Simulcast-goers can view the exhibition throughout course of the Festival, the exhibition will be open to the public as part of the Design Indaba Nightscape programme at the Artscape Theatre each day from 1 to 3 March from 17:30, or enjoy a free visit on Saturday 4 March from 10:30 until 16:00.
{The winners will be announced the 3 of March 2017. Go to the Design Indaba website (here) for a full description of each finalist’s design and to VOTE!}
View the 10 Most Beautiful Object in South Africa nominations below:
“Taking inspiration from the 19th-century practice of collecting butterflies for display, Mark Rautenbach designed this vast installation using a material that is traditionally thought to be disposable – burnt paper. He wanted to create something that is both delicate (fragile wings suspended by thread) and banal (destructed pieces of paper) in nature.”
“Gqama Ntyatyambo is a painting by fine artist Loyiso Mkize that was spotted by Alinah Seloane on social media. It captivated her instantly as she saw a reflection of her own life in the artwork’s depictions of female stoicism. Various statuesque scenes are portrayed in minute detail around the face of the main subject that represent the various social dynamics that women face in a modern South African context.”
“Gubeka’s backpack design, ‘Umthwalo’ (meaning ‘baggage’), is simple and detailed. Using basic woodcraft and surface-finishing techniques, he creates wooden backpacks that are ready for the real world of wear and tear. The form consists of a sturdy wooden box as a base, hand-dyed leather straps and a lid mechanism made of wooden bands.”
“The Joe Slovo West Community Project, a haven for small children on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth, was nominated by SA filmmaker Hanneke Schutte. The small school’s design was managed by Kevin Kimwelle, an architect with an affection for alternative building methods and sustainable design. The project was a total renovation of a previous nursery that had become too small to host the growing number of toddlers that relied the nursery on a regular basis. A local non-profit organisation, Love Story, stepped in and drafted the help of a number of architects to revamp the space.”
“Kariba is a film project in the making that originally started as a graphic novel by Cape Town-based Blue Forest Collective. It tells the story of the Zambezi river and the mythical spirit that guides its waters. The plot is driven by the construction of the Kariba dam wall, a barrier that causes disturbance in the natural surroundings where the rules are bent by magic.”
“The Moroccan Magic Dress is the culmination of the collaborative effort between two young South African fashion designers, Nandi Mngoma and Inga Madyibi. Taking inspiration from the architecture of Morocco and the country’s vibrant approach to colour, the fashion duo created a range that would express the ethos of a new Africa.”
“In an effort to solidify photographic imagery in material form, South African visual artist Mohau Modisakeng cast his own likeness in resin and bronze. It forms part of a larger travelling exhibition known as Lefa La Ntate. It was the unsettling attention to detail in the artwork that caught the eye of musician Nakhane Toure: the facial texture, expression and life-like form of the bronze figure that moved Toure. As he puts it, ‘I like my beauty to be a little bit more… rough.'”
“The Hawker’s Rocking Chair is a product of cooperation between fashion designer Thebe Magugu and craftsman Emile Millward. These disparate designers each brought their expertise and sense of style to the creative process – an odd relationship that culminated in the unique rocking chair. Magugu derived inspiration from powerful and distinct women for this project, exploring both masculinity and femininity, quirky textiles and the relationship between metallic textures and hues of green.”
“The RockPool Table is a natural seawater scene enshrined in ceramics. It is an affinity for the Earth and professional craft that drew Roger Ballen to this design by ceramics-guru Caroline Vieira. Passionate about organic development, Vieira describes the fact that some of the RockPool surfaces broke during creation, resulting in flaws that she would keep as part of their new design as small tables with help from her husband.”
“The Sankara Rug by textile designer Nkuli Mlangeni is an expression of southern Africa’s modernity as well as its rich history of craft, according to interior designer Bielle Bellingham. She was drawn to the work of Mlangeni and her artisan team, not only for their high level of weaving skill but also the cultural research and historic imagery that informs Mlangeni’s designs.”
So what do you think, see something you like? Who is going to get your vote?
Okay – who of you reading this right now can recall the movie Love Story from way back in 1970? (Oh my word, I feel “timeless” just recalling it. Timeless in this case being a kind word for “old”). It starred Ali McGraw and handsome Ryan O’Neill and was the tearjerker of the decade. At the time, it was meant to be the love story to top all love stories! Just to give you an indication of how bad-ass sad this move was, I was warned beforehand to take my tissues with me to the movie house. But the love story I am about to share with you, actually tops the forgotten 70’s tearjerker. It’s real and authentic.
Ali McGraw spouting that famous line – “love means never having to say you’re sorry” – in Love Story (1970).
It was sometime back that I somehow connected with the Château de Gudanes. Exactly how that happened I can’t recall. As I cast my mind back now, I vaguely recall that one of my friends was following their blog and thought it might interest me from an interiors point of view.
Well, it sure did. I was intrigued by the Château and its owners from the first blog article I read and have followed their progress over the last few years. The newsletter updates aren’t that frequent, but when they drop into my inbox I can’t wait to catch up. With each passing newsletter, my intrigue and fascination is deepened, as is my desire to eventually visit this Beauty in French Countryside.
Built in the mid 1700’s, Château de Gudanes, a timeless and forgotten Stately Home in the French Country side, despite being sorely neglected, cast aside, pretty much abandoned and forgotten with the passing of time, still stands proudly in the south of France in the small village of Château-Verdun. It stands on the foothills of lush fertile French country surrounded by mountains and nearby French country villages. In the midst of it neglected state, the Château managed to hold its head up high enough to catch the attention of Australian couple, who were looking to set themselves up in that neck of the woods. What more could Craig and Karina Waters with a very big vision want for? If I recall, it was to create a new country home for their family while sharing it with as a guesthouse with all who wished to do so. The Château it seems called their name. They in their turn hearkened it calls, despite the numerous restoration challenges that they must have known would face them. Were it me, I might have run for the hills! It was to be a mammoth task, something that could only be supported within the context of a brave and determined vision.
Want to hear my fantasy around the call of the Château to its new owners? Here goes – in my mind’s eye they saw its outward, regal, stately and romantic appeal at first – standing there wooing them to its heart. Like any other romantic call, the outward appearance draws one in. Then once inside – they were faced with the harsh realities of the ravaging effects that neglect and “careless-ness” had on its once beautiful interior features! Did that put them off? By all accounts it didn’t. In fact I assume they admitted to the reality of it forgotten state, but looked beyond that to it hidden beauty, a beauty that they could unearth, unpack and once again restore. And that is why they committed to this long term relationship with the Château. What an experience of a lifetime, which they took hold of and made it their own.
That’s my take on their initial and early day encounters with the Château (only because I can’t find the account that I read years ago, which means I am left with the little recall I have). But it works for me. I don’t really want to spoil my own romantic notion of their encounter by spending time trawling their website for the facts. I mean, this is the month of LUV, not facts!
Because ultimately, that is really what Love is all about. We are drawn to each other, attracted to each other by some magical yet inexplicable force (which we can explain if we want to be spoilsports). Then when we step in closer to each other, we are faced with certain realities of neglect and careless-ness. But despite that – we stay with each other, work with each other and then reap the rewards. That’s Love for me. It’s not always romantic, but it’s true.
Now, looking at this latest video that has been produced, something so romantic has once again been given back to the Château by those brave, tenacious, creative, determined and love filled owners, who have loved the Château despite the odds often being stacked against them. Plus they have allowed others to show love to its restoration as well, by including many people into the volunteer work force. It’s a long story indeed and one that you are more than welcome to dip into by jumping over to their website, to trawl through their amazing recorded stories.
I want to salute the owners Craig and Karina Waters for their big vision, determined courage, steadfastness and for all they have achieved thus far. I am equally determined to visit the Château in the not too distant future as a fulfilment of my dream. Either to assist in the restoration for a while as a volunteer or as a guest in their home. I dream of waking up in one of those boudoirs that pulsate with that timeless authenticity that has been restored with so much fastidious love and care. To breath in the fresh country air and to explore the depth of the house as well. But mostly to pop my laptop onto the French antique desk that stands in front of the window with a mountain view that is to die for – to write. TOTAL BLISS!
Next week on the 14th many of us will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with our significant other. While some revel in the idea of a day filled with heart-shaped everything and love ballads, others might find it more than a little repugnant.
Celebrate your Gal Pals!
Whether you are the former or the latter, happily taken or contentedly single, we would like to introduce you to a fresh spin on Valentine’s Day. This year, set aside a day to celebrate the special ladies in your life – your gal pals, BFFs, girlfriends, your squad. Have a Galentine’s Day…
What on earth is Galentine’s Day you might ask? Well, in the words of the unstoppable Leslie Knope (from Parks & Recreation), the woman who created the concept of Galentine’s Day:
“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and just kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas!”
Galentine’s Day is an opportunity to express just how much your best friends mean to you and to thank them for their loyal support – all the inside jokes, shoulders to cry on, life advice and glasses of wine.
Put some genuine thought and effort into the occasion. Do food, do decor, do activities, and definitely do get dolled up! Your gal pals should feel special and pampered!
You can be as corny or as classy as you want. Go full-out with the traditional red hearts and Cupid’s arrows or create an elegant scene with tasteful decorations… or else throw in a little bit of both. Just be sure to glam it up!
What is a party without good eats? Little finger foods or canapés are always a good idea. AND don’t forget the sweets – cake is a must – you are celebrating a special day after all.
Another excellent and interactive idea is to have a DIY food station – i.e. make your own pasta, or pizza, or hamburgers. Furthermore what is a good gal pal bash without cocktails?
While it is so easy to while away hours with our besties doing nothing but gabbing, Galentine’s Day should feature some rememberable activity. For instance, have a home spa day – pamper your girls with homemade facials and mani-pedis. Mimosa, please!
A rom com movie night is also a great idea. A big “Christmas bed” in front of the TV is a must – there is nothing as inviting and slothful as a room full of pillows and blankets! Then pop some popcorn and binge-watch all those soppy romantic movies that you can never get your man to watch with you. And the dress code – definitely your most comfy PJs!
Why not class it up with High Tea? Lay a table with delectable treats, a collection of teas, and beautiful feminine decorations. Oh, and don’t forget a hat!
Want to take your Galentine’s Day fun to the next level? Try a craftsy DIY activity like making your own jewellery or having a cupcake decorating challenge. The ladies at Glitter Guide had a card making session and a macramé making lady date.
Now gift bags, and don’t worry, it does not have to be in league with the Oscars gift bags – no need to break the bank. Just a collection of small, affordable gifts that will make your friends feel loved and appreciated.
Lip gloss, nail polish and a little bit of hand cream is an excellent goodie bag liner. Create a special playlist and burn it to a CD so your gal pals can have their own Galentine’s Day mix to remember the day by. Add a personalised card – it does not necessarily have to be handmade – as long as the message inside comes from the heart. Then, a nice smelling candle or cute coffee mug, and a little something to nibble on – fudge or a delicious chocolate maybe?
It sure looks like a whole lot of fun! How will you be celebrating your Gal Pals this Valentine’s Day? Is a Galentine’s Day bash in your immediate future?
Gift shopping for men is hard guys, seriously. It seems that a lot of the “man gifts” on the shelves are either super corny (novelty beer mug with boobs) or really boring (3 pairs of socks).
BUT, have no fear! We have scoured the internet to find thoughtful and tasteful gift ideas for your dad, brother or boyfriend – and all under R200! Here is our 10 Gifts for HIM Under R200 wishlist.
Enjoy and happy Christmas shopping!
10 Gifts For HIM Under R200
Shopping List:
1. Thissmall2-cup stovetop espresso maker in a sexy matte black colour from Yuppiechef is the perfect gift for a coffee lover, just add some quality coffee beans – only R169.
2. Help your bearded loved one take care of his glorious mane with this macadamia and orange “The Neutkraker” beard oil from Buffelsfontein Baard-olie… bedref jouself, jou rowwe bliksem – only R99.95
3. Just what every meat-loving man needs – a folding switchblade biltong knife with rosewood handle – for the real biltong-eating pro. Available from Duesouth – only R179.
4. Chill your drink with these whiskey stones made from granite, marble and soapstone… because any whiskey connoisseur worth his salt knows ice belongs in a coke, not in a single malt. Available from Woolworths – only R199.
5. For the stylish man, a dapper textured bowtie in navy, with red dots from Markham – only R120.
6. Love this tongue-in-cheek house-shaped tissue box in masculine black, perfect for a dude’s apartment. Available online from Superbalist – only R119.
7. Treat a beer-loving friend with this awesome taste of Belguim beer gift pack from Yuppiechef. Each gift box contains 4 beers – a Duvel Blonde, a Maredsous Tripel, a La Chouffe Blond Ale and a Liefmans Fruitesse – only R179.
8. For the clean-shaven man, why not rock it old school with this beautiful boar bristle shaving brush from The Shaving Company – only R80.
9. Add some local design flair to your man’s home with this small soft bucket from Skinny laMinx in her blue Orla fabric. It’s perfect for a pot plant or to stow odds and ends – only R175.
10. Does one of the men in your life like the fiery taste of chilli? Get him this Sriracha gift set from Woolworths. The set contains a Sriracha salt & wooden scoop, Sriracha seasoning shaker tin & Sriracha sauce – only R129.95
The Design Tabloid 