I dig this campaign. Check out http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/vog_socks_black. Official website vog.com.tr
El Musica
I LOVE music and I especially love albums that I can get lost in journeying with the music. Each of these did exactly that. Here are my favourite albums of 2014 (in no particular order): Airling ‘Love Gracefully’, Haim ‘Days are Gone’, Beatenberg ‘The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg’ (so proud!! local guys), Johnny Clegg (old but FLIPPING amazing), Casting Crowns ‘Thrive’, Metronomy ‘Love Letters’, Ed Sheeran ‘X’, Sia ‘1000 Forms of Fear’, Metronomy ‘The English Riviera’, Alt-J ‘This is All Yours’ As South Africans would say, ‘Check out my tjunes bru!’.
Boomf!
So, apparently ‘boomf’ is the sound marshmallows make when landing on your doormat. I’m really not sure what to make of this UK company that prints Instagram photos onto marshmallows and then delivers (worldwide) to your front door, but it caught my attention* and I hand it over for you to decide. Maybe you want to work for them; there is a ‘job’ link too. https://boomf.com
*It caught my attention because James Middleton is a co-founder. Boom (f).
Lucky Beach
I consider myself very lucky to live in a city surrounded by sea. Beaches rejuvenate and restore me both mentally and physically. I took a walk last weekend in the winter sunshine on one of my favourites – Camps Bay – and particularly enjoyed that it was mostly free from people (in summer it is a favourite amongst tourists and locals alike). I never take for granted that we have lots of sunshine in winter and a climate moderate enough for year-round outdoors enjoyment. I love you, ocean!!!
Craigantlet
Dry heat, quiet open spaces and animals make me very happy. I’m lucky to have a friend living on a farm in Botrivier with her husband and 2 boys. The farm is a ‘hobby’ on the side, with pigs, chickens, sheep and some vineyards keeping Rod on his feet while maintaining his travel business during office hours.
Botrivier is a mere 93km from Cape Town, perfect for a weekend getaway. Renting their cottage ‘Eagle Owl’ with a friend, we spent 2 days hanging with the Halls and their gorgeous boys and making friends with chickens, pigs, sheep, dogs and cats in between beach walks, long lunches and serious snoozes. Life on the farm is never short of a dull moment (one of the boys just came down with tick bite fever and 3 pigs are very nearly ready to pop some piglets) but the land and surrounding mountains breathe both energy and stillness into your body at what feels like cellular level; such is the depth of peace and tranquility of this valley.
Plus, if you are into free range farm produce (who isn’t?!), Taryn and Rod sell their pork in various delicious cuts at fantastic rates!
To find out more about their farm and accommodation, visit http://www.craigantlet.co.za.
Cape Town Carnival 2014
Last night was the 2014 Carnival in Greenpoint, Cape Town, and I discovered I am a carnival junkie!!
The standard of performance and creativity was phenomenal. Not only did the parade last for OVER 2.5 HOURS but the creations were simply fantastic, evoking a sense of joy and jubilation. I’ve lived in Cape Town my whole life (except for quite a few recent adult years overseas and Jo’burg briefly as a child) and feel I am witnessing the city growing up. No longer a sleepy town cut off from the world, we have begun showcasing our unique styles and traditions with honed skill. Being bold with our identity. We are just as good as the rest of the world. I LOVE Cape Town.
The procession included everything from african to modern dancers, bicyclists and skateboarders. ‘Toi toi-ers’ fighting for freedom in the old regime. Animals from a lion to a zebra and a giant crocodile. Floats of singers, drummers, burlesque dancers. Acrobats, people on stilts. Heck, even firemen.
T’was good fun and I’m definitely going back to watch next year.
Candy Floss Clouds (Cape Town)
For the CUTEST baby/toddler clothes and accessories, visit http://www.candyflossclouds.co.za/. Designed and launched by a lovely girl I know, these quirky items make me so excited to buy presents for little people. I’ve no doubt her business is going to grow and grow.
Making a ‘Croc’-ery
I disliked Crocs the second I laid eyes on them – literally. I’m not a shoe snob but to me they didn’t make sense, they confused me. I didn’t GET them. And visually…. well………?
I’ll leave out the details of how I found my feet slipping into a pair AND then buying them on the spot, but let’s just say they’re extraordinarily comfortable. And I wear them all the time. And I don’t mind being granny chic, or being the but of endless crocodile jokes from friends and colleagues. Yes, colleagues. Never wear your Crocs to work. Trust me!!!
Denim Depression
One of the reasons I was relieved to leave the UK (after living there for 6.5 years) was to remove myself from what I think is an excessively consumeristic culture.
Having said that, I learnt to blindside my ethics quite conveniently while falling in love with Topshop and in particular, their jeans. Faded, skinny, twisted, 70s. Denim gets my juices going. But denim turned into depression standing in their V&A Store recently when I realised that white or stonewashed wasn’t going to work for me. Nor was high waisted or boyfriend. I’m older and I’m less skinny. I don’t feel as ‘punk’ as I liked to think I was in London. Add that to the frightening price of their clothing in Rands and, well… let me side step out of here quietly and pretend I never…………
Miss Mia 