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Johannesburg, Uncategorized

Johannesburg: Three family picnics

by s.a.bLeave a Comment on Johannesburg: Three family picnics

Here we are: we have all been on lockdown here in South Africa for well over 120 days now, the children have been homeschooled, some schools went back part time but if like me yours attend an international school the odds are they have now been on “vacation” for close to a month… By now we were all hoping that we would be allowed to travel, at least within the country, god knows we need it but also it would bring such a relief to the bleeding tourism industry, but sadly it’s not to be, and we are locked in our prohibition-ridden provinces for the foreseeable future… It’s no wonder then that so many of us are turning to some local options for days out, and whilst Gauteng (the province where we live) is no Western Cape or KZN, there are some options. Here are three we tried recently, for more ideas check out the Highlight on my Instagram stories called Johannesburg Staycation.

Dinokeng: Bring your own picnic, watch the game pass by

Dinokeng is a game reserve just outside of Pretoria, boasting most of the animals you’d find in a big park such as Kruger, and offering self-drives as well as lodge activities. We came for a self-drive one week-day morning early July, and whilst it doesn’t have the trappings of going on a luxury safari such as the ones we have become used to, spoiled as we are, it was lovely and we did enjoy being out and about in the middle of the animals.

You can bring your own picnic, as we did, and as it was a week day we had the picnic area pretty much to ourselves, or you can opt to lunch at one of the reserve lodges, and then have a ranger drive. I think being on a self-drive means you can come very early in the morning, and then do everything at your own pace, however neither Hubby Dearest nor I being professional trackers (who am I kidding we’re not even amateur trackers, I often mistake big rocks for rhinos!) we did miss out on big game such as elephants or lions, but then again that’s not really why we came. We wanted a day out and this very much filled the brief.

My recommendation: if you’re opting for a self drive avoid the week-ends as apparently it gets super crowded.

Modderfontein: On your door step, street food aplenty

If you want to stay within half an hour of North Jo’burg, then Modderfontein is the perfect outing, especially since it has started hosting some of the food trucks from the Fourways Farmers Market, which has still not re-opened sadly… so this is a good way to support businesses which have been struggling in the recent months, and have a fabulous time.

The reserve is quite big, with a few trails that are all quite flat and easy to walk, cycle or run (the children did a mix of running and walking, and hopping along, it was quite relaxed), and once you are done you can either get a coffee or a street food lunch from one of the stands. There is a large outdoor area with bales of hay and picnic tables that is perfect to enjoy the Winter sun whilst munching on burgers (it was Sunday, so cravings allowed, right?)

Remember this is super convenient for Jo’burgers so if you’re coming on the week-end (the food stalls are only here Saturday and Sunday for now) do try to arrive by 9:30 to avoid a long queue at the reserve entrance.

Ground, The Venue: Winelands vibe with a beautiful boxed picnic

Amidst the numerous venues on the wedding belt that is the Magaliesburg, many have remained shut, but some have embraced the challenge of lockdown by reinventing themselves. Ground The Venue has done so beautifully.

You start your day by hiking around or up the little koppie that stands just behind the farmland (little is an understatement, my legs still have tremors thinking of climbing that thing… but the view from the top was so worth it, not to mention the reward at the end). I did wear my new hiking monstrosities that day, and I am glad I did: whilst the hike is not hard per se, it is intense).

After about two and a half hours, you are back by the farm and, if you booked, make your way to a beautifully set table in the middle of the mini vineyard, giving you vibes of the Cape Winelands, especially if, like we did, you bring your own bottle of vino to enjoy the delicious picnic boxes… There is no rush to go home from there, the calm of the country surrounds are super chilled and even the children didn’t beg to move on as soon as they’d wolfed down their picnics…

Bookings are essential, especially if you want one of the tables, although you can also bring your own and enjoy the grounds. Do bring a hat and SPF, there isn’t a lot of shade around.

There you have it, three outings where you can take the little ones on a picnic within a short drive from Johannesburg… Which kid doesn’t love eating outdoors?

With love, S.

Outfits

All dressed up and nowhere to go

by s.a.b1 Comment on All dressed up and nowhere to go

In today’s news, it seems I have become that woman in Johannesburg who visits her wardrobe to pull up an outfit, only to walk up to the garage door and coax Hubby Dearest into taking modelling pictures. Am I a model? No. Am I selling any of the pieces I’m wearing? No. I am just another bored fashionista in lockdown, dying to wear some beautiful things and go out… Oh well. For today the garage door will do.

I’ve been scrolling a lot of fashion news feeds recently (another side effect of 2020, the year of isolation), and it seems shackets are the piece of the season. It’s hilarious because I’ve owned plenty of shackets for years, like this camo one from Pull & Bear, but apparently they seem to be having a moment.

What is a shacket? A shacket is quite simply, a shirt and a jacket in one. Think of it as having a classic shirt silhouette with buttoned pockets (usually at the chest but not necessarily, god knows I for one don’t need more attention drawn to that part of my anatomy…) and a buttoned front. The material is usually wool, felt, or strong twill so you can quite easily wear it as a jacket. Needless to say, whilst we’re well into Autumn here, there is still no need for the wool ones. Maybe in July, when we hit week 14 of the lockdown and I’m posing by the treehouse… I may even try a lumberjack look for some fun, watch this space. 

You can wear shackets over dresses, jeans, on safari, out and about for brunch, or, like me, working from home over my most comfortable pair of khaki culottes (basically these culottes are a somewhat elegant way of wearing elasticated-waist trousers with absolutely no tug anywhere around the leg seeing as they are super roomy…) I accessorized for the photo with my Zara kitten heels and my Chanel small classic bag from the Paris Cuba collection, which I promise myself I will wear more when they let me out.

There you have it, another isolation outfit… still not wearing the PJs but perhaps next week as I ordered two beautiful ones in Liberty prints from my lovely seamstress, and they would look amazing with pink sandals…

With love, S.

Outfits

Sailor stripes and kitten heels

by s.a.b7 Comments on Sailor stripes and kitten heels

As South Africa moves slowly into Autumn, it’s still very much the same routine day in day out, with mornings and afternoons filled with video calls and emails demanding urgent attention (everything is suddenly urgent), but yes, we continue to work from home here.

I am still resisting the idea of spending my days in PJs; instead I’ve gone the opposite way and go visit my very redundant accessories in the morning, at least to try a bag or two or see how heels feel these days. Not very comfortable, I’ll admit, but so so pretty. Also, notice how I took these pictures by my Globe-Trotter wheelies, if that’s not a subconscious attempt to get closer to travelling again, I don’t know what is…

Today didn’t feel like a jeans kind of day, it might have something to do with all the delicious tarts and homemade bread we’ve been baking lately, although I’m pretending it’s just because I am a little tired today, so instead I am wearing cargo trousers that have a very nice drawstring waist, which means they can be let out or in as needed. I originally bought these trousers from Theory for travel days, however with the tapered cut and lightweight fabric they are perfect for transitional weather, and yes they are incredibly comfortable. Drawstring trousers are also a great idea for post-preggo waists that are finding their way back to their normal selves (I haven’t been pregnant in a good few years but we can still pretend my waist is working its way back to what it was ten years ago can’t we?)…

I adore big sailor stripe jumpers, and this one with the gold tone buttons on the shoulder is one of my favourites; it’s from Court & Rowe. I have a similar one with blue stripes on cream but find this one is more flattering as the darker colour is more predominant (and the shape is quite forgiving, isn’t it…). This is the kind of jumper that looks amazing with jeans and Stan Smiths, but it also gets dressed up easily: sometimes I wear it with a white button down underneath and some cigarette trousers.

And, just because it was the morning and I wanted to play with some accessories, I pulled a pair of Manolo Blahnik slingbacks from my closet (the kitten heels are easy enough but my feet are most definitely resisting closed shoes, especially the pointed toe kind) and a Céline classic box. It’s important that they feel the love as well even though we’ve got nowhere to go, right?

With love, S.

Fitness

My healthy, balanced life

by s.a.b1 Comment on My healthy, balanced life

When I had Little Madame, I went from a complicated pregnancy with diabetes and other wonderful conditions to a pretend maternity leave that saw me spend my days on the blackberry and often on the Eurostar to Paris instead of taking care of my baby and me; I felt totally depleted of energy and totally out of shape. I realised I was the one who had to put a stop to all of this and take charge of my health once and for all. Being me, I would have loved a quick fix solution, the reality is that when you combine a stressful life with health issues, there is no quick and easy way to get better. Thankfully though, I didn’t know that at the time…

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I can tell you one thing: getting back into shape when you are on the wrong side of thirty, have had a couple of c-sections and have a job that doesn’t understand the concept of personal vs working hours, well… it takes some serious commitment and months of hard work, but it is worth it… Five years after fixing my lifestyle, I am a little less fundamentalist about my diet and work-out schedule and I do cut myself quite a bit of slack, but I am still a full size smaller than before my babies, and most importantly I feel fit and strong and don’t flinch at the idea of taking the stairs instead of the lift anywhere.

Let me tell you: if I managed, so can pretty much anyone. So, what are my top five tips to get fit and stay healthy?

Tip One – Find a work-out that challenges you

The first step is to challenge yourself. The odds are, these days, most people do work out a little bit, for instance I used to go to reformer pilates a couple of times a week and rarely missed a barre class. Pregnancy complications meant that doctors forbade anything except pregnancy yoga (having taken many classes I am still unsure how that is any different from sitting on a cushion and pretending to be a plant), and by the time Little Madame arrived I was seriously in need of a work-out regime overhaul. I was lucky to meet the most incredible PT around that time, Nadine, who got me to think about my next lifestyle hack: it’s not enough to push yourself with a couple of grueling sessions a week, exercise must become part of your life, as much as taking the kiddies to their Saturday afternoon birthday parties or attending that morning markets meeting everyday.

A few years later, when I found myself in Johannesburg working out on my own with my reformer, my flywheel bike etc. but also not feeling like I was getting much in terms of results, I reached out to another fabulous PT, and Wardah now comes to me twice a week at stupid o’clock to ensure I am pushing myself and getting through those awful burpees (I still hate them).

I do find it’s helpful to have a PT to help you through those times in life when you are not feeling like pushing yourself… If you are looking for someone to help you kick-start your routine then I recommend Nadine if you’re London or Europe based, or if you want a really good Zoom instructor for your reformer sessions, and if you’re Johannesburg based then Wardah is the one you want.

Tip Two – Diversity is key

When I lived in London, everyday was a different work-out at a different studio, and I loved it: pilates, barre, boxing, studio cycling, and rebounding… Mix it up, but remember, if you want to pump up your heart rate, add cardio work-outs: I don’t run (except in airports to make flights), so I am a big fan of anything that tricks my heart into pretending I do. In Johannesburg, it’s hard to find the type of studio work-outs I got used to, so instead I rely on apps and online training platforms. I’m not going to lie, the Tracy Anderson online work-outs with their dance moves and arm-busting routine totally improved my outlook on lockdown life.

At the moment, being in lockdown, my work-out week includes self-paced HIIT with a Tabata app on my phone, studio cycling using any Soulcycle Spotify playlist that sounds fun and dance-y, a couple of TA work-outs, and a Saturday Zoom session with N. because I need a little boost in my reformer routine but also because I want to support her during the closure of studios everywhere… I struggle to find a good Yoga class I like to follow online, but usually when we are free to roam I go to Bikram yoga every Saturday morning.

Tip Three – Make being healthy a priority

A lot of people comment on my sweaty Insta posts that it’s surprising that I manage to work out on my own, and how motivating themselves is the biggest struggle. My answer? I don’t have a choice: my health is a priority and I will do everything I can to trick myself into working out most mornings (but remember: what I post is a curated selection of my life, noone would be inspired if I posted a picture of my lazy mornings when I’m playing alarm snoozing…) We’re all busy and most of us, especially parents of young children, are permanently tired. If you need to be at your desk responding to emails by 8AM everyday and don’t like to miss your littles’ bedtime, and still want to have some form of social life, well, there is no other way to fit exercise unless you schedule it and commit yourself.

In my case, I know that if I don’t work out before work it will never happen, too many things get in the way, including the amazing ability my mind has to make excuses for itself (that was a horrible meeting just now, why don’t I skip my circuit class and go straight home to snuggle next to my babies and a nice G&T…). Usually, it means I wake up before 5:30AM each day to fit in my sweaty sessions, so yes I don’t sleep much, but the good news is skin cells do most of their renewal work before 2AM so you’re not missing much in the looking fresh and dewy department. Also, lockdown means mornings are slightly later than usual; after all, we’re all skipping commuting and the battle that can be getting kids ready for school… #silverlinings

Tip Four – Don’t skip the diet part

I’ll be brutally honest: I am not a diet fundamentalist and at the moment I’m ingesting far more than my fair share of carbohydrates, in bread and wine form mostly. However, when I want to be in top shape, I know that I need to log every single thing I eat into an app that counts my macros, and make sure that I eat about twice as much protein as anything else… and very little carbs (for the Moroccan in me, this is the hardest). Usually though, my diet is super simple: a common sense approach to food, healthy choices, portion control, and food preferably prepared at home from scratch and absolutely no silly fads (alka-what?!!)…

Tip Five – Be nice to yourself

We all have the best intentions, however life gets in the way. Being in the office makes it far easier for me to be good about my macros and how well I eat, whereas working from home means I have access to Hubby Dearest’s delicious sourdough bread and I do sometimes engage the help of a pink G&T to get me through the 10th video call of the day on that 300-page report someone decided to write on an obscure topic that very few people have interest in… There are many Sundays when it just feels perfect to snuggle up in bed with my littles, the cats, a lie-in and breakfast in bed, and I don’t beat myself over it. That extra session isn’t what makes the difference between how JLo looks and the rest of us, I believe if you ask any trainer they’ll say the difference lies in a 24/7 personal chef and a very good plastic surgeon.

What I’m trying to say is: do the things that make you happy, eat what tastes fantastic, and don’t begrudge yourself for letting go from time to time, pleasure is a massive component of happiness and being happy is key to being healthy… Remember it’s all about the balance!

Let me finish this post with a little reminder that I am no wellness guru. I am just a busy mama of two who decided to steer her life around from a sluggish mess of stress overload onto a healthier, happier, stronger turn… Most days, I feel strong, healthy and fit, and that is quite an achievement for me considering where I’ve been and I hope some of my lessons might be useful to other women who may be struggling to keep a healthy lifestyle.

With love, S.