Table of contents for Sept/Oct 2022 in Fairlady

This is the spring issue, which means it’s time to reboot our optimism settings. It’s been a long, cold winter, not helped by stupidly frequent power cuts, huge fuel increases and scary food inflation, so it feels quite reasonable to be pessimistic. The problem is, pessimism is a self-fulfilling prophecy: the grimmer your outlook, the grimmer your experience of the world will be. Pessimism makes me make bad projections. My thought spiral tends to go like this: if things are this bad now and there is no proper intervention at a government level, then they can only get worse. But this view doesn’t take into account us ordinary people and our incredible ingenuity, or our ability to make a plan and do things differently. People adapt. We innovate and we…

Diarise DATES: 19 & 20 September 2022 VENUE: Camelot Spa, Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa HOURS: 8 am – 6 pm (split into morning and afternoon sessions) PRICE: R1 950 (you save R2 050!) FOR BOOKINGS, EMAIL: Roxanne.Kreutle@media24.com Space is limited, so book now to secure your spot! THE PAMPER PACKAGE* INCLUDES: • A 60-minute Swedish, Aromatherapy or Deep Tissue Massage • A 60-minute Thalgo Spa Skin Facial • A 30-minute Classic Manicure or Pedicure • A three-course lunch at Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa, including a glass of Graham Beck Cap Classique • A Graham Beck tasting bar • A mini makeover by Lancôme • A goodie bag that includes the latest FAIRLADY magazine and treats from Graham Beck and Lancôme * Pamper sessions are split between the morning…

THESE THREE STYLE ICONS ALL HAVE A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL, WHETHER IT GOES INTO FINDING A FLOATY KIMONO, A PRELOVED GEM OR BLING HEELS. ‘My style is eclectic, expressive and feminine. I buy slowly, which is shorthand for ‘I deliberate for ages over a purchase, so don’t go shopping with me unless you have nerves of steel and the patience of a saint.’ On the plus side, having spent ages deciding what to buy, I keep what I have for a long time – like years and years and years.’…

What are you looking forward to wearing now that spring is on the way? For me, spring means soft dresses and little cardigans, or a kimono, romantic details, and lovely fabrics like silk, cotton and crochet. I also love long tunics over trousers, with embellished flats. Truth be told, I haven’t shopped for clothes in ages. I’m shopping my own wardrobe, and it’s more than enough! I also follow this fun and inspiring tip I learnt from a fantastic stylist: At the end of every season, pack away the clothes you won’t be wearing. Not only does this save space, but when it’s time to open the bags again, you’ll see your favourite pieces with fresh and appreciative eyes (including what needs a tailor or won’t work for you any…

Jackie Phamotse PHAMOTSE & COMPANY START-UP COSTS: ‘It cost about R30 000 to produce the first batch of books – in 2017. That’s what I spent initially to cover printing costs and to pay the editor, proofreader and graphic designer.’ TURNOVER: ‘We’ve earned almost 100% of the money that we put into the start-up over a period of five years. The book is sold in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Kenya. Jackie wrote her first novel, Bare: The Blesser’s Game, and published it herself in 2017. Then she followed it up with Bare: The Cradle of the Hockey Club, which won an adult-fiction award at the 2020 SA Book Awards. Now, the series is set to be adapted for television. You worked as a model; why did you start…

There is a common misconception that NFTs are ‘artworks’ – but they’re not. An NFT is like a digital signature of authenticity, a unique piece of media or data that lives on a blockchain. (Do you really want me to explain blockchain? I could, but it hurts my brain, and there are others who do it better, like Google.) NFTs can be digital artworks, but they have other potentially practical and valuable uses, and may one day replace physical documents, for example, for a university degree or home ownership. When it comes to dodgy ‘art’ like the Bored Ape NFTs, it’s better not to think of them as art but rather as a series of kitsch collectibles. Perhaps you used to collect stickers as a child, or Troll Dolls, or…

Jessica Sutton is all smiles, despite the fact that our whirlwind FAIRLADY shoot ended with her drenched in a swimming pool – on a winter’s day, no less. ‘This is what I love about collaborations,’ she says, laughing. ‘You end up not wearing any of the things you planned and soaking wet in a pool!’ Jessica is spending some much-needed time back on home soil in Cape Town after she and her partner Stephen made the move to Canada in 2020. When she landed her first lead role in an international series in 2019, Jessica moved to Vancouver, where it was being filmed. Stephen joined her there and they both fell in love with the Canadian city, but their plans to put down roots were placed on hold when the…

KATE BRIM-SENEKAL Sparrow Society NPC sparrowsociety.co.za Social entrepreneurship always seemed unattainable and risky, Kate says. ‘Sparrow Society started as a simple idea to help create jobs for a handful of seamstresses. It has snowballed into this incredible network with a surprisingly significant global client list.’ As an empowerment brand, Sparrow Society is focused on creating economic opportunities for women in order to subvert gender-based violence and other social inequalities. ‘Providing viable economic opportunities for women is crucial – it directly affects the power differentials in the home and the community that create a breeding ground for abuse and exploitation,’ Kate explains. She started Sparrow Society in 2013 with one woman working one day a week in her garage. Now, a network of more than 100 women work together, impacting thousands…

Your household budget has had a lot to contend with this year, including the rising cost of everything from fuel and groceries to electricity – not to mention increasing debt repayments. Underand overinsurance on medical cover can both be wasteful, which is why it’s more important than ever to find that ‘Goldilocks’ level of cover. TAKE STOCK Cast your mind back over the past 12 to 24 months: did your medical savings account run out too early? Or did you find that your medical aid simply didn’t cover certain expenses? The plan you’ve had for years may need to be retired. Charleen Rix, head of healthcare consulting at Sasfin, suggests analysing what you and your family spent on healthcare over the past two years. This can help you pick up…

ACROSS 1. Belly-band from the saddle (5) 4. Unsettle (7) 8. Standard of purity (2, 5, 2, 4) 10. A bird of prey (5) 11. Bird sacred to the Ancient Egyptians (4) 12. Engagement symbol (4) 16. Snap (5) 17. Should be blamed (13) 19. Sewing implements (7) 20. Hot spiced drink (5) DOWN 1. Hook used, boarding enemy ship (9-4) 2. Uncooked (3) 3. Cried a greeting (6) 4. To sift flour, sugar over (6) 5. Nun; senior nurse (6) 6. Depriving of strength, disconcerting (9) 7. Venues for skittles, etc (7,6) 9. A fundamental truth (9) 13. Make earnest request (6) 14. Overlays (6) 15. Venom (6) 18. Reticule (3)…

ACROSS 1. Oscillate 5. Disinclined 9. Zodiac sign 12. Ink soaker 16. Eagle’s nest 17. Hawaiian parties 18. Custodian 20. Newspaper item 22. Become aware 23. Displays 24. Prairie wolf 26. Defog (windscreen) 27. Futuristic (novel) (3-2) 28. Inclusion 31. Heavy antelope 32. User 34. Engraver 36. Drink, dry ginger … 37. Attachments 40. Fertility method (1,1,1) 42. Aged photo tone 43. Garden ornament 45. Felt indignant about 47. Enticed 49. Shoo! 50. Without foundation 52. Obtain access (3,2) 54. Russian country house 55. Noblemen 56. Opera song 58. Elementary 59. Jumbo (size) 60. Spiced Indian tea 61. Fur 62. Lay to rest 63. Gull relative 64. Wheat or rice, … crop 67. British college 68. Arranged, … up 69. Catch up with (4,2) 72. Circle portion 74. Government grants…

write to flmag@fairlady.com - and remember to put the word ‘letters’ in the subject line! WINNING LETTER MY BIMONTHLY TRIP ‘HOME’ FAIRLADY transports me across the globe for a few hours when I’m engrossed in its content, and that journey is in first class. I now live part of my life in England, and I have yet to encounter a magazine that is as informative and intelligent as yours! The magazines here are full of celebrity chit-chat, unaffordable fashion, and tired articles. By contrast, I find FAIRLADY intelligently written, thought-provoking and inspiring! Your article on ‘silvinfluencers’, preceded by a piece about becoming invisible after 50, was an example of how two different aspects of the same topic can be presented objectively. Your constant support of women entrepreneurs is to be…

‘If I had to sum up my dress sense, I would say it was classic, strong, androgynous and dramatic. I tend to gravitate towards a uniform.’…

Since making her acting debut at the age of 11, Jennifer Connelly has commanded our attention in every role she’s taken on. Most recently, she starred in the most anticipated movie of 2022: Top Gun: Maverick, the hit sequel to the 1986 blockbuster. ‘Everything about this movie has been kind of extraordinary,’ she says. When the original premiered, she was 15, making a name for herself alongside David Bowie in Labyrinth. ‘The flying blew me away in Top Gun. Another thing that really stood out was just Tom Cruise in that jacket and on the motorcycle. It was iconic; it has nostalgic memories. Set more than 30 years after the events of the first film, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell returns to the Top Gun institute to train a group of graduates…

Three months into the Covid-19 lockdown, I realised I had nothing to get out of bed for. No work, nothing to do, nowhere to go. I could dust, perhaps, or do some gardening. But I could feel a tension and a fear telling me this was it: game over. Work is often erratic if you’re a freelance journalist, and as a woman in my late 50s I’d often wondered how long it could last. Now, as countless publications closed or slashed their budgets, I realised the slow slide into doing a little less each year until I atrophied completely had begun. It was devastating. I felt useless and irrelevant, particularly as an older white voice in a young black country. Surely I had more to offer the world than that,…

MONEY IN THE BANK When you apply for a visa, you need to have a minimum of €65 in your bank account for each day you’re spending in France. FOOD AND RESTAURANT PRICES At a down-to-earth bistro, you can get a classic lunch dish for between €10 and €15. A pain au chocolat from a bakery is €1.20, the best hot chocolate in the world (from Ladurée or Angelina) is €6, and a takeaway ham-and-cheese baguette for lunch is €5. The local French supermarket chain Monoprix offers a wide range of ready-to-go meal options from as little as €6 – perfect for eating as you walk, or an impromptu picnic in the sunshine. I also bought a decent bottle of wine, to enjoy while I watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle,…

AMAHLE NTSHINGA Luntu luntu.co While most young girls dreamt of becoming dancers or doctors, Amahle, at the age of 8, wanted nothing more than to be a businesswoman. But as she got older, she saw how much harder things were for people in marginalised communities. She decided to buy more products from people of colour and women, especially products that do little harm to the environment. The problem she faced was finding them. ‘That’s where the idea for Luntu came from,’ she says. ‘I wanted people like me, who care about shopping for local, blackowned, woman-owned and/or environmentally friendly products, to buy them easily.’ She launched Luntu in August 2020, with five registered vendors who sold only to buyers in Joburg. Today it has 30 registered vendors doing business in…

The taboo around plastic surgery has decreased significantly in recent years, but there are many of us who are still too nervous to go under the knife. Luckily, there’s a plethora of non-surgical options to choose from if you want to refresh your look. But with so many choices out there, how do you know where to spend your money? I’m in my mid-50s. I eat relatively healthily and exercise on a regular basis, but lately I’ve been feeling (and looking!) worn-out and haggard. There’s only so much a night cream and jade roller can do, so when Cape Town doctor Jan Nel reached out to me to talk skin, the timing was perfect. He offers a comprehensive solution to anyone looking to rejuvenate their skin without going in for…

KALE AND SMOKED SALMON CAESAR SALAD SERVES 4 PREP + COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES • 4 large garlic cloves, skin on• 100 ml (2⁄5 cup) olive oil• sourdough baguette, sliced into 20 thin slices• salt and pepper• 50 ml (1⁄5 cup) store-bought Caesar salad dressing• 100 ml (2⁄5 cup) mayonnaise• 8 anchovy fillets, chopped finely• juice of ½ lemon• 100 g curly kale, stems trimmed, washed• 300 g hot-smoked salmon, skin off, flaked• 60 g Parmesan, shaved 1. Place garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan over very low heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Set aside to cool. 2. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Place the bread on a baking tray and drizzle garlic-infused oil over. Season and…

ACROSS 1. Amulet is used in order to feign it (8) 7. Marriage that with Jack is symbolic to the British (5) 8. How to lay corn out according to line on the map (7) 9. First Greek marble broken by one throwing dice (7) 10. So droopy, one can only walk with difficulty (4) 12. Printed matter, one the French take as being material (7) 14. It was agreed, and one squared accounts (7) 17. It muffles the sound that comes back from the tummy (4) 18. Send one’s letters on in the direction of the bow (7) 21. Diverge from the idea vet formulated (7) 22. Left nine sorting out the underclothing (5) 23. Being intrepid, one won’t be so scared (8) DOWN 1. Licks around end of…

ACROSS 1. Pigment from soot (4-5) 5. Animal foot (3) 7. Coin factory (4) 8. Material for burning (8) 10. Tuned, adjusted to a mean (8) 11. Unlock (4) 13. An unskilful person (6) 15. Chubby-faced child (6) 18. A hawk’s wing (4) 19. Not being forthcoming (8) 22. Money resources (8) 23. A grass grain (4) 24. Dull, stupid person (3) 25. Storage for church grain (5-4) DOWN 1. Restricted (7) 2. Note equalling two crotchets (5) 3. Has cropped up (6) 4. Leg joint (4) 5. Thrive, get on well (7) 6. Get broader (5) 9. Put off for a time (5) 12. Series of links (5) 14. Close acquaintances (7) 16. Lying interposed (7) 17. Refuse to accept (6) 18. Capital of Bulgaria (5) 20. Heath plant…

ACROSS 1. Stone garden area 6. Of rare beauty 11. Trembles 15. Circle (Earth) 16. Bye! 17. To the second 18. Portent 21. Tennessee’s neighbour 22. US Portland state 23. Furtive 24. Amble 28. Daze 30. Small vipers 32. Abundance 35. Dangerously overweight 37. Stiffly 38. Former FBI boss, J … Hoover 40. High and mighty 43. Signs 45. Vow 47. Painter’s shirt 48. Ensue 52. Squeal of delight 53. Getting ready 56. Ignites 58. Insensitive 60. Mollified 61. Potent 62. Joining in sporadically 64. Before (poetic) 65. Modicum 67. Bidder for contract work 69. Low wetland 72. Reproduce (2-6) 75. Metric mass unit 77. Beware the … of March 78. I was, we … 79. Windmill blade 81. Excluded 83. Soft shine 84. Wandered 86. Dispatched 87. Cabin 90.…

Congrats to our WINNERS MegaXword 180 Marc Jacquest, Wynberg Brainteaser 179 Sue Harrod, Somerset West; Karen Salhab, Nelspruit; and Sheila Lovely, Knysna Stay at The Marine, Hermanus Ruschdia Rahim, Newlands HOW TO ENTER! MEGAXWORD & BRAINTEASER Your completed MegaXword and Brainteaser crosswords should reach us by 14 October 2022. Email them to puzzles@fairlady.com with MegaXword 183 or Brainteaser 182 in the subject line, and provide your name, residential (or postal) address, email address and phone number. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Staff members of the respective prize sponsors and Media24, as well as their advertisers, PR and digital agencies and their immediate family members, may not enter. Digital copies of the crosswords are allowed, but photocopies are not allowed. Also read the standard…

Ready for brighter days ahead? Dull skin, dark spots and an uneven skin tone are a concern for many women. With constant exposure to pollutants and UV rays, keeping skin looking even and bright is a challenge. Clarins understands that oxygenating the skin allows it to breathe better. The Bright Plus range ensures this by providing skin with a double shot of the proven oxygenating power of rose myrtle and acerola seed extracts. Your complete brightening routine includes a serum, a moisturiser, a hydrating treatment essence and a night cream. THE HAMPER COMPRISES: Clarins Bright Plus Advanced Brightening Dark Spot-Targeting Serum (50 ml), Bright Plus Dark Spot-Targeting Moisturizing Emulsion (75 ml), Bright Plus Dark Spot-Targeting Treatment Essence (200 ml) and Bright Plus Brightening Revive Night Cream (50 ml).…

Do you need more than a bimonthly fix of FAIRLADY? If your answer is a resounding YES, we have just what you need. Our weekly newsletter – delivered directly to your inbox – will help you stay in the know. Here’s what you can expect every month: WEEK 1 Be part of the FAIRLADY book club for the ultimate good-read guide and the wine you need to sip on, book in hand. WEEK 2 Take a peek at the stories we can’t stop talking about. WEEK 3 Read our reviews of products we’ve given the once-over in Test House to help you choose items that suit your needs and your pocket. WEEK 4 Get the lowdown on the fashion and beauty picks we’re adding to our carts right now. We’re…

‘Sartorial freedom is something I explore in my style – I always want to feel free. And I encourage others to experiment when it comes to style until they find that special feeling from the fashion they choose. Explore different styles until you find your thing.’…

I’ve always thought you’d have to be pretty naive to get digitally or telephonically scammed. I know not to open PDFs from unknown senders. I never open emailed links unless I'm sure of the sender, and I am pretty sure that neither long-lost relatives nor Nigerian princes are leaving me vast unclaimed sums of money. Yet I got hacked by means of six simple digits. I’m sharing my sorry tale so you can be spared this fate. It started one evening at around supper time. The timing was cunning: had I been sitting at my desk with my professional head on, I may have been more wary. As it was, I had my post-work-and-dog-walk and feed-everyone-and-listen-to-their-day’s-news head on. WhatsApp gave a cheery little ping, and I read the names ‘Ann…

1 She released two singles (‘Monologue of Love’ and ‘Message of Love’) in Japanese when she was 16. 2 The lead in Heathers (1989) was written for Jennifer, but she turned it down. It eventually went to Winona Ryder. 3She idolises Meryl Streep. ‘From time to time when I’m working I think, “What would Meryl do?” and I’ve let that guide me,’ she says. 4 She studied English literature at Yale University in 1988 before transferring to Stanford University to study drama. She ultimately left to pursue acting full time. 5 She’s afraid of flying, but Tom Cruise helped her overcome that during the filming of Top Gun: Maverick when he took her up in a P-51 Mustang. 6 She was considered for the role of Viv in Pretty Woman.…

A few months back, I decided to take a closer look at this NFT business. I love art, and these digital enigmas are said to be ‘revolutionising the art world’. But what do you do with a digital work of art, and why on earth would anyone pay millions of dollars for one? And why is all the ‘art’ I see associated with NFTs just so damn awful? I assumed I was missing something, so I did some research. Lord have mercy on our souls, dear reader. I did not discover that NFT art has an esoteric yet authentic value not immediately obvious to Luddites like myself. Quite the opposite. They’re even worse than I suspected. Partly, it’s the name: non-fungible token. (Fungible… sounds like a word you’d use to…

MATSIDISO KOLOBE Leseli Creative leselicreative.co.za In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.’ It’s this philosophy that guides Leseli Creative. Through her career in advertising, Matsidiso has worked with some of the best agencies in South Africa and internationally. ‘However, I felt that at times the communication was not really reflective of other native tribes that were desperately seeking brands that understood and celebrated them,’ she says. So, in 2018, she decided to start her own digital agency. Based in Cape Town, Leseli Creative brings an African narrative to local brands through indigenous languages. It has since grown from a one-woman show designing…

PECAN NUT PIE SERVES 10 Do not be tempted to overbake this delicious vegan pie! FOR THE CRUST • 200 g (385 ml) cake wheat flour• 5ml (1 tsp) salt• 30 ml (2 tbsp) icing sugar• 150 g vegan butter or vegetable shortening• 60 ml (4 tbsp) ice-cold water• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice FOR THE FILLING • 60 g vegan butter or vegetable shortening• 170 g (210 ml) dark-brown sugar pinch of salt• 140 ml (2⁄5 cup) maple syrup• 30 g (4 tbsp) cornflour• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence, or seeds from 1 vanilla pod• 200 g silken tofu• 30 ml (2 tbsp) cake wheat flour• 250 g (415 ml) lightly toasted pecan nuts, chopped roughly 1. TO MAKE THE CRUST: Combine the flour, salt, icing sugar and…

Fashion Bare NECESSITIES Wearing a delicate matching set of lingerie, whether it’s to the office or for a special night out, can give you a confidence boost. The Takkleberry collection, made by a small team of women in Cape Town, has a pretty pair for every day of the week. The bras have firm underbust elastic for support and lined cups for comfort, and the panties have a cotton gusset. takkleberry.co.za ECO-CONSCIOUS Stylish and sustainable The new Philips Eco Conscious Edition range comprises three kitchen appliances in a modern, minimalist style that are made from bio-based plastic: a kettle (R1 099), a coffee maker (R1 469), and a toaster (R1 099). We’ll drink a cup of coffee to that! philips.co.za or home.co.za TRAVEL A GREAT ESCAPE Summer is almost here,…

ACROSS 1. It’s one from Down Under that does the spadework (6) 4. The South, getting the best of it? What a laugh! (6) 9. How hard it is for a mother to join a non-u aunt (7) 10. Goes off in Thespian fashion (5) 11. No graceful person gets dismissed, beyond fifty (4) 12. Worry about a bar some musicians use (4) 13. It may be an even outcome for the four in hand (3) 15. Use one’s eyes, for the sake of one’s appearance (4) 16. Such a hole may be a way to get around the law (4) 19. The ballot box starts under revolutionary nationalisation (3) 21. Variety of eats that may satisfy one to the full (4) 22. First graduate who somehow won academic attire…

ACROSS 1. Legible 5. Recalibrating 11. Employing again 15. Non-com (1,1,1) 16. Hospital ward (1,1,1) 17. TV comedy series 19. Savage 21. Classical language 23. Decelerators 25. Sheriff’s pursuit team 27. Strong current 28. Indiscretion 30. Social misfit 31. Requisitions 32. Chatty person 33. Des Moines’ state 34. Lengthen (4,3) 35. Woo 36. Sluggish 38. Jeers 40. Scoundrels 42. Canoodle 44. Lentil curry 45. About-face (1-4) 46. Beach crustacean 48. Research (4,2) 49. A law … themselves 50. Engrave 51. Least adventurous 52. Drag 53. Insignificant player 54. Revise (article) 55. 12th of foot 56. As a gamble (2,4) 58. Held in contempt 59. Selected 61. Wine fruit 63. Fury 64. Actress, … Thurman 65. Representative 67. Corn bundle 69. Instruct 71. Stares 73. Extent 74. Embed 76. Disclose 78.…

MY mother is hunched over her sewing machine, concentrating furiously. She’s about to turn 90 – or, as my friend Mark calls it, ‘sixty-and-a-half’. ‘That looks lovely,’ I say encouragingly. Always a good thing for the elderly to have a nice hobby, I like to think. ‘Is it an outfit for your party?’ She looks up at me briefly. She manages to pack a whole lot of wither into that look. ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she says. ‘It’s a pair of leathers for the Harley-Davidson.’ Of course it is. For her 90th, my mother’s friend Pete has invited her to join him on his Harley for a ride around the Cape Peninsula. We are not talking about a genteel sidecar here. We’re talking Easy Rider. Jack Nicholson on a hog. My…