2 Weeks to 2010 World Cup in S.A.

The Facts:

1. I have been to 3 live soccer matches in my life. Loved all of them. Even though I'm not a football fan, I enjoy the energy. Vuvuzelas/ war cries / waves and all.
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2. I don't have tickets to any games in the 2010 World Cup - but I'm not complaining! I have high hopes that the fan parks will make it alright!
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3. This pair earrings is the only item I own with my country flag. Am I unpatriotic, or do I know exactly where I am from ?
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4. An African country/ team will make it into the finals!

Smile of the day

Quick one - Got a mention from one of my fav bloggers, ( she is also fashion editor / stylist / fashion geek and more) and is also currently my mentor and boss. 

I have so much respect for this lady; so much so, I wish I had met her many moons ago. In the few weeks that I have known her, not a day goes by in her presence that I am not left feeling empowered, inspired and with a lot more understanding of life, style, beauty, self awareness, positivity and just how amazing life can be. 


So it is not hard to imagine how exciting it is for me to get a style nod from her! 

Thanks Robyn

Long, never lost, Street of endless possibilities

Originally published May 2008 for Smirnoff Experience

I love Cape Town. Even before I started this trip I knew that it was and always will be my favourite city. It is a city of endless wonders and possibilities, a genuine mini Europe in Africa theme park. It has everything I need, fun loving, friendly and vibrant people of all races, colours and creeds. Germans, French, English, Greek, Italians, Americans, Dutch, Asian alongside the already full cultural pallet South Africa has to offer. It is full of life, full of colour and full of energy. It is as if so much is squeezed out of nature to make it what it is - between the sea with its beautiful beaches and Table Mountain, with its one and only views, nature reserves and scenic walkabout routes – Cape Town is amazing.

The Kaap has its unique little quirks, such as rikkis, a safe and fun, mode of transport with super nice drivers and a great way to meet people as they work on a share ride system.





The best place for me and a place to experience most of what Cape Town is about is the city bowl, or the city centre. More specifically within the city bowl that long straight nerve of pleasure, Long Street… which I just luuuurve.

There are a multitude of great picturesque bars, clubs and lounges for exciting nightlife and socializing platforms. One of which is Miam Miam; a scene straight out of Miami with palm trees and beautiful people. The access alley is reminiscent of some backstreet with rough walls and an uneven cobbled surface underfoot. Zula Sound Bar; ever a favorite for a more eclectic mix of world sounds brought home by their similarity to the heart music that artists like Teba bring forth almost every night on the small, but powerful, stage inside.

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The music scene on Long street is varied and intriguing, serious bleeping electro sounds of Berlin right next door to some heavy New York hip hop battling it out with some Caribbean riddims across the street nestled against the more sedate sounds of sophisticated Afro jazz just three doors down. Talk about spoilt for choice and who wouldn’t like to be spoilt ;-)



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Shopping is another pastime that can be fully explored on Long Street without necessarily visiting the generic super mall near the harbor. *You know which one* Fresh designers sit in mini boutiques delicately a little Paris, Milan, LA and of course Cape Town. Fantastic little finds like MeMeMe, Misfit, Milk, a real style mmmmm, and so much more! The rather grand cherry on top is the vintage emporium Never on a Sunday, where a nifty 50’s pencil skirt will be paired with a neon 80’s ruffled blouse wrapped in a slim cut denim jacket. If only they had my African size in mind in the 50’s. Cool little antiques can be found on a small side street branching off called Church Street. Broaches, musty books and real sterling silver teaspoons all lie lazily on crocheted table tops waiting for a keen eyed buyer to pluck them up and give them a second life. The Pan African Market brings all of the African continent’s art works and styles under one roof. Masks, baskets, toys, cloths, recycled materials, music, an art gallery and the offices of well known magazine called Chimurenga, await you in this three storey building epitomizing Africa. Take your time, for Africa cannot be conquered in a day!



Hungry after all that shopping and music and life? Just past Long Street Café with its French Bistro look is the infamous Cafe Mojito with its great, well... mojitos. and right next door to Khaya Nyama, a carnivore’s delight, you will find the king of burgers; Royale Eatery.

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Royale’s king sized burgers have a queen sized taste and are available for less then a princely sum and are sure to leave you feeling like a well fed Cape princess. The ambiance is relaxed and gives you time to take in some of the local artworks on the clean white walls for the Eatery.

I’ll tell you a secret! If you want something more intimate, ask about the Kitchen, and up a flight of stairs you go, to an intimate space with old musical instruments on the walls and soft jazz on the hidden record player, a “mini Royal” with a smaller menu and quieter setting. It gets better, say you want a really super night of good music, great cocktails and superior lounging, up another flight of stairs and voila! The Waiting room, with two bars, a small VIP room and a smallish out doors deck offering a great view along the length of Long Street your night would be complete. But you would be able to see Marvel Street Bar across the way and Fiction Sound Bar on the next corner and the temptation is always too much.



Feeling sleepy by now I am sure, you will find sexy little boutique hotels like The Grand Daddy - The world's only roof top trailer park which is a real gem that HAS to be experienced, especially because none of the rooms are alike, all having being designed by local artists. There are also quite a few backpackers, for those of us on a budget, if you don’t care for luxury and want to meet the rest of the world also visiting the Cape.

Something all the little nooks and crannies of Long Street have in common are the welcoming smiles and genuine warmth of people living or working there.

A long street filled with almost everything I love; food, drinks, clothing and accessories, a fantastic view of Table Mountain, people and whole lot more sights and sounds. It is really a place of endless possibilities and an experience all year round. There is no place like it.

Storegasm: Stefania Morland

The day is beautiful, Kloof street is full of its usual vibrance and palettable energy! The dresses are bright, the shirts crisp and colourful, short shorts and even shorter skirts on the boys and girls parading the street as if at any moment cameras will start flashing and poses will be assumed for the perfect ‘vogue’ moment to be captured.

Topless ‘artists’ relax on their street facing balconies, fashionistas with their oversized shades and handbags glide from shop to shop, café’s overflowing with the cool kids and their macs and designer coffees, lunchers in business suits and cellphones attached to their heads gobbling up the scrumptiousness on their plates, students on their smoke breaks people watching, the odd bergie mozy-ing along, life is good and I am on a mission to find the gorgeousness that will adorn Terry Pheto on the shoot for August issue of O mag.

It is my first week as the Fashion Intern at the magazine and Luisa (Fashion Assistant) is imparting as many tidbits, facts and opinions on fashion as she can with each flowing step as we walk towards yet another beautiful shop filled with everything a girl could not do without, then it happens.

Unassuming white exterior wall with a subtle yet grand name out on the front, I step into the room; suddenly everything is still in the world, I float, my body is tingling, my toes curl and a long and burning sigh escapes – I experience my first STOREGASM.

Thanks to Stefania Morland store, I was in heaven on earth. High-end fashion at its best, space filled with luxurious, creative and unique designs that remind you about the magnificence of life. I wanted to touch everything; soft fabrics, rich colour, beauty and style, garments that work with the body and the soul – everything whispered sweet nothings in my ear. I am in love.

I wonder how many more storegasms I can take. This job requires a lot of stamina in that regard, but there is nothing better than experiencing life's beauty daily :)

Interesting People

I don't know who they are

I was sitting at Mojitoes on Long street on a beautiful Friday afternoon and they happened to walk past and catch my eye... Made me smile.

I like the way she cut her hair! It's not anything new, but she worked it and made it hers. Her whole outfit was a conversation. Stylish because she was communicating not just making a statement. (Don't ask me what the difference is)

So light and breezy. Loved it.

Perfect outfit for a Mojitoes vibe

Where did Mojo go?

I should be happy. I should be excited about life. I should know what I'm doing by now! For heavens sake, where did Akona's mojo go?

I live in an incredibly beautiful and interesting city; Cape Town, in a nice little apartment with a gorgeous view of the grand Table Mountain. I just started interning at O Magazine, forget that it is an unpaid internship, the opportunity is priceless. I have a wonderful family, albeit in JHB, so I miss them a lot. I have fun, complex, beautiful friends, yet I'm hibernating and avoiding most of them because my mojo is avoiding me and I feel a lot less interesting and dark at the moment. I believe in spreading light and keeping darkness to myself instead of infecting others. (One day I will learn how to ask for help, just not right now)

Moving to Cape Town was for a reason. A reason that I though was solid at the time. I had a plan, vague, but a plan nonetheless: I was going to let whatever creativity I thought I had inside of me become unchained and let the results flourish and soar! Where better to do in that than in Cape Town, I asked myself? It was an impulsive move; searched online for a place and a job. Found both. Took my savings and poured them into paying for deposit and rent on my sweet apartment, getting to the fair Cape with my belongings. All this within a time span of 2 weeks. I got a job in advertising (below the line, so not really advertising), I liked for about 2 minutes, but stayed for 7 months with the agency, quit on a whim without a plan just followed my wonky instincts. Now, going for broke, loving O mag, trying to get my old car from Joburg to CT so that I can actually be productive in the job of a fashion intern, doing a lifestyle report on Sentle's show on Metrofm on Saturdays (quick run down of CT lifestyle events), trying to be creative and believing in myself, failing miserably at remembering what it is I actually want to do with my life and overall feeling very sorry for myself. This is not good.

Where did mojo go and when will he be back? What is my purpose? When will I dream again?

Screaming on the inside. Feeling broken.

O Mag Fashion Intern

Ladies and gentlemen, please look under your seats….. taa daa, O Magazine’s new fashion intern!!!!

So I’ve changed my mind about advertising and on the mission to find what it is I’d really like to do, first step; try something new!

Thanks to an amazing and inspiring woman, Robyn,for the next 3 months I will be interning at O magazine, working with Robyn Cooke (O mag Fashion Editor) and her assistant (ex intern) Luisa Rodriguez.

Dynamic duo they are, with a love for fashion and communication – the next 3 months are going to be great. The first week was fantastic, although I had moments of feeling absolutely clueless, which I guess is okay because I am here to learn, and learn I will.

So far I’m learning about the ins and outs of making the fashion pages of O mag come to life, behind the scenes, relationship management with suppliers/clients/designers, what style and fashion really is and so much more. Fashion ignorance will be a thing of the past for me.

I will share more as each week passes, for now, wish me luck!

Check out Robyn's blog for everything style, fashion and creativity! www.styleguidecapetown.blogspot.com