Fairlady January 2020

1. This year I’m aiming to do a handstand. Not sure why that’s so daunting, but it is! And in terms of South Africa: not to sound like an Avengers movie, but I’m hoping to see consequence and closure. I think we need that before we can all move on. – Suzy 2. I’m resolving to endure the cold waters of Kommetjie every morning before work, come rain or shine (so far so good!); to cook new dishes I’ve never considered before (perhaps bake cakes that have seemed a bit too over the top); and to finally get my lemon tree to bear more fruit. It’s the simple things, I suppose. And I hope that in South Africa, the crime stats reduce drastically – that women and children can feel…

WINNING LETTER Timeless Jane I’ve loved Jane Fonda ever since I saw her in Coming Home. It really spoke to me, because in the 1970s I had been working as a volunteer nurse’s assistant at a US hospital for veterans in the Chicago area. In the film, Jane portrays Sally Bender, the subservient, stay-at-home wife of a career army soldier. When he goes to Vietnam, she decides to volunteer at the veterans’ hospital to occupy her time. There she meets an old high school classmate (played by Jon Voight), who is a bitter paraplegic but soon-to-be anti-war activist. With his attention and emotional maturity, Sally blossoms into a beautiful, confident hippie. As your November 2019 article [Graceful & Frank] indicates, Jane is now 81 years old, albeit still healthy and…

Celltone Skin Care is a unique range of products that taps into one of nature’s most beautiful secrets: snail gel extract. Celltone’s innovative skincare products leave your skin looking and feeling radiant because of the snail gel’s ability to drastically reduce the appearance of scars, marks and wrinkles – so you can be your most beautiful self whatever your age! HAMPER INCLUDES: Celltone Gel, Celltone Tissue Oil, Collagen Night and Day Serum, Brightening Day and Night Cream and Wash. INSTAGRAM: @celltonesa FACEBOOK: CelltoneSkinCare WEBSITE: celltone.co.za…

Bad restaurant reviews Most people turn to the Mark Twains and Charles Dickenses of the world when they need a bit of writing inspiration. Not me. I read negative restaurant reviews – the more scathing, the better. The ability to convey pure disgust and disappointment in the Queen’s English is something I truly admire. My favourite critic, The Guardian’s Jay Rayner, writes with the type of acerbic wit that almost brings tears to your eyes. He once famously wrote that the dining room of gourmet palace Le Cinq, in Paris, was ‘a broad space of high ceilings and coving, with thick carpets to muffle the screams’, and that it was decorated in ‘various shades of taupe, biscuit and f**k you’. When describing a starter of gratinated onions, he wrote: ‘It…

In my quest for products for my sensitive skin, I discovered Eucerin Sun Crème Sensitive Protect – and I haven’t looked back. It has a light, creamy texture and doesn’t leave a white residue like other sunscreens. I love how kind it is to my dry, dull skin; it has a high SPF of 50+, and is water-resistant and fragrance-free. I use the product as an everyday face moisturiser – not only does it protect my skin against sunburn, it’s also helped get rid of my pigmentation spots. With summer in full swing, this is a must-have. R239 at Clicks. – Sima…

RIO LARGO BRENDA AND NICK WILKINSON STARTUP COSTS: ‘We had enough capital to buy the farm and the new processing plant.’ TURNOVER: ‘We’ve been profitable from day one and the business has tripled in size in nine years.’ ‘How’s this for serendipity? Nick’s doctor had told him to include more olive oil in his diet at the time Rio Largo Olive Estate was on the market!’ When Nick and Brenda Wilkinson started looking for a farm to buy in 2010, it was love at first sight. And looking at the sprawling grounds, creeping vines and abundant bougainvillea growing alongside the road, it’s not hard to see the appeal of Worcester farm Rio Largo. Their olive oil has since won several prestigious awards around the world, including a Best in Class…