Sean Fraser who has written several travel and guide books, has just published one which covers Johannesburg, Soweto, Pretoria and surrounds. I have not seen it yet so am looking forward to browsing through it.  I still think that Nechama Brodie’s book on Johannesburg : The Joburg Book published in 2008, is excellent. For more [...]

Southern Sun recently bought The Grace hotel  in Rosebank  for R85m.  They are planning to do major refurbishments to the 73 room hotel and turning it into a boutique hotel targeting corporates, but with an intimate feel.  Southern Sun managing director Graham Wood said it will be Southern Sun’s first “boutique deluxe” in Johannesburg. This will be [...]

Ghandi’s philosphy of Satyagraha (non-violent non-cooperation) was born in South Africa and more specifically in what was then the Transvaal, in the first decade of the 20th Century.  Ghandi arrived in Johannebsurg in 1893 and stayed at various places during the 12 years he was in Johannesburg. For more on this see Eric Itzkin’s excellent book [...]

Yesterday Boekehuis hosted Mark Gevisser, Mbeki’s biographer, in conversation with Fiona Forde, Malema’s biographer. Mark engaged Fiona to expand on some of the issues raised in her biography of Malema: ‘An Inconvenient Youth’. An informed, informative, measured and fascinating interchange followed. Forde’s take is that it is not over till the fat man sings, (my label [...]

The nationwide winners of the 2011 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards were announced last night. Congratulations to 3 restaurants in the Parks Region who scooped awards. -

Best steakhouse countrywide: The Local Grill Parktown North
The City Press ViP Sunday Breakfast Award: The Salvation Cafe 44 Stanley Ave
no 7 in Best Restaurants nationwide [...]

Laurice Taitz is one of Jozi’s champions, particularly of the inner city.  Here she writes about some of the public artworks among the 50 odd sites around Johannesburg.  Her anecdote about a man coming up to her near Diagonal Street and begging her to take him to America,  speaks volumes.  His assumption that she must be American [...]

Candlelight shopping Parkhurst : The outdoor shopping event Jozi looks forward to every year: Parkhurst 4th Avenue’s Candlelight Shopping. Enjoy 2 evenings of late night dining and Christmas shopping on Thursday November 24 and Thursday December 1  from 5pm to 10pm.
Parkview Charity Christmas Market The 2011 Christmas Market at the George Hay Park, Parkview (opposite [...]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A collaborative exhibition of  lighting designs by Adam Hoets of Willowlamp and abstract paintings by contemporary abstract artist Caro Allum runs from 18th—20th November at  Arts on Main – opening night Friday 18th November. The two artists’ work  – Hoets’  designs inspired by his study of nature and sacred geometry, and Caro’s bold abstractions, promise to be a powerful, daring and [...]

Have posted before on what is new and happening in Braamfontein. The ‘Renaissance’ includes: the Neighbourhood Goods Market , the South Point building refurbishments for urban accommodation (sorely needed for Wits students), and the public art,  starting with Van den Berg’s iconic Eland marking the entry into Braamies from the north and including the quirky metal trees [...]

Another excellent review for Liz at Lancaster on Tripadvisor the influential international travel site. See http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g312578-d574068-Reviews-Liz_at_Lancaster_Guesthouse-Johannesburg_Johannesburg_Gauteng.html