End of the month salty crack snacks.

I don’t know about you, but lately I find myself a few days from pay day, wondering where all my money has gone. I don’t consider myself an extravagant person. Mr Price is my go-to label, (Woolworths for when I’m feeling flush), I only watch welfare TV (DSTV when I visit the parentals)  and I can’t remember the last time I went for a facial (thank goodness for The Body Shop’s Tea Tree face mask). And yet the ATM refuses to negotiate or even hear me out when I try to explain that I’m good for it.


It could be my aversion to cooking, expensive underground parking (Rosebank – I’m talking to you) or the fact that I can’t stopping hopping on the Gautrain but let’s put it down to a global financial crisis and focus on the bright side, namely the things feeling po’ has taught me …

1. Just when you think there’s no more toothpaste in the tube, there’s usually enough for a week.
2. The crusty ends of a loaf of bread are delicious toasted and slathered in peanut butter.
3. Expiry dates are for woosies, the milk doesn’t start to smell until at least a week later.
4. RSVP favourably to functions and they’ll probably feed you.
5. Cashing in Clicks Club Points feels like Christmas.
6. Whatsapp is your friend.
7. There’s no shame in using coupons to buy one meal, get one free.
8. Nothing tastes better than half price cocktail hour at The Office in Greenside feels.
9. My friends are extremely generous people.

give a little bit …

While the memory of Madiba day is fading for some, it sure was encouraging to see so much good being done around the country and reinforced my faith in the human race. I hope we can keep it up and remind ourselves to do good deeds more often. It’s great for the soul if nothing else. 

As mentioned, I was invited by The Ntshulisa Foundation to spend the day with children from various orphanages and homes at Orango Tangos – a new children’s indoor play arena in Randburg (and a little slice of heaven for anyone under the age 10.)

Sub editor Natalie Egling, her little girl Willow and I arrived just before 11am and were immediately put to work in the ball pen (not to be confused with a bull pen). As someone not used to hanging out with small humans, it was initially an overwhelming blur of colourful balls, socked feet and cries of excitement.  But children being children, they welcomed us with open arms (quite literally) and soon scrambled to play with us on the indoor soccer field where my ball skills were put to shame. It’s a humbling experience to have little kids laugh at you when you can’t stop their hurtling goals.

After lunch we all sat down with crayons and paper to make birthday cards for Madiba.  Even the little ones who couldn’t have been older than four got stuck into colouring and before I knew it, I was covered in glitter and glue. Such a good look.

 I arrived expecting to feel sad but I left feeling exhausted and exhilarated. It sounds ridiculously corny but spending time with children really does make you see the world in a different way. If grown-ups could greet each other with bear hugs − even if they didn’t speak the same language, if we were all polite and grateful for the simplicity of hotdogs and apples, and if posing for pictures with our friends made us the happiest, the world really would be a better place (cue the choirs and violins).

I caught up Karissa Samuel, the director of The Ntshulisa Foundation, to find out more about the work they do and how we can help more than just once a year.

Describe what the Ntshulisa Foundation does in one sentence?
“We are a network that uses our resources to execute events, workshops and clinics for orphans and underprivileged youth to enrich their lives.”

How often to you organise events and programs for the children?
“I’ve been informally arranging events such as the one you attended since 2002, but when I registered The Ntshulisa Foundation, we took a turn to include a series of more serious events such as offering free dental and optometry clinics as well as self-esteem development workshops.”

Is it a full-time job for you?
“I decided last year that this was far too big to be a part-time project and have been doing this full time since March 2010.”

Do you have a permanent staff of volunteers?
“We have management committees, volunteers and active board members who assist in the running of the organisation as well as the execution of projects and workshops. Currently, we are looking for interns to work within the organisation as we expand.”

How does the TNF Online volunteer community help and what kind of commitment do you require?
“Ideally we uplift not only the children we serve, but also the homes that they live in. The volunteers are individuals (i.e. ordinary concerned citizens) and professionals (i.e. lawyers, doctors, etc) who want to contribute to improving the lives of our adopted children. We have no expectations of volunteers when they register with us. We use our online community to send requests for certain resources as the need arises and should the request resonate with a volunteer, they pledge whatever time or resources they feel comfortable with.

Not all of the children we met are orphans but are from disadvantaged or underprivileged backgrounds – what does that mean?
“We work with both orphaned and vulnerable children, so in this context, this means children who have been abandoned or whose family cannot take care of them. Either their parents have been incarcerated or they are being raised by their grandmothers. They are children who are truly in need of a little bit of love, guidance and support.”

Spending only a few hours with them was exhausting, heart breaking and inspiring. How do you do it? 
“I’ve learnt the hard way that if I truly want to help these kids, I have to overlook emotion and focus on solutions. Uplifting these children out of poverty and giving them a fighting chance at a decent future and a good life is the end goal. If I had to allow myself to feel for every painful story or innocent child who has been hurt, I’m sure that I would do nothing but weep all day! I like to think of myself as tenacious. My mantra when it gets hard is: ‘Passionate hearts committed to a shared vision can achieve the impossible’.”

Have you been able to see the effect your work has on the children and their lives?
“Yes! One of the best aspects about my job is that I get to watch these children grow up and grow into sweet young men and women. An amazing story of change is about our Big Smiles Dental clinic – our volunteer dentist Dr Shania Chetty fixed the four front teeth of a little girl. What Dr Chetty didn’t know was that this little girl had broken her teeth in the same accident that made her an orphan. I received a call from the girl’s principal the following week saying that this little girl who was so shy and never smiled could not stop smiling and was going to be in their local school production. A moment like that is what makes everything worth it!”

To learn more about The Ntshulisa Foundation or to sign up as a volunteer go to www.Ntshulisa.co.za. Their new site www.tnf.org.za will be up soon.

67 minutes – not just a great title for a movie

I am embarrassed. No. strike that – I’m ashamed, mortified even, that it’s been a month since my last post. Forgive me.

At first it was because I had nothing nice to say (which is when conventional wisdom advises you to shut the hell up) and then it was because I had too much to say, and let’s be honest, no one likes a chatterbox.

When in doubt, keep it simple stupid, so here are my ten cents for the week:  find the good.

Lately I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the all the doom in the gloom. Perhaps you’ve felt it too? There’s no need to go into detail but a glimpse of the newspapers or daily bulletins pretty much confirms there’s a lot of suffering in a country that feels miles away from the one that was still on a World Cup high this time last year.

But every time I feel myself wallowing in a ‘people are poop’ mentality I stumble across South Africans shuffling and hustling to do better, be better and help others along the way.

With Mandela Day just around the corner it seems silly not to jump on the hopeful bandwagon and spare a meager 67 minutes to help someone else in honour of Madiba’s 93rd birthday on Monday 18 July.

As I write this, an email has just appeared in my inbox inviting me to spend Sunday morning with orphaned and vulnerable children at Orango Tangos in Randburg. One google hit of the place and I’m sold. Children, jungle gyms, party packs – what’s not to love?

Check back next week when I update you on my day of sugar highs, monkey bars and 100 kids. In the meantime let me know if you have anything planned and if you need help. I’ll be sure to spread the word via Twitter @CLEO_SA and Facebook CLEO S.A.

How to save a life

You know those heart-wrenching Grey’s Anatomy-type episodes where some little girl needs a bone marrow transplant for a fighting chance to beat leukemia and then, just when you’re doing the ugly cry in your pajamas with a tub of ice-cream, they find a match?  Someone living across the country is a compatible donor and saves the day all because they have the same tissue type. More tears are shed, The Fray plays in the background, credits roll and the world feels right again.

While real life doesn’t always work out this well, The Sunflower Fund is an organisation doing their darndest to give South Africans suffering from life threatening blood disorders the same happy ending. 

You’ve probably seen the ads, perhaps even bought a bandana but do you know what it means to be a bone marrow donor? I didn’t either. Not until I squeezed myself into my sister’s beautiful black ball gown and headed to the Sandton Sun for The Sunflower Fund’s annual charity ball.

Expecting something out of Gossip Girl, I was slightly disappointed to see Jeremy Mansfields where Chace Crawfords should be. I was however glad to see the big man looking healthy and happy with his slinky wife Jacqui by his side. (He is reportedly in remission from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia after being diagnosed in 2009).

After champagne and photos, I found myself at the cool table with our Health & Beauty ed Pippa, her man Paul, Fuzz our photographer and Tameron and Jared Carneson. Jared is The Sunflower Fund’s Gauteng PR manager and the reason we were there. Shortly after his gracious thank you speech and starters, tape rolled and we all turned to watch the big screens on either side of the stage. There’s nothing like Mariah Carey’s Hero set to images of survivors and some who weren’t as lucky to get a stiff audience of black ties and ruffles all chocked up.

I can’t reach Mariah’s high notes, and I’m not one for sermons or sentiment so here are the facts:
• The South African Bone Marrow Registry receives no government funding. 
• It costs R1000 to tissue type each donor’s blood sample. 
• Even though they have a respectable 63 000 donors, they are in desperate need of more and those from all ethnic backgrounds.
 • Although sufferers of leukemia and other blood disorders may be able to find a bone marrow/stem cell match in a sibling, 75% of patients will not.

I could go on, but I won’t.  All it takes is a phone call and two teaspoons of your blood to be a registered donor. There are thousands of reasons to do it and only a few not to (being scared of needles does not count).

A few reasons to do it:
• What if it was you who needed the match?
• What if someone you love needed the match?
• You could be someone’s super hero.

Okay so sentiment crept in ever so slightly. Forgive me.

To learn more about The Sunflower Fund and how to help, go to Sunflowerfund.org.za 

To become a donor, call 0800 12 10 82

Shoes to die for

Ever noticed how unbelievably hard it is to look chic when it’s freezing outside? Last night I resisted the temptation to bundle up in an unflattering tracksuit and threw on a blazer and scarf to attend The Shoe Affair at the Edgars in Melrose Arch. A for effort.

As it happened, I needn’t have worried about the cold as the massive flagship store was hub of excitement and energy that warmed up the place faster than an incinerator. Why? Because all of the fashionable people came out to celebrate international shoe brands like bebe, Nina Roche, Aldo, Badgley Mischka and L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stefani to name a few, becoming available at that Edgars.
Sure, a pair of some of the adored shoes costs about as much as my rent, which is where an Edgars card comes in handy. (I’ve resisted thus far but eyeing out a pair of shearling-trimmed ankle boots from Gwen’s line has me reconsidering).

Edgars has however sweetened the deal for those customers who purchase shoes from the designer labels in the form of giveaways and vouchers as well as luxury foot treatments from the likes of Molton Brown, Crabtree & Evelyn, Clarins and more over the next five weeks.
What I loved, even more than the shoes (may Carrie Bradshaw strike me down), were the dramatic photos taken by 10 local photographers who worked with stylists to illustrate the concept of a shoe affair. This is the part where I boast that many of the talented snappers have shot for CLEO and deserve a shout out. Congrats to Pieter Vosloo, Warren van Rensburg, Fiona Royds and Ross Garrett for capturing some of the beautiful images that were auctioned off last night to benefit the SOS Children’s Villages.

Many of the guests also donated their ‘pre-owned’ heels to Jo-Ann Strauss’s The Princess Project which helps girls who can’t afford to drop loads of cash on their Matric dance outfits, feel like Cinderella for a night. The collection point lingers on so be sure to drop off any evening shoes you no longer wear. I think that’s what they call fashion with feeling …

Hello Cape Town, gimme some sugar

This time last week I was enjoying the surprisingly warm Cape Town weather, wearing far too many layers and feeling incredibly insecure about reeking of Jo’burg. Nevertheless, I embraced the fact that I was out of the office and getting to spend time with colleagues I’ve only spoken to over the phone. There to do ‘business’, I soon realised the flaw in my plan.

Friday meetings are always touch and go, even more so in Cape Town when the sun is shining. With one no show and one cancellation I still made two meetings, one of which was at a hip bistro in town called Hemelhuijs (meaning ‘house of joy’ in Dutch).

Despite the black walls, the small space was light and airy thanks to lots of glass and clever lighting. The brainchild of ‘food artist’ Jacques Erasmus, it manages to be cosy and cool at the same time. Even the reindeer mounted on the wall seemed happy to be there. Lunch was potato wedges and slow cooked lamb pie with coriander yoghurt served in a bowl – tricky to eat but delicious all the same. Then jasmine tea, served in a charcoal tea pot, designed by Jacques himself and on sale for a small fortune as part of his crockery collection.

If you haven’t already, book yourself a table on 021 418 2042 or find Hemelhuijs at 71 Waterkant Street, Cape Town.

Later that afternoon I was dropped at the Protea Fire & Ice! Hotel and given the keys to the executive suite. Bigger than my flat, it had an open plan kitchenette/dining room/lounge with stairs leading up to the bedroom a.k.a. my idea of heaven. A large inviting bed faced a flat screen TV with a spacious shower off to the left which, I later learnt had a great view of the television so the only time I missed a moment of the several flicks I watched on the M-Net Movie channels was when I got shampoo in my eyes.

Figuring I should be at least pretend to be social, I got dressed, dried my hair and dug around my bag for a smack of lipgloss and bravely made my way to the hotel bar for one of their famous milkshakes. Sitting alone with the newspaper I ordered the peppermint crisp variety and pretended to be foreign and worldly. The slurping probably gave me away but the shake was so delicious I didn’t care.

Check in at the corner of New Church & Victoria Street, Tamboerskloof or call them at 021 488 2555.

Saturday I stumbled across what has to be my new favourite store The Wellness Warehouse on Kloof Street. It’s probably a good thing they don’t have any branches in Jozi because two hours later I was still there, filling my basket with all kinds of detoxing teas, eco-friendly kitchen wipes, essential oils and incense. They sell everything from natural and organic beauty products and candles to wheat free food stuffs and vegan dog treats. They also house the WellCafè where you can order all kinds of healthy treats.

Check out Wellnesswarehouse.com to get a better idea of what I’m going on about.

 

After spending the rest of the day at the V&A Waterfront it was time to investigate the Bombay Bicycle Club – the restaurant, not the band. It sits at the top of Kloof Street and is hard to miss. A big twinking ‘SKLOLLYWOOD’ sign adorns the roof while a colourful little caravan sits outside, selling mad accessories and props. The offspring of Madam Zingara, the restaurant appears to be an old house with kooky kitsch décor that immediately made my heart burst with happiness. After the charming hostess Jo, who came with a British accent, angel wings and long furry tail, led us to a table upstairs, our waitress – a beautiful girl with translucent skin and a red pout named Amy, suddenly appeared and the rest if the evening followed in similarly magical vein. We dined on Kataifi Prawns served with an apricot sweet chili dressing, beef fillet medallions drenched in a rich chili chocolate sauce and a decadent Malva pudding. Afterwards Jo conjured up two flutes of Patrón − the perfect end to a perfect evening.

Check out TheBombay.co.za , call them on 021 423 6805 or pop by 158 Kloof Street, Gardens.

 
Thanks for having me Cape Town. Let’s do it again sometime.
xoxo

Revenge of the nerds

Natalie Pool

Hi, my name is Natalie and I’m a TV addict. Name an obscure episode of a random show and I’ve probably seen it. Twice. My Friends boxset is the most valuable thing I own and I’ve worked my way through all ten seasons – including extras and bloopers, at least four times. When most people are out clubbing, I’m at Look & Listen looking for series on sale. Take2.co.za is my preferred porn site and where I’ve spent hours trawling for discounts, special offers and imported series. Some might see this as a problem but I like to think of it as my passion – like horse riding, painting or poker.

This year alone I have worked my way through 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Scrubs (for the third time), The IT Crowd, Mad Men, Glee and Modern Family to name a few. I often have to stop myself from talking about the characters as real people lest my friends stage an intervention. And I’ve had many a dream where I walk the halls of Seattle Grace as a member of Grey’s Anatomy or am the next long lost sibling in Brothers & Sisters.
Lately I’ve found myself drawn to the geeky guys (gee, what a shocker) so thought I’d share some of my most lovable TV nerds with you (if you know of any others, please let me know so I can add to my addiction).

Chuck Bartowski from Chuck
A member of The Nerd Herd by day and a super spy by night, Chuck (Zach Levi) has all the Clark Kent/Superman qualities a girl is looking for: floppy brown hair, a big heart and the love of a shoe named Converse.

Ross from Friends
Everyone’s favourite paleontologist has his whiny moments but by the end of the series Ross (David Schwimmer) has found a haircut that suits him (and doesn’t require bucket-loads of gel) and has manned up enough to fight for the one he loves. And what girl doesn’t want that?

Roy & Moss from the IT Crowd
My love for the IT guys (Chris O'Dowd and Richard Ayoade)of Reynholm Industries doesn’t stem from any kind of lust but rather from the fact that I’ve known guys just like them and the fact that they’re so terminally uncool actually makes them awesome. Thanks to them, geek-speak slogan tees, Dungeons and Dragons and bumper stickers are back in the game.

JD from Scrubs
Not a lot of guys would be so open about their love of Appletinis, onsie pajamas and a best bal named Brown Bear (a.k.a. Turk) but John Dorian (Zach Braff) is in touch with his sensitive side which makes for a great doctor and bestie (as for a boyfriend, he’d probably drive us insane).

George Michael from Arrested Development
Going through puberty is hard enough. Doing it when you share the name of singer who gained fame for being in Wham! and bathroom cubicles is even harder. Add that to being a part of America’s most dysfunctional family and in love with his cousin, George Michael (Michael Cera) is so nerdy he’ll probably grow up to be the smart, rich guy who gets all the girls.