Fairlady June 2020

we were in lockdown and working from home when we heard that Associated Media Publishing had closed their doors and Caxton their magazine division. It rattled all of us to the core, not only because many of our friends and colleagues have lost their jobs, but also because the closures have consequences for magazines in general. There is no other way for us to beat the curve than to increase our cover price. Historically, the cost of producing magazines has been split between the money generated by advertising and that generated by the cover price. But the advertising industry – and the products advertised – are in as much turmoil as anyone else, so that side of the equation is seriously under threat. Which means we really have no alternative…

DMA’s version of Cher’s ‘Believe’ I’ve got this on repeat. Exquisite voice, beautiful version – less histrionic than Cher’s, but somehow much more moving. I think it’s gorgeous. Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford This isn’t a new series – the first book, Dark of the Moon, was published in 2007, and there have been 11 since: one a year. Virgil is not your usual tortured detective – he may work for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, but he’s actually a laid-back fisherman with a weakness for women. He’s also an excellent gossip… not so much holding his cards close to his chest as flinging them about. He’s fun, and the series was a wonderful lockdown companion. Swedish chocolate balls Just in case you didn’t put on enough ‘condition’…

WINNING LETTER FERMENTALLY FRAZZLED Your six great films for wine-lovers staying at home on the Wine Page of the May issue titillated the taste buds. Add to that the celebration of International Sauvignon Blanc Day on 1 May and there’s every reason for spirits to be lifted. But not so with the sobering reality that many South Africans are ‘fermentally’ frazzled while in imposed rehab where the sale of alcohol and cigarettes are banned. The UN Human Rights Office has reproached SA for creating a ‘toxic lockdown culture’. It seems more people are being arrested than infected during the Covid-19 crisis. We’ve incurred a loss of R1,6 billion in tax revenue in April alone due to the ban on alcohol and cigarettes. Yet the powers that be refuse to budge.…

Save time and money with the only 8 litre multi-cooker available in South Africa. Ideal for large families and batch cooking to save and freeze, the Instant Pot combines seven kitchen appliances in one: a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, food warmer and yoghurt maker. You can make healthy, delicious meals up to three times faster than regular cooking methods. Join the Instant Pot community at instantpot.co.za to share tips, recipes and more. Hamper contains: An 8L Instant Pot® Duo.…

Chewy sugar cookies I know some people will be horrified by this, but I really don’t like crispy or crunchy biscuits. Sorry, I just can’t stand the thought of chipping a tooth during teatime! After tinkering with this recipe for a bit, it now produces the best, chewiest cookies ever. Keep in mind that less is more – the classic vanilla flavour means you’ll never get bored of these teatime treats. But also, more is more: be warned, this recipe makes about 65 cookies! 2¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1¼ cups butter at room temperature 2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract ¼ cup white sugar, for rolling the dough in 1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking…

When I met Reese for 2001’s Legally Blonde (a movie that still holds up), she was playing someone dismissed as, well, blonde, but who challenges the status quo, forcing the world to acknowledge her abilities. This has been the theme of her own life. During that interview, she shocked the press corps by matter-of-factly advocating therapy if a couple or an individual were to find themselves in need of it. No sensationalism, just – if you need it, get help… The same straight line from A to Z is exhibited in her career – there’s no drama. This mother of three sets a goal, and executes. It was clear even then that she was not your typical starlet, but the driver of her own destiny. Her media company, Hello Sunshine,…