Fairlady November - December 2021

Richard Holmes’s envy-inducing story about barging an inland waterway in France reminded me just how lovely it is to go to a foreign country where everything is different: the language, the food, the culture. Since the pandemic hit we’ve been travelling around South Africa instead. I’ve been to places I wouldn’t have thought of visiting before, and it’s been a joy: this is a beautiful, fascinating country, and the people are warmer and funnier than anywhere else I’ve ever been. But I think there’s probably a huge benefit in immersing yourself in another country for a while, somewhere where you don’t quite understand the nuances or pick up on all the undercurrents: your mind switches off. As the saying goes, it’s not your circus, not your monkeys – and we…

These super-comfy boots saved me in winter, and I’m still wearing them in summer. The cleated soles are much more flexible than they look, and the leather is beautifully soft. Entirely local, they’re made to order. Go to freestylesa.co.za – the whole range is gorgeous. Chef Mynhardt’s legendary annual Christmas cake Every year, Chef Mynhardt Joubert bakes the best Christmas cake you’ll ever eat. Based on an heirloom recipe that he’s also very willing to share, his Festive Fruitcake Charity Drive is sponsored by KWV, Moir’s, Montagu, President and Sasko, and is now in its sixth year. This time the proceeds go to Butterfly House in the Drakenstein area and Helpende Handjies in Montagu: both run feeding schemes for children. Order a 2 kg cake (R450) from mynhardt.co.za or WhatsApp…

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WINNING LETTER WALKING TO HAPPINESS I can so relate to your editorial in the September/October 2021 edition. For me, too, early-morning walks have become a sanctuary. At the beginning of 2020 I was rather voluptuously corpulent, but happy with the way my life was going. I had big plans for my tourism business. Then the pandemic hit and the rug was pulled out from under me. After that, the depression hit. Predictions were that things wouldn’t be normal until mid-2021 (little did we know). I started to panic, as there was no way I could survive financially until then. I had to sell my car and cancel my medical aid. So I started a personal mission: I ate only two meals a day, breakfast and lunch. My evening end-ulgence was…

Making tasty, healthy meals at home became so easier with the arrival of the airfryer about 10 years ago. Now, with a Philips Essential XL Connected airfryer and the Philips NutriU app, you can prepare a delicious meal mainly from the comfort of your couch! Just choose a recipe on the app, based on your ingredients, the prep time, the meal type, and your taste and diet, and send it to the airfryer. Then you can relax and monitor the progress of your meal on your cellphone. The app will guide you every step of the way so you can prepare dishes that you and your family love every day. Fry. Bake. Grill. Roast. Reheat. And now Connected! The NutriU app is available on Google Play and the App Store.…

Local souvenirs I am a big believer in bringing home mementoes whenever we go away somewhere, just to extend the experience for a bit. This time, it was no more than a day trip to Babylonstoren, but I finally managed to track down their apothecary-style shop (that farm is big) and came home loaded with loot. Having tried all the scents, I would have to say that the orange blossom range is my favourite by far, especially now that summer is on its way. The hand and body wash is nourishing, lathers nicely and that scent… The delicate white flowers of the orange tree bloom and their zesty-sweet fragrance instantly conjures up warm summer days. The range also features soap, room spray, a candle, a diffuser, and a hand and…