South Africa featured in WallPaper (again)
Once you’ve paged through all 17 pages of adverts that open this month’s edition of Wallpaper (such is the life of a print magazine – at least they’re sexy ads) and hit the introduction to the November feature – 200 Terrific Reasons to visit 10 countries – you’ll be delighted to see South Africa in there with the other 9 hipster countries to visit. Summed up by the mag as ‘The regenerators, rooms with a view and the World Cup’s design legacy: With a successful World Cup on its CV, South Africa has a spring in its step. There’s a can-do attitude that is seeing once-edgy neighbourhoods transformed, infrastructure laid down and national spaces created.” The 20 (design) reasons to visit SA mention some of Represents friends (we know the ous babies!) including Gallery Momo, always inimitable Black Coffee and future-forward LoveJozi. Go on, buy it and keep it in a place of...
Photo-Story: Soweto’s Holiday Inn
The bonus of hosting overseas visitors is that we get to do the tourist thing in our own country. And then we share it with you Representers! Editorista popped off to Walter Sisulu Square to show some foreign friends around and was delighted to visit the BRAND NEW four star Holiday Inn Soweto. It’s so new the only guests were workers and interior-design looking types doing final touches. Good job to them, the decor is fantastic – a wonderful blend of local flavour and contemporary chic. Click HERE to go to our PHOTO-Story. We were lucky enough to get a tour from the highly informative and very friendly Jeffreys who made us feel right at home. The hotel lines the “Russianesque” Walter Sisulu Freedom Square, with rooms facing into it featuring glorious sized balconies (we can just imagine New Year there!) or the other way out onto the bustling Union Street that captures the authentic Sowetan spirit. There is so much to see and do in and around the HUGE square including the superbly put together Kliptown Open Air Museum that takes us back to the 50s and the drawing up of the Freedom Charter – very emotional but very important. All that was missing were lots of open-air restaurants, pubs and meeting places although we are sure they are on the cards. Events organisers take note, for your next imbizo, exec gathering, premium brand launch or medium size dinner, BOOK it at the Holiday Inn Freedom Square for something different and memorable. The hotel boasts 46 luxury rooms, we got to see the twin, double and presidential suite, all gorgeously decked out and appealling … from R1500 up, they are well worth it. WE CANNOT RECOMMEND A VISIT TO WALTER SISULU SQUARE MORE HIGHLY – GO GO...
ABSEIL DOWN PONTE next weekend
Oh yes, developers continue to put their money where their mouths are and the iconic Ponte City Towers is being revamped and sold off as part of the ongoing urban regeneration in Jozi. You, yes you, have the chance to abseil or rap jump down the 173m2 high building. What can we say? Rather you than us…. we’re a little scared of heights but it sounds like a remarkable marketing idea. Enjoy! The Johannesburg Development Agency and Investagain property developers would like to invite you to a once in a lifetime opportunity to abseil or ‘rap jump’ down the side of the tallest residential building in the southern Hemisphere!. On Saturday October 13th, 2007, from 10h00-17h00, you will have the opportunity to be taken to the top of Ponte City and released- face first or feet first- down, down, down the side of the building. A number of ropes and several well-trained, qualified professionals will assist you on the descent- so it’s all perfectly safe and…whoooooosh, what a rush! Refreshments, music and kiddies entertainment will be on offer while your family watches breathlessly as you make your way down the 173 metre high building. There is also secure underground parking and signage so you won’t get lost. (see attached map). Even better than knowing you’ll have an unrivalled experience is the fact that this is a charity event. The R500 fee for each jump will go to the Creative Inner City Initiative, a fantastic organization that works to develop artists in the inner-city. You may have already seen some of their work – the mosaic balls in Harrow road, the Faraday taxi rank mosaic, and the graphics at Drill Hall. The CICI is also the initiators of the Hillbrow carnival and runs a number of art programmes for children in Joubert Park. The event also serves to hi-light a number of new developments happening in the inner-city. This area is being revitalized at an incredible pace- from the conversion of Ponte City into upmarket luxury apartments (see http://www.newponte.co.za/), to the Ellis Park Precinct Development which aims to regenerate the Greater Ellis Park into a secure, safe, vibrant and sustainable leading destination of choice for sports and recreation within Johannesburg. Other great new projects in the environs, includes the new Alhambra theatre, not to mention a plethora of initiatives by the City of Johannesburg including the newly approved JDA-led Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville Public Environment Upgrade. On the day, we’ll be taking people on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. But we’ll be doing jumps throughout the day so everyone will have a chance. You’ll also get a sneak preview of the much talked...
We will be back!
