I was recently invited to have a pedicure at Tenfold, a new nail salon at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Maboneng. I am not a beauty blogger and writing about mani-pedis isn’t my normal thing, but I liked the idea of getting my nails done in a super-old historic building in the middle of downtown Joburg. (Also it was my birthday weekend and this seemed like a nice present for myself.)
So I went, and wound up staying at the Cosmopolitan for the entire afternoon.
Tenfold, owned by a lovely woman named Georgia Shekeshe, occupies a pretty corner spot in the Cosmopolitan garden. It was a great place to relax with a cup of tea and a foot massage on a cold winter day. It will be even nicer in summer when the doors are open.
I can’t believe I photographed my own feet in such a vulnerable state. Tumi did a great job and the warm towels were welcome on a cold day.
After the pedicure I felt like continuing to treat myself. So I wandered over to the Yswara Tea Room on the other side of the garden.
I’ve tried Yswara’s fantastic tea – which is sourced from all over Africa – before, when I had afternoon tea at the Saxon Hotel. But I hadn’t been into the Yswara Tea Room since it opened last year. I was blown away.
When I finished my tea, I realized I was starving. Like, I had to eat something RIGHT THEN to avoid passing out. So I staggered to the nearest eating place: Sphere Monk in the old Cosmopolitan bar. This restaurant just opened a few weeks ago when the famous Cube Tasting Kitchen moved out.
Sphere Monk is a high-end dining establishment with a tasting room, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover a reasonably priced lunch menu. I sat right down and ordered.
I had a brief chat with Liam Bloy, the chef who opened Sphere Monk, who told me that he eventually plans to open a jazz lounge in the bar area. I can’t wait for this to happen.
Pleasantly full, I went home and admired my toes.
My pedicure at Tenfold was complimentary. Opinions expressed are mine.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.