It’s Day 57 of the South African lockdown. I really don’t have much to say. Here’s a picture of a cat.
I put a lot of energy into my posts from yesterday and the day before, and woke up today without much motivation left. Also I don’t think I can top yesterday’s experience. A boring lockdown day at home and my run-of-the-mill emotional angst seem like very trivial blog topics compared to a food program feeding hundreds of hungry South Africans.
Fortunately it’s Friday and I’m going to continue my new habit of taking Saturdays and Sundays off from lockdown journaling. I’ll be back on Monday, hopefully with renewed vigor.
I did receive a beautiful food delivery from Publik Wine Bar today. During the lockdown, Publik has pivoted from selling wine (which, if you believe today’s news, may or may not be for sale in South Africa again…like ever) to selling and delivering fresh produce and other specialty foods. I finally decided to give Publik a try.
There are a few items here that I’ve never cooked with before, and I’m super excited about all of it. I actually had to ask a friend to help me identify the vegetable at the bottom left next to the eggs: In case you’re wondering, it’s fennel.
Maybe I’ll document some of my creations over the weekend and share them in the next post.
Publik lists all of its food items for sale on Instagram (so millennial) and then you order via Whatsapp. Orders are delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Today I’m featuring artist/photographer Suzy Bernstein, who is a neighbor of mine and has been taking beautiful, candid photos of life in Melville during our prescribed morning walk times. Suzy shoots all of her Instagram photos on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
A post shared by Suzy Bernstein (@suzybernstein_photography) on May 15, 2020 at 9:51pm PDT
This photo was shot through the window of Bounty Hunters, a charity shop that doubles as a cat shelter. It’s just one of my recent favorites in Suzy’s feed but there are many more. Follow her at @suzybernstein_photography.
See you all next week.
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.
Use the share button below if you liked it.
It makes me smile, when I see it.