#Architecture

On a recent visit to the Melville Visitors Center, I noticed a small brochure for a place called Lindfield House and was immediately captivated. It’s a Victorian home in Auckland Park, a suburb adjacent to Melville, which has been furnished as an authentic 19th-century English estate. The owner, Katharine Love, has lived there for half a century and spent her entire life restoring the house.

Melville is full of interesting houses, lived in by interesting people. I’m slowly integrating myself into the neighborhood but I haven’t had the chance to visit many other Melville homes yet. So when Chris Green, a tour operator who lives around the corner, invited us over to see his backyard jungle, I jumped at the chance.

Joe and I just returned from a two-week trip to Washington D.C. I really intended to blog while we were there but I didn’t have much time to spare. We’re both still recovering from the physical and emotional exhaustion of it all.

Today is Heritage Day, a public holiday celebrating the cultural heritage of South Africa.

Similar to Labor Day and Memorial Day, Heritage Day seems to serve mostly as an excuse for a long weekend. This year the holiday coincided with the end of the ANC General Council meeting so there was a big event at Moses Mabhida Stadium – the brand-new world cup venue in Durban. The specific theme of the event, in addition to South Africa’s heritage, was the success of the 2010 World Cup. The guest of honor was President Jacob Zuma.