Urbanologi: My Number One Date Night Restaurant

18 April 2019

Many of you read my previous post about the interesting experiences I’ve had recently on Tinder and other dating apps, and my plan to start a business helping people improve their dating app profiles. In conjunction with that I’m starting a series of posts about my top recommendations for Jozi dates. First up: Urbanologi.

Read More

This Is the East: TJIPS in Eastgate Mall

08 April 2019

Sixth in an occasional blog series called This Is the East, featuring hidden spots on Johannesburg’s East Rand.

A few weeks ago I saw some photos of a plate of chips – fries, to the Americans among you – on Instagram.

Read More

The Best Margherita Pizza in Joburg (or maybe the world)

28 March 2019

UPDATE (May 2019): The Coalition Pineslopes location has closed. You can still eat Coalition’s delicious Margherita pizza at their location on Bolton Road in Rosebank, and they will soon be offering their “Kitchen Table” experience again at a new location in Sandton. Follow them on Facebook for updates.

Read More

15 Quirky Things to Do in Maputo

23 March 2019

I spent six days in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.

Statue of Samora Machel in Maputo, Mozambique.
Statue of Samora Machel, the first president of independent Mozambique. Erected in 2011, the monument was designed and constructed in North Korea.

Two friends joined me for the last two days but the rest of the time I was alone. Other than booking my flight and accommodation and buying a guide book – the Bradt Travel Guide for Mozambique, which has a short and rather disappointing chapter on Maputo but was helpful nonetheless – I made zero plans before going. Once there, I continued making zero plans and just wandered around looking at things.

Read More

Not Cycling Through Alexandra Township

19 March 2019

I recently found myself not cycling on a cycle ride through Alexandra Township.

It was a hard job riding around Alex in a comfortable car, photographing the cyclists as they toiled in the hot sun. But someone had to do it.

I was supposed to cycle, but there weren’t enough bikes and it was blazing hot and when someone suggested I ride in the Jeep that was escorting the riders and take photos through the open top, I gladly accepted.

Read More

This Is the East: The Windmill of Van Riebeek Avenue

12 March 2019

Fifth in an occasional blog series called This Is the East, featuring hidden spots on Johannesburg’s East Rand.

On a busy stretch of Van Riebeek Avenue in Edenvale, amidst hair braiding salons and car stereo places and dusty old bookshops, is an authentic, nearly full-sized Dutch wooden windmill. Inside the windmill is a Dutch pancake house and below it is the best Dutch bakery in Joburg.

Read More