I’ve been doom-scrolling too much and sleeping too little lately. The U.S. government has been hijacked by right-wing zealots. Women’s rights have been rolled back by 50 years. The South African government can’t provide basic services to its people and we face Stage 6 loadshedding tonight. The war in Ukraine grinds on. I’m struggling to cope with the world and I know I’m not alone.
Mexican Food in Alexandra (and Other Tales From the Kasi)
Some of the best tacos in Johannesburg are served at a restaurant in Alexandra Township. Who knew?
I certainly didn’t. But luckily I do know Asanda Daza, and Asanda knows everything about food in Alexandra (a.k.a. Alex).
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Andrew Lindsay, Joburg's Mosaic Master
I recently participated in a public art bus tour hosted by the City of Johannesburg, honoring the legacy of Andrew (Drew) Lindsay. Drew died of a heart attack in October 2021 while sitting in his garden outside the Spaza Art Gallery in Troyeville. He was 65. If you’d like to learn more about Drew’s life, please read this wonderful article by Joburg journalist Ufrieda Ho.
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The Blogitects’ Excellent (Mis)adventures in KwaZulu-Natal, Part 2
Before reading this post, read Part 1 of the Blogitects’ Excellent (Mis)adventures.
Thorsten and I woke up early on Friday morning, eager to explore the Kosi Mouth beach and estuary. Amangwane Camp sits right beside the entrance to the nature reserve, run by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and the beach is about ten minutes’ drive down a steep, sandy forest road.
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Joburg's Five Best Shawarmas
As many of you already know, I’ve been on a mission to discover Joburg’s best shawarmas. This turned out to be a bigger challenge than I initially anticipated.

First, I like to do my “best of” posts in groups of five. But there are a lot more than five great shawarma restaurants in Joburg. I thought I knew more or less where to go, but once I started researching I found Joburg’s shawarma culture extends more widely than I realized.