#Travel

After our recent stay in Suurbraak, Thorsten and I had a weekend to kill in the Overberg before flying back to Joburg. We decided to spend two nights in Greyton, about 90 minutes from Cape Town, where neither of us had been before. We also made an afternoon detour to Malgas for lunch and a wine tasting at Sijnn Wines.

Thorsten and I recently spent three days in Suurbraak, a tiny town in South Africa’s Overberg region. Thorsten (who is an architect) designed a holiday house there several years ago; now he’s designing a second house for the same clients. I was lucky enough to get invited along on his scouting mission.

I recently received a media invitation from Johannesburg In Your Pocket to go axe-throwing in downtown Joburg. How could I refuse? I had never thrown an axe before –- it’s not something one does in normal life, especially not in the middle of the city -– and I’m always up for entertainment that involves medieval imagery and a bit of physical exertion.

Last Saturday Thorsten and I went to a launch of Eve Fairbanks’ new book, The Inheritors, at the Soweto Book Café. I was excited because: 1) Eve and I have been friends for years and I was keen to hear some discussion about her award-winning book, which tells the story of modern South Africa in a very unique way; and 2) I had never been to, or even heard of, the Soweto Book Café (SBC), but I had a feeling it was something special. And it was.

I’m back in Joburg after a month-long trip to the U.S. – my second American journey in 2023. I spent most of this trip dealing with administrative and family issues, spending time in the same places I normally go: Maryland (and a little time in Washington, D.C.), South Carolina, and New York. But I also squeezed in a short trip to Rhode Island with my sister.

This is a quick post advising Joburg art-lovers to go to the Everard Read Gallery in Rosebank to check out the beautiful mosaic in the courtyard. It was made in Brixton.

I’ve always liked visiting Everard Read, which is in the middle of Rosebank’s art district – it’s a lovely gallery and always has great exhibitions. (Check out the fabulous “Bitches Brew” group exhibition that’s up now – it’s on until 6 May.) But I like it even more now that there’s a giant mosaic mural there, made by my neighbor.