Enjoy a cooking course, take a safari, and so much more, all without leaving your living room!
Jolly good fun to be had at home this June
Amazing online cooking experience
For an extraordinary online cooking experience, you shouldn’t miss courses by Sandy’s Kitchen ... an hour of pure culinary pleasure! An enormously popular caterer, Sandy has been giving online courses during lockdown ... she’s gone Middle Eastern with Pinina’s tabbouleh and Indian with lamb Madras, beaten the winter chills with lamb shank cassoulet and posh with smoked salmon and dill tart. The live, online demos are held on Fridays from 10am to 11am, and cost R150. You’ll need to book prior to the event on WhatsApp 082-882-0238 and the themes are given in advance on Sandy’s Instagram page (sandyskitchensa).
Virtual roses
Nothing beats being able to wander down rows of roses, inhaling their perfume. But then along came travel restrictions, personal distancing and face masks. So now, although all its outlets are open for a real rose fix,
Ludwig’s Roses has gone virtual. That means you can browse the rose catalogue on-line, and order roses on-line for delivery or kerbside collection. For ‘how to’ advice on almost every aspect of rose growing – from planting to spraying, transplanting and pruning – visit www.ludwigsroses.co.za and click on the YouTube social media icon. Once you’ve been inspired, order away. Delivery in the metro areas is free for orders of R1000 or more.
A game drive ... in your living room
For an authentic experience in nature, these awesome nature live streams will let you experience the great outdoors from the comfort of your sofa.
Naledi – Cat Eye Camera has been set up at the eye level of a leopard to give you a sense of the size of the different creatures that visit the waterhole. It’s at the Naledi game lodge in the gamerich greater Kruger conservancy, so marvellous viewing. Cheetah, lions, elephant, giraffe, impala, baboons, warthog and owls have all been spotted recently, along with genets, meercats, waterbuck and porcupines. Tune in: youtu.be/8UFA66bi-0g
Also try the Nkorho Bush Lodge site, which is in the Sabi Sand private game reserve. This camera is equipped with infrared technology, allowing you to take a look at the watering hole at night. The area is famous for Big Five viewing, and birdlife is abundant.
Tune in: youtu.be/gUZjDCZEMDA
Virtual art expos
We’ve found three local virtual art exhibitions you can enjoy without leaving your laptop… Banele Khoza’s gallery/shop/studio/artist project in vibey Braamfontein, done out in soft pastels, is a light and airy space for the expression of creativity. You can view the current exhibition, Blue is the Warmest Colour, with works by artists such as Vusi Beauchamp, Nelson Makamo and Jodi Bieber ... well worth an hour or so.
Details: bkhz.art/virtual-tours
The Norval Foundation is offering #60SecondArt digital stories via YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, giving art lovers knowledge clips on a specific artist, painting, or sculpture. The art being discussed either forms part of the Homestead Collection, or is art currently on display. Or you could take a virtual tour of the foundation’s beautiful Cape Town grounds. We’d recommend you do both.
Details: w.norvalfoundation.org/virtual-tour/
Walk around Standard Bank Art Gallery’s 3D experience which showcases its Lumières d’Afriques Exhibition. Click on selected tiles to stand in front of each artwork and read about the artist and the work itself. There are 54 works from artists across the African continent to marvel at. All the pieces were made under the theme, The Light of Africa. Details: my.matterport.com/show/?m=KoMFpZVX3JY
The Big Flower Fight is going to be a big blooming joy to watch. This is to flower lovers what The Great British Bake Off is to bakers.
It’s a (friendly) floral fight between 10 pairs of florists, sculptors and garden designers, who pull out all the stops to see who can build the biggest, boldest and most beautiful garden sculptures. There are challenges including woodwork, floristry and landscaping, and the competitors will be encouraged to use plants and materials that are earth-friendly. Each week a team will be eliminated ... leading up to an exciting floral finale, when one team will win the flower crown! It started on May 18 on Netflix which means you’ve got a few episodes to binge watch.