We’re wild about Spring, and plan on celebrating as brightly and boldly as possible
Are we going bright for Spring? Hell yes!
Dreams, drugs and stardom make for one helluva tale
Have you heard of the British band Utopia Avenue? Don’t worry ... neither had we. Made up of folksinger Elf Holloway, blues bassist Dean Moss, guitar virtuoso Jasper de Zoet and jazz drummer Griff Griffin, who were part of London’s psychedelic scene in 1967, and who created a unique sound, with lyrics that captured their turbulent times. The band produced only two albums in two years, but their musical legacy lives on. And this is their story. One of a brief, blazing journey from Soho clubs and draughty ballrooms to the promised land of America, just when the Summer of Love was receding into something much darker. It’s a multifaceted tale of dreams, drugs, love, sexuality, madness and grief, of stardom’s wobbly ladder and fame’s Faustian pact, and of the collision between youthful idealism and jaded reality as the sixties drew to a close. It’s a story that celebrates the power of music to connect across divides, define an era and thrill the soul. Hodder & Stoughton, R355
Dinner from a tin
If you’re anything like us, you’ve gone through your regular recipe books a few times during this lockdown period ... so meal options are getting a little tired. Add to that the dilemma of how many times you should be going out grocery shopping, and suddenly dinner’s a palaver. Hello Take One Tin. A collection of quick, versatile meals, straight from the storeroom cupboard, with just a couple of added ingredients that you’ve probably got on hand anyway. We admit, we were sceptical (thinking baked beans on toast), but Lola Milne has given us recipes for sweetcorn cakes with green chutney, flageolet bean and artichoke gratin, peach mango and passion fruit pavlova. Recipes you can cook every day ... and ones that won’t break the bank. Bonus ... less food wastage and fewer trips to the store. Great stuff. Octopus, R340
When it comes to bright and cheerful, Lou Harvey’s always top of the game. She’s just teamed up with Mr Price Home for her second Creative Colab Collection ... it’s all brilliant, bright and botanical. Soft furnishings, kitchen and bathroom accessories, crockery and stationery in oversized bold florals, sunbirds and paisley. You’ll find the range in store, or on online. Details: mrphome.com
Wild about Spring Our favourite season of the year ... and apparently the fave of the Macaroon crew too, who every September launch their new range ... each one better than the last. This year it’s all about Wild Wreaths. They’re dressing the animal kingdom – think apes and ellies, leopards and lions – in blossoming crowns of wild flowers. Available online this month on macaroon.co.za