Getting a jump on the dop ke Dezemba
● Fancy a setting for a function to kick off the party season? How about the palatial mansion of the man who could be Africa’s wealthiest “defence trader”, set in acres of prime Sandton real estate with sprawling grounds spilling with sculptures from SA’s most celebrated artists?
This was the swish spot that mass-market warehouse chain Makro picked to show off its 2018 Festive Liquor Catalogue on Thursday afternoon. It drew a crowd of celebrity party people laced with the sort of folk who can afford to cough up a recession-busting R650K for a bottle of the brown stuff.
Walking up the winding path of the Birdsview House estate, my way punctuated by bronzes from artists of the ilk of Deborah Bell and Dylan Lewis, I spot celebrity chef Lucia Mthiyane catching her breath as she picks up an Aperol cocktail from a mobile bar.
Past the pool festooned with balloons and onto the outside terrace, where I chat to Makro’s Doug Jones and Andrew Stein, who tell me gin is set to be the tipple of choice ke Dezemba.
Then it’s hello to beauty queen-turnedbroadcaster Bridget Masinga, DJ Kimmy K and that lass with the longest legs in the land, Rosette Ncwana.
Rosette chastises me for mentioning recently that I’ve not once seen her out with her businessman beau Lunga.
“My husband doesn’t do these things,” she says. “[But] I will bring him the next time.”
Mmmkay …
Then it’s on to one couple who do turn up together, performer Bianca Le Grange and her hunky hubby, David Johnson, whose wedding I went to just over two years ago.
No pitter-patter of tiny feet?, I ask the back-toblonde award-winning actress.
“We do have four babies: Nina Simone, Spot, Avatar and Lioness,” she says, rattling off the names of her mutts.
A late arrival is a vision in mustard, my bestie Lerato Kganyago, who recently celebrated the renewal of her contract for Mzansi Magic’s reality TV fashion programme Project Runway SA.
LKG makes a beeline for the Glenlivet bar as I marvel at the champagne fountain and tuck into canapés ranging from veggie spring rolls to mini beef sliders and a heartburn-inducing beef curry. Others enjoy prawns with mango chutney and a seafood paella.
Who served up the grub? Salt & Peppa, the new catering co by Jeff Shull, who, according to the South African Jewish Report, earlier this year rankled the Jewish community when un-kosher chickens were apparently found in the kosher kitchen of his former business. Oy vey!
You’ll want to know about the owner of the palatial place: later in the evening in walks Jeff’s brother-in-law, Ivor Ichikowitz, who I hear doesn’t stomach being called an arms dealer.
Ivor prefers the title industrialist and philanthropist — then again, when your company has captured the continent’s aerospace, aviation and defence markets, who am I to argue …?