So as I have mentioned I now live in a beautiful little house up on the Helderberg mountain in Stellenbosch. One evening I decided to just catch the colours and night sky looking back toward Cape Town as it changed. Sometimes we take for granted the incredible things that surround us on a daily basis...



Un-earthed, the documentary

This still blows my mind.

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a process whereby water is blasted into the earth at a high pressure in order to release petroleum, natural gases or oil. It's a highly controversial practise, but one which is slowly coming more and more into use around the world. So much so that it is knocking on our own door here in South Africa. Fracking has been proposed in our beautiful Karoo, and the big petroleum companies are targeting this area as a future lucrative prospect. Many people don't know about the process at all, and those who do are given a sugar coated view of the operation. Hidden behind a facade of job creation and other benefits for the future is pollution and negative environmental impact on a massive scale.

A dear friend, Jolynn Minnaar, has jumped in the deep end. No no, she's nose dived in. I'm fairly sure that one day Jo will save the world. What started out as a casual 20 minute clip questioning what was going on, has now turned into a full length, 90 minute documentary called Un-earthed. Investigating this controversial topic has led Jo to the United States and further abroad, and what she is putting together is something which will be ground breaking.

However, she hasn't done this to gain favour or fame, nor is she doing it for some willy-nilly university project. This is real, and something that has had a major impact on her. Her efforts have been astounding, and so far this entire documentary is her baby. I take my hat off to Jolynn, as not many people have the balls to pursue a cause on one's own as intensely as she has. She's just your average 20-something year old girl from a small dorpie in the Karoo. But my God is she going to move mountains. Give this a look, I'm pretty sure it will make you sit up and start asking questions yourself too:

http://vimeo.com/32564132

and check out:

http://www.un-earthed.com/

Robert Johnson - Me and the Devil Blues

After meeting a gentleman by the name of Tommaso last year in Italy, I was completely inspired to rediscover the blues. My sister sent me this link to a song by Robert Johnson the other day. He was one of the pioneers of the blues as a genre.

Vito Selma

After an incredible Saturday spent at Cape Town’s Design Indaba, I thought it only sensible to share with you a friend and his work...

I hope that everyone gets the opportunity to meet Mr Vito Selma one day. Our paths crossed last year whilst I was in Italy, in Milan. You are greeted by Vito’s Cheshire-cat grin, his navy waistcoat hangs unbuttoned and his tailored shorts are cuffed above the knee. He's unassuming in his ways, yet insightful. He carries a humble camera with him most days, and occasionally he'll snap a building, a passer-by, or even you.

Vito is one of the most inspiring humans I’ve had the privilege of meeting in my short life. He is a designer, a photographer, a creator, a fashionista, and a spectacular cook in the kitchen if you are lucky enough to be invited around for dinner at his pad. Furniture being his trade, his genius designs have been featured in publications around the world. And he still continues to leave his mark on the design world internationally. He is a humble individual, yet full of enthusiasm and excitement, and I find myself secretly envious of his work and achievement. Not because of the his incredible success, but because he has made his passion into his career, and he's living it.

His newest creation, “Delilah”, is a new-school take on an old-school rocking chair. Come on, who doesn’t love a good old rocking chair? Go check him out at http://www.vitoselma.com/

The view from my new home, Uva Mira

Morning vineyards, Stellenbosch