I broke in my heels at the Being Erica launch at Durban's Cafe Vacca Matta, where entertainment journalists and others in the media world gathered on a slightly gusty Tuesday evening for an intimate dinner.
The popular Canadian comedy-drama series will hit South Afri- can screens on November 12 on DStv's Hallmark channel. Being Erica stars Erin Karpluk as a 30-something Jewish woman down on her luck. In each episode she has an opportunity to revisit the past and see how, if she had done things differently, it could have influenced her life. The media's intro- duction to Erica, preceded a Blast to the Past 1990s Party at the popular nightspot.
SHOOTING THE BREEZE: I kicked off my evening of swanking with a pink cocktail and a chat with media consultant and playwright Aldrin Naidu. Naidu, who scripted and directed the stage comedy Mandrax Muniamma, gushed about the new addition to his family and married life with East Coast Radio's Naz Khan. He was part of the Vogue Communi- cations team that arranged the dinner. Naidu's sister Cheryl, a partner in Vogue, chose Durban for the launch because of its repu- tation of being a "fun city". Cheryl said she was disappointed at not meeting Vacca Matta's co-owner, Shabeer Limbada, who was severely injured in a car crash last Friday. I heard his condition is still serious but stable.
MIKE NIGHT: East Coast Radio jock Neville Pillay, his Cape Town counterpart Sam Roy of the Mother City's Heart104.9FM and Durban University of Technology's head of journalism Robin Sewlal also graced the event. Roy, who lives up to his former club nickname "Huggy Bear", introduced himself as "Sam or Sumanth". The jovial radio man, who spun the mixes at one-time popular nightclubs Sticky Fingers and Palladium in the 1980s and 1990s, regaled his dinner companions with stories of his "strict principal father" and his teenage daughter's affinity to expensive clothes. Roy welcomed guests in his best radio voice before a brief preview of Being Erica. Vogue's bubbly Lyn- ette Alexander was on the ball, taking pictures of guests at every turn, saying "it's for my clients".
SINGING FOR THEIR SUPPER: A few glasses of wine down and the small gathering did not hesi- tate to sing along to R Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly, led by Pillay who even waved a candle for effect. Pillay continued his antics as dinner arrived, holding a mock auction of the dishes being served.
The menu included a prawn-and-chicken salad and a mouthwatering lamb curry, which looked like it came straight out my mother's kitchen. The pièce de résistance was a generous serving of Lindt chocolate mousse topped with fresh cream and a strawberry - the highlight of the evening for this chocolate addict.
PARTY ANIMALS: Dinner guests could hardly resist the chance to hit the empty dance floor as Roy spun the hits of the 1990s. Clubbers trickled in as the Blast to Past 1990s Party got under way. I suppose the party reached full-swing after this weary but sated swanker headed home. - SG
I HOPPED, skipped and jumped my way to the Art of Living Festival (AoL) at Joburg's Zoo Lake last Sunday, dodging the duck droppings that littered my path to the vibrant gathering. I was immediately drawn to the stage where the lively Afro-Brazilian dance form Capoeira was being performed for an enthusiastic audience. The Art of Living Foundation is a non-profit educational and charitable organisation dedi- cated to strengthening people from within through its self-development programmes. The festival was aimed at giving Johannesburg residents a peek into the benefits of leading a balanced life.
GETTING DOWN: I made a quick escape from the stage area just as AoL members got the audience to hit the floor. As fun as it seemed, I must have lost my dance mojo somewhere along the way. But it was heart-warming to watch people of all ages and sizes attempt to move to the music.
INDIAN DELIGHTS: I bumped into socialite Ushi Goshalia, who seems to cross my path at most functions these days, and we traded stories about our hectic social diaries. I then meandered through the droves of people into the food area to sample the tasty delights at one of the umpteen stalls. I was drawn to Salaam Bombay's stall where the wafting fragrance of the tandoori cuisine proved irresist- ible. I snapped up a menu and jot- ted down the address of the food spot which I was sure to visit. Festival-goers were spoilt for choice with the array of north and south Indian dishes.
WORTHY CAUSE: Hunger pangs sated, I stopped by the charity tents. I was overcome by the peacefulness that pervaded one of the tents where meditation sessions were under way. I almost felt the need to take off my shoes and tread through silently. I spotted Kavesh Naidoo of World Leisure Holidays at the charity stand. Curious as I am, I quizzed him about his presence at the event. Kavesh told me he recently joined AoL and had been adopting the life values of the organisation. I learnt about the AoL's charity challenge and contributed R40, which equated to 40kgs of rice to be donated to the needy. I also ran into Meenakshi Kara, a devoted member of the organisation.
SOUL FOOD: The AoL may have added value to the lives of visitors to the festival and to many disadvantaged people. Apart from the great food on sale, the event was also food for the soul. I left feeling satisfied that I had made donations to worthy causes but clearly needed a change of shoes as I picked up the droppings of ducks and domestic pets that abound at Zoo Lake.
Loading...
Be the first to comment