Tribeca PR asked me to take photos at the Whisky Live Festival in Johannesburg this evening.  After a few discussions with them, I decided that it would also be a good idea to have someone else second me… so Alana Meyer joined for the evening too.  Thankfully I wasn’t alone for this event, because my word, there was a lot going on and such a lot to cover!!

I joined these guys at the Compass Box Art of Blending zone, where they had to blend a whisky.  They had to produce 100mls of a new blend, and write the recipe on the bottle too.  Apparently the best blend over the 3 days of the festival wins a prize.  The Thornton brothers were definitely more scientific in their blend than the Robertson brothers, writing down formulas as they went and using the calculator on their phone to work out their blend

Then I popped in a the Pick n Pay canape and whisky pairing zone

… before I headed over to the GlendDronach and Ben Riach stands to watch a bit of tasting, and for the filling of bottles from the cask containing a 21 year old whisky.

Then I bumped into Mike Sharman and Melissa Attree at the Bunnahabhain tasting session

At the Penderyn stand, Gillian MacDonald from Wales, was doing a tasting with visitors and teaching them a bit of Welsh in the process

The Whisky Live Festival is on at the Sandton Convention Centre until Friday, and if you don’t have tickets yet, do yourself a favour, and get some.   I’m not a big whisky drinker, in fact, I think I have only ever had it a few times in my life… but I must say… this Whisky Festival is awesome!!

I drove to Lenasia South yesterday morning to meet Pooja.  I’m taking the photos at her and Suren’s wedding next Saturday and I wanted to see the temple that they’re getting married in… just to be prepared.

After checking out the temple, which by the way, is just incredible, we drove around the corner to her future MIL’s house to chat about the timing on the day.  I didn’t realise that they ran a feeding scheme from their home! Once a month, they feed destitute adults and children that live in the area.  And Saturday was the day that this month’s meal happened.

When they started this 5 years ago, it was quite small…. but now it’s quite an amazing undertaking.  They feed over 500 children and a few hundred adults every month.  Not only does everyone get a good hot meal, but everyone gets to take home a food parcel!   And it’s run completely by donations from the local community and others that have heard about them!

Thankfully, I carry a camera on me wherever I go, so I grabbed my camera and the only lens I had in my handbag… my 50mm and I took some photos. LOL they thought it was quite funny that I carry a camera everywhere but hey, I’m a blogger!! I love telling stories with photos

Anyway, they’ve got the “kitchen” set up in the garage, and while I was there they had 4 of the most enormous pots I’ve ever seen, cooking the food.  Shamilaa was telling me that they cook 60 kg of rice now, and they get up at 4am to start the food, having started the food parcel preparations on the Thursday before the event.

I have never seen such a massive wooden spoon in my life…

The blue packets are the food parcels

500 packs for the kids to take home, which included chips and sweets and fruit

I was there at 10am, and the food starts getting dished out at around midday, but even knowing that, the kids had started arriving and were playing on the grass outside the house. As soon as they saw my camera they came running

I’m definitely going again.  On the 10th of December they’re going to be having their Christmas lunch.  Last year they fed 1600 kids on that day, and every single child got a gift.  Shamilaa told me that it was amazing to see the gifts arrive… and it was a miracle that every person got something to take home.  They’re expecting many more kids and adults at this year’s Christmas event… and they’re needing help.  So… if you can help in any way, please contact them via their website.

Remember the photos of the Market on Main from my visit there a few months ago?  Well, the guys there got hold of me a few weeks later, and asked whether I’d allow them to submit my images to GQ magazine for an article about the market.  Of course I said yes… and no, I wasn’t paid for them.  I did it for my ego, and even though the credit is not in the magazine, I’m pretty stoked that my images are there!

If you’re wondering which ones are mine… the big one on the right above the blurb, and the small round one on the left at the bottom of the page.

It’s a good start… 2 images on a page about a market this time… next step a wedding magazine or a full photojournalistic article… and then I’m ready to take on the world

PS.  I bought the magazine for the first time every today… what an awesome mag!! Think I’m going to start buying even if it’s just to get inspiration for boudoir shoots.

I was invited to attend the African Fashion International fashion show and trade expo at Sandton Conference Centre by Intel SA.  They invited a few bloggers to the opening evening, and it was so awesome to see Angel, Gina, Zinhle and Heidi again… and to meet Danielle

And because the show was running so so very late, we actually got to chat quite a bit so that was awesome. And we got to wander around the small expo… also awesome and I almost almost bought a gorgeous dress from Tiaan Nagel (who I discovered has a shop at 44 Stanley which I’m definitely visiting), and the most gorgeous little dress from another designer that would have been so perfect for Erin.
The tardiness of the shows, not so awesome… because in fact by the time the 8pm show started at 9:10pm, there were a lot of grumpy people around and the poor ticket guys at the gates were having a very hard time controlling the tickets… in fact it was properly chaotic.

So, it’s a huge pity, but because of the lateness of the shows I decided not to stay after watching 3 of the 5, and went home.  I LOVED what I did see though… which was a huge pity because my bank balance is going to hate me in the next few weeks!

First up was Kluk CGDT…

Then we had some snacks…

And then it was time for Marianne Fassler. And OMW she didn’t disappoint! LOVED the clothes!

and then I just LOVED the black dresses by Tart

And lastly… the brights from Mataano

I had a huge amount of fun, thanks so much Intel!! Loved that I wasn’t actually working so I could play with my camera settings and have a natter with my buds while oggling at the clothes.

I got contacted by a few newspapers last week, after posting the photos from the Slutwalk in Johannesburg.  One of the photos I took that day ended up making the weekend newspapers )

How cool!! My first photo in the newspaper ever!! And it’s starring the poster made by Angel!

So, if you’ve got a copy of the latest Mail & Guardian newspaper, check out the article on page 39 written by Gillian Schutte, and you’ll see my name under the image

My kids weren’t that impressed though.  Connor just walked out the room as I told them about it, and Bradley glanced at the page and said “Look a comic!!” .  LOL!  I had to point to it… and then ended up having to explain what rape was.