A view of Johannesburg’s rich and turbulent history and heritage.
Diamonds and Dust: Johannesburg Heritage Tour At last … breaking free from 2 years of on-line tours of Jozi’s heritage. In early February I joined a live walking tour of Jewel City and Maboneng with Dave Gurney and Alkis Doukakis of the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation. We met at the Hallmark Hotel with its impressive […]
Read More »While Parts I and II of Being a Tourist in my Own City spoke about the tours that are on regular offer, the tours here either only happen annually or are once offs. Hopefully the weekend of #JoziWalks will happen again this winter. #JoziWalks sponsored by the the JDA (the Johannesburg Development Agency) This is […]
Read More »After 2 years of varying levels of Lockdown it seems that there is light at the end of the social distancing tunnel (I’ve almost forgotten how to hug!). My last post started looking at Jozi’s explorers who introduce locals and internationals to new and exciting (and sometimes inaccessible) places. Here are several more of these […]
Read More »Welcome back Jozi explorers It goes without saying that the last two years have been tough – tougher for some than others. There are so many passionate dedicated people who proudly navigate Jozi leading tours for both locals and internationals – Jozi in all its vagaries, grit and harshness as well as its vibrancy and […]
Read More »Johannesburg Contemporary Art Foundation [JCAF] Like many I mourned the forced closure of live exhibitions, movie screenings, theatre performances, tours and events during the various stages of Covid Lockdown. And because there wasn’t the usual dilemma of choices to be made from the multiple options in Jozi’s jam-packed and diverse schedule, I missed the few […]
Read More »A giant tree has fallen What a legacy Drew Lindsay has given Jozi. Apart from the deeply felt loss and sadness for his family, friends and colleagues, his passing has left a huge gaping hole in Jozi’s creative community. This gentle giant of a man who embraced all with his wide smile, his quirky humour, […]
Read More »JCAF [Johannesburg Contemporary Art Foundation] 1, Durris St Forest Town. The current exhibition at JCAF is the 2nd in a programme of 3 year-long exhibitions around the theme of the Global South. Booking is by appointment only on their website or info@jcaf.org.za +27 (0) 10 900 2204. For more on the building and the institution. […]
Read More »Family business takes on a whole new level of meaning when it comes to Parkhurst Hardware There are many shops in the ‘burbs which have reached institutional status – Parkhurst Hardware is one such. Located on trendy 4th Ave in Parkhurst (obviously) alongside the pavement cafes and eateries where the beautiful people quaff cappuccinos and […]
Read More »Jeppe Street Post Office 1935 While writing my last post on Art Deco in Johannebsurg, I came across photos in my archive of the Jeppe Street Post Office. Three years ago Laurice Taitz of Johannebsurg In Your Pocket together with JDA and Africa Housing Company [AFCHO] arranged a tour of this 1935 Public Works building. […]
Read More »Buildings competing for Numero Uno Like many born and bred Jozi-ites I have seen many iterations of this mad brash vibrant city, not least of all the Sandton sky-line. Glinting glass phalluses compete for attention a la Donkey-of-Shrek fame in a persistent “Choose Me! Choose Me!”. The bigger, the taller, the more expensive, the more […]
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