Ideas January/February 2021

‘I was in the right place at the right time,’ is what I usually say. That’s how I arrived in Cape Town 22 years ago after a spur-of-the-moment decision to swap my afternoons with my child at Zoo Lake in Johannesburg for afternoons on the beach. I worked freelance doing styling and knew very few people in my new city. And just then, Woman’s Value was looking for a fashion editor to work on a freelance basis. Which placed me where I needed to be when the magazine wanted to appoint an assistant editor the following year and gave me the chance to find my feet before dit started up a year later and needed a bilingual editor. Six years later I was back in Johannesburg, now as publisher, and ready…

HERE FROM DOWN UNDER The sought-after Australian Claire Hill anti-ageing range is now available in South Africa. The founder, Loretta Hill, believes that skincare should be science-based, with ingredients in the correct concentrations that deliver results. This fuss-free range uses native Australian botanical extracts: desert lime, a superfruit with phytonutrients that stimulate the production of collagen, promote hydration and reduce redness, and kakadu plum, which is exceptionally rich in antioxidants like vitamins C and E; as well as hyaluronic acid, which attracts moisture like a magnet; and dog rose with fatty acids that are especially beneficial for older skin. The range comprises just four products: Micellar Water with Desert Lime (200ml, R600), S8-28 Assist Anti-Ageing Serum (50ml, R1 100), S8-28 Anti-Ageing Moisturiser (50ml, R1 475), and Eye WPC Complex (30ml, R1…

COCOFEATURES.COM Dutch artist Pauline Kick does not like too much clutter in her home. Actually, you could say she’s a minimalist. Nevertheless, her home exudes warmth and charm, thanks to her and husband Hans’s preference for natural colours and materials, and sturdy antiques. And let’s not forget the authentic characteristics of their house: a centuries-old bakery. It’s a true paradise all year long but especially in summertime, when the garden is lush and flowers are abundant. This lovely old building, which they share with their dog Storm and cat Tilanus, is in IJlst, a town in Friesland that got its city rights in 1268 and thus is one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands. It’s one of the smallest and prettiest as well, bisected by the Ee, a river that flows…

STRAWBERRY AND LIME LOLLIES Makes: 4–6 YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 lime ♥ 500g strawberries, washed and hulled ♥ 15–30ml castor sugar, depending on taste ♥ 50ml water (or vodka for adult lollies) Prepare your fruit. Finely grate the zest and juice the lime. Keep 2–3 strawberries aside to use for decorating. Purée the remaining strawberries with the sugar. Add the lime zest and juice and the water or vodka. Rinse the lolly mould with water. Slice the reserved strawberries as thinly as possible. Stick the slices to the side of the mould and use a skewer to move them around. Slowly pour the strawberry mixture into the moulds. Insert an ice-cream stick and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. TIPS 1 Thick, puréed fruit makes decorating the moulds with fruit easy. For lollies with more…

PRAWNS WITH CHILLI AND BASIL BUTTER It’s easy to create an impressive and delicious meal using prawns. Keep it simple by cooking the prawns in their shells and serving them hot with flavoured butter and fresh lemons. Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 6-10 minutes ♥ 1kg whole prawns, deveined♥ 125ml soft butter♥ 2 cloves garlic, crushed♥ 1-3 chillies, seeded and sliced♥ handful of basil leaves, thinly sliced♥ 5ml grated lemon zest♥ 40ml canola oil♥ lemon wedges and potato chips, to serve 1 Remove the heads from the prawns but leave the shells and tails in place. 2 Mix the butter, garlic, chillies, basil and lemon zest together and set aside (or refrigerate if you are preparing this in advance). 3 Heat a heavy-based pan over a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a…